Chapter 56
“Tiana.”
Hearing a familiar voice, Tiana turned toward the sound.
“Professor Andrium!”
It was Professor Andrium who had called out to her. So he had been invited too.
“Congratulations on your birthday.”
“Thank you very much.”
“Did you like my present?”
Ah yes, the professor had sent her a stationery set—perhaps wishing her success in her studies.
Well, that’s just like him.
“Yes! From now on, I’ll be studying with the stationery you gave me, Professor.”
“I’ll look forward to hearing how it goes.”
He smiled warmly.
“It’s been a while, Professor Andrium.”
A voice called from behind them—it was Gilbert.
“It truly has, Lord Gilbert.”
So they knew each other?
“Brother, you know Professor Andrium?”
“Yes, Lord Gilbert was once my student.”
“Eh—! Really? I didn’t know that!”
“Professor Andrium taught me a lot back in the day,” Gilbert said, clearly respecting the professor as a mentor.
“I heard you helped Tiana with her thesis. Thank you for that.”
“I hardly helped at all. Lady Tiana understands things quickly, and she remembers everything after being taught once. Truly, a genius.”
“Oh no! I’m not a genius at all. You always help me so much, Professor!”
Tiana hurried to deny it, embarrassed by the compliment.
(I just happened to use a formula from my previous life by accident, that’s all!)
…Not that she could say that out loud.
“Ha ha. No, Tiana really is a genius,” Gilbert said with a grin. “I read her thesis myself—the ideas were brilliant.”
“I’m happy to hear you say that, Brother.”
As they chatted, a few noble ladies nearby watched and began whispering among themselves in deliberately hushed but clearly audible tones.
“Isn’t that the royal finance officer Andrium talking to Lady Tiana?”
“Yes, that’s right. Then the tutor recently hired by House Aster must be him too, don’t you think?”
“I heard he graduated top of his class from the Imperial Academy and got a royal post in record time. Maybe that theorem Lady Tiana presented recently was actually discovered by Andrium?”
“Indeed. Perhaps she bought the rights with her family’s wealth. That lady looks like the type who would.”
Four noblewomen were practically buzzing with gossip about her.
If they were going to talk behind someone’s back, the least they could do was lower their voices. Their chatter was echoing through the hall—I could hear every single word.
It’s not like I’d ever buy someone’s work! And even if I did ask, there’s no way a serious man like Professor Andrium would ever agree to such a thing.
It doesn’t exactly hurt my feelings, but… it’s not pleasant either.
Huh? Suddenly… why do I feel so cold?
