TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 137
Ball D-3
Under the dark shade.
The story of girls with dark intentions was being carried by the wind.
-Yuria, aren’t you really annoying?
-Yes. After Olivia left, she became even more arrogant. I wish I had kicked her out back then.
-So, you made up a story and asked, didn’t you?
-Huh… When she was around, she was like a dog, but now that she’s gone, she’s even more annoying.
The girls chatting in the dark shade were all despising one girl.
They had a girl who was superior to them in appearance and was an object of admiration, receiving attention just by being looked at.
They were ladies who disliked the girl, a commoner who received a lot of love despite her low social status.
They all had a hero in their hearts.
Some had Mikhail, with his sense of justice, or the Fire Mage, with his prickly personality, or The Man, with his noble status.
The sight of the girl being friendly with these heroes, whom they couldn’t even talk to, filled them with hatred.
So, the girls disliked Yuria.
No matter how hard Yuria tried to be friendly, the arrow of hatred wouldn’t easily come out, like a stubborn thorn.
The girls disliked Yuria even when she did nothing wrong.
Even when they received a letter that hurt their pride, or heard her sincere words filled with sadness, they still disliked Yuria.
Yuria’s small movements were unpleasant, like a fishbone stuck in their throat, and her smiling face seemed arrogant.
The girls were wearing colored glasses, and the existence of Yuria, which was heavily coated with envy, was something to be despised.
The girls were envious of Yuria.
-She’ll probably show off at the ball again this time.
-I really dislike her.
-Why does a commoner girl dare to be so arrogant? Even talking to the Crown Prince is ridiculous. The Crown Prince must dislike her too, with that weird smell she has.
-Puhaha. I agree. That smell is disgusting, it makes me want to vomit.
-Really? You can smell it too?
The girls’ conversation was all about one person, and Yuria’s small flaws became huge dust balls when they talked about her.
The time spent talking about malicious things kept passing.
As time went by, the words that rose to their lips became lies, and the dark intentions in their hearts turned into emotions, becoming a sense of hatred.
-Is there a way?
And it gradually turned into a thought of “let’s try it once.” It had always been like that, ignoring and bullying Yuria, who never reacted.
The weight of violence was lighter.
When the girls’ conversation reached its climax,
-Are you having a fun conversation?
A dark shadow began to loom.
-I have an interesting idea, would you like to hear it?
*
Ball D-1
Yuria, who had returned to her dormitory, was staring blankly at the dress hanging on the clothes rack.
“Wow…”
It was the dress she had always wanted.
The dress she had only looked at before, too expensive to even think about buying, was now shining beautifully in front of her.
With a pure white color, it gave off a soft glow.
Unlike the used dresses that always had a musty smell, this dress had a subtle rose fragrance.
Unlike the used dresses she had bought before, which needed detergent to remove the smell, this dress was a new one, given to her by someone she didn’t expect.
Ricardo.
The boy who always appeared at the most difficult times had come again, like a big light.
Yuria, sitting in a chair and staring blankly at the dress, recalled the events of a few days ago.
-I couldn’t accept it.
-It’s okay, I don’t need this kind of dress. Maybe a shirt, but not a dress, it’s not my style.
-Then give it to Olivia.
-Hmm… I don’t think the Young Lady would like it.
-But…
-If you don’t take it, I’ll put it back. I want to avoid unnecessary expenses.
-That…
She was a fool.
Yuria knew.
That this dress was not used.
And that was understandable.
-30,000 gold.
No one would sell a brand-new dress at a low price, and when Ricardo was about to pay for it, his reaction was unmistakable.
-I’ll buy it.
-No, I must buy this dress.
-Where is it?
-It’s here.
Ricardo was taken aback.
Really.
Yuria’s face turned hot as she recalled the past, like holding a hot sweet potato.
“Fool.”
Unable to lie.
“Why are you being so kind to me?”
Ricardo had always appeared like a hero at the most difficult times.
Her life at the academy without Ricardo for the past year was incomparable to before.
With Ricardo, she experienced less bullying and fewer incidents, but the hardships that came her way were really difficult to overcome.
The hardships were few, but they were impossible to overcome.
If an incident like the dress getting stained with wine had happened, Ricardo would have casually said, “I just happen to have an all-purpose detergent,” and quietly removed the stain, but now, she wouldn’t know what to do.
The weight of the trials had increased, and she had no one to rely on or help her.
“Sigh…”
That’s why she couldn’t hate Ricardo.
The mistake of what happened in the dungeon might erase the feeling of hatred, but Ricardo’s actions, which he did so naturally, made her feel that she couldn’t hate him.
Which woman could hate someone who gave her a gift like this?
If someone gave her the dress she had always wanted, hiding it in a pile of clothes and telling her not to worry about the cost, who could hate that person?
Yuria used to think that Ricardo, who knew her so well, was scary, but now, that feeling had turned into affection, and she didn’t think anything of it. In fact, she was grateful.
Now, she didn’t know.
If someone else had done the same, she would have thought they were a stalker, but she was captivated by Ricardo’s actions, and she couldn’t think of him that way.
Yuria continued to stare at the pure white dress.
A brand-new dress, not a used one.
This ball would be different from the previous ones.
No one would look down on her for wearing a worn-out dress, and if she wore the dress Ricardo gave her, she would feel like she could overcome anything.
The mocking words of others.
The ridicule of wearing fancy clothes as a commoner would be overcome if she wore the dress Ricardo gave her.
Ricardo had always been a hero who protected her, and she thought that even if something happened, he would appear like a prince on a white horse.
“What’s going on…”
Yuria hit her cheeks, which were turning hot, and shook her head.
About 10 minutes passed.
-Ding dong.
A strange guest started calling Yuria.
***
Yuria was walking on the academy’s promenade, lined with street lamps, and chatting with her friend Ruin.
Although she was only wearing a cardigan and felt a bit chilly, the weather had improved, so Yuria could endure it by holding onto her clothes.
While walking under the street lamps, Ruin, who had been quiet, opened his mouth.
“It’s tomorrow.”
“Huh?”
“The ball, I mean.”
“Ah…”
The ball.
A place where I had no good memories.
Although the academy often held balls, the ones held to celebrate the new year were especially filled with bad memories for Yuria.
Her freshman year was because of Olivia.
Her second year was because of Ricardo’s absence.
Yuria was worried about how the upcoming ball would turn out.
No matter how nice the dress she wore was, if the people she met did bad things, it would be the worst.
Yuria smiled awkwardly and nodded in response to Ruin’s question.
“Yes, it’s just one day left.”
“Yuria…”
Ruin looked ahead, breathing out white air, and glanced at the paper bag in his hand, smiling awkwardly.
Yuria didn’t know what Ruin wanted to say, since he had called her through the Dorm Supervisor.
She thought he might want to talk about her studies, but looking at Ruin’s face, she thought there might be another reason.
Yuria walked, holding her hands together.
Until Ruin opened his mouth.
“Why, Ruin, do you have something to say?”
“Well… it’s not a big deal, but we’ve been friends for three years now.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, and your birthday is coming up soon, and I thought I haven’t done much for you so far.”
“No, you’ve done a lot for me, teaching me magic and giving me a necklace.”
“Really? Haha!”
Ruin smiled awkwardly and looked at Yuria.
He then handed Yuria a paper bag, smiling awkwardly.
“It’s not a big deal, but I thought you might like it if you wore it.”
“What’s this?”
“A dress.”
“Huh?”
Inside the paper bag was a light green dress, similar in color to Ruin’s hair.
At a glance, it looked like an expensive dress.
Not as expensive as the one Ricardo gave her, but similar.
Ruin handed her the dress, his face red, and Yuria looked at the dress in the paper bag with an awkward smile.
“Ah… sorry, Ruin, I don’t think I can accept a dress as a gift.”
“Huh?”
Ruin looked at Yuria with a surprised expression and asked.
“Who is it from?”
“…”
“Who gave it to you?”
“A close friend.”
“Could it be… Ricardo?”
Ruin looked at Yuria’s unresponsive face and clenched his fist.
“Forget it.”