Chapter 5
“Your brother got hurt. I was just helping with the wound.”
“You didn’t have to say that!”
“What, should I let you think I’m some creep who touches other people’s bodies for fun?”
Arno looked embarrassed and swore at César.
When I heard Arno was hurt, my eyes went wide and I quickly scanned his body.
“You’re hurt?”
“It’s nothing.”
I ignored his words and started pushing away the hands he used to cover himself.
“Stop it, Agnès.”
“Move your hands!”
After pushing his hands away and checking his body, I saw it—
From his right side up to his shoulder blade, his pale back was covered in bruises and a long scar.
I bit my lip and pressed on the wounds.
“What is this?”
My voice came out cold.
“It’s nothing serious.”
“Oh. Nothing serious? Then if I get the same injuries, will you say it’s fine too?”
“Don’t talk like that.”
“How did this happen? What on earth happened to you?”“I just fell off a horse,” he said reluctantly with a sigh.
Fell off a horse?
Arno?
I squinted and pressed harder on the wound.
“Ow! I’m telling the truth!”
Arno had been riding ponies like a pro since he was five.
Even our strict grandfather praised him, saying he looked like a war hero on horseback. And now he’s saying he fell off?
It would be more believable if he said someone beat him up.
Unless someone tampered with the horse…
That thought reminded me of something from the original novel—
There was an episode about a riding class injury during the first year at the academy.
“Ha…”
I sighed.
Was that injured student Arno?
So many connections—friend of César, servant of the Duke… Arno really was a “value pack” side character.
I was amazed and irritated all at once.
“Did you get treated properly?”
“Luckily, César gave me first aid right away, so it wasn’t too bad.”
If it weren’t for the crown prince and César, it wouldn’t have even happened.
Not even a thank-you came out of my mouth.
“Doesn’t this all seem strange to you?”
“I looked into it. The horse was fine.”
Of course it was. The crown prince’s people must’ve done something behind the scenes.
And this was just the first semester.
“See! I told you. You don’t belong in that academy. Quit now!”
“If I quit over this, everyone will call me a coward forever.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
“Why not?”
“You already are a coward. This won’t change much.”
“You little brat. You’ve really got a sharp tongue.”
Arno flicked my forehead with his fingers. My head tilted back, then came back up.
“Don’t do that!”
I clenched my fists and yelled, but then looked down.
I felt so upset that my eyes started to tear up.
Even though I didn’t want to cry, tears welled up and fell onto the carpet.
“…”
Arno looked down at the carpet too.
“Agnès… Look at me.”
“…”
When I didn’t raise my head, he grabbed my cheeks and made me face him.
“Hey… hey! Are you crying? Did it hurt when I hit you? No way, it wasn’t that hard…”
“You idiot. Stupid. Just quit the academy already!”
“Okay, okay. I promise I’ll be careful and not get hurt again. I won’t make you worry.”
“Don’t try to make me feel better with that. Just quit.”
“I promise I won’t do anything dangerous.”
“Whatever! If you go back to that academy, you’ll never see my face again!”
He still wouldn’t say he’d quit. I pushed him and ran out of the room.
“Agnès!”
I ignored his voice and ran down the hallway.
Without looking ahead, I stepped on the edge of the carpet and slipped, falling hard.
I tried to get up right away, but pain shot through my right ankle—I must’ve twisted it.
“Haa… seriously. This day just keeps getting worse.”
As I was struggling, I heard footsteps coming closer.
It’s definitely Arno, I thought.
I didn’t want to see his annoying face, so I shouted coldly:
“Go away!”
But instead of Arno’s deep voice, I heard a soft, playful one.
“Hmm~ I was just walking back to my room. Oh? Do I need permission to walk through the hall too?”
It was César Valdeon. Again.
“…”
I stayed quiet, and he spoke again.
“Can I pass by?”
“…Yes.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Just walk past you like that?”
“Yes.”
“You look like you need help though.”
“Not at all?”
I glared up at him.
There he was, looking as relaxed and self-satisfied as ever.
Ugh. That face again.
He ran his fingers through his hair and crouched in front of me.
“You get hurt and act stubborn—just like Arno.”
He looked closely at my bleeding knee.
What?! Did he just say I’m like that idiot?!
My face twisted in frustration.
“I’m really fine!”
I bit my lip out of pride and stood up, even though my foot hurt like crazy.
“Oh yeah? Then walk.”
“…”
Despite my big talk, I couldn’t even take a single step properly.
César smirked, turned around, and showed his back.
“Want a piggyback?”
“N-No thanks.”
“Then should I call Arno?”
“No…”
“Then are you going to just stay here in the dark hallway?”
“My maid will come looking for me.”
“She probably thinks you’re with Arno.”
“…”
I couldn’t argue with that.
“Come on, Agnès.”
In the end, I wrapped my arms around his neck and let him lift me.
As he stood up, my feet left the ground, and I caught the cool winter-like scent from his back.
Arno was pretty tall, but César was even taller.
That made me think of Arno again—and I got annoyed.
This is all because of him!
Even César’s round, shiny head looked unfairly nice.
Why does even the back of the hero’s head have to be pretty?
Life is so unfair.
Some people are just side characters doomed to die.
Maybe… being on his back right now is my first and last chance to hit the main character’s head?
As that thought came, I didn’t hesitate.
I bonked my forehead into the back of his head in rhythm with his steps.
Clunk! The sound echoed down the hallway.
“I just… lost strength in my neck.”
I added a lame excuse.
César chuckled quietly, and I felt his back shake with the laugh.
Why is he laughing after I hit him? He’s weird.
After walking a bit, we reached my room.
“That one,” I said, pointing at the white door.
As he opened the door, Sophia, who was in my room, turned pale when she saw me on his back with scraped knees.
César, unfazed, nodded toward a chair, and Sophia quickly brought it over.
“My lady, what happened?!”
“Well…”
I couldn’t bring myself to say I tripped while running like a child.
Before I could make anything up, Sophia spoke sadly.
“Did Master Arno do this to you?”
“Yeah! Sort of.”
I did hurt myself because of Arno, so it wasn’t a lie.
Hearing that, César chuckled quietly.
