Chapter 54: A troublesome favor requested by Ulysses

Today, I’m wasting time doing nothing again.

Anne walked along the roadside, thinking this to herself.

She really wanted to work, but unfortunately the shop had been closed these days.

She wondered what the shop owner had been doing lately.

She wished she could tell the owner out loud: if there was something to handle, she could run the shop instead. She would carefully record material usage and orders, and she would even accept the same pay as before.

But she knew it was just a fantasy, so she wandered the streets like a drifter, dejected and listless.

Most of her money had already been spent on expensive perfumes, cosmetics, and dresses. She understood that she wouldn’t die without those things.

But if she dressed poorly, she would definitely be looked down upon by the noble youths. She had finally managed to make a few noble friends, she didn’t want to give that up halfway.

Of course, Anne knew those nobles didn’t have genuine friendship for her. Even their kindness was mostly an act.

Still, even that gave her a bit of comfort. At least many noble circles could recognize her now, instead of calling her “that commoner.”

It meant she was closer to the nobles than others, and perhaps one day, she might get an opportunity to become one of them.

Whenever a commoner behaved crudely in front of her noble “friends,” they would cover their lips with fans and laugh softly.

Their disdain was obvious. And after laughing, they would suddenly ask Anne:

“Are all commoners this ugly and rude? No wonder you all smell so bad.”

Then they would hold their noses and burst into laughter.

Standing among them, Anne could only force a troubled smile, softly explaining that she was different from those commoners.

She had already given everything, spent all her money on luxury goods just to blend into noble society, learned their topics, gathered their gossip.

Yet no matter how hard she tried, there was always an invisible barrier separating her from them.

Even when they spoke kindly, whenever the topic turned to commoners, their mocking gaze would always fall on her.

She knew that crude behavior among commoners often came from a more comfortable, honest way of living, and that truly unreasonable people were often nobles.

Every group had both good people and awful ones. Even the Stuart family, known for justice and generosity, had produced someone like Lyra.

As for other nobles, there was no need to mention.

Even so, Anne still wanted to be part of that circle. Nobles possessed resources beyond imagination.

To her, there was no real difference between the children of commoners and nobles.

So why did even the relatively fair Kasel Academy have more nobles?

Because of resources. Noble children were born with advantages, tested for talent early, trained with full support.

Commoner children, without sponsorship, might never even discover their talents, letting them fade away unnoticed.

Becoming the shop owner’s employee had been a stroke of luck. The pay was surprisingly high, enough that she could gradually afford luxury items.

The owner must be a noble too, otherwise, how could they pay such wages?

Anne had once glimpsed the account book and noticed that almost all earnings, aside from maintenance costs, were paid out as wages. Sometimes, the shop even operated at a loss.

So the shop was probably just a hobby for the owner. That was why they didn’t mind losing money.

That’s what Anne believed.

But she didn’t dare ask. It would be too rude, and what if she got fired? She couldn’t risk that.

Despite her cheerful exterior, Anne always maintained a measured distance in relationships, close enough to avoid conflict, but not enough to form true intimacy.

Everyone who met her labeled her as bright and outgoing, yet none could see her true self.

At the academy, she had no close friends. Since she chose to associate with nobles, even commoners had begun to avoid her.

Even Candice, who came from the same hometown, barely spoke to her anymore.

But Anne didn’t care. As long as she could stay close to nobles, it was enough.

She looked up. The sky was bright, sunlight shining warmly over the academy’s elegant buildings.

The academy was filled with astonishing structures, more magnificent than many capitals.

Compared to the scheming in broader society, conflicts here were gentler.

But that didn’t mean the victims suffered any less.

“Are you Anne?”

A slightly frivolous voice came from behind.

Anne turned around. A young man dressed extravagantly leaned against a stone pillar, a carefree smirk on his face.

Unease rose within her.

She recognized him, Brook Warner, son of a baron from the Duchy of Northland.

He had a terrible reputation: abusing his noble status, bullying commoners, even rumored to have forced himself on women.

Even other nobles avoided him.

“Is there something you need?” Anne asked with a strained smile.

“Nothing much. Just came to have some fun with you.”

Brook grinned wickedly and slowly approached, blocking her escape like a hunting dog.

His murky eyes scanned her body, making her skin crawl.

“Didn’t expect that even with such disgusting commoner food, you’d grow like this.”

He licked his lips and reached for her face.

The desire in his eyes disgusted her.

Anne backed away in panic, only to hit the stone pillar behind her. Nowhere to run.

“Don’t come closer!” she shouted.

“What are you afraid of? I won’t eat you. Besides, I already had my friends clear the area.”

He leaned closer, his foul breath hitting her face.

“Just behave, and I promise no one in this academy will dare bully you again.”

Anne knew it was a trap.

As his face drew closer, despair filled her. Everything she had worked for would be destroyed.

She gritted her teeth, and kicked with all her strength.

“AH-!”

Brook screamed, clutching himself and collapsing in pain.

“You b*tch!” he roared, rage replacing lust.

As he struggled forward, Anne seized the moment.

“Fireflies of light, Fireball, go!”

Flames gathered and shot toward him like meteors.

Caught off guard, Brook was struck, his clothes instantly igniting.

He screamed, rolling on the ground.

Anne turned and ran.

But suddenly…

Black tendrils blocked her path.

She froze.

“What… is that?”

“Don’t run!”

A beast-like roar came from behind.

She turned…

And froze in horror.

Before her stood a grotesque creature made of viscous liquid, writhing and stinking.

Brook was gone, only his burnt clothes remained, trapped within the slime.

The creature lashed out with black tendrils.

Anne barely dodged, but one struck her arm, tearing flesh open.

Pain exploded.

She tried to escape, but she was surrounded.

Even her magic did nothing.

Then she realized, her leg was stuck.

The slime had trapped her.

Despair swallowed her whole.

The stench was unbearable, like centuries of rot mixed with sewage and chemicals.

Breathing felt impossible.

Her vision blurred.

She couldn’t even close her eyes.

No one would come save her.

Tears filled her eyes.

If she survived… she wanted to apologize to Candice.

Then…

A golden light.

Warm. Radiant. Like the sun.

It burned through the slime, tearing it open.

And from that light…

A figure appeared.

White hair flowing, skin like snow, golden eyes glowing like the sun.

The shop owner.

Beautiful, like a divine being descending.

Not to take her away, but to save her.

A blade of light formed in her hand.

She cut through the monster with elegant precision.

The creature roared, then weakened, until it collapsed.

Finally, she drove her blade into its core.

Black mist surged, and the creature dissolved.

“It’s over,” she sighed.

Then she turned.

“Anne, are you okay?”

Anne was stunned.

“Y-Yes… I’m fine…”

“Fine?”

The girl frowned and grabbed her arm.

“This deep wound, and you call it fine? You’re foolish.”

Warm holy light flowed into the wound, healing it.

Anne stared at her, unable to speak.

Looking at her worried expression…

She finally understood.

The shop owner was nothing like those nobles.