Chapter 31 (2/2)

There were a lot of references from each instructor and notes with the theme of the report. Compiling all of them, I could only sigh. Xenon’s assignment was already a handful, and the others added their own requirements too. Was it really possible to graduate early?

Somehow, I managed to hold the pile in both hands, pressing down on it with my chin and contemplating the probability of me dying from all the work. When I felt like my arms were going to fall off, the weight was lifted.

Vincenzo?

His smile was bright and sweet as he assisted me.

“It looks heavy, so let’s go to the carriage together.”

“Thank you.”

I couldn’t help but be honest with someone who smiled as innocently as he did, soft-looking gray hair blowing in the wind. Vincenzo’s presence also helped ward off the unnecessary conversation with people who had been following me around since earlier. He seemed to have noticed that I was tired and helped me out of the goodness of his heart.

“We’re tied for first place again.”

Vincenzo always fell a little short of getting perfect scores in all subjects, while I struggled with history and had a few mistakes, so we were neck-in-neck each time.

“I saw it too.”

He grinned then looked at me seriously. “Isn’t it fate at this point?”

I giggled at the joke and he looked away, seemingly embarrassed, just as he always did when I smiled. A quick laugh burst out of his lips before words rushed out like he suddenly remembered something.

“By the way, about the year-end party…”

“Yes?”

“Why don’t you come with me?”

I looked at Vincenzo in surprise. He spoke in a casual tone, but he seemed serious.

To be honest, other boys had recently approached me openly, saying that I was pretty, that we should do something together. All I could think of was that they were going to take advantage of me like Serek.

But Vincenzo was different. He and the kids in Class A treated me fairly even when I had nothing, and helped make a place for me to stand in the academy. For some, it might be a small thing, but it was a big deal for me.

Vincenzo was from a high-ranking aristocratic family who outranked almost everyone in the academy. He was the kind of person who attracted important people at parties, and even though he doesn’t flaunt his status and usually spends time with the common folk, I was also technically a slave. That made it even more unusual.

“Are you really… asking me to come with you?”

“Yes.” He answered determinedly as if he had given it a lot of thought.

I didn’t want to say no to Vincenzo’s request, which was the first time I’ve felt like this in a long time. But I wasn’t sure about my schedule, which depended on the emperor’s whims. I also didn’t want to inconvenience him by saying yes then backing out after.

However… I had a dress that I received as a gift, and it would be rude not to wear it even once… And the academy’s year-end party was an event that I really wanted to attend.

Due to my apprehension, I still didn’t have a definite answer by the time we were completely out of the building.

“May I answer you in a little while?”

Vincenzo seemed to know what I was worried about, nodding easily. “Of course.”

“I think I need to check my schedule. It’s not that I dislike you.”

“I know.”

Did I say the right thing? His smile seemed a little deeper. He quickly brought up another topic, seeming like he accepted my silence as an apology.

“These things, right?” he said, indicating the giant stack of papers. “I heard you confirmed the early graduation requirements.”

“Do you know about this?”

“Of course. I’ve also asked the instructor for them.”

My eyes widened in surprise. This was unexpected.

I didn’t expect Vincenzo to be among the two who had asked Instructor Xenon for early graduation requirements before me.

I have no choice but to complete my education because of an urgent situation, but why would someone from such a high-ranking aristocratic family want to graduate so urgently?

“You want to graduate early, too?”

“Oh… I was planning on it, but maybe you’ll have better luck, you who took all those classes and won first place. I didn’t pass because I didn’t have enough brains.”

“You?”

“Yeah, and there’s only one chance to do it. I just gave it a try.”

Had Vincenzo spoke with self-pity, I wouldn’t have known how to react. But he said it jokingly, and honestly, what he said made me more worried for myself.

‘If even he didn’t pass, would I? I know Vincenzo is really smart.’

While I was fretting, we arrived at the carriage. Somehow, there were more wagons than usual.

The driver silently received the baggage that Vincenzo and I had handed over, and I got onto the carriage. Outside the window, Vincenzo waved goodbye and told me he’d wait for my answer. As I watched him smile at me, I wondered why he was asking me instead of so many other girls, but surmised that he might need to go with a commoner so as not to cause a scandal.

I stared blankly out the window, but after a while, the wagons rattled and started, and at the same time, I saw the coachmen of other wagons sitting on the wagon seats at once. I looked out the window to see what was going on.

The driver saw me gaping and explained bluntly, “It’s discourteous to park in front of the wagons of the Imperial City, so either we start first or we start later.”

That’s true. This carriage is very inconvenient.

I sighed. I couldn’t believe I was going to and fro in such a shiny carriage. I didn’t even need to look out the window to imagine how much the other students’ eyes would follow me.