Volume 1 Chapter 37 Mean Villainess, Disheartened
"Lady, there's something I'd like to ask you."
"Sure!"
It's rare for Rolus to approach me on his own; thinking that, I give a relaxed response.
And then, I glanced at Rolus from the book in my hands.
"Why are you so mean, Lady?"
What the heck, that's so sudden.
Even though I think of myself as a woman with negative 2 thousand points on the mean scale, what's with that question?
While thinking that, I ponder.
If asked why I'm mean, the only answer I can give is that it's the duty I've been given.
After all, there's no way a game can function properly without NPCs, right?
Sure, if I were just a regular townsperson who doesn't particularly engage in the story, saying "Science is amazing!" at the beginning of the tale, I wouldn't feel the need to act, but I'm an NPC tasked with obstructing the heroine's love story in this otome game.
If NPCs don't act in line with the story's development, the game would fall apart.
I mean, if NPCs could just do whatever they want, that would be a complete bug, right?
That's how it is, but I can't explain that to Rolus.
"How should I put it, um, it's just that... I have a mean-looking face."
A beautifully clumsy excuse has been formed.
However, it's not a lie that I do have a mean-looking face.
Once, I looked in the mirror and smirked... When I saw it, I thought that this face must have been designed as a character for Mean Villainess.
Long, silky straight purple-black hair, white skin.
Her large purple eyes are slanted and cannot even be called adorable.
If I grow up a little more and put on some black clothes and red lipstick, I'll definitely look like a leader of an evil organization.
That's how I'll look in this world.
Look, what a great villainess character design.
By the way, this appearance resembles my father.
So, although Father is extremely handsome, he looks like the boss of the evil executives.
"Please answer honestly"
"Ehh..."
Rolus had a serious expression.
If I can't use my face as an excuse, I have to come up with a decent excuse again.
"You see, I'm a bit absent-minded, right?"
"Yes"
Could you please stop nodding without any hesitation?
It's true that I'm absent-minded.
But it is true!
"...So, if I were a lower-ranking noble's daughter, being absent-minded would be fine, but I'm from a well-respected Count family, and if I'm absent-minded, I'd be looked down upon by other kids."
"...Yes"
"As a Count's daughter, I thought I needed to be strong so that I wouldn't be looked down upon. That's why when Rolus came over, I thought it was a good opportunity to practice on you."
"...Haa"
"When it was my father or Elder Brother, I just got spoiled and it didn't help me practice at all."
"...That's true"
It seems he finally accepted it somewhat.
"So I'm being mean. I need to be mean so I won't be looked down upon."
"But you're failing."
It's tough.
But still, I can't say I'm failing for sure.
Because the heroine hasn't come yet.
Even if it's a failure against the capture targets and mobs, it's still unclear if it's against the heroine.
It may awaken a malicious power I have yet to discover.
Because I am Mean Villainess!
"So what's the point of asking me why I'm mean?"
"Huh?"
Rolus looked confused for just a moment when I asked him this.
"It's strange that Rolus would ask me a question of his own accord, isn't it?"
"Is that so?"
"Oh no, Rolus is so insincere"
It's rare for him to even talk to me about anything other than a question, let alone a report.
"Maybe Elder Brother told you to look for me?"
"...No, that's not true"
"You've been in contact with Elder Brother without me knowing, haven't you?"
"No... no, that's it"
Rolus is terrible at hiding things.
It's all on his face.
It all started when I noticed Elder Brother had come that day, and I saw Rolus with an envelope a few times.
At first, I was puzzled if Rolus actually had someone to send a letter to, but after Elder Brother returned, I felt he was trying to hide something from me, and I was almost certain.
And now, when I tried to pry, I confirmed it by seeing a completely flustered Rolus.
Elder Brother is getting Rolus involved in some troublesome matters.
"Hehe, it's not a big deal to stay in touch with Elder Brother. It's just that since it's Elder Brother we're talking about, I was worried Rolus might be in some trouble."
"I'm not involved in any trouble."
"No, having to scout me and report back is troublesome, right?"
"Nope."
"I'm not going to tell you anything properly, okay?"
Upon saying that, Rolus seemed at a loss for words and fell silent.
In reality, I just answered at random when I was asked why I was being mean──that I was making a mean face.
It's no wonder he fell silent.
"Well, Elder Brother is just overly protective, so if it gets troublesome, you can brush it off. For now, I think it's fine to report that I'm enjoying the story borrowed from Elder Brother."
"...But what you're reading now is a book borrowed from Mister Bruno, isn't it?"
Getting serious, huh!
"What I have in my hands is indeed a book borrowed from Mister Bruno, but I also read the book borrowed from Elder Brother!"
Yes, when I boasted to Elder Brother that I had asked Mister Bruno to borrow a book from the Royal Central Library, he somehow started competing with me, saying that he could do it too, and borrowed a novel with Lady Ruby as the model.
Well, I finished that quickly, so now I'm reading the book on sealing that Mister Bruno borrowed for me.
"The story of Lady Ruby, which Elder Brother borrowed for me, was even more awesome than usual."
"Oh."
"Don't you think Elder Brother might be able to do something about it?"
"What do you think?"
I feel like that bro-con brother of mine might be able to help.
That's what I think.
"For now, if you run out of things to report, just write that I mentioned wanting to visit the Royal Central Library. If you can write it right away, I'll be really happy."
After stressing that to him, Rolus reluctantly nodded, looking a bit reluctant.
Seeing that, I turned my gaze back to the book.
The book in my hands is about seals that Mister Bruno lent me, but it's still difficult.
On top of that, since it discusses past seals that have been broken and how to break them, it takes time to understand.
The method Lady Ruby used to break seals didn't seem that difficult, though.
It just felt like creating static electricity.
So, I had skimmed through the method for breaking seals, but I found one piece of information that caught my attention.
It seems that seals were mainly spells used by royalty or high-ranking nobles to conceal information.
It is speculated that former royalty and high-ranking nobles possessed vast amounts of magical power and could easily use spells.
There might have also been magicians, and it is said that high-ranking nobles would use money to have them perform sealing spells.
*There are various theories.
That's how it is.
There are various theories, but it seems that the royal family or high-ranking nobles used the sealing spell to hide some inconvenient information.
The spellologists have revealed some information that they probably don't want others to know, such as a secret ledger that was mixed in with the seals they removed, and information about the existence of a secret child.
Does that mean that there is something inconvenient about me being sealed away?
The fifth queen who appeared in my dream is also of royal blood, and before marrying into the royal family, she was probably the daughter of a Duke or Marquis, so she might have been able to use the sealing spell due to her lineage... wait, but she also created static electricity, so maybe she just released it...?
After all, why now?
Not when I was born, not when I started talking, not when I began to walk, not on the day I entered the academy, so why now?
"Hmm, I don't know..."
Even in a real escape room, they would give you a few more hints.... I closed the book and stretched, making a crackling sound from my back.
It hurt.
"Oh, it should be about time to bake. Let's go to the kitchen, Rolus."
"Yes."
Today, I baked some crispy and crumbly marble cookies.
Since Rolus liked the cake I baked, I thought he would surely enjoy the cookies too.
I asked the maid I met in front of the kitchen to get 2 cups of tea, and I headed for the oven.
"Wow, they are baking nicely! Oh, stay back a bit, Rolus, or you'll burn yourself."
"Lady, I can..."
"It's okay. I'll take them out while using wind magic to cool them down."
Magic is really convenient, isn't it?
I laughed while cooling the cookies.
When they had mostly cooled down, the maid I requested tea from arrived.
The tea she brews is very delicious.
"Lady, I will prepare the tea in this room!"
"Thanks!"
I'm an experienced woman, and I prepares everything before Rolus even has a chance to say anything.
Thank you.
"It's cookies today, Lady!"
"That's right! You see, Rolus seems to like the cake I baked, so I think you'll like the cookies too! Oh, I've baked some for everyone, so you can eat them later."
When I said that, he said, "Yay!" and went back to the kitchen.
"Lady"
"Did you hate cookies? Or did you prefer cake?"
"No, I am a Servant, Lady"
"Maybe I should give Servant a rest today."
"Lady"
I was exceptionally happy that he said he wanted to eat cake, so there's nothing I can do about it.
"Hmm, it's delicious, if I do say so myself. But maybe it's a little too sweet? What do you think, Rolus?"
"I believe one shouldn't eat such luxurious things in the first place."
"Oh, really? I didn't know that."
"...However, if a Servant is obliged by a Lady, they can't refuse to eat."
Rolus murmured this in a small voice, then picked up a cookie and brought it to his mouth.
"Is it... tasty?"
"Yes, very much so."
I didn't miss it.
The fact that Rolus smiled just a little at his answer.
For the first time, he smiled at me.
I've always thought he had a good face, but the lethality of Rolus's smile was quite high.
Honestly, it made my heart race just a bit.
"Lady?"
"I'm happy to see Rolus so pleased."
After that, we enjoyed our tea time while chatting sporadically.
* * *
"Alright, we've finished eating, so shall we go buy a game?"
Maybe it was the effect of that highly lethal smile, but I couldn't find a release for my rising tension.
So, I wanted to step outside for a moment.
"A game... is it a witch-related one?"
Maybe he's afraid of witches?
"There probably won't be a sequel to the witch game, but the author might have a new game coming out."
"Huh..."
The witch horror game was of course fun, but all the other games that author made were also fun.
As a result, I became addicted to the game and bought every game that author made.
"Let's go, Rolus!"
The reason I wanted to go outside was half because of Rolus, so just go without complaining!!
And while spouting out theories that piled on top of each other, we headed for the toy store.
* * *
"What!?"
When I arrived at the toy store, sad news awaited me.
The game by that author is not on display in the usual place.
I asked the man who seemed to be the owner what was going on, and he told me that they probably wouldn't be getting any in stock for a while.
"They seem to have suddenly become busy. Were you looking forward to it?"
"I was looking forward to it... Well, what are the plans from now on..."
"I wonder, a few years from now... No, it's hard to say if they can even come back at this point."
Hearing the words that they might not come back, I crumbled to my knees.
"Oh, Lady!"
"What am I supposed to live for from now on...!?"
Rolus, who picked me up in my state of distress, left the store with just a "We'll come again" to the uncle who seems to be the owner.
"That's too bad, there won't be any more releases of the witch."
"What's so bad about it? You don't seem too upset, Rolus."
"That's not the case at all."
He's definitely happy about it.
Leve will surely say he's disappointed, but I bet he's secretly delighted.
If it's just about the witch.
While I'm happy he enjoys cake, I don't appreciate him being happy about it here.
"The witch... the witch..."
"But that was an unfamiliar face, huh, that employee?"
"Really? I wonder if that was the case..."
Since my head was overwhelmed with sadness, I couldn't respond to the change in topic right away.
Because the witch!!
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