Book 9: Chapter 9: Its said that the song was passed down from generation to generation and was loved by many people (1/2)

After having Lynn return to keep an eye on Felix's surroundings, Monica left the outdoor stage. It would look suspicious if she remained there any longer, especially since she was not a member of the stage crew.

As she approached the school building, Monica saw Elliot and Benjamin. While she was hesitating if she should greet them, Elliot noticed Monica and approached her.

”Hey, Miss Norton. Have you seen Cyril?”

”Lord Cyril? Well… I met him in the school building just after the festival just started… but I haven't seen him since then.”

Usually, Vice President Cyril would follow Felix around… or rather, he always sticking close by his side, but today she haven's seen him together.

Rather, ever since she had received the ornament, Monica had not seen Cyril in the school building nor on the outdoor play.

Elliot furrowed his brow and stroked his chin.

”I'm not in a hurry, but there's something I need to check with Cyril about before the ball starts… I thought he was working with you, Miss Norton.”

At Elliot's words, Monica widened her eyes while tilting her head in puzzlement.

”With me?”

”I mean, you two looked very close to me.”

”Huh? But I thought Lord Cyril's more closer to you rather than me.”

Now it's was Elliot's turn that had become amazed at Monica's words.

”Me and Cyril? You gotta be kidding me.”

Next to the surprised Elliot, Benjamin clapped his hands as if he had realized something.

”Oh, right. You were just transferred to this academy recently, Miss Norton. No wonder you don't know how their relationship was last year.”

”…huh?”

Did Cyril and Elliot treat each other differently last year than they do now?

As far as Monica knew, Cyril and Elliot seemed to be close as usual. Rather, Elliot seems to have a relatively relaxed attitude toward Cyril.

”I thought you two were friends…”

”Friends, really? Please cut me some slack.”

Elliot frowned as he shook his head. Rather than displeasure, he seemed to be saying that he couldn't stand it.

Then, benjamin explained to the puzzled Monica how their relationship was.

”You know how Elliot advocates status supremacy, right? He is proud to be a noble, and at the same time, he doesn't like to see the common people stepping into the noble culture. For me, I'm very pleased to see that song made for common people is accepted by the nobles, but he's too hard-headed to accept it.”

”I-I see…”

Monica also understood that.

Elliot does not like the idea of upper-class nobles mixing with middle or lower-class people. Not because he looked down on those in the middle or lower class, but because he thought it best not to encroach on each other's domain in order to do their duty.

That's why Elliot disliked Monica and even tried to remove her from the student council. Now, though, he seems to be putting it on hold.

”Um, but what relation that has to do with Lord Cyril…”

”Vice President Cyril Ashley is the adopted son of Marquis Highon. Although he's related to them by blood, his father apparently didn't have a peerage.”

”Oh…”

Monica couldn't believe her ears for a moment. Of all the people Monica met, Cyril was the ‘most noble' person she knew. How he displays his dignified manner and his bearing. And how refined when he conducted himself.

So, she always thought he's a person born and grown in a noble family.

”T-Then, what is his connection with Lady Claudia…”

”Oh, the siblings are not related by blood. Miss Claudia is the only child of Marquis Highon, and Cyril was adopted to become their heir.”

Now Monica began to understand their relationship.

Cyril was not a noble from born. And Elliot disliked ”those who have climbed the ladder”.

Benjamin continued to speak, waving his index finger as if he was conducting.

”Elliot didn't get along very well with Vice President Ashley, who had just risen ranks… more like he was the one who one-sidedly challenged him.”

”Hey, hey, cut me some slack about the old days.”

”Despite his one-sided challenge, Elliot lost the written test…”

”I.Said.Stop.it.”

Elliot covered his face with one hand and motioned with his other hand.

She couldn't imagine the two of them being on bad terms, but she could sort of imagine Elliot picking on Cyril.

After all, Monica herself had been subjected to Elliott's verbal attack, telling her to ‘know your place.'

”After losing all competition in written exams, Elliot, in a very immature way, challenged Vice President Ashley to a chess match. At the time, Vice President Ashley was inexperienced in chess and could not compete with Elliot. Then he said, ‘How can you call yourself the Ashley family name if you can't even play chess properly?'”

”Hey… can we stop with this conversation? I'm aware that was not very mature of me.”

Elliot awkwardly tried to make an excuse, but once Benjamin's mouth started to roll, he couldn't be stopped.

”However, Vice-President Ashley is also a very competitive person, so he did not keep quiet. After studying chess hard for almost a month without sleeping, he challenged Elliot to a rematch and got pretty close to beating him, but due to lack of sleep, he collapsed in the middle of the game… in the end, with President intervened, they made up with each other!”