SWNOVELXO Chapter 144
TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 144
Yuria cried for a long time in my arms.
She asked how I recognized her.
She asked why I recognized her.
Repeating over and over, she lamented that she didn’t want to show this side of herself, that she really didn’t want to, all while shedding tears.
Yuria’s seemingly endless tears finally came to a halt with the words, “Thank you so much for finding me.”
Yuria took a deep breath and gazed at the banquet hall beyond the curtains.
It was about time to return to the ball.
If we stayed out here on the open veranda any longer, we’d surely become targets for the heretics. Besides, if we kept leaving our spots empty, it would only make things difficult for everyone.
Holding Yuria’s trembling hand, I tried to think of a clever line. After all, a word of encouragement seemed necessary if we were to return to the ball.
“Miss Yuria.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t be so scared.”
“…Is it that obvious?”
“Yes.”
“…”
Yuria took a deep breath and patted her cheeks.
“Haah. Do you think it’ll be okay?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, being with Ricardo. I’m worried strange rumors might spread.”
“It’s fine. If anyone says anything, I’ll just deal with them.”
“What?”
“I’m joking.”
It seemed Yuria still hadn’t realized her face had returned to normal. Since there wasn’t a mirror on the veranda, it wasn’t something she could easily notice.
‘How should I tell her?’
Suddenly saying, “The magic has worn off,” felt far too strange. Hmm.
I tapped Yuria’s cheek lightly and pointed toward the faintly visible mirror between the curtains.
Yuria flinched at the unexpected touch, her shoulders jerking as she looked at me in surprise.
“Eek…! Why did you do that all of a sudden?”
“Would you take a look in the mirror?”
“Huh?”
“The mirror over there in the corner of the banquet hall.”
Following my outstretched finger, Yuria turned her head. The mirror faintly visible through the curtains reflected our figures.
A boy with red hair and a girl with a beautiful face.
The face that had been the target of so much criticism was gone, replaced by the heroine’s beautiful visage in the mirror.
“Huh…?”
Startled, Yuria touched her face with her hands. Wondering if it was a dream, she pinched her cheeks and alternated between looking at the mirror and at me, eventually letting out a scream as she realized it wasn’t a dream.
“Wha-wha-wha? Whaaaat?!”
“Even if you keep staring, I don’t know. I have no idea why your face changed, Miss Yuria.”
To lighten the mood, I decided to tease Yuria with a silly joke.
“Maybe you were kissed by a prince or something.”
“What…?”
“Just kidding.”
“I don’t know.”
Yuria blushed and lightly punched my shoulder, grumbling that I shouldn’t make such jokes. She looked much better than before.
‘Now this feels like the real Yuria.’
The heroine Yuria from the novel, who had a bright energy and stole the hearts of many men. Seeing her gradually regain her innocent smile and cheerful demeanor, I let out a sigh of relief.
I subtly extended my hand toward Yuria.
“Shall we head back now? It’s not fitting for the protagonist of the ball to be crouching in a corner, after all.”
Like a scene often depicted in romance novels, I reached out my hand toward Yuria.
Looking at Ricardo’s face, smiling as he gazed at the banquet hall bathed in a subtle light, Yuria stood there in a daze.
“Why are you just standing there? You’re making me feel awkward.”
Under Yuria’s vacant gaze, as if she’d been struck by a hammer, an awkward smile crept onto my face.
‘Ah, maybe this was too much.’
Realizing I might have overdone it and made things too cheesy, I awkwardly lowered my outstretched hand.
At that moment.
-Grab.
Yuria’s soft fingers brushed against the calloused skin of my palm as she took my hand.
“Yes…! Let’s go!”
With swollen eyes and a radiant eye smile, Yuria beamed at me. Her smile, as clear as a cloudless autumn sky, made me smile back in return.
“From now on, just trust me.”
“I’ve trusted you from the beginning….”
“What?”
“It’s nothing.”
Today, Yuria held my hand tightly.
As if she would never let go.
*
-Click.
Seeing the two figures emerging into the banquet hall, Ruin set down the wine glass he had been holding and spoke.
“What the hell.”
-Don’t be nervous, just focus on my handsome face.
-What is that supposed to mean…?
-It’s not wrong, is it?
-Well… you’re not wrong.
-What did you just say?
-Nothing. I was just talking to myself.
Yuria was holding Ricardo’s hand.
Seeing the freckled girl who had fled to the veranda now walking in with a shy smile, Ruin felt a pang in his chest.
‘Why is Yuria coming out from there?’
Seeing Yuria slowly walking out in the dress he had gifted her, Ruin clenched his fists and glared at Ricardo.
It was an unexpected turn of events.
While Ruin was lost in his tangled thoughts, the voice of the student council president reached his ears.
“What the hell. Isn’t that Yuria? When did she get here?”
“…”
“Ruin?”
“…”
Without hesitation, Ruin began walking toward Yuria.
His heavy footsteps echoed as he walked, brushing past a female student who had once mocked Yuria and causing her to let out a “Eek!” But Ruin ignored her and kept his eyes fixed ahead.
‘Why is she coming out with that guy?’
‘If she had arrived, she should have told me.’
Ruin’s anger boiled to the surface. Yuria, wearing the dress he had gifted her, was with the person he despised the most.
While he was pleased that she had worn the dress he gave her, the fact that she had shown it first to Ricardo left him feeling deeply displeased.
Looking at Yuria, who shyly lowered her head while holding Ricardo’s hand, Ruin shouted.
“Yuria!”
Ruin’s voice echoed loudly throughout the banquet hall.
Even though his voice was loud enough for everyone in the banquet hall to hear, Yuria tightly held Ricardo’s hand and ignored him.
“…”
It was neglect. A cold neglect unlike anything Ruin had ever experienced before.
Ruin, who had never been ignored by Yuria like this, felt a chilling shiver run down his shoulders.
As the question “Why…?” flashed through his mind, murmurs began to ripple through the banquet hall, reaching Ruin’s ears.
-It’s Yuria.
-When did she arrive… Wow. But what’s this? Why is Yuria so beautiful?
-Right? But who’s the guy next to Senior Yuria? He’s totally my type.
-Ah… There he is. That crazy bastard. But why are those two together?
The envious gazes of the students were directed at Yuria and Ricardo. The compliments about how well they matched and how handsome he was were all directed at the person Ruin hated the most.
Seeing Ricardo stealing the attention that should have been his, Ruin began to lose his grip on reason. When he came to his senses, he found himself gripping Yuria’s wrist tightly.
Yuria frowned at the painful pressure of his grip strength.
“Ugh…”
Noticing Yuria’s pained expression belatedly, Ruin hurriedly tried to release his hand, but Ricardo’s chilling voice stopped him.
“Let go.”
“…Shut up.”
“If you don’t want to die, let go.”
Ricardo glared at Ruin, his red glare piercing through him.
Ricardo’s voice, now boiling with rage, carried a deep killing intent, unlike before. The intensity of it made Ruin feel as though his legs might give out.
‘That son of a b*….’
Overcoming the chilling killing intent, Ruin barely managed to speak to Yuria.
“Why are you so late? Do you know how long I’ve been waiting?”
“…”
“I was so worried when I couldn’t find you anywhere.”
“…”
“But Yuria, you look really beautiful today.”
Ruin looked at Ricardo with a small smile.
“Thanks for wearing the dress I gave you.”
Feeling a sense of superiority, Ruin tried to savor his triumph.
“Let go.”
But Yuria, as if vehemently rejecting his claim, began to shake off his hand roughly.
Yuria, glaring at Ruin with eyes full of disgust, spoke in a cold voice.
“Didn’t you say you didn’t want to associate with an ugly girl?”
“Huh…?”
“Why are you so surprised?”
Ruin reached out to grab Yuria’s hand again, but she avoided him irritably and spoke with a cold expression.
“That’s what you said to me.”
Clenching the hand that now hung in empty space, Ruin responded to Yuria. Searching his memory frantically, he stammered, saying he had never said such a thing.
“What are you talking about? When did I ever say that to you?”
As Ruin fumbled awkwardly, voicing his confusion, his words began to falter when he noticed the bandage tape covering Yuria’s fingers.
‘Huh…?’
Yuria answered Ruin’s question stiffly.
“Do you really not know?”
The ominous puzzle pieces began to fit together in Ruin’s mind.
“You said it. Why are you pretending you didn’t?”
Faced with Yuria’s unfamiliar, emotion-filled demeanor, Ruin’s eyes wavered.
Because the puzzle was coming together.
-I’m Yuria.
-Shut up. Yuria isn’t as ugly as you. Watch your mouth.
The sorrowful image of a freckled girl began to stir up Ruin’s heart.
*
‘Oh…’
Yuria grabbed my hand and said.
“Let’s go. Leave that trash behind.”
I was honestly quite surprised by how resolute Yuria was.
I thought, ‘I can understand.’ I assumed she would forgive me, but I was impressed by how decisively she cut ties.
‘Well, I would’ve done the same.’
After all, who would like someone who openly insulted them? No one.
As I brushed past Ruin, who was staring blankly at Yuria’s retreating figure, I whispered softly.
“What did I tell you?”
“…”
“Mr. Ruin, you really can’t do anything right.”
Ruin, watching our retreating figures with empty eyes, lowered his head.
-Rumble…!
The chandelier’s lights began to sway.
**
“Mmm.”
Olivia was bored.
Her butler, who had gone on vacation, wasn’t there to keep her company. Though he was always nagging, it seemed his absence left her feeling a bit lonely.
“I’m bored.”
‘What’s Ricardo doing?’
Olivia, feeling restless, looked at the desk.
-If you’re bored, read this.
-No.
-Then don’t.
-No.
The book Ricardo had left behind.
A thick book with no title, it looked utterly uninteresting.
“I’m not reading it.”
Yawning, Olivia gazed at the stars in the night sky.
“One star.”
“Two stars.”
“Three stars.”
By the time the bored Olivia had counted stars into the triple digits.
-Rumble…!
Dark clouds began to gather in the sky.
“Oh…”
-Flash!
Crimson lightning began to strike toward the Academy.