CH 159

Author Note:

Happy new year (*^-^*)

I’m looking forward to working with you again this year!!

Sophie, who refused the apology with strong words, not only surprised the black star students but also made Marcus standing beside her widen his eyes in shock.　

Meanwhile, only Gerald stared at Sophie without changing his expression.

“…You said it has no meaning, why is that?”

“Oh my, don’t you understand?”

Sophie spoke with a soft smile, yet the words that came out of her mouth were filled with sarcasm, “You aren’t even able to understand that?” 

There was a crackling tension in the atmosphere, but Sophie spoke smoothly as if she didn’t feel anything amiss.

“After all, the one who looked down on me the most among you people, Gerald-sama― Wasn’t that none other than yourself? Even if I received an apology from such a person, it would only be for appearance’s sake.  There’s no meaning in accepting such an apology.”

Gerald had a side that was similar to Tasuku.

And due to growing up in the aristocratic class, he was also similar to Leold, the character in “The Golden Knight and The Obsidian Boy.”

In the story, Leold looked down on Nicole for being a commoner, but Leold didn’t realize that. The same could be said for Gerald. It seemed that he didn’t notice he was actually looking down on Sophie. As if to prove that, Gerald’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Your feelings must have been transmitted to the black star students. Human hearts can be influenced even without words.”

Gerald’s blue eyes swayed for a moment.

Apparently, he couldn’t say he had no idea what Sophie was talking about.

“But that doesn’t mean I’m particularly angry about it. Even though I was granted a purple star from His Highness Ferio, I am still a daughter of a baron after all. Every student of the black star hails from families that are at least a viscount. For all of you, I would be nothing but a little girl if it was not for the purple star.”

Above all, there were many who looked down on others just because they were women in this world. It was especially the case if it was a girl.

Until now, be it merchants of other nations, their sons, and even male commoners, they would often underestimate and look down on Sophie.

Even Bart and Creto, when Sophie first met them, spoke to Sophie with words filled with malice.

That didn’t mean Sophie didn’t feel angry or hurt by that. She’d just already gotten used to it from her previous life.

On the contrary, being looked down on made it easier for Sophie to seize the initiative. People who looked down on others would have blinders known as “leisure” blocking their vision, making them overlook what they ought to pay attention to instead.

“No matter how often you mention the superiority of stars, it only matters if the bearers are men. Not to mention most people had no idea or couldn’t understand why a little girl like myself was granted the purple star. They would only look at things in front of them and do things according to their values. For such people, it is too much to expect them to have an understanding toward things that have no precedence.” 

The teenage girl had a much more mature expression and gestures than her age suggested. She chose her words as if trying to point out the ignorance of a child.

It seemed that the students understood that Sophie was completely picking a fight with the black star, as there were those who paled, were exasperated, and were angered by it.

“Sophie-sama…”

“So I’ll say it clearly―I just find there’s no need for all of you.”

As Gerald was about to say something, hard and cold words but off his own. It made the black stars agitated.

“I’ve visited the lesson of the black star before than any other stars, but when I saw the mediocre class that contained nothing special, I was convinced there was nothing I could get or want from the black star. That’s why I don’t even register your actions in my eyes. Even regarding the rude behavior; since it came from people that didn’t enter my eyes, it’s no different from not existing. You can’t get angry at something that doesn’t exist, right? Or do you think I am that free to be able to devote my time to such trivial things?”

Even while her lips were smiling, the words that mercilessly came out from them were mixed with ridicule that didn’t pull any punches. A chilly voice that was hard to imagine actually came from her neat appearance echoed in the large space.

“If you have to use up my time even more, I will have to respond appropriately. Please keep that in mind――Well then everyone, please excuse me.”

After Sophie made a ladylike greeting with a graceful gesture, she ignored the dumbfounded black stars and turned around, leaving only the sound of her steady and regular footsteps.

Marcus, who watched the turn of events from the beginning to the end, gave a glance at the black star and then followed Sophie as if nothing had happened.

But when they were at the spot where they could no longer see the figures of the black stars, Marcus muttered,

“…Ojou-san, you actually stupider than I expected.”

“Oh my, that’s a cruel thing to say!”

Sophie puffed her white cheeks to show her dissatisfaction.

She had a candid expression, which made it hard to think she was actually the same person as the one who attacked the black stars with piercing words just earlier. The extreme change made Marcus feel like laughing, but he kept his straight face and said,

“You really are stupid. There’s no need for you to put on an act of a villain just for their sake. It’s hard to think the students of the black star, whose only feature is their pride, would notice that hard-to-understand method, and Gerald isn’t the type of person who would be grateful for it either.”

Marcus’s words made Sophie’s fresh green eyes widen for a moment, but she immediately moved her gaze to the ground.

“It’s not like I did it for him… It was for myself.”

“And which part of it was for ojou-san’s benefit?”

When asked, Sophie pouted her plump, light red lips and turned silent.

Her expression clearly showed she wasn’t convinced by Marcus’ words.

Even Marcus didn’t think he could completely understand the thoughts of the girl he hadn’t known for long. Even so, her intimidating attitude toward Gerald and the black star clearly didn’t seem like how the girl would act no matter how Marcus looked at it.

Unaware of her true thoughts, he was sure that Sophie would smile and accept their apology to avoid troublesome things. That was what Marcus thought.

However, the result was Sophie actually rejecting their apology.

It was right for him to at least know one reason for her to do so, thus Marcus waited for Sophie’s words.

Would the girl try to steer the topic away? Or would she speak her regrets, or would she―

“…Hey, Marcus. Do you have an important friend?”

“Hah?”

The question that came out was one that didn’t fit the situation at all.

Perhaps the girl was trying to steer the topic away?

“Do you have someone you have thought to be your lifelong friend?”

“Well… There are those I think are important.”

For Marcus, who didn’t have siblings or parents, the students of the copper star were something comparable to family to him.

They ate and slept together. They also shared pain and joy.

The thing that was hard for him to earn, and was something important in the slums, could be cherished here.

That was the only purpose in life for Marcus.

“If you have someone you think is important, that is something to be happy about. —Please cherish them.”

As the girl showed a smile mixed with longing and melancholy, Marcus felt his breath hitch.

Even though her words and tone were like those of a smiling mother who taught her child to treasure what was important to them, her expression was that of a lost child. It was as if she was left all alone in the world, suffering so much that they wanted to cry loudly, yet she endured—an expression of a weak little child.

Seeing that side of the energetic girl that he never saw before almost made Marcus pat her head to console her, just like what he would do to his juniors on the copper star.

However, the other person was a girl. Moreover, she was an aristocrat and the bearer of the purple star. There was no way he could do the same as he would to his junior of the copper star.

When Marcus stiffened, Sophie left, thinking the conversation was over.

Looking at her retreating back, Marcus ruffled his short hair.

“I don’t understand…”