Alice and Field were both very pleased with Liakade’s suggestion to form a three-person study group, and Liakade was especially pleased that her little plan had worked.
As soon as school was over, she followed Alice and Field back to their dormitory.
The first study session went very smoothly. Alice was not a fool by any means; in fact, she was quite gifted, only held back because she had started late and was therefore behind the others.
After all, Alice was the original protagonist—how could she not have talent?
“Hmm, it’s so late already. Let’s call it a day,” Field glanced at the time. It was indeed getting late, and they had been studying for quite a while. It was definitely time to rest.
“Thank you for your help, Miss Liakade,” Alice said gratefully to Liakade beside her, standing up as if to see her off.
“Miss Liakade, you should get back to your dorm and rest too.”
“Eh? Wait, wait a minute,” Liakade suddenly panicked as the two prepared to send her off. She thought the scene would play out differently.
Wasn’t the plan for them to study until curfew, only to find the dormitory supervisor patrolling, and then for Alice and Field to insist she stay overnight?
But the reality was that Liakade was overthinking—it wasn’t a study group scene she had imagined, but a pajama party scene.
“Come on, we’ll walk you back,” Field offered enthusiastically, ready to escort Liakade to her dorm.
“N-no, it’s just… um…” Liakade desperately wanted to say she wished to stay over at their dorm, but asking outright felt shameless.
“It’s no trouble at all,” Field said, thinking Liakade was just too shy to accept their offer.
“It’s just a short walk.”
“Exactly, exactly. Miss Liakade has done so much for us; how could we not see you off?”
Alice chimed in.
If only you wanted to thank me, you would’ve invited me to stay at your dorm! Don’t send me back, please!
That’s not a dorm, it’s hell! I don’t want to face Irina Zi!
But obviously, Alice and Field didn’t catch Liakade’s meaning. Left with no choice and too embarrassed to ask directly, Liakade was forced to return to her own dormitory.
As they left, both wore innocent smiles. If they knew about Liakade’s complicated relationship with Irina Zi, Liakade might’ve suspected they were doing it on purpose.
Sitting restlessly in her dorm, Liakade watched the time drag on. She was getting tired from waiting.
Today was the day Alice’s grades were released, so naturally, Irina Zi would come. But for some reason, even though it was so late, Irina Zi still hadn’t appeared.
Had Irina Zi suddenly taken pity and decided not to torment her anymore?
No, that kind of thing obviously wouldn’t happen. So most likely, Irina Zi simply had something else to attend to today.
Ding-dong—
“Thank goodness,” Liakade sighed in relief as the Academy’s curfew bell rang. Surely, Irina Zi wouldn’t be coming tonight. Liakade even hummed a little tune as she finished washing up and lay down on her bed, ready to sleep.
What a wonderful day.
Click—
Hearing the door handle turn, Liakade immediately rejected that thought.
“Oh? Did I say you could sleep? Get up!”
But curfew was already in effect; dorm supervisors and the Disciplinary Committee had started patrolling. Why was she here again?
“M-master, why are you coming so late today…” Liakade turned over and sat up, sulking as she asked Irina Zi.
“This is just poetic justice—paying you back for making me wait so long the other day,” Irina Zi said lightly.
“Letting you feel the hardship of waiting for your master.”
Liakade was stunned into silence upon hearing that. Keeping such grudges—Irina Zi was absolutely crazy.
“By the way, I looked at that bitch’s grades,” Irina Zi said flatly, without the usual forced friendliness or fake smile she wore in public, only an expressionless face. “Honestly, I’m not very satisfied.”
At those words, Liakade’s heart jumped into her throat.
“But I suppose it did drag her scores down to the lower ranks, so you did well,” Irina Zi suddenly shifted tone and, for once, praised Liakade’s efforts.
However, this was because Irina Zi had misjudged the situation.
She had always assumed that Light Attribute holders would be strong at magic, and that the written test questions were easy enough that anyone could handle them.
But in reality, Alice was still weak both in written exams and practical combat at this stage—it was Irina Zi who had made the wrong assumption.
So Irina Zi considered Liakade’s actions a success, which is why her tone and behavior toward Liakade today were not too harsh.
If Irina Zi knew Alice was actually a weakling and that Liakade’s efforts were even unintentionally helping Alice improve her score, she wouldn’t be this calm.
“Th-thank you for the compliment,” Liakade’s mouth twitched slightly at the unexpected response. It wasn’t quite what she had imagined, but at least she wasn’t being scolded, so that was something.
“Still, this level is unacceptable,” Irina Zi’s eyes and voice became sharp.
“That pretty boy is still too close to Field. Keep suppressing her for me. Ideally, destroy that bitch’s sanity completely—turn her into a total wreck. Understood?”
“Understood!”
Irina Zi’s sudden outburst startled Liakade, who couldn’t understand why her emotions shifted so drastically, changing faces faster than turning pages.
“Um… if I may be so bold, why do you like Princess Field?”
After all this time, Liakade was curious about Irina Zi’s feelings for Field—something the original story never explained. The original simply established that Irina Zi liked Field from the start. Liakade wanted to gather this information, hoping it might be a way to break the deadlock.
After all, she got along well with Field now.
If she could understand why Irina Zi liked Field, maybe she could help Field change those “advantages” and shatter the beautiful image Irina Zi held of her.
Then perhaps Irina Zi would stop ordering her to constantly target Alice.
Though this wouldn’t immediately free her from Irina Zi’s grip, at least it might offer a chance to diverge from the original storyline and buy more time.
“Why? Heh heh.” Irina Zi chuckled lightly, eyes dangerous.
“I just can’t stand that bitch being so close to Field. Why does she get to? As for the reason—why would you be entitled to know?”
Oh no!
Liakade felt her question might have angered Irina Zi again.
But this time, Irina Zi didn’t lash out.
“Don’t ask what you shouldn’t. These things aren’t for you to know.”
She shot Liakade a glance, tossed out that sentence, and slammed the door hard as she left.
Liakade hadn’t gotten the answer she wanted from Irina Zi, but it was to be expected. How could someone so capricious ever reveal such things? Looks like she’d have to ask Field instead.