How to Survive as That Villainess - Chapter 29

Chapter 4: A Party, or Rather, a Chaotic Mess (6)

There was still some time before the Goddess’s Party in the evening. I figured this would be a good chance to indulge in some cultural activities, so I decided to take Vivian to see a play. After finishing our dessert, I asked her what her plans were next, but…

“I need to head back to prepare you for the party, miss, right after I finish this.”

“What, already?”

“I heard the maids are sharing makeup tips in the waiting room. I can’t miss this opportunity.”

“Uh, okay… Good luck.”

There was no stopping Vivian when she was fired up. Her determined expression made her look like a warrior heading off to battle. Although I’m not a big fan of makeup, seeing how seriously she was taking this made me think it wouldn’t be so bad for just one day.

Vivian’s pa$sion for makeup was truly something else. As she energetically finished her dessert, I headed over to the counter to pay. Since Aren had already left, I took out the money, but the same cheerful waitress from before shook her head and said,

“The gentleman you were with earlier has already paid for everything.”

Wow, what a classy guy! I thought he just left without a word, but it turns out he took care of the bill. I made a mental note to treat him the next time we visit a dessert shop together.

***

Thankfully, I didn’t end up watching the play alone. Inside the tent where the play was being performed, I happened to run into a familiar face.

“I’ll sit next to you.”

“…Sigh.”

The seat next to Huan Cresis was empty, and I naturally took it without any greeting. Huan sighed, his expression slightly crumpling.

“Good thing there’s an open seat.”

“I left it open on purpose. I don’t like people sitting next to me.”

“Oh, should I sit somewhere else then?”

“It’s fine, you’re already here.”

Huan pressed his hand to his forehead, looking a bit exasperated. Apparently, before I arrived, many women had tried to approach him. Of course, he had firmly rejected them all, putting up a wall so no one could sit beside him. But since I sat down without asking for permission, Huan seemed to have given up resisting.

The strong scent of makeup and perfume from the women who had approached him earlier seemed to have made Huan feel unwell. His complexion was pale, and he looked like he might faint at any moment.

“Do you want to lean on my shoulder?”

“…Yeah, just for a little while.”

He must really be feeling unwell. For someone who usually recoils at physical contact with me, this was a big deal. Though he hesitated, Huan eventually rested his head lightly on my shoulder. His orange hair tickled my cheek.

“You don’t smell like makeup.”

“Of course not. I’m not wearing any.”

With his eyes closed, Huan quietly whispered, as if he were about to drift off. He must be tired. I glanced at the play’s brochure I’d received earlier, giving a half-hearted response to Huan’s murmurs, careful not to wake him. The tent was warmer than I expected, so I carefully took off my coat.

“You smell sweet.”

“Maybe because I just had dessert.”

Huan buried his face into my shoulder. It was a sleepy, instinctive gesture, but his hair tickled me, making it hard to ignore. Just as I was about to wake him, since the play was about to start, I noticed a familiar figure approaching from a distance.

“Oh my, I see some familiar faces here.”

“Lady Corset!”

I called out loudly in excitement, which startled Huan awake. He must have actually dozed off. Lady Corset took the seat beside me, sitting with perfect poise. As expected from my former etiquette teacher—her posture was flawless.

“It’s good to see you, Huan. You two seem to have gotten quite close.”

“No.”

“Yes, definitely!”

For a moment, there was an awkward silence after our conflicting answers. …Why does everyone seem to be hurting my feelings today? Can’t we just be friends? I pretended to wipe away tears with my sleeve, only to find Huan glaring at me with displ*asure. His gaze was cold.

“Hehe, youth is truly a wonderful thing.”

The white-haired lady said with a shy smile, covering her mouth as she laughed. Hmm, I feel like I’ve heard that somewhere before… Oh well, I gave up trying to remember and just stared blankly at Lady Corset.

She was wearing a pair of wine-colored gloves, made from expensive silk, which naturally caught my eye. Seeing the gloves reminded me of something else—specifically, that I hadn’t yet thanked her for the wine-colored Empire dress she had gifted me.

“Madam, thank you for the dress you sent me the other day. I really like it.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

Aside from the color, it was a dress that I truly loved. I wasn’t sure why she had chosen a dress that matched my hair color, but I appreciated her thoughtfulness, so I spoke sincerely. It was obviously expensive, and knowing Lady Corset, she must have personally selected it for me.

“Oh my, hello there!”

It was an entrance that deserved a sound effect like “tadah!” It was Seria. Seria had arrived! Caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the protagonist, I stood up abruptly, my mouth hanging open. I needed to run. I had to escape.

From experience, nothing good ever came from being around Seria. Whether it was me getting hurt, stressed, or scolded… something bad always happened. There was no avoiding this encounter, but maybe, just maybe, I could still escape before any misfortune befell me. As I prepared to bolt, someone tugged on my sleeve and forced me back into my seat.

“Huan!”

“Why are you trying to run away?”

I turned to see Huan, resting his chin on his hand, looking indifferent. Seria’s fishhook had caught me after all! I glared at Huan. Meanwhile, Seria had already settled into the seat to his right, smiling innocently as she chatted about how much she was looking forward to the play. Was this my chance to escape?

“Oh my, you must sit up straight!”

“Y-Yes!”

Lady Corset scolded me as I fidgeted nervously. This must be… a habit from her profession? Lady Corset had suddenly turned into Professor Corset. I missed my chance to escape and had no choice but to sit perfectly upright, waiting for the play to start. But why wasn’t it starting yet?

“Ah, aren’t you Countess Corset?”

Seria, who had been chatting with Huan, suddenly noticed Lady Corset and smiled brightly. It was a bit surprising that Seria, a commoner, knew of the famous Countess Corset, but then I remembered she had attended the Countess’s party before.

“It’s my first time meeting you in person! I’m Seria. I attended the party you hosted last time.”

Seria stood up quickly and greeted Lady Corset with the utmost politeness. She was the picture of elegance.

“Well, isn’t that lovely. It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.”

Lady Corset seemed to take an immediate liking to Seria. There was nothing to criticize about Seria’s perfect posture and graceful manners. Watching Seria expertly win over Lady Corset’s favor, I couldn’t help but be a bit awed.

“I’ve heard so much about you from Huan and wanted to meet you.”

“Oh my, are you and Huan perhaps…?”

Lady Corset glanced back and forth between Huan and Seria. Considering how beautiful Seria was and how handsome Huan was, it was only natural to suspect they might be more than friends.

“Oh, no! We’re just friends!”

Seria quickly waved her hands, clearly flustered. Her face flushed a soft pink. The way she shyly blushed made her seem like an innocent young girl. Lady Corset observed Seria with a gentle smile.

“Don’t be embarrassed. They say there’s no such thing as just friends between a man and a woman.”

No, that’s not true. For example, Huan and I! Exceptions do exist, Madam! I was about to argue that men and women can indeed be just friends, but I bit my tongue instead.

Why do I suddenly feel so left out? This won’t do—I need to distract myself by rereading that flyer. For some reason, I found myself missing Alex, my well-meaning but clueless friend.

“Please stop teasing us, Madam. Seria and I aren’t like that,” Huan interjected.

“Yes, Huan and I are just friends! For now…”

“For now?”

Did I just hear something really unsettling? That confident phrase seemed to imply, “We’re not together yet, but soon, this man will be mine.”

“Well, anyway, why hasn’t the play started yet?” I quickly changed the subject.

“Oh, it’s probably because the Academy students are the ones putting on the play. It’s taking them some time to get ready.”

Ah, that’s right. This play was entirely prepared and directed by Academy students. I remember reading in the novel that there was a special event before the play started. But I couldn’t quite recall what that event was. It was driving me crazy.

“Ladies and gentlemen, before the play begins, we’ve prepared a little event for you!”

Cheers erupted from all around. I felt compelled to join in, so I shouted along with them. Ouch, my throat.

“The event is… confession time!”

What?

“Those of you who’ve never had the courage, now is your chance! Come up on stage and confess your feelings to someone special!”

Oh my god.

Right, now I remember. It’s coming back to me. At this moment, a brave male student would stand up, walk towards the stage, and take the microphone-like device from the host. He’d then loudly call out the name of the girl he likes. And that name is…

“Seria, I’ve liked you for a long time!”

Oh no. Poor, unfortunate guy. I wish him the best of luck. If I recall correctly, this extra character is about to create a cringeworthy memory for himself, one that will haunt him forever. I seem to remember that he ends up so devastated by the rejection that he eventually drops out of the Academy…

I looked at the pitiful boy. I couldn’t bear to see the hopeful expression on his face any longer, so I turned away. I wondered how Seria would reject him this time, so I snuck a glance at her. Somehow, our eyes met. Was this some kind of curse today? A curse where I keep locking eyes with the main characters of these events. It’s kind of eerie. Seria gave me a sweet smile as soon as our eyes met.

Wow, she’s pretty, but why is she smiling at me? I tilted my head in confusion, not understanding the reason.

“Alright, Seria. Please give us your answer!” the host urged.

“I…”

Seria hesitated under the pressure. Watching her squirm and ponder over what to say, I grew even more puzzled. Why is she hesitating? She usually rejects people with ease!

“I’d love to reciprocate your feelings, but…”

As she spoke, Seria glanced briefly at Huan. It was a very subtle gesture, but those who were closely watching her noticed it immediately.

“I appreciate your feelings, but I can’t date you due to certain circumstances!”

Something feels off. This isn’t how it went in the original story. In the original, she rejected him outright, without any hesitation. But this… this leaves him hanging. What circumstances? I know for a fact there aren’t any!

She must have some kind of ulterior motive, but I have no idea what she’s thinking.

“I-I’m sorry.”

As Seria hid behind Huan, I watched her intently, trying to figure out what her true intentions were. And then it hit me. 

Aha.

“It’s because of that guy, isn’t it?”

The male student, now with a stern expression, stared at Huan. He must have thought that Seria was rejecting him because of Huan. What a ridiculous assumption to make.

Huan, who had been standing there silently, seemed to catch on to the situation and furrowed his brow in irritation. 

When the boy questioned her, Seria quietly bowed her head. That was enough of an answer. Wow, look at that calculated move. Should I be taking notes? I was about to settle in and watch the play, but this unexpected drama was turning out to be far more entertaining.

“…Hey, you over there! Let’s settle this with a duel for Seria.”

“What?”

This must be part of Seria’s plan—to have them fight over her and then proudly show off the spectacle to me. It doesn’t exactly make me mad, but Huan, who had just been challenged to a duel out of the blue, seemed annoyed.

“Why should I?”

“What’s wrong, are you scared?”

“It’s exhausting just to listen to such childish taunts.”

I believe that guy is well-known in the swordsmanship club. I definitely recognize his face. He’s wealthy, has a high social status, and usually looks down on others. So he probably thinks he can easily take down Huan, who has a relatively slender build. From the moment that student issued the challenge, I was worried. Worried about Huan? Absolutely not. The one I’m concerned about is the other guy. 

Huan, with his impeccable manners, refinement, and dance skills, also happens to be exceptionally skilled at swordsmanship.

Although his skill wasn’t widely known, it was still impressive. If he had challenged Huan to a duel, the boy might have ended not just his academy life, but his entire life! That would be too pitiful!

For the sake of saving this boy’s life and maintaining my entertainment, I quickly dashed onto the stage.

“Don’t run away! Face me in a duel…”

“We’re now going to start a singing contest for Seria between two men!”

I had snatched the microphone from the boy and shouted loudly.

“A singing contest?”

“That sounds fun!”

The audience responded enthusiastically. I patted the boy on the shoulder, who seemed a bit dazed, and decided to set a trap in case he tried to back out.

“If you want to be Seria’s boyfriend, your singing skills need to be flawless too.”

“Aha!”

The boy looked at me with a face of sudden realization. Then, as if he had made up his mind, he began to warm up his voice with a determined expression.

“Radel… Karel…”

I heard a voice filled with anger from somewhere. When I turned to look at Huan, I could feel an ominous aura emanating from his expression.

“What are you doing? Get up here already!”

“Why on earth should I?”

Terrified, I quickly took over the hosting duties, but Huan, with a reluctant expression, voiced his refusal. However, the atmosphere had already turned into a festive mood. In other words, it was a situation where refusing was difficult! I had to cover my mouth to stifle my laughter.

“Hurry up and get on stage, Huan.” 

Even Lady Corset was urging Huan to go up, barely holding back her laughter. Wow, she really knows how to go with the flow! In the end, Huan, practically dragged onto the stage by some of the other male audience members, shot me a sharp glare. Yikes, scary.

“Good luck, my friend!”

“You just wait.”

Having done my part, I descended from the stage, cheering Huan on. Though he glared at me with obvious malice, at least this way, no one would get hurt and the event would end peacefully. Sorry, Huan.

“Seria, you’re so lucky! Two guys are singing serenades for you.”

I lightly patted Seria on the shoulder before sitting down in the audience. I regretted not getting something to drink beforehand. Seria sat next to me, sounding a bit surprised.

“You really have a talent for hosting, don’t you?”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

I crossed my arms and turned my attention back to the stage. I didn’t want to ruin my mood by chatting with Seria while there was such an entertaining spectacle in front of me.

“Coming up with a singing contest, how clever of you.”

Seria’s voice sounded lower, quieter than usual. It was surprising to hear her usually cheerful voice turn so calm and serious.

“You’re quite the resourceful person.”

“You…”

“Oh, it’s starting. Looks like Huan is going first!”

As I was about to respond to Seria, Huan’s song began. I couldn’t help but focus on the stage, and I was surprised to see just how popular Huan was. The atmosphere had turned into something resembling an idol concert, and to my surprise, Lady Corset, who I had been wondering about, was in the midst of it all, cheering alongside members of the “Huan Fan Club.” It was then that I realized age is just a number.