Chapter 9
A scoffing laugh escaped Leoni’s lips.
“If you’re going to feel wronged, at least study properly before you do.”
Five years without even properly opening a book.
It was an exam where countless people failed even after memorizing the content. It was only natural for him, who hadn’t even opened a book, to fail. It wasn’t even something to pity.
‘He has no shame.’
And that wasn’t all.
“And I heard you’ve been hanging out with those Oblige kids or whatever they are?”
The Empire officially abolished the hereditary aristocracy.
Even the Imperial family only participated in external diplomatic events, and the real power was wielded by the Parliament.
Even if one achieved great merit and received a title, it was only honorary.
However, there were still groups who couldn’t forget their aristocratic history and clung to the past.
One of them was a group like ‘Oblige.’
Although it was said to be a gathering of people from former noble families, in reality, it was a group of idle good-for-nothings who ate and drank. She had heard that Reynold had recently been hanging out with Oblige.
“Honestly, it’s none of my business. But wouldn’t it be better to study during the time you spend hanging around with those idiots? If you were busy studying, would Helen send you on an errand to fetch me?”
“Idiots? Watch your mouth.”
Reynold’s eyes widened.
“They’re all children of noble families.”
I’m going crazy. Leoni let out a snort.
“Nobles? Reynold, it’s been over 50 years since hereditary aristocracy was abolished.”
“You…!”
“Let’s say, for argument’s sake, they’re of noble descent. Do you think you’ll get anything by following their tails?”
As if he had read the emotion in her laughter, Reynold’s face flushed red and blue.
“I, I’ll be going now. Then, Miss Leoni, will you let me know when you’ve decided?”
Mrs. Clavery quickly retreated as the situation became increasingly serious. After confirming Mrs. Clavery’s hurried departure, Reynold yelled,
“This is all because of my uncle, that vermin! If my uncle hadn’t done those stupid things, I could have gotten into the Cooperation Bureau through a recommendation!”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Reynold.”
To him, caught up in a tremendous delusion, Leoni calmly opened her mouth.
Quietly, only with facts.
“Even I, the daughter of that vermin, passed.”
Although the Cooperation Bureau was a place that made her blood boil just thinking about it.
“The Cooperation Bureau, even knowing that I’m Leoni ‘Winkelheit,’ at least let me pass.”
Of course, she omitted the fact that she was suffering in various ways after joining.
“It’s not like you’re in a worse situation than others, right? How much Helen has invested in you.”
The Winkelheit family had lost their reputation, but not their fortune. The Parliament had only confiscated Theo’s assets.
Helen, who inherited the family in Theo’s place, poured all the remaining assets into her son, Reynold.
Of course, the results weren’t very good.
‘When I asked her to let me study, even for just a year, she ignored me.’
The thought that even the minimal assets that might have been left for her were probably all used to support Reynold made her stomach churn.
Harsh words escaped her lips.
“The reason you’re still in that state is simply because you don’t study. Not because my father committed a crime.”
“You bitch!”
Reynold shoved his hand through the crack in the door as if he were about to barge in.
“Aaargh!”
But Leoni wasn’t just going to stand there and take it.
If he stuck his hand through the narrow gap, he should be prepared to get it stuck.
Leoni quickly closed the door and tightened her grip on the doorknob. Reynold screamed as his arm, caught between the door, twisted.
“Aaargh! Let go of this, let go! You crazy bitch!”
“Reynold, we’re adults now.”
Leoni said softly.
“So, if you hit me even once now, it means we’re past the age where we can brush it off as child’s play. You idiot.”
“Ugh…”
The unsightly forearm flailed through the crack in the door.
She had acted bravely, knowing she would get hit if she didn’t block him, but she couldn’t continue this standoff.
As a public official, it would be troublesome if a complaint was filed against her for injuring someone.
Moreover, there was a possibility that she would be subjected to unnecessary glares because she was a ‘Winkelheit.’
Honestly, she wished he’d get hurt.
‘There’s no other way.’
Leoni said in a solemn voice,
“If you promise to stop making a fuss and go home today, I’ll open the door.”
“You…!”
Reynold gritted his teeth and glared at her. Seeing no sign of him backing down, Leoni leaned against the front door as if she had no choice.
“Aaargh!”
With the added weight, Reynold, flailing his arm, hurriedly opened his mouth.
“Alright, alright!”
“Swear on Helen’s name!”
“I said alright! My arm is really breaking!”
After repeatedly obtaining his promise, Leoni slightly loosened her grip on the doorknob.
“Idiot! You believed that!”
Reynold seized the opportunity and yanked the door open with force.
She thought he wouldn’t do that again after swearing on his mother’s name, but her expectations were too high. His hand was even faster than she anticipated.
Instinctively, she squeezed her eyes shut, realizing she was about to be hit.
Smack! Crash!
“Aaaaaargh!”
The next moment, Reynold’s scream echoed.
Leoni cautiously opened her eyes to see Reynold sprawled at the bottom of the stairs.
He was groaning, clutching his hand, sprawled on the rain-soaked ground.
Turning her head, she saw a large hand, which had emerged from behind her, frozen awkwardly in mid-air.
“Oh dear, was that not it?”
It was Claude, neatly wearing a pink apron. He was grinning.
“Sir, what did you just do?”
What did he do to send the large Reynold flying in an instant?
She wondered if he had used magic, and Claude answered with a calm expression,
“High five.”
What?
Leoni stared at him blankly.
“I read in a book that around here, as a sign of friendliness, they… clap their hands together like this.”
Claude mimicked clapping his hands in the air. He had an expression that said, “I don’t know anything.”
Then she understood the situation.
‘He simply fell because of the sheer force.’
Just like when he knocked on the magic circle earlier, if he did a high five with that kind of strength, even a grown man would inevitably go flying.
Looking at Claude smiling gently, Leoni was speechless.
“How dare you hit someone? Do you know who I am!”
Who are you? A five-time Cooperation Bureau exam taker.
Reynold was still rolling around in the puddle, screaming.
“I’m going to report this to the Security Force! Huh? You broke the wrist of someone who was just standing there!”
Report it to the Security Force? Leoni flinched. She felt the situation escalating. But she quickly masked her expression and crossed her arms triumphantly.
“Yeah, go ahead and report it.”
“What?”
Reynold’s eyes widened at her confident tone.
“Go to the Security Force and tell them that His Grace the Duke broke your wrist. The Winkelheit family would be very honored. Helen would be so happy.”
“…Duke?”
At Leoni’s words, Reynold’s gaze shifted to the man standing behind her.
That guy in the pink apron is a Duke?
Reynold’s eyes, welling up with tears, quickly scanned Claude up and down.
He looked several times in disbelief, but the man before him definitely exuded nobility.
His well-groomed appearance, his rather expensive-looking clothes, and even his relaxed demeanor that suggested he didn’t know what he’d done wrong. There was nothing to fault.
‘I’ve never actually seen anyone from a Ducal family.’
The people Reynold hung out with were, strictly speaking, a motley crew.
Families with real history preferred to stay out of the spotlight.
Excluding those who inherited titles when the hereditary system was still in place, there were currently two Dukes in the Empire, both dragons.
‘Dragons are awarded honorary dukedoms.’
The entry and exit of dragons were top secret, but if Reynold had remembered that basic fact, he might have been able to deduce Claude’s identity.
And he might have caused more of a commotion, claiming a dragon had injured him.
‘But that guy’s brain won’t work that far.’
Leoni’s prediction was correct. Reynold, flustered, pointed at Claude.
“Lies! W-what’s a Ducal heir doing at your house?”
“The descendant of the ruined Baron Winkelheit is causing a scene in front of my house, so why wouldn’t a Duke be here?”
Leoni sneered at him, his voice stammering.
“And he just clapped hands with you as a sign of friendliness, but it seems like you rolled over on your own?”
“What? You think you can just say anything…! You saw him hit my hand!”
Reynold’s voice rose.
“No? To my eyes, it looks like you rolled over yourself because you couldn’t handle your weak lower body?”
“…Damn it!”
Reynold, fuming, twisted his shoulders and managed to lift his wet body.
He probably realized it. That he was no match for Claude right now.
Reynold glared at Leoni and Claude standing next to her, then limped away. Through the rain, she could see his dangling wrist along with occasional curses.
His wrist, which would probably be snapped like celery, looked painful, but she didn’t feel any particular sympathy.
‘Considering what he did to me when I was young, this is cheap.’
Reynold had once burned her hair with fire and tried to force her to eat toys. This was a light punishment.
As she watched Reynold fleeing, she felt a gaze from beside her.
