Chapter 8: 8

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“Good Morning,” I say with a slight upturn of my lips.

Hearing my greeting, the handsome boys turn to look at me all at once. The overall level of their appearances is so high that I feel like I might faint from seeing them all so up-close. And to make matters worse, they are all rushing towards me right now.

“So this girl is Al’s little sister?”

“She’s so cute!”

“So tiny~”

They start saying all at once, staring at me with bright eyes. And to be honest, I’m not sure if they are trying to compliment me or not.

How is a villainess supposed to act in a situation like this I wonder?

Whatever the correct answer is, I definitely don’t think now is the time to be acting modestly. Let’s see…. one of them called me cute, so maybe it would be a good idea to agree with him on that?

…..No wait, before I do that I should introduce myself first. I don’t want them to end up thinking that I’m a girl who lacks manners or proper understanding of social etiquette.

“I am Alicia. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” I say, lightly grasping my dress and giving them my best curtsy.

“Hey, Alan, Henry…. Is this that little sister you’ve been telling us about? She’s nothing like how you were describing her!?” I hear someone whisper to my brothers.

Hmm? Just what exactly have my dear brothers been saying about me this whole time?

Though, I suppose I can actually imagine it. I bet they were complaining to them about how selfish and spoiled of a baby sister I am.

“But Alicia, what’s wrong? What are you doing here?”

What am I doing here? Albert-Oniisama….. You couldn’t have forgotten already, right?

Today was the day that you promised to teach me how to use a sword. That’s the whole reason that I’ve been working out every single day in an effort to build up some physical strength.

….Is what I want to say, but I somehow manage to hold my tongue and take a moment to calm myself down.

“Please teach me how to use sword,” I say simply instead, but I’m met with the exact same reaction as I was the first time.

And this time it’s not just from my brothers, the other boys all react in a similar way as well.

Eric-Sama, your mouth is hanging wide open, you know.

Did I really say something so strange as to warrant such a response?

I know you all have very pretty eyes, but I assure you that I can appreciate them even if they are only open to a normal degree.

“Ali, that was only if you were able to finish doing your sit-ups and push-ups every day…” Albert-Oniisama says, smiling kindly at me.

…….But I did! Moreover, I did triple the amount that you had told me to do.

He really is looking down on me way too much.

I’m slowly growing more and more frustrated with them to the point that I can feel my cheeks starting to puff up in an unbecoming pout.

Agh, this is not the way that a proper villainess would express her rage!

There’s no way that such a villainous and proud lady would be caught dead pouting. I guess I really am just a child still….. even if my actual self isn’t a child anymore, this body still belongs to one…. It looks like I still haven’t completely internalized what it means to be a villainess. But there’s nothing I can do about it. My feelings have overcome me even against my better judgment.

“Aww, even her little pouty face looks adorable.”

Curtis-Sama, would you kindly shut your mouth?

I’m having a hard enough time without you adding oil to the fire like that.

“Ali, swords are really dangerous, you know. They don’t really suit you,” Albert-Oniisama says, patting me affectionately on the head.

Just what exactly did I find cute about someone patting a girl’s head like this in my previous life!?

Having it done to me, it’s not cute at all. It’s infuriating!

I lightly swat Oniisama’s hand away from my head and with that one move, the lighthearted atmosphere of our little get-together is destroyed in an instant.

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Oniisama’s expression hardens. And it’s not only him, everyone else’s expressions seem to stiffen as well.

I really did it now…. Just what would a villainess do in a situation like this?

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……How come nothing comes to mind when it really matters?

I guess I can only trust in my instincts at this point.

Without thinking, I reach for the small sword that is sheathed at Oniisama’s waist and pull it out.

…..It’s heavy! Are swords always heavy like this??

I guess the muscle training really was necessary before learning swordplay. But my past week of working hard wasn’t wasted.

If this was my past self, before I had worked out at all, I probably wouldn’t have been able to lift this sword at all.

But now, forget just lifting it, fully brandishing a sword like this….. shouldn’t be something that I’m incapable of.

I adjust my breathing, getting it under control, and I orient my body towards the tree that is standing right beside us. I focus all of my concentration on harnessing the power in my legs so that I can properly balance myself and maintain a strong base.

I glance over the branches of the tree and find an apple that looks like it’s ready to fall and then I kick at the trunk with all my might.

The tree shakes under the blow and the apple sways violently.

Please fall. If you don’t fall, I’m going to be extremely embarrassed. So please, please fall!

For an unbearably long moment, I can only watch as the apple continues to swing……. But then the stem twists, and I know it’s about to fall.

I quickly calculate its trajectory just like how I’d read in a Physics book previously. Thank goodness I was able to read so many books within the past few days.

I wonder if I’ll be able to do this right. I just have to go off of instinct…. But this is my first time ever using a sword…. I don’t really have any muscle memory for what feels right.

No! I can’t let myself be pessimistic now. If I can just do this right, then I’ll have taken another important step forward on the road to becoming a respectable villainess.

Taking one more steadying breath, I swing the sword in a horizontal arc with as much force as I can muster.

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T/N: Cliffhangerrrrrrrr! Kind of. I’m guessing most of us can imagine what’s going to happen next XD But still! Author-san, don’t stop there~!

Translator’s short continuation fan-fic: _{(that’s as long as the chapter itself XD)}

Taking one more steadying breath, I swing the sword in a horizontal arc with as much force as I can muster.

……Which, in retrospect, was way too much force! I somehow managed to calculate the correct trajectory and sliced neatly through the apple, but what I had not accounted for was the large amount of centripetal force that I was creating. Even after I had cleaved the apple in two, my body kept turning in the direction of my swing, out of control.

I was so caught off balance that I could feel myself falling towards the ground! Oh no! If I fall and get all muddy, my life as a villainess, or even as a proud noble, is going to be over! I won’t be able to deal with the shame!

I shut my eyes, not wanting to see the moment of my social demise, but before I can feel any sort of impact, I instead feel some sort of pressure from around my waist and there is this odd sensation that I’m not falling anymore.

Just barely peaking one eye open, I look down to see an arm had caught me around the waist. Looking back towards the person attached to that arm….. I see Duke Seeker!?

“Careful. It seems like you underestimated your own strength,” he says, settling me carefully on my feet.

I can’t help but stare at him, feeling a bit starstruck. His blue hair is so lovely, gleaming in the sunlight, and that smile….! Why does a man that I am determined to leave to the heroine have to be so devilishly handsome…..!?

Without saying another word, Duke-Sama carefully grabs my hand that is still clenching the sword. He molds my fingers so that they are now lightly clasping the hilt in a much more comfortable way than my previously haphazard grip. With one booted foot, he also nudges my feet into a wider, shoulder-width-apart stance.

“There. How does that feel now?” He asks, looking down directly into my eyes.

I can feel a blush spread across my cheeks, but then I hear a faint cough off to my right. I had completely forgotten about my brothers and the rest of their friends! Albert-Oniisama is still smiling, but his smile now looks a bit forced.

“Better…..” I say, turning back to Duke-Sama. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he replies, smiling kindly. (An actual kind smile! Not the type that Albert-Oniisama wears all the time, filled with hidden intentions.)

I swing the sword once more, just to test out the new grip and stance, and this time I keep my balance properly and manage to emit a clear whooshing sound from the air.

I smile in satisfaction and then walk slowly over to Albert-Oniisama.

Handing him the sword I say, “Don’t go anywhere. I’ll get changed into some proper training clothes, and be right back for my lesson!”

And then I bound off in the direction of the house with my face having trouble deciding whether to grin like an idiot or blush for all I’m worth.

(Lol, if you read through to this far, thanks for putting up with my shenanigans. But isn’t this a better way to end!? That cliffhanger was too much haha.)

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