Chapter 25: Behind the School Building
The vivid autumn leaves have fallen and it has become impossible to walk outside without a coat. William took lunch and headed to the school grounds with me.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had the opportunity to relax like this together. The new semester has been so hectic, and I haven’t had many chances to be alone with Leah besides drop-off and pick-up. Haha, it feels good somehow.”
As William smiled and said this, my heart warmed and I returned his smile.
William deepened his smile and looked forward.
We’re almost there. I hope there aren’t too many people on the benches…”
As he muttered this, William peeked into the school grounds from the shadows of the building…
“…?”
I also peeked out from the side of William’s face, which looked puzzled.
There were several men and women gathered in the school grounds.
“I wonder what’s going on. It looks like they’re surrounding something…”
As the men and women gathered wriggled, something that was surrounded by them came into view.
“Is that…Miss Charlotte?”
Her reddish-brown, undulating hair was certainly Charlotte’s.
If I listened carefully, I could hear the voices of the men and women surrounding her.
“Learn to be ashamed of entering this prestigious school with your plebeian style!”
“It seems that you have ingratiated yourself with a large number of nobles, but I don’t understand the noblemen with whom you get on. Know your place.”
“This is a place where nobles and royal families come to deepen their education. It is not a place for plebeians like you to enter.”
Upon hearing these voices, William’s expression became stern.
“These elected nobles. To surround one person with many others and try to intimidate them is how foolish…”
As he muttered this, William took a step towards them.
“I entered this school through the regular system called the special scholarship program. If you have a problem with my presence, why not appeal directly to the school in a fair and upright manner?”
A decisive counterargument echoed through the air.
William stopped in his tracks at the dignified voice.
Charlotte continued speaking to the nobles surrounding her.
“If you think you are right, why not openly criticize me in front of everyone instead of sneaking around in the back of the school building like this? Why can’t you do that?”
The nobles surrounding her fidgeted as if they were agitated.
“It is ridiculous for you to surround me just because you don’t like me as a plebeian and rain down insults on me. You should take a good, objective look at yourselves.”
The nobles fell silent in the face of her clear eyes.
As I looked around at the situation, Charlotte opened her mouth as if nothing had happened.
“I have to go get lunch now. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave.”
It was at that moment.
“The conversation is not over yet.”
One lady spoke up in an unpleasant voice that did not fit the mood.
“I know. Your mother works as a prostitute, doesn’t she?”
Charlotte stopped moving at those words.
Sensing an opportunity, the nobles sneered at Charlotte.
“Ha, if I were you I wouldn’t be able to show my face outside knowing my mother was a prostitute. And to go to school, what a shameless and thick-skinned act that is.”
“They say children are like their parents, and aren’t you and your mother both disgraceful? Ah, how dirty. Even if you leave this school soon, don’t have a child in your belly during your short time here at school. It would tarnish the dignity of the school.”
Charlotte lowered her face.
“What’s wrong, have you finally realized your place?”
The nobles surrounding her laughed triumphantly.
“…You…understand.”
Charlotte’s auburn hair swayed.
“What? What did you say?”
“What do you guys know?!”
Her loud voice shook the air in the school grounds.
“My mother is the proud mother who raised me to this point!! She worked hard to earn money and raise me while suffering through poverty!! She’s an amazing person!!”
Charlotte glared at the nobles as she raised her face forcefully. Her hand was tightly clenched as if expressing her intense emotions.
“Besides, it’s the nobles and royalty who are in charge of politics that are causing the poor to struggle and women to have no choice but to become prostitutes!! It’s their duty to ensure that the people can live comfortably by organizing social security, but instead they’re just throwing their own incompetence on the shelf and mocking the prostitutes!! That’s just how shameless you all are!!”
“Wh…?!”
The nobles who thought they had won were at a loss for words at Charlotte’s angry shout. But one of them regained their composure and screamed at her with an unpleasant face.
“What did you say?! Say it again!”
Hearing that, Charlotte showed her anger even more.
“I’ll say it as many times as it takes!! You people who mock others’ mothers and don’t even realize your own wrongdoing are disgraceful!!!”
“This bi*tch-!!”
One of the nobles grabbed Charlotte’s hair.
Charlotte’s face twisted in pain as her hair was pulled.
William-sama saw this and approached them quickly, as if he had come to his senses.
“You guys, won’t you stop?!”
William-sama’s voice rang out in the chaotic scene.
The nobles who turned around angrily with hateful looks were surprised when they saw William-sama’s face.
“Lord Duke Moore…?!”
They seemed to be agitated as they retreated.
William-sama glared at them sternly.
“Do you even realize what you’ve done? The violence and insults towards a schoolmate…I can’t overlook this.”
When William-sama said this, they trembled.
However.
“Duke Moore, it’s okay. As long as these people are out of my sight, it’s fine.”
Charlotte says, biting her lip.
She glances at the nobles surrounding her and says,
“Go away. Don’t ever show your face to me again.”
