\n“I-I can’t do that!”\n\nHalf an hour ago, the face of Brenda, who heard Pamela’s plan, twitched and she weakly shook her head.\n\n“In that case, you’re fine with becoming like Maddy, right?”\n\nAfter being told so expressionlessly, this time a scream came from the back of her throat.\n\nMaddy — Madison Scott was one of Pamela’s followers until last year. Unlike gloomy Brenda, she was cheerful and had a quick wit so she was Pamela’s favorite, but she was accidentally overheard badmouthing Pamela to her other friends.\n\nAfter that, poor Maddy turned into Pamela’s toy. She became mentally ill only after a few months and was currently recuperating in her land.\n\nPamela approached the trembling Brenda and pulled out her hair accessory with a vigour. Brenda’s beautifully done hair became disheveled. She looked at Pamela with frightened eyes and staring into those eyes, Pamela ordered.\n\n“Brenda, dear, don’t make me repeat myself, okay? It’s not like I’m asking for the impossible. But yeah, let’s see — If Constance doesn’t say anything about your pitiful hair, you can return without doing anything.”\n\nBrenda nodded several times. She must have thought that this was her sliver of hope. However, that was impossible. Very unfortunately for Brenda, the other person was that Constance Grail.\n\n◇◇◇\n\nShe should have known it.\n\n“A thief, was it?”\n\nPamela’s plan went well. Brenda left her hair accessory to Constance just as they had agreed to and Pamela accused her while in the center of attention. Everybody was looking at Constance. They were suspicious of her. Aghast, Constance hung her head down as if having ran out of strength — and the moment she looked up again, something had changed. What that “something” was Pamela couldn’t understand, but \n\n“Fufu, I wonder which one of us is actually the thief?”\n\n　――― I didn’t know that Constance Grail was a woman who could laugh maliciously like this\n\n“…What do you mean?”\n\nIt was an unpleasant laugh, full of composure. Constance should have been cornered, but Pamela felt like right now she was the one at the end of her rope. That thought made her so uncomfortable that Pamela frowned.\n\nConstance smiled, speaking with a clear, well-projected voice.\n\n“Hey, were you aware that the man you were shamelessly straddling in the thickets was none other than my fiance?”\n\nThe surroundings were shocked at that vulgar statement and blood instantly rose to Pamela’s head. ――― How dare she say such nonsense in front of so many people!\n\n“I haven’t done anything of that sort! I only shared a kiss with Neil! Just how insolent can you be?! Know shame!”\n\n“Pamela!”\n\nNeil’s panicked voice suddenly brought Pamela to herself. Oh no. I was set up…by Constance Grail of all people!\n\nConstance replied to Pamela’s words by maliciously hooking up her lips.\n\n“Oh my, I must have misspoken. Indeed. You were merely sharing a kiss…with somebody else’s fiance. However, is that not a splendid example of thievery?”\n\nThe relationship between the two was a well-known fact, but there was a big difference between it staying as a simple rumour and the concerned party actually admitting it. Not to mention, in this kind of way. The fact that Pamela Francis was a foolish woman, who accidentally let out the secret of her infidelity would already be circulating around by tomorrow. Humiliated, Pamela tightly clenched her fist. However, she hadn’t lost yet. The damage was mutual, nay, it was Constance who took the bigger blow.\n\n\n“Still, the fact that you stole Brenda’s hair accessory remains the same!”\n\nAs Pamela glared at her, Constance Grain, whose early confused state seemed almost like an illusion, lightly shrugged. Then, she looked around and stopped her sight in one spot. At the end of her gaze stood a young man.\n\n“Hey, you there――― uhm, wait a minute, I will retrieve it from my memories right now. That’s right, Wayne. Wayne Hastings.”\n\nWayne’s shoulders twitched in surprise. Pamela quietly clicked her tongue. What an unpleasant guy. That scarecrow was just as good at irritating Pamela as always.\n\nWayne Hastings was one of Pamela’s victims from long ago, the person she bullied together with her followers.\n\n“You were watching, right?”\n\n“I-I…”\n\nHis freckled face looked towards Pamela, as if inquiring something. I won’t forgive you if you talk. As she gave him a sharp look and narrowed her eyes, Wayne turned pale and hung his head down, staying silent. Constance stared fixedly at him.\n\n“Indeed. It’s fine if you don’t want to say anything. There are many other people who also know the truth. You see, despite my appearance, my memory is quite good――― Viscountess Campball, Daughter of Baron Blois, and Viscount Pelham were also there, no? And one more, you in the lemon-colored dress, whose name I (this girl) don’t seem to know. Yes, you. You were looking at us at that time, were you not? Yes, it’s quite alright. It’s fine if nobody wants to say anything. After all, this pitiful farce can be easily uncovered with just a little investigation. The only problem is that I hate everything complicated.”\n\nHere she cut her words and smiled. It was a face full of confidence.\n\n“That’s why, I will ask once more, Wayne Hastings ――― Stop looking down and look at me. Your dear mother would surely grieve were she to see your current ungentlemanly conduct…Yes, that’s fine. Well done. Now then, Wayne, I would like to stay good friends with you in the future too. What are your thoughts about that?”\n\nSay nothing of friends, Constance and Wayne were merely acquaintances. However, she spun her words as if singing.\n\n“For example, is it permissible to falsely accuse an innocent person? Then what about people who, despite knowing the truth, choose to remain silent in order to protect themselves? This is what I think. That such a person will go to hell and all those who pretended to not see anything will follow after, as they are equally as guilty…Hey, Wayne, try imagining it. What will happen to you if the truth ever comes to light? In what position will you end up and how will people gossip about you…”\n\nWayne was visibly shaken. His eyes started swimming and he tried to look towards Pamela once again―――\n\n“Look at me, Wayne Hastings. I won’t let you avert your eyes from me.”\n\nHearing that, Wayne turned forward. At the end of his sight stood Constance. She had an incomprehensible intimidating air around her, despite both her outfit and her makeup being plain. That pressure must’ve become too hard for the timid Wayne to endure. His complexion jumped over the stage of being blue and instantly went to deadly white. Then he finally opened his mouth while trembling.\n\n“I-I saw it.”\n\nAt that moment, Constance smiled broadly. It was the perfect smile of a predator.\n\n“I s-saw it. Connie didn’t steal anything. She only fixed her disheveled hair. Also, also, Brenda asked Connie to keep her hair accessory for her…!”\n\n――― That useless bastard! Anger flickered deep in Pamela’s eyes. Were the two alone, she would surely slap that dot face’s cheek.\n\n“I-I also heard it.”\n\nTo make matters worse, the lady in the lemon-colored dress also raised her feeble voice. It was followed with statements like “I also saw it”, “I also heard it”, “It’s exactly like that girl said”, “I also saw how she was handed the hair accessory” from all over the venue. Just what was happening?\n\nThis time, the eyes full of suspicion gathered on Pamela. Feeling those rebuking, stabbing gazes, Pamela’s legs turned soft. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not like this. Even Neil had folded his arms, making a sullen face.\n\n“Is that true, Pamela?”\n\n“Of course not. Brenda’s the one who…Right! Brenda’s the one who lied to me…!”\n\nThat’s right. I can just blame everything on Brenda. I didn’t know anything and only acted because my friend asked me for help. Just as she turned her eyes towards Brenda to order her to play along with her―――\n\n“Poor Brenda, look at how frightened she is.”\n\nThose words sounded familiar. Looking over, she saw Constance looking at Brenda with an expression full of kindness. It was her usual plain and dull face, but for some reason, it looked terribly beautiful. Brenda was looking at Constance as if enchanted.\n\n“It’s okay, Brenda. You don’t have to say anything.”\n\nConstance reiterated Pamela’s exact words from before, not making a single mistake. Tears overflew from Brenda’s eyes and trailed down her cheeks. Pamela strongly bit down on her lip.\n\nThe winner was already clear as day.