Estelle Will Not Forgive a Second Time: The Condemned Noble Lady Returns in Elegance to Dance with the Incompetent Prince - Chapter 8

Since forging my pact with Prince Leonhardt, I’ve been steadily advancing my plans for revenge.

And yet, buried deep within me, the scars of betrayal continue to fester—
Memories of Clarissa, who mocked me mercilessly right up until my death, sometimes drag me down like a swamp of despair.

Tonight, once again, I was plagued by a nightmare.

‘Clarissa… why are these rumors…?’

In the dream, I desperately questioned her.

Rumors so vile they defied belief were spreading through the social circles—
“Estelle is a shallow girl who flirts with the prince,”
“No matter how she presents herself as a noble lady, she’s empty-headed and foolish.”

And when the irrefutable proof surfaced that Clarissa had been behind those rumors, my mind went blank.

‘Why…? We were friends—weren’t we?’

I confronted her in a corridor of the royal palace, eyes brimming with tears.

Our families had been close for generations, and I’d trusted her with all my heart—believing she was my dearest friend.

But Clarissa looked at me with cold, scornful eyes.

“Friends? Hah—don’t be absurd, Estelle. The fact that you ever thought of me as a friend is laughable.”

Her voice was harsh and unfeeling.
The Clarissa I once laughed with—gone.
In her place stood a stranger.

A chill raced down my spine, rooting me in place.

“W-Why would you say something like that…? I’ve never done anything to hurt you…”

My voice trembled, pleading. But she only sneered, her hatred unleashed after years of being bottled up.

“I hated how the prince favored you. I’ve always been jealous. It made me sick. Friends? Not once. I never saw you as anything more than a nuisance.”

Her derisive laughter echoed in my mind.

Though I thought we were alone, I could sense the stares of other nobles in the distance.
They were watching me—falling apart—like spectators to a tragedy.

“This can’t be… It’s not true…”

My voice had become a hoarse whisper.

Clarissa’s expression didn’t falter.
If anything, she looked triumphant.

“Finally figured it out? Just how disgusting you really are? I’m the one who spread those rumors.
Every little detail about your private life, your tastes—I knew it all because you trusted me.”

A scream rose in my throat, but no sound came.
Now it made sense—why the rumors had been so specific, so precise.

All the mockery, the scorn, the malicious whispers behind my back—
It was all orchestrated by her.

“Why…? Why would you do this…?”
“You’re awful…”

I couldn’t stop crying.

My legs nearly gave out beneath me, but I forced myself to stand, eyes fixed on the floor, teeth clenched.

And still, her voice was gleeful.

“The prince liked you. Everyone looked at you.
I couldn’t stand it. I’ve hated you for as long as I can remember.”

The scene distorted, blurring at the edges.
I felt myself sinking, swallowed by despair.

I could hardly breathe.

That’s when I woke up.

“Haa… haa…”

My breathing was ragged, my forehead damp with cold sweat.

Beyond the curtains, the pale morning light had already begun to shine—it was morning.

Clutching my sheets, I inhaled deeply, again and again.

“That dream… again. The things she said…”

It wasn’t just a dream.
Those events had actually happened in my previous life.

Clarissa’s face, twisted with mockery as I was led to the executioner’s block, was burned into my mind.
It would never fade.

But now, I was alive.

I had died, and yet—I had returned.

“I’m fine… This time, I’ll stop her.
I will never forgive her.”

Steeling my nerves, I slipped out of bed and washed my face.

When I looked into the mirror, a pale reflection stared back.

Still, I had no choice but to push forward.

Today, I planned to turn Clarissa’s schemes against her—
to expose her crimes in front of society.

There was no time to waste.
Preparations had to be made.

“Stay calm… I won’t make the same mistakes as before.”

I whispered to myself, steadying my resolve as I hurried to prepare my dress.

Soon, I would be meeting Prince Leonhardt in secret.

In a small room tucked away at the edge of the Grandier estate—near an outbuilding that no one visited—I waited quietly for him.

A soft knock sounded at the door, and moments later, a familiar pale golden head of hair appeared in my line of sight.

“Good morning, Estelle.”

“Good morning, Prince Leonhardt.”

“…Hm. Estelle, you look a bit pale.”

The moment he saw me, his brows furrowed slightly.

I hadn’t expected him to notice how unsettled I felt after the nightmare, but of course, he wasn’t truly an incompetent prince.

“I’m fine. I just woke up a bit groggy, that’s all.”

I forced a smile, but he shook his head, unconvinced.

“You’re pushing yourself again, aren’t you? If it’s about Clarissa… I can take care of it. I’ll expose her—make it loud.”

His eyes, though usually drowsy, now held a sharp glint.

That voice—gently laced with concern—warmed my chest.

But I couldn’t afford to rely on him here.

“No, I’ll do it. Revealing your swordsmanship and your talent for manipulating finances in society… it’s too soon. It’s in your best interest to remain underestimated, isn’t it?”

I spoke in a low, firm voice.
He let out a dry chuckle and shrugged.

“You’re not wrong. If I’m exposed now, everything becomes a lot more difficult. But still… I don’t like the idea of you bearing it all alone.”

I was grateful for his worry, truly.
But this was something I had to do myself.

In my previous life, Clarissa betrayed me.
I died consumed by despair.

Letting someone else handle her now would bring me no peace.

“I want to do this, Prince Leonhardt. I can’t let this chance to settle the score slip away. Stopping Clarissa… it’s something I must do.”

My words were resolute.

Leonhardt blinked in surprise, then exhaled softly.

“Alright. If that’s how you feel, I won’t interfere.
…But if anything happens, call me. The whole point of playing the ‘incompetent prince’ is so I can move unnoticed when it matters.”

“Thank you. I’m counting on your support from the shadows.”

I smiled, and he returned it with a relaxed, amused grin.

“Thinking about how you’ll corner Clarissa at tonight’s gathering… I admit, I’m curious. It’s like watching a stage performance.”

“Yes. And tonight, the stage will be dazzling. I’ll be dancing alone in the spotlight—so please, watch quietly from the wings. Your time to take the stage will come later.”

“Alright. I’ll be in the best seat in the house.”

His light-hearted tone reignited the fire in my chest.

This second life, once filled with the crushing weight of despair, now had purpose.

I had allies.

“Well then, I need to begin my preparations. Please be careful leaving this outbuilding—avoid being seen.”

“Got it. And you, make sure to hide that killer intent while you dance.
…See you at the ball.”

With that, Leonhardt left.

The door closed, and it felt as if the chill of the room returned—but within me, a fire still burned.

“Clarissa… your time has come.”

I rose to my feet.

Tonight’s ball would be the moment I trap her.

It was also my first step toward revenge on Victor.

If I could make her feel even a sliver of the despair I felt as I neared death…
Then this would be the first step in repaying all the pain I’d endured.

The floor creaked beneath my step, but I paid it no mind as I turned toward the door, skirts trailing.

Leonhardt had sworn to help me in my revenge.

Now, it was up to me to play my role.

“I won’t fail.
I didn’t come back to throw away this second life.”

With determination burning in my chest, I whispered to myself.

And then, I stepped forward— into high society, into battle with Clarissa and Victor’s faction,
and into the next act of this war.