Chapter 20
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Violet's First Words - Episode 20
Ash shrugged his shoulders.
"I was trying to undo the paralysis, but she resisted quite a bit, so I stopped."
"Stopped?"
"A bit of a scuffle. She seemed to lose consciousness and thought I was hurting her."
"Hmm, you should've just left her alone."
"She would've remained that way for days. I heard she's healthy now."
"...So you did the right thing."
"Probably."
"Yeah, that's right."
I paused to consider. No matter how I thought about it, someone like Colbera had no business being a professor.
Especially when he would attempt such vile harassment in the future—something I couldn't even bear to speak of.
'If we leave him at the Academy like this, there could be other victims besides me.'
I pondered the matter carefully.
"Colbera will be fired, won't he?"
"I'd think so."
"Then that's worked out well too."
I spoke with conviction. Ash looked at me with a hint of surprise.
"Ash?"
"No, it's just that you seem a bit... difficult."
"...People always say I'm easy to read. I've never heard anyone say that before in my life."
Marigold once said that my thoughts were written all over my face.
She said that's why men would especially find me easy to manipulate.
"I'm curious about something though—why do you need my help? When you struck Colbera, you seemed quite skilled at it."
I fell into thought for a moment.
"I'm not sure. In front of Colbera, I don't feel that tightness in my throat."
...
"...But when I'm around my family and trying to say something, I feel that way. Frustrated and angry. Yet I can't seem to express it properly."
"I see."
Ash murmured softly. In that moment, he seemed like someone who could understand and untangle everything in the world with just those two words.
"Now I understand what kind of help you need, Violet."
"You do?"
I said in surprise.
"What do you think of Colbera?"
"A repulsive, abhorrent pile of waste, garbage, and filth all rolled into one."
"You agree, and then what?"
"If possible, I want to flatten them and exile them beyond the Continent."
"And beyond that?"
"What else am I supposed to do?"
I tilted my head in confusion.
"Then let me use your Younger Sister as an example. When you think of the renowned Academy's goddess, the noble young lady Marigold, what comes to mind?"
My chest tightened again.
"I dislike her, but that's not all. Yet it's neither affection nor love. It's hatred, but different from what I feel toward Colbera. I want to hurt them, but I don't know how. I'm not even sure if it's the right thing to do."
Would Ash understand this feeling? Confusion clouded my eyes.
"Exactly. You despise Colbera, but that's all there is to it. That's not hatred. But you resent and hate your family. So a few words and a beating won't settle that feeling."
Was I really such a terrible person? I was shocked.
But what was more surprising was that I couldn't deny a single word of it.
"So should I beat them half to death instead?"
Unlike my former self, I had the strength to do it now.
"Well, let's talk about your Father then. When you fought with him today, you already spoke to him quite harshly."
"...Is that so?"
"And you could sever ties with him right now. So how would your Father live?"
"He'd curse me terribly, like he curses Cyril Uncle sometimes. But after that moment passes, he'd forget my existence. And then... he'd live happily and joyfully with my Stepmother, Marigold, and the three of them. Perhaps it would become a home overflowing with love."
"You really are pitiful, Violet."
"Ash, what on earth are you...?"
"Your family, who made your childhood a living hell, will still live happily, and nothing in your life will change. And you alone will carry the memories of your childhood forever."
"..."
"Perhaps you'll remain unhappy for the rest of your life."
My fists clenched tightly. My eyes naturally grew fierce.
Ash's words weren't wrong. And that's precisely why it hurt.
"What are you trying to say, Ash?"
"Now I understand why you're so obsessed with Cyril Uncle's task. You don't want to settle your long-held feelings by venting them just once."
"..."
"So, do you wish for their unhappiness? Do you want revenge?"
My body temperature gradually rose.
"No, that's not it."
"Why? They may have already ruined you. So you wish for your enemies' happiness?"
"I haven't been ruined. Of course the past will torment me, but if I waste my life on revenge, that's what a broken person does."
It was a line that young lady Rosenis had repeated three times in the novel.
But above all, it was a line that spoke for my heart.
"Good. Then it's decided."
A slow smile curved Ash's lips.
"What? What's decided?"
"The answer was already in our previous conversation. Since you're not foolish enough to waste time on revenge, that's perfect. Now I know how to set your goal."
"..."
"People commonly trample those beneath them. Right now, you are precisely that kind of existence to them."
"I know. My family and everyone else see me as nothing more than a pebble rolling beneath their feet. And those shameless people don't even know what guilt is."
For Violet, it was the bitter truth spilling from her lips.
But Father and Stepmother... they laughed. As if Violet's desperate struggle was pathetic.
Their response was more chilling and repulsive than any rebuke could be.
"So even if you struck them once, to them it would be nothing more than a 'stroke of bad luck.' A small, unfortunate accident—hardly the stuff of nightmares."
"...Unfortunately, you're right."
Every word rang true. Ash leaned forward toward Violet.
"That's why what you need is a masterfully orchestrated moment of horror. A situation that forces them into rage and despair."
"..."
"From now on, we'll become their nightmare. An eternal nightmare they can never forget—pain and wounds they'll carry for the rest of their lives."
"And then?"
Violet's eyes widened. She hung on Ash's every word, drawn in as if by an invisible current.
"In that moment, you finally speak. A cutting remark they'll never forget for as long as they live."
Violet grasped Ash's meaning without difficulty.
So what Ash was proposing now wasn't merely a cutting remark.
It was to orchestrate the moment of that remark beautifully, embedding in them an unforgettable, searing memory.
Violet felt as though she'd finally found the answer. She clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly.
"But that wouldn't be the right thing to do."
Violet considered this.
"Then was it right for them to treat you this way all this time?"
Ash's words were true. This was truly what Violet wanted. A mere word or two wasn't enough.
At the same time, she realized that words held many kinds of power.
The words Ash spoke now were seducing her like sugar.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org