From what I recalled from the game, I’d have thought Kyle would be cleverer than this, but obviously I was wrong.
Donna’s lips curled into a Cheshire Cat grin. “What would you tell him? She’s the one who gambled and lost.”
“Excuse me? Who’d ever believe that nonsense?” Kyle grimaced as though he didn’t understand what Donna meant. He did need to reevaluate the situation, though. Julius’s support didn’t mean much if the prince wasn’t actually here in person.
“Of course people will believe it. Like, I’m pretty sure everyone here will even act as witnesses for me,” Donna said.
Eyes wide, Kyle scanned the area, realizing for the first time how coldly the other students were regarding him. Few were pleased with how recklessly he’d thrown their prince’s name around. Even if some students didn’t personally respect Julius, they still didn’t appreciate someone invoking his influence to act haughty and superior.
“Look, I don’t care if you want to sit here and cry because you lost,” Dolly told Olivia in a cloying tone, “but do you really think a scholarship student ought to request mercy?”
“Huh?” Olivia blurted out.
“Don’t make me repeat myself. It’s a pain. I’m asking whether you really think you deserve to be a scholarship student at our school after digging yourself this deep into gambling debt.”
The prince and his friends would probably realize immediately that Olivia had been forced into this situation and pay her debts off for her. The academy’s reaction was another matter, though. They might deem her unworthy of keeping her scholarship.
“They’re horrible!” Marie cried, realizing that that had been Dolly’s aim all along.
I couldn’t agree more.
By this point, Kyle also had to recognize that this had been a trap from the start. Dolly snapped her fingers, and her and Donna’s personal servants stepped forward to pull Kyle and Olivia apart. Olivia, still feverish, plopped back into her chair like a limp puppet.
“This is starting to be a real pain, so why don’t we just close it off with one final bet? If you lose, you withdraw from the academy,” Dolly suggested.
“What?” Olivia’s head snapped up.
Donna beamed. “Great idea! Like, we’d be over the moon if you just left altogether! You’ve got no business being there anyway, seeing as you’re not an aristocrat.”
Olivia dropped her gaze as tears rolled down her cheeks.
Dolly cackled at her. “Don’t assume leaving the academy will erase your debts, though. We’re going to make sure you pay us back in full.”
Donna leaned in, pressing her face close to Olivia’s. “You can’t run from us, either. Our families will follow you to the ends of the earth if need be. We’ll even chase you back home to your family and hound them to pay up.”
Olivia’s tears fell faster. “Please have mercy,” she said. “I’m begging you, don’t do anything to my family or hometown. Please.” She bowed her head.
Dolly and Donna exchanged glances, then gave Olivia frosty looks. “It’s a pain that I’ve got to do this,” said Dolly, “but let me spell it out for you. Do you honestly think we’d show you any mercy after the way your servant made fools of us?”
“By the way,” added Donna, “mocking us was the same as mocking our families. Like, I sure hope you didn’t think you could get away with humiliating two viscounts’ houses.” It was kind of scary how maniacal she sounded.
Dolly snatched the cards from the dealer’s hands and began dealing herself, sliding a few cards Olivia’s way. “Your servant mocked us, and as his employer, you’re responsible for what he says and does. That means you’ve got to take his punishment, too.”
Logically, that wasn’t unreasonable. An employer was responsible for their employees’ mistakes. If Kyle did something inappropriate, the blame fell on Olivia. She couldn’t use the excuse that he’d acted without permission; it wouldn’t fly here.
“We’re going to keep playing,” Dolly said curtly, impervious to Olivia’s tears. “You can’t wriggle out of this. And not a single person here is going to give you a hand.”
I glanced at the other students. Some looked sympathetic, but they showed no sign of stepping in to help. Honestly, they were right to remain bystanders. That was a perfectly reasonable choice if you didn’t know that Olivia would one day become Saint, as Marie and I did. No—even if those other students knew, they’d probably still be too afraid to intervene, just as we were. The last thing we wanted to do was butt in and screw the game’s plot up even more. This could be a valuable learning experience that helped Olivia grow. I mean, anything was possible, right?
As much as I tried to rationalize my choice to stay out of this, I eventually couldn’t tolerate the bullying anymore.
“I can’t stand this.” The words slipped out before I knew I’d spoken. I even wrinkled my nose in disgust at the two despicable girls.
Yep. I really am a friggin’ moron. Because of course, after I said that, the whole room fell silent. Everyone turned to look at me, the idiot who’d spoken up.
Dolly narrowed her eyes at me. “It’s a pain to even ask, but I’ll do it—you want to repeat that?”
“I said I can’t stand what you’re doing. While I’m at it, what was that nonsense about how no one will step in to help? Ha! Bold assumption. I’d be happy to step in and take over from here for Miss Olivia.”
Olivia lifted her head and stared at me, disbelieving. “B-but why?” Her face said it all; she couldn’t believe anyone had volunteered to help her.
Marie snatched my arm. “Hold it right there. You can’t gamble.”
You don’t care whether I help Olivia, but you can’t stomach gambling? Then again, after what Marie underwent in her past life, it was little wonder she hated gambling with a passion. It wasn’t as though I’d enjoy it, either—assuming, of course, I was actually going to gamble.