The Inquisitive Student. An Old Story.
"Hello. I am Cassian, your new tutor."
"......"
Their first meeting was nothing out of the ordinary.
Rubelia had already gone through countless tutors. Even back then, she had shown an exceptional aptitude for academics. As a result, the tutors who had visited her so far were never quite qualified enough to teach her. She assumed the man standing before her would be no different.
"Are you also... a Reformist teacher?"
"A Reformist? Haha. Let's go with that. Your father hired me with that very expectation, after all."
In those days, Rubelia's father held excessively high expectations for Reformist educators. While he didn't involve himself deeply with Reformist politicians, he was secretly quite intrigued by their educational philosophy. Thus, by her father's will, Rubelia was educated by those who labeled themselves Reformists.
The results had been abysmal.
"I've already seen plenty of people like you."
"Is that so?"
"They were all dreadful."
"Oh?"
"The previous tutors were useless enough, but the Reformists were even worse. They didn't even have the basics down."
"The basics, you say."
"So please, just leave. I'll make sure to speak well of you to my father."
Expecting the same disappointing pattern to repeat itself, Rubelia rejected the new tutor on the spot.
"But that is rather troublesome. You see, I absolutely must take this job."
"Sigh... If you try to save face for nothing, you might find yourself unable to work in this field ever again. Rumors travel fast in this circle."
"Then that is all the more reason for me to do this."
"What? Wait, where do you think you're going?"
"Oh? So this is Lady Rubelia's room?"
"H-Hey!"
But the new tutor, Cassian, was no pushover. From their very first lesson, Rubelia found herself completely overwhelmed by him.
"What... How did you solve this so easily?"
"Mathematics has fixed answers, but not fixed paths to reach them. There is no need to stubbornly cling to a single method, is there?"
"B-But the answer key clearly used a different formula..."
"To those who grade the exam papers, the process doesn't matter anyway. They are just like politicians who only care if the nation stands, completely indifferent to what happens to the common people in the process."
"Ah..."
Cassian's abilities were far beyond her expectations. In terms of whether he possessed the actual "basics," there was a certain ambiguity to him, much like the other Reformists. Yet, Cassian always found the answer. In his own unique way...
"Cassian... are you a revolutionary?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Whenever I listen to you speak, it just feels that way..."
"Does it displease you?"
"But... revolutionaries are people who cause chaos..."
"Then what about the things I've told you, my lady? Do you believe those words are entirely wrong as well?"
"......"
And slowly, in the quiet intervals between lessons, Cassian would tell her stories that seemed to have nothing to do with their studies.
"The food you eat could easily feed ten of the empire's poor."
"I-I don't eat that much!"
"But how is that delicate dish prepared? What if the cost and time spent making it were used to produce more grain instead?"
"......"
"Another minute has passed. Somewhere in the empire, another pauper has likely starved to death."
"Ah..."
"But it is fine. Just as it is not their sin to be born poor, it is not your sin to be born a noble."
"The poor of the empire... just how many of them are there?"
Stories she had never encountered inside her greenhouse. Yet, they were undeniable truths. Truths she had long turned a blind eye to. Listening to them was depressing and sorrowful. Yet, they were stories she never wanted to ignore again. Because Rubelia was a proud daughter of the noble Estel family.
"I... I want to become the head of the Estel family and solve those problems, no matter what."
"Is that so?"
"How... How can I solve those problems?"
"I, too, have pondered that question for a very long time."
And in less than a year, Rubelia had fallen completely under Cassian's spell.
"Have you... found a way, Master?"
"Perhaps."
"What is it?"
Before she knew it, Cassian had become the person Rubelia respected most in the world, and perhaps...
"By using any means necessary."
...perhaps she even began to think she would be happy to spend the rest of her life by his side.
"We are those who show mercy to all... even to the lowest and most wretched..."
"Those who show mercy..."
"And for that purpose, we spare no means or methods."
"Spare no means or methods..."
"Terrible things may happen. But it is fine."
"Why is that?"
She wanted to remain his disciple forever, watching the world change under his guidance.
"Because we are always good. Because we are always right."
For several years, Cassian fulfilled his role as an educator with outstanding ability. He became the tutor who stayed by Rubelia's side the longest.
"Is... is next month really the end of our lessons?"
Another year passed just like that.
"Yes. It is a pity."
Cassian announced his intention to resign as her tutor.
"I told you I had work to do, didn't I? The time has come."
"The time... you mean..."
"The time to put my convictions into action."
"Ah..."
Rubelia was still a minor back then. At the time, the only person she could open her heart to, other than her nanny, was Cassian.
"Then..."
Rubelia could not bear to let her tutor go.
"May I... come with you?"
"......Are you serious?"
She believed the tutor before her was her entire world. She thought the Cassian she saw was all there was to him.
"Yes. Please... let me help fulfill your convictions too, Cassian."
"It will not lead to a very pleasant end."
"I don't care. As long as I can follow you..."
"Heh."
That day, Cassian left behind a single note. It was filled with complex mathematical formulas. The nanny and the servants merely assumed it was another assignment Cassian had left for her. And then...
"My Lord! The young lady has vanished!"
"What? In the middle of this chaos?!"
A mysterious, massive fire had broken out in the capital. On that very day, Rubelia had slipped away from home and disappeared. Rubelia's father searched her room.
There, he found her handwritten notes trying to solve the formulas on Cassian's slip of paper. The solution pointed to a specific date and location. The head of the Estel family hurriedly took the notes and sought out his political allies.
"What? You're saying the fire in the capital was Cassian's doing?"
"It was my... my oversight. He was using us. He is the leader of the radical faction... the leader of the Red Sanctuary!"
"Good heavens..."
"Come to think of it, wasn't Cassian serving as your daughter's tutor?"
"Ah! Yes, indeed... By the way, do you happen to know where this place is?"
"T-This place?"
And finally, the head of the family tracked down Cassian at the meeting place indicated in the note. He was leading his revolutionary group across the border. Beside Rubelia, there were many other noble children... especially the children of those who belonged to or associated with the Reformists.
"My, my... You moved faster than I anticipated."
"The children! Where is my daughter?!"
"Who knows? Perhaps she is already on a ship, crossing the border as we speak."
"What?!"
The noble children were being sent to the empire's hostile neighboring nations. They were sacrifices. Those who called themselves the 'Red Sanctuary' kidnapped noble children and sold them to enemy states.
From the perspective of the hostile nations, holding the children of imperial nobility hostage was a highly enticing diplomatic leverage. The 'Red Sanctuary' had secured a contract to receive massive funding in exchange for this.
In a single night, Rubelia was betrayed by the person she trusted most, left weeping and bound inside a freezing cargo ship.
"Get out of my sight!"
"As expected, you don't have the guts to kill anyone..."
"Shut up! If your corpse is found here, it will ruin the Reformists. Get out of here this instant!"
"Heh. In that case, you could simply mutilate my body so no one can identify me, couldn't you?"
"I said, g-get out!"
Had Rubelia not returned safely, Cassian might have died by the hand of the Estel patriarch that day. However, the Estel patriarch had moved swiftly, and five children, including Rubelia, were safely rescued. Of course, the memories of that day would remain an indelible scar...
"Father!"
"Rubelia!"
The moment he heard his daughter was rescued, the Estel patriarch's judgment faltered. In the end, he could not bring himself to kill Cassian. Perhaps he, too, had genuinely liked the man. Whatever the truth, Cassian was officially recorded as deceased, and his true identity was kept a closely guarded secret.
And from that day forward...
"Calm down. It's all over now, my child."
Rubelia came to utterly despise the word 'reform.'
"Oh? Lady Rubelia? Are you alright after yesterday's incident with Lord Kyran?"
"Yes, of course. There is no issue at all. We plan to reconcile soon."
A typical morning at the academy. Unlike the other female students who were walking on eggshells around her, Rubelia looked excessively bright. She didn't look at all like someone whose family home had just been raided by the Imperial Guard.
"And I would also like to express my gratitude and apologize to Professor Selene."
"To Professor Selene? An apology?"
"Yes. I wish to apologize to her."
"You, apologizing? I understand thanking her if she intervened in the fight, but I don't understand the apology. Did something happen between you and Professor Selene?"
Rubelia chatted with her friends, a persistent, overly bright smile plastered on her face.
"Yes. Thinking back, I believe I was far too defiant toward the professor."
"Defiant? But Lady Rubelia, you were merely asking questions you were curious about..."
"No. Even so, I should have been more polite."
"My, how sweet of you."
"I heard Professor Selene has had a lot on her mind lately, and I feel I ruined the atmosphere of the class by being so aggressive..."
"Not at all! Thanks to you, we all learned a great deal."
Rubelia had always enjoyed a good reputation, but today she seemed intent on elevating it even further. None of the students found anything strange about her behavior. If anything, they were relieved to see her looking brighter than before.
"Hey."
And then.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Pardon?"
Kyran Valcazar. An unwelcome guest had arrived, looking thoroughly displeased. The other students quickly read the room and slipped away.
"We didn't finish talking yesterday... What? Where are you going?"
"......"
Rubelia walked away at a brisk pace, slowly leaving the area as if baiting Kyran to follow her to a secluded spot.
"Where do you think you're running off to, you bitch?!"
"......"
Once she rounded the corner into an alleyway, Rubelia pulled a small vial from her robes and dabbed its contents onto the back of her neck.
"Are you deaf? I said we weren't finished with yesterday!"
"Is that so?"
Kyran hadn't witnessed her actions.
"Yeah! If that damn bitch Selene hadn't interfered..."
Kyran, ranting irritably, suddenly trailed off.
"What's... with you today? Your vibe is off."
Rubelia looked different from her usual, perfectly poised noble self. Somehow, her skirt seemed shorter than usual, and through her slightly undone buttons, a hint of cleavage was visible. Seeing her flushed face, Kyran found himself scanning her up and down before he could even register what he was doing.
"No... you... I mean... what I'm saying is..."
"Ah..."
"Huh?"
At that moment.
"W-What?"
"Mmm..."
Rubelia suddenly let out a soft, suggestive groan and collapsed. Caught off guard, Kyran instinctively caught her as she fell toward him. Her cleavage pressed against his chest. She felt strangely hot. A peculiar fragrance wafted from her.
"Hey, what's wrong with you?"
"Haa... haa..."
"What the... you're burning up."
Feeling the heat, Kyran placed his hand on her forehead. She had a slight fever.
"N-No... please, stop..."
"What are you doing all of a sudden?"
Panicking, Kyran tried to push her away. But Rubelia clung to him tightly, refusing to let go.
"Sob... I can't... I can't do this anymore."
"What?"
"That person... is too terrifying."
"What?"
Rubelia pressed herself even closer. Kyran felt the soft contours of her body pressing deeply against his. Her hot breath brushed against his neck. Her rapid heartbeat and ragged, suggestive breathing echoed in his ears. Her skirt, which seemed even shorter now, looked as though the slightest touch would expose her.
"Help me."
"What?"
"Selene... save me from her."
"W-What?"
At that moment.
"Wait... is this a wound?"
Kyran noticed a small wound on her neck that hadn't been visible moments ago.
"What is this? What did that bastard do to you?"
"Ugh... don't look... please don't look."
"What on earth..."
"Actually... it's all because of her."
"What?"
"She approached our family and threatened us..."
"Selene? Selene did that?"
Kyran grew increasingly bewildered. A seemingly dim-witted professor with absolutely no backing was pulling the strings of a powerful noble family? It defied all common sense. And yet...
"Then..."
"Please... please help me. I'll do... I'll do anything."
Kyran's hands were already gripping Rubelia's lower body. Without even realizing it himself...
"What... do you want me to do?"
A few hours later.
"Going. To teach."
"No, I mean, please clean your room... Sigh... Yes, have a safe trip."
Leaving Mona's nagging behind once again, Selene headed toward the lecture hall. The rumors surrounding Selene were terrible. But Selene didn't know. Nor did she care. Regardless, her practical classes were actually quite popular. With zero dropouts, the course was sailing smoothly.
And then.
"Ah! Professor."
The most enthusiastic student in her popular class blocked her path.
"Hmm?"
"It is me. Rubelia."
Unlike her usual self, Rubelia approached Selene with a bright smile. Selene stared at her.
"......"
"Hehe. It's Rubelia, the inquisitive student. Do you have time for a private consultation, Professor Selene?"
"......"
"Professor?"
Selene replied with a blank expression.
"You. Who are you?"