"...That is why the young lady has completely lost her desire to go to the academy," the nanny sighed heavily, and in that sigh was all the accumulated fatigue of long months. "Her classmates, most likely, have long since stopped seeing her as just herself. For them, she is merely a shadow of her family. A reminder of its ’sins.’"
"..."
When I finally learned what Irene was actually going through at school, my heart clenched painfully.
"Have you tried talking to the teachers? Telling them about all of this?"
"I am just a servant, Miss Rider," Mrs. Farris smiled sadly. "How do you imagine that would work? I have neither the position nor the influence to make them listen to me. If I start complaining to the academy administration, at best they will simply show me the door."
"But surely you could have asked Butler Gerald. Or even Her Grace..."
"I do not think that would have changed anything," the old woman answered quietly.
"What do you mean?"
Mrs. Farris paused, as if it were difficult for her to say it aloud. And then she said something that sent a chill down my spine.
"Some of the teachers... if not most of them... also hold a prejudice against the young lady. And they do not even try to hide it. At meetings, they look at her as if she does not exist. In lessons, they almost never call on her, and if she raises her hand herself, they pretend not to notice. So... it is no wonder they turn a blind eye to the behavior of other students. Or perhaps..." the old woman’s voice grew even quieter, "it is even convenient for them."
At that moment, a hot, almost suffocating indignation rose inside me.
So it was not just about children’s cruelty. Even the adults — people who were supposed to protect children and maintain order — had chosen to turn away and pretend nothing was happening.
But why?
Irene was just a child!
She had no connection to politics, nor to the fall of House Regwerd, nor to the mistakes of the adults. So why was she the one having to pay for all of this?
"...What if she transferred to another school?" I asked, still clinging to a last shred of hope.
"Another school?.." Mrs. Farris thought for a moment, but then slowly shook her head again. "I am afraid that would change little as well. Right now, the young lady is attending Blackwood Academy — one of the best academies in the entire empire. It is where the children of the most influential and noble families study. And if even in such a place she is treated this way... then what awaits her in other schools? It might be even worse. At least here, she already knows what to expect."
After these words, I pressed my lips tightly together.
The more I learned about this situation, the more everything inside me boiled with helplessness and indignation. Every new detail felt like a blow to the ribs.
And yet...
"Lady Irene..." I asked quietly, "did she often miss classes before?"
"Oh, no," for a moment, Mrs. Farris even brightened, and her voice carried genuine pride. "Before, the young lady almost never missed classes. Moreover, she had excellent grades! She was considered one of the best students in her class. Even after all that tragedy... even facing unfair treatment, the lady still continued to go to the academy and study diligently, despite everything."
"Then... what changed?"
"Things became worse quite recently," the old woman grew sad again. "Of course, I can only guess... but it seems to me that before, the young lady was trying for Her Grace’s sake. She wanted her sister to be proud of her. I think that is what helped her hold on all this time. But... perhaps now she has realized there is no point in it anymore."
"..."
"Her Grace has not seen Lady Irene for half a year and takes no interest in her life at all," the nanny’s voice trembled, and her eyes became noticeably moist. "So, probably... the young lady simply stopped understanding why she should keep trying. What is the point of being the best if the person you are doing it for does not even look your way?"
After these words, my heart grew heavy.
As expected, the situation of House Regwerd turned out to be far worse than I had initially thought.
This was no longer just one crisis — but a whole tangle of pain that was tightening more and more. Kayla’s fall. The ruined reputation of House Regwerd. The bullying of Irene at the academy. And again Kayla, who either did not know about any of this... or preferred not to know.
A vicious circle.
And the more I understood what was happening, the tighter my heart clenched.
I could not leave things as they were.
But... what could I even do?
No matter how you looked at it, my capabilities remained extremely limited. Butler Gerald had already reminded me quite clearly, more than once, that in this house I was merely a hired healer. An outsider. I had neither the position nor the authority to meddle in the family affairs of the Regwerds.
I could not simply go to the academy and demand justice for Irene. They would not even let me in.
But then... what else was I to do?
I sat, slowly clutching my now-cold mug of cocoa in my hands, frantically running through options in my head. There were depressingly few.
Talk to Kayla?
But she barely tolerated my presence as it was. Especially after... that kiss.
And even if I told her about Irene’s problems — would it not only make things worse? Would it not make her feel even more guilty? Even more helpless?
As I was tensely mulling this over, a heavy, oppressive silence hung between me and Mrs. Farris. I had become so absorbed in my own thoughts that I almost stopped noticing what was happening around me.
And quite foolishly so.
A few minutes later, the bell above the café door tinkled melodiously, announcing new visitors.
I looked up without much interest — and saw a group of men in knightly armor. Some of them wore cloaks with the emblems of the city guard on their shoulders. Apparently, an ordinary patrol — they had come in to have a bite to eat or rest after their shift.
At first, I paid them no attention.
My thoughts were still far too occupied with something else.
Meanwhile, the men were talking loudly among themselves, laughing, slapping each other on the shoulders, and discussing their own affairs. They were not even looking around.
That is, until one of them accidentally turned his gaze in my direction.
I, of course, did not recognize him.
But he recognized me.
And the moment our eyes met, the man’s face changed dramatically. His eyes widened so much they seemed about to pop out of their sockets. He first turned pale, then quickly flushed red, and then turned white as a sheet.
And before anyone could understand what was happening, he blurted out in astonishment, loud enough for the whole café to hear:
"S-saint?.. Saint, is it really you?! I-it cannot be... You... here?.. In such a place?.."