Anything But Study - Chapter 48

“It’s a pharmaceutical company I’ve grown in Morain. It’s modest, but it would be a great honor if you would accept it.”

“Hahaha. You truly know how to please me, Marquis.”

“You flatter me, Your Majesty.”

A broad smile spread across the emperor’s face.

What emperor would dislike the idea of bringing a business that had grown large on foreign capital back into the empire?

Moreover, judging by the document, it stated that half of the company’s shares would be transferred to the empire.

In other words, it meant offering half to the emperor unconditionally.

“You truly are a loyal subject who thinks of the empire, Marquis Ribelline.”

The atmosphere of the conversation between the emperor and the marquis was warm. In turn, the mood of the imperial palace banquet hall grew lively as well.

In truth, until recently, the atmosphere within the imperial nobility had not been very good.

That was because an old border count, who could be considered one of the emperor’s long-standing loyal subjects, had passed away.

Though he was advanced in age, he had been healthy without even minor ailments, so his sudden death was something no one anticipated.

They had not even been able to determine the cause.

In the end, people concluded outwardly that perhaps there had been an illness no one knew about, given his age.

That had happened about a month ago.

Perhaps because of that, the emperor looked all the more pleased at the return of another meritorious subject who could fill that vacancy.

Tap. Tap.

“Your Majesty.”

Seeing clearly that her father had earned the emperor’s favor, Anastasia stepped forward once more.

“Thank you for making it possible for me to enter Erpen.”

Watching this, a crease formed between Hailon’s brows.

So that was how something like this became possible. It seemed the emperor had indeed intervened.

But the emperor’s next words were even worse.

“Hahaha. What good would it do if the future Duchess of Alfred doesn’t graduate from Erpen?”

“Oh my, Your Majesty.”

Though she spoke modestly, Anastasia clearly looked pleased. The corners of her lips curled upward despite herself.

“To hear that the two houses that serve as my very arms are forming such a bond, how could I not be happy? Especially since Hailon is my nephew, Lady Ribelline will soon become my family as well.”

“To say I would be Your Majesty’s family, you flatter me too much.”

Despite her words, Anastasia’s face was filled with smiles.

With the emperor mentioning the union of Alfred and Ribelline in front of the most influential nobles of the empire, what could be more certain than this?

It seemed that the only one unhappy with this scene was Hailon.

“Hahaha! Truly, today is a good day.”

Duke Alfred, Hailon’s father, also looked thoroughly intoxicated, as if he were delighted to show that he was no less significant to the emperor than the Marquis of Ribelline.

‘It’s suspicious. Anyone can see that.’

Hailon alone watched the Marquis of Ribelline with eyes full of doubt.

Wasn’t it strange that he only now crossed over into the empire?

He claimed it was because his business in Morain was doing well, but no matter that it was Morain, it was still only a principality. It couldn’t compare to the empire’s economic scale.

If he truly were a meritorious house, he would have been elevated to marquis immediately after the civil war ended.

Even if not, he could have secured a solid position within the empire.

And yet he didn’t seize that opportunity right away?

At a glance, the Marquis of Ribelline was the same sort of man as Duke Alfred, someone bound by blood to power.

Why would someone like that delay coming to the empire when there was such a clear opportunity to accumulate even greater wealth?

‘There’s definitely a reason.’

The emperor seemed completely absorbed in the fact that a company containing Morain’s advanced pharmaceutical technology was being brought into the empire, to the point that he did not even harbor suspicion up to this point.

The civil war ended twelve years ago.

There was a need to look more closely into why Ribelline was only now returning to the empire.

His sharply honed instincts were telling him so.

That this was Ribelline’s secret.

***

Today, the atmosphere at Erpen felt different from usual.

It was only natural, since it was the first day of attendance for Anastasia Ribelline, the dazzling star of the season party.

“Good morning, everyone.”

Anastasia entered the lecture hall with confident strides and greeted them as if she had been an Erpen student all along.

‘So we’re in the same group.’

Looking at Anastasia, Melia let out a sigh.

She wanted to avoid her as much as possible, but now they had to attend the same class.

Each year consisted of one hundred and fifty students.

Naturally, not everyone could attend lectures together, so classes were divided into three or four groups.

Since Anastasia was not in the same group as Hailon, Melia thought she would at least see her less often.

Yet of all things, Anastasia ended up being assigned to the same group.

Melia turned her head away with a dark expression.

Then, Anastasia, who had been scanning the lecture hall, began walking toward Melia sitting in the corner.

Click, click.

The sound of high heels echoed through the classroom.

Then lightly, she sat down right next to her.

“You’re Melia, right? I want to talk for a moment.”

It was practically a one-sided notice. Melia’s will as the other party in the conversation clearly didn’t matter to her.

Anastasia leaned in and whispered to Melia as if sharing a secret meant only for the two of them.

“I hear our Hailon has been in your care. I’m counting on you.”

Anastasia was confident.

After being acknowledged by His Majesty at yesterday’s banquet, she was now Hailon’s fiancée in a way no one could deny.

“The Duke of Alfred seems quite worried. At Erpen, grades are very important among high nobles like us.”

Despite having just transferred in, she nodded as if she knew everything.

Even though Melia had attended Erpen far longer.

But more than those words, what pierced Melia’s chest was something else entirely.

‘How does she know about the tutoring….’

The fact that Anastasia knew about the relationship between Hailon and Melia.

The only person at the academy who knew that Melia tutored Hailon, aside from the two of them, was Rosha.

There was no way Rosha told her.

And yet Anastasia knew.

“…Did you hear it from Hailon?”

“As his fiancée, wouldn’t it be strange if I didn’t know?”

In truth, she heard it from Duke Alfred, but Anastasia subtly worded it as if she heard it directly from Hailon.

“But you know, Melia.”

Raising her right hand to her cheek, Anastasia slowly shook her head as if something truly bothered her.

“To be honest, it makes me a little uncomfortable. No matter what kind of relationship you and Hailon have, private tutoring alone with a girl.”

As if it were a serious issue, Anastasia even let out a long sigh, as though she carried all the worries in the world.

“As his fiancée, you understand why that would bother me, right?”

Having transferred in just today, she openly declared it bothersome to Melia’s face and rudely inserted herself into their matters.

Even so, Melia couldn’t say a word.

Because she couldn’t refute what Anastasia said.

Unlike Melia, who was nothing, Anastasia was Hailon’s fiancée.

“So that’s why. How about you teach me instead of Hailon?”

“…What are you talking about?”

Melia frowned. Even so, this was not something she could just let slide without asking.

But Anastasia paid no attention to Melia’s uncomfortable expression.

“My father told me to pay close attention to my grades too. Then wouldn’t it work if I took tutoring from you?”

No, how did the conversation end up going in that direction at all?

Melia could not understand the line of thought running through Anastasia’s head.

“Why would I teach you?”

“Huh? Because you need to stop tutoring Hailon.”

“…What?”

“It’s about money anyway, right? Or am I wrong?”

Melia was left speechless.

Anastasia’s attitude made it seem as though Melia could be ordered around at will as long as money was involved.

“Just name the amount you need. I can pay as much as you want. Even ten million erins.”

I have plenty of money, you see. Anastasia shrugged as she said it, her attitude utterly absurd.

“Oh, and just in case. You’re not getting any strange ideas just because you partnered with Hailon at the seasonal party, are you?”

The words she spoke next were far too blunt.