A Change of Heart
"You seem to be doing well these days?"
"Ah...."
Erin made a troubled face upon seeing the girl addressing her.
The girl who had always picked on her, Marva Berman, was one person Erin absolutely wanted nothing to do with.
Marva treated Erin's very existence like a thorn in her side, constantly disapproving and belittling her as a daily routine.
Whenever something soured her mood or irritated her nerves, Marva would drag Erin outside like last time, grab her by the hair and shake her violently, or douse her face with water—Erin had endured every imaginable humiliation.
But one thing had changed: Erin's attitude.
Before, she would shrink in fear the moment Marva approached to speak, but lately, Erin no longer feared Marva or the other girls.
It was possible because Eunhyeon's sincere efforts had restored some psychological stability in her, but to Marva, who had enjoyed watching Erin tremble in terror, this growth and change in Erin was far from welcome.
After all, the old Erin had perfectly fit Marva's sadistic tendencies, serving as her personal plaything.
"What's with that look? How dare you make that smug face?"
Marva's eyebrows twitched in anger at Erin's blatantly annoyed expression.
Perhaps because her thoughts had shown plainly on her face and been caught.
Erin flinched harder and began making hasty excuses.
"No, what kind of face did I make...."
She found her own lame excuses and averted gaze utterly pathetic.
No matter how much mental leeway she'd gained or how much she'd grown through Eunhyeon's grueling training, the fear of Marva and the other girls—instilled deep after nearly a year of torment—still lingered firmly in Erin's heart.
"Looks like your decent face is getting you some attention? Think you're something special just because people are suddenly fawning over you?"
"Doesn't know her place."
"Lowborn trash."
The girls behind Marva chimed in agreement, snickering and mocking Erin.
"Doesn't change the fact she's that black mage's sister."
"Watch out. She might be learning black magic too."
"That black mage stole the kingdom's budget his father embezzled and fled, only to get executed by the Artia Knight Order captain, right?"
"Just like father, like son."
"Inherited his lowly nature."
"Why is she still at Aiter? Her family's basically criminals."
"Yeah. She's not even noble anymore. Why hasn't the principal expelled her?"
"I asked my dad. Apparently, Duke Armitas defended her."
"From the duke's family? Why?"
"How should I know?"
"Must be her pretty face. Maybe she spread her legs for him."
"Oh my, how vulgar."
"Hehe."
The moment Marva brought up Elvin, the other students in the classroom began whispering as if they'd been waiting for it, gossiping freely.
Some expressions were so crude, no one could imagine them coming from noble ladies.
Naturally, Erin's hand on her book tightened into a fist.
The textbook pages crumpled and tore with a rip as they got caught in her grip.
Her heart felt shredded to pieces by the insults hurled at her and her brother without a care.
Why did she and her brother have to endure this?
She knew Elvin was close to a villain for practicing the world's rejected "black magic."
But the only "crime" Elvin had committed was executing their father, who had beaten their mother and herself, leering at his own daughter with lustful eyes.
Yet the kingdom's nobles and Aiter students knew none of that.
Erin wanted to scream that her brother wasn't like that.
But having heard the full truth from Eunhyeon, she couldn't.
Her brother, as the mastermind and villain of the Hersha baronet incident, had shouldered all the infamy and chosen suicide.
At first, she resented him for abandoning her to die alone, leaving her in this hellish world.
But hearing from Eunhyeon that they could meet again allowed Erin to steel her resolve.
Eunhyeon explained that Elvin had entrusted Erin to him and was pursuing other ways to reunite.
Unaware of what conversations or deals passed between Eunhyeon and Elvin, Erin initially couldn't easily believe the man who had killed her brother and pinned all the blame on him.
But Elvin's final letter, urging her to rely on Eunhyeon in hard times, led her to decide to trust him.
"If you're angry and wronged by the false charges I pinned on Elvin, strip them away with your own strength. That's the 'first step' to growing enough to stand before the Elvin you'll meet again someday and proudly say, 'I'm okay now.' I'll pave the way for you."
His training was ruthless and merciless, yet kind in every other way.
To Erin, Eunhyeon was becoming more brotherly than Elvin himself—an existence that gradually healed the wounds in her heart.
'No. I have to endure.'
That's why Erin chose to hold back.
No matter what the students said, reacting or getting angry here would only make things worse for her and further tarnish Elvin's reputation.
She knew they mocked her to see her emotional, enraged reaction.
Stay calm and rational. Suppress the boiling fury without losing control.
"Hoo."
Letting out a small sigh, Erin looked up at Marva, who was twitching her eyebrows in frustration at the lack of desired response, and spoke.
"Advice to know my place. I'll etch it deep in my heart."
"Tch...."
Feeling the cold anger seeping from Erin's composed expression—not rage—Marva flinched under her momentum and clicked her tongue.
Ignoring Marva's reaction, Erin sank into her thoughts.
'I miss Hyeon.'
The moment classes ended, Erin packed up and slipped out of school before anyone could approach.
Sure enough, at the gate stood the silver-haired man waiting for her. She beamed and ran to him.
"Hyeon!"
"Why are you running like that?"
"Hehe, just 'cause."
"Let's go."
Seeing Erin's beaming smile the instant their eyes met, Eunhyeon chuckled softly and started walking.
Suddenly, Erin lunged onto his back, hugging tight and inhaling deeply.
"Hm?"
Eunhyeon tilted his head at her sudden action.
"Haaa...."
Exhaling the deep breath, Erin released the stress built from the students' whispers, clinging warmly to his back with a relaxed, cozy expression.
"Feels so good...."
"What? Why this all of a sudden?"
Her reaction was so out of left field that Eunhyeon rarely looked flustered.
He tried prying off Erin's arms around his waist, but...
"Nngh! Just a bit longer."
"......"
She resisted fiercely, hugging even tighter, so he couldn't force her off.
In the end, minding the stares around them fell to Eunhyeon.
Erin usually fretted over people's gazes, but her oblivious, impulsive acts in weird moments were a headache for him.
Lately, she'd been clinging like this often.
"You've been doing this a lot lately."
"Nn...."
"Something happen?"
"Yeah...."
"What?"
"Just the usual...."
She didn't elaborate, but Eunhyeon could guess what happened to her.
He nodded slightly, unwrapped her arms from his waist, turned, and stroked her head.
"Hehe."
Evidently pleased by his touch, Erin giggled, savoring it.
It felt like true healing; the dark emotions simmering moments ago melted away like snow.
"Hey! Wait up, commoner!"
"Ugh...."
As he pulled his hand away to resume walking, a male student's urgent voice halted Eunhyeon and Erin.
Recognizing the familiar voice and foreseeing what was coming, Erin scowled unpleasantly.
"Hm?"
Eunhyeon turned to the boy who had called them.
Panting from his desperate run, the boy glared at Erin and yelled.
"I said wait! You ignoring Lord Orba?"
"Look, I clearly said I have important business and refused...."
"Shut up! I told you, you don't get a choice! Follow without a word!"
As the boy strode forward to grab Erin's wrist, Eunhyeon intercepted, blocking his arm.
"What's this about?"
"And who the hell are you?"
"Her 'big brother.' May I ask your business?"
"Let go of my arm!"
The boy roughly shook off Eunhyeon's grip, then adopted an arrogant air to answer.
"Lord Villad Orba, eldest son of Count Orba, has taken a liking to your sister. It's an honor for her to dine with him, so step aside."
"In that case, she refuses."
"What?"
"Looks like my sister refused the invitation. Am I wrong?"
Glancing at Erin's face, she immediately backed him up.
"I refused!"
"There you have it."
"You two cheeky bastards...."
The boy scowled, glaring at the obstructing Eunhyeon.
"What a spectacle."
"What? Who dares—gasp!"
At the woman's condemning voice, the boy grimaced and whipped his head around. Upon recognizing her face, he gulped.
"No courtesy or respect in how you invite someone. Did Villad order you to drag her by force?"
"Th-that's...."
Under her sharp glare, the boy's shoulders slumped defensively.
As she approached Eunhyeon and the boy, students leaving through the gate glanced their way.
"Hello."
"Wh-what?!"
The girl with radiant blonde hair, Eira Olivion, greeted Eunhyeon politely, making the boy gape at him in shock.
'M-marquis's noble lady bowing so politely to a commoner guy...?'
Caught off guard, the boy broke into cold sweat, tensing up.
"What's your name?"
"Pardon?"
"Your name."
"Gr-Grass Broad."
"From the Broad baronet family, got it. You can go."
"B-but...."
"Tell Orba my name. That should cover your excuse, right?"
"Y-yes, ma'am...."
Unable to refuse, Grass nodded hastily and scurried away.
"Sorry for butting in uninvited. Hope I didn't overstep."
"No, you got rid of the nuisance for me."
'Whoa, she's something else...'
Eira, who had exuded charisma with her sharp eyes moments ago, now smiled warmly at Eunhyeon, switching attitudes in a flash. Erin stared in stunned awe.
Spotting the "ladylike facade" only girls could detect—like swapping masks—Erin gawked at Eira, dumbfounded.