A Third-Rate Villain Tries Her Best Today 159

Chapter 159: The Loss of Interest

“Byron, why did you suddenly leave the party?”

A simple and straightforward answer, but it wasn’t really an answer.

“Is it an order?”

“Does it have to be an order?”

“Well… no.”

A long silence fell. Acrea spoke calmly, as if soothing a child,

“You were… avenged.”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

Their voices, flat and emotionless, echoed in the air.

“Why does Byron cling to Enzhe? Is it just because she’s from an allied family?”

“Everyone has their reasons.”

“It’s not a simple reason, then.”

“Well… I can’t tell you that.”

Sue slowly closed her eyes. Acrea turned to her, his head resting on his hand.

“I’m curious.”

About Byron.

Sue opened her eyes and looked at him, wondering if she had heard him correctly.

“Haha, don’t be. It’s pointless.”

She didn’t know how her smile had reached him.

“The more I talk about myself, the more I want to die.”

She hadn’t expected to say that to Acrea. No, maybe she could only say it to Acrea. Because he was indifferent.

“Vercia said I don’t deserve to be loved. And I couldn’t argue with her. Because she was right.”

Sue rested her chin on her knees. The warmth Acrea had given her was so comforting.

She wanted to savor this last bit of sympathy she could receive.

“Master Acrea, Sue… She’s not worth pitying, not worth worrying about. She was born to be hated.”

Acrea suddenly grabbed her arm, pulling her towards him. The red cape slipped off her shoulders.

“If you need help, ask for it. You can.”

Sue shook her head weakly, her voice trembling at his words.

No, that wasn’t it.

The ones who needed help were the dozens of children who had been invited to Vercia’s mansion, not Sue Byron.

What was this man even offering to help her with? Was this also an order? An emotionless facade, devoid of any feeling?

She didn’t know.

In the end, Sue couldn’t say anything to Acrea, who had come to rescue her.

***

There had been a rumor circulating at the academy for eight years. A rumor about a girl who seemed to be covered in dried blood. The rumor was that she always looked down on others, ignored them, resorted to violence at the slightest provocation, and tortured students with curse magic when she was stressed.

But there were no witnesses or evidence, and many dismissed the rumor as slander, because she was protected by the beautiful young duchess.

But something was different now.

Her “victims” were starting to come forward.

“Sue Byron is the worst girl in the capital!”

More and more people were claiming that they had been “tortured to the point of near death” by Viscountess Sue Byron.

They demanded an investigation from the teachers, and even petitioned Antique Fritz, the headmaster, to expel Sue Byron.

Vercia, who had started it all, remained silent, observing the situation.

The teachers, overwhelmed by the constant petitions, finally summoned Sue Byron and interrogated her. But Sue remained silent, refusing to answer when they asked her what the truth was.

Enzhe’s indifference towards Sue also lent credence to the victims’ claims.

There were countless people who suspected Sue, but no one defended her.

And it was only natural.

Because the rumors were true.

***

Fritz, returning to the academy after a long absence, felt a strange, unsettling atmosphere. The students were all talking about Sue Byron. They were saying she was wrong, that she was a noble from the capital, that they should wait and see, all sorts of things he couldn’t understand.

Fritz, who normally didn’t care about gossip, was a little concerned because he knew her name.

And then, he ran into Sue in the hallway and greeted her cheerfully,

“It’s been a while, Sue Byron Chiqmefriar.”

“….”

But something about Sue seemed off. Her eyes were blank and hollow, and Fritz gulped involuntarily as they darted upwards.

“What’s wrong with you?”

He sensed something was wrong and knelt down to meet her gaze. Sue’s face contorted, as if in pain.

“Don’t. It’s all the same.”

Her voice was low and gloomy.

She turned away and disappeared down the hallway.

The academy, after his long absence, was definitely strange.

***

“Hmm… A student trial. How unpleasant.”

Reeves Acrea, in his office, slowly put down the letter he had received from Full Bloom.

[Regarding the upcoming student trial of Viscountess Sue Byron Chiqmefriar.]

The young lady of the Byron viscount family was going to stand trial.

The student trial was an organization run by Full Bloom to “judge and punish the sins of students.” The judge was either the head of the Fritz, Lopetrefer, or Acrea family, or someone they appointed.

It was usually used as a courtesy for Skias, when the case was too minor to be sent to the Imperial court.

But if the crime was serious enough to warrant a trial, it was usually sent to the Imperial court, and if not, it was usually settled with community service, so this was the first time Reeves had received an official document with such a grand plan for a student trial.

‘Enzhe managed to get away with it. And Melaine too.’

Had they used Sue Byron as a scapegoat? But it wasn’t even a situation that required a scapegoat. It was definitely a sudden, unexpected incident.

“Brother.”

Woo entered the office without knocking. Reeves’s eyes sparkled with interest at his younger brother’s unprecedented behavior.

And his voice, somewhat strained, surprised him even more.

“I have a favor to ask.”

***

Soran Halo and Azette Delondariwood were both troubled. One was thinking, ‘What was bound to happen has happened,’ and the other was thinking, ‘Why would she do such a thing?’ Their hearts were pounding.

The two girls, each with their own thoughts, happened to meet.

It was after the announcement of Sue Byron’s student trial, when the academy was even more chaotic than before.

Azette, after school, instead of going back to the dormitory, wandered around the academy grounds, trying to calm her troubled mind.

And then, she ran into Halo, who was also wandering around, feeling the same way. Halo, seeing Azette, immediately covered her mouth and pulled her behind a hallway pillar.

Before Azette could struggle, she heard hushed voices coming from outside the hallway.

“Please…”

“No, it’s impossible.”

A man and a woman. They were speaking quietly, but they sounded like they were arguing.

“Help Byron.”

Azette gasped, hearing Sue’s name. She finally understood why the special recruit had pulled her into hiding.

“It’s Sir Raines Noel and Lady Melaine Vava, so just listen.”

The clever Halo quickly explained and let go of her. Azette, trusting her words, held her breath and focused on the conversation.

“Byron… she gets upset when I approach her. No, not just upset… She practically tries to kill herself. You know why.”

“Ha, Sue’s doing that to everyone now. Didn’t you hear the rumor that she yelled at Master Fritz and ran away? Give up, I tried to help her, but it’s no use.”

“…Then defend her at the student trial.”

“That’s not possible either!”

The whispered voice suddenly rose to a shout.

“She’s lost her mind! Even when I try to help her, she tells me not to, she tells me to leave, she runs away. I don’t know why she’s like that, but… And most importantly,”

“….”

“Lady Enzhe has abandoned her. It’s over.”

Enzhe Lopetrefer.

It was you again.

Noel clenched his fists.

“Lady Enzhe’s gone mad, Sue’s gone mad, and I’m going crazy too. I’m not a good enough person to care about others when I don’t even know what’s going to happen to me. And besides, there’s no denying the accusations. Sue… she wasn’t wrongfully framed, she was just… exposed.”

Just exposed.

It was a cruel, yet accurate description of the situation.

“…! Who’s there?!”

Noel, hearing a rustling sound, quickly turned around. It was behind the hallway pillar.

“…Is anyone there?”

Had someone been eavesdropping?

Melaine, her heart pounding, quickly reviewed their conversation, wondering if they had said anything dangerous.

Noel, ignoring Melaine, stared at the dusty space behind the pillar for a long time, then mumbled,

“No, there’s no one there.”