Chapter 270: Teach a Lesson

Chapter 270

Teach a Lesson

Nara shook off her arm, ignoring her words, and walked toward Ellie, who sat at the spot she wanted to sit, with a disdainful smile.

“Nara!”

“What? I just wanted to greet an old friend. Besides, if we sit close together, we can talk more, can’t we?” Nara disregarded her companion’s words and plopped down next to Ellie. Her attitude of considering herself equal to others remained, seemingly representing the author’s intention to rebel against societal norms. Nara was the embodiment of that ideal.

If she succeeded, she would be the one who changed the fundamental thinking of this world, calling for equality and justice that didn’t truly exist in society. She would become the first Empress from a commoner background, inspiring the lower classes not to remain in their downtrodden state for life.

Of course, it was a noble idea, and it wasn’t surprising that many readers loved this perspective, including the old Ellie... But did this Nara really the one the author wanted? Was she genuinely someone trying to use her abilities to demand justice for the world? Unfortunately, Ellie didn’t think so anymore.

The author created Nara with a singular image. Readers saw her good deeds from one perspective, without the full details of the reality behind them. At least, the author didn’t know how envious and destructive the supposedly kind-hearted heroine could be...easily breaking the bond of a friend from the same village just because she outperformed her despite having a lower starting point.

Would such a person genuinely fight for the lower classes? Or was she merely crafting an image to win everyone’s favor?

“This seat isn’t for you!! I don’t know how many times I have to say it. Until you become a true priestess, this chair isn’t yours.” Seeing that, Aria jumped up, unwilling to let Nara compare herself to her duchesses. Otherwise, where would their dignity be?

“Hmm? It’s just a seat, isn’t it? Why separate it like this? I don’t think your duchesses would be degraded just by sitting next to a commoner like me. Or...do they actually find commoners so disgusting?”

Nara placed her hand on her chest. Her expression would have incited anger among the common folk or the poor if they saw it. Even those sitting in the back felt that Nara was implying the two duchesses despised them. However, Nara’s words no longer held the sanctity they once did in the story.

Her past actions rendered her words nothing more than those of a selfish person. Eventually, the people realized that Nara was just manipulating their emotions to fight on her behalf. Ultimately, she was merely using them for her own gain!

“I don’t think it has anything to do with whether the duchesses despise us or not.”

“That’s right. The status of a duchess isn’t something anyone can easily approach. If everyone could get close to them like this, how could we ensure their safety? If something happens, could you take responsibility?”

“Exactly. Even when we go outside, if a commoner gets too close, we call the guards to push them away. It’s not about despising them; it’s about protecting ourselves first.”

“Wasn’t it just recently that Rhea soldiers nearly took the prince hostage? It’s because our status has significant consequences. Therefore, being cautious isn’t wrong. Compare the value of the duchesses with yours—you’re not even a priestess yet. Even if you had 20 heads, it wouldn’t make up for one of theirs.”

“Indeed. Who knows if you’ve been paid to help your family by assassinating the duchesses!? That’s why you should stay in your place and not act suspiciously.”

Everyone spoke up in defense of the two duchesses displeasingly, their eyes filled with disdain for Nara. They adhered strictly to societal rules, so why did she insist on equating herself with the duchess? If anything happened to Duchess Ellie...wouldn’t the eldest young lord decapitate all of them to avenge her?

They remembered that not long ago, there were rumors that the eldest young lord had reprimanded the prince for being too weak to protect his people. If anything had happened to Duchess Ellie because of the prince, perhaps the Emperor and all the princes would have had to pay with their lives.

And what would happen to them, the nobles, merchants, and ordinary wealthy people? No one wanted to think about it! Besides, Nara wasn’t trustworthy. She had tried to steal money from the duchess before and now wanted to equate herself with Duchess Ellie.

“What? Do you look down on me? Do you think I would do something so dirty...”

“Whether it’s dirty or not, you know in your heart. For just a few coins, you broke the rules and betrayed your friend by stealing.”

“Yes, for a single gold coin, you committed a heinous act. And now, with the duchess being so valuable, wouldn’t you be more tempted to harm her?”

“Get out now!! We don’t trust you at all!” They didn’t even let Nara finish her sentence. As she spoke, they harshly cut her off. Nara clenched her fists in frustration, refusing to get up from the chair. The others didn’t stay idle either. They weren’t just talking. A young lady walked up and grabbed Nara by the arm, dragging her away, causing Nara to fall to the ground unexpectedly.

Professors Regan and Medik witnessed the entire incident. However, the students’ actions were not excessively harsh. In fact, outside the institute, if someone dared to equate themselves with others without considering their status, the nobles could kill them under the pretense of self-defense.

Therefore, the two professors stood by and watched without helping Nara. They believed that letting Nara receive this minor lesson was actually saving her life in the future. If she continued as she was, she would surely seek her own death.

“Y-You! All of you!!” Nara snarled like a ferocious dog, but no one paid any attention to her. Everyone blocked the chairs in front, making it clear that they wouldn’t allow Nara to cause any more trouble.

The two professors exchanged glances before Professor Regan took charge of the situation. He waved for everyone to return to their seats so they could start the new mission briefing.

Though Nara was unwilling, no one helped her. Her companion had already walked away, leaving Nara with no choice but to sit at the very back. No one offered her a seat.

Ellie watched the entire situation with a weary heart. Just fighting over a seat could cause so much trouble. She wondered how much resentment the heroine would bottle up after this. It seemed like nothing went her way. Ellie could only hope Nara would choose the right path to overcome her challenges. At the very least, strengthening herself and becoming a great priestess could be a viable route. As long as Nara wasn’t too reckless, the Mary Sue traits the author had given her should help her succeed on this new path.

But even then...Ellie, once a die-hard fan, didn’t believe Nara would change her mindset so easily. Despite everything that had happened, Nara still didn’t realize her destiny had been completely altered.

“Finally, it’s quiet,” Professor Regan didn’t scold, slightly complaining about the commotion. Though he didn’t say it directly, his comment on the noise indicated his disapproval of the earlier actions.

The students exchanged looks. Even though they felt bad for causing a disturbance, they would have acted the same if they could go back in time.

“Alright, first, I want to thank everyone for their efforts during the kingdom’s war. Despite everything that happened, I believe everyone has gained valuable lessons, more or less. Though our institute experienced some losses, those sacrifices are honors for the strong,” Professor Regan began.

After the war ended, about 10-15 students did not return alive. They left their lives behind in the Tower of Eternity. Although this was an unfortunate loss, it was somewhat expected. Every year, some students fail to defeat the beasts and lose their lives. So, it could be said that the institute had already anticipated such losses.

“The sacrifices made are indeed tragic, but the Ares Kingdom must continue to develop. Our institute must continue to support this cause. After the war, there are many tasks that need to be handled, and this will be an important experience for all of you. I believe that’s the case...”

“All students will be sent around Erel City. It’s not a complicated task, but it’s not entirely useless for training either. After losing many manpower, these villages now face labor shortages. Many able-bodied men were sent to fight, some returned, but sadly, some did not...”

“In such times, each village faces different hardships. Some villages are not heavily affected, but helping the families of those who have lost loved ones is equally important.”

“All of you come from prominent noble families, some from wealthy merchant families. Even if many of you say your families aren’t significant, I believe you will come to understand what real hardship is after this. I trust that this mission will make you more empathetic towards others.”

Regan spoke earnestly. The students’ attitudes often mirrored those of their families. Policies for governing lands often looked forward without considering the impacts on lower classes. He hoped that this mission...even in a small way, would teach the next generation to be more compassionate.

“Professor, what if the students don’t carry out the mission with empathy? I come from a rural village too, and I feel that their arrival might cause more trouble for the villagers,”

Nara said, raising her hand without waiting for permission. Regan frowned slightly. Despite trying to remain unbiased, he found her behavior quite disrespectful.

Before Professor Regan could respond, Professor Medik, who already had a bias against Nara for trying to bully his student, could not hold back any longer and responded to this mouthy student immediately.

“It’s not up to you to decide who needs help, Scholarship Student Nara. Also, you may not realize that...empathy isn’t about allowing others to disrespect you. If someone doesn’t know how to conduct themselves properly or hasn’t learned social etiquette, everyone has the right to ignore them to preserve their family’s reputation. Allowing others to disrespect your status is equivalent to not respecting yourself.”

“Furthermore, those who seek to disrespect others must accept the consequences. They should be mindful of whom they challenge. Every position is granted by the Emperor, and opposing this is akin to rebellion, showing disrespect to the royal decree. Such actions could warrant the death penalty.”

“In this institute, there is still a lot of empathy. I hope that all students understand this and do not use their courage in the wrong ways. If they are truly punished, arrogance won’t help them survive.”

“As I mentioned, the most severe punishment is execution. If one behaves slightly better, they might only be sentenced to imprisonment in the royal prison. However, the prison is far from pleasant. Those imprisoned receive only 1 meal a day, and it’s not fit for human consumption. Sometimes, they might even be denied food altogether. There are even worse fates...the punishment of...”

“Uh, Professor Medik, thank you very much for the information, but I think the students have received enough details.”Before Professor Medik could continue his grim tirade, Professor Regan interjected, his face pale. Who would have thought that this professor would go on and on about such terrifying things? It had only taken a few arrogant remarks from a student that made him incited all the students with fear...