Chapter 48: Please Leave Me

“I told you, I didn't do that!”

“If you didn't do it, then did Lillian jump down the stairs by herself?”

Loretta did not even listen to Lorentina's explanation. Once she had made up her mind about something, nothing Lorentina said could change it.

“Lorentina, you're becoming more and more unreasonable. I thought sending you to the academy would help you become a better person, but I never expected you to start taking the side of outsiders. Nothing you say today will change my mind. I must cripple her arm!”

What a pain.

Lorentina hated arguing with her mother the most. Every time they argued, they never reached any result.

Before Lillian came back, her mother had been a little easier to talk to. But after Lillian returned, things had become much worse.

However, Lorentina suddenly remembered Lillian's sweet and innocent image. She looked at the silent Lillian and said,

“Lillian, are you just going to stand there and watch? Don't tell me you also want Lynae to cut off her arm to make up for what she did to you?”

Now that she had been called out, Lillian could no longer pretend to stay silent.

Her sweet and innocent image was not suitable for speaking up at a time like this. But since Lorentina had directly asked her, staying silent would look too deliberate.

Damn you, Lorentina! How dare you use my own image against me!

Even though she was extremely unwilling, Lillian could only force herself to stop Loretta.

“Mother, we're all classmates. I don't think this is a good idea.”

Lillian's expression was almost impossible to maintain. She looked as miserable as if she had just swallowed a fly.

When it came to Lillian, Loretta became much easier to talk to, and her aggressive attitude became much weaker.

“You're right. Mother didn't think this through.”

Thinking about how Lillian was still studying at the academy, Loretta realized that going too far would also affect Lillian. So she decided to reduce the punishment.

Loretta raised her chin and spoke in a tone that sounded as if she were giving Lynae a great favor.

“Since Lillian has asked me to spare you, I'll let you off this time. But remember, you owe Lillian for this.”

Her superior tone made Lynae feel very uncomfortable, even though she knew that Loretta was someone she could not afford to offend.

It was a look Lynae was very familiar with—the way nobles looked at her as if she were beneath them. She had seen that same look on other nobles before.

Ugh, I really hate this! She's the Young Lady's mother, so why is there such a huge difference between them?!

“Although I won't punish you for what you did, Lillian's arm was injured because of you. So you still have to pay for her medical treatment and the compensation for the time she lost from her studies. I won't ask for too much. Just twenty gold coins.”

Twenty?!

Lynae only had a few gold coins at most. Even if she sold herself, she wouldn't be able to come up with twenty gold coins!

And making her pay money, wasn't that basically asking for her life?!

Maybe going to prison would be better. At least I wouldn't have to pay anything.

“But I already healed Lillian. Can you waive the compensation?” Lynae asked.

“You?” Loretta replied with clear disdain.

In her eyes, Lynae was only a new student who had just entered the academy. Even if she had been lucky enough to awaken both water and wood attributes and could use healing magic, there was no way she could have healed Lillian's arm in such a short time.

That had been a broken bone, not just a small fracture. To fully heal an injury that serious in one go, they would have to ask the Archbishop of the church to do it personally. A single treatment from him would cost dozens of gold coins.

“That's right, me! If you don't believe me, look. Lillian's arm doesn't have a single injury!”

Not only Lynae, but the students around them also did not contradict her. This made Loretta pause.

When she had just hugged Lillian, she indeed had not seen any injury on her arm.

“Daughter, what she said... isn't it true?” Loretta asked Lillian to confirm.

Lillian did not even want to speak anymore. She could only nod.

Loretta was shocked. She had never expected Lynae to actually have such an ability.

At this point, Loretta also realized Lynae's value. Just having such powerful healing abilities meant that many people would be willing to protect her.

Someone like this was not a person Loretta could simply bully or control.

Normally, she should try to get along with Lynae and perhaps even win her over.

But she had already said such harsh things, and their relationship had become so hostile. If she simply let the matter end here, she would lose face.

Just as the situation reached a standstill, a kind voice broke the silence.

“Lady Loretta, please allow me to say a few words.”

Father Norn, who had arrived at the scene some time ago, finally spoke.

The moment he appeared, everyone's attention was drawn to him.

Even Loretta became much calmer. She greeted him politely.

“I never expected to meet you here, Father Norn.”

Father Norn nodded and continued, “I was here just now as well. I already know what happened and how this whole matter began.”

Loretta's eyes lit up.

“Since you know what happened, then please be a witness. This girl injured my daughter. I want her to pay compensation for hurting my daughter, and I also want her to apologize to my daughter!”

Father Norn did not respond to her request. His gentle presence suddenly became cold.

“Lady Loretta, I think you have misunderstood something.”

Father Norn's voice no longer carried its usual kindness. Loretta had never seen him this serious before, and her heart sank.

“From the beginning, all I saw was you using your status to bully this student. If anyone should apologize, it should be you.”

“You want me to apologize to her?!” Loretta could hardly believe her ears.

“That is correct.”

“That's impossible! She injured my daughter, and you still want me to apologize? Are you trying to make an enemy of the Duke?!”

Faced with Loretta's threat, Father Norn did not back down at all. Instead, he even took a step forward.

“You didn't even bother to find out the truth before trying to beat an innocent girl. Even after realizing that you were in the wrong, you showed no regret and even tried to punish her yourself... Don't you think you should apologize?”

With every word, Father Norn's voice became more serious. His eyes stayed fixed on Loretta, as if he were judging someone who had gone against the church.

“Of course, if you truly believe that you did nothing wrong, I cannot force you to apologize. But afterward, I will personally bring this matter to the Bishop and discuss it with the Duke.”

Loretta's eyes widened. She could not believe that the church would openly stand against the Duke over a single student.

But Father Norn sounded so certain that Loretta began to back down.

“It's just a matter between two children. There is no need to make such a big deal out of it, right?”

“Then why are you making such a big deal out of it and refusing to let Miss Lynae go?”

Father Norn did not back down even an inch.

Worried that he might actually follow through with his words, Loretta could only give in.

Loretta felt deeply humiliated and was extremely unwilling to do it, but she still said to Lynae,

“I was in the wrong this time.”

Her voice was very quiet and had none of its earlier confidence.

“Lillian, let's go!”

Loretta felt too embarrassed to stay any longer. Before Lynae could even respond, she took Lillian and left.

After Loretta left, Father Norn returned to his usual gentle manner.

“Thank you, Father Norn. If you hadn't helped me, I really wouldn't have known what to do,” Lynae said gratefully.

Father Norn waved his hand.

“You don't need to thank me. Seeing you just reminded me of my daughter. She's a child who loves to smile. It's just a shame...”

His voice became sad as if he had remembered something painful.

Lynae did not know what to say, so she could only offer, “I'm sorry for your loss.”

“Oh, she isn't dead. She just doesn't smile much anymore.”

“?”

Father Norn shook his head.

“Ah, she was such a cute child when she was young. It's just a shame that she's become so cold now. She's here at the academy. If you have the chance, I hope you'll get to know her. Maybe after spending some time with you, she'll start smiling again.”

“Ah... okay. I will.”

Seeing how sad he looked, Lynae had thought his daughter had died.

Turns out, his little girl had simply grown up and stopped being so affectionate with her father.

“Now that everything is settled, I should head back. Student Lynae, remember to visit the church when you have time.”

Father Norn also left.

After everything that had happened, the training session was interrupted as well. The instructor simply announced that the morning training was over and let everyone take their lunch break early.

On the way back to the dormitory, Lynae sighed.

“Today really scared me to death. Luckily, I had Miss, and that priest helped me too. I need to properly thank him later.”

Lynae turned around and noticed that Lorentina did not look very happy.

“Yeah.”

Lorentina seemed to have something on her mind.

Lynae was a little confused. Everything had already been resolved, so why did the Young Lady still look so unhappy?

She thought back to everything that had happened after Loretta arrived. Then, suddenly, she understood.

She got it.

The Young Lady must be upset because of how differently her mother treated them. After Loretta arrived, she only cared about Lillian and did not show Lorentina any kindness at all.

After they returned to the dormitory, Lynae was about to comfort Lorentina when Lorentina spoke first.

“I'm sorry. You had to suffer because of me.”

Lynae had been thinking about how to comfort Lorentina, so she was completely caught off guard when Lorentina suddenly apologized to her.

“What are you talking about? Miss, didn't you help me? Why are you apologizing?”

Lynae looked as if nothing had happened. She was still as lively and energetic as ever.

But Lorentina's guilt did not become any lighter. She decided to tell Lynae the truth.

“Lillian did it on purpose. Her goal was to drive you away from me and leave me all alone.”

“Ah, is that what happened?”

Lynae had never thought about it that way. But when she thought about it carefully, Lillian had been especially annoying today. She had also kept provoking Lynae during their spar, even if it was only in small ways.

So she was trying to make me angry!

“She really is ruthless.”

Just to drive Lynae away from the Young Lady, Lillian had been willing to let Lynae break her own arm.

What kind of determination is that?!

“She often used this kind of trick at home. As long as you stay by my side, you'll get dragged into her schemes, just like today.”

“Lillian is so bad!”

After being reminded of it, Lynae thought back to the first time she had met Lillian.

Looking back now, Lillian had already been targeting Lorentina from that moment.

No wonder the Young Lady was always getting into trouble.

Now everything made sense.

“If you continue staying by my side, you'll only get dragged into more trouble. So...”

Lorentina raised her head and looked directly at Lynae.