My Ruin to You - Chapter 157

“Huh?”

Four pairs of eyes turned toward Roseline. Schnitzel, in particular, furrowed her brow with an expression that seemed to ask what kind of nonsense she was spouting.

“My brother is wide awake and watching—what kind of empty talk is this?”

“Oh my, then are you saying that Young Lady Célodienne’s lover is Sir Schnitzel?”

Malsen’s finger pointed alternately at Roseline and Schnitzel. Following her delicate, white finger, two pairs of eyes moved busily—Roycen and Ruav. Soon, they whirled around to look at Roseline, seemingly very surprised by the unexpected news.

“Well, not yet, but soon…”

“What are you talking about right now? No. I’ve never even met Sir Schnitzel.”

Roseline quickly cut off Schnitzel’s words and waved her hands in denial.

“Tch.”

Schnitzel turned his head with a sullen expression. When you thought about it, she was a strange young lady. Why not just introduce her to her brother or set them up? They hadn’t even exchanged a single word, let alone a proper greeting—she truly couldn’t understand her.

But if asked to name the strangest person in this situation, it was Roseline herself. Why did I do that? In a moment of frustration, she said something unnecessary and caused a mess.

“Then who is Young Lady’s lover?”

“Right. When on earth did you even get one?”

As if annoyed by the circular conversation, Malsen sharply narrowed her eyes, and Schnitzel joined in. Roseline wanted to correct the facts right then, but if she did, it was obvious Malsen would explode.

“Stop just blinking your eyes and say something. Huh?”

Even now, it was the same. Unable to bear Roseline’s moment of hesitation, Malsen glared and stepped closer, as if ready to grab her by the collar and shake her if she said even one wrong word.

“It’s not that kind of relationship… I’m just secretly admiring them.”

“Are you insane?”

“You’ve lost your mind.”

Malsen and Schnitzel growled in unison, as if they had rehearsed it. They even glanced at each other awkwardly, as if surprised by their own synchrony.

“What kind of foolishness is this? What could you possibly be lacking that you’d have a one-sided crush?”

“Admiring? Who could you possibly like besides my brother?”

“Well then. Since it’s come to this, why not just get along with Sir Schnitzel?”

“For once, you’re making sense.”

Despite once behaving as if they wanted to kill each other, they now got along perfectly. Roycen, overwhelmed by the young ladies’ energy, had long since retreated to a distance, while Ruav simply rolled her eyes, observing the situation. Exhausted, Roseline turned her back on them.

“Where do you think you’re going?” sharp voices immediately followed—Schnitzel and Malsen.

“I’ll just drop out.”

After her blunt announcement, there was a moment of stunned silence. Then, the remaining four hurriedly rushed after Roseline.

“Oh my, that young lady really must be crazy.”

“That’s right.”
Led by Malsen and Schnitzel, Roycen and even Ruav each added their own comments. They urged her to reconsider, saying she was being too extreme. It was utterly chaotic.

The persuasion continued all the way to the professor’s office, but Roseline remained resolute. Standing up to Valen? Forget it. The best strategy was to avoid facing him altogether, and to do that, leaving the academy was the right choice.

◇◇◇

But since when has the world ever gone according to Roseline’s wishes?

Her attempts to leave the academy were repeatedly thwarted. She boldly marched into the professor’s office and filled out a withdrawal form, but it wasn’t processed. To make matters worse, a ridiculous new rule was added, banning off-campus travel for the time being, and the number of guards increased. They patrolled not only the main gate but also beneath the walls.

“Doesn’t this seem strange to you, Young Lady? Are we prisoners? Why are they locking us inside the academy?”

“Are you delusional? They said Carnoc sent agents because a war might break out. They’re patrolling not just the academy but all over the capital.”

What a remarkably convenient coincidence. After that day, Roseline stopped attending classes. Since she couldn’t withdraw, she hoped to get expelled, but no action was taken. In the end, only one path remained for Roseline: the Grand Duchy’s territory.

It was a familiar and unpleasant method.

“If you want to leave the academy, why not go see His Highness and tell him directly? I don’t think there’s anything I can do to help.”

Not even bothering to hide her role as a pawn, the professor who visited the dormitory openly brought up Valen. Perhaps even this statement was under his orders—to make Roseline go to him.

In her past life, she would have rushed to Valen, begged forgiveness for her rudeness, and hoped for leniency. But now she knew how meaningless that was.

Even if she went, she would only be thoroughly toyed with and end up going to the Grand Duchy’s territory anyway. Just as he intended.

“Forget it, forget it. I’d rather go on my own two feet than deal with that filth.”