Chapter 223

[Null]Attribute – Side: Belle
Today we had a lesson divided by attributes.

When I asked Joan if she wanted to head to class together—

“Hm? I’m Null, you know. Huh? Wait, didn’t I say that before?”

What? No, I didn’t know that… It would’ve been nice if you told me earlier…

“Ah, sorry, sorry. Well, see you later then~”

She said "see you later" so casually, but… how can she talk about being Null like it’s nothing? Some of the other students looked at her with scorn in their eyes. Didn’t she notice?

As I left the classroom, I heard someone running up behind me. I stepped to the side of the hallway so I wouldn’t get in the way, and the person who had been running stopped beside me. When I looked over, I saw it was the boy who’d been sitting behind Joan and me in class. If I recall, he’s a commoner from the royal capital—his name was Riki… I think.

“Uh, umm, are you okay?”

“Eh? A-A-Am I?”

I was so surprised he spoke to me that I tensed up completely.

“Yeah. I mean, you looked kind of shocked when Joan said she was Null.”

“Th-th-thank… you…”

“But what shocked you? That she didn’t tell you?”

“N-n-no… it’s just that… even though she’s Null… she talked about it so… so casually…”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

I explained to him about the discrimination that exists against nobles with the Null attribute in aristocratic society. I told him that was why I was worried about Joan.

“Ahh, I get it now. That’s what you meant. But I think she’ll be fine.”

“Eh? Wh-Why?”

“Well, I don’t know Joan as well as you do, Belle, but… I just get the feeling she’ll be okay. I mean, I’ve got pretty good instincts. Anyway, we should get moving. What attribute do you have?”

“F-F-Fire.”

“Oh! Same as me. C’mon, let’s go.”

“Y-Yes.”

I moved to the classroom with Riki and took the lesson.

Even when I stuttered, Riki never got irritated—he waited patiently for me to finish speaking. Joan was like that too, when we first met and talked.

When the class ended, Young Master Eric came to speak with us.

“—So, both of you will be visiting the Lampail territory.”

“Really? Yay, I can’t wait!”

“I’ve still got more classes, so once I’m done, I’ll come pick you up with Gene and Young Master Noel.”

“Got it. I’ll be waiting at the dorm with Joan.”

“Zoey already knows, so you’re good.”

“Yes. See you later.”

After talking with Young Master Eric, I started walking back to the dorm when someone called out to me from behind.

“Hey, Belle. Heading back? Let’s go together.”

It was Riki again.

“Y-Yes. P-Please take care of me…”

“Ahaha, you’re way too formal. We’re classmates, and I’m a commoner, you don’t need to use honorifics or anything. Actually, I should be the one using them.”

“N-No, Riki, y-you can just stay as you are. A-Also… like Joan… you don’t need to call me with honorifics either…”

“Huh? Really? Okay then, Belle.”

“Y-Yes.”

“You can just call me Riki too. And if you get used to me, maybe you can drop the polite speech too.”

“Eh? I-I’ll… try. But, um… why?”

“Why what?”

“W-Why are you being s-so nice to me… even though I’m s-s-shy around people…”

“Oh, well, you talk just fine with Joan, right? So I figured you might be shy with others. No need to force yourself, just take your time.”

“O-Okay…”

We chatted casually—or rather, Riki talked and I mostly listened—as we walked back to the dorm. Still, he tried to include me in the conversation and, like Joan, waited patiently for me to speak.

After changing into my casual clothes, I went to Joan’s room, but she wasn’t there. I looked out a hallway window just in case and saw the terrace by the cafeteria.

“Huh? Joan?”

Down on the terrace, I saw Joan having tea with someone. As I watched, more of our classmates began gathering around her—including Riki.

“What are they doing?”

When I arrived at the terrace—

“Ah, Belle~ Want to join us for tea?”

“S-Sure…”

“Right now we’re waiting for Massan to get out of the bath. Then our charismatic hair stylist, Miu, is going to cut his hair. Spectators welcome!”

“W-Wait, Massan? Charismatic stylist? S-Sorry, I don’t really understand…”

“Ahaha, right? I said the same thing earlier,” Riki said, laughing.

Joan then explained about the Null attribute class and how she’d volunteered to cut Manuel’s hair—Massan.

While we waited for him, Miss Rebecca, Miss Samantha, and Bon all showed up and asked the same questions. Each time, Joan answered them patiently without getting annoyed or tired.

Eventually, Manuel arrived with Souya, and his first words were:

“Why are there more people now?!”

Well, I guess he expected it to just be the Null class members, so I could understand his reaction.

Once Joan’s makeshift terrace salon was finished, her older brothers, Young Master Eric, and one other—her cousin, I think—came to pick us up.

We said goodbye to our classmates and headed to the Lampail family’s royal capital estate. There, a teleportation gate connected to their main residence in the territory.

It was my first time using a teleportation gate. My heart was racing… but it looked just like a regular door. Even after stepping through, it was hard to tell if we had really teleported.

But waiting there were the ones I’d heard about—Joan’s twin younger siblings.

“Welcome home, Big Brothers, Big Sister~!”

So cute~! I want a little brother or sister this adorable too!

Hugo and Lyla greeted us—though they fumbled a little—it was too cute to care.

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