CH 4

4. I'm hated anyway, so...

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

「You’re a just commoner, so don’t get cocky.」

「That person——」

I was living a life of graceful solitude that day.

I feel bad about constantly hearing people talking behind my back, but since I am a Duke’s daughter, harassment doesn’t happen, so I live at my own pace, which is okay.

By the way, it’s already been a few months since I entered the school. I have no friends. No cronies either.

It seems that the Second Prince’s fiancée—— Duchess’s daughter, Dojeeta is surrounded by other young ladies, and looks like a queen. I think those factions are scary.

But still, there is too much disparity even though we are daughters of the same Ducal status.

In the midst of all this I heard a word that sounded somewhat unpleasant. I peeked in fearfully and saw a girl who looked like a commoner being cornered by a noble.

Is this what they call harassment?

This school has excellent commoners and rich commoners. Commoners have a very hard time living in this school, which is basically a reduced aristocratic society.

Still, what are they doing using their power to hunt down commoners? From my eyes as an aspiring commoner, where did they put their pride as an aristocrat?? I thought.

I could have just let it go through.

But honestly, it’s not a good night’s sleep to leave a situation like this unattended… My position may become worse and worse, but I have no choice.

With that in mind, I talk to them.

「What are you doing?」

「…Ottilie Shefinko.」

「This is none of your business.」

「Oh, you are a countess, aren’t you? You have no right to address me as such. There is nothing unrelated to me. Are not those commoners the ones who share our learning with us? I don’t know what your reasons are, but it is not very beautiful to rant at a commoner like this.」

Frankly, the language as an aristocrat is exhausting.

I am already steeped in the commoner’s language. However, I attend a royal and noble academy, so I guess it can’t be helped.

But still, no matter how much I am disliked, my status is absolute, so I want you to do the right thing.

「——Ottilie-sama, this has nothing to do with you!」

「It is relevant for me. Can’t you see that it is unpleasant to have such an unbeautiful act in front of me? That is not the way we want to be treated in the academy. You can still get away with it now. I suggest you to stop immediately.」

The school’s purpose is, in a manner of speaking, to promote exchange without regard to status. However, of course, status is never completely irrelevant.

It is saying that it is undesirable to use power to drive out lower nobles and commoners in this way. The school chants about such things to protect those of lower status.

Even so, it seems that this kind of behavior will never disappear, so aristocratic society is truly an insidious one.

At my words, those ladies were gone.

I am relieved that they stopped at my words for now.

「…Are you okay?」

「Eh, y–yes. T–Thank you very much!」

That commoner girl was at a loss. Perhaps because she knows that I am that hated Ottilie Shefinko. She looked pale.

「I was just doing what a noble should do. Do they do this kind of thing often?　What is their reason?」

「I–I… I stood out in my class…」

「Well, so that’s the reason why they acted like that. I think you should consult this with a teacher or something. If there is any damage to your items, you can appeal to the school and they will compensate you.」

「…Eh, no, but if I do that…」

「Are you afraid that they will seek after you? If so, you may use my name. I am a Duke’s daughter, after all. If you mention my name, they will not take the initiative in mistreating you.」

「…Eh, b–but if I did that, Shefinko-sama would be…」

「I would be alright. If I am the subject of false rumors, it is too late for that. I am not well-liked, as you know.」

When I smiled at her, she looked surprised.

With that, I left the place.

Getting deeply involved with me will only put this commoner girl in a troublesome position. If she mentions my name, the harassment will cease for the time being. Maybe those ladies will blame everything on me for fear of reputational damage.

But, well, that’s that.

I am already a hated person, and my reputation among the royalty and nobility is already on the ground.

It’s too late now, so if my reputation is damaged, so be it. I would be more than happy if there were a few less of these kinds of acting. I don’t like the idea of this kind of unpleasantness happening at the school either.

So, well, sure enough, there were rumors going around that I was abusing the commoners. That commoner girl was in denial, apparently, but they couldn’t believe it as a matter of course.

That prince went out of his way to say,「She must be threatened by you. I know the truth.」And it seems that he said something knowingly to the commoner girl and it turned out to be true.

Once, when I saw the girl, she bowed her head to me, but I just nodded my head as if to say I didn’t care.