Chapter 3: Camilla’s Wrath and a Principal’s Counsel

At this moment, within a corridor of the academy.

“You two good-for-nothings!”

Camilla raised her hand, delivering a resounding slap to each of the two boys standing before her.

Both boys hung their heads, not daring to utter a word.

“Would that woman devour you? You saw her and fled like cowards, you useless lumps!” Camilla shrieked, her voice laced with fury.

“With such pathetic displays, you still hope to secure positions with my father in the future?” She punctuated her tirade with two swift kicks.

Having finished her assault, she placed her hands on her hips, breathing heavily.

“But she is, after all, from the Duke of the Northern Marches’ family…” one boy muttered under his breath, noticing his mistress had tired herself out.

“She’s merely an adopted daughter!” Camilla retorted, glaring at him.

“Think about it carefully. The Duke has sons, legitimate heirs! How many resources from the ducal family could a mere adopted village girl like her truly command?

Perhaps the Duke only adopted her to be a child bride; after all, that woman has a passable face. Or, who knows, maybe the Duke himself fancied her!”

She scoffed, “Heaven knows if her outward splendor isn’t merely the result of some unsavory dealings within the Duke’s household!”

She began to slander Jeanne with every cruel word she could conjure, her rage consuming her.

Her animosity towards Jeanne stemmed from more than just Jeanne’s interference in her bullying of Levi.

This adopted daughter of the Duke, who had seemingly fallen from the sky, was clearly of humble, common birth. Yet, blessed by fortune, she had prematurely gained what Camilla, a noble daughter, had to strive relentlessly for.

Such profound jealousy was enough to drive Camilla to madness.

“Regardless of her true status, she is, on the surface, still a member of the ducal family,” the other boy calmly interjected.

“Forget an adopted daughter; even a dog belonging to the Duke’s household is untouchable for us. If the ducal family were to pursue the matter for the sake of their honor… Miss, with all due respect, your father wouldn’t want you to directly clash with her.”

He understood perfectly that no matter Jeanne’s standing within the Duke’s family, they would never idly watch a person under their family’s name be humiliated by the daughter of a local noble.

Camilla rolled her eyes at his words, glancing sideways at him.

“Are you an idiot? We just need to avoid directly provoking *her* personally, isn’t that right? Would the ducal family really stand up for some stray dog from the slums?”

The two boys exchanged a furtive glance.

Miss Dumpty clearly held no regard for their predicament. Had they continued to torture that boy earlier, Jeanne, while unable to use the ducal family’s power to retaliate afterwards, could have certainly engaged them directly on the spot.

Jeanne, after all, was a formally consecrated Holy Knight.

If it came to an actual fight, they might not be her match, let alone the fact that they absolutely could not lay a hand on anyone associated with the Duke of the Northern Marches.

Admittedly, Camilla didn’t truly need to fear Jeanne excessively. While she couldn’t harm Jeanne, Jeanne likely couldn’t do much to her either.

Even if Camilla slightly offended Jeanne, as long as it wasn’t too egregious, Camilla’s viscount father would always find a way to smooth things over. The ducal family wouldn’t risk tearing apart their social standing among nobles over a mere squabble between children.

However, it was different for them, two commoner boys. If the matter truly escalated, Camilla’s family, far from protecting them, might even cast them out as scapegoats.

Moreover, no one could predict whether Jeanne, now a Holy Knight, might one day attain a higher military rank, leaping from commoner status into the ranks of the powerful elite.

Camilla had clearly set her sights on Levi, yet Jeanne, from the Duke of the Northern Marches’ family, seemed to be on good terms with the boy.

After today’s incident, the slum boy would likely become even more vigilant. Any direct attempt to harm him would only prove more difficult.

One of the boys pondered for a moment, then whispered, “Miss, perhaps we could try something underhanded against that boy…”

Camilla crossed her arms, her brow furrowing. “What do you mean?”

The boy stepped closer, lowering his voice even further as he revealed his idea.

“Doesn’t that boy live in the fodder room next to the stables? Once it catches fire, the blaze will be uncontrollable.

“We could set it alight while he’s away. Afterwards, the school administration would surely conclude he accidentally started the fire while lighting a lamp in the fodder room, leading to his expulsion.”

As she listened, Camilla’s furrowed brow slowly began to relax.

“That’s somewhat interesting, but not quite enough,” Camilla said, a cruel glint flashing in her eyes as her lips curved upwards.

“I have an idea.”

****

Three days later, after his morning class, Levi was summoned to the Principal’s office.

Recalling his recent encounters, a sense of unease settled in his stomach.

Camilla Dumpty had claimed that Principal Nabo and her father were old family friends, an assertion Levi suspected was more than mere boasting.

After all, Camilla’s bullying of other students had been ongoing for more than just a day or two, yet the school authorities had consistently failed to take any action against her.

This couldn’t be explained solely by her father’s influence in the city; it seemed highly probable that their family maintained a genuine network of connections within the academy.

Thus, he couldn’t help but suspect that the school might be seeking a pretext to issue a disciplinary action against him because of the incident.

However, upon seeing him, Principal Nabo, with his greying hair, greeted him with a warm and benevolent smile.

“Please, have a seat, my boy,” Principal Nabo said, gesturing towards a chair in front of his desk with a gentle smile.

“There’s no need to be nervous. Punishing students falls under the Dean of Students’ purview, and I never summon a student for anything ill.”

Levi took his seat, immediately asking, “Then, Principal, why did you call for me…?”

“The faculty committee recommended your thesis to me, and I’ve already read it,” the Principal said, smiling as he gestured to a paper on his desk.

“It’s truly remarkable; a paper of such high caliber, penned by a student no less. You possess extraordinary talent.”

“Thank you for your appreciation,” Levi replied calmly.

“You only have half a year left in your final semester here. Do you have any plans for your future?” the Principal inquired.

“I intend to pursue higher education,” Levi stated truthfully.

With his academic record, he had a chance to compete for a spot in higher education. If the school were to recommend his thesis, it would greatly aid his application.

“A most ambitious aspiration,” the Principal nodded, his expression approving, though his smile soon faded slightly.

“However, it will be incredibly challenging. The Imperial Holy Academy in the capital primarily recruits young people from the central influential noble families, who most easily secure recommendations from prominent figures.

“Next are the trainees selected from church and military institutions, followed by students from the Holy Academies in the capital region. The proportion of students advancing from local areas is the smallest.

“That place is, in the truest sense, a social arena for nobles. A commoner student there would find it extremely difficult to integrate into that circle.”

“It’s alright,” Levi replied, a subtle double meaning in his words. “I’ve learned a good deal about dealing with people here.”

He had indeed accumulated some experience in handling noble bullying and ostracism, thanks in no small part to Camilla and the inactive school administration.

“Optimism is a virtue, but reality is often harsher than one imagines,” the Principal sighed, his tone didactic.

“To be frank, I am quite concerned for you, and I wouldn’t particularly recommend you pursue higher education.”

“What does the Principal mean?” Levi frowned slightly.

With the Principal’s sudden shift in tone, Levi vaguely sensed something amiss.