Kays Translations

Chapter 7: Decision

The sixth-period class was over without a hitch, and I was on my way home alone after school. While the other girls went with their friends to visit clubs and the library, I headed for the girls' dormitory. There were hardly any people on the road leading to the dormitory; just two girls walking in front of me, chatting happily. I'm a little jealous. I wish I could go to school like that, chatting with my friends. I watch the girls from behind, holding on to a dream that I can't quite fulfill at present, watching them get along with each other. Then, something fell out of the braided girl's pocket. Is that a... handkerchief? I slowly approached the lost item in front of me and picked it up. It was a light pink handkerchief with lilies embroidered on it. From the feel of it, it was definitely a luxury item made of high-quality fabric.

"Umm, excuse me…!"

Since I had picked it up, I couldn't leave it there, so I ran up to the girl with the braids, handkerchief in hand. The girl with the braids and her friend, who had stopped in their tracks, slowly looked back at me with narrowed eyes. Apparently, they know about me. Well, with the rumor spreading like that, it wouldn't be surprising if they knew me. In fact, it's more unusual for people not to know me.

"Uh, well... What can we do for you? "

They stared at me in confusion and seemed to be wary of me, so I stepped back. I offered the handkerchief I had just picked up to the girl with the braids, pained by her attitude. She treated me as if she were dealing with a bear.

"This handkerchief is yours, isn't it? You dropped it there earlier. "

I folded the handkerchief in four and angled it slightly to make it easier to see the lily embroidery, she let out an "ah" sound. She tapped her blazer pocket from the top and when she felt that there was no handkerchief, she reached for it with a nervous smile.

"Oh, thank you..."

With a shaky hand, he picked up the handkerchief and bowed apologetically. Then, before I could say anything, she pulled her friend's hand away and turned on her heels.

"Well, then, we'll take our leave...!"

As if they didn't want anyone to see them with me, they half ran away. As I stared at their backs as they moved away, I let out a deep ‘Haa’. They don't want to be around me because my older sister has spread rumors accusing me of backdooring and cheating. Well, I think that's a wise decision. It takes courage to get involved with someone who has nothing but bad rumors, no matter what the truth is. If it were the other way around, I would have done the same.

So this ────.

"──── can’t be helped."

I muttered to myself, but I couldn't fool the throbbing pain in my chest. I squeezed my chest tightly and started walking again under the blue sky. Feeling terribly lonely, I walked mindlessly and reached the girls' dormitory safely. To avoid making the same mistake I made yesterday, I checked the color of the roof and then stepped into the building. The dormitory was quiet and there was no sign of anyone.

I took a glance at the entrance hall with its blue furniture and went straight to my room on the second floor. As the door slammed shut, I sat down on the floor. Will I have to live like this for the rest of my life......? No one will take me seriously, everyone will avoid me, and I will graduate without finding any friends or a potential husband… Am I going to waste these precious three years like that? When I questioned myself, a single tear spilled from my left eye, as if something I had been holding back was overflowing.

"No. ...... No. No. No. No! I don't want to do that! "

The true feelings that came out of my mouth expressed my emotions more clearly than anything else. I was overcome with emotions that I couldn't ignore because 'it can't be helped,' and I burst into tears one after the other. As I sobbed, I squeezed my skirt so tightly that it wrinkled.──── Suddenly, His Highness Grayson's words passed through my mind.

"Aren’t you frustrated? Why do you play the role of an ordinary person when you're really better than anyone here… but you've been the subject of disgraceful rumors, and you've been ridiculed so much…"

Of course, I’m frustrated…! I’m not okay with people spreading rumors that aren't true! I want to scream out, "My sister is lying"! ──── But my sister, the vice president, and I, just a new student, there’s too much difference in power and influence…! If I shout out 'that’s not true', no one will take me seriously. On the contrary, I may end up in an even worse situation...To clear up the rumors without my sister's help, I can't just make excuses. I have to show it with my actions.

In other words ────.

"──── unleash the power you've been hiding and take things seriously."

There is no other way but to get serious and rewrite the rumors. Since I had no connections and no power to speak out, this was the only option I had. In the beginning, people might think that I was cheating, but as time went by, they would recognize my abilities… But if I take this option…

"There will be a rift in my relationship with Scarlett Oneesama..."

If I break the promise I made when I was five years old and I get serious, my sister will be furious. "Why the hell didn't you listen to me?" is what she’ll ask. To be honest, I don't want to have a conflict with my sister ... Because it'd be annoying ... she will definitely complain and may even harass me if I don't change my behavior. Well, whatever it was, it was definitely going to interfere with my daily life. But ──── there are some things I can't give up.

I couldn't throw away my three years at Frügel Academy and my future just to avoid conflict with my sister. Besides, my sister was the one who crossed the line first. If she hadn't ruined my school life, none of this would have happened. I can't put up with it anymore. I wiped my eyes wet with tears as the feeling of "I want to be free now" pushed me over the edge. With my doubts blown away, I looked up, feeling refreshed.

"──── For the past eight years, I've been devoting myself to helping my sister, but I'm quitting today."

As if making a vow to myself, I declared this in a clear voice.

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