Ball D-3
Under the dark shadows.
The story of the dark-hearted girls was carried on the wind.
-Yuri, isn't it really too much of an eyesore?
-That's right. He was really loud after Olivia left. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have kicked her out then.
-So, you made up a story and buried it.
-Ha… It was like a dog when it was there, but it’s even more annoying when it’s not there.
The girls chatting under the dark shadows all hated one girl.
They are attracted to the object of their admiration, who has a better appearance than them and whom they can only look at.
These were women who did not like the girl who was loved by many despite her lowly status as a commoner.
They all had a hero in their hearts.
She had a heart for Mikhail, a righteous man, a flame wizard with a prickly personality, and a man of the most noble status in the empire.
The sight of a girl befriending heroes they couldn't even speak to filled them with hatred.
So the girls hated Yuria.
Even though Yuria tried her best to be friendly, the arrow of hatred was like a nail that would not easily fall out.
Even though she had done nothing wrong, the girls hated Yuria.
Even if I receive a letter that lowers my pride.
Even though I heard her sincere words, filled with tears of sorrow, I hated and loathed Yuria.
Yuria's slightest movement was as unpleasant as a fishbone stuck in her throat, and her face, smiling with pleasure, looked arrogant.
Because I envied the existence of Yuria, who was heavily coated in the colored glasses they wore.
-I'm not going to show off at the ball this time either.
-I hate x. Really.
-That's right. What on earth does a commoner woman believe in to be acting like that? Talking to the Crown Prince is also ridiculous. The Crown Prince probably hates it too. He smells weird too, and I can't do that.
-Hahaha. I admit it. You know that musty smell. I told you, it makes me want to throw up.
-Right! It's not just me who's in charge, right?
The girls' gloomy conversations were focused solely on one person, and Yuria's small speck of dust turned into a huge ball of dust after passing through the girl's mouth.
Time passed by while telling malicious stories.
As time passed, the words that were said became lies and became flesh, and the dark thoughts that were kept in the heart began to change into the emotion of 'anger' and become resentment.
-Isn't there a way?
And gradually, my thoughts shifted to, "Let's give it a try." Because that's how it's always been. Ignoring her, harassing her, even to the point where I wondered if it was okay, Yuria just took it without a response.
There was less heaviness in the violence.
As the girls' story reaches its climax.
-Are you telling an interesting story?
Dark shadows began to fall.
-I have an interesting idea, would you like to hear it?
*
Ball D-1
Returning to the dormitory, Yuria stared blankly at the dress hanging on the hanger.
"and..."
It was the dress I wanted.
The dress that she had only seen with her eyes and had never thought of buying because it was too expensive was shining beautifully before her eyes.
It shines softly in pure white color.
Instead of the musty smell of used dresses, there was a faint scent of roses.
Every time I bought a used dress, the new one that didn't need perfume to remove its smell was a gift from an unexpected person.
Ricardo.
The boy who always came to me in my most difficult moments came to me again this time as a great light.
Yuria, who was sitting on a chair and staring at the dress, recalled what had happened a few days ago.
-I can't accept it.
-It's okay. I don't need clothes like this. I don't like shirts, but dresses aren't my style.
-Then you can just give me Olivia.
-Well... I don't think it would work out because you have a big heart.
-still….
If you don't accept it, I'll put it back. I want to avoid unnecessary spending. Well, it's doing someone else a favor.
-That...that.
I was stupid.
Yuria knew.
That these clothes are not used.
That makes sense.
-30,000 gold.
No one would sell a dress used if it wasn't tacky. The seller would have inspected it, of course, and I'd seen Ricardo's bewilderment when I told him I'd be paying. It was a reaction I couldn't help but notice.
-I'll buy it.
-No. I absolutely have to buy these clothes.
-Where is that?
-Here it is.
Ricardo was embarrassed.
really.
Yuria's face heated up as if she had been bitten by a hot sweet potato, as she recalled the memories of the past that brought a smile to her face.
"fool."
Without even being able to lie.
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
Ricardo has always emerged as a hero in difficult moments.
Academy life without Ricardo for the past year has been incomparable to what it was before.
Compared to when Ricardo was there, there was definitely less bullying and incidents, but it was still really hard to overcome the hardships that came from time to time.
The hardships were few, but I would say they were not insurmountable.
If my dress had gotten stained with wine, Ricardo would have pretended it was a coincidence and quietly wiped the stain away, saying, "Oh, I just so happen to have some all-purpose detergent." But now, if something like that happened, I'd be too flustered to do anything.
It seemed right to say that the weight of enduring trials had grown. With no one to rely on, no one to help...
"ha..."
That's why I can't hate Ricardo.
The guilt of what happened in the dungeon erased my feelings of hatred, but more than that, it seemed that Ricardo's actions of doing such things without hesitation clearly conveyed my feelings that I couldn't hate him.
What woman in the world could not resist receiving a gift like this?
Who wouldn't like it if the dress they wanted the most was hidden in a pile of clothes so they wouldn't feel burdened?
I used to think Ricardo, who knew me so well, was scary, but now that feeling has turned into affection, and I don't think about it anymore. In fact, I like it.
I don't know anymore.
If someone else had done that, I would have thought he was a stalker, but I was so intoxicated by Ricardo's appearance of giving me gifts under the guise of a coincidence that I couldn't even dare to think that way.
Yuria continued to look at the pure white dress.
I'm talking about a new dress that doesn't even have a tail.
This ball will be different from previous ones.
No one would look down on me for wearing an old dress, and I felt like I would gain strength if I wore the dress Ricardo gave me.
Even the sounds that others ignore.
I thought I could overcome the sarcasm about a commoner wearing fancy clothes if I wore the dress Ricardo had given me.
Ricardo had always been there to protect her. She thought that if something like that happened again, he'd show up like a prince charming.
"What are you saying..."
Yuria shook her head, hitting her hot cheek.
About 10 minutes passed like that.
-Ding dong.
A strange guest started calling Yuria.
***
The Academy's promenade is lined with dark streetlights.
Yuria was walking along the path and talking with her friend Ruin, who had suddenly arrived.
Although it was a little chilly wearing only a cardigan, Yuria was able to endure it by holding on to her clothes because the weather had warmed up a lot.
While walking hesitantly under the streetlight, Ruin opened his tightly shut mouth.
"It's tomorrow."
"huh?"
"I'm talking about the ball."
"ah..."
ball.
A place where I never had a single good memory.
Although the academy held balls frequently, the New Year's ball in particular was filled with only bad memories for Yuria.
Because of Olivia when I was a freshman.
In the second year, due to Ricardo's absence.
Yuria was full of worries about how the upcoming ball would turn out.
No matter how nice a dress you wear, if the people you meet do bad things, it will turn out for the worst.
Yuria nodded with an awkward smile at Ruin's question.
"That's right. There's one day left."
"That... Yuria."
Ruin exhaled a puff of white breath and looked ahead. He glanced at the paper bag in his hand, then smiled faintly, a sight that felt awkward.
Because Yuria didn't know what Ruin, who had summoned her through the headmaster, would say.
I thought he had called me to talk about schoolwork, but looking at Ruin's face, I thought there was another reason.
Yuria walked with her hands together.
Until Ruin opens his mouth.
"Why do you have something to say, Ruin?"
"Uh... It's nothing special. We've been friends for three years now."
"yes?"
"Your birthday is coming up soon, and I feel like I haven't done much for you so far."
"No, you've done so much for me. You taught me magic and gave me a necklace."
"I see... haha!"
Ruin looked at Yuria with an awkward smile.
And then he gave Yuria an awkward smile, handing her the paper bag he had been holding in his hand for a while.
"This isn't anything special, but I thought it would look good on you."
"Huh? What is this?"
"dress."
"huh?"
Inside the paper bag was a light green dress, similar to the color of Ruin's hair.
At first glance, it was an expensive-looking piece of clothing.
I thought it would be similar, if not quite as good as what Ricardo had given me.
Ruin was blushing as he held out the dress, and Yuria was looking at the dress in the paper bag with a faint smile.
"Ah... Sorry, Ruin. I don't think I can accept the dress as a gift."
"uh?"
Ruin looked at Yuria with a puzzled expression and asked.
"who is this?"
"..."
"Who gave you this as a gift?"
"warm friend."
“No way…Ricardo?”
Ruin clenched his fist as he looked at Yuria, who didn't answer.
"Throw it away."