Please Support My Revenge - Chapter 26.2

As he left the room, Lobelia let out a sigh. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down, not even for a moment. The stakes were too high, and she was in too deep. But the thought of Joachim’s concern lingered with her, like a glimmer of hope in the darkness.

“Whenever you encounter trouble, do not hesitate to seek me out. I vow to protect you, Miss Lobelia,” Joachim declared with chivalrous conviction, causing Lobelia to feel uneasy. Every time he spoke like this, it made her uncomfortable. Why did he need to always proclaim his desire to save her? It was foolish, in her opinion.

She recalled what the second son of Count Domingo had said, and shuddered at the thought of his eerie, reptilian hand. Lobelia couldn’t trust anyone easily and certainly didn’t want to open herself up to the possibility of being betrayed again. It was better to guard her heart than to give it away only to be hurt in the end.

Lobelia composed herself, putting on a smile as she faced Joachim.

“Thank you, but I can handle things on my own,” she replied, brushing him off. Joheim’s face darkened with concern, and he tried to say something but ultimately kept silent.

“I’ll stay by your side until the Empress’ school paper arrives if that’s okay with you,” Joachim offered finally, and Lobelia couldn’t refuse.

Lobelia spent three days at the academy, waiting for the Empress’ instructions. For the first time since arriving, she was able to attend classes and converse with her peers.

Despite it being a school, Lobelia was still an outsider. Professor Bridgenile and

Joheim both escorted her to class, and their presence caused quite a commotion.

“Why is the professor escorting a student? And what about the boy behind her? Do they not have articles?” the other students whispered, their eyes sharp with curiosity and suspicion.

Ignoring their whispers, Lobelia took her seat, and Joachim pulled out her textbooks and writing utensils. He then stood to the side, so as not to distract from the lesson. However, Joachim’s presence did not go unnoticed, and soon the classroom erupted in chatter.

“That girl is the new lover of Duke Ferado,” a female student exclaimed, recognizing Joachim’s face.

“No way… is that Ephelentia’s Lobelia?” another student gasped.

The classroom buzzed with gossip, and Lobelia could feel the weight of their scrutiny.

Bridgeneil, exhausted from the commotion and trying to catch his breath, rushed out of the classroom to escape the momentum. Joheim let out a sigh and moved away to shield Lobelia from prying eyes. Lobelia had recently enrolled in the school after wandering around the opera house and salon parties, and Joachim asked how her classes were going. Lobelia replied that she found the atmosphere uncomfortable but was enjoying learning about court music and ballroom dancing from her textbook.

While the professor was lecturing about the court music of the Taeyang era, Lobelia gazed out of the window at the beautiful scenery outside. The fresh yellow-green colors of the new spring shoots filled the area, creating a stark contrast with the sharp and tense atmosphere in the classroom. Despite the murmurs and whispers behind her back, Lobelia managed to concentrate on her studies in her own way.

She found the feel of the thick paper and the high-quality pen enjoyable, even if she did not like learning how to hold it. When she had some free time, she would visit the academy library, borrowing as many books as she could and devouring them throughout the night. If she found any useful information, she would write it down and memorize it.

On the third day of burying herself in books, Bridgeneil came to Lobelia to deliver a message from the empress. Lobelia had already met with the empress at the Rose Palace and returned after negotiations, so she was surprised to learn that she had received another message from her. Bridgeneil told her to hurry to the office, and Joachim helped her get ready by draping a robe over her shoulder.

As they were walking down the long corridor towards the teachers’ office, they heard a loud noise, and Joachim quickly pulled Lobelia towards him, protecting her from harm.

Lobelia’s heart raced as she felt the solidness of Joachim’s chest against her reeling body. She looked up at him, bewildered, only to realize that he was staring intently at something else. Her eyes followed his gaze to a shabby-haired boy who lay sprawled on the floor amidst a pile of books and papers. Joachim had pulled her away just in time to avoid colliding with the boy who had been coming around the corner.

Lobelia was about to thank Joachim when he spoke, his voice cold and detached. The boy raised his head, his face a mask of terror, as he apologized repeatedly for his carelessness. Joheim’s expression grew colder and colder, but Lobelia stepped forward, concerned for the boy’s well-being.

“Are you hurt?” she asked, her eyes fixed on his thick glasses.

The boy looked up, his face blank with shock, and stammered out another apology. Lobelia knelt down to help him gather his scattered books, her eyes meeting his for a fleeting moment. The boy’s face turned red like a tomato, and he began to stutter even more when he heard a familiar voice from behind.

“Lobelia? Who are you talking to?”

It was the Duke, and Lobelia’s heart skipped a beat at the sound of his voice. She stood up and turned to face him, trying to calm her racing heart.