CH 153

Upon hearing that the black star wasn’t supportive, Gerald frowned.

Many of the students of the black star weren’t counted as escorts as they weren’t qualified under the condition of “having no fiancée,” but Gerald told them to deal with problems if they saw one.

“For the people of the black star, the fact that Gerald-sama, who is already a paladin, was called back to return all the way to ‘The King’s Sword’ just o escort… it might be weird to say this, but pedigree-wise, because the person being escorted was nothing but a daughter of a baron family, so many were dissatisfied by that. As expected, nobody directly said it to Sophie-sama, though.”

Keith, who wasn’t aware in the slightest that there were people who slandered Sophie in secret, began to make plausible-sounding excuses, but Gerald’s gaze was freezing cold.

“Does that mean the black star disagrees with the person His Highness decided to be the purple star? Evert, did you know about this too?”

Keith might have been the official leader, but Evert, who was one of the few people who earned his stars, also served to put the black star under control, just like Keith.

But Evert, who normally left all his responsibility to lead to Keith while saying he wasn’t the type of person who led others, awkwardly turned his eyes away. 

“No… Well, I did tell them off about it, but to be honest, it’s difficult. Things might still be controllable if it were just you. But there is actually Warren-sama, who earned five black stars, escorting a person who isn’t even a member of the royal family. She’s just a daughter of a baron family—moreover a 14-year-old girl. Even if she is the bearer of the purple star, nobody knows why she earned that star. Of course they would react that way.”

A wrinkle appeared between Gerald’s eyebrows when he heard his father’s name.

“That person is already retired.”

“Do you think his achievements disappeared when he retired?”

“Sophie-sama had no idea he was a person who earned five black stars.”

“That ignorance is also one of the reasons why the black stars didn’t find it amusing.”

“…”

For the people of the black star who thought the worth of the purple star didn’t match the girl, they couldn’t help but wonder why she was favored that much.

“In the first place, if you think about it normally, isn’t it very weird for that Warren-sama to bring lunch to a daughter of a baron family? Don’t you think you’re quite dull in that regard since you’re family?”

Gerald was aware of his father delivering lunch from the dormitory. But seeing the person in question seem pleased to be able to walk around the academy where he spent his younger days, Gerald didn’t feel that to be a big problem.

Certainly, in that respect, it was as Evert said, he might be dull in that regard since they were family.

But I don’t think that person is dull enough to not notice the gaze of the black star students.

“…I see.”

“?”

Suddenly, Gerald muttered as if he understood something, which made Evert look at his friend’s face in wonder, but Gerald recalled his father’s words yesterday.

[“You ought to pay more attention to people’s thoughts and tendencies.”]

What was his father complaining about? What did it mean?

Warren wasn’t just walking around the academy while reminiscing about his past. As he walked freely in the academy, he probably felt the atmosphere of students’ reactions toward the female purple star and gathered information that way.

Even though they were working in the same place, the amount of information they gathered was different. It was revealing Gerald’s immaturity.

“—gh.”

“Gerald?”

Evert called, but Gerald silently proceeded to leave.

“Oi, where are you going?”

“To where Sophie-sama is.”

“Eh? But don’t you have to look for ‘that person’?”

“This one has to be dealt with first!”

Gerald had an impatient expression, which his fellow black stars hadn’t seen before. As Evert and Keith were left behind, they stood in place for a while but immediately followed.

At that time, Sophie was in a hurry.

Until a few minutes ago, Sophie was talking to Firth in the silver star’s classroom, but then several gold star students appeared and came with a certain report.

As soon as she heard the report from the gold stars, she didn’t wait until the report concluded and immediately left her seat and then ran down the hallway.

The agile movement that was hard to imagine actually came from a person wearing a satin dress made students who she passed by widen their eyes in surprise, but Sophie kept proceeding without minding that.

However, no matter how hurried her legs were, her heart was calm.

It’s okay. Since it’s those two, they are sure to be able to handle it well!

It was a firm conviction. Therefore, she wasn’t worried.

However, her concern for them made her legs move quickly.

“Um, Sophie-sama. Has something happened to Lars-dono and Aaron-dono?”

Even though he was confused that Sophie started to run all of a sudden, Luca proceeded to follow along and asked her that.

The report the gold stars gave was about Lars and Aaron being summoned to the principal’s office.

But Luca, who only had fragmentary information, couldn’t understand why those two were summoned to the principal’s office.

Sophie slowed down a bit and was about to explain to Luca. But at that moment,

“Sophie-sama.”

Being called by a familiar voice, Sophie completely stopped her legs.

“…Oh my, Gerald-sama.”

There was a hatefully handsome face that Sophie really didn’t want to see.

As usual, he looked handsome today, but she couldn’t help but feel like cussing him to explode.

Hey, I don’t have time to deal with Geragera right now!

Sophie’s real thought was about to leak out from her mouth, but she managed to do a lady-like greeting.

When she suddenly looked behind Gerald, there was an unfamiliar man.

Standing in a black outfit, it was clear that the person was a student of the black star. However, his atmosphere seemed casual for a black star, and if spoken with terms back in her previous life, he would be a sensual flirt of a man. Moreover, his handsomeness was something that drew Sophie’s ire.

Sophie instinctively clicked her tongue inwardly.

Yet another handsome dude! I’ve had enough of them. If you want to bring someone, make it a beautiful girl or woman instead! No, as long as it is a woman, they would be a goddess here. Just bring me a goddess instead!

Ever since coming to “The King’s Sword,” due to the environment in which her maid Sunny was the only woman she could meet, Sophie went beyond craving, beyond indignation, to just feeling rage about it.

If even Sunny wasn’t present, Sophie might have run toward the royal palace, grabbed Ferio’s shoulders, and shouted, “There’re no flowers there! Flowers, you hear me!”

As she hid such a great storm inside her heart, Sophie smiled gracefully.

“Is something wrong?”

“I have heard about the incident with Lars Rydholm earlier.”

“…About Lars?”

What is it? Which incident?

Since it was this man, it was hard to think he was aware of Lars and Aaron being summoned to the principal’s office just earlier. As Sophie couldn’t help but tilt her head in confusion about what incident he meant, she met eyes with Keith, who was hiding behind Gerald with a pale complexion.

—! Don’t tell me, did he blab about the incident in the dining hall the other day to Geragera?!

Her internal screaming shouldn’t have been apparent in her expression, but it seemed relayed properly to Keith, as he desperately shook his head.

‘—I didn’t say it! I didn’t report Sophie-sama’s words at all!’

She felt she was hearing such voiceless words.

Moreover, he had a half-crying expression on his face.

Even if she made a gag order with a slightly strong tone, seeing his expression, Sophie couldn’t help but wonder why he was so scared of her. Ever since that incident, Keith seemed to be scared of her whenever they met, but Sophie didn’t understand why he was so scared of her lovely lady self.

Should I call him to a place with nobody around and ask for confirmation later?

The thing Keith feared the most was about to be decided, but before that, Sophie returned her focus to the man in front of him. She recalled she had no leisure of having her time taken away by him.

“Oh my, what incident do you mean?”

Sophie stared at the man whose facial muscles didn’t do their supposed duty and replied with a mellow smile.

“I didn’t receive a report from Luca Forsell, but I heard you participated in the copper star’s mountain exercise.”

The topic suddenly changed.

Luca, who was next to Sophie, had an awkward expression, but Sophie responded without changing her expression.

“Yes. I participated as part of the tour, and what of it?”

Did this guy take my time away just to ask about such a trivial thing!? Bastard! Such was Sophie’s inner thought, but even if she spewed poison inwardly, she put on a perfect act outwardly.

As Sophie wore her constant smile, Gerald’s azure eyes seemingly swayed awkwardly for a moment.

“No, rather than that…”

Gerald muttered, as if telling himself rather than telling Sophie.

“Gerald-sama?”

Just like his sudden change in topic earlier, the man who seemed like a walking ice block didn’t seem to have his thoughts organized. His tone also felt more crude than usual.

It must be just my imagination, just as Sophie thought that while tilting her head, the question that Sophie never expected came out of Gerald’s mouth.

“Did the students of the black star behave rudely to Sophie-sama?”

Although he asked a question, it wasn’t a question.

From his tone that was seemingly convinced and was only confirming that something already occurred, it wasn’t only Sophie who was astonished, but also the two students of the black star behind him. Both of them turned their surprised gazes toward Gerald.

Of course they would. Any form of rudeness toward the purple star was unacceptable regardless of the star, but that feeling was stronger for the black star. For the black star, which had the mission to protect the nation and royal family, any harm toward the purple star, who was the spokesperson of the king, was something that should never happen.

If I affirmed it here, what would this guy do?

If Sophie affirmed it at this time, it would mean all the students of the black star right now would be stripped of their stars. That was a scandal that couldn’t be settled as a joke. There was no way this man didn’t know that.