A Third-Rate Villain Tries Her Best Today 91

Chapter 91: Reverse of Faith 

After seeing Melaine off, Sue sat on her bed and opened the white envelope.

[Report Card]

Sue immediately put the paper back in the envelope as she saw the matter-of-fact title.

“She gave me this as a surprise gift…?”

Sue massaged her forehead, annoyed, remembering Melaine’s amused grin.

‘She definitely switched the envelopes.’

The original report card envelopes didn’t have gold foil vines, and the sender’s name, ‘Full Bloom’, was clearly printed on them, so there was no doubt that this was her report card.

Sue chuckled dryly at her unnecessary attention to detail.

She should have received it at the closing ceremony, but she hadn’t because of the Damon Keron incident, and it had been overlooked during her recuperation.

They could have just sent it to the mansion. Why did she have to ask Melaine to deliver it? …Or was it the other way around? Had Melaine persuaded the homeroom teacher to give it to her?

She had occasionally gone to Melaine for help with her studies, so maybe Melaine had become concerned about her grades.

Sue didn’t bother trying to figure out how Melaine had gotten her hands on her report card. The important thing was that she now had her final report card for the sixth year.

Sue took three deep breaths, then opened the envelope again. She carefully picked up the report card with her thumb and forefinger, as if it were rotten food waste.

She slowly unfolded the paper. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the black print. It wasn’t like it would make it any easier to read.

Her blurry vision quickly focused, and she finally saw it.

[49/85]

The thing she had been aiming for.

“I-I did it…!”

Sue collapsed onto the bed, her body sinking into the soft mattress.

‘It’s not 79th place, and it’s not 51st place either.’

She finally exhaled, releasing the breath she had been holding.

She looked up at the ceiling, the white chandelier crystals sparkling like sunlight.

***

“Sigh.”

Her breath formed a white cloud. Her nose tingled from the lingering cold.

This was her first outing since the New Year. Well, it was her second outing if she counted moving from the main residence to her townhouse.

Sue had finally given in to Melaine’s sweet talk and the 49th place report card she had given her as a gift.

‘You’re a proud Skia, no matter what people say. It’s unsightly to be arrogant and overstep your bounds, but it’s also not right to burrow into the ground and hide. Don’t you think?’

She was right.

Sue had to endure the present and the future. And to do that, she had to be more brazen, more confident. Like the ‘Sue Byron’ of the past.

‘But she died because she was too brazen and confident.’

Her legs felt heavy as she walked towards her destination. Was it because she had been cooped up inside for so long? She would have to exercise more from now on. But it wasn’t just her lack of exercise that was making her legs heavy.

Sue arrived at her destination, panting, and looked up blankly.

A familiar scene unfolded before her eyes. Winter flowers, their heads bowed, and bare branches, slowly budding, made way for her.

The park was crowded with people, enjoying the end of winter. Sue slowly walked towards the lake, watching children, their scarves loosely wrapped around their necks, playing tag.

She didn’t want to see Raines. But she had a duty to fulfill his wish, since she had ‘saved’ him out of her own selfishness.

Sue had been thinking about Raines Noel for days.

A character who never even appeared in the novel, an extra who didn’t even have a name. But just because he didn’t appear in the novel didn’t mean he was dead in this world.

This was reality, and the people who had never been mentioned in the pages she had read were living their lives here, breathing, existing. The people who had been labeled as ‘victims of Enzhe’s abuse’ weren’t just dolls.

They must have been afraid, hateful, angry, and longing for revenge, more than anyone else.

And so, Sue was certain of one thing about Raines Noel.

They had never been connected. They weren’t even a tangled mess.

They were just parallel lines.

Nothing more, nothing less.

If Sue Byron had taken her carriage to the academy, as usual, if she had ignored the annoying Raines Noel with her usual disdain…

If she hadn’t met him at this lake…

“……”

He would have never entered her life, and he would have sunk into the abyss with Damon Keron.

The ripples on the lake, the ice melting, shimmered like golden fairies under the winter sun.

And there, she saw Noel’s figure, waiting for her. He was standing by the water, his head lowered, kicking at the ground.

She exhaled, her breath forming a white cloud. And then, their eyes met. Even though they weren’t close, she could clearly see his blue eyes, as deep as the sea.

And in that moment, Sue turned and ran. She ran towards the exit of the park, her legs heavy as if weighed down by sandbags.

Yes, Sue Byron ran away with all her might.

***

Running with her still-healing injuries was excruciating.

Her mind went blank. She hated the sight of herself, running away desperately.

It was so, so, so painful.

“Gasp… Gasp…!”

…It hurts!

She had been a fool to give in to Melaine’s sweet talk. She had been thinking about many things on her way to the lake, but the moment she saw Noel, all those thoughts had vanished.

Her mind, wiped clean, had forced her body to move, and this was the result.

“Ah, agh… Ugh…!”

She could hear her joints creaking, as if they were about to break.

Well, what did she expect, with her inherently weak constitution and her unhealed injuries?

“Byron!”

There was only one reason why Sue was running with all her might, despite all the odds stacked against her.

Because of the poor boy who was chasing after her, his face filled with confusion.

The damn park was so long and wide, the exit never seemed to get closer, no matter how much she ran.

“Sigh… Sigh…”

Sue, her body swaying like a paper doll, finally collapsed in the middle of the park.

She gasped for air, her hands on her trembling knees.

‘I should have brought Ten!’

She had told them she was going for a walk near the mansion, knowing they would object. It wasn’t a lie, but she regretted it.

Noel soon caught up to her and asked with concern,

“Are you okay?”

Sue couldn’t answer, just breathing heavily.

Their ridiculous game of tag ended in less than a minute.

She had known that her desperate attempt to escape would be futile if he chased after her, so why had she even bothered?

Sue ignored the rising wave of regret and embarrassment and stood up. She met Noel’s worried gaze.

Sue, flustered, averted her eyes and took a step back. Noel looked at her with a sad expression, then spoke,

“You came alone again today? …Why?”

“Um, well… I thought Ten would object… No, that’s…”

…This is my chance!

Sue suddenly turned around, taking advantage of Noel’s distraction.

Run, run away!

“……”

“……”

“……”

But her attempt to escape was thwarted within three seconds.

Noel’s large hand quickly grabbed her wrist as she was about to take off.

It was a light grip, but Sue couldn’t move, her captured arm flapping helplessly.

“Byron, do you want to leave?”

His voice was laced with bitterness as he released her wrist. That pitiful voice stopped her in her tracks.

Noel looked at her, wanting to smile but unable to. His blue eyes, which she had always thought of as the color of the sky and the sea, were clouded.

“…You can’t.”

It was her own fault, after all.

Sue, overwhelmed by a surge of emotion, sank to the ground.

“Byron! Are you okay?!”

“Sigh…”

She felt like she was about to cry. Unable to control her emotions, she closed her eyes tightly and shouted,

“Noel! Don’t worry about me!”

“…Huh?”

“I don’t deserve it! I don’t deserve to see you!”

She blurted out a part of her bottled-up guilt.

What was even more embarrassing was that she had expected him to yell at her, but there was no reaction.

She looked up cautiously, wondering if he had left in disgust.

“Hahaha…!”

Noel was laughing, his hand on his forehead, his expression incredulous.

“W-what?”

It was a pathetic confession, met with a pathetic reaction, but Sue pouted, feeling embarrassed.

“You don’t deserve it…”

He finally stopped laughing and took a deep breath. Sue glared at him, annoyed.

“Is that so funny?”

Noel nodded, as if relieved.

“Yes. It’s exactly what I was thinking.”

The clouds in his eyes started to clear. Sue averted her gaze. She exhaled softly.

She had lost. To Noel.

She didn’t know anything about him, and she still didn’t. About this boy named Raines Noel.

And she realized why she had come to this lake. To get to know Raines Noel better.

And now, she had a feeling that Raines Noel had summoned Sue Byron to Lake Libra for the same reason.

To this large, yet small lakeshore where it had all begun.

“Then let’s go, Byron.”

Noel extended his hand.

“Where to?”

Sue, her heart calmer now, stared at his hand. Noel smiled sincerely.

“Somewhere… else.”