Chapter 42: Mask
by Afuhfuihgs‘Believing in myself is harder than I thought.’
There’s really no need to explain why.
You only have to look around a little to see just how many people don’t believe in themselves.
“Seo-yeon! Isn’t this really pretty?”
Maybe even that crazy b*tch holding a rope up to my face and asking if it’s pretty doesn’t believe in herself.
People like her are often the ones who don’t.
The kind who only care about how others see them and wear masks thicker than their skin.
…Still, this is kind of shocking.
Who the hell asks if ropes and whips are pretty?
Especially someone who gets called a saint or an angel out in public.
“…Seo-yeon? Are you ignoring me right now?”
“…No. It’s pretty.”
“Right? I knew you’d like it!”
Honestly, the only thing I could call her was an absolutely unhinged lunatic.
Kim Soo-ho really needs to see her like this.
Not her usual fake face, but this side of Han-sia that she only shows to me.
To be fair, I’ve thought about it plenty of times.
‘Let’s show the real her to the protagonist somehow.’
Whether by recording a video or secretly hiding Kim Soo-ho nearby during one of our meetings.
I even came up with a few plans to make it happen.
– Oh my, what’s this? Seo-yeon~
Of course, that was all before Han-sia found and destroyed the camera without a second thought.
That might’ve been the most terrified I’d felt since becoming Lee Seo-yeon.
Both physically and mentally.
After that, I couldn’t even dream of trying anything like that again.
“Okay, Seo-yeon? Where should we start today?”
“…”
Just as I was lost in those thoughts, Han-sia slowly approached me like it was time.
…Well, whatever.
At least getting beat up by that crazy b*tch doesn’t leave visible wounds.
I guess that’s something to be thankful for.
No, wait—technically, the wounds appear and then disappear.
That psycho tortures me in ways even the cruelest rulers in history never dared try.
Still.
Better her than getting hit by someone else.
How much time passed?
The first thing I heard when I came back to my senses was Han-sia’s satisfied voice.
“Let’s stop here for today! Since our Seo-yeon isn’t feeling well.”
“…”
You crazy b*tch.
Dragging out a sick person to torture them—yeah, we usually call people like that monsters.
“…Thanks for worrying, Sia.”
Of course, I didn’t have the guts to actually say that out loud.
If I had even that much confidence, none of this would’ve happened to me in the first place.
I wouldn’t have been ostracized at an academy known as a dream school, or regularly beaten to a pulp by a psychopath.
Han-sia smiled sweetly, clearly pleased by my response.
“Because I’m Seo-yeon’s best friend!”
“…Are you leaving first?”
“Hmm, I probably should. If people see us together, it might cause trouble for you.”
Translation: She doesn’t want to be seen hanging out with a loser like me.
After how many times I’ve been beaten by her, do you really think I’m dumb enough to be fooled by that line?
“Okay then, I’ll go first!”
“…See you later.”
“Yep! Let’s definitely hang out again soon!”
Translation: There’s going to be another day like today, so come when I call.
The words were completely different, but the intent was crystal clear.
Ding–
The little bell on the door jingled as Han-sia walked out.
“…Haa.”
I slumped onto the table.
As if I’d been waiting for this exact moment.
“Agh.”
My whole body ached.
It felt like I’d just gotten into a car accident or something.
How badly did she beat me this time?
Whatever marks might’ve been left were already thoroughly erased.
I barely had any memory of the actual beating.
Which, honestly, made sense.
From the moment she started, I was too out of it to stay conscious.
If you get hit when you’re not in your right mind, there’s no way you’d remember it clearly.
Just like how you don’t remember kicking off your blanket in your sleep.
It’s kind of like that.
Maybe worse.
I kept wasting time, lost in meaningless thoughts—
Ding–
“Welcome!”
“Hello… Huh?”
A very unexpected—yet oddly welcome—guest walked into the café.
“Seo-yeon? What are you doing here all of a sudden…?”
“…Your Highness?”
The one who’d exhausted herself taking care of me—someone I didn’t even know how to define anymore.
Christina Valentine stood right there at the entrance.
After she came in, Christina naturally joined me at the table I was slumped over.
“…”
“…”
We were greeted by a silence that felt like it could stretch on forever.
Yeah.
I really had nothing to say.
Honestly, I felt super awkward around Christina right now.
Even if she’d been asleep earlier,
I’d blabbed so much it would be weird if she felt comfortable seeing me.
Thank god she didn’t hear any of that.
If she had, I wouldn’t have died from the illness—I’d have died of shame.
As I was stuck in those thoughts, Christina broke the silence.
“…Are you feeling better, Seo-yeon?”
“…Yeah, well. Thanks to Your Highness taking care of me.”
“No! I mean, it’s partially my fault your condition got worse.”
As soon as I thanked her, Christina jumped and waved her hands in a panic.
Still, I felt like I needed to say thank you.
Was it really something to be that shocked over?
“Even so, you still helped take care of me.”
I was a little confused by her reaction, but I kept my thoughts to myself.
“You really don’t have to thank me…”
“Don’t worry. This is more for my sake than yours.”
“For your sake?”
“Yeah. If I didn’t thank Your Highness, I’d feel unsettled.”
That was a lie.
I wasn’t the kind of good person who got bothered by forgetting to say thanks.
It just felt like I had to say something.
Especially with heroine #2 looking like she was on the verge of breaking down.
From the moment she walked in, I could tell something was off about Christina.
It was like…
She’d been crying somewhere just before this.
The kind of mood I usually carry around was now clinging to her instead.
“…Thank you, Seo-yeon.”
“…”
“I always seem to be taking from you. I’ve never given anything back.”
And then, out of nowhere, a wave of guilt.
That really puzzled me.
Why would an imperial princess feel guilty toward someone like me?
It didn’t seem like a misunderstanding, either.
I was someone who’d grown used to being watched at the academy.
That wasn’t a normal look she gave me.
Her eyes were full of heavy guilt, a kind of sorrow I’d never seen directed at me before.
The kind of look I’d only ever seen aimed at others.
Feeling awkward and uncomfortable, I quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, what brings Your Highness to this café?”
“Huh?”
“This place, I mean. It has a very cutesy vibe—like something kids would like.”
“…”
She immediately clammed up like I’d hit a nerve.
…Wait.
Could it be?
Does the imperial princess still have some kind of childish taste?
Come to think of it, wasn’t she reading some weird novel last time—something like The Princess Loses Again Today?
Yeah.
Heroine #2 definitely had some unusual preferences.
“Me?”
“Yes. Like I said, this place feels like it caters to children.”
It was like she’d read the confusion on my face, because Christina quickly shifted the topic back to me.
“…I just followed someone I knew.”
“Someone you knew? Do I know them too?”
“Yeah. Han-sia.”
“…Ah, the saint. Right, I think she mentioned growing up with you and Soo-ho?”
“Same orphanage.”
Most people knew about my connection with Kim Soo-ho.
Very few knew about my connection with Han-sia.
I guess this is what it means to be a princess.
She clearly had access to far more info than the average student.
Christina finally seemed to shake off her earlier gloom, her voice brightening.
“So, did you two have fun?”
“…Yeah, sure.”
No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t describe that torture session as “fun.”
But I couldn’t tell the truth.
If I did, who knows what Han-sia might do to me?
“Still, I’m surprised Miss Sia knew about this place. I thought I was the only one who did.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah. You’ve had the drinks here, so you must know, this café…”
As Christina started chatting away again, I quietly closed my mouth and just listened.
Humans all wear masks.
Han-sia’s is just thicker than most.
But I’m human too.
I wear a mask as well.
And who knows?
Maybe the Christina I’m seeing now is wearing one too.
With how she acted earlier…
She could be pretending to be cheerful just to hide her true emotions.
It’s just a guess.
But somehow, it felt like a pretty solid one.
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