The Queen’s trust.
To this day, it has become a weapon that allows Abington to wield power in his position as ‘representative of test takers.’
In order to nurture future talent, the royal family has selected excellent and diligent test takers from the monastery and provided scholarships.
The first thing to be considered in this selection process was grades, followed by the opinions of the priest and test taker representative.
However, since priests who are not deeply involved in the lives of test takers are unlikely to know much about individual personalities, Abington’s opinion was given some weight.
“Don’t be sure you’ll get a scholarship just because you get perfect scores every time. What Her Majesty the Queen considers important is character.”
It didn’t seem like much to Eugenie.
Didn’t she see that Her Majesty the Queen had the rude Abington near her?
Although he is now talking to Eugenie and asking her to cooperate, he has more than once glared at her like a thorn in his eye.
Eugenie does’t know why he hates her so much.
When she thought about it, she wondered if there was any test taker he was on good terms with.
In order to assume the position of representative of the test takers, he acted like a tongue in his mouth to the priests, but in reality, he only showed off to the test takers.
To put it mildly, sometimes test takers would quietly approach Eugenie and say, ‘I think it would be better for you to be the representative.’
In any case, it was undeniable that his evaluation actually had an impact on scholarship.
“At this rate, I have no choice but to report that you are an uncooperative and selfish person.”
“….”
“If that happens, you won’t get the scholarship. Have you thought about what happens after that?”
If she left this place.
She will return to the house of her terrible aunt, who is trying to make Eugenie work as a farm worker, and end up working from dawn to dusk.
She will not be allowed any time to study.
Even when she came here, she almost ran away at dawn.
She barely got enough money to study for the test by selling swords and leather guards that her late father had left her.
But now, if the scholarship is not confirmed, it seems that staying here will become difficult.
“…Abington.”
Knowing Eugenie’s hopeless future, he smiled like the winner.
Tak.
A brown pebble made a sound next to them. Of course, that’s not that important.
* * *
Time passes and the end-of-month evaluation day arrives.
Abington Belleville sat down with a triumphant look on his face and waited for the exam to begin.
Eugenie McLeod was sitting right in front of him.
“Eugenie.”
He called her quietly and she looked back with her stern face.
“Do good on the test. Got it?”
When he gave her words of support in a meaningful tone, she slowly nodded her head.
Although she still seemed reluctant, it was clear that she wouldn’t be able to refuse his request.
It wouldn’t be possible to report Abington’s threats to the priests.
As a representative of the students taking the exam, he is fully trusted by the priests, and there is no evidence or witnesses that he ever threatened her.
Abington smiled and looked the other way.
Clarisse, who was sitting diagonally across from him, was looking at her organizing notes.
It seemed like she was trying to somehow beat Abington and stay here.
‘Pathetic…’
The precious Lady probably didn’t even know that she had been taken advantage of by him.
Soon the bell signaling the start of the exam was heard, and the priest in charge came in holding a thick exam paper.
“The exam is starting. Please put all papers, as well as notes and books, in your bag. If you are in possession of any paper other than the exam paper, regardless of its contents, it will be considered cheating and you will be expelled from the monastery.”
The test takers quickly organized their surroundings according to the familiar precautions they heard every month.
No one wants to leave the monastery because of a misunderstanding in the monthly evaluation.
The test has begun.
About halfway through the quiet test session, Abington raised his head.
He was wondering if Eugenie had written a note to hand to him.
‘Not yet.’
Her hands were constantly moving and solving problems.
Abington focused again on his test paper. But it wasn’t long before he found himself looking at Eugenie again.
She was supposed to signal when she finished the note by scratching her head three times.
It would have been difficult to miss that moment.
His prediction wasn’t wrong, and after a while, Eugenie scratched her head three times in a very awkward motion.
Abington raised his hand as if he was waiting.
“Priest!”
When the priest in charge turned around, he spoke with a triumphant look on his face.
“Eugenie seems to be holding a strange piece of paper. I hope you check it out. Because it seems like cheating.”
* * *
A week before the exam.
Eugenie was in the spacious study room on the first floor.
It was a large hall with long desks and chairs, but brief discussions were allowed among test takers, so it wasn’t an entirely quiet place.
Eugenie usually used this study room because a little noise helped her concentrate.
“Miss McLeod.”
At the point when her concentration was starting to drop little by little.
The girl that Abington was having problems with came up to her.
Clarisse Lennon Grezekaia.
She was a princess from a foreign country, and a prisoner of war with an unusual history who was personally cared for by the king.
When she entered this monastery, she immediately became famous.
Everyone was interested in her because she was a girl that a handsome prince and a strong wizard cherished like a glass flower.
In fact, Clarisse herself seemed to have a more reckless side, more like a flame than a glass flower.
Several test takers had already expressed curiosity and interest in Eugenie, saying, ‘I think she’s really fun.’
Despite this, Clarisse couldn’t stay with anyone other than the Prince and the wizard.
It’s because of Abington.
As long as he hated Clarisse, it was difficult to approach her carelessly.
Abington already had a guaranteed future.
In addition to his excellent grades, he even had connections with Her Majesty the Queen, so it was expected that he would get a fairly important position after the civil service examination.
She couldn’t hate someone like that for no reason.
Of course, if the future was guaranteed, Noah and Valentine were also very solid.
However, from the perspective of a commoner taking the test, what will help her in the immediate future is being visible to someone who may be her immediate superior.
It’s not like she’s floating on a cloud far away.
Anyway, Eugenie felt uncomfortable dealing with Clarisse because it seemed that everyone was bullying an innocent girl.
“Is it okay if I sit next to you for a moment?”
Instead of answering, Eugenie lightly nodded her head.
Just like she normally said, ‘Study room seats are not owned by individuals. You don’t need to ask permission.’
“You haven’t said anything today. Is it because of Belleville’s demands?”
Just as Eugenie thought, ‘Daring’ Clarisse immediately pinpointed Eugenie’s thoughts and spoke.
“….!”
The moment she raised her head in surprise, she met amber eyes with a lovely smile.
…Wouldn’t a face like this be able to win anyone’s favor?
It was a shame Abington Belleville wasn’t included.
“I’m sorry if I surprised you.”
“Miss Grezekaia, are you saying… you know Belleville’s request?”
“Actually, yes. And that Miss McLeod is uncomfortable with his demands.”
Where on earth did she hear such a story? This is something other test takers don’t know.
Could it be that she overheard them talking? No, that couldn’t have been the case. There was no one around at the time.
It didn’t matter anyway.
“What is your intention in saying this?”
Eugenie asked warily.
She was wondering if she would report this to the priests or to the king who takes care of her.
Clarisse shook her head.
“I just came to tell you that Miss McLeod shouldn’t listen his request.”
“The content of his threats…It looks like you didn’t hear it.”
Although she doesn’t usually show much emotion, Eugenie realized that she was getting a bit irritated.
“Or Lady doesn’t know poverty, so you don’t know his power.”
“No, what I’m trying to say is.”
Even though the story may be somewhat upsetting, Clarisse continued the story without losing her smile.
“The thing is, I’m not the person Abington Belleville really wants to get out of here.”
“If it’s not Miss Grezekaia…?”
Clarisse stared at Eugenie’s face as she asked that question.
As if pointing to the answer.
‘Abbington wants me out?’
In fact, Eugenie didn’t completely believe Clarisse’s words.
Even though she knows that Abington hates her, does he really want to send her away? Why on earth?
Clarisse responded as follows.
｢It seems like there are many test takers who admire Miss McLeod.｣
Just for that reason?
Is Abington not fully loved enough for him to stage a plot to get rid of her?
Anyway, Abington’s behavior was a little strange.
As she once pointed out, he was someone who achieved pretty good grades on his own.
There was no way he wouldn’t be able to beat anyone taking the test for the first time.
Above all, isn’t cheating something that could put Abington himself in danger?
She did think it was a little strange that Abington, who considered his own safety the most important, would use such a trick.
So, Eugenie decided to act as Clarisse advised.
She didn’t take the action of writing the answer on paper, but did what she promised to him.
“Priest!”
The results came immediately.
“Eugenie seems to be holding a strange piece of paper.”
Clarisse was right.
* * *
After the exam was over, Abington and Eugenie were called into the priest’s office.
“I misunderstood…Because it is such a sensitive matter.”
“It’s great to be wary of injustice. But it is also sad to doubt your colleague recklessly, Belleville.”
“I’m sorry.”
“There seems to be someone else who needs an apology.”
As the priest spoke, Abington turned to Eugenie, who was standing one step behind him.
“I’m sorry, Eugenie.”
“….”
Eugenie just nodded without giving any answer.
“I am glad that the exam was conducted without any incident. Now, both of you, please go back to your rooms.”
“Yes, I apologize again for causing you concern.”
Abington bowed his back, looking and sounding as if he were extremely self-reproaching.
But as soon as he left the priest’s office with Eugenie, it all disappeared like a mirage.
As soon as he reached a place where the priests couldn’t see him, he immediately grabbed Eugenie by the collar.
“Hey, do you want to die?!”
The Queen’s trust.
To this day, it has become a weapon that allows Abington to wield power in his position as ‘representative of test takers.’
In order to nurture future talent, the royal family has selected excellent and diligent test takers from the monastery and provided scholarships.
The first thing to be considered in this selection process was grades, followed by the opinions of the priest and test taker representative.
However, since priests who are not deeply involved in the lives of test takers are unlikely to know much about individual personalities, Abington’s opinion was given some weight.
“Don’t be sure you’ll get a scholarship just because you get perfect scores every time. What Her Majesty the Queen considers important is character.”
It didn’t seem like much to Eugenie.
Didn’t she see that Her Majesty the Queen had the rude Abington near her?
Although he is now talking to Eugenie and asking her to cooperate, he has more than once glared at her like a thorn in his eye.
Eugenie does’t know why he hates her so much.
When she thought about it, she wondered if there was any test taker he was on good terms with.
In order to assume the position of representative of the test takers, he acted like a tongue in his mouth to the priests, but in reality, he only showed off to the test takers.
To put it mildly, sometimes test takers would quietly approach Eugenie and say, ‘I think it would be better for you to be the representative.’
In any case, it was undeniable that his evaluation actually had an impact on scholarship.
“At this rate, I have no choice but to report that you are an uncooperative and selfish person.”
“….”
“If that happens, you won’t get the scholarship. Have you thought about what happens after that?”
If she left this place.
She will return to the house of her terrible aunt, who is trying to make Eugenie work as a farm worker, and end up working from dawn to dusk.
She will not be allowed any time to study.
Even when she came here, she almost ran away at dawn.
She barely got enough money to study for the test by selling swords and leather guards that her late father had left her.
But now, if the scholarship is not confirmed, it seems that staying here will become difficult.
“…Abington.”
Knowing Eugenie’s hopeless future, he smiled like the winner.
Tak.
A brown pebble made a sound next to them. Of course, that’s not that important.
* * *
Time passes and the end-of-month evaluation day arrives.
Abington Belleville sat down with a triumphant look on his face and waited for the exam to begin.
Eugenie McLeod was sitting right in front of him.
“Eugenie.”
He called her quietly and she looked back with her stern face.
“Do good on the test. Got it?”
When he gave her words of support in a meaningful tone, she slowly nodded her head.
Although she still seemed reluctant, it was clear that she wouldn’t be able to refuse his request.
It wouldn’t be possible to report Abington’s threats to the priests.
As a representative of the students taking the exam, he is fully trusted by the priests, and there is no evidence or witnesses that he ever threatened her.
Abington smiled and looked the other way.
Clarisse, who was sitting diagonally across from him, was looking at her organizing notes.
It seemed like she was trying to somehow beat Abington and stay here.
‘Pathetic…’
The precious Lady probably didn’t even know that she had been taken advantage of by him.
Soon the bell signaling the start of the exam was heard, and the priest in charge came in holding a thick exam paper.
“The exam is starting. Please put all papers, as well as notes and books, in your bag. If you are in possession of any paper other than the exam paper, regardless of its contents, it will be considered cheating and you will be expelled from the monastery.”
The test takers quickly organized their surroundings according to the familiar precautions they heard every month.
No one wants to leave the monastery because of a misunderstanding in the monthly evaluation.
The test has begun.
About halfway through the quiet test session, Abington raised his head.
He was wondering if Eugenie had written a note to hand to him.
‘Not yet.’
Her hands were constantly moving and solving problems.
Abington focused again on his test paper. But it wasn’t long before he found himself looking at Eugenie again.
She was supposed to signal when she finished the note by scratching her head three times.
It would have been difficult to miss that moment.
His prediction wasn’t wrong, and after a while, Eugenie scratched her head three times in a very awkward motion.
Abington raised his hand as if he was waiting.
“Priest!”
When the priest in charge turned around, he spoke with a triumphant look on his face.
“Eugenie seems to be holding a strange piece of paper. I hope you check it out. Because it seems like cheating.”
* * *
A week before the exam.
Eugenie was in the spacious study room on the first floor.
It was a large hall with long desks and chairs, but brief discussions were allowed among test takers, so it wasn’t an entirely quiet place.
Eugenie usually used this study room because a little noise helped her concentrate.
“Miss McLeod.”
At the point when her concentration was starting to drop little by little.
The girl that Abington was having problems with came up to her.
Clarisse Lennon Grezekaia.
She was a princess from a foreign country, and a prisoner of war with an unusual history who was personally cared for by the king.
When she entered this monastery, she immediately became famous.
Everyone was interested in her because she was a girl that a handsome prince and a strong wizard cherished like a glass flower.
In fact, Clarisse herself seemed to have a more reckless side, more like a flame than a glass flower.
Several test takers had already expressed curiosity and interest in Eugenie, saying, ‘I think she’s really fun.’
Despite this, Clarisse couldn’t stay with anyone other than the Prince and the wizard.
It’s because of Abington.
As long as he hated Clarisse, it was difficult to approach her carelessly.
Abington already had a guaranteed future.
In addition to his excellent grades, he even had connections with Her Majesty the Queen, so it was expected that he would get a fairly important position after the civil service examination.
She couldn’t hate someone like that for no reason.
Of course, if the future was guaranteed, Noah and Valentine were also very solid.
However, from the perspective of a commoner taking the test, what will help her in the immediate future is being visible to someone who may be her immediate superior.
It’s not like she’s floating on a cloud far away.
Anyway, Eugenie felt uncomfortable dealing with Clarisse because it seemed that everyone was bullying an innocent girl.
“Is it okay if I sit next to you for a moment?”
Instead of answering, Eugenie lightly nodded her head.
Just like she normally said, ‘Study room seats are not owned by individuals. You don’t need to ask permission.’
“You haven’t said anything today. Is it because of Belleville’s demands?”
Just as Eugenie thought, ‘Daring’ Clarisse immediately pinpointed Eugenie’s thoughts and spoke.
“….!”
The moment she raised her head in surprise, she met amber eyes with a lovely smile.
…Wouldn’t a face like this be able to win anyone’s favor?
It was a shame Abington Belleville wasn’t included.
“I’m sorry if I surprised you.”
“Miss Grezekaia, are you saying… you know Belleville’s request?”
“Actually, yes. And that Miss McLeod is uncomfortable with his demands.”
Where on earth did she hear such a story? This is something other test takers don’t know.
Could it be that she overheard them talking? No, that couldn’t have been the case. There was no one around at the time.
It didn’t matter anyway.
“What is your intention in saying this?”
Eugenie asked warily.
She was wondering if she would report this to the priests or to the king who takes care of her.
Clarisse shook her head.
“I just came to tell you that Miss McLeod shouldn’t listen his request.”
“The content of his threats…It looks like you didn’t hear it.”
Although she doesn’t usually show much emotion, Eugenie realized that she was getting a bit irritated.
“Or Lady doesn’t know poverty, so you don’t know his power.”
“No, what I’m trying to say is.”
Even though the story may be somewhat upsetting, Clarisse continued the story without losing her smile.
“The thing is, I’m not the person Abington Belleville really wants to get out of here.”
“If it’s not Miss Grezekaia…?”
Clarisse stared at Eugenie’s face as she asked that question.
As if pointing to the answer.
‘Abbington wants me out?’
In fact, Eugenie didn’t completely believe Clarisse’s words.
Even though she knows that Abington hates her, does he really want to send her away? Why on earth?
Clarisse responded as follows.
｢It seems like there are many test takers who admire Miss McLeod.｣
Just for that reason?
Is Abington not fully loved enough for him to stage a plot to get rid of her?
Anyway, Abington’s behavior was a little strange.
As she once pointed out, he was someone who achieved pretty good grades on his own.
There was no way he wouldn’t be able to beat anyone taking the test for the first time.
Above all, isn’t cheating something that could put Abington himself in danger?
She did think it was a little strange that Abington, who considered his own safety the most important, would use such a trick.
So, Eugenie decided to act as Clarisse advised.
She didn’t take the action of writing the answer on paper, but did what she promised to him.
“Priest!”
The results came immediately.
“Eugenie seems to be holding a strange piece of paper.”
Clarisse was right.
* * *
After the exam was over, Abington and Eugenie were called into the priest’s office.
“I misunderstood…Because it is such a sensitive matter.”
“It’s great to be wary of injustice. But it is also sad to doubt your colleague recklessly, Belleville.”
“I’m sorry.”
“There seems to be someone else who needs an apology.”
As the priest spoke, Abington turned to Eugenie, who was standing one step behind him.
“I’m sorry, Eugenie.”
“….”
Eugenie just nodded without giving any answer.
“I am glad that the exam was conducted without any incident. Now, both of you, please go back to your rooms.”
“Yes, I apologize again for causing you concern.”
Abington bowed his back, looking and sounding as if he were extremely self-reproaching.
But as soon as he left the priest’s office with Eugenie, it all disappeared like a mirage.
As soon as he reached a place where the priests couldn’t see him, he immediately grabbed Eugenie by the collar.
“Hey, do you want to die?!”
