How to Survive as That Villainess - Chapter 3

Chapter 1: The Villainess named Radel (2)

Summer is hot. It’s an obvious fact, but I was once again acutely reminded of how sweltering summer can be. At 1 PM, in the scorching heat, I was undergoing etiquette lessons while wearing a tightly cinched dress. The teacher, personally summoned by my father, was the ever-popular Countess Corset, a woman with white hair who had been teaching etiquette for 25 years and was extremely strict.

“Stop. You mustn’t make any noise while eating.”

“Huh, did I make a noise?”

She was so strict that she critiqued not just the way I ate, but even the sound of eating and breathing. Wow, I was being so careful, but she caught that. What a fearsome teacher….

“Who was your first love, Countess Corset?”

“Oh, that was about 30 years ago…”

Countess Corset blushed slightly as she reminisced about her past love. Heart fluttering. There’s nothing more interesting than first loves! I listened attentively.

“Oh no, this isn’t the time for chit-chat!”

Oh dear, I was trying to take a breather. She quickly saw through it and started the lesson again. I had to correct my posture and learn how to eat soup properly. Not knowing the basics made it difficult and exhausting at first, but fortunately, after a few tries, it became clear how challenging it was. Is this how nobles live, always so troublesome? With the corset squeezing my waist, I felt like I might vomit, and the summer sun beat down mercilessly. It was hot and made me feel sick.

“Alright, that’s all for today. You did well.”

Two hours later, I finally managed to escape the hell of the lessons. I dragged my exhausted body into the bathroom, desperate to wash up.

“Miss, let me help you.”

“… No, it’s okay!”

As I was soaking in the large bathtub, trying to relieve my fatigue, the bathroom door suddenly opened, and a maid came in. She was the same maid who had helped with the reception yesterday and the morning grooming today. Oh, she didn’t need to come help here too! I quickly submerged myself in the water, leaving only my head exposed. Even though she’s a woman too, I felt embarrassed to have my body seen by someone I don’t know.

“I’ll handle it myself, so please leave!”

“I cannot do that. I am your faithful servant. Therefore, I must assist with your bath…”

The maid was persistently stubborn. I had never met someone so determined. It seemed she had no intention of leaving. Sighing deeply, I looked at her.

“By the way, what’s your name?”

“Vivian.”

“Vivian, I want to bathe alone. Please leave.”

A plea with a smile. A request with a smiling face is hard to refuse. This smile had worked even during the suffocating meal with Father earlier. I made my request with the most pleasant smile I could muster.

So, how did she react?

“….Understood.”

Vivian seemed slightly troubled but eventually stepped back. The power of a smile was indeed impressive. Since I usually don’t smile much, it has been awkward for me to smile more often. I might need to practice smiling in front of the mirror from now on.

“… What should I do now?”

Dealing a blow to the heroine can wait for later; for now, I need to figure out what to do going forward. If I diligently study and take lessons during the summer vacation, I think I can keep up with the curriculum at the academy. The books I glanced at earlier seemed relatively easy. I just need to maintain a decent grade, but the real problem is how to survive. Right now, I’m disliked not only by the male leads but also at home and the academy. Ah, life.

For now, let’s slowly review the content of the novel. The story begins with the commoner heroine attending the academy and quickly gets entangled with various characters, including the Crown Prince, the youngest Swordmaster, and a magic prodigy, right from the first day of school. The male leads all have heartbreaking wounds, which Seria heals and encourages, leading to gradual romantic developments. As the story progresses, the number of fish in Seria’s harem increases, and by the end, there are scenes of numerous men fighting over Seria.

She is truly the flower of men. Seria has nothing to fear. With a magic prodigy who finds magic easier than breathing and a cold but warm Swordmaster by her side, who would dare to challenge her? Moreover, even the future Emperor is involved! Anyone who speaks out of turn could lose their head in an instant. It seems like Seria might be the ultimate boss in this novel.

“Wow, how am I going to survive this?”

Thinking about the novel again makes my future look even bleaker. Can I survive while being hated by Seria, who boasts a perfect network, and the fish swimming in her pond? I’m worried that as soon as the vacation ends and I go to the academy, I’ll be told, “How dare you touch our Seria?” and have my neck cut off.

To graduate safely from the academy, I either need to become completely close with Seria to make the remaining academy life comfortable, or somehow make the male leads around Seria on my side. The former is absolutely impossible. Getting close to Seria itself is difficult, and knowing her true nature, I would die from the stress of being by her side. So, I thought about the latter. Ah, it seems harder than making a deal with the devil and becoming immortal.

“Hmm, so if I become close with Seria…”

A heroine who seduces with a fox-like smile, a male lead stupidly deceived, and me watching. Wow, that’s really terrible, isn’t it? I feel like I’m going bald from stress already. Let’s just become immortal!

Of course, the latter is a dangerous choice that risks my life, but it seems much better than choosing the former and dying from the frustration of it. Seducing the male leads seems impossible no matter how much I think about it, so just creating a little bit of affection would be a great success. If there is even a little affection, then later, even if Seria asks them to get rid of me, they might say, “Sure, we’ve had some good times, so I’ll make sure it doesn’t hurt.”

Hehe, maybe I should just not attend the academy at all.

“Miss, I’ll dry your hair for you.”

After making some plans for the future, I put on a robe and came out of the bathroom. In the room, Vivian, whom I had half-forced out of the bathroom earlier, was waiting for me in a perfect posture. She’s truly a competent maid.

“Ah, Vivian. Do you know anyone among your acquaintances who is good at martial arts or swordsmanship?”

I asked while sitting in front of the mirror, accepting Vivian’s touch. Since I had decided to approach the male leads, having nine lives wouldn’t be enough for me. So I asked out of a small hope that learning self-defense or swordsmanship might at least save my life.

It was impossible to ask my father to call a martial arts teacher. He would definitely get angry and scold me. My father never let Radel do anything dangerous like martial arts or swordsmanship. It wasn’t because he was worried I might get hurt but because he didn’t want a scratch on the ornamental flower that was to be sent off for marriage. Even if I asked my father for a favor, he wouldn’t listen. That’s why I asked Vivian just in case. I hoped she might know a martial arts master or legendary swordsmanship expert, as there might be an information network among the maids.

Vivian pondered for a moment and then cautiously opened her mouth.

“If it’s swordsmanship or martial arts, I know a little.”

“What, really?!”

I was so surprised that I turned around abruptly. Vivian stopped gently patting my hair with the towel and nodded her head.

“Yes, actually, my family has been proficient in martial arts and swordsmanship for generations…”

It turns out that Vivian, who was actually from a noble family, had a talent for swordsmanship and martial arts. However, she didn’t want to pursue that path, so she decided to run away. She discovered that being a maid suited her unexpectedly well, so she has been working diligently ever since. Wow, I had no idea.

“Don’t your family come looking for you?”

“…They have come to persuade me a few times, but each time, I managed to talk them into leaving.”

Vivian maintained a neutral expression as she said, “It seems like being a maid suits me better.” Somehow, she seems more dependable now, but maybe that’s just my imagination.

“Anyway, this is great! Vivian, teach me swordsmanship!”

“But I’m not used to teaching.”

“It’s okay! You can just teach me the basics! And practice with me sometimes.”

This is really fortunate. If I had called a swordsmanship instructor, my father or other servants would eventually find out. But if Vivian, as a maid, teaches me secretly, no one will ever know. We’ll have to practice in secret at night, but there’s no risk of getting caught, so I’m relieved.

I urged Vivian, who seemed hesitant, even more.

“Please? The world is a dangerous place these days, isn’t it? Don’t you think it’s necessary to learn self-defense in case we encounter a robber outside?”

“…That’s true.”

Whether it was a request or a threat, I managed to persuade Vivian and successfully changed her mind. Vivian, who was rarely flustered, sighed and agreed.

“Thank you, Vivian. I’ll give you a bonus later.”

It’s not really up to me, but I should at least ask my father. While I was wondering whether I should spend my own money to buy her a gift, Vivian handed me a piece of paper filled with densely written text… What is this?

“It’s the summer vacation schedule. In the morning, you will have etiquette and cultural lessons. After lunch, there will be classes on the history of the Sirius Empire and ancient languages. In the evening, you will have magic theory and mathematics classes. Additionally, since you will be learning swordsmanship from me, I have reduced your sleep time by two hours.”

“…What?”

I held the schedule and gaped. It felt like when I used to attend cram school, no, even busier than that, and I already felt exhausted just looking at it. I did say I wanted to study, but isn’t this too much? There is a short free time after lunch, but it’s incredibly brief. Am I going to die from overwork at this rate?

“The history professor will be here soon. Please get ready.”

“Wait, I suddenly have a headache…”

“There’s no time for that. Come this way, please.”

Despite my feigned illness, Vivian didn’t bat an eye and practically dragged me to the classroom. Then it was nonstop lessons, studying, and scolding.

Oh, and I should mention that I received the scolding alternately from both Vivian and the professor. It’s driving me insane.

***

“Vivian, let’s go out.”

It’s been two weeks since I started learning swordsmanship from Vivian. After some training today, I was lying sprawled on the floor of the training hall. Lying on my back and looking at the stars in the sky, I spoke to Vivian, and she quickly replied.

“Do you know what time it is?”

“Midnight.”

“And you want to go out now?”

Her eyes seemed to ask, ‘Are you out of your mind?’ I jumped up and dusted myself off, saying:

“The lessons and training are over for today, anyway.”

“Yes, so it’s time to sleep.”

“I attended all the classes for two weeks without skipping once!”

“Well done.”

That fortress of a woman! Vivian never loses and always has a comeback as she tidies up. Honestly, I’m not confident in my eloquence, so I’ve never won an argument with Vivian. Today was no different, as I suffered another thorough defeat and lay back down on the floor, staging a protest.

“Ah, I’m so stressed! I want to have fun! I want to go out!”

For two weeks, I haven’t gone out, just continuously studying and training. Even during free time, I was busy reading books and didn’t really get a chance to enjoy myself. I’ve been holding it in, but tonight, all my stress and fatigue came bursting out at once.

“Miss, please get up.”

“Then will you let me go out?”

“Absolutely not.”

She was firm. How can she resist, even when I’m throwing a tantrum like this? She’s amazing! No, this is not the time to be impressed. I cleared my throat and pleaded with Vivian sincerely.

“I feel like I’m going to die. I’m so exhausted.”

“No matter how much you plead, the answer is no. It’s dangerous to go out at this hour.”

“I learned swordsmanship, didn’t I? You said I’m good now!”

“Although I did say that…”

Radel Karel had a talent for swordsmanship. Confident in physical activities more than intellectual ones, Radel had been learning swordsmanship steadily since childhood. Of course, she learned secretly without her father knowing, and upon entering the academy, she completely hid her skills to make a good impression on Eden.

In any case, Radel was able to adapt within just two weeks of being possessed, thanks to her innate talent and diligent practice. I vividly remember how surprised Vivian was at how well I did, more than she had expected. Whew, it’s a relief that my body remembers.

“Indeed, Miss, you learn quickly and have talent.”

“Wow. Aren’t you praising me too much?”

Receiving sudden praise makes me shy. Maybe it feels awkward because I’m used to constant nagging. Feeling bashful, I glanced at Vivian. She seemed to be contemplating something, and I spoke to her with anticipation.

“I promise I won’t do anything dangerous. Let’s just take a stroll around the neighborhood.”

“If you insist that much…”

Success. Haha, Vivian is quite lenient with me. If I plead earnestly like this, she eventually gives in. Though the process was tough, it was finally decided that we would go out.

“Just for an hour…”

I think I hear Vivian sighing, but it must be my imagination, right?

———= Author’s Note ———=

Here is the heroine profile:

• Name: Radel
• Age: 17
• Distinctive features: Striking red hair and golden eyes. Approximately 165 cm tall, and weight is a secret.
• Special note: Has a talent for swordsmanship.