Extra in a Romance Fantasy

103 – The Women of the Academy (1)

“Hello, Miss Mary.”

“Hello.”

In response to the greeting directed at her, the woman, Mary, also offered a perfectly courteous greeting befitting a noble, smiling gently.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the women parted ways.

They quietly watched Mary’s retreating figure, her light blonde hair shimmering softly in the warm sunlight.

“Miss Mary seems like such a bright person. How should I put it… she doesn’t seem to have a single wrinkle, so to speak?”

“Indeed. She’s always gentle and warm.”

Mary Blunoir’s standing within the academy was quite… no, exceptionally unique.

Being a noble wasn’t particularly remarkable in the academy.

Her family, the Blunoir barony, wasn’t exactly a prestigious lineage either.

Of course, her appearance stood out even among the many young ladies gathered at the academy, but the reason for her fame wasn’t solely due to her looks.

The name Mary Blunoir began to gain recognition within the academy primarily because of the men who started to flock around her.

Starting with Alexis de Wolfron, the prince of the Wolfron Kingdom, there was Cedric Allenhart, a disciple of the Sword Master, and Chris Pale, a genius of magic who was a disciple of the Master of the Ice Tower and mentioned as a candidate for the next Master at a young age. Then there was Wilhelm Eisenberg, the youngest grandson of the renowned merchant guild “Golden Hand,” who was also under immense expectations.

They began to show their interest in Mary Blunoir so overtly that it was obvious even to the casual observer.

Each of them was a figure of great interest beyond the academy, and with several of them simultaneously expressing interest in one woman, it was impossible not to attract attention.

When this fact first came to light, the gazes directed at Mary Blunoir were a mix of curiosity and envy.

They were the ones who drew the attention of the academy and the women within it from the moment they enrolled.

Just looking at their backgrounds made it clear, but from their appearances to their abilities, they were individuals who seemed to have stepped right out of a story.

Considering that the women gathering at the academy were often on the lookout for their future spouses while also pursuing their own skills, reputation, and connections, it was only natural that there were those who secretly coveted them. It was also to be expected that resentment and jealousy would be directed toward Mary Blunoir, who attracted the interest of such individuals.

A sharp stone is bound to attract attention.

Unless that stone possesses the strength to protect itself, a powerless stone can only be helplessly subjected to scrutiny—such is the way of the world.

Thus, those who viewed Mary unfavorably began to plot against her.

Of course, it was clear that if their schemes were to be revealed, it would lead to serious trouble, but there were countless ways to handle matters discreetly.

Nobles were fundamentally a social breed.

In the case of a powerless family like the Blunoirs, this was even more pronounced, and Mary found herself attending various social gatherings to avoid bringing shame to her family and to contribute in any way she could.

For those who had any connection to her, it was not difficult to cause her harm.

In truth, what they called harm was closer to ostracism.

They would either not invite Mary to gatherings or speak of matters she was unaware of.

Though these seemed trivial and inconsequential, in the aristocratic society that cared about reputation, they were quite serious offenses.

If a daughter from a typical family found herself in a situation like hers, her complexion would pale in distress.

Yet, amidst such jealousy and disdain, Mary Blunoir did not despair.

Even if everyone regarded her as a thorn in their side, even if she was the only one not participating in gatherings, even if she faced the peculiar torment of the nobility, she remained unfazed. She simply smiled.

Her attitude, in turn, seemed to provoke some to speak more directly against her, but Mary never forgot to smile and maintained a gentle demeanor even toward them.

Instead, she approached them with a smile, initiating conversation and greetings.

At first, everyone thought it was merely a facade, a performance to hide her true feelings, believing she must be crying or grinding her teeth in private.

They assumed she was just pretending not to notice.

However, they soon realized the truth.

It was not an act.

She genuinely harbored no hatred for anyone.

Once they understood this, the bullying directed at her began to diminish.

They recognized it held no real significance.

In the first place, the bullying against Mary was merely led by a few who disliked her; it was not the consensus of all.

There were certainly those who did not view her negatively. They simply could not go against the tide.

But once that tide was disrupted, the mainstream could change in an instant.

Thus, Mary Blunoir became a special presence within the academy.

She garnered much attention, yet no one dared to touch her.

However, amidst such torment, there was an incident that clouded her smile, which had never faded.

It was the prince’s murder case instigated by her childhood friend, Wade Hebron.

Given the nature of the incident, the academy was thrown into chaos, and in the process, Mary, who was very close to the perpetrator Wade, also drew attention.

As a result of that incident, a cloud settled over Mary’s face for a while.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before she returned to her usual self, but soon after, news arrived that would wipe the smile from her face completely.

The news that Wade Hebron had died.

Since that news broke, Mary had changed.

The smile that had never disappeared, no matter what, was gone, replaced only by a vacant expression.

Everyone who knew her and thought well of her worried for her.

Knowing she was a pure-hearted person, they could only imagine the unimaginable level of shock she must have experienced.

Yet, despite their concerns, there was nothing they could do for her.

All they could do was watch and hope she would regain her strength.

Amidst the many worried gazes, fortunately, Mary found her smile again.

While it was still difficult to say she had returned to her usual self completely, she was undoubtedly in a better state than before.

Seeing her like that, people felt relieved.

They thought she had regained at least a bit of her spirit.

They believed it wouldn’t be long before she returned to her former self.

*

“Hello, Miss Mary.”

“Hello.”

Seeing a familiar face greet her, Mary instinctively smiled.

It was a smile that had once come naturally.

However, the smile now was not as effortless as it had been then.

It wasn’t forced, but if one were to analyze it, it could be said that her body and face were recalling and producing a smile.

At some point, she had been wearing this kind of smile continuously.

Smiling as naturally as before was not something she could achieve in her current state.

After exchanging pleasantries with the women who had greeted her, Mary parted ways with them to attend her next lecture.

“Your achievements have noticeably improved, Miss Blunoah.”

During the practical session of the magic lecture, just like any other time, she received praise from the professor.

—

As a place where all sorts of prodigies gathered, the professors had high standards, and it was rare for a woman like Mary, who lacked a special background, to receive their praise. However, recently, it could be said that Mary was receiving compliments almost every time.

This was likely due to her fervent dedication to her studies, particularly in magic.

She had not been neglectful before, but now she showed such enthusiasm that it was almost palpable.

From the beginning, she had a fair amount of talent in magic.

With that enthusiasm added, it was only natural for her skills to improve by leaps and bounds.

Yet, despite the professors’ praise, Mary did not feel particularly elated.

She simply expressed her gratitude quietly and returned to her focus on magic.

Once the magic lecture concluded, she headed to another classroom.

No matter which lecture she attended or which professor she faced, she displayed achievements that were hard to overlook.

As if she were someone else entirely.

As time passed and all the lectures came to an end, her footsteps led her not to the dormitory or the library, but to an old club building that few people frequented.

Entering the ‘History Research Society’ room with familiar steps, what she found was the sight of an empty, desolate room.

“…….”

After slowly surveying the scene, she sat down on a chair within the room.

Then she began to scan the room again.

But no matter how many times she looked, there was no one there.

From the start, Mary was not even a member of the History Research Society, and she rarely showed her face there.

The only reason she began to appear in the History Research Society was after Wade got caught up in the incident.

Since then, she had gathered here to talk or share information with other women who were concerned about Wade.

However, now, no one else came here except for her.

Mary knew well what had caused this change.

Ever since the news of Wade’s death had spread, they had stopped coming.

“…Wade.”

Looking at the bleak scene, Mary cautiously called out the name she longed for.

But, of course, there was no response, and her feeble voice merely echoed sadly in the quiet room.