SMCS Ch 33 — Whose Turn Will It Be Next?

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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Another sunny morning dawned as I woke up early like I usually did.

“Miss, you must be tired, so why don’t you sleep a little longer?”

Joy, who was helping me out in the morning, cautiously suggested to me, but I shook my head in refusal. It was because I had a lot of things to do.

First, I had to write thank you letters to Countess Lewen, who had spoken kindly to me and introduced me to so many people, as well as Marchioness Grace Erne, who had extended an invitation to me to attend her banquet.

Of course, it went without saying that Commander Leonon, who accompanied me that night, would receive one as well.

Although I was sending one out with sincere feelings of gratitude, even if that wasn’t the case, I still knew that it would be basic courtesy in high society to do so.

Despite being locked away, that didn’t mean that I hadn’t seen or learned anything from the Duke’s residence in those two years. I talked to a maid and prepared a small gift as well.

After painstakingly writing so many letters, the morning had already quickly passed.

But I still had no time to rest.

After having a quick lunch, I headed straight to Leah’s store.

Since I hadn’t been able to show my face there much due to preparations for the victory banquet and all.

“Miss Lorella!”

As soon as I opened the door, Leah, who was standing in the hall, came running to my side with joy.

“I’ve been craning my neck everyday to see when you’d finally come and visit.”

Although she had always warmly welcomed me, she seemed to be particularly excited today.

What is it? Why was she doing this?

However, my curiosity was quickly satisfied. It was thanks to Leah, whose questions had started to pour out as if she had only been waiting to ask as she led me to sit down on a chair.

“I heard you went to the banquet at the imperial palace! Apparently Commander Leonon even asked you for a dance!”

“Pardon…?”

The other staff gathered behind Leah before I knew it, who was stamping her feet with her eyes shining brightly.

“Please tell us quickly, okay?”

“N-No, that’s…”

I was embarrassed for a moment and ended up stuttering over my words.

Since Leah’s store was frequented by so many customers, it was normal for her to overhear many things.

But just how long had it been for this story to have spread out so far already? No wonder they say bad news travels fast.

Even though I was internally sweating, I still briefly and plainly explained the facts to them.

Nevertheless, Leah kept her hands pressed to her chest.

“So you didn’t just part ways with Commander Leonon after dancing with him, right? Gosh, is there really anything we need to hide between the two of us? Hurry up and tell me.”

We had just danced, taken a walk together, and then parted ways. Did I perhaps remember wrongly…?

I became embarrassed for no reason and began to think about how to gloss over this situation.

At that moment, a welcome sound suddenly rang out. It was the sound of the bell hanging over the door ringing.

“Oh my, looks like another customer has come in,” I said as I turned around quickly. And then…

“Welcome… huh?”

I froze before I could even finish greeting the customer.

That brown hair and green eyes that shone like emeralds; a sight that I’ve seen many times from somewhere before. Luxurious looking clothes.

The person who had strode in with his long legs was none other than Winnard.

No, why are you here?

I almost blurted it out loud, but I hurriedly bit my lip. However, that wasn’t the only shocking event.

“Welcome!”

Leah hurriedly walked over in his direction, unlike me, who was frozen and just staring blankly.

Wait. Was Winnard visible to Leah as well now?! I alternated my eyes between the two of them.

“Is this perhaps your first time visiting our store?”

“Yes. I’d like to drink some tea, so would I be able to order that?”

“Of course. I’ll bring you a menu so just wait there for a moment please. Please have a seat over here.”

…Seems like he really was very visible now.

While I covered my mouth in embarrassment, Winnard sat down in the seat designated by Leah, rested his chin on his hand gracefully and turned to look in my direction.

Just what in the world was this situation? My mind was in chaos.

When I was by myself, Winnard had always appeared and disappeared like he was a ghost. As if the person had never existed from the beginning. Today was the first time he had suddenly shown up like this. 

As if I was possessed, I walked over to the table that Winnard was sitting at. As soon as I got closer, he smiled brightly, as if he had just been waiting for me.

“It’s been a while, Lorella.”

“Why did you suddenly… D-Did something happen?”

“I just wanted to see your face. Since you never come and find me, I had no choice but to come and find you like this.”

I heard the sound of something falling when he said that and turned around. Leah, who had approached us at some time, had dropped the menu. Judging from her wide eyes, it seemed like she had just overheard our conversation.

It was a perfect situation for people who didn’t know to misunderstand.

Quickly pushing Leah into the kitchen, I picked up the fallen menu and put it on the table before sitting down across from Winnard.

“Just what in the world are you plotting now?”

“What plot? By the way, what sort of tea is good here?”

He just looked nonchalant, disregarding my furrowed brows. But somehow… I sensed a strange sense of incompatibility.

Although there was no change in his extravagant attire or brazen smile, he seemed a bit different than usual.

I lowered my voice and said to him, “Is it really true that nothing happened? Since it’s strange for you to suddenly appear in front of people like this. Moreover, here…”

When I looked around, I found that it wasn’t only the store employees that were looking over in my direction but other customers as well.

“What I’m saying is that most of the people here are people who know me. Didn’t you say that the guide couldn’t influence the candidate’s situation at all?”

Although Leah was a trustworthy person, I couldn’t say for sure about the rest of the employees.

If someone added fire to what happened today and spread another annoying rumour, it would be my responsibility to clean up that mess.

“Well, something did happen.”

However, rather than giving me a clear answer, Winnard just muttered in a low voice.

The moment his soft words fell into my ears, an unknown anxiety welled up in my heart. It was clear that something was going on. However, Winnard still showed no sign of saying anything.

I got up with a frown and asked Leah who was in the kitchen for some top-notch black tea.

“Miss Lorella! Who’s that handsome gentleman over there now? Is it someone you met at the ball?”

“Goodness, just look at that luxurious outfit! Is he perhaps someone from the imperial family?”

When I realised that I couldn’t see any staff who were meant to be serving in the main hall, they had already crowded into the kitchen. The staff, including Leah, all made a fuss while they prepared the tea, their eyes bright with curiosity.

“No, he’s just an acquaintance.”

I responded with an awkward smile and left as if I was fleeing, holding the tray with two teacups and a teapot in my hands. And immediately placed it in front of Winnard.

With a clattering sound, both mine and his teacup were soon filled with a dark amber coloured black tea.

Winard savoured a sip of tea in a very elegant and dignified motion. Then, in a stoic and dull voice, he asked, “The ball must have been enjoyable, right? Judging from your face, you seem to have enjoyed it.”

A calm gaze stared straight at me.

It was a strange feeling. Like I was slowly walking into the middle of a swamp where my feet were sinking.

As I bit my lip and stared at him, Winnard let out a small sigh.

“Alright, it’s something you need to know anyway, so there’s no need for me to drag it out any longer.”

Winnard put down his cup as if he had made up his mind. Seeing that, I unconsciously swallowed dryly.

“The rules have changed, Lorella.”

What came out of his mouth was something completely unexpected.

“Rules? What rule?” I asked quickly, but there was only one answer I could think of.

“Is it perhaps… the share system you’re talking about?”

Sure enough, Winnard nodded his head silently.

Looking at his cold face that was devoid of a smile, and frighteningly hard green eyes, the news definitely didn’t seem to be good. I stuttered and moved my lips, “H-How has it changed?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the store bell rang out again.

The door opened as three to four young women all dressed up beautifully came rushing into the store. They were the most common type of demographic and customer that could be seen in our store.

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pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

“I really wanted to come to this store.”

“Me too. The atmosphere really is very nice.”

They sat across from our table, chatting cordially as if they were very close friends.

Leah, who skilfully took their order with a kind smile, glanced toward Winnard and I before heading back into the kitchen. But this time, it was neither embarrassing nor bothersome. It was because Winnard had gestured with his eyes toward that table.

I just listened to their conversation. Winnard also remained silent, crossing his arms and saying nothing.

“I was really surprised. To think that wooden Count Logan would be the first one to ask Claire to dance!”

“I know right? No matter how you look at it, it’s clear that the Count likes Claire.”

Although the store was a little chaotic since other customers kept coming in, it wasn’t difficult to overhear the conversation nearby.

Judging from the story, it seemed like they were noble ladies who had attended the banquet at the imperial palace, just like me.

“Claire, why don’t you confess now?”

When someone spoke in an excited voice, a woman who had been listening quietly for a while covered her mouth and laughed quietly.

Although she was dressed modestly, she stood out among them due to her beautiful and pure countenance.

“The Count and I are just childhood friends,” she waved her hand as if it were nothing. “Besides, for the Count, there will soon be… a partner that has been predestined by fate will soon appear.”

My ears perked up at those words.

A partner predestined by fate? She spoke as if she knew the future.

‘Don’t tell me…’

At that time, I suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu as I listened a little more closely to their conversation.

Then suddenly, something unbelievable started to happen.

The woman named Claire began to slowly fade away, starting from the top of her head.

“W-What?”

I quickly rubbed my eyes, wondering if I had perhaps mistaken it for something else, but a cluster of twinkling lights suddenly appeared before my eyes…

She had vanished into thin air.

“Heok!”

I couldn’t even swallow my exclamation and just froze.

It had happened in a literal instant.

I turned my head around and looked everywhere, to the extent that my neck started to ache, but I still couldn’t see even a single strand of her hair.

She had really disappeared.

She had clearly been fine sitting there, chatting naturally with other people, but suddenly disappeared like grains of sand. 

…No, it was as if she had only been an illusion from the beginning!

My hands started to tremble at the unbelievable sight I had just witnessed. A rattling sound came from the teacup that had cooled down as the table shook.

However, the shock didn’t end there.

I lowered my head and clutched my teacup tightly in an effort to try and hide my emotional turmoil, but the words that followed made those efforts pointless.

“What should we do about the tea party next week? We couldn’t even send out all the invitations…”

“We’d better hurry up and send them quickly while there’s still time. Haa, why are we always so anxious to make things that we can’t handle to fret over? Starting from next time, let’s not hold any gathering unless it’s a simple get-together. Let’s all promise each other first.”

“I apologise if I’m spoiling something, but didn’t we already make the exact same promise last time…?”

A round of jubilant laughter rang out among them.

Even though the person who had even been their friend, with whom they had been happily talking to just a moment ago, had disappeared, they seemed happy as if they had been alone from the beginning.

All that was left in my empty head was a single sentence.

I had read and reread it hundreds of times now, so I could now memorise it without making a single mistake.

<All candidates except for the main character will be annihilated, and will be completely erased from everyone’s memory in order to prevent confusion.>

But how come…?

No way, don’t tell me… has the main character already been decided?

So would I now disappear as well?

“This is the rule that has changed, Lorella. From now on, the candidates who have sold the least shares will disappear in their respective order.”

“B-But it hasn’t even been that long since I became a candidate…!”

Without realising it, my voice cracked and rose to a higher pitch.

The young ladies who completely forgot that they had been laughing and chatting with another friend just moments ago glanced over at me.

The only thing left in my mind that was empty due to panic was one thought.

‘How unreasonable.’

Although I didn’t know who the top ranked candidate was, the important thing was that I definitely wasn’t the top ranked candidate.

I had only been selling shares for a few months, but what if there was someone who had been selling them for ten years?

“It has nothing to do with the cumulative number of sales. After counting the shares that have been sold by candidates over a certain period of time, the candidate with the least amount will be the target for annihilation.”

“A certain period of time…? How long is that exactly?”

“It should be different every time. It depends on ‘their’ feelings. So even I don’t know. It could be a month, or even a week when the day of judgement finally comes.”

Winnard’s calm and placid voice was so chilly it gave me goosebumps.

“Although you might think it’s impossible, it’s something that can’t be helped. It’s an added penalty since there are a lot of people who are already getting bored.”

Clang!

At the same time, the teacup that I couldn’t hold on to fell and broke into pieces with a loud shattering sound.

The dark tea water soaked into my pink high heels.

My head hung on the table as if I had fallen apart. I couldn’t find any strength in my body. My whole body had started to shake like an aspen tree.

I could vaguely hear the sound of people murmuring. However, the noise seemed far away, as if my ears had been plugged.

“Miss Lorella, are you alright?”

At that time, Leah rushed over to take care of me with a clean cloth. However, my fear didn’t go away.

She must have clearly seen that customer disappear right in front of her eyes, but she paid no attention to the table over there and only paid attention to me.

Extending his hand toward Leah, Winnard said, “Give it to me. I’ll do it.”

“But…”

“It’s alright.”

And with a smile, he took the cloth from her.

Perhaps sensing the unusual atmosphere, Leah hesitated and shuffled her feet. She disappeared into the kitchen after Winnard gave her a look that seemed to say it was alright.

“I’ll give you a quiz.”

Winnard stood up and came closer, kneeling down on one knee next to me as he whispered softly, “Who will receive the penalty next time?”

I couldn’t even blink, as if I was an animal that had been stung by something poisonous and had turned stiff, slowly dying.

“Well, it’s alright, even if you don’t answer. Just that… if you had sold even a little bit less, just know that it could have been her that would have watched you disappear.”

“I-I…”

I struggled desperately to continue speaking. But even my squeezed out voice stopped coming out after a while.

“The guide of the candidate who disappeared chose to abandon her. They probably wanted to avoid their annihilation together. But I won’t do that. Because…”

Winnard dropped the white cloth on the wet puddle on the floor and spoke in a suppressed tone, “I already promised that I would never leave you, and my own pride won’t allow me to go back on my word. Of course, if you want to enjoy your life, now matter how short it is, I won’t stop you either since that’s also your fate. But before you decide to do that, I just want to ask you one thing.”

Far from getting angry, an infinitely calm voice quietly penetrated my ears.

“Do you really understand what kind of situation you’re in right now, and are you really going to be this easy going about it?”

It felt as if every word of his had become a sharp dagger, piercing my heart.

As I looked down, I noticed my fist that was clenched so tightly that the bones on the back of my hand were protruding. When I slowly opened my fist, I saw a red crescent-shaped mark on my palm where my fingernails had dug into it.

But I couldn’t feel anything at all.

The hem of my dress, which was already wet with tea, the feeling of cold drops of sweat running down my temples, and the pain I felt from my lips that I had clenched until they turned completely white.

It was as if all my senses had completely disappeared.

Just like she had a little while ago when she disappeared before my eyes.

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naver comments

LUNA
winnard’s description is no joke… his backstory must be insane…

rebe****
lorella is the candidate that sold the second least amount of stock..? i thought she sold a lot though. to be fair, it is a bit too passive and relies too much on love, so it would be difficult to sell a lot

it’s getting real yawl !!!