Finally freed, Patricia returned to the classroom, where Clive and Heine were waiting with worried expressions.
“Patti. Are you okay? Someone in the class told me you were taken away by some girls…”
“He tried to rush out, so it was really tough holding him back, honestly.”
“Thank you very much, Lord Heine.”
If Clive had shown up in that situation, it would have become a disaster.
‘It must have been tough stopping him, but for that, I am only grateful.’
“Lord Clive, I’m sorry for making you worry as well. But I’m all right.”
“…What exactly happened?”
“…Well, let’s see.”
Patricia considered what to do about those girls.
Surely after the whole Sigurd incident, they’d learned their lesson a little, but it’s not as if she could say for certain it wouldn’t happen again.
“Hmm… They told me not to get close to Lord Clive and Lord Heine.”
Besides, there’s no need for Patricia to be considerate towards them.
So she decided to keep things simple.
“So, when I told them that was impossible, Lord Evans arrived and helped me.”
“…Evans did? …I see.”
“Don’t sulk just because you couldn’t be the one to help her.”
“I’m not sulking. Evans just ticks me off.”
“That makes it even more troublesome…”
There was no need to get into all the details, so Patricia tried to end the conversation there, but the perceptive Heine wasn’t about to let her off so easily.
“That Sigurd, seeing the Ladies-in-waiting like that—I can’t imagine he didn’t get riled up. How was it?”
“……”
‘This person really does notice everything’, she thought, impressed.
Or maybe he’s just close with Sigurd.
Either way, it seems she can’t hide much from him.
Well, since he asked, Patricia might as well tell him, and she recalled what happened earlier.
“That’s right. He said quite a lot, I think. Like, how can you teach others when you don’t even study yourself, and so on.”
“Hmm, harsh. I do feel bad for the Ladies-in-waiting, though. There must be a lot of pressure from their families, and various other things.”
Enrolling in the Academy is something that the nearby families will hear about immediately.
And once that happens, rumors will surely start: ‘That young lady from such-and-such house is going to marry up in the world.’
But if they returns home with no achievements to show for it, who knows what people will say.
They understand that—there’s no way back for them.
“That’s true. But even so, it’s no reason to put others down.”
“Exactly right.”
“If anyone has the right to retaliate after being attacked by them, it’s me, but I don’t think it’s something a third party should do.”
“If it were me, I’d definitely get back at them. If Patti were being bullied.”
“Oh my. I’m not that weak, you know.”
“…I know that, but still.”
Patricia smiled at Clive’s disgruntled face, then checked the clock, realizing it was about time.
“I’ve made sure to warn everyone, so I think it will be fine. Besides, I doubt I’ll have a chance to meet Lord Evans again.”
“That’s true. It’s hard to meet someone from another grade.”
“As long as you’re okay with it, Patti, that’s fine. But if anything happens, tell me, okay?”
“Thank you.”
Patricia probably won’t have to rely on them, but she was grateful for the sentiment, so she thanked him.
Noticing Patricia’s gratitude, Clive looked dissatisfied, but Heine forcibly dragged him off to prepare for class.
Patricia waved them off and settled into her own seat.
Well, even if something similar happens again, she just needs to handle it well, so there’s no need to worry too much.
What’s on Patricia’s mind more than that is—
“……”
“……”
Glancing back and forth, both of them stole looks at each other.
At the person sitting next to her who she can’t stop thinking about.
‘…Ah, I want to talk to her. So much.’
But she doesn’t know how to start.
Should she continue their previous conversation, or bring up a different topic?
And if she speaks, what if the other person doesn’t respond…?
Just imagining it made Patricia’s heart clench.
Come to think of it, she has never felt this way before.
All her so-called friends have been older than her; she has never had anyone her own age to be close with.
Sure, she had conversations with her friends but always the safe, impersonal kind—never anything casual or easy.
“……”
“……”
Patricia kept glancing over, opening her mouth, but no words came out, so she closed it again.
As she repeated this, the lesson began, and in the end, she wasn’t able to say a word.
Even though she was left with regrets, she had to focus on class.
She took notes silently, though every so often, a thought would cross her mind, ‘I really do—want a friend. In that case, there’s only one thing to do.’
She renewed her resolve in her heart, ‘Once class is over, I will definitely speak to her. And I’ll tell her everything, all sorts of things.’
But just what should that first word be?
In the end, right up until class ended, she couldn’t decide on even that single word.