Chapter 30: Who Has Ever Truly Understood You?

Fortunately, Eulalia only glanced a couple of times and didn’t say anything earth-shattering.

It seemed that the perverse side of her had been satisfied enough that night.

‘I guess she doesn’t want to reveal our relationship in public either. After all, my reputation as the ‘worthless illegitimate daughter’ is pretty bad right now.’

“I’m very sorry, but I already have teammates.” Eulalia smiled apologetically, then raised her hand and pointed to the female knight who had quietly appeared behind her without anyone noticing.

“Is there something you need from Her Highness? Next time, please ask for my opinion as her guardian knight before you try to strike up a conversation.”

Angelina put one hand on the hilt of her sword, shielding Eulalia behind her, and swept her icy glare across the crowd.

“Otherwise, I might accidentally mistake all of you for malicious thugs and eliminate you on the spot.”

Bauer and the lackeys behind him flinched back half a step, intimidated by Angelina’s terrifying stance.

The murderous aura radiating from this female knight was no joke—she was really willing to start a fight right here.

But… was he really going to let such a good opportunity slip away?

It was rare to run into a Saint Candidate of the Holy Light Church in the same exam, and even have the chance to team up with her.

Wasn’t this the goddess’s gift, a chance for him to turn his life around!

Anyway, he had the numbers on his side. Even if he had to use some strong-arm tactics, he had to get this Saint Candidate into his team today!

If he couldn’t seize an opportunity that was practically handed to him on a silver platter, he might as well just roll into the forest and feed himself to the monsters!

With that thought, Bauer took a deep breath, his gaze turning firm.

He looked up again at the Saint Candidate sheltered behind her knight.

“Sorry about that, but even so, I still ask the two of you…”

But his line of sight was suddenly blocked by a sword half-drawn from its scabbard.

“Your Highness, don’t you think my sword has been rusty lately from not cutting anything unclean? Maybe I should sharpen it on some blind fool blocking the way before the exam starts…”

Angelina turned her head casually, talking to Eulalia behind her.

Only, her gaze wasn’t on Her Highness at all; it was intentionally drifting toward Bauer’s neck.

No one could tell whether she was looking at him or at the Blood Burial Forest behind him.

“I ask… ask the two of you to go this way—that way is blocked.” Cold sweat instantly broke out on Bauer’s back. He forced a dry smile and shrank back half a step.

“You blind idiots! Hurry up and make way for the two ladies!”

Bauer immediately turned around and slapped the back of his lackey’s head, cursing loudly.

The group scrambled to either side, forcibly clearing a wide path for the two girls.

Seeing that the bastard had finally wised up and backed down, Angelina gave a cold snort and slid her glossy silver longsword back into its scabbard.

“Let’s go, Your Highness.”

The two passed through the parted crowd and walked away into the distance.

After watching the Saint and her knight leave, Bauer suddenly spoke.

“I said the ‘two of you’ could go, but I never said you could leave.”

Bauer turned his head with a dark scowl and sneered at the black-haired girl who was trying to slip away right under his nose.

But the black-haired girl didn’t stop. She kept her head down, intending to pass through the gap in the crowd like an invisible person.

Seeing himself ignored, Bauer took a big step forward and blocked her path completely.

“Isn’t this the famous Miss Sevitis Adams? May I ask what the legitimate Duke Heir was doing sneaking around Her Highness earlier? What exactly are you plotting?”

Sevitis, who had been blocked, finally stopped.

She let out a long, helpless sigh inwardly. ‘I’ve been so low-key, so why does this cannon-fodder villain still have to latch onto me? I just want to take the exam in peace!’

“Sorry, I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Could you please move? You’re blocking my way.” Sevitis said nonchalantly.

Even when confronted directly, the girl still didn’t even bother to look him in the eye! A surge of anger flared up in Bauer’s heart.

“What kind of attitude is that! Standing before you is His Highness, the Sixth Prince of the Connelly Principality!”

The lackey beside him, highly professional, immediately jumped out to bark at Sevitis without any order.

“Oh, oh, so it’s His Highness the Sixth Prince. I’ve heard so much about you.”

Sevitis instantly put on a worshipful expression, but her utterly flat, mechanical tone was way too obvious.

“Hmph, at least you know your place…”

“Do you actually not remember who I am?” Bauer shoved the dumb lackey aside and glared at her through gritted teeth.

“Oh, how could I…”

Even though Sevitis tried hard to recall where she had left a trail that this guy had sniffed out and followed, the fleeting daze in her eyes was still caught by Bauer.

“Enough!”

Whether it was when he stood up to accuse her of cheating in the last exam or now when he personally blocked her path, this damn worthless illegitimate daughter had never once taken him seriously!

Seeing Bauer looking like he wanted to tear her apart on the spot, Sevitis thought to herself.

‘I really can’t figure out why I’m the one these people are ganging up on. After all, on the surface, I’m the heir of the Adams family. They should be trying to curry favor with me, not provoke me. And I’m not some protagonist with a taunt aura from a story! If anything, my cheap sister Yi Chen and that bad woman Eulalia are more like protagonists than I am. Why don’t they go pick a fight with them?!’

Bauer soon gave her the answer with his own logic.

“Relying on that empty title of Duke Heir, you think you can look down on everyone? But I know well—you’re nothing but an illegitimate daughter, a mongrel that Duke Adams picked up from who knows where, with no real family bloodline.”

“The fact that you bear the Adams bloodline yet can’t use any magic is proof enough. This exam is probably your last lifeline, isn’t it? You’re desperately trying to prove you deserve that position. Once you fail to get into the Academy, the Old Duke will kick you out without a second thought!”

Bauer sneered as he closed in, convinced he knew everything about the Duke’s illegitimate daughter. His expression showed a smug “got you down to a T.”

Sevitis gasped.

‘Wait… is that so? He just revealed information even I didn’t know!’

‘Could it be! You are the one who understands Sevitis Adams best in the whole world!’

Just kidding. Sevitis felt nothing inside from the guy’s self-righteous taunts. She even wanted to laugh a little.

All those harsh words he thought were lethal were nothing but wild guesses that missed the mark. She didn’t have a single drop of Adams blood in her, and she wasn’t taking the exam to hold onto some Duke family status.

So listening to him bark his clever nonsense, Sevitis was really struggling to hold back her laughter.

‘Now, should I play along and act like he hit a sore spot? Maybe the Sixth Prince will enjoy his superiority and let me go. But what if he gets bolder?’

Sevitis glanced at Bauer, who was practically being worshipped by his lackeys. A hint of crimson flashed deep in her blue-violet eyes.

‘Maybe it’d be better to…’

An inexplicable chill made Bauer’s hair stand on end. He instinctively looked at the black-haired girl he had been publicly humiliating.

Seeing her just bow her head silently, he snorted inwardly and dismissed the killing intent as his imagination.

Just as he was about to continue his insults, a crisp, pleasant voice came from not far away.

“Wait a moment.”

The golden-haired girl, who had already left, had turned back for some reason.

“Oh? Has Your Highness changed her mind and decided to join my team?” Bauer immediately wiped off his ugly expression and put on what he thought was his most charming, elegant smile.

Eulalia smiled and shook her head.

“I just suddenly remembered I wanted to give you some friendly advice. A person of your noble status, Your Highness the Sixth Prince, really shouldn’t waste valuable time here.”

Hearing the first half, Bauer thought she had come back to stick up for the bastard.

But it turned out she was thinking of him!

“Thank you for your advice, Your Highness. However, I still have a little personal grudge to settle here.”

“Is that so? I just think the way you were speaking so confidently just now really fits the definition of a ‘confident mediocre man.’”

Bauer looked pleased on the surface, but inside he was completely confused.

‘What does ‘confident mediocre man’ mean? Is it some elegant term that’s been trending in the Theocratic Nation lately? Or a phrase from ancient texts?’

“Would you like me to explain the meaning for you?”

“Of course not! ‘Confident mediocre man’—this prince has read widely and knows it well.”

To avoid looking uncultured, he forced himself to stay calm, clasping his hands behind his back while secretly elbowing his top lackey.

The guy, being an excellent yes-man, immediately caught on and whispered a few words in his ear.

After hearing the explanation, Bauer straightened his back and said confidently:

“A ‘confident mediocre man’ refers to—a man with the dignity to spread universal grace and overflowing confidence in his own strength! Am I right?”

Bauer raised his chin and announced his unique interpretation with utter confidence.

“Pfft—!”

Sevitis, who had been listening to this exchange, finally couldn’t hold it in.

From the moment that phrase came out, she was nearly dying holding back her laughter.

But this idiot not only didn’t catch the problem, he actually seemed flattered.

She really couldn’t hold it anymore.

The noise Sevitis made naturally didn’t escape Bauer’s ears.

He frowned and turned his gaze to see the black-haired girl biting her lower lip hard, her face flushed red, bent over and trembling slightly.

Bauer found it a bit strange, but then he looked back at the golden-haired girl’s flawless smile.

This elegant Saint Candidate obviously wouldn’t do anything that didn’t fit her status.

Ha, I get it.

Looking at Sevitis, who was blushing and choking with rage, Bauer sneered inwardly.

‘She’s so jealous she can’t even speak because the Saint Candidate praised this prince!’

If it weren’t for Her Highness being present, Bauer would have jumped up and mocked her.

“I’ve always wanted to see that expression on your face—that expression of jealousy toward me!”