Chapter 36.1

Gloria sunbae was a good person.

She was generous, smiled all the time, and was so easy-going, unlike other high-ranking nobles.

But that aside, at times like this, she made me so uncomfortable I could die.

“Hey, look at her! She is so cute, isn’t she?”

I avoided the eyes of Senior Gloria who had her arms around my shoulder, and was laughing as she introduced me as her favourite hoobae.

I felt the gazes of the 3rd year sunbaes turn towards me. The Academy was a microcosm of society. These people fraternised with people who were of the same class as them, which meant that they knew where they stood in the pecking order. So did I.

“Ah, really……?”

Since the only daughter of the duke had not yet been admitted to the Academy, and since Noah sunbae was the second son (and not the heir), Gloria sunbae was currently the highest-ranked noble in the academy. Her blatant favouritism towards a virtual nobody was bound to draw attention.

For someone like me who had been living a normal life, only hanging out with people I knew, this was bonkers.

“Are you sure you’re not bullying her instead? Look at her, she looks like she hates this.”

So said one of the sunbaes, her sharp, pointed gaze turned towards me. I was completely certain that I was smiling. What a fascinating thing for her to say.

“Oh, come off it. We are very close friends, aren’t we, Kate?”

“Ye-es……”

Fortunately, the attention focused on me soon dwindled.

“That reminds me. Are you going to continue with that reading club? It doesn’t seem like you have much to gain from it.”

One sunbae with pale brown hair said to Gloria sunbae, grabbing her hand. Another joined in with a smirk.

“Yeah, are you having fun reading books, writing reviews and what not?”

What the heck.

I frowned slightly.

It wasn’t like I had a burning passion for my club, but as a member of the club, I did feel a tiny flame of anger surge within. Although I made no rebuttal as to come back at a sunbae of higher ranking than myself would have spelt social death.

Hmph.  They say they’re ‘socialising’, but all they do is drink tea and gossip day in, day out.

“Why don’t you join the social club now? I think Flora would understand if you told her you were leaving, wouldn’t she? You know how nice she is.”

And finally, we learn what the goal was. As expected.

Watching quietly, I glanced at Gloria sunbae, trying not to let my discomfort show on my face.

You’re not really going to be a traitor and move to another club, are you?

Contrary to my worries, Gloria sunbae replied without hesitation, a brilliant smile on her face.

“Is there something I stand to gain by joining?”

“Hu- huh?”

Gloria sunbae shrugged her shoulders while rolling her eyes.

“You know what I mean. I have no idea who’s even in the club.”

Gloria sunbae was trying for a soft rejection, but that sunbae did not give up and tried to convince her.

“But it will be good to make more friends.”

At that, Gloria sunbae, her head tilted to the side, smiled as she muttered to herself. Just by looking at how only one corner of her mouth was lifted, I could tell that the smile was full of sarcasm.

“Why bother……?”

……trying to get to know a bunch of third-rates?

That was probably what she meant, right?

Immediately, the mood in the room plummeted. With an innocent face, Gloria sunbae dropped another bomb in the now silent room.

“Ah, what was your name again?”

“……!”​​

The corner of the sunbae’s mouth that had been trembling up until that moment completely dropped.

“Huh, why do all your faces look like that?”

The moment Gloria sunbae asked, as if she didn’t know the reason for their sour mood, the sunbaes changed the looks on their faces. Still, the expressions seemed a bit off.

I snuck another glance at her face.

What a scary person.

* * * * *

Correction: Gloria sunbae was a scary person. [1]

With me, she hid her claws and acted all cute, but in fact, she is a true predator.

“Don’t worry about it.”

After we’d put some distance between ourselves and the group, Gloria sunbae said, fiddling with her bangs.

“It’s just some kids who would stick to me all the time at parties.”

“Ah.”

I had also heard strange stories about the capital’s high society from some acquaintances. I grumbled discontentedly.

“But why did you bring me there?”

“I was scared. Did you see how poisonous their glares were?”

You were scarier than them, sunbae.

Gloria sunbae continued in a tone that said she had been wronged, making more excuses.

“But come on, I was with you, and then they came to talk to me first.”

That was true.

You have no idea how surprised I was when they approached while I was walking with sunbae. This wasn’t even the 3rd years’ floor.

“Plus today is my birthday. You said you would spend all day with me.”

That too was true. In some way, I was forced, but I did promise her, so it could not be helped.

Notes:

[1] ‘Correction’: the correction here refers to Kate’s earlier statement that Gloria was a good person.