The Price is Everything of Yours (76 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 12
“Nel, Diane. Thank you for coming.”
“Thank you for inviting me.”
Neris and Diane greeted Angharad and handed her small gifts. It was customary among imperial nobles to present modest tokens of appreciation to those who invited them to parties.
Angharad, dressed adorably in a cream-colored dress following the latest fashion, smiled with delight. Neris’s gift was a delicious-looking blueberry jam, and Diane’s was expensive, high-quality chocolate.
“The jam looks really tasty, Nel. Diane, the chocolate is absolutely lovely. I’ll enjoy it.”
Diane raised an eyebrow when she noticed Angharad still calling Neris “Nel” even after the bag incident, but she refrained from correcting her, considering she was a guest at the party.
Angharad continued with a poised, host-like tone, a cream satin ribbon tied prettily in her hair fluttering gently.
“Megara and Aidalia were invited to the senior nobles’ gathering. But all the others are here, so go say hello.”
Though students at the academy addressed one another informally in class and attended lessons together, the two marquises’ daughters were, in truth, a full rank above the others socially.
One grand ducal house, three ducal houses, and five marquial houses.
The nine great noble families of the empire were so exalted that they barely acknowledged the distinction between lower nobles and commoners.
Aidalia of House Kendal clung almost exclusively to Megara. Yet Megara, daughter of the Marquis Rikeandros—who held greater influence than the Marquis Kendal—treated all students with equal kindness, which was one reason for her overwhelming popularity.
‘But if a gathering of senior nobles exists, there’s no reason for them to refuse it just to attend Angharad’s party.’
That was actually fortunate. If Megara had gotten involved in today’s events and started scheming, things would have grown complicated.
Neris took Diane’s hand, and together they entered deeper into the party venue. Unlike Diane, Angharad didn’t have a large enough dormitory room to host an entire class, so the party was held in one of the academy’s historic annex banquet halls.
“It’s old.”
Diane summed it up in one word as she observed the densely packed rows of outdated arched pillars lining the banquet hall walls. Neris gave a soft chuckle.
“It’s an old building. I heard they held many theology faculty masses here.”
“No wonder.”
Diane’s cute eyes widened.
“So the theology faculty moved to their new building, and now this place is used just for banquets.”
“Yes. This building itself used to be a chapel. If we go a little farther into the corners, we might even find spiders.”
Diane was delighted by the comment, as if offered a personal tour.
“Liz, you really know a lot! But I need to use the restroom quickly. It was such a long walk from the dorms.”
“Let’s go together. The restroom is upstairs.”
Though Diane rarely accepted unnecessary help, she couldn’t help but nod in agreement this time.
In a more lavish party, servants would assist—but Angharad only had one maid, currently shuttling frantically between kitchen and banquet hall.
“Got it. Thanks.”
“I’m thirsty, so I’ll grab a drink real quick before we go.”
“Sure.”
Neris left Diane to chat with a suitable classmate and headed toward the table laden with drinks and snacks. After pouring herself a glass of peach punch and taking a sip, she returned to where Diane stood.
“Let’s go.”
The lower noble student who had been speaking with Diane addressed Neris as well.
“Next month, Angharad, Hardy, and I are planning to set up a casual get-together. Would you come too, if you’re free? It’ll be just among lower nobles, and even some second- and third-year seniors will join.”
Just as Megara and Aidalia attended exclusive senior-noble gatherings, lower nobles also held their own meetings regularly. Naturally—it was ideal for seeking marriage prospects and strengthening mutual ties among peers of similar status. Beyond that, the academy hosted an endless variety of such gatherings.
In her previous life, Angharad had taken charge of distributing class invitations shortly after enrollment—and Neris was never included.
Neris was the poorest and lowest-ranking student in the class, and without friends, openly excluding her drew no objections.
“Sure. Send me a card later.”
“Will do. Thanks.”
After exchanging greetings, Neris and Diane left the banquet hall and headed upstairs to the restroom. Diane quickly finished her business and washed her hands thoroughly in a basin carved from marble. Neris helped Diane wash first, then accepted assistance to wash her own hands.
As they descended to the ground floor where the banquet hall was, loud noises suddenly echoed all the way to the staircase.
Someone seemed to be shouting furiously, and the cheerful party sounds that had softly filled the air before their restroom break had completely vanished.
“So is it yours or not?!”
Both Diane and Neris widened their eyes simultaneously. The girls walked even more cautiously. Upon finally reaching the bottom of the stairs, they hurried toward the banquet hall doors.
Since the party was ongoing, the doors remained open—and through them, the commotion inside spilled into the corridor, resonating through the entire building.
“I said look properly!”
A sharp voice rang out again. The two girls carefully stepped inside.
All party guests had gathered in the center of the hall, forming a circle. Standing on tiptoe, the girls identified Angharad and Alecto at the circle’s heart.
Angharad’s face was flushed, her hair disheveled, while Alecto kept huffing in irritation at the sight.
“Oh dear, young ladies—please, don’t fight.”
“You mustn’t behave so roughly, miss.”
Angharad’s maid and Alecto’s lady-in-waiting were desperately trying to calm their respective mistresses, Angharad’s hair now completely tangled.
Seeing the cream-colored ribbon clutched in Alecto’s hand, Diane covered her mouth. Neris lifted one eyebrow.
Alecto waved the ribbon fiercely right before Angharad’s eyes.
“You thief! Have nothing to say for yourself? Why steal someone else’s belongings? And then have the gall to wear it and host a party? A party crawling with bugs?”
“What’s she talking about? Why’s Angharad a thief?”
Diane whispered curiously to a nearby student who had been watching the scene with amusement. The student replied without lowering his voice much.
“Angharad Nain stole Alecto’s ribbon.”
Diane frowned at that.
“Why? She has her own ribbon.”
“That one got soaked in a drink last time.”
“She could’ve washed it.”
“Not sure—maybe the stain wouldn’t come out. Anyway, Alecto embroidered her initial on her ribbon, and apparently it showed up on the one Angharad was wearing.”
The student shifted his gaze to Neris and asked,
“Weren’t you close with Lady Angharad Nain when you were young?”
“I don’t remember.”
“When were we ever that close? Don’t talk to me. The others might get the wrong idea—what if they think I’m a thief too?”
“What was the reputation of Lady Trude and her husband, Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess’s parents? It’s awkward to speak ill of the dead—but still… I doubt I could bear being the wife of a lord stripped of his right to serve. Isn’t that thievery? It’s obvious what she learned from watching them…”
Neris felt as if she heard young Angharad’s voice and the older Angharad’s voice simultaneously.
Back when Neris was truly a freshman, someone once lost a gold coin during a party. Though losing items during lively play was common, the problem was that several students pointed to Neris as the culprit—including Angharad.
The whole class gathered and searched Neris’s bag. A gold coin was found inside.
No one could confirm whether it matched the lost coin, yet no one cared. Some even claimed they “saw” Neris stealing—of course it must have been the same coin!
Neris’s honest explanation—that she had no idea why the coin was there—was naturally useless.
That incident became the catalyst that turned subtle exclusion into open ostracism.
Bugs and fallen leaves constantly appeared in Neris’s belongings, hair, and clothing. One year, a popular game among freshmen was seeing who could throw more stones or caterpillars at Neris Trude’s “frizzy, dull” hair.
Back then, Angharad, while pretending otherwise, had drawn a clear, humorous, and blatant line between herself and Neris—one others eagerly imitated.
She regularly used moral condemnation of Neris’s behavior as a pretext to bond with other students, periodically reminding them of the theft so they wouldn’t forget.
Even as an adult, Angharad spread rumors in high society tied to that episode.
At the time, Neris had been hurt and helpless, unable to identify the real culprit—she’d stolen nothing, yet couldn’t understand what Angharad claimed to have seen.
But now, with a clear mind and not cornered—
‘Back then, only Angharad could have accessed my bag.’
At the mobile academy, students rarely left their bags unattended. Occasionally, a seatmate might watch it while someone visited the restroom.
Among freshmen, Angharad had been Neris’s closest—if not only—connection resembling friendship.
And—
‘Angharad started organizing class gatherings around that same time.’
That had always been odd.
Unlike the clearly defined nine great noble houses, lower nobility had no strict criteria. Baron Nain was a poor rural lord with little connection to the capital, so most considered Angharad lower nobility.
Yet she hosted class parties throughout school—including great nobles’ heirs? Though she never acted alone, it still felt strange.
In imperial social culture, being the one to send invitations carried significant influence.
How could Angharad, with such weak familial standing, have secured such a favorable role?
Unless someone—someone “acceptable to all”—had granted her that role in exchange for something substantial.
And Neris thought she knew who that someone was.
A great noble’s daughter who could have attended only senior gatherings without reproach—but who, starting at some point, always joined class parties.
“Yesterday was really fun, Angharad. You’ll be the one sending invitations for the next class gathering, right?”
“I should thank you for always coming, Megara. Of course I’d love to do it again next time…!”
Whether as a child or as an adult, Angharad might have acted out of survival instinct. But Neris no longer cared about—or could accept—that excuse.
Because she wouldn’t give her the chance to say it.
The other side had chosen the easier, cowardly path.
“Angharad seems to think we were very close, but I… well, it feels a bit awkward to say something unkind in this situation.”
“Why awkward? Did you tell her to steal the ribbon or something?”
The student laughed as he said it, and Diane asked patiently,
“What’s this about bugs?”
“Oh right—don’t drink the peach punch. Spiders showed up in it.”
“Ew.”
Diane and Neris grimaced in unison. The student shrugged.
“The building’s so old—it’s not surprising if a few spiders wander around.”
“That just means there could be more spiders anywhere.”
“Exactly. So everyone’s leaving.”
Indeed, attendants were already entering to escort their masters away. Angharad cried out tearfully,
“No! I didn’t steal it! That’s my ribbon—the one Martha washed for me!”
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
The male lead being so proud of his wife is honestly adorable, even when he gets jealous.
And the female lead is so elegant and beautiful—I can’t wait to see this scene illustrated
Haha, did the ML really just say that to the FL? He’s so cute when he gets a little jealous.
Can’t wait for next chapter
The ML is so considerate of his wife. He treats her with so much care and gentleness, even when she doesn’t say a word—he just understands her. He’s honestly so perfect, I can’t 😭
I really hope the FL can overcome these painful feelings soon. I can’t bear to watch her suffer this much. 💔