61 – Yuna’s Song (1)
The heroine’s words caught everyone off guard. Me too. Yuna too. Even the people who were watching. The clock, which was instantly broken, could not move even the second hand.
“Eh…Elise.”
But out of all of them, the one who was most embarrassed was Claes. He looked at his fiancee with a confused expression.
“What do you mean now? I want you to give me Yuna’s head.”
“It’s literally like that. I want Yuna’s head.”
“Don’t make such weird jokes in this situation, Elise. It’s not funny at all.”
“It’s not a joke, right? I want her head, Claes-kun.”
“Elise, why…?”
“Is that strange?”
The halting tone of speech silenced Claes. She continued her words without taking her eyes off Yuna.
“You saw it too, Claes. How much Miss Yuna has been tormenting me all this time. Even though she didn’t do anything wrong, she was tormenting me. I’m just asking for a fair punishment for her.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. She’s the duke’s daughter. Besides, that’s all in the past, Elise. I understand the pain you went through, but…”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s a thing of the past. But does that mean it never happened? Anyway, you have to pay for what you did.”
“Yuna has also changed since then, Elise. She is now…”
“She’s different since then. What’s different? She’s the same now as she was then. Do you think she’s reformed just because she’s been acting a little quieter lately?”
Elise came over here with her strange smile on her face. And she opened her mouth to everyone, not me and Yuna.
“No, that’s not true. We all know that people can’t change that easily. Once a villain, always a villain, right? You saw it too. How vicious Yuna acted before that.”
“Elise, stop.”
“You can’t stop? I want to at least receive compensation for the years I suffered. Now I don’t have to endure it anymore. Now, I’ve become a higher person than you, Miss Yuna.”
“…!”
With those words, Elise jumped off her platform and slowly approached Yuna. As if they were being pushed by an invisible wave, the crowd watching quickly backed away from us. Elise stood in front of him, crossing her arms and looking at Yuna with her cruel eyes.
“How are you, Yuna? Did you know this day would come? I knew it would come. That’s why I endured it. Yuna’s bullying.”
“…”
“It’s so nice, Miss Yuna. Seeing your expression like this. Why? Is it surprising? Did you think you could escape all that karma just by pretending to be a little nice? That’s not possible. No person can erase the past cleanly. No. Even if I had decided to do so, I should have known that there are people like me who are as stubborn as me.”
“…”
“I really love it. Your expression. I want to show it to you. It really feels like your mouth is full of spicy carbonated beverages. Are you so shocked that you can’t even speak? But everyone has to pay for what they have done. Even if it is a noble thing, Even if she is the daughter of a duke.”
“…”
“Don’t you have anything to say? At moments like this, you must do your best to say something. Say something, Miss Yuna. I will listen.”
Elise arrogantly lifted the tip of her chin and looked down at her Yuna. Her Yuna looked at her like that and bit her lip gently. Her hands, held together below her belly button, were trembling slightly.
“…Miss Elysee.”
Soon, her name came out of Yuna’s mouth. However, her gaze was not directed at Elise but at Claes, who was hesitantly approaching from behind. After watching him for a while, she barely said a word in a low voice.
“But you…Wanted me to torment you…”
“…”
It was a word that could have been a decisive rebuttal, but Yuna, who could not resist until the very end, answered so that only Elise could hear it. Elise seemed to have sensed this too, as the smile on her lips faded a little. As she pondered over this inconceivable consideration, she mumbled a single word in a quieter voice than Elise.
“…f*ck it. Pretending to be nice until the end.”
“What, Miss Elise…?”
Yuna, too, seemed to have heard her voice and panicked as she took a step closer. At that moment, Elise lifted her head and glared straight at Yuna. Then, with all her might, she swung her palm towards her cheek.
“…!!!”
“…”
But the palm could not reach Yuna’s cheek. Maybe the same thing happened that day when Yuna’s cheeks turned red, but unlike that day, this time I was by Yuna’s side. I managed to grab Elise’s wrist and looked at her with a frown. And Elise also made eye contact with me.
At that time, a strange emotion suddenly appeared in her eyes. It was a look that felt somewhat warm, even sorrowful, rather than simple anger. While I was wondering what that meant, Claes finally came towards me.
“Stop it, Elise.”
“…”
“It’s enough to embarrass me like this. Please stop. I don’t want today to end like this.”
“It’s not enough.”
“No. That’s enough. Ms. Yuna must have felt guilty all this time, and she has paid the price for her sins enough for that alone. So stop it, Elise. Please.”
“…”
Elise did not answer. She didn’t even look back. He just looked at Yuna as if he was contemplating something about her. After a not so short period of time, what appeared on her lips was not acceptance, but a crazy cold cynicism.
“…You…Paid for your sins?”
“Yes. That’s how I see it. So…”
“How did they pay for their sins? If that was the case, shouldn’t they have lost something? But instead of losing the current Yuna, she gained something. And that’s a lot…”
At that moment, Elise’s eyes wavered. The gaze, which was shaking precariously like starlight in a distant sky, soon focused on a place other than Yuna, and Elise stared at that place endlessly and barely opened her mouth.
“…I ended up getting something shiny.”
“…”
Silence fell on the lips of everyone around them. Prince. Yuna. The audience watching. All their eyes followed Elise towards one place. No. To be more precise, it was directed at just one person.
He was holding on to Elise’s arm until this very moment. Towards me.
“What…?”
I was too stupid to understand this situation, so there was nothing I could do other than send out empty messages. Elise twisted her arm away from me and turned her posture this way.
“Miss Yuna didn’t lose anything. On the contrary, she received a gift beyond her means. I didn’t even know until a while ago that she, sitting in the back of her classroom, would have found something so precious among all the trash. “
“Elise. What are you saying…”
From Noble mtl dot com
“Claes. Did you really think I didn’t notice? All the things you said you prepared for me today. In fact, Ellen prepared them. Just because I’m you, doesn’t mean I’ve been quiet all this time. In fact, I’ve been busier than you. “I went around to find out how Yuna was doing, what you were up to, and why Eren was hanging out with you.”
Suddenly, something at the library came to mind. The presence I felt beyond the bookshelf when I was talking with Yuna about her story. She thought it was just her mood at the time. But that wasn’t it.
There was a vicious winner who spied on the losers even after winning.
“Did you really think that I would be truly happy to hear those words prepared by someone else? That was so obvious? Did you really truly think that?”
“Elise.”
“That can’t be possible, right? There’s no way you can feel the sincerity when you’re reciting a script you didn’t even write like a puppet, right? You thought I was that stupid, Claes-kun?”
“I’m sorry about that, Elise. But I…”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about. Actually, I was a little happy. I was very disappointed when I found out that the words you said as a confession were actually just a memorization of a script written by someone else…”
Elise was still looking at me. After hesitating for a long time, she slowly raised her hand. And, she whispered to me in a slightly faint voice.
“… I think Ellen wrote it thinking of me. She was honestly a little happy.”
“…!!!”
The moment her raised hand brushed my cheek, I was shocked and her mouth opened. But a smile came to Elise’s lips.
“I didn’t understand at first. Why would a noble family like Miss Yuna fall for such an insignificant commoner? But now I understand. Because I am a commoner, I have something to give. Because I am the lowest being in this world, I have something to share. “It has value.”
“Elise.”
“Plus, you shine so brightly. There’s something about you that can’t be found in ordinary men like Claes. You’re rough, impulsive, and sometimes stupid, but that’s why I’m drawn to you without even realizing it. That vicious, gloomy Miss Yuna. “You even have the ability to make someone smile.”
“Elise, don’t do this.”
“Claes-kun doesn’t have that ability. No, he just makes me suffer. It will get worse as time goes by. He is the crown prince. He is the heart of the empire that receives everyone’s attention. And other than that, he is just an ordinary man. “Because he’s just a man. Compared to you, he’s an infinitely ordinary man.”
Elise’s low voice gradually became more emotional. Before I knew it, heavy breathing was blowing out onto my face.
“But why should Miss Yuna have you? Why should I suffer next to Claes-kun, and why must Miss Yuna spend the rest of her life comfortably with you? I was the one who struggled to take control of my destiny? All that Miss Yuna did was. “I just used my temper to bully others and shut up for a while. Why should I lose more and Yuna gain?”
“You know it’s not like that.”
“No. It’s not fair. That’s right. I should have more. I should be happier. So I will never just sit back and let Miss Yuna take over you comfortably.”
“Elise, you…”
I couldn’t even move away and could only twitch my lips. She looked at me like that and suddenly spoke towards the back.
“But don’t be mistaken, Claes. I still want you. I just have one more thing I want.”
“…”
“Really, I just need one more.”
There was clear madness in the eyes that were looking at him. Elise stroked the back of my neck, which was as hard as stone, and called my name.
“Ellen.”
“…”
“Anyway, I have to have you.”
With those words, she lowered her head towards me. I tried to tilt her head back, but she grabbed the back of my neck strongly and pulled me back. Soon, his wet lips approached me so quickly that they seemed to touch mine.
But just before that immoral kiss took place, Claes’ anger finally exploded.
“You f*cking b*tches!!!”
“aaah!!!”
“…!!!”
A rough hand threw Elise’s body and a familiar fist hit my chin. A stronger force than before was distorting my consciousness, and even my memories became blurred for a moment. But before I could even come to my senses, a second fist hit my face.
“What a f*cking dog! What a f*cking dog!”
“Ugh…Ugh…!”
“You bastard! You f*cking dog! sh*t!!!”
“Claes-kun! Calm down!”
Three, four times. Five times. As her countless fists rained down and the sight before her eyes became stained with blood, Yuna let out a fierce scream and rushed towards him. However, the crown prince, who was completely excited, shook off her hand and slapped my face again.
“Get away from me! You f*cking bastard. I didn’t mean to look at you. I should have just cut your face off that day at the dance!”
“Please, Claes. Don’t do this.”
“f*ck off! If you stop me, I’ll kill you too!”
“People are watching, Claes. Come to your senses. And it wasn’t Eren’s intention. So please stop!”
“…!”
Only then did Claes stop his fist and look at Yuna. Yuna seemed a little surprised by her lifelike look in her eyes, so she hesitated and took a step back. Claes looked at her and smiled manically.
“…Yes. In the end, you were the problem, wasn’t it? After all, you were the one who planned the whole thing.”
“Claes.”
“Yeah, that’s right. You planned it. That’s it. Right, b*tch?”
“It’s not like that.”
“No, damn it! If I think about it, it was the same at the prom. It all started when the Nenyeon family sent me a letter in the first place. You planned this whole thing, right?”
“It’s not like that…”
“…Cough.”
Yuna’s voice became blurred, covered by the sound of her coughing mixed with blood. The blood I spit out wet the tip of my nose, and the nostalgic smell spread throughout my body. Pitch black darkness. A body thrown on the dirt floor. The fishy smell of blood. Everything seemed to be the same as before.
…No. It’s not the same as before. I barely opened my eyes as I hypnotized myself. Then, I saw Claes slowly approaching Yuna. And the ceremonial sword dragged on the floor.
…
That damn sword is…
“It’s not just you, you’re the problem. The entire Richmond family is the problem. That damned wife, that scummy duke, and you, the baby you gave birth to between those two! In fact, everything was the problem!”
“Claes.”
“Yes. At least one thing Elise said was right, wasn’t it? Nothing has changed in the past four years. Just like before, you are a parasite trying to eat away at the empire! I won’t just leave you alone any longer!”
“Claes…!”
When he, unable to control his emotions, raised his fist again, I ran with all my might and blocked him. Another dizzying shock struck my cheek, and blood flowed down. Yuna screamed and grabbed my body.
“No, Ellen! Don’t do this anymore. I’d rather get hit. If you keep doing this…”
“No, Yuna. You stay still…”
“It’s sh*t all the way through. These b*tches!”
“Claes. Calm down and tell me…Ugh…!”
When I opened my mouth again, he hit me hard in the solar plexus. At the same time as his breath hitched, my knees buckled without my knowledge. As soon as Klaes saw me fall, he lifted his feet. I stretched out my hand in vain.
“Claes…”
“Die, you bastard!”
As I barely managed to lift his arm, Claes’ foot stepped on my forearm. The shock hit his skull and he lost consciousness. At the last moment, all I could do was barely hold on to his feet.
The sound of a bloody attack rang out from Ellen’s body. I screamed, my hands shaking.
“Claes-kun! Stop it!”
“Shut up! Shut up!”
“Please. Don’t just watch everyone, but do something! Eren might die if this happens!”
“f*ck you sluts. f*ck! f*ck!”
When he lifted his foot again, I pushed his body away with all my might. It must have been a mild shock, but he stepped back in surprise and sneered.
“Okay. You’re going to come out like this, right?”
“Klaes…”
“Good. I don’t want to drag it on any longer. I’ll kill you both. Both of you!”
“Claes…!”
I tried to call his name again, but the moment I covered his mouth, I stopped him. His hand was pointing towards the sword at his waist. What should I do, should I rush in and grab his body? Even though it wouldn’t be of much help, I had to do something now. As I was about to take a step forward, his hand went towards the hilt of the sword.
…
But I couldn’t run to him. He also couldn’t hold on to the hilt of the sword.
Before that, a chilling voice grabbed our ankles and wrists.
“…His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”
It was a voice that made my heart tremble just by hearing it. I stopped and turned my head when I heard a very unfamiliar, yet surprisingly familiar voice. Even Claes stopped his movements and looked in the direction where the voice came from.
And then we both made eye contact with Ellen.
Ellen stood up before I knew it, and his hand pushed me back. Blood flowed from his torn forehead and seeped into his eyes, but he looked at Claes without blinking. And then, in a dry voice without any emotion, he said one more thing.
“If you pull that out, you will die.”