Volume 1 Chapter 4 Mean Villainess, See The Real One
I keep opening and closing the drawer of my memories from my past life, wondering if there's anything useful in there.
In the silence, when I close my eyes, I can hear that familiar voice.
"There's a cruel girl you can't win over unless you max out all your parameters..." It's a voice that sounds almost like a groan.
That voice belongs to... right, my classmate who was a gaming fanatic.
I still remember when he confessed to me and said, "You don't have enough parameters," and got rejected.
The game he was playing was also a romance simulation game, but it was a gal game, not an otome game.
Ah, I remember him passionately talking about that gal game while I was beating him up in a fighting game.
There were parameters like appearance, academic ability, and stamina... aiming for the girl he liked and raising those parameters... outsmarting and kicking rivals out of the way...
Yes, I had a 20-game winning streak, and he switched to party games on his own.
I don't know if parameters exist in the game that this world is based on, but I might be in a position where I get outsmarted or kicked out by the heroine.
What awaits me after being kicked out...
"Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A..."
"Good morning, Lady. Breakfast is ready."
The morning command...
As I take my seat for breakfast, I meet the cheerful gaze of my mother, who is happily enjoying herself as an observer.
She is, after all, my mother.
If the future that awaits me after being kicked out is a tragic one, would she really be smiling like that?
If she truly thinks of me as her daughter and is encouraging me to become a Mean Villainess, then maybe I don't need to worry too much.
But if she has forgotten that she is my mother and is just a mere observer... then I can only protect myself no matter what happens in the future.
"Mother, I'm going to study with Leve after school today, so I'll be a bit late coming home."
"Oh, is that so? I understand. I'm so happy that you and Leve are getting along well."
My mother said with a beaming smile.
Even if Leve and I were close, in the ending of this game, I and the heroine would fight over Leve, and in the end, the rival, me, would lose as it's the canonical scenario...
Or maybe I shouldn't trust Mother after all...
No matter what, in the end, she's looking forward to her daughter's heartbreak, so I shouldn't trust her, right...?
"Then, Mother, I'm off."
"Yes, take care."
"Servant, could you wrap up the remaining sandwiches? I'll eat them in the carriage."
Rolus did.
Rolus, who naturally assumed I would eat them, wrapped up the sandwiches efficiently.
"Haa..."
In the moving carriage, I sighed as I stuffed a sandwich into Rolus' mouth.
Rolus, surprised by the sudden action, stared at me with widened eyes.
"You're probably skipping breakfast anyway. Go ahead and eat without holding back."
"...But, mmph."
"It's an order. Dealing with your master's leftovers is also my job, right?"
From observing Mother, I realized that Rolus is probably not a capturable target.
Rolus, who was already cute, grew up to become even more beautiful.
Seeing this, I thought that maybe Rolus was also a character in the otome game.
But Mother doesn't even look at Rolus, let alone talk to her.
Yet, she's so lovey-dovey with Leve.
So for Mother, Rolus is probably just a background character.
Looking at Rolus' face as she swallows the sandwich, I think that just having a good-looking face doesn't make one a capturable target...
"That's right, Rol...Servant, today, wait quietly in the attendant waiting room, not at the entrance."
"Yes?"
"I promised to play board games with Leve. You too. So I'll come to pick you up at the attendant waiting room."
"Forgive my audacity, Lady, but isn't it customary for a mean villainess to go and pick up a servant?"
"Yes. Because I'm mean, I'll barge into the attendant waiting room and kidnap the servant. Oh, how mean I am. It's a kidnapping."
It's fine. I'm the Mean Villainess. It's a kidnapping.
* * *
As the sound of the bell rings, the homeroom teacher enters the classroom, accompanied by several students carrying heavy bags.
Those bags contained our textbooks.
Finally, we were getting our magic textbooks.
When my name was called early on, I received my textbook, which was placed on the teacher's desk.
As I returned to my seat, I immediately scanned the room.
I was looking for anyone who chose Attack Magic and Spell-ology.
It seemed there were a decent number of boys who picked Attack Magic.
If I spotted someone who looked friendly, I planned to quickly approach them and ask to copy from their textbook.
The real issue was with Spell-ology.
Not only was it unclear what use it would have in the future, but the name itself sounded suspicious, leading to very few students choosing it.
I was genuinely worried that there might not be anyone in the class who picked it.
Just then, I finally spotted someone receiving the Spell-ology textbook.
Their long bangs obscured their face, but from the quality of their clothes, they were likely a commoner.
After a quick look at everyone else's books, I realized he was the only one in this class who chose Spell-ology.
I needed to find out his name quickly.
I wanted to casually connect with him and ask to see his textbook.
I hoped that this presumed commoner wouldn't be intimidated by my Count title.
"Now we will be measuring magical power."
The homeroom teacher announced after confirming that everyone had their textbooks.
The magical power measurement used a transparent stone tablet that resembled crystal.
When you placed your palm on it, colors gently appeared on the previously clear tablet.
If a person's magical power was low, it would show blue; if high, it would lean towards red.
It was like thermography, really.
The average range was around yellow.
"Wow, as expected, Lady Elena!"
Ms. Parsley exclaimed, clapping her hands when she saw the deep orange color I produced.
Followers seem to play the role of cheerleaders too.
For a moment, I felt like showing off, but that thought was quickly dashed as Leve, right next to me, produced an even deeper orange.
"You're amazing, Leve!"
"You are too, Elena!"
My mother said that Leve might be a potential partner for me, but what I ended up with was a complete rival.
While we were caught up in our own situation, the only one in this class who had chosen Spell-ology was trying to measure something.
If he could produce a deep orange, it would be easier to strike up a conversation.
Maybe we could even hit it off and become friends.
If we became friends, I could ask to see the Spell-ology textbook and hear about the class... wow, that's a really beautiful yellow.
What he produced was a perfect average, a stunning, dead-center yellow.
It was so dead center that I found it hard to even approach him.
I guess I'll have to find another opportunity to talk to him.
After school, I stood up to go pick up Rolus.
I had already informed Leve that I would be going to get Rolus, but I thought it would be better to let him know again, so I was about to speak up when a girl slipped right between me and Leve.
With her sulky face, it was clear she didn't think much of me.
"Ms. Elena."
"Yes?"
Oh, this girl doesn't call me Lady Elena, I thought to myself.
"May I say one thing? Ah, according to the headmaster's words, it's okay to treat others without regard for their status, right?"
So she's saying she won't call me with honorifics, yet keeps it polite.
I see, I see.
"Sure, go ahead."
"You, flaunting your status, how can you keep Sir Leve all to yourself?"
Oh, so she does use the honorific for Leve! My inner comedian stumbled as it heard that.
"...That's what she says, Leve."
I called out to Leve, who had come near the girl complaining about me.
"Uh..."
An awkward silence hung in the air, and I hurriedly made my way to the classroom exit.
"Well then, I'll be off."
Anyway, I'll go pick up Rolus.
Because I had to report quickly.
I felt bad for leaving Leve, who was completely confused, but I rushed off to the Attendant waiting room.
"Listen, Servant! I saw the real thing!!"
"...What?"
"Let's talk while heading to the leisure room for now."
That's right, that's exactly what it means to be a Mean Villainess.
Competing to snatch away a handsome guy like that is my mission.
It's a great learning experience.
I'm sure I'll get more chances to learn starting tomorrow.
With that knowledge in hand, I'll make life difficult for the heroine when she arrives at this academy.
Hehe, just as I put my hand on the door of the leisure room with a wicked grin, I heard a voice from behind.
"What are you doing, Elena..."
Leve, who had escaped from those noble girls, said with a resentful look.
"I just did what I was told, not to monopolize. It's hard being a popular guy, huh Leve?"
If you're going to resent someone, don't blame me.
Blame yourself for being born into a good family with good looks!.
"I'm sorry for My Lady, Sir Leve."
"No, it's fine... it's fine, really...!"
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