SWNOVELXO Chapter 138
TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 138
“Throw it away.”
Ruin spoke in an irritated voice.
Ruin’s voice, strained as if suppressing anger like a lion’s growl, carried no trace of consideration.
It was solely to express his displeasure, speaking through clenched teeth, while simultaneously revealing his anger at having his gift rejected.
Because it was Ricardo, of all people, who had outdone him.
Ruin had disliked Ricardo for a long time.
He found it infuriating that someone so insignificant was stronger than others and that he enjoyed the rights of a victor despite lacking proper etiquette in duels.
Above all, he was annoyed by how close Ricardo was to Yuria.
He didn’t know why.
Why he was so fixated on Yuria.
It was just that whenever he saw Ricardo sticking close to Yuria, it felt as revolting as seeing food waste right in front of him.
Watching Ricardo eat with Yuria twisted his stomach, and seeing Yuria smile at him was unbearable.
He hadn’t been like this before he got close to Yuria…
Ruin couldn’t understand Yuria.
He couldn’t understand why she willingly accepted Ricardo’s gift after being tormented by him.
There were witnesses to prove his misdeeds.
She had experienced them firsthand.
It was also a mystery why she was still in contact with him.
Moreover, Ruin was certain that the dress Ricardo had gifted her couldn’t compare to the one he had given her.
The material was inferior.
The color of the dress was inferior.
Ruin was convinced that from start to finish, everything Ricardo did was lacking compared to him.
Because Ricardo was a beggar.
According to the rumors, Ricardo had incurred a hefty debt of 1 million gold as a penalty for practicing dark magic, leaving him financially strained. Ruin was confident that someone who served cheap green tea wouldn’t have spent much on Yuria’s dress.
So.
Ruin couldn’t understand Yuria’s refusal.
Ruin stared at Yuria, whose expression had stiffened. Her face was filled with worry, as if questioning whether she had heard him correctly.
Yuria asked Ruin in a trembling voice, what did he just say?
“What?”
Ruin kindly shared his thoughts with Yuria, believing she felt the same way he did.
Surely, Yuria must have accepted Ricardo’s gift out of obligation.
Because Yuria was soft-hearted.
Ruin thought that Yuria, being soft-hearted, couldn’t bring herself to reject Ricardo’s feelings. After all, whenever Ricardo was mentioned, Yuria always made an unpleasant expression, so Ruin was certain she felt the same way he did.
Believing he was speaking on Yuria’s behalf, Ruin slowly opened his mouth.
“The dress Ricardo gave you. Throw it away, Yuria.”
Ruin held out the paper bag again and spoke to Yuria.
“How can you accept that dress without knowing what that guy might have done to it?”
Ruin spoke kindly.
With an eye smile, he spoke kindly.
Because he understood her feelings, he told her in a gentle voice not to feel burdened and to throw it away. But to Yuria, Ruin’s words only felt absurd.
“No…”
Who are you to tell me what to do? That negative emotion welled up inside her.
They weren’t anything to each other.
Just friends, and yet Ruin’s forceful words made Yuria angry.
“Why are you speaking like that?”
Yuria shouted at Ruin in a somewhat raised voice.
She was upset by his overbearing tone.
Above all, she couldn’t tolerate him disregarding Ricardo’s gift.
“Ruin. Even between friends, there are things you should and shouldn’t say. I appreciate that you thought of me and gave me a gift, but isn’t it rude to tell me to throw away something someone else gave me?”
“Yuria.”
“Think about it. Would you feel good if it were you? Ricardo might have given me that gift with the same feelings you had. Aren’t you being too harsh?”
Ruin clenched his fists tightly as he replayed Yuria’s words in his mind.
“The same feelings…?”
Because of that single phrase, “the same feelings,” veins of rage began to bulge on Ruin’s fists.
He found the phrase “the same feelings” extremely unpleasant.
What kind of feelings did he have when choosing his gift?
He had chosen it while thinking about the Yuria he liked. To compare his feelings to that self-absorbed guy’s was deeply offensive to Ruin.
Suppressing his rising anger, Ruin spoke to Yuria.
“Yuria. Do you trust Ricardo?”
“What?”
“Think about it. How many times has he betrayed and hurt you, and yet you still trust him?”
“…”
“You know I’m right.”
“No. I made up with Ricardo, and we’re starting over from the beginning…”
“Starting over? Do you think that guy will change? Don’t you remember? How he bullied you with Olivia at the academy?”
“…Stop it.”
“Do you think that’s all? You know it was Ricardo who put thumbtacks in your shoe cabinet and wrote insults on your desk.”
“I know, so stop it.”
Yuria clenched her fists and lowered her head, her nerves frayed by Ruin’s words.
Facing someone directly and expressing anger wasn’t something Yuria was used to. And because Ruin’s words were technically correct, she couldn’t easily lift her head.
Because Ruin wasn’t wrong.
She had forgotten, but Ricardo was the perpetrator, and she was the victim. Like oil and water, they were incompatible.
But.
“I know, so just stop already.”
Ruin was no different.
When she was being bullied, Ruin had ignored it, sitting at his desk and watching as if it were merely interesting. Now, acting as if he were righteous, it didn’t sit well with Yuria.
In some ways, Ruin’s neglect was worse.
Terrible memories began to flash through Yuria’s mind like a life-flashing memory.
The day she walked into the classroom, only to have filth dumped on her head.
Ruin had been sitting at his desk that day, resting his chin on his hand. He could have stopped it or said a single word to make it stop.
But Ruin had said nothing, merely watching as if he were observing an amusing prank.
And yet.
Who are you to judge?
If they hadn’t been paired for assignments, if Ruin hadn’t had a talent for healing, he wouldn’t have come near her.
Recalling the whirlwind of her past, Yuria clenched her fists and spoke in a trembling voice.
“Then what were you doing back then?”
“…What?”
“When I was being bullied, what were you doing?”
“I helped you.”
“No! Not now—when Ricardo was around! Before we became close, you were just like them!”
“No, I wasn’t. I never did anything.”
“Liar. You just watched.”
A small crack began to form in their relationship.
The gift that had started with good intentions was losing its meaning because of someone’s criticism, and a single word spoken out of a sense of superiority had become an arrow that tore open deeply buried wounds.
Yuria hadn’t wanted to bring this up. She had harbored resentment toward Ruin in her heart, but they were good friends now.
During difficult times, they had leaned on each other and overcome hardships together, creating memories she had wanted to bury in her heart.
But.
Seeing Ruin casually claim he hadn’t done anything back then, Yuria’s thin thread of reason began to snap.
“You just watched back then… You have no right to judge Ricardo.”
“Yuria.”
“Even if you hate Ricardo…! It’s him you hate, not me, right?”
“Yuria!”
“Ruin. You…! You have no right to say that!”
Ruin’s expression hardened coldly as he spoke to Yuria.
“I’m different.”
“…”
“I see you for who you truly are.”
“…”
“Unlike that guy, I didn’t approach you because of your appearance or your magic.”
“What’s the difference? To me, you’re all the same! Even your indifference back then…!”
“That was because we weren’t close. I thought if someone like me, who meant nothing to you, suddenly helped, it would seem strange. And also…!”
Ruin spoke, releasing the heat rising from deep within his chest.
“It’s different now.”
“…”
“I see you. Sure, at first, I got close to you out of curiosity, but now it’s different. Even if you change into someone else…”
“…”
“Even if you become someone I don’t recognize, I can tell because I’m your closest friend. Maybe I let you down in the past, but now it’s different.”
Ruin spoke with conviction, pounding his chest.
“I’m not like that guy.”
Ruin’s words were a lie that would never come true.
*
On the way back to the dormitory.
Yuria trudged toward the dormitory with heavy steps.
“Haah…”
She felt pathetic for having engaged in such a pointless fight.
Thinking that Ruin had given her the gift with good intentions, Yuria wondered if she had spoken too harshly as she walked with her head lowered.
In her hand was the dress Ruin had given her.
-It’s your choice. But I’d like it if you wore the dress I gave you.
Ruin’s face, as he lowered his head and handed her the paper bag, flickered in her mind.
Though they had fought, Ruin surely hadn’t meant any malice. Besides, she couldn’t say she didn’t understand his situation.
He had been thoroughly humiliated by Ricardo.
Honestly, she couldn’t deny that Ricardo was insufferable, so she wondered if she had overreacted.
Yuria walked on, burdened by her tangled thoughts.
And when she arrived at the dormitory.
“Yuria~”
A group she disliked was approaching, each holding a purple drink in hand.
They were people she despised.
They bullied her.
They insulted her to her face.
They treated her as invisible.
Yuria forced a bitter smile as she looked at them.
They smiled back at her and began to speak.
“We’re sorry for everything.”
“Huh?”
“We’ve thought about it a lot, and we realized we’ve been too harsh on you.”
They opened the conversation with the words Yuria had most wanted to hear.
“Why don’t you come to our room and chat for a bit?”
Yuria accepted their dangerous invitation.
Yuria chatted with them happily.
She knew trusting them was foolish, but she wanted to cling to that straw rope of hope. In her desperate situation, she grabbed onto it, hoping it would lead to a brighter future.
The next morning.
“Huh…?”
Yuria’s face was grotesquely disfigured.
Her skin was warped.
Her once-clear eyes had turned murky.
Her lips were dry and cracked, resembling the face of a witch lurking in the shadows.
The only thing left of Yuria was her pink hair.
Staring into the mirror, Yuria froze, unable to do anything.
“Ah… Ah… Ah…”
“Aaaaaah!!!”
*
Rules of the Ball.
-All students must attend the ball.
*
Another peaceful day at the Desmond Estate.
Olivia, sucking on a giant lollipop, looked at Ricardo, who was dressed in a suit, and asked.
“Ricardo, where are you going?”
“Why?”
“You’re dressed so sharply.”
“Ah… I’m off to become a prince.”
“Huh?”
Ricardo smiled and walked toward the ball.
“Will they even let a student on leave attend?”
-If they don’t, I’ll just break my way in.