Chapter 16

"Good morning, Miss Roar."

"Good morning, Miss Milena, Miss Serin."

In the academy corridor, Misha Roar greeted them warmly and bit her lip slightly as she watched the back of the two busy classmates moving away.

Over there, Young Master Ankart Calin was gathered with the students who shared a nearby dormitory room, chatting and talking about the late- night snack they had eaten while studying together all night.

A little more strength went into Misha's jaw as she watched this. Despite hating the late- night snack that made her face blush, she felt envious of that scene.

She carelessly stroked her smooth cheek with her fingertips after a sound sleep.

The ones who just passed by were daughters of families closely related to Roar. Their kindness was only because of that reason, and there was a subtle distance between them that was hard to describe.

Right after the entrance ceremony, many students gathered around the daughter of the third lion. Misha's beauty and background shone simultaneously, and she took the attention and admiration poured on her for granted.

But after the first test results were posted on the wall, the atmosphere changed.

She thought she had 'studied' as she did at home, but the result was harsh.

The academy posted the grades and rankings of all students on the wall, and she avoided being last only. Moreover, the grade difference with the one right ahead was significant.

The last was Duke Rocard Kaidel. He was still absent from school as he had gone to the resort with the second prince. He even abstained from the entrance ceremony.

After that, the students naturally moved away from Misha and gathered around Calin Ankart, the top student.

There was no involvement of emotions like disregard or contempt. If anything, it was closer to indifference.

Most students cling to the entrance exam for years to gain the connections and experiences provided only by the academy.

The kind of power that could be obtained at parties or tea parties was already in their family's closets.

They had no time to socialize with someone who would soon fail and return home. That was the academy's atmosphere.

Misha had no idea how to deal with this situation.

Even the female students in the dormitory corridor being indifferent to her new weekend dress and jewelry hurt her. They planned study schedules instead of going out on weekends.

Some students even planned study schedules for the vacation, so they might not wear anything but academy uniforms until graduation.

But Misha had inherited some robust power from her mother and endured it with graceful composure.

'My father is His Majesty's third lion. Someday they will have to accept me.'

In the meantime, I felt that everything would be fine if I studied a little more.

But Misha understood only about a third of the words the teachers used during class. She especially needed a large imperial dictionary.

Still, her faith did not waver. If the strength she had inherited from her mother had been so trivial, the countess would have lost her self- control and caused a scandal long ago.

The glimmer of light that came to Misha, who was slowly losing vitality, was a week after the entrance ceremony. It was the day Duke Rocard Kaidel appeared at the academy.

Misha was beautiful, adorable, and graceful.

She had the power to make people passing by at parties take a second glance inadvertently. But rather, Duke Rocard Kaidel drew her to his side.

His gravity was so massive that it caused students locked in their dormitory rooms studying to come out to the relaxation hall themselves.

Duke Rocard Kaidel had finally appeared at the academy.

Misha happened to be passing through the relaxation hall corridor when she discovered him. He was tall, so his face was visible even surrounded by students.

Rocard was entirely different from Misha's imagination.

Since he volunteered to participate in the war and saved the second prince's life, she thought of a rough and cruel man who had held a sword from birth.

But he was beautiful. The curves his black hair tips made at his temples or ears made him look like a person with delicate sensibility.

When he looked at people, his eyes were wide open, emitting a vivid light. In them was a firmness and passion she had never seen before.

He laughed that the new academy uniform was uncomfortable, but Misha had never seen a man to whom the uniform suited so well. He deceived the viewer's eyes, simultaneously revealing both a boy's and a man's face.

She already thought it was natural for him, who had risen as an unrivaled existence in the young aristocratic generation, called a cub of Tagar, to slightly look down on others. She would certainly have done the same.

But strangely, no one seemed to dislike him.

The students ceaselessly asked him about what the second prince was like, whether he had really saved his life, how barbaric the Amata tribe was.

Although most of them were meeting him for the first time, Duke Rocard Kaidel answered sincerely and without hesitation, and the students automatically uttered exclamations such as 'Ah!' or 'Oh my, really.'

He had no intention of boasting and was captivating and astonishing those listening just by speaking the bare minimum of facts.

He shone not only for his eloquence but also for the humble attitude he displayed even after achieving great feats.

The light and beauty he emitted were genuine and absolute.

Misha was stunned in shock. Then Duke Rocard, who sensed the persistent gaze on him from afar, turned his eyes towards her.

Misha hid her body behind the entrance pillar and fled. Peeping at a man, she couldn't believe she had committed such a shameful act.

And that night, she tossed and turned. At the time when the students were studying through the night, she could not sleep in the dark room, thinking of Duke Rocard Kaidel.

The next day, when the date for the next examination was announced, Misha returned to her room and opened her book. She now had a definite reason to stay at the academy.

(This is a time separator.)

Soon after, when she was alone in the library, borrowing a book and going back, someone called her.

"Miss Roar."

Thump, or bang.

His soft voice struck Misha Roar's heart in that way.

Considering it was in front of the library, Duke Rocard called her in a quiet voice and quickly came before her.

Thanks to his long legs, it looked effortless.

"I am Rocard of the Kaidel family."

Misha greeted him slightly, hoping that the low lighting in the corridor, where there were not many windows, would hide her blushing face.

"Misha… How do you know me…"

"I've greeted most of my fellow students, but it seems I didn't exchange greetings with Miss Misha. Aren't you the daughter of the third lion?"

"Thank you."

Misha was unhappy that her voice was so small.

But she did not think it bad. Her flushed face, seemingly flustered attitude, and small voice could emphasize her femininity, she knew.

"You, you look good in the uniform."

"Thank you."

This man, who had come from fighting a war in the mountains, knew how to fold his eyes playfully and smile.

That fact surprised Misha. Her heart responded again, thumping.

"Can I, um, ask you something since I've been absent?"

"Yes. Anything!"

Unintentionally raising her voice, Misha looked down as her face got even redder.

"Could you tell me about the foreign trade routes? About Smairlan or the sea information?"

"Foreign trade routes? Well, I'm not good at trade… I don't even remember hearing it in class."

"Oh, is that so? It seems I heard it roughly. It would be better to go to the academic office and check."

"Yes… That would be a good idea. I'm sorry I couldn't help you."

"I'm the one who's sorry to bother you, Miss Roar."

After bowing politely and turning around, Duke Rocard's face was stiff.

Issues related to the trade routes of neighboring countries, including Smairlan, are not covered in the academy's first and second- year student classes. Practical and directly related problems were studied intensively by third- year students in preparation for debates.

In fact, Duke Rocard had prepared for early admission to the academy before joining the war. Since he had already completed his education to the level of passing half the academy's course, he knew the content of the trade route classes.

So what Duke Rocard Kaidel wanted to know was not about the progress of the class.

It was Misha Roar's intellect.

If his father, the first Lion Teran Kaidel Duke, stood by Emperor Muro's side, the third Lion Helriden Roar, the Count, was the one who assisted the Emperor with the door.

Count Roar's intelligence and problem- solving ability were unmatched. He was receiving the refined respect of the nobles with his flexible behavior, not constrained by factionalism.

Duke Rocard was genuinely curious.

If the mere illegitimate child of Count Roar was smart enough to attract the attention of the second prince, then how smart would enemy daughter Misha Roar be?

If Misha was as smart as Lorisha, she fit perfectly into the 'flawless and competent talent' position that second Prince Greyan wanted.

The parents' position might be a problem, but he intended to break through it somehow with his ability. Was it not unnecessary for the children's generation to unconditionally follow the merits and demerits of their ancestors?

But he did not see any trace of Count Roar in Misha, whom he had just met.

Even if she did not know about the trade routes, the issue of pirates of the coastal areas was an area covered at the level of the academy entrance exam.

Nevertheless, Misha Roar only showed a purely ignorant response to his question.

Her eyes as she looked at him shone quite beautifully. But that light was not the kind he would remember.

As Duke Rocard walked down the hallway and moved away, he muttered nervously.

"Siblings, even though they are step- siblings, what the heck!"

------------------------------

This novel has been translated up to chapter 100.

To read ahead, join my Patreon: patreon.com/emmi99