Ch. 36 - Clubs(3)
{Third POV}
Of course, Eisel didn't do the stupid thing like accepting an attractive offer out of the blue. There must be something dark hidden behind this generosity.
It must be peeled off first.
She asked, squinting her eyes.
“What are the conditions?”
“Conditions... I'm upset. It's purely because I like you, but you do the calculations first, don’t you?"
"Yes. Between humans, there is always a need for calculation.... Especially, especially for a woman like me."
Eisel was obviously an attractive girl. She was a genius among geniuses who achieved Class 3 at the age of seventeen, and her beautiful appearance made her stand out wherever she went in the world.
However, on the other side of it, the title 'Traitor Morph's Child' was attached to her.
Because of that, no one wanted to keep her near them. Like Kashif Derek, whom she hunted with the other day, she wouldn't know if he swallowed her whole without even leaving bones.
But, Prince Jeremy was different.
A dirty snake coiled around that man's heart.
He never did anything without a hidden motive.
He must have had a reason for approaching her. Rather, it would be nice if there were any political reasons, but if there were no intentions…
Perhaps, just.
'You must have approached me by looking at my face. To make me... a trophy.'
The prediction was not very wrong. Because to Jeremy, the past of a girl named Eisel did not matter.
As the prince of Scalben, he could do whatever he wished.
Or, perhaps because Eisel's past was so cruel and horrific, it might have been easier to approach her. He was good at biting off other people's weaknesses and holding them hostage so they couldn't leave his side.
“Eisel.”
Jeremy smiled softly and drew closer to Eisel.
“I don't care what you think. I'm not putting any conditions on you. Just join my club and be with me all the time. That's all.”
“.......”
“Instead, I can do a lot for you. You know that, right? My identity?”
‘I know. I know it very well.’
‘The moment I join Jeremy's club, I might fall into an endless pit.’ Despite knowing the truth, Eisel kept silent.
The only thing that shook her was…
The Scalben Empire was in a confrontation with her enemy, the Adolvit Kingdom.
Beyond that simple reason, with Prince Jeremy's power, she could end all of her arduous and difficult life so far.
She no longer had to settle for 1,200 credits of cheap bread.
It was better not to be discriminated against, ignored, and bullied anymore.
Once again, she could build connections with aristocrats.
Once again, she would be able to plan for her future, and receive an education in a great environment.
Reaching vengeance might be easier if she just wore nice clothes, ate good food, acquired a good education and, as a bonus, used his powers.
‘Ah.’
It kept tempting her.
She might be able to get all the benefits, but she just had to live as a trophy.
She didn’t even know if she could do it.
Right now, it was so hard.
She really wanted to choose the easy way.
"I am......."
The moment Eisel opened her mouth to say something with her blank eyes.
Damn!!
Her head turned sideways.
‘...... Ah?'
She didn't understand the situation; her left eye was tingling, and it seemed that tears were welling up in them.
She raised her left hand and touched her cheek, only then did she feel the pain.
‘It hurts.’
‘Why?'
‘Who?’
When she turned her head, she saw a cute girl with short black hair gazing at her with an expressionless face. In contrast to her blank face, harsh words came out of her mouth.
“You piece of crap! Are you flirting with a man without me knowing after you said you would get along with me?”
“What, what?”
“You said you liked me! You said that back then! But now, now... are you going to abandon me?"
Aye, the girl even started to shed her own tears. Even then, she still had those emotionless eyes, so Eisel couldn't help but be embarrassed.
'Edna...?'
The name was written on the badge at her chest. She was a student from Class S whom she had encountered a few times.
“But...?"
She couldn't understand that situation, so she opened her mouth to ask.
However, before she could speak, Edna grabbed her wrist.
"Follow me! You talk to me!”
"Wait for a moment. Eisel is talking to me.”
“You stay out of it!”
As Edna groaned, Jeremy widened his eyes in great embarrassment.
After confirming everything was fine, Edna led Eisel out of the place.
It wasn't until after a long walk, when Jeremy was no longer in sight, that Eisel came to her senses.
“Wait, wait! What is it? What is this about?”
When she let go of her hand with a bang, then Edna looked back at her. Unlike before, this time, those eyes contained human emotions. It was kind of like a relieved expression.
“Phew. That was close.”
“So, what am I doing with you?”
"Ah, that? I just said it out of the blue to get out of there. If you refused without reason, you would probably be bullied until you die?”
“Thanks to that, until I graduate, I won’t even be able to date because I’ll have to pay attention to that son of a bitch.”
Edna gritted her teeth.
“No, I mean. Why did you do that?”
“Why? you know that too. Joining that kid's club would be suicidal. Life will be a little, a little better than it is now. But, is there any meaning to such a life? Do you want to live with your head bowed down under a barrage of curses all your life?”
“… Do you know me?”
Edna glanced at Eisel like a cat, and then cleared her throat.
"Know? I am your fan. That's why I fucking hate you.”
"What?"
“Why are you behaving like an ungrateful person, you stupid woman? I really saved you, so don't forget about today for the rest of your life and buy me a drink later.”
“We are minors.......”
“Ah, you bastard talks a lot. Buy it in 3 years! If you don't buy it, then you will die.”
After saying that, Edna waved and disappeared in an instant. She heard the class bell ring.
Contrary to her behavior, she was more of a model student than Eisel thought.
"Sigh......."
Belatedly realizing what choice she was about to make, Eisel slumped down on the ground.
‘Yeah. She’s right.’
‘If I got into Jeremy's club, I would became his trophy. If so....... would it be something better than now?’
‘Was it? Would he really change his personality for me?’
‘Would he have treated me with kindness?’
‘No way.’
All the benefits that could be received by joining Scalben’s club were actually Eisel’s delusions and hopes.
She stood there, holding her face in her hands, and she did not move for a long time.
Ding! Dong!
"Huh..."
As soon as the bell rang signifying the end of class, Edna sat down on the desk. She had to move to the next lecture, but she was still confused, perhaps because of what happened just two hours ago.
'Good job, right?'
If it was as the story unfolded in the original novel, Eisel would join Jeremy's club.
And, she fell into a very terrible hell.
He spread all sorts of shameful insults and gossip that she couldn't even speak as a woman.
And he said that even her achievements, which she achieved on her own, were thanks to Scalben, and no one would acknowledge her.
After that, Eisel’s depression got worse and worse, but for Jeremy, it was a good thing.
The more impoverished the girl became, the more she would be easily suppressed and controlled.
It meant that the only person she could rely on was him in this world.
So, Jeremy tortured and suppressed Eisel even more fiercely from where she couldn't be seen, and warmly embraced her from where she could be seen.
'You can't live without me.’
It was a pretty scary development as a reader. Jeremy was a rumored flirt, and it seemed like he didn't truly love Eisel.
If he lost his interest in her. Then? He would throw her out in no time and drag the other woman into his trap.
According to the facts later revealed, as they went through a series of events, Jeremy came to love Eisel with all his heart.
'No, I did well. I did a good job.’
Until now, Edna had tried to changing small variables without interfering with the development of the 'original' plot as much as possible.
She was afraid that a future she did not know would unfold.
However, when she saw Baek Yu-Seol's behavior, she changed her mind.
Even though he had lost most of his memory of the future, he was doing his best to change the events that remained dim.
Even though he knew nothing about the future, he was rather more active.
Seeing him try to change the future made her feel ashamed.
‘What the hell am I trying to do?'
‘Am I afraid of changing the future?’
‘Isn’t that ironic?’
So, for the first time today, Edna actively intervened in the original plot.
Thanks to that, Prince Jeremy would pay attention to her, but that was okay.
In any case, if the main character could grow more upright, that was enough.
'......By the way, you don’t know it's a lie, do you?'
To be honest, it was a little scary.
————
Jeremy was not a big fan of eating. It was not that he didn’t have a love for food, and it was not that he had a problem with his sense of taste…
He didn't know.
There was nothing special about it. Just the sweet, salty, and bitter taste, which made him feel monotonous.
So, he only consumed the minimum amount of nutrients, and he even had an exclusive chef.
“It was delicious today.”
Jeremy used to say that to his exclusive chef every time. There was no reason for that either. It was just a habit.
Wiping his lips with a napkin, Jeremy put out his plate, and the servant quickly cleared the table.
Maybe the chefs were researching the food Jeremy left behind today, saying 'His Highness does not like this dish, but he likes this dish.’
They didn’t know that everything was pointless.
After finishing the meal, Jeremy was soon lost in contemplation. It reminded him of what happened in the past and he anticipated what would happen in the future.
Now... he only remembered Edna.
She was a cute girl.
It wasn't because her face was cute, but her behavior itself was cute.
The act of taking Eisel out in front of him while telling obvious lies was so cute.
'It's interesting...'
The reason he approached Eisel was his simple curiosity.
The fallen Duke Morph.
The descendants of a genius mage with outstanding looks....... What a great trophy!
He was planning to find her weakness, firmly grasp it, and not let it go.
However, a more interesting being appeared than Eisel.
‘I am curious.'
He was curious about her.
Where did you come from?
What do you usually do?
What is your preference?
What kind of food do you like?
What do you think?
What kind of clothes do you wear?
What kind of friends do you make?
He was curious about everything.
It was as if he had become a boy in love for the first time.
So Jeremy regarded her as his first love.
‘I want her.’
The fact that he was so possessive, he, himself, was unaware.