NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1
Chapter 1
“Ugh! What an eyesore of a woman!” Hearing such an angry voice, Harrymel stopped dead in her tracks.
“She’s been top of the class since we started, hasn’t she? As expected of a bookworm noble.”
“It’s unbelievable that Rojis can’t beat her.”
“Because of that woman, I’m always stuck in second place! Damn it, I need to drag her down!”
The conversation, which came from a classroom that Harrymel initially thought was empty, was undoubtedly about her.
The voices belonged to the Duke’s son, Rojis, from her class, and his childhood friends from the next class, the Marquis’ son, Dian, and the Countess’ daughter, Teona. They, who were popular with everyone in their year due to their status and beauty, seemed displeased that, she, a plain baron’s daughter, was always topping the class.
Standing in the hallway, Harrymel sighed.
How pointless…
It would be trouble to confront them, but it was also a waste of time to continue listening to their insults. She had come to retrieve something she had forgotten, but it seemed she would have to leave it behind. Just as she turned to leave, she heard something that could not be ignored.
“How about we drag that woman down?”
Harrymel frowned as she listened intently. “Drag her down? How?”
“It’s simple, really. You must confess your undying love to Miss Remington.”
Dian’s sudden, outrageous suggestion gave Harrymel a start. Rojis seemed equally taken aback, and he responded with a voice full of disgust..
“What? Why would I confess to Harrymel Remington?”
“You idiot. It’s a false confession. A false confession, I say!”
A false confession? A fake confession, they mean.
She had heard of such a despicable prank before. It was a cruel game where someone would confess their love to another person, only to reveal it was a lie once they received a response. Its intent was to mock the one who took it seriously.
“How does a false confession drag that woman down?”
“So first you pretend to be dating her…”
“Oh, I get it! You’d pretend to be her lover and make her so infatuated with you that she loses focus on her studies.” Teona cheerfully said.
“Exactly the plan. A plain and studious girl like Miss Remington is sure to drown in her first love.”
” Girls like her are always secretly waiting for their white knight. If the handsome son of a duke notices her, she’d be over the moon.”
They spoke as if they knew everything about her. Never had she felt so insulted.
“But I’d rather not pretend to be the lover of such a plain girl? I don’t want people to think I’m dating her or to see me as her lover. I’ll be the only embarrassed one.”
She wished she could kick each one of them, but she focused on holding herself back. Before them, a baron’s daughter, like her, would be the only wrongdoer.
“You can just make it a secret relationship and say something like, ‘Because I’m so popular, people might be jealous and bully you,’ and she’d believe you.”
“Not bad. A secret relationship can be quite thrilling, and it’ll make things even more romantic.”
“I see… but I don’t know if I can keep that woman happy.”
“I’ll help you come up with lines for your confession.”
“Me too! I’ll teach you the art of making a girl swoon!”
Unable to listen anymore, Harrymel turned to leave.
This is most ridiculous.
They must think her a vain person who would readily neglect her studies because a man above her station favored her. They had no idea how hard she worked to maintain her grades.
But if they go through with this false confession, whatever shall I do…
Whether she rejects him or not, she might still be seen as someone who took their prank seriously.
Then, why don’t I just pretend to be fooled?
Since their plan was simply manipulation, she might just as easily be able to turn the tables on them.
No. I don’t have time for this. It’s a waste of time to deal with people like them. …
How do I make them regret this without wasting my time… Ah! How could I not have thought of this sooner?
A brilliant idea had come to mind, and Harrymel smiled rather deviously.