The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen - Chapter 389



389 – The Times Consumed by Revenge -10-

It whispers softly in my ear.

(Hurry…)

The whisper of a heart that has never been shared with anyone.

(I wish it would end quickly.)

My innermost thoughts.

(Should I just skip the graduation ceremony and run away?)

It was whispering freely in my ear.

Shalltear’s expression was gradually hardening. In her heart, she thought it was nothing. The things she arrogantly believed she could easily overcome, shown by the blue window, began to crack like stones thrown at a glass window.

She thought she would be different.

She believed that no matter what trials came her way, she would not be intimidated and would strive to find a way through. She thought she wouldn’t crumble…

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

But the self in the reading, sitting in the classroom, seemed to reflect a pathetic image as if to shatter these thoughts.

In the meaningless classroom, she was pretending to write something with a pen, even though studying no longer had any meaning.

To avoid being intimidated by their gazes.

(It feels like everyone is talking behind my back.)

She was spending heavy time writing ‘I want to leave.’ on a blank white paper.

(I hate it…)

(I’m scared…)

(Don’t look at me. I won’t care about you either. Please…)

The arrogant heart was slowly beginning to harden. The tyranny of the blue window, which she thought was ‘just,’ now seemed terrifying.

Because she was afraid of the voice coming from her mouth… no, from her heart. She didn’t want to see herself, who always seemed strong and unyielding to the eyes around her, falling apart.

‘Don’t be ridiculous…’

‘I’m not like that.’

‘That’s… not me.’

No matter how much she denied it in her heart, the firmly held heart quickly crumbled at her own fragile appearance. It seemed to whisper, ‘This is your true self.’

(I want to run away…)

It wasn’t a pleasant experience.

Watching oneself, who had stubbornly endured with only pride, fall apart was not particularly amusing.

‘…’

The silence continued.

Both the me in the reading room.

And the me watching the reading room.

I was desperately hoping for this time to pass quickly, with my lips tightly shut.

“It’s over now~!!”

“Should we write something bad about the professor on the blackboard before we leave?”

“Sounds good?! Let’s start with the history professor.”

Even though many students were chatting happily in the classroom, a chilly silence surrounded me.

When the laughing and chatting voices echoed once.

(…Why me.)

The sorrow of cursing my world echoed. When the words planning the after-party of the graduation ceremony echoed.

(…Am I alone.)

The sad voice of a heart swallowing loneliness was spreading.

The notebook was filled with meaningless scribbles. ‘I want to leave.’, ‘I have nowhere to go back to.’, ‘I don’t want to be here.’ The thoughts I kept having were filling the notebook.

I didn’t feel good.

Falling apart.

Shrinking.

Just imagining everyone turning their backs on me was painful.

One curious thing.

(Are they not coming.)

Even in my shrunken state, my expectant gaze kept glancing at the classroom door.

Every time the classroom door opened, my expectant gaze, like someone waiting for someone, was filled with an unknown hope.

Maybe someone is coming.

Am I waiting for someone to give me a bouquet while I’m alone? With such an expression.

About five minutes had passed since I looked outside the door with a pitiful expression. Something unpleasant happened.

-Thud.

A group of female students wearing graduation caps bumped into me as they passed by.

“,,,!!”

Startled by the not-so-small impact that pushed the desk, the self within the reading room looked up at the female student. The self also looked up and glared at the female student.

It was clearly intentional.

‘Who is it…’

A clear intention to harass the self who was alone.

‘Discipline…!’

If it were ‘me’, I would have shouted at the female student and questioned her about this incident. No matter how hellish the situation was, I had to say what needed to be said.

In an academy where everyone is equal.

Even though I am a princess… how dare she.

However, contrary to the boiling emotions, the self within the reading room lowered its head deeply and bent down to pick up the pen that had fallen on the floor.

‘What are you doing…’

-Screech…

‘I said, what are you doing.’

(I don’t want to…)

‘You should stand up and say something.’

(I don’t want to….)

‘If it were me, I wouldn’t be like this. Even if I lost my mother, even if I had no one on my side, I wouldn’t be like this…’

(I don’t…)

‘Why…! Foolish… huh?’

I was trembling.

The self within the reading room, who had bent down to pick up the pen, was afraid of the female student.

(Please, don’t talk to me…)

Far from getting angry, the hands were trembling slightly as if hoping to get through this situation without any incident.

The voice shouting at the self within the reading room grew smaller. The head that scolded the powerless and foolish self slowly dropped.

The fact that that fool is me.

The fact that that appearance is me is terrifying.

It becomes frightening to cling to a thread of hope.

‘Why are you acting so foolishly.’

(Please… just let it go.)

‘Why aren’t you doing anything…’

A cold voice was heard near his clenched fist.

“Ah…”

A voice filled with malice and sarcasm began to coldly echo in his ear.

“…What?”

“…”

“There you are?”

A conversation that denied his existence.

His fist clenched.

Because the self in the reading room seemed so foolish.

He was so angry at himself for not being able to do anything that his fist clenched.

Why was he acting so foolishly?

He hadn’t done anything wrong, so why was he so intimidated…! I couldn’t understand the self in the reading room.

At the same time.

‘…’

He was scared.

He was so afraid that his broken self would become like that.

Ignoring his complicated feelings, the girl continued to speak. She kept spitting out words that crushed the self in the reading room.

“I thought no one was here.”

“…”

“There was an abandoned dog, wasn’t there?”

“…”

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Do you not want to talk to us idiots? Is that it?”

The voice of his heart, looking at the girl with a hardened expression, was different.

(This is the last time.)

(So, just let it go quietly.)

(I’m enduring it because it’s the last time, even though I’m lonely. Can’t you endure it too?)

From noble mtl dot com

Contrary to his wish, one of the girls stared at the notebook on the desk and burst into laughter.

“What did you write? You want to… run away?”

“…!!!”

The girl snatched the notebook and began to read it, making his wish to hurriedly cover it meaningless.

“Hahaha!!! Look at this. It’s absolutely ridiculous! Hey

Guys, listen up!”

“Give it to me.”

“‘I want to run away.’, ‘It feels like everyone has friends except me.’, ‘I’m a loner.’”

“…”

“Hahaha?! What is this! Did you ever think the great Shalltear would write something like this? Oh, it’s really too sad.”

“Give it to me.”

“Nope~”

The girl said with a smile in her eyes.

“Why, is that an order from the former student council president?”

“…”

“You’re graduating soon, what will you do then.”

“…This academy is equal for everyone.”

“Not anymore. Once you graduate, you’re nothing.”

“…”

“You’re not the student council president who used to boss everyone around… and you’re not royalty anymore.”

It was a chilling remark.

(…Please don’t.)

It was too harsh to be considered a joke. Unlike the unshaken expression on the outside, the words were cold enough to make one’s heart tremble.

(Please, don’t.)

“I knew you would end up like this from the beginning.”

“…”

“Ever since you started deducting points for bullying other kids, and making them do community service for standing up to you, I knew this would happen.”

“…”

“Really. How pitiful.”

“…”

“What’s the point of working so hard at the academy. In the end, you have nothing left.”

In the reading room, I clenched my fists and couldn’t say anything. No matter how unfair it was, I had nothing to say.

“Since your mother is a commoner, you must be a commoner too.”

“…My father never said anything about my position. What you’re doing now might not end with just insulting royalty.”

“Oh, how scary…”

The girl sneered at her reflection in the reading room.

“But you know that the moment the Crown Prince becomes Emperor, your life will hit rock bottom.”

“…”

Her expression is changing.

(Don’t…)

The face in the reflection, which had been trying to remain calm by force, began to crack. The mask she had worn to show others that she was tough and unaffected was gradually crumbling.

(Please, don’t say anything.)

“I’m a noble and you’ll be a commoner, you won’t be able to handle it.”

“…”

“Did you really dabble in black magic? Otherwise, you couldn’t be this stupid.”

(I know, so stop it…)

The head in the reflection gradually lowers. I couldn’t lift my head either.

-Brrr…

It was hard to watch ‘me’ who seemed about to burst into tears. The emotions were contagious, and I felt like I would cry too, so I couldn’t lift my head.

‘Stop it now.’

I wanted to stop watching.

The despairing look, enough already.

I understood well enough.

I wanted to stop watching.

(Stop it…)

“Are you crying?”

(Please stop.)

“Hey… the kid’s crying.”

(Someone…)

“Guys!!”

(Help me.)

It was then.

-Rattle.

“Shaltier’s cry… Ugh!”

As soon as the classroom door opened, the girl who had been tormenting her collapsed to the floor.

“Who is it!!!”

A man was standing there.

“Ah… you mean me?”

A man with red hair and cold eyes stood confidently, his shadow cast over the room.

The man shielded her as she cried.

“I am Ricardo, a third-year student in the Swordsmanship Department.”

“…”

“Senior.”

He glared at the girl who had been threatening her, as if he would bite her neck.

“…”

The girl, with angry eyes, lowered her head when she saw Ricardo’s face. There seemed to be a reason she feared Ricardo, though it was unclear.

“Is that him? The one who ranked first in the competition.”

“Yeah… I heard he’s the youngest aura awakener and a sword master.”

“Really?! A sword master?!”

“That’s just the rumor.”

The murmuring of the students revealed why the girl feared Ricardo.

“But they say if you get on his bad side, you’re in big trouble.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. They say your family could be ruined overnight.”

“Crazy…”

“You better be careful too.”

In Ricardo’s hand was a huge bouquet. A white iris bouquet with a subtle floral scent. It was so large that it could fill one’s arms.

Ricardo looked at the girl and smiled slightly.

“Sorry…!”

The girl who had been tormenting her started to run away.

It was absurd.

She couldn’t understand what was happening.

But.

(He’s here…)

In the reading room, she was looking at Ricardo with the brightest expression she had ever seen, as if she had been waiting for him.

Ricardo turned to look at her.

“Hello.”

And.

Handing over the bouquet in his hand, he said.

“Congratulations on your graduation.”

“…”

“Princess Shartia.”

The words she had most wanted to hear in the reading room.