Chapter 15 : Slander
The first rays of morning sun slipped through the small window of the servant dorm, gently warming Ailiya’s face, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air.
She dragged herself out of bed, stretching like a lazy cat, then shuffled to the washstand.
A splash of cold water on her face snapped her awake.
Looking in the mirror at her sleepy-eyed reflection, she lightly slapped her cheeks to muster some energy.
“Alright, let’s do this today!”
She cheered herself on, beginning her daily dressing ritual.
It had become one of the few comforting routines in this new world.
She slipped into a soft white blouse, savoring the cotton’s gentle touch, and carefully tied the small navy-blue bow at her collar.
Next, she grabbed the new black thigh-high stockings from the chair, sitting on the bed to ease one foot in, feeling the smooth fabric hug her skin as it slid up her calf, past her knee, to her thigh.
She smoothed out every crease, ensuring the tops were perfectly aligned.
Then came the navy-blue knee-length dress with white lace trim, its skirt swaying with a girlish charm.
Finally, she stepped into her polished black shoes, twirled in front of the mirror to confirm her flawless appearance, and headed out.
Opening the dorm door, she ran into Aurora, also heading to class.
The servant dorms weren’t far from the noble students’ residences, so they often crossed paths in the morning.
“Morning, Ailiya!”
Aurora was full of energy, holding a thick magic book in one hand and a flyer in the other.
“Morning, Aurora.”
Aurora eagerly unfolded the flyer, revealing lavish text and tempting dessert images.
“Listen, I heard West Street’s new patisserie has a ‘Molten Chocolate Heart’ so good it’d make an elf cry! And that old shop on East Street has limited-edition ‘Cloud Soufflés’ this weekend—melts in your mouth like eating a cloud!”
“R-really…?”
Ailiya swallowed hard at the sight of the art-like desserts, but her face fell at the thought of the prices. She waved her hands frantically.
“They must be crazy expensive… I can’t, I’m broke, totally broke.”
“Oh, come on, looking’s free!” Aurora laughed, tucking the flyer away. “When I become top student and snag the highest scholarship, I’ll treat you to every dessert in the capital!”
Chatting, they headed toward the academic building.
On the way, they passed Isabella’s trio.
“Morning, Isabella!”
Ailiya waved habitually.
But Isabella ignored her, brushing past.
In that fleeting moment, her gaze pierced Ailiya with a venomous, hateful glare—not just her usual disdain but raw, unmasked loathing, as if Ailiya were some unforgivable filth.
Ailiya’s raised hand froze mid-air, then slowly, confusedly dropped as Isabella’s cold back receded.
What’s… her deal? Bad breakfast?
Normally, Isabella was dismissive, but this murderous look was new.
Something felt off today.
As they neared the academic building, Ailiya noticed more students’ gazes locking onto her like spotlights.
Their whispers grew louder, more chaotic.
“Look, it’s her…”
“How does she have the nerve to show up?”
“What a disgrace to St. Freya…”
This wasn’t the curiosity about her commoner roots from the start of term or the envy and jealousy when she became Liliane’s maid.
It was pure, visceral disgust, as if she were something vile.
Ailiya had no idea what she’d done. She instinctively grabbed Aurora’s sleeve, her steps slowing.
Then, a group of girls in another class’s uniforms blocked their path aggressively.
The leader, far from ladylike, pointed a finger nearly at Ailiya’s nose.
“You shameless woman! How dare you show your face here! You don’t deserve to be in the sacred St. Freya!”
…Shameless? Me? What did I do?
Ailiya was utterly confused.
“What do you want?”
Aurora stepped forward, shielding Ailiya, swatting the girl’s hand away with a sharp glare.
“Picking a fight in the academy? Want a demerit?”
Intimidated by Aurora’s presence, the group backed off, muttering curses as they retreated.
Aurora pulled the dazed Ailiya along.
At the courtyard’s massive magic bulletin board, the students reading notices scattered like they’d seen a plague when Ailiya approached, their faces twisted with disgust.
Ailiya slowly approached the board.
Then she saw it.
At the board’s most prominent spot, glowing magical text displayed a “notice” about her.
It listed her full details—name, age, birthplace, even her debt-dodging parents’ names.
Then came paragraphs of shocking accusations.
It claimed Ailiya Winston, before coming to the capital, led a scandalous life, entangled with multiple men in her town.
It said she schemed to blackmail Liliane with dirty secrets to enter St. Freya.
It portrayed her as a two-faced hypocrite, secretly badmouthing noble classmates.
Each charge was the kind of behavior most despised in this honor-bound, pure noble girls’ academy.
…What is this?
Her mind went blank.
She reached to tear down the slander, but her hand passed through the glowing text, touching only the cold stone of the board.
This was a magic bulletin board—its contents couldn’t be removed physically unless the caster dispelled it.
Why… why is this happening…
“This…”
Aurora, stunned, read the notice. She quickly steadied the trembling Ailiya.
“Ailiya, calm down! Follow me, deep breaths… settle yourself.”
She paused, asking seriously: “Is any of this true?”
“The personal info… is true,” Ailiya’s voice cracked with tears. “But the rest… those rumors… all lies! I never did those things!”
Half-truths mixed with lies?
Aurora instantly understood.
Using verifiable facts to lend credibility, then weaving in vicious, hard-to-disprove rumors—a despicable tactic.
Ailiya’s head throbbed.
She finally grasped Isabella’s venomous glare, the hateful looks from others, and the girls’ insults.
As dizziness overwhelmed her, nearly toppling her, a familiar figure approached.
She looked up and saw Liliane.
“Lady Liliane…”
She gazed at her like a drowning person clutching a lifeline.
Liliane’s eyes coldly scanned the bulletin board, then landed on Ailiya’s pale, helpless face.
She said nothing.
Silently, expressionlessly, she turned and walked past Ailiya.
“Wait!”
Ailiya reached for Liliane’s arm, but Liliane sidestepped effortlessly.
“Lady Liliane! It’s not true!”
Her cries met only a resolute, unyielding back.
Liliane’s figure soon vanished around the corridor’s corner.