The Duty Of An Academy Student Should Be To Study - Chapter 82
Episode 82
-Rose, who is the friend who helped you?
Rose hesitated, unable to answer Anna’s question immediately.
With so much happening and intertwining events, Rose couldn’t find a starting point for explanation. If she were to say that the son of Duke Conway suddenly appeared and helped her, Anna wouldn’t understand.
After a moment of contemplation, Rose began recounting the story, starting from when the Redmark gang members came to the academy.
Anna, who had heard snippets of the situation, let out a subdued sigh over the phone.
-They came for you. Could it be that he leaked information about you to them? How could this happen…
As Rose calmly explained the situation, her voice gradually steadied. With a newfound composure, she began.
“It wasn’t a big issue. I’m okay. It’s my father… Since he seems unable to repay the debt, it seems like he fled on a cargo ship.”
-But Rose… Did you write a contract offering to pay on his behalf? That’s not acceptable. I’ll figure out a way to gather interest and pay them somehow…
“No, I didn’t write any contract. Some friends with connections in Valloch appeared and helped me out. Initially, they said they would find this person called George Bell… Thanks to them, I bought some time.”
Rose added a bit of omission and falsehoods for the moment. However, it wasn’t an entirely fabricated story.
-They are really helpful friends. Next time I send a package, I’ll include gifts for them. By the way, what are the names of these friends?
“Uh, well…”
Rose hesitated and then spoke.
“They are Caleb and… Jasper, my friends.”
-I see. Those are nice names… Wait, Jasper, you said? Could it be Jasper from the Conway family?
“Do you… do you know Jasper?”
-Of course, I do. That family is well-known.
Despite being distant from the social circles of the capital for quite some time, Anna remembered individuals from prominent families.
-So, you became friends with Conway’s son? In that case, Caleb… could he be the eldest son of the Sidoor family?
Anna’s voice carried both worry and surprise. Rose responded as if justifying herself, sounding like someone caught doing something wrong.
“Yes, that’s right. I got to know Jasper because we were in the same club. Since Caleb is a friend of Jasper…”
-I see. It’s truly admirable that they befriended you so openly, almost as noble as their family. I’ll find a way to repay their kindness someday. But Rose…
“Yes?”
-While it’s important to always be grateful to these friends, be cautious not to grow too close. Especially with Jasper…
When Anna pinpointed Jasper, Rose felt her heart sink.
-The Conway family is a stronghold of conservatives. The heir, Ethan Conway, is actively opposing the noble law amendments. He’s also involved in various conservative movements. I heard this from Priscilla the other day.
Priscilla was the name of the Countess Bluewood.
Before hiding in Quilts, Anna and Priscilla were close friends. Earlier this year, Priscilla came to explore the northern lands and coincidentally ran into Anna.
-They wouldn’t view someone like us favorably in the Conway household… I’m afraid sparks might fly your way for no reason.
Rose had already swallowed the words about how she was almost dragged to Ethan, where a spark could have ignited.
‘If he finds out I’m not just a commoner, he’ll despise me even more.’
Lately, there was a movement shaking the Empire, aiming to revise or abolish several aristocratic laws, including the Act of Restriction on Excessive Privileges.
Rose and Ethan were on opposing sides—Rose hoped for a quick revision of the laws, while Ethan stood to uphold them.
In the face of this cold, harsh reality, Rose felt a chill in her heart as if ice was settling in. Trying to distract herself from the unsettling feeling, she brought up a different topic.
“Yes, I’ll be careful. By the way… I encountered the Countess in the capital last time. She seemed to recognize me.”
-Ah… She might have recognized you. Priscilla often visited you since you were a child. She admired you a lot. Rose, you might not remember.
“…Do you think the Countess might report us?”
-Priscilla wouldn’t do such a thing. If she had intentions to report, she would have done it by now. Even when she met me last time, she turned a blind eye. But I’m not sure about the other Bluewoods besides Priscilla.
Rose suddenly thought of Adela Bluewood.
“I’ll be cautious about that too.”
As Rose repeated her intention to be cautious, her mood sank. She wondered why she had to live cautiously just because of what George Bell had done.
‘If I were to succeed immensely as a magic engineer…’
Even if caught under the Act of Restriction on Excessive Privileges, perhaps she could pay a staggering fine and escape. For now, she’ll have to endure the punishment without a word.
Status and wealth. To survive in this era, one of these was necessary. The former was already beyond reach. But perhaps the latter could be attained through effort.
‘…Then maybe I won’t have to live alone like I have for the past few years.’
There might not be a need to deliberately avoid people and live like a recluse. There might not be a need to dismiss fluttering emotions as futile and vain, trying to calm her heart alone.
Rose hoped for all of this to be possible, believing that her abilities and potential were indeed sufficient. More desperately than ever before.
-By the way, how are the preparations for the contest going?
“Ah, it’s a bit slow, but it’s in progress. If everything goes as planned, I might even aim for the victory. No, I will win.”
-That’s great… health… oh, it seems like the communication is breaking up.
“Oh no…”
Rose desperately held onto the receiver. The sound started to come in sporadically and irregularly. 15 minutes had flown by like a whirlwind.
With a tearful expression, Rose quickly spoke.
“Mom! I’ll send a letter right away. We’ll talk again next time. Please send my regards to my younger sibling and grandmother. I miss them so much…
-Ro… take… care… love…
The communication was abruptly cut off, and Anna’s voice was no longer audible.
Filled with regret, Rose couldn’t immediately leave the communication station and fidgeted with the receiver for a while. She longed to feel her mother’s embrace and warmth, but all she could touch now was the cold metal texture at her fingertips.
* * *
The final exams for the spring semester of the graduation year had begun.
Rose studied diligently, giving her best effort. With Jasper having already prepaid the tuition and no need to strive for scholarship requirements anymore, she still wanted to achieve the top rank. She didn’t want to miss being the top student at Berkley Academy, a title that surely held value.
Her focus had wavered briefly after Jasper’s confession, but communication with Anna had solidified it once again. Even if it was tough and unjust at the moment, she had to work hard. There was no other way.
And so, as Rose submitted her last answer sheet for the final exams and was about to leave the examination hall, someone waiting by the door suddenly grabbed her arm.
“Rose!”
“Oh… Rebecca?”
“The exams are over, right?”
Rose nodded in bewilderment.
As the exam schedules varied for each student depending on the subjects they were studying, Rebecca had finished her last exam a few hours earlier. Briley was still inside the examination hall.
Rebecca awkwardly grabbed Rose’s arm and started to lead her away.
“I need to go somewhere with you, Rose.”
“Where are we going?”
“Jasper’s leaving today! He’s at the train station right now.”
“What?”
Rose hesitated for a moment. She already knew that Jasper would leave for a distant region right after the semester ended.
‘But he said he’s leaving tomorrow…’
Even if she couldn’t escort him to the train station, she had planned to see him face-to-face either tonight or tomorrow morning.
Despite Anna’s advice not to get too close to Jasper, tomorrow was the day he would leave for the remote region. Moreover, for the next two months, there would be no way to confirm if he was safe or not.
Rebecca, abandoning her usual graceful demeanor, sprinted toward the main gate and shouted.
“Due to weather issues, all train services to the port are canceled until the day after tomorrow! There’s no choice but to go today. He said he was sorry he couldn’t say goodbye; you were in the middle of exams.”
Rose’s breath caught, but she grabbed Rebecca’s hand tightly and ran without stopping.
“W-what… what time is the train?”
“At 3 o’clock! Not much time left! Even if we hurry now, we’ll arrive just in time. I’ve already called for a carriage. Let’s go!”
Rose ran frantically and found herself in a carriage with Rebecca before she knew it. Rebecca hurriedly asked the coachman to move faster, and the carriage started moving roughly.
After wiping the sweat from her forehead and catching her breath, Rose finally regained her composure. Everything had happened so quickly after the exams were over; it was all a confusing blur.
In a daze, Rose said to Rebecca.
“Did you call the carriage because of me? Thank you for helping, Rebecca…”
While grateful, she couldn’t quite understand why Rebecca had helped.
Rebecca usually valued dignity and appearance, yet now her hairpins were askew, and she was panting in a less dignified manner.
Taking a deep breath, Rebecca spoke.
“Phew, did I do well?”
“Uh, but why did you… help?”
“I thought you might feel sad if you parted with Jasper without even seeing him. You like Jasper, don’t you?”
“What… what are you talking about?”
Thud! At that moment, the carriage seemed to hit a rock, causing a jolt. Rose’s body slightly lifted and then settled back down.
Rebecca looked bewildered as if she didn’t understand why Rose was so startled, and Rose, in turn, was flustered. She had never once mentioned to Rebecca that she liked Jasper in any way.
“Huh, it seemed like you liked him. Was I mistaken?”
“I… not at all!”
“Then did I call the carriage and make a scene for no reason? Should we just go back to Berkley…”
Rebecca immediately opened the window and was about to call the coachman. Rose, almost without realizing it, shouted and stopped Rebecca.
“No!”
Rebecca withdrew her hand from the window and looked at Rose in surprise. Rose stammered, her face turning bright red.
“First… let’s go to the train station… It’s better to continue as we’ve started since we’re already on our way.”