How to Survive as That Villainess - Chapter 17

Chapter 3: A Well-Timed Day (3)

The day after learning the dance of death… or rather, a social dance with Huan, I was unable to walk properly due to extreme muscle pain and indescribable pain radiating from the tops of my feet.

It was a disaster. Every step I took, my body screamed in pain. After just one day of learning to dance, I ended up like this. What would happen if I majored in dance?

“Radel.”

“Yes?”

Someone called me in a voice neither low nor high, so I turned around to see who it was. Standing there with a charming smile was Aren.

Aren approached, arms full of something. A fragrant scent of flowers lingered around him. I looked down slightly to see the flowers he was holding. They were the red roses we had admired together before. Now that I think about it, Aren really suits roses.

Hugging the roses that matched him so well, Aren asked me,

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Right, it’s nothing. It’s just that my whole body feels like it’s going to die from the aches. Not wanting to cause worry, I smiled at Aren. He looked at me with concerned eyes before handing me the countless roses he was holding.  

“Take care of yourself. This is a gift because Radel likes flowers.”  

“Ah…”  

Of course, there aren’t many women who dislike flowers. I quite liked them too. But this was too much, even for me. And as I had felt before, red roses didn’t suit me.  

I gently touched the petals with my fingers and glanced at Aren. His flushed cheeks and warm smile showed nothing but friendliness towards me. Aren was kind to me. Correction, he was kind to everyone.  

Although I appreciated Aren’s kindness, I shook my head and returned the flowers. Aren looked at me with wide eyes.

“It’s too much, just one is enough for me.” 

Saying this, I carefully picked up a single rose. After all, he had gone through the trouble to bring them, so I felt bad refusing them all. I brought the rose close to my face and inhaled its scent. The subtle fragrance refreshed my mood.

“Thank you, Aren.”

I gave Aren, who was kind even to a villainess like me, a big smile. His innocent demeanor was something I truly appreciated. Aren, who had been in a daze for a moment, smiled as if he had no choice.

“Alright, if that’s what Radel wants.”

“Um, about the remaining roses…”

When I pointed to the roses, Aren threw them upward without hesitation. The countless roses transformed into butterflies in the air and flew away, leaving me slightly agape as I watched the magical scene. It really was like magic! Though, of course, it wasn’t magic but sorcery.

“Aren, isn’t it a waste?”

“Not at all. I prepared them for you, Radel.”

“It was truly a pure and beautiful smile. His white hair shimmered in the light. If Aren were a girl, he would surely be popular with the boys. As I tidied Aren’s windblown hair, I murmured,  

“Aren, you’re really pretty.”  

“That, the word pretty…”  

Aren said something softly. It was such a quiet sound that, lost in thought, I didn’t catch it. I turned to Aren to ask again,  

“Yes?”  

“…It’s nothing.”  

A slightly displeased expression briefly crossed Aren’s face but disappeared quickly. It was so brief that I dismissed it as my imagination.  

“Oh, come to think of it, the party is coming up soon.”  

“Yes, autumn is passing by, after all.”

Before autumn passed, there was a party held at the academy. It was quite a significant event in the novel and the one I was most concerned about. The reason I wanted to learn to dance, despite not being good at it, was because of this party.  

Radel, who diligently tormented Seria, naturally thought of committing an evil deed even during the academy’s largest event, known as the Goddess’s Party. Just as she was eagerly planning and executing her scheme, the male protagonists naturally protected Seria, causing her plan to fail. Additionally, Radel, who couldn’t dance well, ended up stepping on Eden’s foot and tripping while being forced to dance with him, making a complete fool of herself.

I am determined to avoid such an incident and want to dance perfectly. That’s why I’m enduring the nagging of Huan, who is like a nemesis, to learn to dance, even though my skills aren’t improving at all.  

“How about during that time, you and I…”  

“Aren!”

Just as Aren was about to say something, I heard the voice of someone I didn’t want to meet. Turning towards the voice, I saw Seria approaching with light steps, her green eyes solely focused on Aren.  

“There you are.” 

Seria placed her hand on Aren’s shoulder with a broad smile. It was a light touch, but it somehow made me frown. Seria started talking more closely with Aren.

“What were you talking about?”

“Well, we were just talking about the upcoming party…”

“Oh, the party…”

Seria acted as if I wasn’t there. It felt unpleasant that she didn’t glance my way, giving all her attention to Aren. Surely she wasn’t doing this on purpose to make me feel left out, right? Still, she’s the heroine, so she wouldn’t do something so childish. Probably.

“I actually have something to say about the party.”

“…What is it?”

Seria smiled shyly, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. She looked like a delicate and bashful girl. She hesitated for a moment before speaking cautiously.

“Could you be my partner?”

“Ah…”

Aren glanced at me, hesitating. It seemed like he was gauging my reaction, but I couldn’t understand why. After all, Aren is just a fish in Seria’s pond. He couldn’t refuse her request. Aren pressed his lips together and slowly replied.

 “All right…”

Seria’s face brightened like a blossoming flower at Aren’s response. She smiled joyfully and tightly held Aren’s hand. Wow, such a skillful move! No wonder the guys are head over heels for her! Aren seemed unaffected, possibly because he was a high-stats guy, but any other guy would have already fallen for her.

“Oh, Lady Radel, you were here too. We’ll be off, so see you next time.”

Instead of telling them to leave, I waved them off. Once Seria completely turned away, I flapped my waving hand dismissively. Interacting with Seria or watching her fishing attempts was exhausting. I hoped she wouldn’t come near me again. It’s tiring.

After sending Aren and Seria off, I continued to stagger along when a familiar figure blocked my path.

“Radel.”

“Hello, Kyle.”

Kyle, who is second only to Seria in terms of annoyance, appeared holding a sword. It was probably about that thing starting with ‘du’ and ending with ‘el.’ I sighed heavily, feeling exhausted, and said,  

“I’m not feeling well today, so let’s do it next time.”  

I felt that if I sparred in this condition, I might never get up again. I refused for the sake of my body and my life. Kyle stepped closer and asked,  

“Really, can’t we?”  

“No, we can’t.”  

When I shook my head firmly in refusal, Kyle slumped his shoulders.  

“Even if I look all downcast, I’m not giving in.”  

I have no idea where he picked that up. I brushed past the droopy Kyle and entered the academy classroom.