Chapter 56

'I was wondering why he suddenly summoned me, and it was to show off.'

'He is showing off his daughter.'

'Pretend you're enjoying it. If you don't want to end up like the Lemonts.'

Duke Seymour appeared in the lecture room with all the elders and close associates that worked at the Wizardry Association.

'This is unexpected.'

The wizards who innocently came to study the formula raised their bent waists with gaunt faces.

After a moment, as Princess Deborah walked up to the front of the pulpit, the tension that lingered in the lecture room was tighter than ever.

'Be careful with your expressions. Even if the lecture is childish and clumsy, you should not express it.'

'I will bring together all the compliments I know from the bottom of my stomach.'

'That's laughable. I used to be in a children's choir. I can sing a song about praise up to 12 verses.'

The elders of the Wizardry Association, who were planning a fierce pretense with their brains working at full capacity, soon admired the Princess' lecture.

Because, in order to promote the formula, she enthusiastically gave the lecture under the guise of a top instructor from Daechi-dong.

(T/N: Daechi-dong is a neighborhood in Gangnam, Seoul, known as the capital of private education.)

'Oh. She's good.'

'She explains in an easy-to-understand way.'

'Since she is the one who improved the formula, she is bound to know the concept and how to use it better than anyone else.'

The elders had no more harsh things to say.

However, when the Princess' lecture is over, they will have to overuse praise words until their lips get chapped.

Around the end of the presentation, one of the elders, who had been watching Duke Seymour, started talking.

"It was a great lecture."

"This is enough for her to qualify for a full-time position as an academy professor."

"Of course."

Duke Seymour's thin lips, who had had a cold expression on his face with his arms crossed the whole time, started twitching.

'He's pleased!'

'I can't stand him bragging about his daughter.'

Suddenly.

Clap, clap, clap.

The elders' eyes narrowed at the sound of cheerful applause coming from somewhere.

'Who dared clap? The Princess didn't even put down the chalk yet.'

"I was impressed."

Count Almare was giving a standing ovation with an excited expression. He had the ability to cry worthy of an opera actor.

'He is still wet behind the ears, and he beat us to it?'

'Life is timing. Don't you know?'

'So, he's being this nasty? We will have to increase the volume of the applause with amplification magic.'

Suddenly, thunderous applause came pouring from the lecture room. Princess Deborah successfully completed her first lecture.

***

I rubbed my eyes.

The tension doubled due to the gloomy people wearing black robes and Duke Seymour, who came to observe the lecture, and the fatigue rushed in belatedly.

'I'm tired.'

I came out of the lecture room exhausted and came across the thrilled 5th Princess

Her yellow eyes twinkled like a cat that saw a fish.

"Princess Deborah, did you hear the thunderous applause? All the wizards present there must have fallen for you. Just like me."

While suddenly confessing her love for me, the 5th Princess handed me the sign-up form and a quill.

I looked over the terms and conditions carefully, feeling a little anxious.

There could also be a disadvantageous clause hidden in small letters.

"I also like your prudence. You are the first woman to make me anxious like this. You make my hands sweat."

She fluttered her fan as vigorously as she was fretful.

'Whatever happens, it must be better than Omicron, where Philap is. I want to go home quickly and rest.'

"Can I sign it here?"

"Of course."

After hesitating and signing it, I handed her the membership form, and the 5th Princess smiled with satisfaction.

"Now that the die is cast... I mean, in any case, Epsilon is a great place. Our leader is the most handsome in the Empire, and there are many talented people like you. Welcome."

Hm. Did I just hear the suspicious words 'the die is cast'?

'No way, I must be hearing things since I'm so tired.'

I thought it was a good thing that the social club problem, which had been bothering me the whole time, was easily solved.

However, it didn't take me long to find out that Epsilon was composed of slightly strange members.

***

"Congratulations. Duke."

Following Princess Deborah's successful lecture, as he heard that she had joined Epsilon with the active recommendation of the 5th Princess, his aide congratulated him.

"Being my daughter, that's only natural."

He spoke as if it was insignificant, but the aide was quick to notice that the corners of the Duke's mouth were raised very slightly.

"The Princess will shine even more splendidly in the future."

"Speaking of which, Epsilon was overpowering at my time, but is it still the best?"

"Yes, it's by far the most popular club."

"Who is the leader?"

"Sir Isidor Visconti. Ah, come to think of it, he was the Princess' partner for the ball. He may look handsome, but he is a reliable and talented young man that the Crown Prince cherishes..."

The aide, who was reciting information about Prince Visconti, saw the Duke's cold expression and shut his mouth.

"Ahem. Anyway, that's how it is."

"That bastard, he dared to beat my daughter and become the flower of the year."

The Crown Prince, who was close friends with Prince Visconti, jokingly pushed ahead with it; but the majority actively supported it, ending in this absurd result.

Since the Spring Flower Festival was not an event with a serious atmosphere, everyone seemed to happily accept this.

Except for Duke Seymour.

"He shamelessly got her right away again?"

"T-That's correct."

The aide showed his professional spirit and agreed with him.

"I don't like that bastard because he's so shiny. Those guys always behave the way they look."

When Duke Seymour, who had a pitiful appearance as if he had ranked second in the Empire, talked about behaving the way one looks, the aide was dumbfounded and could not speak for a while.

***

"Deborah! Did you really sign the admission form for Epsilon? I can't believe you're just signing anywhere. You can't do that."

Duke Seymour's reaction to my entrance was the exact opposite of what I expected.

'What is the reason?'

Duke Seymour was once the leader of Epsilon, and the Duchess was also a member, so I thought I would definitely score some points.

"I know that Epsilon is a club with many outstanding seniors like Father. So, I thought you would be happy."

The Duke sighed and shook his head in disagreement.

"The club has no problems, but the leader... Tsk! I can't believe that the leaders of prestigious clubs all look like that."

"..."

It seems that Isidor was the problem this time too.

"Why on earth did they entrust the leadership to such a lazy bastard! The world is in chaos. In chaos. I'm frustrated because I am worried about the future of the country."

The Duke, who out of nowhere worried about the future of the Empire, said he was tired from taking a walk in the garden and went into the separate building.

'No wonder, everyone must be insignificant in the eyes of a 7-class wizard.'

I scratched the nape of my neck, thinking that these days, the trend of ignoring things as you get older is similar here.

***

[We welcome Princess Deborah with open arms. - Epsilon members]

'Oh! What is that?'

As I was walking across the campus, I felt embarrassed when I saw an unfamiliar banner the size of a door hanging near the social club bulletin board.

"Isn't it amazing?"

I didn't even ask, but someone jumped out from behind it and explained.

'That startled me.'

"The 5th Princess directly instructed me to hang that welcome message. She must have wanted to brag about it to Omicron."

As I met his dark eyes, Thierry Orgo smiled.

The drooping-down eyes and the messy, curly black hair went well together.

Although his characteristic frivolous atmosphere overshadowed all of his gorgeous appearance.

"If you look at me so coldly, it makes my heart palpitate. I'm a bit soft-hearted."

Not scared at all, Thierry shuddered and soothed his chest.

"Unfortunately, I couldn't introduce myself separately at the ball last time, so I'll do it now. I am Thierry Orgo. Well, first of all... I'm a prosecutor."

Unlike his older brother, Diera, he was not the sincere type.

"I am Deborah Seymour."

When I replied solemnly, he scratched the nape of his neck.

"You're cold, as the rumors say. If you were just a little gentle, you would be popular since you are pretty."

"You're thoughtless, as the rumors say. If I blow, you will fly away."

(T/N: This is a pun on the adjective 가볍다, which can mean both light and thoughtless.)

"Haha, I have no way to refute this."

While chatting with Thierry, a man with a gigantic body came approaching from afar, giving off a murderous atmosphere.

"You punk, I caught you."

Embarrassment crept across Thierry's face.

"I was just about to have an interesting conversation with the Princess, but an uninvited guest appeared. I'll get going now. If you are bored, come to the frat house to play. I'm always there in the music room."

"Hey, you con artist. You said if I bet on the 6th horse, I would definitely hit the jackpot! But you actually bet on the 3rd horse?"

"Don't you know that the conditions of a racehorse can change at any time? Did you exchange your adaptability for bread?"

"This bastard speaks without thinking!"

Thierry, who quickly understood what was going on with just the words of the giant, ran away in an instant.

'He must be going to the racetrack. Anyway, how did such a bully get into Epsilon?'

Is this the great, prestigious club I know?

There isn't another pseudo-club with the same name as Epsilon, right?

Swallowing a somehow strange feeling, I headed towards the carriage to go to the Maisond.

Yesterday evening, a note came from the Master saying that he had found a delicious cake.

'It means that he found a good real estate for sale.'

As soon as I set foot in the Maisond, to which I now come and go like my own home, the manager guided me to my seat, and I looked through the menu.

'What, why isn't it here?'

I flipped the menu in a bewildered mood and called the manager.

"Where did the coffee that was listed here go?"

"I apologize, the drink didn't sell at all, so it was eventually removed from the menu."

'Aren't the coffee beans being imported anymore?'

I rushed to the Master with a feeling of nervousness.