Cledwin’s face was covered with his usual emotionless, chilly expression. He continued to stare into Neris’s eyes.

“I want them to suffer inexplicable torment. I want them to be insulted for every insignificant feature they didn’t even recognize. I want them to suffer all the cruel deeds that several people can inflict on one person. I want there to be nowhere for them to escape.”

The secret place they barely escaped becoming tarnished by betrayal.

Wishing for a day without eyes, ears, or mouth to speak, growing day by day.

“Year by year, no matter how hard they try, there is no improvement, and the brief hope soon collapses. I want them to not believe the fact that people can be so malicious to one another without reason, eventually blaming themselves. Even if the people who should love them say you are precious, I want them to be ruined until they can’t believe it. I want them never to shake off that memory for their entire lives. As a child becomes an adult, as an adult becomes an old person, I want them to become the easiest target for venting anger. I want the people who tormented them to forget about it soon!”

To suffer the same things they did, and only then curse the world.

To be unable to look at the window for their reflection being too ugly.

‘…Just like me. Exactly. The same.’

Neris’s words were filled with malice and flagrantly violated the doctrine of the god that all the people in Bista revered.

Cledwin lost his words for a moment.

Neris seemed to be doing well in school on the surface. Although she didn’t have close friends among her classmates, there were children who admired her, and her reputation among teachers was good.

But the words she just said could only be from a child who had suffered thorough ostracization for a long time, or from experience.

Where and when was she ostracized? Or was it knowledge gained from observing someone?

Who then?

Neris, seeing Cledwin not respond, suddenly drooped her eyes and laughed, looking like an adult who had long suffered sorrow, making Cledwin narrow his eyes again.

“I know. It’s a bad thing. I think I’m a bad person too. Nobody should be treated like that. But I really want it.”

Otherwise, it seemed like she would break.

Neris had nothing she wanted to do.

She had done most of what she dreamed of as a child until she lived and died as a crown princess. Dancing at a ball, eating delicious food from books, conversing with friends from foreign countries.
Sharing the pledge of eternal friendship with a friend or living beautifully in love with someone for a lifetime was an experience she never had, and now she did not even yearn for it. She knew it did not exist.

So the only thing left was revenge.

Against all the people who brought misfortune into her life.

Even those who ruined not just her ‘childhood’ but beyond, she couldn’t even mention here what she would do to them.

She will be on guard!

But as if reading her mind, Cledwin softly asked,

“Nellusion? Is he included in the scope? You seem to hate him.”

“He is included in the scope, but preparing for Nellusion will take some time. You can’t make the successor of a powerful ducal family get ostracized at school anyway.”

Only after stripping the armor of the ducal house will the knife go in.

Neris knew that she didn’t have the ability to do that right now. But what about after a long time has passed?

When Neris, who knows all his weaknesses and personality, has gathered enough strength.

Cledwin didn’t know yet, but her last spearhead was aimed at the royal family. Then, she won’t leave it to the ostracization among classmates, but will stab directly with the knife.

If it were any other noble, Neris wouldn’t even reveal that she had grievances with the ducal family. But she knew better than him that Duke Maindland didn’t associate with other nobles at all.

Now, how will he react to someone who revealed such terrible desires?

Neris stood up straight and gathered her hands neatly, focusing. It was a habit she had developed to avoid being picked on when she was a princess consort.

Be upright in your posture when tense and confused. Maintain a calm expression. A person’s attitude influences their impression.

Cledwin bowed his head. Neris pulled her chin up deliberately when his expression was hidden in the shadow. She didn’t want to appear shallow. Not in any situation.

“Even so, the beauty technique will be much more damaging to you.”

Beauty technique? Neris slightly opened her mouth. No.

“Nellusion won’t ruin his life by falling for a woman, right? And who would fall for me if I use the beauty technique? With this appearance?”

At least nobody would fall for her now. It was slightly different when the jewel was revealed, but even then, Neris Trued had never attracted attention with her beauty.

Thinking so, she said that and Cledwin slightly lifted his head. At the expression that seemed stunned, Neris’s eyes widened and her face turned slightly red.

“Really?”

Cledwin asked in a voice of disbelief. By the end of the question, both ends of his lips even slightly lifted.

Neris’s lips twitched. In relation to this subject, Cledwin was more wicked. After looking in the mirror once, there wouldn’t be anything left of Cledwin’s face that looked human.

“You don’t have to act polite. Let’s deal plainly. You see, as your senior, I am actively working to achieve my desire, and it would be much easier if I could get help, frankly. But if I feel that you’re going to arbitrarily judge the value of my goals or not assist me the way I want, then the conversation is over. If you make my wishes come true, I will do anything.”

“Anything?”

“Yes, within reasonable bounds. You will be my employer. If I’m getting paid, I have to work, right?”

Cledwin’s mouth corners remained lifted.

“You seem to be making me pay quite a price.”

Neris felt embarrassed. []She hadn’t thought she would be caught.

“If you don’t like it, don’t.”

“No, I agree. I already told you, I won’t judge the value. Whatever the desire, I have the ability to realize it, so I should seize this opportunity.”

Finally, he smiled, revealing his teeth slightly.