Chapter 7 : The Villainess’s Secret

It was the first weekend since entering the academy.

I had applied for an overnight stay in advance, so I was able to freely leave the academy and enjoy the air of society.

“This is freedom.”

“What do you mean?”

“Freedom is sweet!”

Eve doesn’t seem to understand my words, but Lucy nods in agreement.

I pat Lucy’s head, and Eve clings to me too.

She’s really become more affectionate.

This is all thanks to Lucy.

She always had a blank expression before, but she’s so cute when she acts affectionately.

We get on the carriage that we called in advance to go to the city.

Lucy is looking around, perhaps feeling awkward.

“Lucy.”

“Yes, yes!”

I scold her, telling her that my handmaiden shouldn’t be acting so timid.

She finally nods and looks around with a curious expression, which is cute.

The carriage দ্রুত runs and arrives in the city.

When we get off the carriage and walk, there’s a fragrant smell.

“Shall we get some snacks on the way?”

“Snacks before lunch…?”

“I’d like that!”

Eve opposes, but Lucy agrees.

Eve sighs and nods as if she has no choice.

I link arms with Eve and Lucy and enter a nearby cafe.

A staff member guides us.

We are guided to the third-floor terrace, and we can see the whole street.

While looking at the menu, which has a better atmosphere than I expected and various snacks, I showed Lucy what only a wealthy noblewoman can do.

“Give us everything from left to right.”

“E-Everything?”

“Yes.”

After ordering, I look at Lucy, and she’s staring at me with eyes full of admiration.

“Cool, right?”

“You’re so cool!”

She must have some experience in the real world.

She has a level of composure that can’t be achieved in just a day or two.

“Where did Lucy work before?”

“I worked at an inn with my parents until I entered the academy.”

An inn. Then she must have dealt with a lot of people.

While listening to Lucy’s past story, which wasn’t in the original work, the food we ordered was placed on the table one by one.

There were so many types of desserts that the waiter said they would bring them in several rounds.

I gave him a tip, and he left with a happy expression.

“Eat a lot, Eve and Lucy.”

“Thank you, my lady.”

“Thank you!!”

Lucy’s eyes sparkle as she takes a bite of the dessert as if she’s never had it before.

She shouts that it’s so delicious, while Eve eats it calmly.

Lucy was eating too fast and choked.

I take care of her while we spend some leisurely time.

Then, a suspicious person passing by on the street catches my eye.

He’s covered in a robe, but judging by the magical power I sense, he’s a dark mage.

Dark magic is a taboo in the empire.

If you’re caught, even your distant relatives will be punished.

But he’s walking around so confidently.

On the other hand, I’m also curious.

Why is a dark mage walking around so openly?

I excuse myself to the restroom and follow the magical power into an alley.

The dark mage was waiting for me.

“You’re following me, where are you from?”

“I’m from the academy.”

I smile, and six black rings appear.

He suddenly casts dark magic at me.

Something as dark as the abyss rushed towards me.

The characteristic of dark magic is that it’s stronger than a mage of the same level.

And there’s something ordinary people don’t know.

You can’t injure a dark mage of a higher circle than yourself.

The dark magic hit my body, but there was no change.

The opponent kneels on the spot.

“F-Forgive me! I didn’t recognize your greatness!”

I approach him and remove his robe, revealing an unfamiliar face.

I don’t recognize this face among the people I know.

Is he an extra?

“I have a question for you. Will you answer it?”

“A-Anything, please ask!”

“What’s the order you received?”

“To deliver ‘this’ to a spy লুকিয়ে থাকা at the academy.”

He hands me a parchment, and the contents are ridiculous.

The name ‘Eclair Soirée’ is written on the parchment.

It also says to teach her dark magic and accept her as a member of the ‘Snake’.

Is this the cause of Claire’s downfall in the original work?

“I’ll deliver this, so go back.”

“B-But…”

“Are you questioning me?”

There’s one characteristic when casting dark magic.

A pitch-black ring is created.

Ten rings appear, and his face turns pale.

“I, a lowly one, was blind!”

He banged his head on the ground, and blood flowed, but he didn’t stop.

“Go back and tell them. To stay away from the academy.”

“Yes!”

With those words, he disappeared.

This will either make them lose interest in the academy or make them contact me.

I prefer the former, but the latter is fine too.

I burn the parchment in my hand and start walking.

“Where did you go?”

“I was worried because you weren’t in the restroom!”

“Sorry. There was a pretty hat shop nearby.”

I hand them the hats I bought at the hat shop on the way.

Eve and Lucy stare at me with dumbfounded expressions.

“They are for babies, though.”

“But they’re pretty, right?”

I poke Eve’s puffed-up cheeks, and she glares at me with a cold look.

While thinking about how to deal with the spy লুকিয়ে থাকা at the academy, Lucy speaks.

When I ask where to go next, she says she found a pretty clothing store, so we should go there.

I need to buy clothes for Lucy too.

She has some spare clothes, but they’re all worn out and not suitable for wearing.

If she wears those clothes to the academy, where nobles attend, she’ll be the talk of the town in an instant.

When we enter the clothing store, there are various clothes.

The madam hands me a catalog.

“Show me all the new arrivals. And all the comfortable clothes for activities.”

“Yes, my lady!”

While the excited madam prepares many clothes, I look through the catalog.

There are many pretty good designs.

It was a good choice to come in by chance.

“I’ve brought everything!”

“Thank you.”

They look even better in person.

Lucy says they’ll look great on me, and I stare at her.

She blinks her cute eyes at me.

“Eve.”

“Yes, my lady.”

With those words, Eve reaches out to Lucy.

Lucy, who seems flustered, is led by Eve into the fitting room.

The fashion show begins.

It starts with light activewear and gradually progresses to more glamorous outfits.

They all look great on her.

As expected, the protagonist is the protagonist.

“M-My lady…”

The three-hour fashion show was enough to knock Lucy out.

I stroke Lucy’s hair as she lies sprawled on the sofa like laundry hanging on a clothesline.

“Give me everything she tried on.”

“M-My lady!?”

“Thank you!!!”

With a big smile on her face, the madam tells me that the clothes will be sent to the academy.

I pay and leave the store.

Lucy looks bewildered.

After having lunch at a restaurant, we head to the shopping district to buy other things.

What else do we need?

We head to the best hotel in the capital, the Luna Hotel.

When we enter the lobby, a staff member guides us through the check-in process.

We receive the room key and go up to the room.

Lucy is amazed by the luxurious interior.

“Wow! It’s on a whole different level from our inn.”

While looking around with Lucy and Eve, I casually bring up the promise I made when she was heartbroken.

“I remember, my lady.”

“I remember too!”

I hand Eve and Lucy the shopping bags I secretly bought earlier.

“I want you to wear these at the hotel.”

“My lady.”

“Understood.”

“I’ll go change.”

They each go into their rooms and scream when they open the shopping bags and see the contents.

After a while, the door opens slightly, and Lucy peeks out with a blushing face.

“Hehehe, come on out.”

“M-My lady….”

Lucy, with a red face, is hesitant to come out.

The reason is that the shopping bags I gave them contained lingerie.

Commonly known as battle underwear.

I gave white ones to Lucy and black ones to Eve.

The other door also opens slightly, and I see Eve’s expressionless face, cursing me with her eyes.

I want to see them quickly, but they won’t show me.