CH 6

It was that smile again. A sharp smile, sticky like glue. A smile in which innocence and cruelty coexisted.

Her eyes demonstrated that she wasn’t scared of death. On top of that, her attitude and will both showed that it didn’t matter if she died and she would not give up.

Carus advised her.

"Don’t smile like that."

"What?"

"I know a few people like you. People who choose to live on the edge and who are misunderstood by ordinary people."

"How do these people live?"

"They live a sad and unhappy life, of course."

And yet, they smile. Their smile had a knack for making the people who looked at them uncomfortable. Because it was a smile created in order to hide their empty heart and intense anger.

Yulia clasped her hands on top of her knees.

She said that she would enter Ortega palace in order to bring down Marjoram. And that it would be greatly helpful to Carus as well.

"Sir Carus."

As she lowered her gaze, her comb-like eyelashes were neatly cast. Her red lips opened and her round front teeth were slightly visible.

"You know. I won’t let anything grow in the land where Marjoram breathes."

Her clear voice rang like a bell.

"I will not stop until there is no one left with the surname of Marjoram. I will take away all of Marjoram’s dreams and throw them in the gutter. If only I could repay them tenfold, twentyfold what they did to us…"

Then I can live, not nine times, but ninety times again.

"Isn’t that hows you take revenge?"

Yulia asked.

‘Who can assert that I will live a sad and unhappy life. There is a sweet fruit called revenge in front of me and it would be abnormal not to reach for it.’

"You’re right."

Carus replied.

"That’s how you take revenge."

‘Since I have confirmed your determination, I will accept your request for now’ Carus nodded.

*****

Contrary to Bavaslov’s worries, Yulia didn’t get indigestion even after eating with Carus.

Instead, she had a long conversation with him during the meal, and afterwards, she received gold coins to buy new clothes.

Three days went by quickly.

Yulia and Bavaslov were heading to Brewe Academy together.

With a thick dress, a small hat and her long hair in braids, she looked no different from any other girl from a rich family.

"There’s nothing to be nervous about. When it comes to exams, they go well according to your will. If you think like this, it’s bound to go well."

"I’m not nervous."

"I am nervous. You’re the one taking the exam so I don’t know why I’m the one losing sleep over it."

Before getting into the carriage, Bavaslov, who was more nervous than Yulia, bought two hot chocolates to drink together.

The chocolate in the small cup was sweet and strong. Yulia held the cup with both hands and drank slowly.

The girl, who was drunk on the tranquility given by the swaying of the carriage and the hot chocolate, recalled something from a long time ago.

When was it?

It was when Yulia, a commoner from an orphanage, had taken the top spot at the academy twice.

When Yulia was about to take the test, the director came to her and said.

"I’m sorry, dear. In this year-end evaluation, the daughter of the Marquis of Marjoram has to get first place. Her Lady’s pride must have been hurt after being pushed to second place because of you. It’s not advantageous for a commoner like you to beat her. Nobles have a lot of pride. You know that too."

The director held onto Yulia and told her several times. Everything will work out as long as she keeps her mouth shut.

What did she answer back then? Did she nod her head obediently?

"Of course, it’s not for free. The Marquis is a generous man. He will look after you so that you can work in a good place and live comfortably."

He was so generous that she had to take the exam for his daughter for four years straight.

"You understood, right? Write down Christine Marjoram on your exam paper. Her Lady will write your name. Nobody should know that the two of you exchanged names. So, even if you finish a little early, wait until the end and hand in your paper at the same time as the other kids."

Was an aristocrat’s pride about maintaining the first place by making a commoner take the test for them?

After that, Yulia gave Christine Marjoram the honor of preserving the top place at the academy for four years.

It might be similar this time around. Christine would be first place without Yulia. It was just that Christine was not as good as Yulia, but she was still better than the other students.

But what should she do?

‘Now, I can’t stand to even see you take that little honor.’

Yulia, who had finished the chocolate, smiled faintly as she clenched the cup tightly.

"Bavaslov."

"Hm?"

"Don’t go anywhere and wait in front of the building where the exam takes place. I am asking you."

"All right, I get it. Let me deal with those hyenas or whatever."

Bavaslov patted Yulia on the shoulder as if to tell her not to worry.

The students taking this year’s graduation exam had already settled in their seats in the examination hall.

Yulia went inside quickly and sat in the back so as to not bring any attention to herself.

"We will start the exam now."

As soon as the supervisor had distributed the blank sheets, the six questions were revealed and a groan came out of the mouths of the prospective graduating students.

This year’s graduation exam’s questions were known to be hard. Yulia swiftly wrote down her answers, opinions and interpretations on the blank sheet.

The thin pen was dancing on the paper. The examination hall was filled with the sound of the scribbling.

"You’re halfway through the allocated time."

The supervisor informed that a lot of time had passed. The students were still whining while answering questions one and two.

Yulia was the only one who wrote down her answers smoothly until the final question.

Finally, she raised her pen above the place where she had to write her name.

‘Yulia Arte.’

It was an old-fashioned but refreshing handwriting. Yulia wrote down her own name, not Christine’s name, in large letters.

"The time is almost up."

The supervisor told the time for the last time. A groan poured out of the students’ mouths again.

The rattling sound of a chair was heard. It was Yulia who stood up after finishing the exam.

To think that there is still time left but a student is already handing in her paper. The surprised looks of the students all followed Yulia. The same was true of the supervisor.

Yulia walked confidently and held out her paper to the supervisor.

The supervisor, who had recognized Yulia, opened the sheet of paper. Then, he exclaimed as he saw the densely written answers and interpretations inside it.

Yulia bowed silently to him and walked out of the examination room.

*****

"…Yulia?"

Yulia, who was walking through the hallway in long strides, halted as someone called out her name.

It was Christine Marjoram.

Ironically, she thought that she might run into her. If that happened, she was determined to ignore her and tell Bavaslov to return to the inn together.

However, when she discovered Christine looking at her, she could feel her heart becoming wicked.

Christine had a stunned expression. It seemed that she was so surprised that she had become speechless.

Yulia knew the identity of the emotions that passed through Christine’s eyes.

Glad to see her, relieved and also scared.

Christine was still young. Her heart hadn’t hardened like the Marquis or his wife. She didn’t know exactly how evil her parents were yet.

‘What will you say after seeing me?’ Yulia thought.

I am relieved that you are alive? I’ve been worried all this time? I apologize for my parents’ wrongdoings?

No way. It wasn’t that. Christine will ask this.

‘Did you take the exam?’

"Did you… come to take the graduation exam?"

Because she’s afraid of losing the first place.

"In your name…?"

‘I knew it. Why can’t you stray away from my expectations even a little bit.’

Suddenly, the situation became unbearably funny. Yulia burst into laughter while looking straight at Christine.

"Ahahaha!"

Just in time, a bell rang throughout the academy to announce the end of the examination time. A large number of prospective graduating students poured out from each examination hall.

"Hahaha… Ahahaha!"

Yulia kept laughing. Then, she walked towards Christine, who had turned stiff and silent. Yulia whispered in her ear as she passed by her.

"Don’t you think I would have to be crazy to write your name this time too?"

"You…"

Yulia used to envy Christine. The only daughter of the most prominent noble family in the Kingdom. The pretty lady who was the apple of the eye of the vicious Marjoram couple.

Yulia Arte, the commoner who had to disappear in order to protect that lady’s small honor, had long since died.

Christine couldn't say a word and just looked at Yulia's back as she quickly moved away.

"Hey! What’s wrong with you?"

Seing Yulia walking as she laughed like a mad woman, Bavaslov quickly approached and lowered her hat to cover her face.

"Ah, our child can really lose her mind sometimes."

Bavaslov, who quickly climbed into the carriage in order to avoid people's eyes, asked Yulia while nudging her and winking at her.

"Did you do well on the exam? Do you think you can get first place?”

At that moment, Yulia, who had stopped laughing, nodded with a big movement of her head.

*****

The news that Yulia had come back to the capital alive and had taken the graduation exam at Brewe Academy was delivered to the Marquis of Marjoram.

The Marquis annoyedly asked the butler how he would handle this and his wife said that she would double the amount of gold coins given to the hyenas.

As for Christine Marjoram, she confined herself to her room.

When she thought that the medal of honor given to the top student of Brewe Academy would belong to Yulia, her pride was hurt. Because it had been Christine’s dream from a long time ago.

At the same time, she was repulsed by herself. The reason for her bruised pride was because she was not confident enough to beat Yulia in the first place.

The last person to hear that Yulia had survived was Marjoram’s noble successor and the one who had once been her lover, Vasily Marjoram.