The Marquis' Daughter, a Research Enthusiast, Fails to Notice Her Junior's Devoted Feelings After Her Engagement is Broken. - Chapter 1.9

After some time had passed since my appointment at the academy, I finally started to settle in. The first week had been quite hectic—students who hadn’t even enrolled in my class would sneak in, and after lessons, I was often chased down by groups of female students waiting outside the classroom.

When I consulted Mr. Janne about it, he made a rather stern announcement, stating that students who attended class without proper registration or behaved in an inappropriate manner—such as chasing after teachers—would have their etiquette grades deducted. His words, which were almost a threat, significantly reduced the unwanted pursuit. I was grateful to Mr. Janne.

“Professor, may I ask you a question?”

“Of course, Mary. Is there something you didn’t understand?”

Mary would always come to ask questions after class. Her textbook was filled with notes, showing her dedication and hard work.

“Ah… I see now. Mathematics is not my strong suit… I struggle to grasp things quickly. Thank you, Professor Emil.”

“I actually wasn’t good at math in the beginning either.”

“What…?! You, Professor?”

“At first, I didn’t like math at all. I preferred music. But as I studied, wanting to catch up to someone, I gradually started to find it interesting—and eventually, I grew to enjoy it.”

“I see… I also have someone I want to catch up to. I wonder if I’ll start finding it fun someday…”

“Would that person happen to be Nathaniel?”

Mary was the fiancée of Nathaniel Newcomb, the son of an earl in the same class. I had noticed her occasionally watching him from a distance.

I wondered if I had overstepped by asking, but the words had already left my mouth.

“Y-Yes… Since we will be married in the future, I want to be able to support him in many ways…”

She blushed slightly as she spoke.

“Heh… Having a goal makes people work harder. I’m sure you’ll succeed, Mary. Keep at it.”

Mary smiled, thanked me, and left the classroom.

As I walked through the academy’s connecting corridor, I overheard what sounded like a quarrel. Curious, I quietly peeked around the corner.

“…How could you? Lady Mary, pushing me like that… It’s so cruel.”

Mary was accompanied by two other young ladies, while Baron Everett’s daughter stood trembling on the ground, clearly frightened.

At first glance, it looked as if Mary was bullying the baron’s daughter. I discreetly activated my recording device.

“As I’ve been saying, I didn’t do anything. You simply fell on your own, didn’t you?”

“That’s not true… Or perhaps, did Lady Frederica order you to do this?”

“What…? Frederica…? Are you referring to Lady Lorenz, the marquis’ daughter? What on earth are you talking about…?”

Hearing Frederica’s name caught me off guard. I was about to step forward, but before I could, Nathaniel Newcomb appeared.

“Mary! What are you doing?!”

“Lord Nathaniel…!”

He stepped in front of the baron’s daughter, shielding her as he glared at Mary. This didn’t bode well.

“I asked you what you were doing! Sophie is crying!”

“I didn’t do anything! She just collapsed on her own—”

“Lady Mary is not at fault! That baron’s daughter fell over by herself! Her delusions are outrageous!”

Mary’s friends immediately defended her, glaring at the baron’s daughter. Nathaniel let out a deep sigh.

“Mary… I’m disappointed in you. I never thought you were this kind of person.”

With those harsh words, he placed a protective hand on the baron’s daughter’s shoulder and walked away.

Though I was concerned about Mary, I decided to secretly follow them. The recording device was still running. I had used a high-purity magic stone this time, so I could record for an entire hour.

The two of them walked to a secluded area behind the school building and sat on a bench. The baron’s daughter was still sniffling as Nathaniel gently wiped away her tears and began speaking.

“I apologize on behalf of my fiancée. Mary was cruel to you.”

“No… Lady Mary did nothing wrong! It’s my fault for relying too much on your kindness, Your Highness… I should have been more mindful of our difference in status.”

“Did someone say that to you? You don’t have to hold back. No one can object to what His Highness has permitted.”

“But… I still think it’s inappropriate. I shouldn’t be near you anymore, Nathaniel.”

“Sophie…! There’s no need for that. I want to keep talking with you—no, I need you to talk with me. Being with you brings me peace…”

“Lord Nathaniel…!”

Their distance closed in an instant.

“Lord Nathaniel… You’re so kind… I feel like I might end up relying on you too much…”

The baron’s daughter clung to Nathaniel’s arm and rested her head against his shoulder.

Nathaniel turned bright red, hesitantly patting her head.

“You can rely on me as much as you want… You can ask me for anything, and I’ll make it happen.”

“Thank you, Lord Nathaniel. I love you!”

She threw her arms around him, and after indulging in a moment of affection, the two finally left.

Recording complete.

From the very start, I had captured something rather scandalous.

This was not the behavior of a man with a fiancée. He had clearly crossed the line—if someone called that baron’s daughter his mistress, no one would argue.

But something felt off about the way the conversation had unfolded.

Earlier, wasn’t it just that she had tripped? Even if she had been pushed, there hadn’t been any mention of status differences.

And hadn’t this same baron’s daughter been getting along well with His Highness not long ago? Did she switch to Nathaniel instead?

If so, that would be a serious problem…

For now, I carefully tucked the recording device into my pocket. After confirming that no one was around, I finally stepped out of my hiding spot.

Maybe I should consider developing a magic tool for perception disruption to act more discreetly. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to create one.