TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 138
“Throw it away.”
Ruin said in a voice filled with irritation.
Ruin’s voice, which was like a lion’s growl, holding back his anger, had no consideration for others.
He just expressed his unpleasant feelings, gritting his teeth, and at the same time, his emotions were evident in his anger due to the rejection of the gift he had prepared.
Especially since it was Ricardo, someone he had been surpassed by.
Ruin had disliked Ricardo from the start.
He was annoyed by the fact that Ricardo, who was nothing special, was stronger than others, and he had no sense of decency in duels, yet he enjoyed the privileges of being the winner.
Moreover, Ruin was irritated by the fact that Yuria and Ricardo were close.
He didn’t know why.
Why he was obsessed with Yuria.
It was just that whenever he saw Ricardo and Yuria together, he felt like he had seen trash right in front of him, and it made his stomach turn.
Seeing Yuria eating with Ricardo made his stomach twist, and he didn’t like it when Yuria smiled at him.
Before Yuria and Ruin became friends, he didn’t feel this way…
Ruin couldn’t understand Yuria.
She had been bullied by Ricardo, yet she accepted his gift, which didn’t make sense to Ruin.
There was a Witness who could prove Ricardo’s evil deeds.
And Yuria had experienced it herself.
Ruin also wondered why Yuria was still in contact with Ricardo.
Moreover, the dress Ricardo gave her was probably of much lower quality compared to the one Ruin gave her.
The material, the color of the dress…
Everything about it was inferior to what Ruin had given her.
From top to bottom, Ruin thought that what Ricardo gave was far less valuable.
Ricardo was a beggar, after all.
According to rumors, Ricardo had a hefty debt of 1 million Gold due to the penalties for using Dark Magic, so he must be financially struggling.
So…
Ruin couldn’t understand why Yuria rejected his gift.
Ruin looked at Yuria, whose face was frozen with worry.
Yuria asked Ruin in a trembling voice, “What did you say?”
“What?”
Ruin explained his thoughts to Yuria in a gentle voice, thinking that she would understand him.
Yuria must have accepted Ricardo’s gift reluctantly.
Yuria was kind-hearted.
Ruin thought that Yuria couldn’t reject Ricardo’s gift because she was too kind.
Ruin spoke on Yuria’s behalf, thinking that she would feel the same way.
“Throw away Ricardo’s gift, Yuria.”
Ruin said to Yuria, handing her the paper bag again.
“You don’t know what That Guy might have done to the dress, do you?”
Ruin said kindly.
With an eye smile, he spoke kindly.
Since Ruin knew how Yuria felt, he told her not to worry and to just throw the gift away, but to Yuria, Ruin’s words sounded ridiculous.
“No…”
Yuria felt negative emotions, thinking, “Who are you to tell me what to do?”
They were just friends, after all.
Yuria was angry at Ruin for speaking in a commanding tone.
“What are you talking about?”
Yuria shouted at Ruin in a slightly raised voice.
She was annoyed by Ruin’s commanding tone.
And she couldn’t stand the fact that Ruin was belittling Ricardo’s gift.
“Ruin, even among friends, there are things you should and shouldn’t say. I appreciate your gift, but telling me to throw away someone else’s gift is impolite, don’t you think?”
“Yuria.”
“Think about it. Wouldn’t you feel good if Ricardo gave you a gift with the same feelings?”
Ruin clenched his fist, pondering Yuria’s words.
“The same feelings…?”
The phrase “the same feelings” made Ruin’s fist clench in anger.
It was extremely unpleasant to hear that.
What kind of feelings did Ricardo have when he gave the gift?
Ruin had chosen a gift while thinking of Yuria’s smile, but Ricardo’s feelings were probably not the same.
Ruin spoke to Yuria, trying to hold back his anger.
“Yuria, do you trust Ricardo?”
“What?”
“Think about it. How many times have you been betrayed and hurt by him? Do you still trust him?”
“…”
“I’m right, aren’t I?”
“No, Ricardo and I have made up, and we’re starting from scratch…”
“Starting from scratch? Do you think Ricardo will change? Don’t you remember what he did at the Academy with Olivia?”
“…Stop it.”
“It’s not just that. He put tacks in your shoe cabinet and wrote swear words on your desk, didn’t he?”
“I know, so stop it.”
Yuria clenched her fist and looked down, annoyed by Ruin’s words.
It was not like Yuria to confront someone directly, and Ruin’s words, which were not entirely wrong, made her unable to look up.
Ruin’s words were not mistaken.
Although she had forgotten, Ricardo was the perpetrator, and she was the victim; their relationship was like that of oil and water, impossible to mix.
But…
“I know, so stop it.”
Ruin was no different.
When Yuria was being bullied, Ruin had ignored her, sitting at his desk, watching with interest, and now he was acting like a righteous person.
Perhaps Ruin’s indifference was worse.
Yuria’s memories of the past began to flash before her eyes like a life-flashing memory.
The day she opened the classroom door and was splattered with trash.
Ruin was sitting at his desk, watching with a curious expression, and he could have stopped it, but he didn’t.
He just sat there, watching, like he was observing an interesting toy.
But…
Who was Ruin to judge?
If Ruin hadn’t been her partner in the project, and if he didn’t have a talent for Healing, he wouldn’t have approached her.
Yuria thought about the past, clenching her fist, and spoke in a trembling voice.
“So, what were you doing?”
“What?”
“What were you doing when I was being bullied, when Ricardo was still around, before we became friends?”
“I helped you.”
“No, not now, back then! You were just like them, doing nothing!”
“That’s not true.”
“You just stood there, watching the lie!”
A small gap began to form in their relationship.
The gift, which had started with good intentions, was losing its meaning due to someone’s criticism, and the words spoken out of superiority were like arrows, piercing the wounds that had been deeply hidden.
Yuria didn’t want to say these things.
Although she had been hurt by Ruin’s words, they were friends now, and they had shared memories of overcoming hardships together.
But…
Ruin’s casual remark, saying he had done nothing, made Yuria’s rational thinking begin to unravel.
“You just stood there, watching, and now you have the nerve to lecture me about Ricardo?”
“Yuria.”
“No matter how much you dislike Ricardo…! You dislike me, not him!”
“Yuria!”
“Ruin, you…! You have no right to say that!”
Ruin’s expression turned cold as he spoke to Yuria.
“I’m different.”
“…”
“I see you for who you are.”
“…”
“I didn’t approach you because of your appearance or magic, unlike That Guy.”
“What’s the difference? To me, it’s all the same! You also stood by and did nothing…”
“That’s because we weren’t friends back then. I thought that if someone like me, who was nobody, suddenly helped you, you’d think it was weird. And…”
Ruin’s voice was filled with intense emotion as he spoke.
“But things are different now.”
“…”
“I’m looking at you. At first, it was out of curiosity, but now it’s different. Even if you change, even if you become someone I don’t know…”
“…”
“I’ll still be your closest friend, and I think I can understand you. Maybe I hurt you in the past, but I’m different now.”
Ruin spoke with conviction, pounding his chest.
“I’m different from That Guy.”
Ruin’s words were a lie that would never come true.
*
On the way back to the dormitory.
Yuria walked with heavy footsteps, heading towards the dormitory.
“Haa…”
She felt ashamed of herself for having a meaningless fight.
Ruin had given her a gift with good intentions, but she had spoken to him coldly, and now she walked with her head down.
In her hand, she held the dress Ruin had given her.
-It’s your choice, but I’d like it if you wore the dress I gave you.
She remembered Ruin’s face as he handed her the paper bag.
Ruin’s words had been spoken without malice, and Yuria understood his situation, so she walked with her head down.
She had been harsh on Ricardo, and honestly, she couldn’t deny that Ricardo was annoying.
Yuria thought that maybe she had overreacted.
When she arrived at the dormitory.
“Yuria~”
A group of people she disliked were walking towards her, holding a purple drink.
They were the ones who had bullied her.
And insulted her in front of everyone.
And treated her like she was invisible.
Yuria forced a smile as she saw them.
They smiled back at her and started talking.
“We’re sorry for what we did to you.”
“Huh?”
“We’ve thought about it, and we realize we went too far.”
They started the conversation with the words Yuria had always wanted to hear.
“Why don’t you come to our room and talk?”
Yuria accepted their dangerous invitation.
Yuria chatted with them happily.
She wanted to hold onto the straw rope of hope, even if it meant being a fool.
The next morning.
“Uh…?”
Yuria’s face was horribly disfigured.
Her skin was distorted.
Her clear eyes had become cloudy.
Her lips were dry and cracked, like those of a witch living in the underbelly.
All that was left of Yuria was her pink hair.
Yuria stood still, staring at her reflection in the mirror, unable to do anything.
“A…a…a…”
“Aaaaah!!!”
*
Rules of the Ball.
-All current students must attend the ball.
*
The Desmond Estate was peaceful as always.
Olivia, sucking on a lollipop, asked Ricardo, who was dressed in a suit.
“Ricardo, where are you going?”
“Why?”
“You’re all dressed up.”
“Ah… I’m going to become a Prince.”
“Huh?”
Ricardo smiled and walked towards the ball.
“Will they let a student on leave attend?”
“If not, I’ll break something.”