Celitia finally released her hand.
She silently stepped back, turned around, and was about to leave directly.
Lady Herbert, just recovering from the pain, saw that she was about to leave and called out:
"Where are you going?"
Celitia turned back and gave Lady Herbert a faint smile: "Back, of course."
"Back where?" Lady Herbert really couldn't understand what her stepdaughter was thinking. "Aren't you going to Samuel Academy anymore?"
"Since Mother doesn't agree to provide the money, without tuition, I naturally can't attend."
Celitia said coolly, "So I'm going back to inform Father and ask him to think of another solution."
At this point, she playfully tilted her head at Lady Herbert, her face showing a look of sudden realization.
"Oh, right, if it were Oral going, Mother would probably agree, wouldn't she?"
"You—you—"
Lady Herbert was so angry she couldn't speak.
This was clearly a threat!
But Lady Herbert realized that this was a threat she had no choice but to swallow.
Otherwise, if Viscount Herbert really changed his mind and made Oral go, Lady Herbert absolutely couldn't accept that.
Now, Lady Herbert had to plead with this little troublemaker, keep her happy, and make sure she left without changing her mind, only then would this matter be resolved.
Understanding this, Lady Herbert was so furious she nearly had a cerebral hemorrhage.
She snatched the account book from the steward beside her, haphazardly signed a name on it, and threw both the paper and pen at Celitia's forehead.
"Here! Take it all! If you have any other demands, raise them now!!"
Celitia stepped back, perfectly dodging the paper and pen Lady Herbert had thrown.
Knowing when to stop, she obediently bent down, picked up the pen and paper, smoothed out the wrinkled page, and handed it to the steward.
"Nothing else. Thank you for your understanding, Mother. Your daughter will take her leave now."
"Then get out quickly!" Lady Herbert dismissed her.
Celitia didn't engage in any further verbal sparring and left the room with the steward.
On the way to get the money with the steward, Celitia ran into Oral.
Oral stood with his arms crossed, blocking their path, head held high, glaring at Celitia with disdain.
Celitia sighed inwardly and calmly stopped: "Is there something, Oral?"
"Nothing much. I heard you're leaving, so I came to take one last look at you."
Oral deliberately emphasized "last look" heavily, as if Celitia would be dead before long.
"Oh, thank you."
Celitia seemed unable to detect Oral's provocative tone and casually brushed it off.
"Let me tell you, that academy will be full of savage, lowly commoners!"
Oral continued, "Even if you die there, neither my mother nor I would be surprised—"
Before he could finish, Celitia walked forward a few steps, approaching Oral.
Oral was frightened and stepped back half a step, his muscles reflexively tensing, instinctively thinking Celitia was going to hit him.
No, why should he fear this sister who could be blown over by the wind?
If anyone should be afraid, it should be Celitia fearing him!
While Oral was struggling internally, Celitia simply walked around him and continued down the corridor.
The girl's cool voice echoed softly in the narrow hallway.
"Commoners aren't necessarily savage and lowly, just as certain nobles aren't much different from monkeys."
After this veiled insult to Oral, Celitia didn't linger and left.
Oral remained standing there, unconsciously raising his hand to touch the cheek that had been slapped a few days ago.
He felt that his typically easy-to-bully sister somehow exuded an intimidating pressure.
"Could it be..."
Oral couldn't help muttering to himself, "that soaking in a pond really can change someone?"
After withdrawing money from the account with the steward, Celitia received tuition and living expenses for one semester.
Getting this much from Lady Herbert was already difficult enough; likely she could only get this one payment.
If there were other expenses later, she would have to figure them out herself.
For now, she would take things one step at a time. With her abilities, how could she starve on the streets after leaving home?
If only she had saved some money before. It was her own fault—her head must have been caught in a door—to have used her own money to supplement the national treasury, leaving herself penniless...
While ruefully thinking about this, Celitia carefully stored all the coins.
Finally ready, Celitia packed her luggage, said goodbye to her father, and headed out.
As Celitia had expected, neither her parents nor her brother, these so-called "family members," came to see her off.
Only Luna and Rebecca accompanied Celitia to the door.
Luna very much wanted to accompany Celitia to registration. In her heart, those trivial matters should have someone to handle them.
But without the master's permission, Luna didn't dare follow Celitia to school on her own.
"Wuuu... what to do... my Lily... what if you accidentally get sick... what if someone bullies you..."
Luna hugged Celitia, crying so hard she could barely breathe.
Someone who didn't know better might think they were being separated forever, as if sending Celitia on a journey of no return.
Celitia didn't know whether to laugh or cry, repeatedly patting Luna's back and softly comforting her.
"Don't worry, Luna, I'll take good care of myself. I might not be able to guarantee not getting sick... but please believe that I won't be so easily bullied."
The girl's voice was gentle yet steady, strangely calming Luna.
Luna looked up in a daze, wiping her tear-filled eyes.
Seeing the contours of the girl before her clearly, Luna suddenly felt that this sister, who wasn't much younger than herself but whom she had worried about since childhood, seemed truly different from before.
Like a delicate flower bud that had finally completely extended its roots, straightened its stems, and proudly bloomed toward the sky.
Luna finally broke into a smile through her tears and nodded firmly: "Good! I believe in you!"
After saying goodbye to those who cared for her, Celitia shouldered her luggage and set off toward Samuel National Academy.
Feeling the warmth of the sunlight on her body, smelling the cool autumn breeze, Celitia was in quite a good mood.
This feeling unexpectedly reminded her of herself before coming to this world, carrying a suitcase, boarding a high-speed train, dreaming of college life.
That was a very distant past, quite nostalgic.
Samuel Academy was located in the suburbs of the capital Cassia, some distance from the inner city where the nobles lived.
Celitia had considered whether to call a carriage to take her there, but thinking of the gold coins in her pocket—her entire source of livelihood—her frugal mindset kicked in, and she simply chose to walk.
"Consider it exercise..." she muttered to herself.