The weak scholar, despite not having been trained as a knight, aimed his decorative sword at his older brother.

Mikhail did not care.

A large, thick hand seized Violet by her shoulder. Violet glared up at the man who she once called Brother.

Countless times Countless. I tried to tell you, but each and every time you said that you didnt want to hear it Yet now, youre curious about my reasons? Ah, but let me get this straight. Half of the things you told me I shouldnt do were things I didnt even do. Why dont you try and go look for that mysterious person whos oh so jealous of this households adopted ducal lady?

YOU!

Without listening to her at all, Mikhail raised his voice once again at Violet. The hand on her shoulder continuously crushed down at her, and she winced at the pain.

Roens sword touched Mikhails neck. But still, the man did not care.

No matter! You You should have given a proper explanation! If you truly had been falsely accused Right, if you were actually wronged, then how could you continue to be so cruel to that child! You shouldnt have let yourself be swept away by your emotions!

You shouldnt have acted on your own!

As Mikhail continued to yell at the top of his lungs, the look in his eyes spiraled, truly like a madman.

Violet took a step back. When Mikhails hand finally loosened its grip and let go, she lightly brushed off her shoulder.

Fine. Yes, since I had been so wronged, I shouldnt have done that. I shouldnt have gotten furious, I shouldnt have taken out my anger in that manner, I shouldnt have screamed out

Violet laughed.

Roen drew his sword and lowered his gaze to the ground. The knights, on the other hand, overpowered Mikhail and made him kneel.

Then, Brother, youre trying to say that what I did was bad, right?

Violets voice was quiet and soft, entirely different from how she always screamed bitterly.

I was completely evil. Violet S. Everett was a villainess to the core. Thats what youre saying.

The darker the smile on her face became, the more grim the peoples expressions around her grew.

Violet was not unaware of this fact.

Mikhails words could not be refuted. Regardless of how wronged she had been, she shouldnt have acted in that way.

However.

You know, I was only eight years old.

I dont know what great things youre trying to expect from an eight-year-old child.

Violet had been only eight years old back then.

She was merely a child, completely lost and taken aback by the sudden malice pouring down on her.

Those people refused to listen to that eight-year-old child, and all she could do was try to cling to them, to cry.

Yet she was abandoned and left alone.

At a period of her life when mature values had yet to be properly formed, its only natural for a child to act like a child. She couldnt have thought deeply about how she should have acted.

She was just a child, clumsy in her attempts to be loved.

I was only eight years old when you told me I was evil, that I was wrong You did not listen to my side. All you did was curse at me.

As everyone heard Violets bitter words, the heavy silence blanketing the vicinity deepened even more.

Its true that I had tormented Aileen. Its true that I made a mess of her.

No one had listened to that eight-year-old girl, even when she turned nine, and then ten, and then

Each year, Violet was ostracized and isolated further. And, as time marched on, no one was there to ask why she was so angry. They all disappeared.

Violet S. Everett is a villainess, they thought. She need not any reason to be so vicious.

All those who stayed behind contributed to Violets living nightmare. Not only Mikhail, but everyone who talked behind her back and mocked her.

Roen, too, pretended to listen to her side. But in the end, he always only blamed Violet.

And Mikhail continued to insist that Violet was evil.

Ta-dak.

As Violet stepped forward and drew closer to Mikhail, no one stopped her.

If she was called Everetts wicked woman, then everyone present here was a sinner to her.

Amongst everyone, Mikhail was the most heinous criminal, yet he failed to admit his sins. No, he couldnt admit it at all, so he came out here and tried to accuse Violet of being the evil one to the bitter end.

But you know what? I dont really feel any remorse for all the people I had tormented. I dont regret any of my actions. Yes, I admit that what I did was foolish. But rather than regretting it Those people broke me first. The people I had tormented were the ones who ruined me.

Retaliating that much was not unfair.

Instead of trying to get rid of the label and stigma of being a villainess, she stepped forward and lived up to those expectations.

Everetts wicked woman, vilified through and through mostly for the things she allegedly did but did not do rather than the other way around, laughed arrogantly.

Thats right, I hate you all. Im sick and tired of the name Everett, sick and tired of all the damn people in this household

SLAP!

The stark sound echoed deafeningly.

This was the older brother who hated her the most, but all that time, she couldnt give up on him just because he was her family.

How powerful could Violets strength be?

Violet mustered all her pent-up resentment from all these years into this singular slap.

Yet it was endlessly weak compared to how she truly felt.