All Chapters of Noble Girls Bullied Me, But My Mom Is the Empress: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Three months ago, Mom arranged for me to enter this academy as a new senior.When I first arrived, the other students treated me normally enough.Then they saw me ride a bicycle to school.Then the way they looked at me changed.In the first week a few people still said hello now and then.In the second week nobody wanted to work with me in class.In the third week even students from the next classroom would take another route rather than pass me.Wherever I went, the students already there would clear out. They avoided me as though I carried a virus.I am not stupid. I could see what they meant by it.At first I still tried to talk to them.Nobody answered. Whatever I said, they acted as though I weren't there.Then at a school event I was pushed into the middle of a crowd and accidentally bumped into Venetia, captain of the cheer squad for the school football team.Her smile went stiff in an instant and she put a finger in my face."Who do you think you are, touching me? Do you have

I went to Miss Katherine's office.To my surprise, Miss Katherine was not inside; she was waiting at the door.The moment she saw me, she came over quickly and pulled me into a corner."Was it you who reported Venetia for stealing the work?"And you brought the competition director to our school?"I closed my hand around my phone.The moment I realized Miss Katherine would not help me, I had messaged the organizers of the design competition.They had been very efficient.I asked her, "Didn't you say the Heart of the Ocean was Venetia's design?"Even if I reported it, as long as the design really is hers, the only one who gets punished is me. So what are you worried about?"Or did you know from the beginning that it was mine?"That stopped her.She recovered quickly. Her voice sharpened, and a warning flashed in her eyes. "That design can only be Venetia's."You cannot afford to cross her parents. One word from them and you disappear off the face of the earth."Stop trying to get yourse

Everyone turned toward the voice.A middle-aged man in a bespoke suit walked in, his imposing presence bearing down on the room.Mr. Williams's eyes narrowed."You... you're Duke Bertram?"Betty was on her feet at once and moving toward him."Duke Bertram, it really is you! I had the honor of meeting you once ten years ago, and you have not changed at all!"Helena rushed over too, stammering, "H... hello, I am the headmistress of Rosebury Academy... welcome, welcome to our school..."Bertram's eyes were like chips of ice. In a cold voice, he repeated, "I asked. Who gave you the nerve to lay hands on the Princess of Salomir?"Mr. Williams, Betty, and Helena all froze, then turned toward Hera and me, their eyes darting uncertainly between us.Then they exchanged a glance and all rushed toward Hera."Your Highness, I was blind. Please don't take it to heart.""Your Highness, my husband and I are ignorant people. Please don't hold it against us."Not a trace of their earlier arrogance rema

Three days later.The International Design Competition published its results.Before it began, Hera released my working sketches for the Heart of the Ocean, and then the record of Miss Katherine and Venetia arranging to take my name off it.The two of them came up on stage, bowed an apology to the audience and the judges, and then looked at me.Venetia pressed her lips together."Your High..."One look from me and she changed how she addressed me."Audrey, taking your work was wrong of me."Everything I ever had came from my parents, and I wanted something of my own too much."I was in the wrong. From now on I will put my head down and create, and whether or not people accept me again, I will take responsibility for what I did."There was some guilt in Miss Katherine's eyes."Audrey, as a teacher I did not hold my own line. I helped another student take what you had made. I was wrong, and I apologize to you."Whether or not either apology was sincere, they had at least paid for it.I l

Over the next few days, my mother loosened her hold on me and allowed Lucas and me to go out.From the way she behaved I knew she did not dislike him. She rather admired him.So I let her arrangement take its course.It would be truer to say he was showing me around than the other way round.He knew which lanes hid the best food and which bar mixed the best drinks.He had clearly done his homework.More than half a month passed in a blur.The accession ceremony arrived.The heavy wooden doors of the throne hall opened.In a floor-length robe of red velvet, surrounded by guards, I walked toward the throne.The hall was solemn.The archbishop stood to the left and read the prayer of accession aloud.When he finished, my mother placed the sovereign's scepter of Salomir in my hands and declared in a ringing voice, "Princess Audrey is hereby crowned Empress of Salomir!"Outside the hall came the sound of thousands going to their knees together, and then thousands of voices at once."We gree