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Crystal wasn't just making a wild guess. With her newfound 'ability', she could clearly sense the 'mischief' from the redhead by her side. Even if she had no idea exactly what it was that Emilia was planning, how could it be anything good for the teacher?
The heroine could only sigh in relief that at least Emilia didn't decide to be naughty in front of Mr. Jefferson, or it would be a real disaster.
Oblivious to her fate, the language teacher smiled. "Then can you elaborate on your understanding of Celeste's step-sister, Hestia's, character? Why did she bully her step-sister, and why did she try to destroy the relationship between Celeste and the prince, John?"
Emilia had a sudden flash of inspiration, and looking at her shining eyes, Crystal now knew for sure that her previous feeling was right. Her lover was definitely going to cause some mischief.
Contrary to the heroine's thoughts, Emilia — who considered herself a good little student — obviously had no such 'malicious' thoughts. She was simply glad that this question was something she could answer, or she would definitely have been a little embarrassed in front of the diligent students of class A.
As someone who transferred in not too long ago from Class S, she would definitely have made the wrong impression.
Cynthia almost rolled her eyes. "What wrong impression can you make after getting rank one?"
Emilia shushed her with a smile. 'Don't mind the little things. By the way, were you paying attention when I read this story last week?'
The raven-haired girl sighed. "Obviously? Just the same old boring fairytale, I've read and seen it so many times, I can recount every detail except the name of the characters."
Emilia understood that her partner had no interest in the fairytale, so she didn't bother her anymore.
In this case, she only vaguely recalled the story, and also remembered that the most common consensus had been that the step-sister Hestia was jealous and had an inferiority complex for her more beautiful and more talented companion, leading to her persecution.
Emilia smiled confidently. "Teacher, I believe that the reason Hestia was always pestering her step-sister was because she really liked her—"
Before she could continue, the teacher had already interrupted her with a disappointed frown. "Nonsense, have you even read the story?"
She had thought that even if her top student was a little absent-minded, she would at least have read ahead. Now it seemed like she was expecting too much, and it would be better to discipline this girl before she strayed too far and ruined her own future.
Emilia shrugged helplessly. "Teacher, I know my perspective is a little different from what has been said before, but isn't it all implicit and open to interpretation? Won't you listen to my point of view first and see if it makes some sense?"
The expression on the teacher's face eased a little, and she decided to give Emilia the benefit of doubt. "Since that's so, please do elaborate to the others, including why you came to such conclusions. After all, you can't just claim that Hestia liked Celeste, and proceed to ignore all her malicious actions in the story."
Emilia nodded seriously. "Of course. Let me explain, then. First, let's start with Celeste's character - she's obviously someone who doesn't pay much attention to her family members aside from fulfilling her duties, and is an ambitious person who focuses mostly on becoming someone who everyone can look up to. I believe everyone agrees?"
There were a bunch of nods from many students, and even the teacher seemed to agree.
The redhead smiled. "Great. Then, if Hestia were to like such a person, who only ignores her and treats her as air, of course she would first try to attract her attention in any way she can, no? Despite all that, what you call 'bullying' is really just acting smug in front of Celeste, and making snide remarks from time to time. From my perspective, it's both cute and a little pitiful."
Aside from Crystal, who found it amusing, the whole class was left dumbfounded.
The most vicious side character in the story was cute? Pitiful???
Seeing the dumbfounded look on the teacher's face, Emilia elaborated. "Think about it this way - even though she went so far, Celeste still proceeded to simply ignore her, and neither argued nor scolded her. As an elder sister, is that not the greatest scorn she could have shown to Hestia? It's like saying 'what you think doesn't matter to me at all'!"
The teacher looked a little hesitant, but thinking about the fact that the household in the story was without a mother, it made sense for Hestia to treat her only 'relative' as an elder in her heart. After all, with both their mothers being dead and the father always 'out on business', it left only the two of them at home.
Emilia then proceeded to explain how each of the events could be seen as a furious and passionate pursuit of the little sister for her elder sister to the dumbfounded class, and even the charming prince became a heinous villain who vilified and tore apart the relationship between the sisters.
At the end, the poor little sister was cast aside into the slums, and left to pitifully look up to the glorious elder sister she loved in the arms of the man who only sneered at her.
Moreover, the ambitions she had always chased after and refused to set aside for her were immediately lost the moment she married the prince, and Celeste became a good wife who had many children, and lived happily ever after.
As Emilia folded her arms proudly, the whole class looked like their world-view had been flipped on its head, including the teacher.
Only Crystal was left trying her best to hide her smile.
"Shit! How did this happy little fairytale romance turn into a sadistic and tragic forbidden love between two step-sisters?!"
"The prince was a scum all along?!"
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