Chapter 38

In the warm sunlight, men and women laughed cheerfully.

The decorated auditorium was filled with especially lively voices, with some shedding tears over parting, others reaffirming their unchanging friendship, and still others laughing shoulder to shoulder with their beloved teachers, each in their own way.

Among them were female students, including Patrick and the student council members, who were preparing to present them with flowers. With the popular student council members graduating, the gathered audience included underclassmen, those who had already graduated, and even residents from nearby areas, making the crowd far larger than in previous years.

"Amazing, isn't it, Mr. Patrick? You get to go up on stage twice, once for the former student council president's speech and once for the response."

"Three times, actually, because I also have to receive the diploma as the representative of the graduates. It's like Patrick's show, really. It's laughable."

"If you're going to laugh, you could just take his place in giving the response... Miss, what are you reading?"

Adi, who had been reading the ceremony guide, suddenly glanced at Mary's hand.

She thought they were reading the same thing, but the item in Mary's hand was a different color. It was also thicker and, to be honest, a completely different item.

Mary, who had been looking down at it, raised her head and said matter-of-factly, "What, it's just a tourist guide to the Northern Land."

Looking at the pamphlet in Mary's hand, one could see the names and illustrations of the Northern Land where she was about to be exiled. There was no trace of the prestigious and luxurious design of the Karelia Academy graduation ceremony guide, which was both elegant and extravagantly grand. After a quick glance, Adi sighed deeply.

"At a graduation ceremony..."

"Exactly, because it's a graduation ceremony."

This is the final scene, Mary chuckled. Adi sighed again.

For Mary in "DraGak," this graduation ceremony was her last stage and the biggest moment to shine.

As the princess, Alicia would denounce her, and all her sins would be exposed to the light. The fall of the villainess Mary, which began with the bullying incident, would be solidified here, not just rolling but being thrown to the bottom of the valley.

Of course, the player is Alicia, so this is the part where the player feels a sense of satisfaction as Mary is cornered and denounced, and the more her position is lost, the more satisfying it is.

As Mary explained this again while looking at the pamphlet, Adi replied with a dissatisfied "Is that so?"

Considering the current situation, it was hard to imagine that Alicia and Patrick would denounce Mary, but given that everything had unfolded according to "DraGak," a sense of unease arose.

While not everything would go exactly as Mary described, it wasn't entirely different either.

Even if she wasn't denounced by Alicia, Mary might be exiled to the distant Northern Land in some other form. Given her current state, it seemed she might even go there on her own if nothing happened.

Therefore, Adi, with renewed determination, grabbed the hem of Mary's dress and looked her in the eye.

"Whether it's the Northern Land or a restaurant for migratory birds, I will follow you, Miss."

"Oh, you haven't given up yet?"

"Of course not. Your side is my place. Besides, I can prepare birds."

Adi's cheeks slightly flushed, and he puffed out his chest to hide his embarrassment. Mary's eyes widened slightly, then she narrowed them in delight and smiled, saying, "I'll make you the deputy manager."

The graduation ceremony at Karelia Academy proceeded smoothly, and when Patrick gave his third speech, the female students let out excited cheers, and some even shed tears.

As for Mary, she almost laughed during Patrick's second appearance and, by the third, couldn't even raise her head, her shoulders shaking as she lowered her face. However, her attitude gradually changed, and when the principal spoke, she returned to her dignified self. Her eyes, fixed on the front, conveyed a sense of resolve.

Of course, this was because she knew that her denunciation was waiting for her.

Therefore, she waited without hesitation or resistance, standing tall and ready.

"Miss..."

"It's about time, Adi."

If it followed the game, after the principal's speech, Alicia, dressed in a blue, regal gown with a tiara, would appear on the stage. The tiara, simple yet elegant, and the gown, embroidered with the royal crest, conveyed her nobility, even in a still image, and the transformation from a country girl left the player breathless.

In this moment, which captivated everyone, including the player, Alicia would speak about the class differences she experienced and vow to change these bad customs.

As a commoner who lived at Karelia Academy, Alicia's ideal, the foundation of which was the denunciation of the typical "bad custom," was to change these practices.

In the game, when the country girl Alicia appeared as a princess, Mary was flustered but still insulted her, unaware that her friends had already turned against her, and she lied and called for her followers, displaying a pitiful image.

However, Mary had no intention of displaying such a pitiful image. While she would follow the same path of decline, she had no intention of making excuses or lying.

Insulting Alicia as a country girl and pointing out her lack of manners, even after knowing her royal birth, were facts.

More importantly, for Mary, who could pass as a perfect lady and was impeccable in her manners, being publicly criticized for her manners was the most humiliating thing. The things she had said to Alicia—don't run loudly, don't let bread crumbs fall, the angle of a bow—were so humiliating that if Mary were criticized, she might run away from the scene.

Therefore, she decided to face the denunciation and accept the ending with dignity.

As she stared at the stage, the principal, who had finished his long speech, bowed deeply.

—His thinning hair revealed his scalp, reflecting the stage lights. Reflecting on it, a year ago, in the exact same situation, her memories from her previous life had returned. If this was the beginning of everything, it was a poignant moment... or not.

If everything went according to the program, the ceremony would end here. Some students stretched and yawned, and some were even gently waking their dozing classmates.

Everyone thought the ceremony was over.

But Mary sat proudly in her chair, waiting for the person who would appear next.

After a brief pause, the person who slowly appeared caused a stir in the audience.

The protagonist had arrived.