There is a woman who does not fall.

Even if she is left behind alone in a dungeon.

Even if everyone hates her.

There was a woman who smiled brightly like a fool.

-Thank you...!

A woman who smiled confidently even after experiencing hardships that would have made an ordinary person collapse... situations where a person should fall into despair and live in disillusionment and fear, danced in my eyes like a thorn.

-Kaila!

-...

-Let's be in the same group!

To the point of wanting to kill her. It was annoying.

Should I call her a strong person?

Should I call her ignorant, or should I call her a fool?

The woman's actions, which looked like a thorn in my side, were always like a thorn stuck in the sole of my foot.

I wanted to crush her.

To the point of wanting to snatch away that innocent smile and fill it with despair.

Because it was only natural that the attention that woman received should be mine.

It didn't make sense for a woman who had made no effort, unlike me who had made countless efforts and received a lot of love, to receive attention.

So.

"I will curse you..."

It was maddeningly hateful.

What was she smiling so nonchalantly about? I wanted to ask. Wasn't it enough at this point?

-Yuria, aren't you tired?

-Hmm?

-The kids are bullying you. If it were me, I would have quit the academy.

-It's okay. I can endure it because I have friends.

Why is she like that?

Why doesn't she fall?

-Yuria is strange.

-Huh?

-You're just really strange.

I was madly curious.

I had not eaten what I wanted to eat to become beautiful, and I had worked hard to become an object of envy for many, to the point of investing half of my day in beauty.

Because no matter how brilliant a jewel is, it will lose its light if it is not cared for, so I had made efforts that I didn't have to make to win against you.

-This is a cosmetic from the East.

-...Really?

-It has the effect of making the face brighter and giving it a shine.

-What is it made of?

-The essence of a shellfish monster called the Pearl Mermaid that only appears on a specific coast in the East and...

-And.

-It is made from the byproducts of orcs.

Why do you take everything? I had harbored resentment upon resentment.

But.

-I don't love you.

For God's sake, why?

-Kaila? Who is she?

Why. Why. Why. Whyyyy!!!!

I couldn't understand why she, who had made no effort and didn't even acknowledge her own efforts, was receiving all the love and attention.

What was better about her than me?

Her family.

Her lineage.

Her face, all of it was unremarkable, so I couldn't understand what was so good about her that they were so enthusiastic, no matter how hard I tried.

The arrow of hatred that had been harbored in my heart for a long time had become a red streak of blood and was being drawn on a bow created by malice.

As if it would fly at any moment if I let go of my hand.

I tried to endure it, but Kaila thought she could no longer endure it. Because she thought that if she endured any longer, a hammer of justice would fall on her miserable self.

What was more frightening than death was returning to an ugly appearance. At least for Kaila, the biggest fear was living with an ugly appearance.

Everyone's attention.

"It must be mine."

Because it was the natural order of things, a rule, that it should be poured onto her.

-Click.

Kaila, who had been biting her nails in a dark room, began to turn the pages of a book with her eyes full of hatred.

-Rustle.

To find a way to break the woman who would not break.

-Rustle.

The method of breaking her spirit using her surroundings no longer worked.

-Yuria-sunbae.

-Hanna?

-Let's eat together.

And defiling her with malicious rumors no longer worked either.

-Yuria?

-Yeah.

-Nah... you must have seen it wrong. Why would she be seeing a guy? There are a ton of guys who like her.

She had no choice but to use a special method.

She had to find a way to break her for sure, not just leave her in a dungeon like last time.

-Rustle.

The old book in front of Kaila was fluttering, exuding the smell of old paper. As if whispering a story that should not be told in her ear.

-A book that breaks others...

-...

-Are you perhaps a noble?

-Don't be curious and just take it. I can give you as much money as you want.

When she was buying the book at the black market, the man in rags had said to her.

-This book will surely be able to break the person you are jealous of. Though it will require a definite price.

-A price...?

-Because there is something that must be paid according to how much that person shines.

-...

-If you could harm a person without a price, you could kill a sword master right away, wouldn't you? Unfortunately, such a disorderly ability does not exist in this world, so even if it is a little troublesome, if you pay the 'price' for sure, I think you will be able to achieve the purpose you want 'for sure'.

'For sure' he could achieve it.

She had no other way left to break the woman who would not break.

Because if she used physical force, the followers who followed her would surely uncover the incident and realize that she was behind it.

But.

[Black Magic: Disillusionment (幻滅)]

She thought it would be a different story with this.

"You're the bad one..."

Kaila, who had stopped her hand at the place where the desired content was, gave a thick smile and began to read the page.

[The target's desire can be changed.]

Her eyes shone coldly as she began to read the content in the book.

-Rustle...

·

·

·

A night when the moonlight descends through the darkness.

The moonlight, piercing through the stained-glass windows, was illuminating a huge chapel.

The moment the moonlight spread in the chapel, where it was impossible to see an inch ahead, the old chair placed in front of the chapel began to shine, bathed in the moonlight.

-Click.

As the sound of footsteps was heard from beyond the firmly locked chapel door, those who were guarding the chapel carefully opened the door and welcomed the person who was approaching with a clear sound of footsteps.

-Creak.

With the opening of the old wooden door, a thin silver line seeped into the chilly air, and the appearance of the chapel, which had been submerged in darkness, began to be clearly revealed.

Two huge stone statues with their swords deeply embedded in the floor, and between them, the appearance of a throne, quietly situated like a sinner awaiting judgment.

-Click.

The person approaching from the darkness began to walk calmly, piercing through the moonlight. With an old rag on his head.

-Click.

Unlike his shabby attire, the chapel that was welcoming him was shining brilliantly, bathed in the chilly moonlight.

-Thump.

The knights who were following him were protecting him like a king until he sat on the throne.

-Thump.

The moment the man in rags sat on the throne, the knight who was following him knelt on one knee with his heavy armored body and paid him homage.

"The Knight of Ruin (滅), ■■■ pays his respects to the Pope."

The man, who gave a small smile, waved his hand and opened his mouth in a low voice, looking at the stained-glass window that was bathed in the moonlight.

"You don't have to be so formal."

"..."

"The problem is that you treat me too stiffly. As if I'm going to kill you..."

"Did you enjoy your outing after a long time?"

The man smiled at the knight's question and grabbed the moon in the sky.

"It was fun."

The knight, who had heard the Pope's words, bowed his head once more and opened his mouth to him.

"It is dangerous for you to go out alone."

"I just wanted to walk around alone today."

"..."

"And I also planted some interesting seeds."

The moment the moonlight shone once more.

-Saaaaaaa...

Inside the chapel, a bookshelf with numerous books began to be revealed. Like the books lined up in the imperial library.

The Pope, who glanced at the empty bookshelf, gave a faint smile and caressed the finger with a white ring.

"I wish it would bloom."

"..."

"What do you all think?"

·

·

·

Her eyes begin to be colored with hatred.

Her fingers begin to move like a madman, harboring hatred for only one person.

Her fingertips, hatred.

Her eyes, pleasure.

Her heart, dancing with sorrow.

Her eyes, which had opened coldly, were filled with madness, and from that place where the smell of incense was strong, a mournful groan began to be heard, as if a sad rhapsody was echoing.

'If it weren't for you,' she cried out, an endless despair.

Go and break.

The eyes of the woman who had drawn the bowstring of hatred were filled with pleasure. With her ears blocked from hearing the right words.

With the feeling of 'go ahead and smile'.

It's fine as long as I don't get caught.

Making Theo the king.

Representing everyone's sorrow.

Making herself shine even more.

Because it will all have originated from your fault.

Kaila began to read the words written in the grimoire with a trembling voice, suppressing the pounding of her heart with her fist.

"Varnetha dul om’quar nerei’mora. (I release the curse of disillusionment into the river.)"

The moment the spell echoed from Kaila's lips, the magic circle she had drawn on the floor turned black, and a golden scale began to appear before her eyes.

Like an ancient mural that measures the weight of sin by taking out one's own heart.

-Gulp.

Kaila placed a doll wrapped in pink hair on one side of the scale, and on the other side, she placed a doll wrapped in her own hair.

The moment Kaila's doll fell from her hand.

-Thump.

The scale tilted heavily towards Yuria's doll and did not move.

-Grind.

Kaila opened her lips.

[Speak the contents of the contract to the scale.]

"Your hatred is all the students of the academy and all the people in this world."

-Creak.

"Your happiness is the screams of those who hate you and many others."

-Creak.

"Your prohibition is me and Theo."

-Creak.

"I will be your master, and you will be my follower."

Kaila looked at the golden scale and spoke without pause.

"You will be disillusioned with this world and reign with hatred... become jealousy."

"..."

"As much as I am jealous of you."

"..."

"You too... be jealous of this world."

She was the beginning.

She began to speak of the end of all things.

[Place the weight of the price on the scale to balance the weight, so that the scale of the cursed target tilts downwards.]

"The price is 1 million gold."

-Creak.

The moment Kaila placed the gold coins on the scale of the price.

"Why...?"

The scale did not tilt and did not move at all.

Kaila bit her lip and once again added a price to the scale.

First, her health.

"As a price, my health."

Second, her magic.

"As a price, my magic..."

At the scale that did not move even then, Kaila gritted her teeth and swallowed her resentment.

"My... one day of life."

It didn't move.

"Ten years of my life."

-Creak.

It didn't move at all.

As if to say that her own beauty was not enough to break her, the scale stood still.

This wouldn't do.

[The price placed on the scale will not be recovered.]

[If the scale of the cursed target does not go down, the curse will not be established.]

Because if the curse is not fulfilled even after paying so many prices, I will be too pitiful.

Kaila bit her lip and began to say more things.

But.

-Creak.

The unmoving scale was spitting out despair at Kaila. As if to tell her that she really was inferior to that woman.

A streak of hatred appeared in Kaila's eyes, and she began to reduce the difficult demands.

"I will modify the contents of the contract."

-Creak.

"Your hatred is the person you like."

-Creak.

"Your happiness is the misfortune of the person you like."

-Creak.

"Your prohibition is the heart that cannot be with him."

-Creak.

"Your desire is the tragedy of the person you like."

-Creak.

"And you will move contrary to his desire."

With a brightening smile, she begins to see the scale tilting before her eyes.

"...Yes."

This is enough.

And in that moment.

-Thump.

With the sound of the curse being fulfilled, Kaila's vision went black.

Without imagining the storm that the curse would bring.

Veilin told me.

-A handsome prince recently came up to the rooftop....

-A handsome prince?

-That... Troll...

-Ah, Mr. Truller.

-Yes.

She saw Truller coming up to the rooftop suspiciously.

-After he came up to the rooftop, second and third-year students followed him.

-That many?

-Yes, there were professors too.

-Professors came up too!?

-Yes, there was a healing department professor and an alchemy professor.

-...Wow.

-They were talking so quietly that I couldn't eavesdrop in detail, but it seemed like he was asking to be made the next student council president.

-Student council president?

-Yes.

-It seems like he's trying to find a pretext to bring down the current student council president, Shartia...

I thought Truller was capable of plotting to that extent, but I was quite surprised that he had such a large group.

It had only been about two weeks since he came to the academy, but I thought I needed to be wary of the fact that his followers included professors.

Veilin, who had brought me confirmation, nodded her head and told me many stories, and after hearing them, I was able to come to one conclusion.

One was 'Kaila'.

The other was that 'Truller' was the 'villain' of the quest given by the status window.

The status window had requested two things of me.

1. Find the villains who are trying to slander 'Shartia' before the midterm exams begin. (0/3)

2. Subdue the 'Bloody ■■'. (0/1)

A request to find 'three villains' and to subdue an unknown person.

Now I've found two.

Truller, who dislikes Shartia.

Kaila, who will make Tae-oh a king.

I think the remaining one is 'Tae-oh', but since there was no significant change in his actions, I haven't been able to confirm it yet.

To drive out 'Tae-oh', I need to get confirmation from Veilin that he is targeting Shartia before I can push him.

In this situation, the only person who would target Shartia is Tae-oh, but he is living like a fallen royal who does nothing...

"...My head hurts."

As I was walking down the academy hallway with complicated thoughts, my eyes widened as I saw a familiar student walking while hugging a book.

"Uh...?"

Because it was the first time I had met her in the hallway.

Seeing Yuria walking down the hallway, hugging a book, I smiled faintly and waved my hand in greeting.

But.

"..."

Yuria was walking with her head down, as if she hadn't seen me.

'How embarrassing...'

With a slightly awkward feeling, I tilted my head slightly, smiled faintly, and decided to approach Yuria.

It was a coincidence that we met in the hallway, and I also had to ask Yuria if anyone was threatening her safety.

The moment I tapped Yuria's shoulder with a refreshing smile.

"...!"

Yuria, who had her head down, met my eyes, dropped her book on the floor, and began to show me a pale face.

"Yuria-ssi...?"

Her complexion.

"..."

Was very bad.

Unlike the Yuria who always gave me a bright smile, the Yuria with deep dark circles under her eyes looked very different from her usual self.

'Did something happen...'

The moment I voiced my question to her with lips full of worry.

"I'm... I'm fine!"

Yuria shook her head and tried to avoid my gaze. Normally, she would have smiled brightly in greeting, but her expression was so different from before that ominous thoughts kept creeping into my mind.

"Your complexion..."

"Pardon?"

"Is very bad. Did something happen?"

As I asked her with a voice full of curiosity, Yuria shook her head and answered that I shouldn't worry. She was taking a step back as if to avoid talking to me, saying that it was because she had a cold.

"I'm fine... It's just because I'm not feeling well."

What's wrong?

Yuria's condition is a shortcut to a happy ending for the novel, but for some reason, at the sight of Yuria with the darkest expression I had ever seen, I had a strong intuition that my happy life as a bum was getting further away.

Just as I was thinking that at this rate, my hard-earned retirement life was in danger.

"Yuria!"

As a familiar voice was heard from behind, my expression began to harden.

"Let's go get a snack!"

Kaila.

The woman with fiery red hair was walking towards Yuria with a bright smile.

'This is awkward.'

It was the same Kaila as always, but for some reason, I had an ominous feeling.

Her red hair.

Her neat uniform was the same.

But for some reason.

'...'

It smelled of a villainess.

If the favorability window was normal, I would know what was in Kaila's head, but I, who could no longer use a shortcut, greeted Kaila with an awkward smile.

"Isn't it student Kaila?"

"Ah~ Professor Ricardo."

Kaila, who had quickly scanned me from head to toe, began to treat me with a mask of pretense. As if she had hidden the emotion of 'filthy bastard' within her expression.

"Nice to meet you!"

She began to treat me with the ideal image that everyone desired.

I, like Kaila, treated her with a mask of pretense.

"Yes, I'm also happy to see student Kaila."

I, too, did not have a good feeling about her. As a reader who had seen the novel, I knew all of her evil deeds, so my feelings towards her were not very positive.

In the first place, the young lady also disliked Kaila.

-I don't like her.

-Pardon?

-She's strange. It's like she's looking down on everyone in public, and she's annoying because she's ugly.

-I don't think she's ugly...

-If she's uglier than me, she's ugly.

-That's true.

Just as I was beginning to suspect Kaila's awkward behavior, as if she had intentionally approached Yuria.

Kaila opened her lips and began to ask Yuria a question.

"Oh? Yuria!! What's wrong with your complexion?"

In a fleeting moment, I could see the smile on Kaila's lips.

'Don't tell me...'

The chilling smile of Kaila, whose lips twitched as she confirmed Yuria's dark complexion.

I have served a villainess for 13 years.

I, who could boast of more professional knowledge about the existence of a villainess than anyone else, was sure of it when I saw it.

The smile I just saw.

-I'll kill you.

Because it resembled the young lady's face from those days.

The moment an ominous premonition began to envelop me from my toes, I frowned at the strong scent of incense coming from Kaila's clothes and instinctively hid Yuria behind my back.

"Professor?"

Kaila's hostile gaze was directed at me.

"Kaila-ssi."

"..."

"There's not much time left for lunch."

"Ah..."

Even in the midst of her annoyance, Kaila's gaze was on Yuria. Her gaze, which was like that of a scholar observing the health of a lab rat, made my ominous thoughts grow stronger.

'I hope it's nothing.'

In a situation where my villainess detector's intuition was instinctively ringing alarm bells, I bit my lip and tried to shake off the thoughts in my head. Telling myself that the current quest was targeting 'Shartia', and that there was still time before Kaila's episode began.

Just as the awkward moment between Kaila and me was about to continue a little longer.

"I... I'll be on my way now."

Yuria bowed her head and began to leave.

I bit my lip as I watched Kaila watching the departing Yuria.

'I guess there's something.'

Because it seemed like she was involved in something not so good.

I have to solve the quest given by the status window.

"Student Kaila."

"...Yes?"

It seemed the villainess had caused trouble.

Just as I was about to grab Kaila and talk to her, hoping that it wasn't true.

-Ding dong dang dong.

Kaila heard the ringing bell, bowed her head, and gave a greeting.

"I'll be on my way too, teacher."

Leaving behind an ominous smile.

"Haaaa..."

Why do things like this only happen when I'm outside?

"Young lady."

Today, I missed the young lady especially.

*

At the same time.

-Wiggle.

"Hmnya."

Under the warm eastern sun, Olivia, who was leisurely sunbathing, smiled bashfully as she saw the wiggling butt of Gom-tang-i.

"Bear!"

-Bear?

"Octopus!"

-Moon...?

Olivia was enjoying her leisure time with her pet.

Of course.

-Rattle.

Olivia was lying on a mobile bed pulled by Gom-tang-i.

Olivia, who was unintentionally abusing animals, was staring blankly at the sky and quietly called out a familiar name into the air.

"Ricardo..."

At first, Olivia was happy that she could eat chocolate as she pleased, but she was feeling lonely because the butler who always stayed by her side was not there.

"Heeeing."

It would be nicer if I could play with Ricardo.

"I want to go home..."

Olivia, who had entrusted her body to the moving bed, let out a lazy yawn and was about to put her finger in her nose, but.

-Ahem... that's dirty.

She remembered Ricardo's nagging and stopped her hand.

"Daddy..."

Olivia, who had promised herself that she would get praise from Ricardo later, entrusted her body to Gom-tang-i, which was following her father.

And behind her.

"Help me..."

The priests of the cult were lying dead, their bodies cold.

Olivia made a cold expression and waved her hand.

"Ricardo said I should only see good things..."

The villainess.

"This is annoying."

Was angry.