Chapter 80: Reverse of Faith
Noel was wearing his Knights uniform. Sue then remembered that the First Knights Division had accompanied the Crown Prince as his escort.
She felt awkward being alone with Noel in this situation.
She had lashed out at him on that rainy day, even though he had done nothing wrong. And she had learned something she didn’t want to know: that he had never wanted to be her friend. She should have just pretended not to know. Why had he come here?
But she couldn’t ignore him either. She looked down and spoke reluctantly,
“Are you okay? …I heard there was a fire at your mansion.”
Her voice was stiffer than usual. But Noel relaxed, relieved that she had spoken to him.
“I’m fine.”
What do you mean, “you’re fine”?
Sue massaged her forehead, suppressing her anxiety.
“Did you wait for me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I have something to tell you.”
He smiled faintly.
“…You still have something to talk to me about.”
How touching.
She couldn’t believe it was this difficult to face him. She had thought they would never speak again.
Their charade of friendship had been exposed.
She felt like every gaze directed at her was a condemnation.
She had to apologize for lashing out at him.
But the words wouldn’t come out.
It was Noel who broke the dry silence.
“Byron, I don’t have feelings for Lopetrefer.”
He dropped another bombshell, his tone casual.
“…R-really?”
Sue shrugged, as if she already knew, but her heart was pounding.
I believed him all this time!
She had assumed that the incident between the Lopetrefer and Noel families was a family matter. So she had genuinely believed that Noel had feelings for Enzhe. She felt embarrassed for cheering him on, and at the same time, she was annoyed with him.
Why did you lie?
She had to ask him. But the words wouldn’t come out. She was afraid of being scolded again.
Noel, oblivious, continued, as if reciting lines he had prepared,
“And about my problem… The Captain said she would help me, so I think things will be okay.”
“The Captain? Marquess Yuna?”
“Yes.”
Sue’s eyes widened at the unexpected name.
But Noel didn’t seem to want to tell her what his ‘problem’ was. He seemed to sense her thoughts and forced a smile.
“I’m sorry. The Captain told me not to tell anyone until it’s over. I’ll tell you everything once it’s resolved. I promise.”
“Ah.”
Sue touched her neck, embarrassed that he had read her mind.
Noel didn’t actually have to tell her about his personal problems. She was just haunted by the memory of that rainy day, when they had shouted at each other.
“And… there’s something I want to ask you.”
“Something you want to ask? …What is it?”
Sue started tapping her index finger on her arm. Noel, oblivious, voiced the question that had been on his mind.
“You don’t want to do those things, do you?”
“Those things…”
Those things.
Sue chuckled dryly at those two simple words. Raines seemed to sense what she was thinking, but he didn’t stop.
“Do you regret it?”
After a moment of silence, Sue shook her head.
She might not know if she wanted to do those things or not, but she could answer this question with certainty.
“I don’t regret it.”
She looked away, her head pounding.
“It can’t be undone. That kind of thing.”
A heavy silence fell upon them.
What would Raines think?
He should hate and despise her. But she felt a sense of relief, seeing him here, having come to ask her this question.
Contradictory, foolish Sue Byron.
“…You know, Noel.”
Sue finally spoke.
“We were never meant to be close. I’m just… this kind of person.”
A cold silence settled between them. Sue clutched her waist. Her lips hurt.
“Please don’t try to find something in me. I won’t live up to your expectations. Probably never.”
Noel stared at her silently, then nodded slightly. He smiled faintly.
“Okay. Thank you for answering, Byron.”
Just then, a man in a Knights uniform strode towards the entrance of the sixth-year building.
“Raines, it’s time to assemble.”
It was Raines’s senior. Raines nodded and was about to follow him when he seemed to remember something and turned back to Sue.
“Byron, be careful. The academy is safe, but don’t go anywhere else without an escort or servants.”
“Huh? Why are you suddenly…”
Noel trailed off, smiling wryly.
“Don’t worry too much. You’re not at fault.”
At least not to me.
Raines gently patted her head. Sue winced.
“Then I’ll write to you sometime. Take care, Byron.”
He left those words behind and disappeared. Sue stood there alone. She watched him go, her lips unconsciously forming a pout.
“He’s not telling me everything again.”
***
Silence. Damon took a deep breath. The transparent light of dawn peeked through the bare branches. He ran, his legs moving on their own. His injured shoulder ached from the wind.
He was out of breath, saliva dribbling from his mouth. Tears welled up in his cloudy eyes. And then, his family’s faces appeared, shimmering like a mirage.
His mother, his father, and his older sister.
They were gone now. They were all dead because of him.
“No, that’s not it. That’s not true.”
He shook his head violently.
He was an innocent victim. He didn’t deserve to die in a place like this. It was all because of Lopetrefer, Byron, and Vava.
Damon clutched his aching side and sat down under a large tree.
“Sigh… Sigh…”
The mask felt stuffy. But he couldn’t take it off yet.
He was the only one who had survived. He couldn’t stop until his family’s wish was fulfilled.
He had to get revenge. He had to avenge their deaths.
‘But why am I in this state?’
Why was he suffering the fate that should have befallen Lopetrefer, Vava, and Byron?
Damon hadn’t killed Sue Byron, even though he had had countless opportunities. He had always put it off, telling himself ‘next time’, comforting himself.
And why had he asked that stupid question at the end? He couldn’t even understand himself.
“…Haha, don’t be ridiculous! Don’t be ridiculous!”
Damon screamed in the middle of the night, his voice cracking. His hoarse voice disappeared into the bare branches, their leaves fallen and withered.
Tears streamed down his face. He wiped them with his torn sleeve, and the forest fell silent again, only the chirping of insects breaking the stillness. Damon slowly calmed down. A chilly breeze blew.
“…Maybe it was because it was too hot.”
His voice, calmer now, recalled the memory of the day he wanted to return to.
It had been an unusually hot day, even though it was during the transition between autumn and winter. All the students, bundled up in their winter uniforms and coats, had been fanning themselves during class.
Damon was always surrounded by friends who praised him. They were hanging out in the hallway, joking and laughing. And then, Enzhe Lopetrefer walked by. Melaine Vava and Sue Byron were with her.
Enzhe Lopetrefer was always referred to as ‘that insignificant girl’ in Damon’s circle. A girl who acted like a queen, with two even more insignificant girls flanking her, her face innocent.
Damon had always found her annoying. But he knew who she was.
But maybe it was because it was so hot that day? The moment he saw her pretty face, a dark spark ignited in his heart. A mischievous desire to entertain his friends.
He gave in to his competitive spirit.
“Ugh!”
He spat, the saliva landing near her feet. He had just wanted to tease the pure, innocent Lady.
“You bastard!”
The next thing he knew, he was lying on the basement floor, his body battered and bruised. The girl, who had seemed incapable of even plucking a flower, had stomped on his face without hesitation. He couldn’t even groan, his mouth pressed against the dusty floor.
It was just once. It was a joke. I was just joking!
But why am I in this state?
Damon had to think about why he was being kicked in the stomach without even putting up a fight.