[Chapter 87] Megara's Scream

Neris knew who this year's queen was. She had never personally witnessed the awards ceremony, but since everyone in the same grade knew, she couldn't help but know too, whether she liked it or not.

The fact that Megara had been chosen as the queen at every ball from her first graduation ball to the actual graduating class ball.

Events from her previous life and those happening right before her eyes overlapped, separated, and then merged in Neris's slightly blurred vision, creating cracks in her mind once again.

In this fantasy, Diane transformed into a completely different person and then quickly reverted back to the familiar Diane.

Neris's gaze briefly turned towards Megara.

Megara's table, reserved by Colin Ganiel, was not far away. Sitting there, Megara was vividly laughing and joking with Colin, just as Neris remembered her.

Next to her, Ijette and Valentine, along with a few of Megara's followers, each took their seats according to their status, radiating a seemingly eternal glow.

Even after experiencing a new life, Megara remained the same.

Yes, in her previous life, Neris wouldn't have dared to sit at the expensive table of the graduation ball, dressed in noble attire, and seated with a handsome man. Yet, Neris felt the same way even now.

Neris felt foolish. Since Megara approached Cladwyn earlier, Neris had been feeling strange ever since she thought about Ijette's status fitting with Cladwyn.

She wanted to drink a lot of alcohol but barely restrained herself. Trying to exhibit the patience she had learned from her previous life as much as possible.

In her previous life, Neris had never learned to enjoy alcohol moderately. She had to drink only as much as necessary for propriety in formal settings, and since no one shared drinks with her in private settings, she couldn't help but drink alone.

Once... there was a time when she got drunk and caused a scene in front of Abelus, who had come to see her out of obligation.

She couldn't remember exactly, but it was probably about staying the night instead of leaving immediately due to the obligation of the joint visit. The next day, Megara had complained about that, so it must have been something along those lines.

"Your Highness, unlike Her Highness, who is the rightful wife of His Highness the Crown Prince, I am just a mere governess. So, if Your Highness does not graciously offer to let me stay the night in my room, where should I go?"

The words, wrapped in self-deprecation, were ultimately mocking. Even though she was officially married, she hadn't captured even a piece of his heart...

Would she have immediately gone to the government to report her husband's infidelity?

At that time, Neris was so embarrassed that she avoided Abelus for several days. Abelus grumbled about the lack of attachment to the Crown Princess, but he had no strength to argue back.

Around that time, Nelucian found out that Neris had been drunk in front of Abelus and, out of concern, prevented her from drinking any more. Perhaps it was a precaution taken out of fear of her revealing family secrets.

Feeling ashamed of that incident, Neris no longer touched alcohol. Despite almost reaching a state of addiction at one point.

"It's okay."

Neris whispered to herself.

"There's nothing left to take away now."

At that time, Megara took away Neris's husband. Currently, Neris had no husband. Not even a fiancé, and not even a man she loved.

So, no matter how hard someone tried to take something away, what would be the point?

"I keep looking at that."

Cladwyn, who had been quiet, suddenly spoke. Neris blinked in surprise.

Her blurry vision suddenly cleared. Cladwyn, who turned his head slightly to look at her, was smiling directly at Neris.

"How did you know there was something interesting to watch?"

"Interesting to watch?"

Suddenly? Neris reflexively asked, but a scream was heard from Megara's table.

"Ahh!"

It was Megara's voice.

All eyes in the ballroom turned to Megara. The scream was so loud that it seemed as if an intruder with a knife had entered the ballroom.

From Neris's perspective, Megara stood up from her chair, running her hands through her hair, while Colin took a couple of steps back, looking at Megara as if she were a bug.

Her beautifully styled golden hair fell messily over her shoulders and back.

And as if something was going to jump out of her hair, even Ijette and Valentine stepped back, keeping their distance from Megara.

"Why is she like that?"

Murmurs arose from the surrounding tables. In fact, even the students in the corner of the ballroom murmured. Megara seemed to suddenly lose her mind and go wild.

What could be in her hair?

At that moment, Colin spoke with a tone that was half laughter, half disgust.

"You made me wait like that to get ready, and what did you do? Didn't you wash normally? Why are there bugs in your hair?"

The theatrical tone was clearly impulsive. Another boy might not have said such things, or if he did, he would have kept his mouth shut to some extent.

However, Megara's influence at school was absolute in her class, and the Ganielo family to which Colin belonged was superior to the Liceandros family to which Megara belonged.

Therefore, Colin could make thoughtless remarks, and thanks to that, the students in the ballroom could understand the situation.

'This.'

People here had heard that such things were attached to commoners. However, in reality, most had never seen it. Even the servants who served them, though commoners, were all particularly attentive to cleanliness.

So, there were no words that didn't suit the beautiful and angelic Megara.

Faces containing laughter quickly turned towards Megara. Megara, combing her hair nervously as if something was sticking out, recognized the mocking glances around her. She stood up and quickly left the ballroom.

After Megara left the ballroom and some time passed, Diane returned to the table. Diane chuckled with a twinkle in her eye.

"Megara, she's stuck in the lounge."

"Is that so?"

It took longer than expected just to go vote, so Diane seemed to have checked the direction of the commotion.

Neris glanced slightly at Valentine. Valentine was barely concealing an air of excitement.

In fact, Valentine didn't need to hide her emotions. People around didn't know that Valentine and Megara had a bad relationship, so whether Valentine made any expression or not, some would suspect, and some wouldn't.

Sitting in the chair Bran vacated, Diane continued to chatter.

"What's wrong with her? Isn't that contagious? Betty used to say that when I was young. After playing and talking, you should wash well; otherwise, bugs will spread. Megara is perfect, even good at horseback riding, so did she catch it? What if we catch it too?"

"Di."

Neris chuckled while calling Diane by her nickname as a warning.

There probably weren't many people in the ballroom who truly believed that Megara actually had bugs in her hair. Diane's loud chatter was simply mocking.

Most of the students in Megara's class spoke with ambiguous expressions, but the seniors were subtly discussing similar topics to what Diane was saying. The reason was clear.

Resentment.

The need for compensation for wounded pride.

Even though students who were not part of the graduating class could attend, the event ultimately centered around the graduating students.

Moreover, considering the value of being chosen as the king and queen of the ball, it wouldn't look good if a non-graduating student monopolized that honor multiple times.

At a different time, it might have been a minor incident, but if the graduating class girls kept harping on it a few times maliciously, it could have become an event that lingered until graduation.

Valentine indirectly and effectively used a strategy. Normally, she would have ruined the clothes or something to drive Megara out of the ballroom, but in reality, such a method would have been more futile as the person who would be gossiped about the next day wouldn't be Megara but Valentine.

Had Valentine become a bit more cunning with age?

In truth, Neris wasn't particularly interested in whether Megara had bugs in her hair or not. But if Valentine started to act more cleverly, she needed to keep an eye on her.

That was when a pale-faced maid emerged from the servant's lounge door and approached Valentine. Neris recognized the maid.

She was a maid of the Elendria family.

Anticipating something had happened, Neris didn't miss the maid whispering something to Valentine as she approached. Shortly after, Valentine stood up with a visibly angry face.

"It looks like the real show has begun."

Cladwyn said leisurely. Neris was puzzled.

"What's going on now?"

"It seems like there are just a few bugs in her hair."

What else is left that's more 'Valentine-like'?

As the high-ranking noble heiress disappeared with the most hurried pace, students exchanged excited glances behind her. What's going on? Why is she like that? Can you go check it out? What? I don't want to. Interfering in the juniors' fights without dignity, what are you trying to provoke...

Fortunately, even the students who were 'dignified' in the ballroom soon understood what had happened.

Crying, running, sounds of anger. Overall, it was a negative noise.

As the commotion subsided, Megara emerged from the women's lounge with her face covered.

Is she crying? Among the confused students, those who were close to Megara's movements saw her hand and neck swollen and reddened. Following her, Valentine sighed.

"Just tell me straight, okay? Huh? Unni, why does it matter to you that your face looks like that right now? Did you eat something wrong? Why did you hit my maid? Does the Elendria family look that ridiculous?"

Despite trying to cover her face with the shawl handed by her attendant maid, it was evident from Megara's neck, hands, and Valentine's words that her face was also in disarray.

Neris suppressed a burst of laughter. Yes, this was typical of Valentine.

Since last year's first participation in the graduation ball, Megara must have been preparing to be selected as the queen again at this year's ball.

While other girls also prepared for the ball for a year, Megara's expectations were likely higher.

Not only did she ruin the angelic image, but also made it impossible for her to stay in the ballroom, truly fitting Valentine's temperament. We don't know what she used to make Megara unable to show her face, but it must have been severe.

If one were to list one of the people most severely affected by Valentine, of course, it was Neris. Despite enduring all sorts of methods, she had never experienced a substance that instantly turned the skin red.

However, she was not unaware of the situation.

"I don't know what that is, but did you give that to Valentine? No, you probably didn't just give it. Did you sell it?"