Chapter 10

The day to enter the academy had arrived.

Charles had already been transferred to the fourth grade two days prior.

Elizabeth, in the carriage, thought about how to spend her school life while gazing at the streets that exuded a long history.

--- Above all, I should behave quietly. I should focus on my studies and not commit any more evil deeds.

Slightly nervous, she got out of the carriage and headed for the auditorium.

The academy is a prestigious six-year school with a history of over 400 years. Originally, it was a school for boys only, but it became coeducational ten years ago.

However, female students can choose to complete their course at the third grade.

Even nobles cannot enter the school without a certain level of academic ability.

The former Elizabeth had entered through a backdoor by paying a large sum of money.

However, this time, she was admitted based on her own merit.

Many of the students who were victims of the former Elizabeth's cruel actions are still at the academy.

She wants to avoid contact with them as much as possible.

The thought of harboring the same ominous feelings towards someone as she did in the past makes her legs tremble with fear.

Elizabeth paid meticulous attention to avoid standing out, wearing the prescribed uniform as it was and styling her hair in a simple half-updo.

Other young ladies had embellished their uniforms with embroidery and lace, making them more elaborate. This was the "norm" for the young ladies attending the academy.

On the other hand, Elizabeth wore the academy's designated uniform: a white frilled stand-collar blouse with a voluminous ribbon tie, a dark gray jacket, and a knee-length skirt of the same color.

She must not stand out. To avoid unnecessary problems, Elizabeth ended up attracting more attention.

"Hey, who's that young lady? She's incredibly beautiful!"

"She's different from the flashy other young ladies. Maybe when you have good material, you don't need to dress up."

"Wow, I want to get close and smell her."

On her first day of school, Elizabeth was greatly stimulating the adolescent male students.

--- I feel like I'm being stared at. Oh, maybe I'm already a person of interest. I haven't done anything yet, but maybe I've already made a mistake without realizing it.

If this is how it is on the first day, what am I supposed to do from now on...

As Elizabeth turned pale, a student approached her.

"You don't look well. Are you okay?"

It was a handsome young man with wavy blond hair that fluttered in the wind, presumably an upperclassman.

"I'm fine. Thank you for your concern, even though we don't know each other."

Elizabeth smiled and hurriedly headed for the auditorium, but she was internally anxious.

The student who spoke to her was William, the second son of the Derby family, who would become a close aide to Prince Alan after he returns from his studies abroad next year.

He was also one of Elizabeth's two archenemies, tasked with protecting Prince Alan's lover, Karen, from Elizabeth's schemes.

Incidentally, there were three archenemies in total.

All of them were related to Karen.

Elizabeth would eventually be captured by these archenemies and exiled. After her exile, she was kidnapped and handed over to her avengers by these men.

She must not get close to them.

Even if Elizabeth does not commit any more evil deeds, she cannot forget the terror of being captured.

Even though it was her own doing, she is still afraid.

And even after experiencing that terror, it took her a while to recognize her own sins, which terrified her.

At first, she was intensely angry and lamented her miserable situation.

She did not realize her sins until the prostitute with a child died.

Mary and other female students who were toyed with by dirty men, the merchant who suffered burns on his face from chemicals, the servant who was falsely accused of a crime he did not commit...

As she faced each of her many sins one by one, she could no longer bear the weight of them.

After realizing her sins, living became unbearably painful.

Elizabeth began to wish for her own death.

Death was the only hope for her to live.