I've Tried Going Back to Life After Dying - Chapter 18

Once a week, there was a common quiz for each grade level.

Every Friday, without distinction between the Knight, Lady, or Estate Management courses, all students took the same small test. But recently, a subtle change had begun to appear.

Hildegard’s class was performing slightly better.

“Slightly” was the operative word. They weren’t overwhelmingly ahead, but they were definitely a nose or two above the rest.

Hildegard’s general studies track had three classes, and even compared to the other two classes taking the same lessons, hers was just a little bit better.

If one had to force a reason for it, it was probably the “nodding power.”

Hildegard’s “nodding” had spread.

Calling it an epidemic might be a bit harsh.

Let me rephrase that. More accurately, Hildegard’s “nodding” had propagated.

At first, it spread to the students sitting in front, behind, and beside her.

When they focused on the teacher’s words, they would unconsciously nod along—”Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.”

Soon, like ripples pushing and pulling in waves, it quietly but surely spread throughout the entire class.

By now, nodding along to the teacher’s words during class was completely normal, and murmuring “Indeed, indeed” when convinced had also become commonplace.

Everyone was more engaged in class because of it.

But while this was the norm in Hildegard’s class, from the outside, the others probably wondered what on earth was going on in there.

At first, Hildegard had been kept at a distance, given the rather unflattering nickname “Nodding Young Lady.” But now, since the entire class had become nodding companions, they could collectively be called the “Nodding Clan.”

In any case, whether nodding or murmuring, focusing in class was a good thing, and as a result, their grades had improved just a little. That was the general consensus.

Thanks to Hildegard’s return from death, she had contributed even slightly to the real world. The class’s grades had risen just a bit.

The leadership skills she had cultivated in the marquis’s household had finally found a place to shine, and Hildegard was happy about that.

“Atrey.”

“Can’t you just call me normally?”

“Fufu, I was just feeling a little giddy.”

After glancing at the grades posted in the hallway, Hildegard was about to return to the classroom when she spotted Atrey. Having finally grown accustomed to her rejuvenated body, she trotted over to his side with light, quick steps.

“Did you see? This week’s top scorer was our class president again.”

The class president was the eldest son of a certain viscount’s family. A scion of a long line of distinguished civil officials, and now Hildegard’s ace in the hole.

“Are you really that happy about someone else’s success?”

“Atrey. You’re surprisingly petty, you know? Thinking that others’ misfortunes taste like honey is truly lamentable. If you can’t even celebrate others’ happiness, you’ll never reach greater heights.”

“Sometimes, you say the weirdest, most high-minded things.”

“Excuse me?”

Always ready for a fight, Hildegard glared up at Atrey with a look that said, You wanna go?

“My bad. Don’t look at me like that.”

Atrey surrendered in an instant.

He seemed to have noticed that the aura Hildegard gave off was somehow different from before. But for now, he played along without bringing it up.

As they walked side by side down the hallway back to the classroom, Atrey muttered under his breath.

“Father’s worried about you.”

“Uncle is?”

“You always sacrifice yourself first.”

“That’s not true.”

“If you think so, then you’re the only one who doesn’t realize it.”

“What do you mean?”

Atrey glanced down at her briefly before looking ahead again.

“Lauren wants you to be happy just as much as you want him to be happy.”

“So, Atrey. What are you trying to say?”

“You’ve been turning down marriage proposals, haven’t you?”

Hildegard couldn’t answer. Saying anything felt like it would drag Atrey into something.

“Is there someone you love? Is that why you’re refusing them all because you don’t want to marry anyone else?”

“It’s not like that, Atrey.”

He had misunderstood. It wasn’t about that.

“I just want to stay by Lauren’s side. I want to spend every day with him.”

She didn’t say until the end.

“Don’t you think Lauren would find that burdensome?”

“Huh?”

“Wouldn’t he?”

Normally, Atrey would back off first, but today, he didn’t.

“Lauren is smart. He’s still a child, but he sees the world clearly. I don’t know how someone bedridden all day can have such a broad perspective, but I can say this much.”

“…What is it?”

Keeping her steps steady despite the urge to stop, Hildegard asked.

“Lauren is living his life to the fullest in the world he’s in. So, he must want the same for you. He doesn’t resent you being by his side, it’s the opposite.”

“The opposite?”

“Because you’re always there, he can probably see right through you.”

Hildegard couldn’t help but stop in her tracks. If Lauren had realized what she was thinking that she intended to remain single and inherit the earldom alone in the future.

“That child knows… his own lifespan—”

“I told you, he’s smart. Pretending not to know is child’s play for him. He’s counting down his remaining time and living each day to the fullest.”

Unable to speak, Hildegard looked up at Atrey.

“Your mouth’s hanging open. You should close it.”

Even in a moment like this, Atrey ended the conversation with an utterly off-the-mark remark.