She had run into the plaza as she searched for Victor and the others. The first thing that Camilla noticed was Verrat raising that violin high above her head.
As she saw the desecrated stage and the shock on Victor and his friendâs faces, she instinctively knew what she was about to do.
So, she dived in, not really thinking about what would happen next.
âJust what are you doing, you!?â
Camilla shouted as she sat on top of Verrat, grabbing her collar.
There wasnât even a shadow of her usual cool face. The expression with which she looked up at Camilla with was unstable and trembling.
When Camilla tackled her, it seemed like Verrat had dropped Victorâs violin. It had fallen a little ways away, but no one had picked it up. Victor, Mia and their friends were just looking at Camilla and Verrat in stunned silence.
ââŚLet go of me.â
Despite that expression of hers, Verratâs voice was calm. With a tone that sounded as if she had lost all of her emotion, she grabbed Camillaâs arm that held her down.
âThis is for Victorâs sake.â
âJust what are you saying?â
As Camilla glared at her, Verrat paid her a quick glance. Then, she looked away again, her eyes drifting to Victorâs violin.
âMia isnât worthy of being with Victor. So, Mia is bad. Mia was the reason Victor learned to play music as well.â
Verrat spoke plainly. It wasnât a loud voice, and the violent ruckus playing out in the main street could still be heard, but somehow what she was saying cut through all of that.
Listening to her words and the way she said them, Camilla felt something was truly off.
ââŚDidnât you say that you wanted to learn how to sing, so that you could celebrate their marriage?â
âThatâs right. But, Mia is bad. So, Iâm going to end it like this.â
Verrat let out a small, derisive laugh.
When she saw that crooked smile of hers, Camilla finally realized it.
Earlier, when Victor and the others were caught by the vigilantes, Camilla had her suspicions that someone must have sold them out. But when Camilla realized that Alois was the most likely suspect, she ruled out the possibility of a traitor.
But, Camillaâs suspicions were almost correct.
âYou were the one who told the vigilante militia. You told them about the cellar.â
Verrat didnât answer her. But, that told her all she needed to know.
After Victor was freed from the vigilantes, she had heard that his engagement to Mia might be in jeopardy. Since it was a disgrace for a wealthy merchantâs son to be caught up in something like that, someone would have to take responsibility. Since Mia was the daughter of a poor tailor, Verrat figured that she might have been made an easy scapegoat.
The reaction of Victorâs family must not have factored into Verratâs plan at all. Instead of cancelling his engagement to Mia, it was as if they encouraged him to have another go at music.
âFor the sake of Victorâs happiness, Mia isnât suitable. Everyone said that it would be for the best if the two of you separated.â
ââŚWho are âtheyâ?â
Verrat smiled contemptuously. It had an unsettling quality to it.
âIs this seriously what you think?â
Camilla hated looking at that distorted face. It was unbearably irritating. The words coming from Verratâs mouth were equally uncomfortable to hear.
âSomething like that isâŚâ
As she said that, Camilla looked around.
Around that stage, which they had talked about like it was a dream. The costumes that had been tailored to fit them all perfectly. The instruments that had finally felt natural in their hands. She remembered them practising constantly, all looking forward to this day.
Everything had been ruined, the stage they had dreamt about was gone. Verratâs friends looked down bitterly, without raising their voices. They were sad, but they were also hurt.
Verrat, who they had met with, practised with and laughed with, she had ruined everything with her own hands.
âAnd youâre saying, this is all for Victorâs sakeâŚ!? Surely you must know just how much pain youâre putting him through by doing this!?â
She inadvertently poured power into those hands that gripped at Verrat. Even Verrat seemed startled by the sudden force. Something human showed itself in that distorted expression.
âHow can you say that this is for anyone!? If youâre seriously saying that, then you are the lowest of the low!â
ââŚI didnâtâŚâ
In response to Camillaâs scream, Verrat muttered.
âI didnât want to see Victor get hurt either. But, it wasnât just me, everyone said that this was the right thing to doâŚâ
âThatâs what I said, who is this âeveryoneâ!?â
âThe people from the vigilantes said that this was for Victorâs sake! I didnât want to do this either! But, I had to, for Victor!â
Verrat grabbed Camillaâs dress and pulled her close. As she yanked her forward, the two of them were face to face.
âI want Victor to be happy! So even if I didnât want to do it, I had to!! I didnât have a choice!â
As dishevelled hair flowed over her shoulders, Verrat yelled out with a desperate expression.
She didnât look anything like the cool and dignified Verrat from before, instead, she was awfully⌠unsightly.
âThis isnât what I wanted to happen! But, I had to do it for the person I love! You of all people understand, donât you!?â
âI do not understand at all!â
As Verrat pulled her close, Camilla didnât avert her eyes.
âEverything I did was of my own will and for my own sake. Something like âI had no choiceâ never crossed my mind!â
As a result of that, she had been exiled from the capital and became known as an infamous villianess. Of course, she wasnât happy about that. She often fumed about just how things went. She had regrets, grudges and simmering anger, but she never once used other people as an excuse. Her actions were never the result of being coerced or coaxed into something, they were ultimately Camillaâs own choice.
She had wished for Prince Julianâs happiness. But, Camilla never acted on anyone elseâs behalf.
âBecause someone told you to? Because you were doing it on someone elseâs behalf? Unless you were being threatened, thatâs not an excuse. You really intend to do all of this and then claim that youâre not the one in the wrong!?â
âBut, everyoneâŚ!â
âEveryone is not you! Act for yourself!â
Camilla grabbed Verratâs wrists that clung to her dress and pushed them back. Even she was surprised by how much force she could put into her arms. Even though Verrat had the momentum, Camilla still overpowered her.
âDo you even understand what youâre doing right now!? Making excuses and pushing the blame onto others⌠Didnât you say that you didnât want to be an unsightly woman!?â
I never want to become an unsightly girl. I donât want to expose a disgusting side of myself. I want to stay beautiful.
It was Verrat herself who had said those words that caused Camilla to boil over all that time ago.
But, the once ever cool and dignified Verrat now mirrored exactly the words she spoke. A love that Camilla could never emulate, one that graciously accepted its end. When she thought about what she said back then, Camilla only got angrier now.
âNobody forced you to do what you did here! Take responsibility for your own actions!â
If one could realize their own faults, they could atone for them. And if one wouldnât accept that, then so be it. Even if the world scorned you, you should stick out your chest with pride anyways.
But, right now, Verrat couldnât do either. The hands that Camilla had pulled off her didnât have any power in them, as she sobbed softly.
âBut⌠But, I wasnât the only one. Everyone said that this was for the best⌠Thatâs what they told me⌠If no one said that, I wouldnât have everâŚâ
âThatâs enough.â
Camilla said that curtly as she looked down at Verrat, who kept making excuses as she softly sobbed.
âRight now, youâre truly unsightly. Look around you. Look at the faces of your friends.â
As Camilla sighed brusquely, she looked around. As if following her line of sight, Verrat looked as well.
On that broken stage. Watching Camilla and Verrat from a distance were her friends.
Victor, Otto, Finne and Dieter. They didnât lash out at Verrat, nor did they try to stop Camilla, they just looked on darkly.
In the hearts of those young musicians who were looking forward to today more than anything else, the overwhelming emotion was disappointment. And it was Verrat who had trampled on those hearts.
Verrat groaned as she lay under Camilla.
As tears welled up in her eyes, she blinked, looking at every person in turn. To Verrat, they were friends she had known longer than any other. All the time that they had spent laughing together, the fun they had together, all the encouragement and praise they had given to each other, Verrat alone had ruined it.
Verrat knew that this was what would happen. She had imagined the kinds of faces that her friends would make when they found out.
But, it was for Victorâs sake. Everyone said that this was for the best.
So, it wasnât her fault⌠But, she couldnât take pride in it.
Because the disappointment in their faces were like daggers in her heart.