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There is no better belief than hopeful love, yet in this world where my love is shunned, there is nothing I can do but stay silent.
Sitting there, praying.
“To think a commoner like you would be able to sit next to me!”
Huh?
“I thought you would be smarter. What is with that cute look on your face?”
The woman with golden curls flicked her hair back, scoffed as she pointed over at me.
“What…?”
Calm down.
I scanned the room, it seemed to be a college classroom with less desks than I was used to– larger than my own classroom that had been for sure. A crowd formed around us, and that was when I noticed that these people– even the golden haired woman– had not been Japanese.
“Is my beauty so shocking to you, commoner? Ohohoho!”
Putting her aside for now…
I racked my head– what was I doing before this?
I came home from school, and went straight to my console to play my favorite game– Revolution. One of those cliche Otome games where you woo the male love interests.
But I wasn’t interested in the guys– no, I used it differently…
“My Lady Claire…?”
“So you can speak!”
That high pitched villainess cackle of her’s had been unmistakable, this woman in front of me had been Claire Francois, the villainess of the game I had just been playing before this.
But how? Does that mean I am somehow in another world?
“My Lady, if I may ask, what is my name?”
“Rae Taylor, is it not? The commoner that had been so talented, that they were somehow able to get into this academy?”
“Ah… Well, I suppose…”
Ignoring her sudden compliments… Revolution is a game where you could change the first name of the Main Character, as Taylor had been their set last name.
My name is Rei Oohashi– that must mean I had been transported into the game that I was playing. Now, I’m the Heroine.
Which is troublesome because–
“Now, tell me, dear commoner, what is so special about you?” The woman with blonde girls lifted the tip of my chin with her fan, and suddenly my face flushed with sweat.
“Ah… Uhm… I don’t… Think there is anything special about me, My Lady…”
“Now, the academy is never wrong! Are you saying that your presence here is a mistake made by them?”
“O-Of course not, my lady.”
“So, what is so special about you?”
The character I played Revolution for– a shameless Villainess that constantly teases the main character. It is difficult to discern if it was an insult or a compliment leading to one–
“My, you’re so red!”
And a useless lesbian like me cannot handle such beauty.
I’m not saying that I like her– she is simply too pretty to just normally talk to.
The sweat falling from my neck and forehead made me huff, and the Villainess opened her fan to flutter air onto my face– as if she was mocking my situation.
A malicious, demeaning Villainess that only wishes to keep her power over commoners, who would ever like someone like her?
“Now, now, I understand that the greatness of the academy is overwhelming to a commoner, so please do ask me anything if you need it.” The beauty sat beside me, continuing to ease the heat on my face from the fan she held.
“Thank you, My Lady.”
“Rae.”
My heart skipped a beat when I heard her say my name.
To think that a fictional beauty like her would somehow be able to touch me and speak to me like this…
“Y-Yes?”
“Call me Lady Claire.”
Urk, that smirk is a threat.
“I do not deserve to say your first name, My Lady…”
“Then, Lady Francois?”
“Ah…”
I can never win against her…
“Of course, Lady Francois.”
“Ohoho! Good girl!”
“Erk…”
What does she mean by good girl?! I’m not a dog!
This is why I despise Claire!
In a setting of uptight royals and backstabbers, Claire is far too honest and open!
That would never happen in the real world, she would be destroyed by rumors, even if she is a noble.
She is just a fantasy.
“Is there something wrong, Rae?”
“Of course not, Lady Francois.”
“Now, since you’re so tight lipped, I shall make sure you will reveal your hand to me sooner or later.”
And that was how my life filled with Claire’s torment started, completely overwriting the monotone life I had in my old world.
My future was looking bleak.
“Ahaha! Did you really attract Lady Claire’s attention during our first day?”
“Don’t laugh at me, Misha!”
That soft, mature voice that came from my roommate, Misha Jur. Her long silver hair swayed back and forth as she continued to giggle at my situation.
She sat inside her bed in our shared dormitory, while I laid on the ground from the despair that had gone on my first school day.
“She’s from house Francois, you know. She’s quite rich, I would be happy if you would marry someone like her.”
“I’m not a gold digger! Don’t even joke about that!”
The House Francois, Claire’s Family, is one of the most famous ones in the country. They headed the Ministry of finance for generations, placing them only behind the Crown and its right hand.
Safe to say, she was loaded, and that doesn’t even count the generations of intermarriage between the house of Francois and the Royal family– her family had been a might in the Bauer Kingdom.
“But Rae, she clearly loves you!”
“A straight girl like her?! And besides– she’s a noble! I’m a commoner! We can’t be together!”
“Quit stealing lines from a story book.”
Misha wasn’t someone to be trusted– when it came to common sense that is.
Unlike the Main Character that had been in poverty ever since she was young, Misha used to be a noble. While this meant the tutorial section of the game was useful due to her insights of how to act around nobility, she was far too relaxed around them.
“How do you think I can avoid her…?”
“Lady Claire? Avoid? In the same sentence? Oh my, Rae. You really don’t know her.”
“Yes I do! I know she’s a bother!”
Like a cat that chases a mouse around, she loves the taste of the hunt and the pain that I have!
“The most you can do is be around higher ranking nobles so she wouldn’t act so frivolously.”
“But that’s–”
“Close to impossible, because there is no one higher than her other than the Royal Family itself.” Misha raised an eyebrow. “And I know you wouldn’t ever interact with the Prince’s.”
“Exactly!”
“Hmm, there is one way to make a noble stay away, specific to Claire that we can use.”
There it was, the mischievous tutorial character that was Misha…
I don’t want to be underhanded, but I will do whatever it takes to get away from that beauty!
“Play to her pride.”
“Hm…”
But wouldn't it aggravate her even more?
“She only stays around you and teases you because she thinks lower of you, she’s testing your abilities!”
“And if I beat her…?”
“That would most likely give her a reason to bully you, but it's better than being followed around.”
“Urk…” I slammed my head down on the floor.
“In every point, you can’t win. As expected of Lady Claire.”
“I know…”
“Ahaha, our time in the academy will be so interesting, right Rae?”
The sweet woman chuckled, if it weren’t for the topic at hand, I would have thought of her as someone kind.
“Have some empathy, Misha…”
“There, there.” Misha helped me up the ground, pat my back with a hum and a smile.
“At least get some money while you’re at it!”
“Seriously?!”
I walked through the halls, my wand hooked my hair up. I noticed that this body seemed to sweat a lot– perhaps it had been because of my water element?
“What would happen if you sweat on those books?” Right beside my ear a fan snapped open, and eventually my body cooled down from the air that it spread across my face.
“L-Lady Francois!” I stumbled back at how close she was, and ironically made the heat in my face even worse.
Beside the lady that smirked at me had been her two lackeys, which seemed to hesitantly stay beside her– confused on what to do about me, a commoner, being ogled by someone as high as Claire.
“Ufufu, I wonder if such a girl with such a cute surprised face would be as powerful as the teachers say?”
“I… Uh…” I glanced around to find an exit, but the only sight I saw had been Misha’s smirk and the judging stares of Claire’s lackeys.
“Excuse us, Lady Francois, but class is about to start! Misha, let’s go!”
“Eeeeeh?”
I grabbed Misha’s hand, swiftly making my exit as Claire stood there in surprise.
The prideful cackles of the woman had rang into my ears– clearly she thought she had won.
“M-My apologies, Lady Francois!”
During dance practice– I accidentally stomped on Claire’s foot. I was a commoner after all, in this life and the last, I wasn’t at all familiar with ball dances.
I closed my eyes, prepared by a scolding from the girl, but my eyes shot wide open when she tilted my head down with her closed fan.
“Is that all you have?”
“Excuse me?”
“Is this the extent of how strong you are?”
My face flushed. She thought it was a competition again.
“No, Lady Francois, it–”
The fan spread in front of my face– not even letting me finish my sentence.
“Next time, bite harder, puppy.”
She really thinks she can just call me anything!
“Where is my textbook…”
“My, are you so poor that you do not have a textbook, Rae?” That grating voice made me snap my head to her.
This girl– She hid it, didn’t she?!
“Ohohoho!”
Gotdamn it!
“You may have as many textbooks as you’d want! Pepi, Loretta, go get her three extra textbooks!”
“Wh-What?” “Uhm… Okay Lady Claire…”
Suddenly, I had about ten textbooks stacked in front of me.
Does she just want to flaunt her riches?
Suddenly, I was doused with water from other students fighting beside our class.
“Oh my, you’re so wet, Rae!”
Urk, what is she saying now!?
“Come here, I’ll warm you up.”
That smirk…! She knows what she's doing!
“Ugh…” I groaned as I stepped towards her with a red expression, she cooed as if she had been watching an animal through a cage.
“You should only be wet because of me, Rae.” Claire lifts up her fan, and with a click a magical gem pops out of the top.
“E-Excuse me?”
“Because of fighting, of course! What else did you think, silly girl?”
Heat spread to my face, and it certainly didn’t come from the warm winds that gusted from her fan.
As she dried me with her fire magic, all I was thinking of was how I could wipe that smirk off her face.
It was after class, and I had been growing tired of the shenanigans that this day had gotten me into.
The day in the life of a protagonist sure was hard– there had been many moments where the Prince’s was able to help me with…
Yet in every turn, that Villainess showed her smirk instead.
I suppose, in a way, Claire had saved from having to interact with the guys that this whole game was about…
“It had been such a wonderful day, hadn’t it been, Rae?”
Yet I cannot feel thankful when she’s right beside me right now.
“Not exactly, Lady Francois…”
“Why so?”
“She feels overwhelmed with your love, Lady Claire! Look at how red she is.”
“Misha you–”
“Oh my, you’re right! Ufufu, am I that beautiful, aren’t I Rae?”
Claire stared at me with eyes that could only be described as a cat finally being able to catch a mouse.
“Th-That–”
She leaned closer– her floral perfume covered my face in a pink blush, to the point where I couldn’t even breathe.
“I do not understand, Lady Francois. You could have the approval of anyone in this room– but you chose someone like me?”
“Because everyone keeps saying you’re special, Rae Taylor. I simply wish to see what is so special about you.”
Misha glanced at me, her hand over her lips as if saying that she knew it.
“Then, I would say that I am nothing special, Lady Francois.”
She is quite an annoyance to deal with, but I can’t lie to myself…
Claire is my only defense against the Prince’s, without her it would be extremely hard to avoid their relentless woos.
Not just the Prince’s– the plot itself.
So many times today the world has been against me, trying to embarrass me, trying to make me panic…
Yet she was there, cackling, destroying the plot of the world– her job as the Villainess.
I wish I could be like her.
“There you go again, Rae.”
“Hm?” I glanced up down at her, Claire’s eyes had significantly softened.
“You act as if the whole world is on your shoulders.”
In a way, it is.
“I just find it troubling, Lady Francois. Someone as high as you being this close to me…”
“Non, non. I will not hear it.” She nudged her closed fan on my lips.
“I know, Rae Taylor.”
“Know what…?”
She only replied with a smirk– but it had been different with the devilish ones she usually had.
Claire had stared at me as if I was supposed to understand what she just said.
Before I could protest, she stood up, and bowed down quickly.
“I suppose I shall leave you alone for now, Rae. I will meet you tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Lady Francois…”
“Goodbye, Lady Claire.”
I haven’t been this stressed for a while…
“Urk, it's you two…”
“Why do you sound so disappointed?” “Surely you didn’t want Lady Francois to greet you.”
It's minion one and minion two.
“She’s thinking of something rude.” “She really is, huuh?”
“I don’t want to bother her, so please don’t worry about me getting near her–”
“Who said that?” “We’re not that mean.”
I paused.
“Huh?”
No, no! This part of the script, you’re supposed to villainize me for seducing your Lady Claire!
“We just wanted to warn you…” “Yup. She’s totally started stalking you.”
So that’s why I felt there was someone watching me constantly…
“I-I’m sorry?”
“Why is she apologizing?” “I have no idea, do commoners not understand that stalking is a bad thing?”
The two glanced at each other, before they eventually shrugged it off and I bit my tongue instead of saying something rude.
Calm down.
They’re still nobles, I can’t talk back to them.
“Pepi, Loretta, what are you two and Rae talking about?”
“N-Nothing, Lady Claire!” “Just saying good day!”
There is their blonde leader.
“Good day, Rae.”
“Good day, Lady Francois.”
“You smell as good as always.”
“I don’t wear perfume.”
“Oh no, I meant your sweat.”
“Wh-What?”
“What do we do?” “Lady Claire has gone insane!”
We can hear you two…
“It is far too early for you two to have your comedic routine.”
“Go-Good day Prince Yu!” “It is a lovely morning!”
“Greetings, Prince Yu.”
There it was, the first so-called love interest.
The Third Prince, Yu Bauer, had curly blonde hair and a soft monotone voice. Despite their gentle appearance, that glare towards me hadn’t exactly been the kindest.
The least popular love interest– as they were usually stoic and not that interested in most things.
Yes, his eyes were always off to somewhere else.
“Hello Prince Yu~”
“Misha.” His eyes softened.
“It has been a while.”
“It truly has. Have you been well?”
Even girls as shameless as playing a harem game wouldn’t steal someone else’s man.
“I have been doing wonderful. I heard you and your FRIEND had gotten close to Claire.” The moment he said friend, he glared at me. Wow, his jealousy is crazy.
Yu and Misha grew up together, and it seems that during that time the more Yu became strict with themselves– the further carefree Misha became. They were always close, that was until Misha’s noble house fell, and they haven’t seen each other in years.
Yu clearly still held Misha close to his heart– and if people chose to go through his route, not only would they have to deal with healing Yu’s heart, but also the friendship between the main character and Misha.
“Oh no, it's mostly been Lady Claire getting close to Rae.”
But clearly, I don’t have to worry about that.
I’m not interested in men in the first place.
“Why is that, Claire?” Yu questioned.
“Why else? Because I like Rae.”
“Urk…”
“To say that so brazenly.” Yu narrowed his eyes and folded his hands. “You do know her standing, correct?”
“She is a commoner, yes.”
“Yet why–”
“My apologies, Prince Yu, but I do not think I am the only noble in this academy to like a commoner.”
Claire, with the might of a Villainess, clashed directly with the startled expression in Yu’s face.
The air crackled with intensity–
Before it was finished with a scoff from Yu.
“You have gotten even shameless, Claire.”
“You spoil me so, Prince Yu.”
Claire was actually quite liked within the Prince’s. Even the least popular and social out of all of them, Claire always had a way into their heart ever since they were children.
But that was simply because she was trained to become such an ambassador.
Claire was a perfect noble, powerful, intelligent, beautiful, she had every right to marry a Prince yet–
“Could you have your blessing, then?”
“Lady Francois–”
“Of course. I wouldn’t want anything more.”
“Isn’t it wonderful, Rae? We got the acceptance of a Prince! Only two more to go.”
“T-Their acceptance isn’t meant to be collected!”
“Isn’t it great, Rae?”
“Misha, please…”
Prince Yu most likely just wanted me out of the picture and away from his beloved Misha.
What is with nobles and being obsessed with commoners all of a sudden?
“The chirping of the birds are quite loud today,” A passing comment came from a silver long haired man on the side, a smirk on his face.
“Brother.”
“My little brother is near people? Aha! I knew it, Misha was here! Ah, love is everyone’s muse.” With a snicker, they teased their little sibling, ruffled up Yu’s hair even more.
An elegant man at first glance– but Thane Bauer had been the opposite. An eccentric art lover with the penchant of making things all about music or paintings.
“Good day, Prince Thane.” To everyone’s surprise, I greeted him first.
Thane had actually been quite pleasant, while his rambles can be a bit concerning, as an artist myself I enjoyed his enthusiasm about the simple things.
Why does Claire look like she just got shot?
“R-Rae Taylor, I could have sworn you only like women–!”
“Wh-Where did you get that idea?!”
“Hmmm? Are you a woman lover, Rae? But of course, the feminine body and its many curves are beautiful!”
I took a step back, sweat fell down my chin as suddenly the spotlight had been on me.
Suddenly, I hit someone’s hard chest.
“Ah–”
“...”
What stared back at me had been red piercing eyes hidden behind spiky brown hair.
“Prince Rod…!”
The First born– yet forgotten behind the flamboyance of the second and the resolve of the third–
Rod Bauer.
“Brother! It is fate that has brought us here!”
“You could use some friends.”
“Nah, I’m okay.” He huffed, and swiftly moved away.
The mysterious talented first prince, a stereotypical rough bad boy that I really dislike.
Though, at the very least, he leaves us alone.
“Isn’t this great, Rae? Meeting so many influential people within just a week, what wonderful good luck.”
“I don’t think you understand the situation, Misha…”
Yu is here because of Misha.
Claire is here because of me.
Her two minions are here because of Claire.
Thane is here because it is a beautiful garden.
And Rod was here because–
He took a peek over at me through his spiky bangs, and swiftly turned away.
Because of me.
Much to my annoyance.
Maybe he had a thing for girls that look like him?
Regardless, it was quite the predicament. I wanted to avoid an encounter with him specifically, yet this world truly had its ways of making me stumble blindly into its plot.
I need to take control of myself.
I hate being forced into the normal.
“Rae? Are you okay?” Misha followed quickly behind me as I walked away, her mischievous tone turned into concern as she saw my expression.
“I’m fine. Just… A bad situation. Let’s go to class.”
“Very well.” Misha didn’t ask any further and nodded, continuing to walk beside me.
“I know you’ll talk to me about it soon enough.”
“Thank you, Misha.”
I wish I could just be like the Villainess who could destroy the plot.
It would have been easier.
“Hasn't the past week just been pleasant, Rae?”
“Going swimmingly, Lady Francois.”
Just like everyday, for the whole week, Claire had sat right next to me during break. Misha didn’t bother to go in between us, simply relishing her tea as if either of us hadn’t existed at all.
But I’m not here to be mocked– not any further!
“My, Rae, what is with that look in your eyes? How fierce.”
“Lady Francois, I am sure you are aware of the test tomorrow.”
“But of course, where are you going with this, Rae?”
This test was the same in my old world– with added subjects such as etiquette and magic of course. As a straight A student, there shouldn’t be any trouble with this test too. Which is why…
“You want a challenge from me, correct?”
“Yes. I would like to see what is so special about you.”
Claire opened her fan and fluttered it in front of her face, bangs swung around her butterfly-like eyelashes.
Misha meanwhile, perked up, sensing that I was using what I told her.
“I propose we have a battle, then.”
“That is?”
“If you can’t beat me, then you will grant me a favor.”
“Oh?” Claire raised an eyebrow, that glint in her eyes shimmered once again– a cat awaiting its meal.
“I know Lady Francois would be confident enough to defeat a commoner like me.”
“Ohohohoho!”
That loud, grating laugh echoed around the room.
“Of course, of course! I know I will win!”
She had been at the top of the school– only below the Prince’s. Just in the same standing as she was in the real world, Claire was as intelligent and as powerful as her house name had been in the kingdom.
Yet I was one of the wild cards of this school.
As a commoner, the main character was a transfer student, and she was regarded as the best one– that is why Claire had been so curious about me in the first place.
They don’t know about what I can do– just that I was regarded by the school to be the most talented commoner they could find.
“It is a deal, then?”
“Of course! As long as the punishment goes the same way if you lose. Let me finally see what is so special about you, Rae Taylor.”
“Misha?” I turned towards my best friend, not wanting to face Claire after what she just said.
“Hm?”
“Could you be our witness?”
“No worries~ Of course I will.”
“I cannot wait to think of what Rae could do for me~ Gets me all hot and excited!” Claire fanned herself, a red blush on her face.
She’s so–
“I-It is a little early to assume that you would win, Lady Francois.”
How prideful…
“Now, on the count of three, Rae.”
“No. There’s no need for that.”
“But I wish to–”
“I swear to God!”
“Hmph. I swear to God.”
“And I shall be your witness~”
Swearing to God is an extreme way of making a promise– to both Nobility and Commoners.
Breaking that oath is unthinkable, and practically had been law to both of us.
This is how our lives got fully intertwined– to think that it all started with a foolish promise.