A Butterfly Through the Mist - Chapter 2

“I know you don’t accept things like this… but just in case…”

Tilia, staring at her small summary notes, turned her head towards the voice coming from beyond the corner of the wall. The landing on the fourth floor of the culture building was a place rarely frequented by people. Standing there, in the cold air typical of a stone building, were a young woman with a youthful face and a man with his back turned.

Tilia observed the woman, who didn’t appear to be more than a freshman, and then shifted her gaze to the side. The man’s blond hair shone brightly in the foggy light filtering through the north-facing window.

“I-I put the key in the letter!”

Another one of those common confessions.

Thinking she had picked the wrong place to study, she was about to turn around when the girl’s desperate voice echoed again.

“It’s the key to my dorm room. I figured even if you’re not interested in my confession, you might like that…”

What was it about that man that made her go this far? Tilia tilted her head slightly, curious to confirm the man’s face.

As expected.

The moment she saw his well-known face, Tilia thought as much without even realizing it.

The man was none other than Ilex Davenport, someone she knew very well. The second son of the famous Davenport family.

Well, of course, he’d take the key. He is, after all, the Academy’s infamous playboy.

With a wry smile, Tilia turned and walked away, leaving the stairs behind.

“I’m telling you, Tilia Ambrose is perfect for it.”

She hadn’t even made it down to the second floor, where the lecture halls were, when her own name halted her steps.

Is today the day for overhearing things?

With an expressionless face, Tilia looked at the group huddled in front of the men’s restroom, whispering. Once again, she already knew the faces involved. These were people who had managed to enter the Academy by luck but had failed to pass their graduation exams and were now stuck in a limbo of academic extension.

“I’m telling you, she’s the one. You could take her and just have your way with her without any consequences.”

The moment Tilia stepped forward, intent on spitting in Gregory Myers’ face for passionately explaining how easy she was to sleep with—

“Look who’s here! Isn’t this the young lord who just got confessed to again?”

Myers cheerfully greeted Ilex, who appeared to have come down from the opposite staircase.

“Man, how many times has it been now? Did she give you a key again, huh?”

Moments ago, Gregory Myers had strutted around like the leader of the pack, but now he wagged his tail like a dog who had just found its master, running up to Ilex with enthusiasm.

“Life’s so unfair. Girls just throw themselves at you, while I have to spend money… Oh!”

Tilia, who had stopped in her tracks, watched as Ilex Davenport lazily tossed a red box at the fawning Myers. It was the very same box the freshman girl had shyly handed to him earlier.

“Is this for me?”

Seeing Gregory’s face light up in delight from the unexpected gift, Tilia couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.

Of course. Men are always beyond her expectations. She had thought that while they might disregard feelings, they would at least appreciate the physical side. But to pass it around like that? What a bunch of trash, eager to turn into even filthier dogs.

Her laugh must have been louder than she thought because the group of men, who had been joking around in front of the restroom, all turned to look in her direction.

“Oh… uh, Tilia…”

Gregory Myers’ face instantly paled, likely recalling what he had just said.

“Hello, Gregory Myers.”

“H-hello, Tilia…”

“But Gregory.”

As if the polite greeting had reassured him that she hadn’t overheard the previous conversation, Gregory’s face relaxed, only for Tilia to speak again in a gentle tone.

“I would never sleep with you.”

“…What?”

“Even if I slept with every man in the world, I would never sleep with you.”

Tilia smiled sweetly at Gregory Myers, whose face had now turned a deep shade of red.

“I’d rather dig through a trash can than sleep with a toilet.”

Leaving Gregory, who now looked like an enraged toad, behind, Tilia walked down the hallway. As she passed by Ilex Davenport’s impassive face, she thought she might have caught him glancing her way, but it was probably just her imagination. Tilia never looked back at the garbage again.

***

In front of the white lecture hall building, where compulsory cultural studies took place, stood a bronze fountain depicting three men holding up a giant globe together. Encircled by round cypress trees, the fountain gave way to an avenue lined with ancient bald cypress trees.

Walking along the long path leading to the central library, Tilia turned her head at the sudden noise coming from the grand sports field, where sunlight poured mercilessly through the tall tree trunks.

Two men were engaged in a duel.

“That’s Ilex Davenport.”

Judy Wells, who was walking beside her, pushed up her thick glasses and started to chatter.

“Let’s see… Hmm, he’s pretty good. He moves as if he’s being lazy, but his fundamentals are solid. He swings his sword with no wasted movements.”

Judy, the youngest daughter of the Wells family, which had produced many outstanding knights, continued her commentary without pause.

“Who’s his opponent? From that build, it must be…”

“You’ve got too much time on your hands. Exams are coming up soon.”

Unlike Judy, who was standing on tiptoe to get a better view, Tilia’s face showed little interest.

“There are plenty of seats in the library, now that everyone’s out here spectating.”

“You’re always so indifferent to this kind of thing,” Judy laughed, turning her head toward Tilia. “But you can’t deny he’s handsome, right?”

Tilia, her raven-black hair framing sharp green eyes, quickened her steps without answering.

“Come on, you have to admit it. Ilex Davenport is definitely attractive.”

Judy continued to prattle as she hurried to catch up with her friend.

“That face is anything but ordinary. Plus, he’s top of his class and comes from a great family. Ah, but I guess the problem is that he knows it too well.”

She leaned in as if sharing a secret. “Ilex Davenport pulled another girl into his dorm yesterday. What was her name again? She’s a new student, I think.”

Well, I suppose that freshman was confident enough to give herself to him.

Without even attempting to hide her scorn, Tilia replied dryly, “Seems like he’s got plenty of energy. Must be exhausting.”

“Exactly! While some of us are struggling to avoid failing our exams, Davenport is busy every day with girls and swordsmanship…”

Judy sighed as Tilia, unmoved by either the praise or the gossip, continued walking by her side with a detached expression.

“…Seriously.”

But the next words held a hint of emotion.

“The world really is unfair, isn’t it?”

The Academy’s infamous trash. Tilia muttered the well-known moniker as her gaze fell on the man in question—none other than Ilex Davenport, the second son of the Davenport family, who was second to none in wealth and fame in the kingdom.

His bright blond hair gleamed even in the dusty grand sports field, and his well-built, balanced body moved lightly, as if mocking his opponent. His appearance, far superior to the average men surrounding him, sparkled brilliantly against the pristine white of his practice uniform.

Despite that, Tilia raised one corner of her lips, a frown forming on her face.

What’s the point of being skilled with a sword at the Royal Academy?

For noblemen who wouldn’t even become knights, swordsmanship duels were meaningless. But instinct often chose passion over reason. Behind the fast-moving Ilex stood a flock of female students, pretending not to watch him, yet unable to take their eyes off him, like a crowd of sparrows.

They just know, don’t they? What catches attention.

Tilia looked at the admired man with a cynical gaze. Ilex Davenport acted as if he didn’t care about the attention on him, but that couldn’t be true. If he didn’t want to be noticed, he wouldn’t be dueling in the grand sports field. After all, there were plenty of private practice areas to choose from.

Perhaps he was collecting keys this way.

As her cynical thoughts continued, Tilia inwardly cursed him.

Lose.

Lose miserably, and don’t win anything—not the keys, not your grades, nothing.

Tilia knew exactly why she had such a particular disdain for Ilex among all the Academy’s trash. She understood it well. Beneath her scorn for a shallow playboy lay a deep-rooted sense of inferiority toward him.

Tilia Ambrose despised Ilex Davenport.

It wasn’t just because of the rumors or the key incident she had witnessed. No, it started long before that—from the moment she looked up at him during the entrance ceremony. Ever since that day, she had disliked him.

He was like the embodiment of the world’s unfairness. A man who could easily, effortlessly take all the things she desperately wanted.

She knew that the jealousy and sense of defeat she felt toward him were ugly. But in this world, there are certain grudges you can’t help but hold, even when you know they’re wrong.

If only he could get hurt. Break a leg, or something.

Just as Tilia was fervently wishing for that, Ilex, who had easily cornered his opponent, turned his head toward her, as if sensing her thoughts.

In the midst of the loud cheering, their eyes met.