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Translator: Nonon
Proofreader: Silavin
POV: Violet
When I heard that the person I used to like was playing the main lead in a play, I was more agitated than expected.
I might have put it behind me now, but it’s a fact that I used to love His Highness Vermillion. I shouldn’t pretend that it never happened.
If I pretended it never happened, that would be disrespectful to both Gray and Lord Clo, who I love now. I would just be running away.
But still, that prince Vermillion is performing in a play. Moreover, he’s playing with her, so I can’t help feeling conflicted.
As far as I know, His Highness has said himself that he was more suited for watching plays and other forms of art, and was not the type to perform. Instead, he would demonstrate his strength through winning the match at the arena, and by fulfilling his duties at the school festival, he would easily shrug off suggestions from people around him to participate in the play.
That’s what I thought.
The fact that His Highness is playing the main lead means that something happened that made him want to appear in the play himself. For example, he had an irreconcilable feeling of wanting to perform with somebody.
“…Mary, huh.”
It’s the woman His Highness wanted even at the cost of his engagement to the Duke’s daughter, whom he had been engaged to since childhood.
She’s a commoner who I was jealous of. Who I resented and strongly lashed against. Who I was completely defeated by after going out of control.
A woman who was loved by many students and teachers despite not having anybody backing her up unlike me.
…The woman that His Highness, who has never loved me, professed his love to.
She has also charmed Ash, Chartreuse and Eccles with her actions.
Did His Highness request the leading role, because she is the main actress?… I don’t know how true it is, but it seems like the highest possibility. She is undoubtedly the main reason why His Highness is performing in a play.
But that’s all fine. I have slight, not good feelings of jealousy but that’s fine.
I might still get upset if I meet her or His Highness, but now I have Lord Clo and the others. Since I talked with Ms. Robot, I’ve been able to get over it. I can now look forward to the future.
But there’s something I’m the most worried about with her right now.
“Lord Clo and Gray might also be…”
My biggest worry is whether they’ll be charmed by her.
Even if I’m able to look forward and don’t shy away from my feelings of love, if Lord Clo and Gray get charmed by her and lose interest in me, I will probably, no, definitely become distrustful of others.
I might cut all my hair, go on a journey and starve myself to death.
But… but! It’s entirely possible.
If she had simply gotten close to His Highness, without being so attractive, I might’ve not been so upset, and His Highness and others probably wouldn’t have been attracted to her either.
Looking back now, I think her actions often suggested that she could see through the hearts of His Highness and the others. If she’s also able to see through the hearts of Lord Clo and Gray, or even Ms. Cyan, Apricot, Burnt and Amber…
“—-er, —– let?”
Lord Clo who’s been charmed by her…oh no, I’m about to tear up.
Calm down, Violet. No matter how much of a possible future it is, it’s not a reality yet.
Should I start initiating physical contact with Lord Clo to make him pay more attention to me to prevent this future from becoming reality? Amber has told me before that in addition to exposing myself, ‘any man will fall if you push your soft things against them’. Thanks to that, I decided to refrain from contact with the opposite sex as much as possible.
No, wouldn’t that just make me a loose woman?
I’ve certainly seen people make that kind of physical contact a few times. She also used to touch His Highness and the others a little, but did she go as far to hug them? … At the very least, she wasn’t making any indecent physical contact.
Oh, that’s right. I’m sure there was a story about her slapping Ash. So I should slap him too?!
“——-olette? Heeey?”
… Let’s calm down. Violence isn’t a good thing to start with.
Imitating only the act itself with no substance is the height of stupidity. First of all, I must act with composure. I don’t want to damage what I have right now.
Then again, if I’m content with the status quo and don’t try to change, people might lose patience with me. I should start by changing something small. Yes, for example–
“Maybe I should try to change my hairstyle…”
“What happened all of a sudden?”
“—Wha-, Lord Clo?! Since when have you been there?!”
“Since pretty long ago. It seemed like you were lost in your thoughts, but it’s already time to leave so we have to prepare.”
“It’s already time?”
I messed up. I was so engrossed in thinking that the time to leave came.
Since I’ve been invited to the play in question, I have to go and greet everybody… but, while it might be a bit late to ask now, why were we even invited to the school festival play and the party? I doubt His Highness would have invited me and it’s not like she was the one who sent the invitation either.
If I was invited by the Valentine family, there’s no way my parents would be okay with inviting me… my older brothers are barely a possibility.
The Valentine family ordered me to go and even sent Burnt and Amber to me. An invitation sent in the name of a royalty… no, there’s no thinking about it now.
“Well then, shall we go?”
“Yes, let’s go.”
I stood next to Lord Clo and we walked together to where Gray, Burnt and Amber were waiting. By the way, Ms. Cyan has already gone to prepare for the play and Apricot is acting separately. I’m worried about both, but they promised that they wouldn’t cause big problems, so it should be fine.
“May I, Lady Violet?”
“What’s wrong?”
“… It’s fine if you want to change your hairstyle, but please don’t choose egregious ringlet curls. Ringlet curls at the ends of your hair are fine though.”
I wonder if Lord Clo has some kind of trauma from ringlet curls.
◆
About a 10 minute walk from our lodgings.
I stepped foot into the academy, which was decorated for the school festival, for the first time in what felt like a long time.
“Hey, isn’t that…”
“Yes, undoubtedly…”
The academy I returned to after a long time was a very uncomfortable place.
As we got closer to the school, more and more people appeared who knew me and what I did.
Already 4 months have passed since then, but at the same time, it has only been 4 months. They say that gossip lasts just 75 days, but even when I, the person involved, come back, it probably hasn’t been long enough for it to be dismissed as a thing of the past, since no new students have enrolled yet.
Moreover, the word seems to have spread that we were invited to the school festival.
‘She really came?’- ‘does she have no shame?’- ‘did she forget what she did to His Highness and the others?’- ‘She’s so brazen after making the royal family her enemy’ – ‘is the man next to her the rumored husband?’ – ‘Poor man to be married to a woman like that’ – ‘but it seems like there are bad rumors about the husband too’ – ‘then they’re a match made in heaven’ – ‘she should just crawl on the ground pathetically’ – ‘Don’t enter the academy grounds’ – ‘those attendants must have a rough time too’ – ‘The boy must have it the worst’ – ‘It’s possible’ – ‘That woman can only bully and intimidate others.’
—Ah, it’s scary.
People who talk loudly on purpose so I can hear and people who spread rumors secretly are both scary.
I was the only one who thought that what I was doing was right, and as a result, I alienated everybody in the school except for Kriemhild.
Some of them might be blaming me for things that I didn’t even do, but in truth, it’s no surprising that I’m being looked down on like this within the academy.
It’s not like I’m not used to the negative attention like this, since I’ve been on the receiving end of it from unspecified people ever since I was at the Valentine family.
“I’m sorry, Lord Clo and Gray. Also, Burnt and Amber. Let’s hurry.”
But I don’t Lord Clo and the others who are walking with me to fall victim to the same contempt. I hate it even more when verbal abuse towards me is going towards Lord Clo and the others even when I’m the one who’s being insulted… We have to get out of here quickly.
Thinking so, I turned my gaze towards Lord Clo and the rest.
“… Lady Violet, is that your acquaintance?”
He was looking at a certain point with an expression as if he had seen something unbelievable. It seemed like he was so focused on what was ahead of him that couldn’t hear the voices around him.
An acquaintance? Is it His Highness or the Valentine family? But the fact that Lord Clo called them my acquaintance means that it must be Kriemhild… no, but in that case, why would he state it as a question?
When I turned my head towards the direction where Lord Clo and the others were looking, there was…
“Ooo—Vi—-Ooooo— leeeeeet”
Something was there.
Lord Clo and Gray took a step in front of me, while Burnt and Amber took a step further in front of them, all prepared to protect me.
The surrounding students and visitors, who had been gossiping about me earlier, also saw it and retreated, looking in confusion at the thing as it headed towards me.
It was about 3 meters tall and 1.5 meters wide.
It was black overall, with no clear outline like Orchid from Shiki. Its feet were fluffy, having been covered in cloth and it was calling what seemed to be my name in a hoarse voice that made you feel like you were being cursed just from hearing it.
What, what is this.
Are you telling me that my conduct at the academy has finally been judged to have been unacceptable and a demon was summoned from the abyss?
“WeLcOme, tHaNk YoU fOr CoMinG,”
Moreover, for some reason, it even welcomed me.
‘Thank you for coming’ means that we are already in its territory. Unfortunately, I don’t plan on going down without a fight. I want to live longer, so even if I’m in its territory, I’ll fight it off.
Then, its fluffy eyes (?) glowed and distorted into crescent moons. It’s creepy.
Furthermore, something resembling a hand popped out. It had a piece of paper in its hand and tried to give it to us. It’s very creepy.
Burnt looked at that paper warily, without accepting it, and read out what was written on it. Written on it was the following:
“’True fear is here! A terrifying haunted house is being held at the first year Luna class! If you can finish it, you can win prizes too~♪’… that’s what it says.”
“”…””
… I see.
Speaking of Luna class, that’s the class I was in too.
She was also there and if this person is going out of their way to come to me of all people to advertise…
“It’s been a while, Kriemhild.”
“lOnG TimE nO sEe”
“Sorry but it would be helpful if you could talk properly.”
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