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Episode 29

Chapter. Academy?

"Here's your tea, my Lady."

"Mm, yes. I'll drink it."

Sigh.

Julietta held the teacup and let out a sigh.

"What's wrong, my Lady? Is something troubling you?"

"It's not trouble…… I just had unpleasant dreams."

Taking a sip of tea, Julietta's gaze drifted toward Kendrick's villa.

After the drug case was uncovered, her terrible insomnia had been resolved.

But perhaps because of that, once she started dreaming, the dreams seemed to go on for an unusually long time.

'Last night, I had to dream about childhood, of all things.'

From her snot-nosed days all the way to the present—she'd had to watch that long life unfold for quite a while.

And Kendrick kept appearing in it, to boot.

Tsk.

Clicking her tongue briefly, Julietta turned her gaze to Janet across from her.

After the Shien incident, the two had opened their hearts to each other and always had tea together.

After the drugs were discovered, they also always ate together.

And Janet had been faithfully keeping her promise of "I'll take the first bite for you."

Even when Julietta said it was no longer necessary, Janet continued without concern.

"You'll be uneasy for a while yet."

"What if there's really poison in it?"

"Then you'll have to call the doctor, my Lady."

"Ah, I see."

At Janet's very logical answer, Julietta couldn't help but laugh.

Recalling her conversation with the calm Janet, she felt the disturbing dreams fade a little.

Taking another sip of tea, Julietta asked.

"What are you doing?"

"Just checking some mail for a moment."

"What kind of mail?"

"I'm not sure. It looks like a letter from the Academy?"

"Ah."

Shouldn't have asked.

But the conversation had already started.

"It says here that your official leave of absence period ends after this semester."

"Hmm."

"It says you absolutely have to return to school starting next semester. The fall semester starts in September—did you know that?"

"……"

"The timing is perfect. September is also the capital's social season. It's like fate that it starts around the time you'll be staying at the townhouse in the capital."

Fate, my foot.

The overlap between the capital's social season and the start of the fall semester at the capital's academies was practically a historical tradition.

How could she call something deliberately arranged that way fate?

Of course, Janet knew all that and was saying it anyway.

"Janet."

"Yes, my Lady."

"Do you really want me to go back to the Academy?"

"Of course. Absolutely."

At the answer that came as if she'd been waiting for it, Julietta let out a dry laugh.

"Since you're so insistent, I'll seriously consider it."

"Really, my Lady?"

"Yes. But there's a condition."

"A…… condition?"

At Janet's question, Julietta curled one corner of her mouth into a grin.

"You have to go to the Academy too."

"I'm sorry, but as far as I know, handmaidens aren't allowed to accompany their mistresses to the Academy."

"Yes. So you'll go as a student, not a handmaiden."

As the conversation continued, more question marks appeared on Janet's face.

Go as a student, not a handmaiden?

What on earth……

"There's a special admissions exam in one month. Take it and pass. Then I'll re-enroll for the fall semester."

"……"

Looking at the dazed, speechless Janet, Julietta smiled sweetly.

"You can do it, can't you, Janet?"

It was a smile befitting her reputation as a villainess.

---

In the end, Janet had no choice but to accept Julietta's proposal.

She wanted to see Julietta graduate, no matter what.

'The Academy……'

To be honest, it was something she'd never even considered, so she wasn't sure how to prepare.

Should she study like she did for the college entrance exam in her previous life?

'At least I wasn't bad at studying.'

On her way home from work, Janet stopped by the library.

Julietta had offered to get her all the reference books she needed, but she wanted to learn a little about the Academy beforehand.

'Books about the Academy……'

Ah, here they are.

Janet took out a couple of books related to the Academy and headed to Mrs. Sinclair.

"Welcome, Lady Graham. It feels like it's been a while."

"Ah, I've been a bit busy lately."

"So I've heard. I heard there was quite a commotion at Lady Julietta's villa?"

Instead of answering, Janet smiled.

"I also heard that the item used to prove Head Housekeeper Nova's guilt was yours?"

"It just turned out that way."

"Oh dear. Have you gotten it back yet?"

"Not yet. Since it's evidence needed for the investigation, they said I can get it back after it's all over."

"Oh my."

Mrs. Sinclair let out a small sigh.

"It seems the investigation will take quite a while."

"Is that so?"

"It seems Head Housekeeper Nova won't open her mouth at all. Even with all the evidence, she doesn't seem to realize it's futile."

It seemed Nova was still maintaining her silence.

'She's probably waiting for someone.'

Her backer, who would turn this unfavorable situation around.

Since there had been no word from Theo, it seemed Nova's backer hadn't made contact with her yet.

'When is she planning to meet them?'

With that thought, Janet returned the book she had borrowed before.

<What Are Blessed Phrases?>

It was a book exactly about Blessed Phrases, as the title suggested.

Glancing at the book's cover, Mrs. Sinclair's eyes sparkled as she asked.

"Do you have a Blessed Phrase, Lady Graham?"

"Pardon?"

"I was wondering since you borrowed a book like this. Unfortunately, I don't have one."

"……Neither do I. I just heard that many people in Ludwig have received blessings, so I looked it up."

According to the book, those who received a response to the blessing prayer in the Empire were extremely rare.

That was why Ludwig, where most of the direct line had received Blessed Phrases, was treated specially.

'Moreover, there are almost no cases where the phrase appears as just a single word like mine.'

No—in fact, there were none at all.

Historically, the shortest phrase was "You shall be strong," and even that was a full sentence.

'Then what is this that appeared on my arm?'

This was also why she hadn't been able to readily tell Theo about her blessing.

The overly short phrase "Salvation" and the ability that came with it.

'The ability to recall necessary scenes from the original work when needed.'

How could she ever explain such a thing convincingly?

"Miss Janet?"

"Y-yes?"

"I'm sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable by asking something unnecessary?"

Mrs. Sinclair asked cautiously.

Her face was full of apologetic concern.

Sometimes people were deeply shocked by not being born with a Blessed Phrase—she must have thought Janet was one of them.

"No, it's not that. I just got lost in thought for a moment. I should be the one apologizing for spacing out during our conversation."

"I'm relieved to hear that."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Mrs. Sinclair's gaze turned to the books Janet had borrowed today.

Seeing the books related to the Academy, Mrs. Sinclair's lips twitched slightly.

She seemed to want to ask about it but was worried about overstepping again.

Smiling faintly, Janet casually opened the conversation.

"Her Ladyship suggested I try taking the Academy entrance exam, so I borrowed these."

"Oh my!"

Mrs. Sinclair's eyes sparkled at Janet, who had opened the door first.

"Her Ladyship made such a suggestion?"

"Yes."

"Goodness. It seems her Ladyship is quite fond of you."

Instead of saying "yes," Janet gave a wry smile and replied.

"She may seem haughty and unapproachable at times, but she's actually a deeply considerate and kind person. It's just a pity that people misunderstand her."

It was only a guess, but Head Butler William and Mrs. Sinclair seemed to be quite close.

Which meant Mrs. Sinclair was also likely someone with considerable influence.

'News from such a person carries weight.'

Hoping that Mrs. Sinclair would spread good news about Julietta, Janet put on an even more wistful expression.

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