Chapter 97 : Rascal (2/2)

I attempted to get his attention again, thinking he might have simply missed my introduction.

“Excuse me…”

For a brief moment, he glanced back at me. 

Encouraged, I tried to continue, but he quickly turned his head back to Agnes.

It was then that I realized: he was deliberately ignoring me.

I wasn’t the only one who noticed.

Olivia’s brow furrowed slightly, her displeasure evident in her expression. 

Bliss, on the other hand, seemed even more upset. 

While her face remained calm, her eyes had taken on a deathly glare that could pierce through steel.

Despite the unwelcoming gazes directed at him, Rien continued smiling, seemingly oblivious. Or perhaps, he just didn’t care.

His gaze remained locked on Agnes.

“So, Agnes, what brings you here?”

Agnes didn’t respond.

Rien’s smirk deepened, and his tone took on a sharper edge.

“A loser like you? Really?”

The atmosphere froze in an instant.

‘Did he just say what I think he said?’

I doubted my own ears.

“Rien, sir,” Olivia said, stepping forward, her voice tinged with anger. “May I ask what you just said?”

“Sure, I called her a loser.”

His reply was casual, as if he saw nothing wrong with his words.

“What? Am I wrong?”

He even had the gall to question her indignation.

Then, as if suddenly recalling something, he pointed at Olivia with an exaggerated expression.
“Oh, right! You’re from the Violet family, aren’t you? Is that why you’re so worked up? Wow, is this some kind of loser reunion? All you need now is a beastkin to complete the set!”

A menacing aura began to emanate from Olivia.

It washed over me like a crushing wave, sending chills down my spine.

She was furious—so much so that it felt like she truly wanted to kill him.

“And what nonsense are you spouting now?” Bliss interjected, grabbing Rien’s arm with a firm grip.

“Huh, and you must be from the Lily family,” Rien sneered, ignoring the tension. “They say people from your family have emerald-green eyes, and I see it’s true. But aren’t the Lilies just the weaklings of the west, almost wiped out by Valiant?”

His tone was dripping with mockery.

Bliss’s gaze hardened further. Her voice was cold as ice as she demanded,

“What did you just say?”

Rien only chuckled, yanking his arm free.

“Never mind you. I have business with Agnes.”

Turning his attention back to Agnes, he adjusted his sleeve, his expression one of pure disdain.

“So, Agnes,” he said, his tone dripping with contempt, “what are you even doing here? This isn’t a place for someone like you. What, things didn’t go so well hunting the Demon King with your hero friend? Is that why you crawled back here?”

The tension in the air was palpable.

Agnes remained silent, her eyes closed, showing no reaction to Rien’s provocations. 

However, her lack of response only seemed to fuel his growing frustration.

If this continued any longer, things were bound to escalate into something troublesome.

‘This bastard…’

I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh. From the very beginning, Rien had left a bad taste in my mouth.

Unlike everyone else we had encountered tonight, he had deliberately ignored me.

As I stood there, his gaze still fixed on me, the heat of the moment began to burn away my patience.

He was holding his empty wine glass aloft, the arrogant smirk on his face daring me to act.

“Hey! Are you deaf? I told you to come here and pour me some wine!” he bellowed, his voice booming across the silent hall.

The silence in the room was suffocating, as if every sound had been sucked out, leaving only his command ringing in the air.

Bliss tried to move again, her face red with indignation, but I stopped her with a quick hand gesture. 

Her furious eyes locked onto mine, demanding an explanation, but I ignored her for now.

Instead, I took a deep breath, closing my eyes briefly to calm the storm that was swirling inside me.

‘Alright, if this is how you want to play it…’

I opened my eyes and met Rien’s gaze head-on, my lips curling into a slow, deliberate smile.

“Of course,” I said, my voice honeyed with sarcasm.

I walked forward, every step deliberate and measured. 

The sound of my heels clicking against the marble floor echoed in the deafening silence of the hall.

Reaching the table, I picked up the wine bottle with an exaggerated grace, swirling the crimson liquid inside before pouring it into his glass.

“Here you go,” I said, my voice dripping with mock politeness. I handed him the filled glass with a slight bow.

For a moment, Rien looked taken aback, as if he hadn’t expected me to comply so easily.

But his arrogance returned just as quickly, and he laughed. “See? That’s more like it. I knew you’d understand your place eventually.”

The hall remained silent, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.

I straightened up and met his eyes once more, my smile never wavering.

“But,” I said, tilting my head slightly, “I don’t think I’ve properly introduced myself yet.”

Rien blinked, his smirk faltering for the first time.

“My name is Ruina,” I said, my voice ringing clear and strong across the hall. “A humble servant of the Celestial Church… and someone who doesn’t take kindly to disrespect.”

Before he could react, I took the glass of wine from his hand and casually poured its contents onto the ground, letting the liquid splash onto the pristine marble floor.

Gasps rippled through the crowd, the room buzzing with whispered shock.

Rien stared at the growing crimson puddle, his face a mask of disbelief.

I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice so only he could hear me.

“You should be careful, Lord Rien,” I said softly, my tone carrying an unmistakable edge. 

“You wouldn’t want to ruin the name of the great Everglow family any further, would you?”

Straightening up, I turned my back to him and walked away without a second glance, leaving him standing there, dumbfounded.

The whispers grew louder, but I didn’t care. 

All I knew was that I had made my point.

Bliss and Olivia joined me quickly, their expressions a mix of surprise and admiration.

“Well done,” Olivia whispered, a rare smile tugging at her lips.

Bliss simply nodded, her face alight with satisfaction.

As we left the hall, I could feel Rien’s furious gaze burning into my back, but I didn’t care.

Tonight, I had stood my ground.

It might just be that I’m overthinking something as trivial as a greeting.

But let’s think about this carefully—it’s not that I’m upset because he didn’t greet me.

He responded to the greetings of Bliss and Olivia. He only ignored mine. To the point of blatantly pretending not to hear my voice.

His behavior clearly showed that he was disregarding me.

And it feels quite unpleasant. His deliberate dismissal of me is so blatantly obvious.

If it were subtle, I might not have noticed. But his intentions are too plain to see. Moreover, he didn’t even try to hide it.

Even now, look—he’s telling me to pour him a drink, speaking to me as if I’m some kind of barmaid. 

And earlier, with the way he acted toward Agnes, it’s clear he has no intention of respecting us.

That’s why I’m angry. 

The fact that he doesn’t even bother to conceal his attitude shows that he perceives me as someone he can openly disrespect.

Well, that must be why he’s behaving this way.

Still, I can tolerate this much. After all, he might simply not know who I am. Ignorance isn’t a crime, is it?

But he didn’t just target me—he involved Reina. 

Not the mature, grown-up me, but young, innocent Reina, who still has so much to learn.

And he went so far as to poke at her wounds.

This is something I cannot overlook. Something I must not overlook. Harming a child is regarded as a sin in any nation.

He has clearly crossed the line.

So, from now on, I’ll make sure to return the favor.

I have a rough idea why he thinks he can act like this. 

It’s because he’s a duke’s son. He feels untouchable, so he spouts reckless words.

Of course, a sensible and typical noble wouldn’t act this way for the sake of their reputation. 

But from what I hear, he abandoned such concerns long ago. 

So, he probably believes he can bulldoze through situations relying solely on his lineage.

He’s likely tormented many others this way before. And now, it seems we’ve become his targets.

The reason he’s treating us this way is probably to provoke Agnes. His constant glances toward her make that clear.

Fine, I understand that his insults toward us are merely a means to provoke Agnes.

I don’t know why he’s provoking her. All I can do is guess that something happened between them that made him act this way.

I don’t know what happened between the two of them. Maybe Agnes did something wrong, or maybe Rein is just a piece of trash tormenting her for no reason.

In this regard, I have nothing to say. I simply don’t know.

But he made one critical mistake.

Provoking Agnes? Fine, I’ll let that slide. All good.

But he shouldn’t have dragged us into it.

He targeted us to provoke Agnes, and as a result, we suffered.

He’s using his status to disregard and oppress us, and it’s ongoing.

So, from now on, I will make him realize something.

That there are people above him.

I muttered softly.

“How rude.”

It wasn’t too loud or too soft—just loud enough for those around to hear.

And it seemed my voice reached Rein as well.

“What? What did you just say?”

He approached me quickly, a smirk spreading across his face. 

It was a sneering grin, as if he had caught me in a weak spot.

“Say that again. What did you say about me?”

“I said you’re rude.”

I responded to Rein, who looked down at me, with a bright smile.

Then, as if I had suddenly remembered something, I lightly covered my mouth with my hand and added.

“Oh, should I put it more simply? I just said that you’re shameless.”

At that moment, the smile on Rein’s face began to fade. 

But only for a moment—he soon burst into loud laughter.

“Ha! Hahaha! Look at this insolent girl! Hey, who do you think you are?”

Then, just as Bliss had done earlier, he gave me a sharp, hostile glare.

I answered him with a smile.

“I greet you, Rein Everglow. My name is Ruina. As per your words, I am of a lower rank and have no family name worth mentioning…”

I lifted my head high. Though fake, I occupy a position referred to as the representative of the divine.

If I dislike someone, I don’t need to bow my head—even if a grand duke were standing before me.

And now, his son expects me to bow to him?

Ridiculous.

Without breaking eye contact with Rein, I confidently declared.

“I am graciously called the Prophetess of the Oracle.”