Chapter 4: Indifference = Okay.

A few minutes’ walk from the classroom leads them to a secluded corner of the courtyard.
The academy, vast and grand for its number of students, makes finding a quiet spot effortless.
The courtyard, with its beautifully maintained fountains and flowerbeds, resembles a park or the extravagant estate of a noble rather than a school for students.
Voices carried by the breeze from afar are audible but indistinct, meaning their conversation won’t be overheard either.

“This spot should be fine.”

“Sorry, I…”

“It’s alright. You were worried about me, weren’t you?”

“…Yeah.”

His dejected, slumping figure is exactly why she can’t help but dote on him like a younger brother, despite his growth.
His large frame somehow appears smaller—an optical illusion, perhaps.
Yuran’s actions stem from an overflow of care for her.
While she might chide his approach, she has no intention of faulting his intentions.

“To get to the point, the rumors you heard are probably true. I don’t know the details, but… I have a new mother and a younger sister.”

“So… the transfer student is your sister?”

“Yes.”

“I see.”

The bitter expression on Yuran’s face reveals the words stuck in his throat, things he wants to say but can’t.
Yuran likely understands the death of Violette’s mother better than her own father does.
Having been closer to Violette than anyone during her time with her mother, he witnessed their warped relationship from a unique perspective—neither family nor mere friend.
He must realize her current situation is far from ideal.
To sense the subtle shifts in Violette’s heart, unnoticed even by her father, is the privilege of a childhood friend.
But at the end of the day, it’s someone else’s family matter, and Yuran has no right to interfere.
A mistress and a remarriage are legally unproblematic.
His only concern is that all of this is moving forward without Violette, prompting him to visit her classroom.
Yet even Yuran, who knows her so well, doesn’t know everything.

“Thank you for worrying about me, Yuran.”

With a gentle smile, she takes the hand of Yuran, who seems far more hurt than she is.
It’s been a while since he outgrew her in height, and his hand is now too large for both of hers to fully encircle.

“I’m fine. The rumors aren’t baseless, and my half-sister is probably having a harder time as the main person involved.”

The remarriage into the Varhan family is recent, yet her half-sister is only a year younger than Violette—a fact that invites obvious speculation, most of it likely true.
The current treatment of Violette as a delicate subject isn’t pleasant, but it’s mostly pity and will fade if she ignores it.
If anyone faces real consequences from these rumors, it’s Maryjune, not Violette.
Students may have the intellect to grasp adult matters but lack the maturity to accept them.
Adolescence is a strange and complex phase.
While Violette feels some pity for Maryjune, she has no intention of stepping in to help or asking Yuran, her classmate, to do so.
For Violette, everything about these rumors is a rerun of things she long ago gave up on.
Objectively, she might be involved, but to her, it’s entirely someone else’s affair.

“I see…”

For Yuran, who was worried Violette was hurting, her smile brings relief.
She doesn’t seem to be forcing it, and indeed, Violette genuinely feels detached from the situation.
He knows he should accept this, be glad his concerns were unfounded.

Yet he also senses something off.
The Violette he knows is… different somehow.

His intuition is correct in a way, but he could never imagine that the childhood friend before him has been imprisoned once before.
Rewinding time is an act even gods shouldn’t be capable of—an impossibility by all rights.

“As long as you’re okay, Vio-chan, I’m good.”

No matter how much he ponders, he can’t pinpoint the source of his unease.
Perhaps he decides it’s futile to dwell on it, or maybe it’s enough that Violette is alright—likely both.
His relieved expression prompts Violette to mirror his gentle smile.
She doesn’t want to burden her kind childhood friend.

“Let’s head back. We shouldn’t keep the carriage waiting too long.”

“Oh… sorry, I took up your time. I hope they’re not worried.”

“Heh, shall we apologize together?”

“Yeah!”

It’s only been about twenty minutes, but they’d usually be in the carriage leaving the academy by now.
Since students rarely rely on others for tasks, unexpected after-school matters are uncommon.
Twenty minutes may seem trivial, but for a driver entrusted with noble children, it’s enough to cause some anxiety.
If this were a planned meeting, being twenty minutes late would warrant accepting complaints gracefully.
It’s not a formal arrangement, and a driver wouldn’t dare complain to their employer, but an apology feels right.
In the end, neither Violette nor Yuran is scolded or even reproached.
For some reason, though, Violette finds herself fussed over excessively.
On the way home, she’s questioned about her day at the academy, asked repeatedly if anything was difficult.
With nothing specific to report, she eventually resorts to vague “I’m fine” responses.
All the while, she’s thinking about arranging to have dinner brought to her room as soon as she gets home.