Chapter 8 : I Hate Rich People
“Aurora? What are you doing here?”
Ailiya looked at her classmate, holding a cupcake with cream smudged on her lips, surprised.
Aurora’s ornate uniform, embroidered with gold, stood out far more on this bustling commoner street than Ailiya’s plain maid outfit.
“I heard this chain has a limited-edition ‘Strawberry Cloud’ cupcake today, so I snuck out to get one!”
Aurora proudly waved her cupcake, then shoved another bite into her mouth, mumbling:
“By the way, I know another shop with limited-edition ‘Lava Chocolate Puffs’ today. Wanna go?”
Go? Where would I go? I don’t even know where Miss Clara is!
If she finds out I ditched her for a fake coin, I’ll get an earful until my ears grow calluses!
Ailiya opened her mouth to refuse, but Aurora, as if reading her mind, cut in:
“From what you said, you’ve already ditched your group, right? So you’re getting scolded either way. And I heard Lady Liliane gave you a break? If it’s a holiday, wandering freely should be fine, no?”
Ailiya froze.
That… kinda makes sense.
I’m doomed to a lecture whether I find Clara or not.
“Oh, come on, let’s go!”
Seeing Ailiya waver, Aurora grabbed her wrist, clad in white cotton gloves.
“Visiting a pastry shop counts as exploring the capital!”
And so, Ailiya was half-dragged, half-pulled away by Aurora.
“Perfect,” Aurora thought, scheming. “This is my chance to get close to Ailiya and figure out what makes this plot’s biggest wildcard so special.”
The capital’s streets were far livelier than Ailiya had imagined.
Magic-powered vehicles rolled alongside old-fashioned carriages, shop windows displayed dresses that shifted styles automatically, and messengers on broomsticks zipped overhead, leaving trails of colored light.
The air mixed food aromas, the odd scent of magic potions, and the hum of the crowd, forming a vibrant symphony.
Come to think of it, Aurora’s a noble, right?
Her uniform’s fabric and the way she bought that pastry without hesitation—she’s no ordinary person.
Noticing Ailiya’s stare, Aurora waved dismissively:
“Just a minor noble. My family’s got no real influence. I got into St. Freya because a national magic survey found I have massive mana reserves.”
“Then when you said in class you’d be the top student…” Ailiya probed, “were you joking?”
Aurora stopped dead, turning around.
The carefree ease on her face vanished, replaced by a serious, confident look Ailiya had never seen.
“No, I’m dead serious.”
She shoved her half-eaten cupcake into Ailiya’s hands, then dramatically stepped onto a peeling wooden chair used by a fruit stall owner, striking what she thought was a dashing pose.
Her ornate skirt got dusty, but she didn’t care, proclaiming loudly:
“To save this world from looming tragedy, that strength is a must!”
Huh? Save the world? What nonsense is she spouting?
There’s a limit to chuunibyou!
Ailiya was baffled by Aurora’s sudden outburst when an angry man with a broom stormed out of the fruit shop, shouting:
“Hey! You, girl, get your foot off my chair!”
“Eek!”
Aurora’s heroic bravado collapsed. She hiked up her skirt, grabbed the stunned Ailiya, and yelled:
“Ailiya, run!”
The two dashed through the capital’s streets for a while.
Aurora was soon panting, while Ailiya’s breathing remained steady.
“Your… stamina is unreal…” Aurora gasped, leaning against a wall.
What’s the use of stamina in a magic academy…
The thought reminded Ailiya of the life-or-death entrance exam, and her face fell.
She looked at the carefree special-admit student, envy and frustration bubbling up.
“By the way,” she couldn’t help asking, “how’s your exam prep going? You seem so relaxed—must be a breeze for you, right?”
“Of course!”
Aurora instantly regained her confidence, patting her chest.
“Anything you don’t get, just ask me!”
Taking a shortcut, they reached the pastry shop Aurora mentioned.
As expected, a dauntingly long line stretched out front.
They joined the back of the queue.
Several St. Freya students in similar uniforms stood nearby, chatting excitedly in small groups.
“Have you heard? Lady Liliane von Winter brought a personal maid to school!”
“Yeah, I heard! A commoner, no less! No idea what luck she stumbled into to stay by Lady Liliane’s side.”
“And that special-admit, Aurora, saying she’ll take first place—what a big mouth!”
“Seriously, who does she think she is at St. Freya…”
Hey, we’re right here listening!
Ailiya and Aurora exchanged a glance, both catching the awkwardness in the other’s eyes.
“Oh, and those recent kidnappings in the capital are scary. They say they target young girls. My mom won’t let me go out alone anymore.”
“Yeah, the patrols have beefed up security, but I don’t know if they’ve caught anyone.”
Kidnappings…
Ailiya thought of her earlier ordeal and piped up softly:
“Um… it should be fine now, right? The patrol just caught a group earlier.”
Before she finished, she noticed Aurora’s face turn oddly serious.
“Those who tried to kidnap you are probably just one part of it,” Aurora muttered, almost to herself. “This won’t end so easily.”
“Huh? How do you know?”
“Ah!”
Aurora jumped like a cat with its tail stepped on, waving her hands frantically.
“Just a guess! Think about it—in novels, a big case making waves across the capital wouldn’t wrap up that easily. It’d be a boring story otherwise!”
…That kinda makes sense.
Ailiya was at a loss for words.
Finally, it was their turn.
Seeing the price board, Ailiya’s heart bled.
Gritting her teeth, she spent a week’s living expenses on one tiny puff.
Aurora, despite claiming to be a “minor noble,” bought the pricey treats without blinking.
Damn it! Is this the gap between nobles and commoners?
I hate rich people!
Ailiya, near tears, clutched her small paper bag and waved goodbye to the satisfied Aurora.
She sat alone on a plaza bench, sighing deeply, then took a reluctant bite of her puff.
Sweet cream melted on her tongue, easing her tense mood slightly.
Her gaze drifted to Aurora’s lively, retreating figure.
That girl was full of mysteries—her boundless confidence, her odd remarks, her subtle, excessive attention to Ailiya…
For some reason, a strange, unshakeable premonition stirred in Ailiya.
A strong, undeniable instinct—
Could there be someone else in this world, like me, who came from another?
The thought rippled through her mind like a stone tossed into a lake.
She took another bite of the puff.
But this time, the exquisite sweetness felt oddly tasteless.