Marie was unable to answer and merely nodded her head.

This was a strictly hierarchical society. How could one step up to help at merely just this?

This was my answer to Marie’s question.

At the sight of Marie’s mood dropping even further, I couldn’t help but raise the corners of my mouth. And I muttered in a low voice.

“Well, that’s true in most situations. However, it’s alright to have exceptions to the case.”

“What?”

It was the second that Marie looked at me oddly.

I, who had been walking for quite a while, turned around.

‘I didn’t laboriously establish the Academy just to see those little ones who’ve just been born use their status to threaten others.’

And I kicked a small rock the size of the end of my pinky.

Whish!

The small rock flew in a straight line and rammed into the back of the aristocratic girl’s head.

Bang!

“Ack!”

A refreshing sound resounded through the campus.

Though it looked like a simple kick, it was filled with the power of the swordsmanship household that dominated the east.

Even if it was just a small rock, it must have hurt quite a bit.

The aristocratic girl shouted angrily and looked around.

“Who! You dare!”

I raised my hand and shook it blankly.

“Oh. It was me.”

“……!”

“I didn’t do it on purpose. So why did you stand there? Anyways, sorry. Did it hurt?”

I said indifferently.

No matter who heard it, it was an insincere apology, and the aristocratic girl’s face flushed.

But she had recognized me, so she was unable to scold me, let alone shout at me in anger.

“…Please be careful next time, Your Highness. It’s dangerous.”

“Sure, I’ll do that.”

As I nodded my head, I looked at her blankly.

“But you’re not going to greet me?”

“Yes? What?”

“I’m asking if you’re not going to properly greet me. Don’t you know who I am?”

There was very little chance that she didn’t know me. Because the silver hair and red eyes were no different from Rubia’s trademark.

At my criticism, the aristocratic girl became flustered.

“I greet Her Highness, Princess Rubia. I am Earl Peletier’s daughter, Meyna.”

She bent her knee slightly and bowed her head.

It was the mannerisms that lower-class aristocrats used with upper-class aristocrats.

However, I tilted my head and said.

“Doesn’t it seem like the angle of your knee is too wide? Your shoulders are also tilted slightly to the left. Why is your right hand resting on your hip? Is it also on purpose for you to bow your head before you bend your waist? Or, perhaps a new style of mannerisms?”

At my criticism of her mannerisms, Meyna, the aristocratic girl’s face grew pale. It seemed she was growing angry in embarrassment.

However, she couldn’t retaliate in any way. They were all precise criticisms that didn’t hold even a hint of falsehood in them.

“I, I apologize.”

“I’ll teach you to do it again.”

“What?”

“Do it again. Oh, don’t misunderstand. It seemed you weren’t properly taught at your household and I’m worried you’ll make a mistake elsewhere, so I’m teaching you. It’s okay for you to feel thankful.”

In my words, the sound of the people in the nearby area swallowing their chuckles could be heard.

The aristocratic girl gripped her fist tightly and trembled.

And unluckily for her, she had to repeat her curtsy many times.

“Didn’t I tell you to lower your neck further? Oh my, you can’t lower it that fast! The core of the West Empire’s mannerisms is elegance and grace in moderation. Again! Like a butterfly! At the same time like a bee!”

I sincerely taught her how to curtsy properly.

There was perhaps no one else within Renault Academy who knew the traditional polite mannerisms. In a long, long past, I had even taught the Royal Family.

Since I had made up my mind to teach her, there were numerous details to correct endlessly.

A good while later, I clapped my hands.

“That’s right, it’s great! Now your mannerisms are not lacking even in comparison to the royal mannerisms.”

“T, thank you.”

The aristocratic girl looked at me blankly and nodded.