I Wish You Well In Your Next Love, My Love - Chapter 76

So, while looking at the necklace beyond the display window, you thought of Arvina.

It wasn’t that I wanted to receive that necklace from you.

Even less that I wanted to have it.

But a person’s heart is truly sly.

The moment I saw the necklace hanging around that girl’s neck, my gaze dropped.

As if fleeing from something difficult to face.

“Louize, how are you doing? I heard that my mother was startled and made a small mistake out of a desire to protect her daughter.”

Her pretty eyes were straight and clear.

In contrast, I was barely floundering to keep from drowning in squalid, shadowed emotions.

“I’m sure Louize understands, right, Louize? It’s fine! Your situation was a little bad back then. The penalty points disappeared too, and with Foundation Day included, you rested well for over two weeks. That’s enough, right? Isn’t it?”

Whenever the atmosphere seemed like it might grow even slightly heavy, Anna stepped in and raised her voice.

But I was not fine.

Two weeks had been enough for the wounds on my body to heal, but it was far too short a rest for my memories to heal.

But here too, my understanding was not needed.

A fine, delicate hand held mine.

“Mother says you should come visit the mansion sometime. I think she’s worried that you and I might fall out because of her.”

The face smiling so cleanly was harmless.

It seemed she did not know what I would feel toward Madam Monique, who was calling me to the mansion for the sake of her daughter’s reputation, not to apologize.

Or perhaps she had no interest.

“I’m busy. If I have time.”

The reason I could not get angry at this was because the cause of my boiling agitation was not clear.

Whether it was because of the promise that had not been kept, because of her necklace, because of Madam Monique’s attitude.

Or perhaps because of me, who was disappointed over something that wasn’t even mine and had sown a small, petty seed in me.

I could not express to Arvina this emotion that even I had not yet sorted out.

If the day came when I went up against Arvina, then it could not be done with a mere surge of emotion.

I would have to be more rational than ever. From the first word to the last, everything would have to be calculated thoroughly.

Arvina and I were bound together by the pleasant-sounding words childhood friends, but no one considered us equals.

Neither I nor Arvina.

“You aren’t upset because of what happened then, right?”

Arvina did not wait for my answer.

“I decided to pretend it never happened. During the banquet, I talked honestly with the others and made up with them.”

Now it was becoming difficult to listen.

How can it be so easy for you?

How does it feel to watch several people try so hard to mend and restore your shattered heart?

I did not have the strength to stitch together what had been torn on my own. I simply lived while it hung in tatters.

I lived that way until I grew numb.

“The penalty points. You had them erased, right? Thanks to you, I survived.”

Arvina smiled and nodded as if she had known I would say that.

“How could I just watch the kids who would have been expelled because of these penalty points?”

…Ah.

Shame rushed over me.

Like an idiot, I had thought Arvina had erased the penalty points for me.

I thought it was compensation for being hit and shoved.

Even that had been my arrogance.

Even after I tried swallowing, my throat kept choking up, so in the end, I rose from my seat.

“Where are you going?”

Eyes that seemed to want to expose every last thing watched me.

“My stomach hurts, so I’ll go before training starts.”

“Okay. It’s fine if you’re late. I’ll tell them.”

“…Thanks.”

With my shoulders hunched, I quickly walked toward the door. It felt as if a stinging gaze was touching my back.

“But, Arvina, were you the one who stopped the penalty points? The priests suddenly…”

Once I stepped out into the corridor, the muffled voices of conversation finally faded away.

* * *

Thunk.

The stone I kicked struck the iron railing and bounced away.

Hidden in the darkness, I couldn’t tell where it had rolled.

After training ended, on the way home. I hitched up the bag that felt especially burdensome today.

“Damn it. How pathetic.”

I was talking to myself.

It was a wretchedness fitting for the end of a cowardly traitor.

I had acted as if I didn’t care, gotten excited all by myself, then realized reality in a miserable way.

“I already knew Gerard had received an invitation.”

The final day of a precious holiday.

Once his business trip ended, it was only natural for him to spend that time on Arvina, so what on earth had I been expecting?

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