What Happened When I Gave Everything to the Girl Who Sold Herself as a Prostitute After Losing It All - Chapter 8.2

Chapter 8.2

Small nods appeared here and there in the auditorium.

I get it.

In noble society, this was strong as a realistic argument.

Then it became Fine’s turn.

The auditorium grew quiet again.

Just a tiny bit.

I could see her take a breath, really just a tiny bit.

“I believe the question itself of background or talent needs a small addition.”

Her first words carried surprisingly well.

Not flashy.

But a voice that made people listen.

“Background certainly contributes to initial trust.”

The murmuring settled a little.

“It is a fact that those born into prominent families and educated early have an advantage. I will not deny that.”

Several faces looked impressed.

She didn’t deny it head-on.

That was clever.

“Similarly, talent contributes to practical ability. Knowledge, judgment, negotiation, magic, paperwork. All of them are necessary for a close aide.”

“Then,”

Benno cut in immediately.

“In the end, is the ordinary conclusion that both background and talent are needed?”

“No.”

Fine shook her head.

“Simply listing necessary conditions is not enough.”

The auditorium quieted.

Oh, she grabbed them.

“What a close aide needs most is the judgment to continuously balance three things: the ruler’s interests, the nation’s order, and on-site reality.”

She paused there for a moment.

“Background is not a guarantee of that judgment.”

The air stirred.

“Talent is also not a guarantee.”

Here it comes.

This is it.

“A high family status gives the opportunity for responsibility education. However, those who received responsibility education do not always make correct judgments.”

“…”

“Outstanding talent gives the power to produce results. However, those who can produce results are not always loyal.”

Benno’s eyes narrowed.

Mireille thinned her smile.

It was landing.

“Therefore, simplifying the selection of a ruler’s close aide into the binary choice of background or talent is dangerous.”

“Dangerous, you say?”

Mireille asked.

“Because it leads to misjudgment.”

Fine answered calmly.

“If you overtrust background, you overlook incompetence or laziness. If you overtrust talent, you invite disregard for order or deviation.”

“Then what should we look at?”

“On what basis that person makes their judgments.”

Good.

Clean.

And she properly brought it back to her own point.

“Someone who only looks at the lord’s interests might harm the nation. Someone who only looks at the nation might betray the lord. Someone who only looks at order might reject necessary change.”

“…”

“Therefore, a close aide needs the strength to keep choosing the best move — not the perfect solution — while holding multiple values at the same time.”

The auditorium started listening seriously this time.

The half-spectator mood from earlier shifted a little.

Benno countered right away.

“That’s idealism.”

“Is it?”

“Judgment cannot be seen. Background and track record are at least visible indicators. In real governance, shouldn’t we value what can be measured over what cannot?”

“That is exactly why observation is necessary.”

Fine didn’t back down an inch.

“If we place people based only on measurable cards, then the ability to see through people becomes unnecessary.”

“…”

“But in reality, the ruler must see through people.”

“That is the ruler’s role, is it not?”

“Yes. That is exactly why a close aide also needs the same level of judgment.”

Nice.

It was close to saying that a close aide should be a miniature of the ruler.

She connected it naturally without stating it outright.

Then Mireille slipped in with a soft voice.

“Then let me ask. If we place the highest value on judgment, where is that judgment cultivated?”

“The influence of environment is large.”

“Yes. In other words, a good environment — education, etiquette, responsibility, interaction with others. Doesn’t background, which allows one to obtain such things early, still hold meaning?”

…Clever.

She brought the discussion back while staying elegant.

This side was tougher.

But Fine didn’t rush at all.

“It does hold meaning.”

“Then—”

“However, it is an advantage, not an absolute.”

The mood in the auditorium shifted again.

“It is a fact that upbringing shapes a person. However, no one is completed by upbringing alone.”

“…”

“What is needed in the field of governance is not the shipment of a finished product, but someone who can keep changing.”

Whoa.

I actually like that phrasing.

“There will be situations where background works as an advantage. But whether that advantage can be maintained depends on the person themselves.”

“Then you,”

Benno said.

“Are you saying you stand on the side that depends on the person themselves?”

The auditorium stirred a little.

Here it comes. The real topic.

He shifted from general discussion to Fine personally.

“Yes.”

Fine answered immediately.

“I am at a disadvantage in terms of background.”

The stirring happened again.

But she didn’t stop.

“I also lack achievements inside the academy.”

“…”

“However, I have no intention of fixing myself low because of that.”

She stated it clearly.

Nice.

Really nice.

“I choose to focus on what I can build from now on, rather than counting what I wasn’t given.”

“Isn’t that just pretty words?”

“It is reality.”

Fine’s voice stayed quiet.

Yet it somehow hit hard.

“Those who have nothing can only build up.”

“…”

“Can those who have everything skip building?”

“That is not—”

“It should not be.”

Before Benno could continue, Fine went on.

“Then what we should ask is not what someone had at the beginning, but what they build, what they protect, and what they continue to choose.”

Oh.

She returned it.

And cleanly too.

A short silence.

The one who broke it was not the host, but Serena.

“Your Highness Leonhardt.”

The student council president’s voice rang through the auditorium.

“May I ask you one thing?”

Here it comes.

I stayed deep in my chair and only raised my gaze.

“Depends on the content.”

“When Your Highness places a close aide, what do you value most?”

All eyes in the auditorium gathered at once.

Ugh, nasty feeling.

But it was the promised line.

I glanced once at Fine on the stage.

She said nothing.

She was just looking at me.

“I…”

I kept it short.

“Place people based on results.”

The auditorium fell silent.

I continued.

“However, not just short-term results.”

“…”

“It’s about what they can continue to protect and achieve.”

Good.

That’s enough.

Anything more would be talking too much.

Serena watched me for a few seconds, then nodded quietly.

“Thank you.”

Then she turned her gaze back to Fine.

“How do you take those words?”

“As a strict evaluation.”

Fine answered.

“At the same time, it is also a fair evaluation.”

“Fair?”

“Yes.”

Fine stood straight on the stage and said,

“Background does not fill the unfairness of opportunity.”

“…”

“Talent does not fill the unfairness of responsibility.”

“…”

“But results, at least in that moment, are asked of everyone equally.”

The mood in the auditorium changed.

This was probably…

a pretty big change.

“That is why I will show it with results.”

“Show what?”

Serena asked.

Fine answered.

“Whether I am worthy of standing beside His Highness.”

Murmurs rose.

But this time the murmurs weren’t half for fun.

At least not as much as at the beginning.

At the end, Fine softened her voice just a little.

“I have no intention of belittling background. I have no intention of overtrusting talent either.”

“…”

“I simply cannot agree with deciding a person by a single card.”

“Why?”

“Because people are a little more complicated than that.”

Somewhere in the auditorium, a small laugh slipped out.

Not bad.

The tense air loosened just right.

The host announced the end of the debate.

The evaluation would not be immediate but announced later after discussion between the student council and teachers.

So very academy-like.

Painful until the very end.

But the moment Fine stepped down from the stage, I thought,

She won.

“How was it?”

When I asked,

“I was nervous.”

Fine answered in her usual voice.

“But partway through, it started to become a little fun.”

“Thought so.”

“You can tell?”

“Your eyes were sparkling midway.”

“…That’s a little embarrassing.”

“Really? It suited you.”

“Thank you.”

Right then, several students around us turned their gazes our way.

They didn’t come talk openly.

But it was different from before.

Not appraisal, not just curiosity.

It was a gaze one step closer — a gaze of recognition.

Ah, I see.

So this is what it means to cross the stage.

“Fine.”

“Yes.”

“That was at least a first step in your proof, wasn’t it?”

“Was it?”

“It was.”

“Then I’m glad.”

Just as she said that, the crowd quietly parted.

Serena was walking toward us.

“Good work.”

The student council president stopped in front of Fine.

“It was splendid.”

“Thank you.”

“At least I now know you are not someone who relies on words alone.”

“I am honored.”

“Yes. I will revise my view.”

There, Serena softened the corners of her mouth just a little.

“Welcome to the Empire Academy.”

“…Thank you.”

When Fine replied, the air around us shifted again.

The student council president had publicly acknowledged her.

In this academy, that was quite big.

Serena turned to me.

“Your Highness.”

“What?”

“It was the right choice not to be absent this time.”

“You always have a thorn in everything you say.”

“It’s an evaluation.”

“The student council sure has a lot of convenient words.”

Serena gave a small laugh, then returned her gaze to Fine.

“However,”

“Yes.”

“Welcome and letting your guard down are different things.”

“I understand.”

“The academy demands the next step even from those it has once acknowledged.”

“I welcome that.”

“…You really are somewhat suited for the academy, aren’t you?”

“Should I take that as a compliment?”

“Yes, probably.”

Rare.

This woman actually said “probably.”

After Serena left, I looked around the auditorium.

There were still many people.

But the air was different now.

“It was a pain.”

“Yes.”

“But not bad.”

“Yes.”

“You think so too?”

“Yes.”

Fine nodded quietly.

“Because Your Highness was here.”

“There you go again.”

“Because it’s important.”

“Heavy.”

“I know.”

She just owns it.

But that “I know” was strangely funny.

I smiled just a little.

“Alright.”

“Yes.”

“As a reward for working hard, want to grab something sweet on the way back?”

“The reward is very everyday.”

“Because everyday life is important.”

“You said that before too.”

“You remember well.”

“Of course.”

Of course, huh.

Scary.

“However,”

Fine said, thinking for a moment.

“Before that, could we summarize the reflection points from the debate?”

“Right now!?”

“While it’s still fresh.”

“You really are serious.”

“Because it’s part of proving I can stand beside Your Highness.”

“You only sound cool at times like this.”

“I’m always like this.”

“Normally it’s heavy.”

We started walking toward the exit of the auditorium.

On the way, several students quietly made way.

The way they made way was different from before.

Not just for the prince or the unusual transfer student.

It was the way you make way for one human being.

At least a little, after seeing her that way.

Fine seemed to notice it too.

Her side profile didn’t change.

But her breathing became just a tiny bit softer.

“Hey.”

“Yes.”

“Are you happy?”

“A little.”

“I see.”

“But it’s still not enough.”

“Thought so.”

“Yes.”

Fine kept looking straight ahead.

“I still can’t puff out my chest and say I’m standing beside Your Highness.”

“You’re strict with yourself.”

“Because it’s necessary.”

“But you were pretty good today.”

“Thank you.”

“I’m praising you.”

“I know.”

That reply has really increased lately.

When we opened the auditorium doors, the evening light poured in.

The white stone pavement looked awfully bright.

The wind was a little cold.

“…But well,”

I muttered.

“I feel like we’re already about halfway there.”

“Halfway.”

“To my side.”

“…”

Fine stopped walking.

It was rare.

Her eyes wavered just a tiny bit.

“Your Highness.”

“What?”

“Please don’t say things like that so suddenly.”

“Why?”

“It’s bad for my heart.”

“So you have that kind of weakness too.”

“I do.”

“I didn’t know.”

“I just learned it now too.”

The way she said it was strangely honest.

I almost laughed.

“Then we’re even.”

“What do you mean?”

“You also sometimes make my heart feel bad.”

“…I’m honored.”

“You should apologize there.”

“That’s difficult.”

“Thought so.”

We walked through the academy at dusk, just the two of us.

A little more naturally than before.

A little closer than before.

Three days ago she had been just a transfer student.

Today, at least the academy had properly remembered the name Fine.

And surely this wasn’t the end.

It was only the beginning.

Now that the student council president had acknowledged her, even more troublesome people would show up next.

Noble factions.

People around my older brother.

The teaching staff.

Or maybe the court itself.

What a pain.

Really a huge pain.

But the girl walking beside me was no longer hesitating.

With her gray-silver hair catching the evening light, she looked straight ahead with a quiet face.

That side profile fit the academy much more than three days ago.

And yet, it still wasn’t dyed by anything.

She would probably keep proving it from now on.

No matter how many times.

No matter how many opponents.

All the way to the place where she decided to stand beside me.

—So yeah.

Maybe it’s okay to have a little expectation.

It’s a pain.

An incredibly huge pain.

But maybe this is exactly what I wanted.