Chapter 272: Pretending

“What is this, that disrespectful tone and attitude? Was this your real personality all along? Was everything you’ve shown me until now just an act?!”

After the villain snatched the Aether microphone Hailga offered with a rough, almost violent gesture, the first words he spat out were accusations against her.

He had thought she was a person who perfectly matched his ideal type, from her appearance to her personality.

It seemed like he had realized the image he’d seen was an illusion and was interrogating her as if asking why she had deceived him.

‘If he was truly shocked by that reason and just reflexively asked a question to confirm, he wouldn’t have had the presence of mind to even take the microphone!

It’s not that he has no intention of questioning me at all.

It’s certain that underneath it all lies the judgment that he can’t bear the blatantly derogatory words being poured on him, so he must redirect their target towards Hailga.

The proof is that even with his face twisted in rage, one corner of his mouth is curling up as if sneering.’

“You, you really liked me as the rumors said?! So you’ve been acting out my ideal type to look good to me. But you thought someone like you, a mere baron’s daughter, could never have your feelings reciprocated by me, so you gave up and pulled this stunt? To protect your pathetic pride!!”

He was the one who liked Hailga, confessed, and got rejected. He was also the one who spread the rumors.

He really has no conscience.

And there were even witnesses to that confession scene…

It was so absurd I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh, but I didn’t want to step forward and correct him.

The crowd that had gathered was too large and burdensome, and anyway, even if I did, it was obvious I’d just be accused of taking her side because I’m close to her.

Telling the truth that she and I aren’t even the slightest bit close wouldn’t make a dent.

Reysir, who has a long-standing friendship with Hailga, goes without saying.

And above all else.

Hailga didn’t need any help right now.

“This is what I hate about you! Having nothing to boast about except your family name, yet living under the delusion that you’re popular! I really, really hate it! Why should I have to like someone like you?!”

“It’s because…”

“Do you think there’s no one in this Academy born into a better family than yours? Or don’t tell me, with that face of yours, you think you’re handsome? Did you ever speak prettily, have a kind heart, or have a good head on your shoulders? There’s not a single thing you’re good at! Does any personal merit of yours even exist, aside from being born into a better family than mine?!”

“Wha… what did you say?”

“I hate you! I’m shouting that I hate you this much! Why won’t you understand and keep making that disgusting claim that I like you?! I really, really hate you! If I hate you, you should know I hate you! I hate everything about you, including that part of you that can’t accept being hated and just declares victory in your own mind!!”

Even just before she started speaking, Hailga was clearly feeling shame and pressure.

But now, not even a trace of those emotions could be found on her face.

It seemed the dam holding back her anger and resentment had burst, sweeping all other feelings away in a wave of indignation.

“The reason I’ve been putting on an act all this time was solely to become a model, splendid, and elegant noble lady!! It wasn’t to look good to someone like you! I hate you so much that I’m willing to choose to tear down the image I’ve carefully built over the past year with my own hands!! Why won’t you understand my true feelings??”

The last sentence was uttered in a tone close to pleading.

Her sincerity felt so earnest that no one could doubt the truth of her words.

Was that why?

“Oh no~, I feel so sorry for Hailga…!!”

Skadi hopped from foot to foot, showing a reaction of being so pitifully moved she didn’t know what to do. Since her actions were quite noticeable, I was worried attention might shift this way and I should subtly step back and pretend not to be with them.

Fortunately, Hailga continued speaking, drawing all attention back to herself.

“If I had known of your existence before entering the Academy, if I had known your preference was for a modest lady! I wouldn’t have put on any act!! Because the mere possibility that you might come to like me is utterly humiliating!! That’s how terribly I hate you! I hate you so much I could die—!!!”

“How dare a mere baron’s daughter…!”

“I hate this habit of constantly bringing up family status too! Is a baron’s daughter not even allowed to have feelings of liking or disliking someone as she pleases? I don’t hate you because you’re not the son of a count, I hate you, the person, because you’re terribly disgusting!! Ugh~, I really hate it! I can’t even stand the sight of you!! It’s irritating!!”

It’s quite a skill to pour out reasons for hatred so incessantly and diversely.

“Having nothing worth looking at except a so-so face…”

“Ah! Don’t look!! I wasn’t born with a so-so face to look good to someone like you! For someone with a face not worth looking at, why do you have eyes that see, making people feel uncomfortable?!”

Hailga acted as if even the fact that the other person liked her appearance was creepy and terrible… No, not ‘as if,’ she actually felt that way, so she let out a scream and covered her face.

While doing so, she didn’t hide her displeasure and even used the villain’s own words to pay him back with a greater insult.

“Pfft!”

“Keke…”

It was only natural that sneers leaked out from here and there.

Hearing that, the villain looked around angrily, but it was futile.

Those laughing openly would be children from families who didn’t need to worry about such things. Those afraid of getting splashed by sparks would be hiding in the crowd, laughing secretly.

‘But with this many people… Even if you laugh openly, it seems like no one would know who’s who!’

The villain’s threatening aura, as he glared around with bloodshot eyes, quickly deflated.

Likely because he realized there were far more people who, far from being scared when he glared, were laughing openly.

Ultimately, in this situation, there was only one person he could take his anger out on.

“Hailga Vitnir! Do you think your household can remain unscathed after insulting me like this?!”

“Again, again! That damn household talk, family status talk!! That’s all you have to boast about! And now you’re even openly threatening me?! How could anyone not hate and avoid you when you’re like this?!”

“You, you…!”

“Me, what!! If you have something to say, say it properly!!”

“S-so… you don’t seem afraid of your family being ruined, do you?!”

The villain flinched, hunched his shoulders, then immediately straightened them and raised his voice.

It was likely an action to recover from the shame of realizing he’d been overwhelmed by Hailga’s spirit.

Repeating such pathetic threats made him look truly worthless.

“I’m the one who wants to ask. Why exactly would my family not remain unscathed, and why would it be ruined?”

“Because you insulted me! My father will never forgive you!!”

“That’s truly absurd… Hey! Did I use vulgar profanity, did I expose your shameful secrets, did I slander the Opraushy Count Family? I merely said I hate you, I just laid out my honest feelings!”

“But you did that in front of a huge crowd!! To make me an object of ridicule!”

“I only wanted to correct the rumors to wash away the dishonor of people saying I like you! But you barged in on your own and exposed your wretched self to the world, didn’t you? And now you blame me?! I really hate people who don’t even consider their own faults and only blame others!!”

‘Was it because he’d heard the word ‘hate’ too many times today?’

‘Or was it because his threats weren’t working and he had run out of things to say?’

“You… uh… th-this…!!”

The villain couldn’t form proper words, just stammered and pointed a finger at Hailga.

I don’t know why he even brought the microphone in his other hand to his lips if he was going to be like that.

Perhaps Hailga thought the same and decided to find a use for the microphone, as she brought up a new topic to question him.

“Ah, right! It suddenly occurred to me, so I’m asking just in case. That absurd rumor that I like you, you didn’t spread it, did you?”

“Wh-why would I do something like that?!”

“You said it yourself earlier with your own mouth. That my acting, modest self was your ideal type. You even said my face was so-so. So you came to like me, but I detest you immensely! To protect your pathetic pride, you spread the opposite rumor, that I like you, didn’t you?”

“N-no, that’s not……”

As if thinking he should deny it first, the villain said it wasn’t true.

But his voice lacked confidence, and his eyes darted around.

It seemed he sensed that now, even if he claimed he didn’t like Hailga, no one would believe him.

“What exactly isn’t true? That you didn’t start the rumor? Or that it wasn’t to protect your pride, but you had some bad ulterior motive?!”

“Wh-what are you even…”

“Don’t act like someone whose weak spot has been hit, please deny it firmly and clearly?! The fact that you like me is a horrible thing, and if you even spread fake rumors because of it, it’s utterly disgusting and creepy! I really hope that’s not the case!!”

Surely everyone had noticed.

Not only that the person who spread the rumor was none other than that villain.

But also the reason why Hailga had no choice but to step forward for a large-scale clarification, even making herself a spectacle.

“I’ll ask one last time, so answer straight. Did you spread the rumor?”

The voice that flowed from Hailga’s lips was transmitted through the microphone and echoed from the speakers.

When the person who had been shouting loudly suddenly pressed with a calm, sunken voice, the murmuring voices of the audience cursing the villain also gradually lowered and then abruptly cut off at some point.

Everyone closed their mouths and stared intently at just one person.

With looks that said, ‘Confess the truth now.’

‘Did his spirit waver under that burdensome gaze?’

‘Or did he decide to go all out since explaining was impossible anyway?’

“Yes! I spread it, what are you going to do about it?!”

An utterly shameless remark jumped from the villain’s lips.

It was a statement dismissing her, asking what a mere baron’s daughter could possibly do.

He seemed to have assumed that if he came out like this, the other party would be left speechless and falter.

But Hailga, on the contrary, showed an attitude of having wanted this answer.

“What am I going to do?! I challenge you to a duel!!”

She shouted just like that and, pulling a pure white lace glove from her inventory, threw it right at the villain’s face.