Please Don’t Die, My Lady

Chapter 19

From the first period until lunchtime, during every break, I was subjected to relentless violence.

It was primal, raw.

Not systematic, not calculated—just overflowing with unfiltered emotions, completely impervious to reason.

Here, strength was everything.

And to someone like me, who lacked even the strength for daily life, let alone resistance, strength might as well not exist.

Of course, this wasn’t anything new.

Even when Ariana was in charge, they treated me as if my will didn’t matter, tormenting me as they pleased.

Before that, back when I was part of the organization or even when Adelian was still intact, it was always the same.

At least back then, they used healing magic to keep me functional.

I’m sure there’s at least one mage among these people now, but they’re being stingy with their spells.

Oh, is this their way of expressing their great fury toward nobles?

I pinched my nose to stop the blood from pouring out and smiled.

It hurt to laugh, as if my collarbone might shatter, but the amusement was undeniable.

Because, strangely, this didn’t feel that bad.

Ever since Jean first hit me earlier today, I’d been unconsciously treating this long-overdue beating as a refreshing rain after a drought.

The sharp pain of the moment was quickly followed by the undeniable reminder that I was alive.

And, like some hormone with a long name being released, my mind cleared.

It felt almost addictive, like I’d taken a drug.

At this rate, it felt worth it.

A few hours ago, I’d found this odd sensation frightening—how the more I was beaten, the more comforted I felt.

But people are adaptable creatures, and after being exposed to pain repeatedly, I started to… enjoy it.

“Phft—cough! Koff! Koff…!”

Unable to control the floating feeling in my head, I let out a small laugh.

But then a sharp sensation rushed up from my chest, blocking my airway.

I coughed violently several times, and bright red blood splattered onto my palm.

Ah, must’ve been a broken rib piercing something again.

“…You think this is funny?”

I was still gasping for breath when I turned toward the voice above me.

Through my blood-smeared vision, I looked up from the floor to see Jean.

He was fiddling with his bloodstained knuckles, towering over me in a way that felt suffocating even while sitting down.

Of course, the blood was mine, a souvenir from when his fist had shattered my nose not long ago.

“Looks like the Duchess thinks this is all some kind of joke. But we’re dead serious.”

His expression matched the venom in his tone as he glared down at me.

Of course, it’s not a joke.

If this were a joke, then the insane one here wouldn’t be me—it’d be you.

“Get a grip, yeah?

Open your eyes properly. Speak clearly. Stop flopping around like some lifeless rag.”

I didn’t know if it was my eyeball or a blood vessel that had burst, but my vision was so red I couldn’t even open my eyes fully.

He’d been hitting me nonstop, so even if I could think straight, my brain had long given up.

And my body, bruised all over, lacked even the strength to stand.

“Didn’t I tell you to stop looking at me like that?”

Thud!

When I continued staring blankly at him, Jean smirked and kicked my head as if it were a soccer ball.

I rolled several meters, crashing into a row of desks, which collapsed in a chain reaction.

My head slammed against multiple hard surfaces, sending searing pain and a fresh wave of blood through me.

The crimson haze in my vision faded to black.

Well, I guess that’s one way to resolve things.

How efficient.

I almost wanted to applaud.

If my body’s falling apart anyway, I might as well do it all at once, right?

Even as countless thoughts raced through my mind, I lay motionless, as if dead.

There wasn’t a single part of my body that didn’t hurt.

It felt like I’d been completely shattered.

No, I probably was completely shattered.

This was nothing like last time when it was just a few ribs and an ankle.

The sheer intensity this time was in another league.

If I actually died from this, would they be able to handle the fallout?

Well, not that I’d mind.

I tried to ask, but speaking was difficult when even breathing hurt.

“Cough! Hrk…! If I die… you won’t… hic, be able to cover it up… right?”

After coughing up blood several times, I managed to choke out the words.

Jean’s eyes widened briefly before he burst into laughter.

“Oh, what’s this? Worried about me, are you? Hah! That’s hilarious.”

He laughed so hard his shoulders shook.

“Don’t worry, Duchess. Even if you die, it’s all covered.

I checked, you see. Money solves everything.”

He made a gesture with his fingers—a circle.

Ah, of course. Money.

There’s nothing money can’t do.

“Bribing the professors is easy. If we’re caught, we just pay our way out.

Worst case? We swap you out with someone else.

My family might not have much in the way of honor, but we’ve got plenty of cash.”

I had a feeling something was off.

If Adelian had even a shred of its name left, maybe.

But the family was completely stripped of its title, exiled for treason.

Killing me wouldn’t incur any serious punishment.

Ariana, you really told some ridiculous lies, didn’t you?

Why?

Why would someone like you, who couldn’t care less whether I lived or died, go out of your way to interfere?

There were plenty of better excuses if you just wanted an excuse to meddle.

“Got all worked up over nothing. Scared me for no reason with those empty threats.

If her family wasn’t a Count’s, we could’ve handled her too.

But whatever. The process doesn’t matter, right? Only the result does.”

Well, he’s not wrong.

I stopped thinking and simply waited for the next blow.

Getting beaten to death didn’t sound so bad at this point.

Jean’s gang, grinning from ear to ear, started closing in on me.

I shut my eyes.

But the pain didn’t come.

Seconds passed, and still nothing.

I wondered if I’d lost my sense of touch, so I cracked an eye open.

Jean was still standing there, but his gaze wasn’t on me anymore.

“It seems you couldn’t wait even a single week, could you?”

A calm, deliberate voice came from where his gaze was fixed.

Turning my head with great effort, I saw Ariana leaning casually against the classroom door.

Too late.

And yet, too soon.

Jean’s voice wavered slightly as he responded, betraying his unease.

He must’ve been rattled, especially after badmouthing her so openly just moments ago.

“…Beating her a little isn’t a big deal, right?

As long as she doesn’t die, you won’t…”

“Ah, yes. As long as she doesn’t die, I don’t really care.”

Ariana’s voice was dismissive as she strolled into the room, her finger slowly pointing at the group.

A moment later, they were engulfed in crackling blue sparks.

Screams, the stench of burning, and the sound of bodies collapsing filled the room.

Jean, at the forefront, shrieked as he yelled at her.

“Y-You said it was fine! Why are you doing this?!”

Ariana’s gaze was ice-cold as she replied.

“That’s secondary.

I’m upset you didn’t even bother to listen to me.

I guess you thought I was all talk, huh?”

“That’s what happens when you go too easy!

Telling us not to lay a finger on her for a whole week? That’s asking too much!”

Jean lashed out in frustration, his voice rising.

Ariana gave a small flick of her finger in response, and a streak of blue light silenced him with a sizzling sound.

She crossed her arms, her tone dripping with irritation.

The clingy, complicated emotions she’d been radiating lately were unmistakable.

“Do you think I want to deal with the Duchess like this?

If I could’ve ended this, I would’ve done it already. I’m doing this because things aren’t going my way.”

Her gaze turned to me.

I couldn’t react—my body was barely holding on—but I could clearly read the emotions in her eyes.

Jealousy.

Seriously?

How absurd.

What could I possibly have that you lack?

“To begin with, all of this happened because he told me to keep her alive, and you started the violence.”

Her words, muttered almost to herself, made my head spin.

He?

What’s that supposed to mean?

It sounded as if someone else was behind this.

Then again, maybe it wasn’t so surprising.

The timing of everything—being let go by the organization and Ariana’s overly zealous interest in me—had always felt suspiciously deliberate.

I’d suspected there was some connection, but if that were true…

No.

This wasn’t supposed to happen.

If this is true, then the foundation of everything falls apart.

Because I’m still—

“I don’t care.

An uncontrollable dog has no place here.”

Ariana broke off her grumbling and turned her attention to the others sprawled across the floor.

“From now on, don’t even think about approaching the Duchess.

I won’t tolerate you lowering my standing any further.”

“You think we’re just going to sit back and take that?” one of the remaining leaders, a woman, snapped.

“And what will you do if you don’t?” Ariana replied coldly.

“It’d be wise to stop pretending that a little bit of money makes you something special.

Unlike other nobles, I don’t care. I could kill any one of you commoners here at the academy without hesitation.”

At that, the woman clamped her mouth shut.

Ariana’s casual, detached threat hung in the air, silencing everyone.

Satisfied with the quiet, she turned and walked toward me.

Without a word, she cast healing magic over my battered body.

Then, without waiting for a response, she grabbed my wrist and pulled me to my feet.

Even with the external wounds healed, broken bones took time to mend.

Standing up in my state was excruciating—every muscle and joint screamed in agony.

“…Ah.”

“Let’s go.”

Ignoring my groan of pain, Ariana roughly tugged me along.

Her pace was too fast for me to keep up, especially in my weakened condition.

The grip on my wrist was painfully tight, cutting off circulation to the point of numbness.

There was no regard for my comfort or well-being in her movements.

I felt as though I might collapse at any moment, ready to be dragged behind her like dead weight.

We left the classroom in this precarious state.