Marianne's copied letter had spread throughout the academy before morning came. Hina learned of it the moment the De Croire ducal carriage passed through the main gates of the Royal Academy Lycée de Roselia. The instant her feet touched the stone pavement, the air changed. （……Ah. Everyone already knows.） Just walking down the hallway, the gazes of passing students shifted. Classmates who had greeted her until yesterday suddenly averted their eyes. A pair of noble ladies whispered behind Hina's back. "[whispers]So Vanessa really was always like that, wasn't she?" "[sarcastic]How shameless, being so obsessed with the prince. And what she did to Canon too……" （Wow, I can hear them. I can totally hear them.） Hina kept her expression blank while wearing Vanessa's face, offering internal commentary. If her expression cracked, she'd lose. She understood that much. When she entered the classroom, both seats beside her were empty. No one was sitting there. The morning light streaming thr