Chapter 32 – Frank Words
“Miss Irene, you seem to place such importance on the symbol of a surname. Could it be because, in your entire life, that surname is all you’ve got?”
“Why not just go by Cardifen then? After all, the given name is clearly optional.”
Teresa’s smile bloomed like a flower, her tone light as though she were merely exchanging pleasantries—yet the words made Irene’s expression slowly freeze.
The classmates nearby, having overheard Teresa’s remark, were stunned. They stared at Teresa’s serene and smiling face in disbelief.
Backed into a corner, Teresa had struck back with a single, explosive line—turning the tables in an instant. Now it was Irene who, under the gaze of everyone, was left speechless and unable to save face.
Some students were stunned by Teresa’s bluntness. Others were gleefully enjoying the drama, and still more looked on with schadenfreude.
Those who knew Irene a little better understood—there was no way the proud second daughter of the Cardifen family would let a Wild Divine Princess’s provocation slide.
“Class is over for the morning. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be taking my leave.” Teresa calmly packed her notebook and stood to leave.
When it came to people deliberately picking fights, Teresa would respond with minimal courtesy—just enough to stay civil, no more.
To be honest, Irene’s remarks were aggressive, but only in the context of Divine Princesses.
These pampered noble daughters had never even heard a curse word in their lives, let alone uttered one. As Teresa would put it: “Their vocabulary is so underdeveloped their insults barely tickle.”
Seriously, in her previous life, she’d been a proud member of the SunBar forums, even an elite Level-12 user in the Anti forums. All these flowery backhanded insults were weak sauce—they couldn’t even scratch her.
If this body weren’t so restrained and incapable of foul language, she could’ve torn through Irene’s ancestors three generations deep with words alone.
Besides, Teresa wasn’t a born Wild Divine Princess. The so-called pride of a Divine Princess was nothing but excess baggage to her—utterly disposable. Naturally, she couldn’t care less about surnames either.
And as for how the rest of the class saw her? She cared even less.
Shared values shape social circles. She and these people simply didn’t live in the same world.
There was no point in trying to get along—they weren’t even formally split into classes yet.
Chances were, she’d never see them again.
“You—stop right there.”
Just as Teresa stepped over the classroom threshold, a girl’s voice called her from behind.
She paused—not because she intended to continue arguing, but simply out of basic courtesy.
She didn’t ignore people who addressed her directly.
“Is there something else, Miss Irene?”
“Do you really think that by throwing accusations at me, you can cover up your own origin?”
Irene had recovered by now. Her smile had vanished, her gaze sharp like a drawn blade aimed at Teresa’s back.
“A Wild Divine Princess, as expected—utterly uncivilized.”
“Hardly surprising. No father, no mother, no one to raise her—it’s only natural she wasn’t taught any manners. Tch... has the world changed that much? Even a mongrel can call herself a Divine Princess now?”
Around Irene, her clique of Divine Princesses sneered openly.
“With no surname and an ugly scar on her face—what a freak.”
“Hey, you think that scar came from stealing bread and getting chopped by the baker?” They joked, laughing among themselves.
The scorn and mockery didn’t bother Teresa. But it did remind her of something she deeply disliked.
Arrogance. The same arrogance.
So it wasn’t just the sharp-eared folk—humans could be just as bad. Elves simply did it better.
That haughty, judgmental gaze—the kind that acted like it stood atop some holy tribunal—was utterly revolting.
“What are you all saying? So she didn’t receive formal Divine Princess education and isn’t acknowledged by any noble house—so what?” Irene suddenly stepped forward, feigning magnanimity as she spoke “on Teresa’s behalf,” in truth continuing her taunts. Her words drew more laughter from the class.
Outliers would always be alienated—no matter where they were.
This was something Teresa had come to understand very clearly since arriving in this world.
Just as elves looked down on half-elves and refused to acknowledge them as kin, so too did noble Divine Princesses look down on Wild Divine Princesses—refusing to recognize them as part of their circle.
This was superiority born from bloodline and orthodoxy. These immature, arrogant students, with nowhere else to vent their egos, funneled it all into attacking “outliers” to reinforce their own standing among peers.
“A Wild Divine Princess... it’s understandable she doesn’t know proper etiquette.”
“I believe the one who ignores the atmosphere and forces her way into a conversation is the one who truly lacks manners.”
“Rather than filling yourself with vanity and superiority, wouldn’t it be better to first enrich your heart and your mind?”
Teresa didn’t even turn around as she delivered these parting words and walked out.
“................”
Irene watched her leave, a dark glint flickering in her eyes.
“Irene, are you okay?” someone beside her asked with concern.
“I’m fine,” Irene answered with a bright smile. “I wouldn’t lower myself to argue with a homeless Wild Divine Princess.”
“Exactly. It’s not worth getting worked up over some rude bastard child.”
Irene said nothing more, just smiled—but inwardly, she scoffed coldly.
That ugly duckling... just a cast-off bastard, abandoned by her kin, hiding in the shadows.
Initially, she had only found Teresa irritating and thought a bit of pressure would make her submit. That should’ve been the end of it.
Fine then. Since they were in the same class, there was plenty of time to deal with her.
Let’s see how long you can keep up that proud little act of yours.