The Fallen Belfort's Cold Stare
As Elysia struggled to lift the corners of her trembling lips to hide her humiliation, the sound of the classroom door opening again echoed.
But unlike when Uriel entered, the cruel curiosity and rough contempt aimed at the sight of a fallen noblewoman were all directed at the doorway.
Renee Belfort.
The 'villainess' from the original work who envied the perfect and noble heroine and criticized and insulted her on every occasion.
It was a justified criticism of Elysia, who, despite having a fiancé, subtly gave room to other men and enjoyed popularity, though her expression was a bit rough.
However, this is a reverse harem world where only the heroine can monopolize the world's exclusive affection.
Sian Windsor, the sub male lead and owner of a large merchant guild, had slandered Renee as a jealous villainess, and using his massive influence and funds, systematically severed the Belfort family's trade routes.
Not only that, he even spread vicious rumors to ruin the businesses built over generations of the family.
As a result, Renee’s family was devastated by Sian’s tenacious revenge and soon completely fell.
As per the original work, Renee at this point was barely relying on a scholarship, and her attire was just one worn academy uniform.
Nevertheless, her raven-black hair and icy violet eyes held an unbroken haughty dignity.
Rather, the venomous elegance condensed at the end of having lost everything was enough to make the surrounding students shrink back.
“Did the Belfort family not completely go bankrupt? The tuition here must be expensive, how can you keep coming to this school?”
“Even in this state, she holds her head high... I guess we should call it impressive.”
The students' hidden whispers and laughter that covered the classroom.
Nevertheless, Renee didn't even blink, crossing the center of the classroom with a dignified gait.
Then, the moment her gaze reached where Elysia was, a fierce contempt first appeared in her always quiet eyes.
With the deadly murderous intent that seemed about to strangle her breath, Elysia let out a 'hic-' sound and strongly grabbed my arm.
“Ca, Caelus-nim...”
In a voice trembling with fear, Renee only twisted her lips in mockery, and as if the response was too trivial, she casually averted her gaze and passed by us.
A short while later, Elysia, barely stopping her trembling, looked up at me with wet eyes and whispered.
“Caelus-nim... I, I really didn't do anything wrong... I don't know why Her Highness looks at me like that.”
Even if it was due to Sian's stubbornness, wasn't it too brazen for her to play the victim and complain about injustice?
When I looked down at her without saying anything, Elysia stopped sobbing and flinched, checking my expression.
I had expected her to expect me to sympathize with her or get angry on Renee's behalf, but I had no intention of playing along with Elysia's act.
She, with an expression full of resentment, eventually secretly let go of my wrist.
Elysia seemed to want to show that she was still aggrieved, but I didn't even give her a glance and turned my head to the side.
“...”
Uriel, sitting in the seat on my right, was watching this childish scene from beginning to end, resting her chin on her hand and looking at me.
Perhaps because my attitude of lightly stomping on Elysia's expectations pleased her, she gave a faint smile that only I could notice.
Of course, she immediately erased the smile as if something happened right after, and returned to her gentle saint's expression.
When the professor entered the classroom, Uriel naturally began to turn the pages of the textbook, and I turned my head to prepare for the lesson.
But at that very moment, I felt a cool gaze precisely directed this way.
When I turned my head, Renee's figure glancing at our seats came into view.
Unlike guessing that her gaze would end up at Elysia, Renee's eyes, instead of fierce contempt, were scanning me and Uriel with a cold observational light.
It seemed she was trying to gauge our inner thoughts, who didn't mock her unlike other students.
Renee slightly raised her slender eyebrows, and after that, she continued to watch our two's demeanor carefully.
How blatant it was, Elysia beside her, mistaking Renee's stare at her, clung to my arm again.
Of course, if Renee brought interest in me first, it was a welcome thing for me, who had to recruit her.
Renee was a one-time villain in the original work, it was a pity. If it weren't for that sub male lead, the Belfort guild wouldn't have collapsed.
In the original work, she was just a disposable character for a side scene and quickly forgotten, but living in this world directly, I could finally feel how painful a loss the collapse of the Belfort guild was.
Even if that sub male lead hadn't crushed the Belfort guild to win Elysia's favor, other major competing guilds wouldn't have fallen one after another, and the incident of that stupid girl's guild monopolizing the Empire's economic veins wouldn't have happened.
Of course, all of this was a setup to elevate the sub male lead, but from the perspective of the Grand Duke, if I turned a blind eye to this situation, it was like putting shackles on my own feet.
So, before Sian breaks other guilds, I should revive the Belfort guild to counter him.
Currently, what the Windsor guild holds is up to the splendid capital center's commercial district.
But what I need is not the distribution network of luxury goods to fill the heroines' wardrobes and jewel boxes, but a practical logistics network connecting even the remote frontiers and outposts.
And it was the Belfort guild that held that vast and sophisticated distribution network.
To break through the great catastrophe that will come in two years, an absolutely necessary supply network to stably transport massive military supplies and food to the front lines is required.
In the end, the only sure answer was to reunite the collapsed Belfort trade routes.
If she's in such a state... she probably doesn't know that I'm her only lifeline.
If I need the Belfort guild for the Windsor guild's suppression and supply network, then on their side, they would need me for the family's reconstruction and revenge.
It was the perfect alliance where interests perfectly matched.
However, to contact Renee, preparation was needed.
First, create a secret contact route that avoids the Windsor guild's information network. To not let the one obsessed with Elysia notice, I need to scout a meeting place using a lower noble's name.
Second, prepare initial investment capital and magic stone quantities that will serve as a foundation for the guild's revival. If I directly conquer top-tier dungeons to secure rare high-purity magic stones and special resources, the foundation to revive the Belfort guild will be prepared in an instant.
And without the family's help, to conquer the deepest part of the dungeon and secure resources, cooperation from a key supporter with holy power, Uriel, is necessary.
While the professor was conducting orientation in front of the classroom, I quietly extended my hand under the desk.
This is the only chance to hand over a communication magic device to Uriel.
I quietly took out the communication magic device from my pocket, held it in my palm, slightly leaned my body towards the textbook, and perfectly blocked Elysia's view.
Fortunately, Elysia, who was distracted by Renee staring at her, I could extend my right hand deeply under the desk without worry.
Perhaps sensing my intention, Uriel, who was calmly listening to the lecture, also secretly extended her hand under the desk. Her warm and soft fingertips gently touched my palm.
I slid the cyan gem-shaped magic device onto her palm.
Uriel, who immediately noticed the object's identity, wrapped the magic device in her palm and showed a faint smile that only I could see.
It was a calm but definite approval in her blue eyes.
After confirming that Uriel put the gem in her pocket, I slowly raised my head.
Before shifting my gaze back to the front of the classroom, my gaze naturally went to the far corner.
There, Renee Belfort was still quietly watching this way.
If it were an ordinary person, they would have hurriedly averted their gaze upon meeting eyes, but she, without any hesitation, instead accepted my gaze head-on.
Renee, who was facing me directly, soon twisted her lips meaningfully and smiled, then withdrew her gaze first and turned to the textbook.
Although we didn't exchange any conversation, it was already enough.
Both of us were aware of the future entanglement that would bore us until the end of this story.