The world of a girl in love changes.
There was no exception to this truth. Emma was no different.
A month ago, Emma fell for a man. Since then, her daily life had turned completely upside down.
It happened around the time the final exams were over.
Finally, Emma, who had lived her days buried in books, found some leisure. Under normal circumstances, she might have focused more on alchemical formulas or potion-making methods.
But these days, Emma often found herself lost in thought in the workshop.
The subject of her contemplation was usually just one.
Ian Fercurus, once a friend and now Emma’s first love.
He was also the benefactor who had saved her life when she was on the brink of death. He had offered a monster’s corpse worth over 10,000 golds as a tribute to rescue her, who was seriously injured.
Memories of the first time she had met him after waking up from a coma came to mind. Each time those thoughts arose, Emma’s heart raced as if it were broken.
She cried out that she was not worth it, just a worthless common girl. Yet, Ian showed no signs of regret.
On the contrary, his voice, telling her to live and to be happy, seemed to have no selfishness at all.
The man was sincere. Perhaps because of that, Emma, too, became sincere from that day on.
She had genuinely fallen in love with Ian.
It was the moment a man suddenly appeared in Emma’s life, which had been solely dedicated to crafting new potions in the workshop.
From that day, Emma’s mindset changed.
Previously, she had considered the economy every time she created a potion.
Though scholarships were available at the Academy, money was tight for Emma, who came from a commoner’s background.
For her, potions were practically her only means of livelihood. That was why she had to think about the cost of materials every time she made a potion.
But that was no longer the case.
Emma wanted to be of help to Ian. So consumed by that thought, she barely paid attention to the other issues.
Her background was humble, being the daughter of a poor herbalist, and she had no money. Although she was pretty, there were many women around Ian who were just as attractive.
Just think of Selin and Ceria, who were known as the two flowers of the second-year Swordsmanship Department.
Feeling she had no exceptional qualities, the only devotion Emma could show to Ian was her alchemy, her one true talent.
Emma researched countless reagents and pondered what potions would be more helpful for Ian. While this led to material costs draining away, she didn’t care.
As for food, she could go hungry. If she didn’t have money, she could endure the inconvenience, that was all.
But not for Ian. No matter what, she couldn’t give up her devotion toward him.
Emma thought Ian deserved to be treated a little better.
She wanted him to eat better, to sleep in a better room, and to receive better treatment. For that, Emma was willing to sacrifice her daily life.
Her heart was always unchanged. She wished for Ian’s happiness and always genuinely hoped for his well-being.
If she could devote her worthless life as a common girl for him, she would do so without hesitation. That was how much Emma loved Ian.
First love was this blind.
Emma had already been a devoted person by nature.
When Ian was out on a field assignment, she would sigh in despair every night.
She worried about whether he was injured and regretted that she should have packed more potions for him.
Then she heard the news that Ian had single-handedly suppressed a mage. On that day, Emma felt like she could leap for joy.
However, when Ian was brought back to the Academy, he was unconscious with serious injuries. Emma’s complexion turned pale at the sight.
Each day had no room for boredom. Emma was caught between heaven and hell with every little piece of news concerning Ian.
So it was inevitable that Emma had grown gloomy lately.
She couldn’t believe he would provoke the Imperial Princess.
Emma trusted Ian. There must have been a good reason for him to do so. She didn’t think he had any ill intentions in provoking her.
Nevertheless, Emma struggled to overcome her depression. Thinking that Ian was innocent only made her heart feel heavier.
There was no doubt that Ian had done nothing wrong, yet the entire Academy was badmouthing him.
What did they know about Ian?
Just a short while ago, they had praised him as the hero who had single-handedly defeated a mage. But just a day later, they had flipped their attitudes like turning the palm of a hand.
She was angry. As she chopped the ingredients, she inadvertently gripped the knife harder.
Even when she tried to act nonchalant, every time she heard people speaking ill of Ian around her, Emma felt anger boiling inside.
Imagining how much harder things must be for him, who was the actual party involved, pained her heart. Just thinking about Ian silently enduring all the slander made Emma’s heart ache. She wanted to comfort him somehow.
So, Emma was in the process of making lunch.
Given that her living expenses were tight, she couldn’t treat him to an expensive meal, but she thought that preparing a heartfelt dish might provide him with some comfort.
Having taken care of household duties since childhood under her widowed father, Emma had some cooking skills, and she soon completed a delicious chicken soup.
Phew! Emma let out a sigh of relief. Her hand brushed her chest. It had been a while since she had cooked, and she worried, but the smell turned out to be pleasant.
Now, there was nothing left but to find the man she loved.
Thinking of meeting Ian made Emma’s heart race already. While preparing the lunch box, she also pictured herself as a wife preparing a meal for her husband.
Of course, it was a vain daydream. Soon, a bitter smile surfaced on Emma’s lips.
How audacious to dream of marrying a noble as a commoner! Yet, she had made a resolution not to fall for a noble even if she did fall in love.
The world truly was unpredictable. Emma thought this as she transferred the soup into a thermos.
The thermos containing the soup went into a pre-prepared basket. On top of that, she stacked vials of potions—everything Emma made was for Ian.
When the basket was packed full, Emma finally seemed satisfied and prepared to head out. She had no idea where Ian was staying now.
But even if she couldn’t find him, she could leave it at the dormitory. It was with such light-hearted thoughts that she set out.
But she never expected to get into trouble. Confusion crossed Emma’s gaze.
In fact, there had been several attempts to bully Emma recently due to her close association with Ian. Each time, Emma had chosen to avoid confrontation.
After all, Emma was just a common girl. It wasn’t easy to bother her without reason, although there were rumors she was a precious person to Ian.
Still, for nobles, a common girl was merely a fleeting plaything. There was no need to bother going out of their way to target her.
But some had been waiting for the right moment to confront her.
Just as Emma caught the eyes of a group of noble students.
A group of five or six approached Emma, their giggles already sounding ominous.
Just looking at the expensive fabrics of their clothes made clear they were fellow students of a rank beyond comparison to Emma.
Taken aback, Emma’s gaze fell to the ground.
The disparity between commoners and nobles was apparent everywhere.
Even within the Academy, it was no different.
As Emma dared not meet their eyes, the noble girls seemed to grow more pleased. A cruel smile played on their lips.
One of the girls stepped forward and asked Emma:
“Hey, are you that ‘Emma’?”
After hesitating for a moment, Emma quickly chose to flee.
Responding to them would only lead to trouble for her. But just as Emma hurried to leave, one of the noble girls blocked her way.
With a laugh, she asked Emma:
“I heard that Ian, that fool, bought your virginity for over 10,000 golds… how about it? I wonder if it’s really worth that much.”
It was an unexpected insult. Emma’s face flushed with shame.
Her shoulders began to tremble.
The humiliation stung, but more than that, she could not bear to hear such words denigrating Ian.
A clear hostility rose in Emma’s eyes.
But with no combat skills and being a mere commoner, she had no means to contend against the noble girls. Their mocking jeers persisted.
“How entertaining… but what do you plan to do?”
“What can a commoner do? Just watch and glare.”
That was precisely true.
Emma felt miserable but had to bite her lip and compose herself.
If she reacted in anger, the outcome would surely align with their expectations. For now, avoiding confrontation was of utmost importance.
“…Excuse me, ladies, I’ll be passing through.”
“Who said you could?”
Emma communicated her intent softly, yet the noble girls showed no sign of backing down.
If anything, their smiles turned even more twisted. A subtle thrill shone in their eyes as they surrounded Emma.
The joy of bullying a weaker person, how sweet it was.
Their low human nature fueled the noble girls’ cruelty. They egged each other on to torment Emma even further.
“How pitiful… honestly, she’s done nothing wrong, right? Who would have imagined that fool Ian dared to provoke the Imperial Princess?”
“Then shall we let her go a bit?”
One of the girls smiled as if struck by amusing thoughts. All eyes turned toward her.
“We wouldn’t want to embarrass ourselves by bullying a common girl, would we? Just say, ‘Ian Fercurus is an ignorant fool who doesn’t know his place, and his family is nothing but a bunch of country bumpkins.’ Then we’ll let you pass.”
Naturally, Emma had no intention of doing that. She had never once thought to speak ill of Ian, not even in her imagination.
Emma tried to take another step, but the noble girls showed no intention of letting her go.
With a jolt, someone gripped Emma’s shoulder.
“Hey, commoner… do as you’re told, will you? Your father is an herbalist, right? If one of our family’s knights happened to pass by and kill you, no one would know.”
“No need for a knight. A soldier could end it just as easily.”
It was getting absurd.
Now, they were openly threatening her, using her status as a means of intimidation. Naturally, this was against the rules, a breach that could lead to expulsion from the Academy.
But among those noble girls, nobody feared being punished for their antics. Due to the long-standing customs of the Academy, the examples of commoners reporting nobles were few and far between.
Even if reported, there would be reprisals later on.
As if to say, it wouldn’t be a concern if an herbalist was killed. Emma trembled at the truth she knew too well.
It was infuriating. Just being a commoner meant she had to be threatened over her only family’s life.
Furthermore, they were belittling the man she loved. She felt tears welling up from the injustice and anger.
Despite how Emma felt, the girls continued mocking her.
“…What’s wrong? Is that lowly noble your prince?”
“Hurry and follow the cue! ‘Ian Fercurus is an ignorant fool who doesn’t know his place, and his family is nothing but a bunch of country bumpkins.'”
Emma’s pale green eyes turned cold.
She had tried to endure, but she couldn’t hold it any longer. Emma could take ridicule directed at herself.
Because she was a commoner, but Ian was not.
He was more noble than anyone. He was not someone to be insulted by those who claimed nobility and acted cowardly.
Her clenched fists trembled. A fierce resolve filled Emma’s eyes.
“…Absolutely not!”
Those were Emma’s first words of rejection.
But hearing that, the girls just laughed, as if they had expected nothing less.
The noble girl blocking Emma’s path stepped forward. As she got close, her hand cut through the air.
Slap! The sound echoed.
White sparks erupted before Emma’s eyes. Before she knew it, she was already face down on the ground. Her gaze reached the basket, now lying far away.
Vials were scattered everywhere. The thermos containing the chicken soup had also tipped over.
All of those were Emma’s creations for Ian.
Meals she had made while skipping meals herself, stretched on a tight budget.
Yet to the noble girls, those were nothing more than worthless items. One girl snickered and pointed at the basket.
“Wow, I wondered where that herbal smell was coming from… What, you were planning to give that to some lowly noble?”
In a daze, Emma reached out toward the basket, but the girl was quicker.
It was the same girl who had slapped Emma. She carelessly reached for the basket.
But the next moment.
“Let’s see how it goes, see…?”
Splash! Blood erupted like a fountain.
The girl’s eyes went blank. She had clearly reached out, but her arm was no longer there. From where her arm had been, only a spout of blood gushed forth.
What? This can’t be happening.
In that instant, the girl failed to comprehend the situation and scanned the ground.
Her arm was rolling on the ground.
And nearby, an axe was buried deep into the ground.
“Ugh, ah, ugh…”
A voice filled with terror escaped from the girl who suddenly found herself without an arm.
She hadn’t realized. None of the girls had noticed until the axe chopped off her arm.
That spoke volumes about the magnitude of their skill gap.
“Ah, aaaaaah! My, my arm… my arrrrm!”
Only then did the girl screech in agony, collapsing to the ground while desperately searching with her remaining arm for the remains of her severed limb.
It was a brutal sight.
Not just the girls, but even Emma’s eyes widened in disbelief.
They still didn’t grasp what was happening.
As they fixated on the girl who was lamenting her loss, a low voice drifted from behind them.
“…Hey.”
It was a man with striking black hair. His golden eyes hovered ominously in the air.
A seething killing intent pierced through their hearts.
“What are you lot doing?”
With a divine prowess displayed in his axe-throwing skills, the unhesitant violence, and the murderous glint in his eyes, every element pointed to one man, causing the noble girls’ breaths to freeze.
It was Ian Fercurus.
