Isn't Beating the Hero Party's Porter Just Common Sense? (2)
After weekend morning classes ended, the Academy classroom buzzed with students eager to head home. Amid the lively crowd, Angela offered her friends a quick goodbye and sent them off first.
“I’ve got some stuff to handle today, so I’ll catch you later.”
“Sure, no problem. See you next week.”
“Bye~”
The moment they were gone, Angela let out a heavy sigh. She hadn’t let it show in front of her friends, but today was the day she’d promised to meet Rosette. The same Rosette who had casually announced she would be taking her to a banquet.
On any other day, that invitation would have thrilled Angela. She had always dreamed of noble parties. But the problem was the date—today was the thirty-first. Reporting day. The one that came around every two months.
What am I supposed to do…? I already have to report about Rosette, and now this… Why did it have to be today?
From a rational standpoint, she should have refused. Yet the fear of being dragged straight to prison and suffering something terrible had made her accept the invitation. And the fact that it was a banquet had crushed any remaining will to cancel.
Trapped with no good options, Angela stood there stewing in frustration when a hesitant voice called out to her.
“Um… Angela? Is something wrong? You look upset today.”
“Hm?”
The boy watching her with obvious concern had a decent enough face, but his timid posture and gloomy aura were unmistakable. He was the type who got quietly ostracized by their classmates. Angela didn’t particularly like him, but she still flashed her usual bright, friendly smile—the same one she gave everyone.
“No, it’s nothing. Thanks for worrying about me, Hiro.”
“R-really? Th-that’s a relief, then…”
Hiro’s face lit up with shy joy even as he stammered. He quickly scurried out of the classroom like he was fleeing.
I know I’m supposed to get along with everyone, but do I really have to be nice to someone like him?
Angela was a commoner with no parents, yet her pretty face, natural charm, and impressive range of talents made her popular in class. None of it was by choice. Whether it was Hiro or the other kids who called themselves her friends, she had zero interest in associating with such lowly, filthy creatures.
She only smiled at them because she had been ordered to. It was the role she was forced to play in this class.
Angela wiped the fake smile from her face, the one she had worn all day, and stood up. Since things had come to this, she might as well try to enjoy the banquet even a little.
*
How do you completely break a person’s spirit? It’s simple. You show them exactly what they want most and dangle it right in front of their eyes. Whether you’re threatening them or coaxing them doesn’t matter. In the end, humans will always tuck their tails when faced with the thing they value most.
And right now, I was doing exactly that to this future backstabbing heroine. I was showing her the one thing she desired above all else.
The social banquet taking place at Scola Castle, the Christian family’s capital villa. Naturally, I was the one who had arranged it. No matter how much of a crazy bitch I was, I was still a ducal lady with real power. Filling the venue with lower nobles under the Christian banner was child’s play.
Of course, noble banquets were usually political battlegrounds. A gathering like this—one created purely for enjoyment without any schemes—was nothing but a waste of money and time. But because I was the one hosting it, no one dared question the event. After all, I had a long history of blowing ridiculous amounts of money on whims like this. The family and the guests all assumed this was just another one of those occasions.
Yet despite how hollow the gathering seemed on the surface, this particular event was achieving my intended purpose almost perfectly.
The grand hall, once used for royal functions, overflowed with music, lavish food, and people dancing in extravagant attire. It was the exact image of a “noble banquet” that commoners fantasized about. And that illusion had completely captured Angela’s mind.
Her eyes sparkled. A flush colored her cheeks. I spoke to her in a serious tone.
“What are you standing around for? Let’s go.”
“M-me? You want me to…?”
“Obviously. Don’t you know a servant is supposed to attend their master everywhere?”
“W-well, yes, but… Ah!”
Angela was fidgeting, caught between intense excitement and nerves. I grabbed her hand and pulled her straight toward the center of the hall.
Normally, maids at events like this were stuck doing menial tasks in the background. But tonight Angela wasn’t wearing a maid uniform. She was dressed in the elegant black gown I had lent her, complete with accessories and full makeup. The moment I positioned her in the middle of the venue, every eye in the room turned toward her.
Who is that?
I’ve never seen her before…
She’s quite beautiful. Which family is she from?
Even though she was a backstabbing bitch in the original story, Angela was undeniably a heroine. Her face alone was stunning. With just a bit of polish, her commoner origins vanished completely. She looked every bit as refined as any noble young lady.
Of course, the fact that she was standing hand-in-hand with me—the infamous madwoman of high society and owner of this castle—kept anyone from actually approaching.
No matter how pretty the flower, no one reaches for one with a wasp on it.
While the crowd kept their distance, Angela stood frozen, clearly overwhelmed. In the original story, she had dreamed of becoming a noble and living in luxury. But now that she had finally stepped into that world, she had no idea what to do. She looked like a baby bird that had just hatched—caught between curiosity and fear.
I had given her some instructions beforehand, but she seemed to have forgotten all of them. Hiding my wry smile, I slowly reached out and lifted her chin.
“?!”
“Calm down and look at me. Ignore everything else.”
Once she seemed steadier, I asked in a quiet voice.
“You don’t know how to dance, do you?”
“…”
Angela gave a small, embarrassed nod. The people around us were dancing with practiced grace. For someone who had never even attended an event like this, everything must have felt alien and awkward.
I lowered my hand from her chin and calmly extended it toward her instead.
“I’ll teach you.”
“…Really? You’d do that?”
“Did you think I was joking at a time like this?”
“Ah…”
Her short reply was filled with surprise and delight. With a slightly trembling hand, Angela took the one I offered.
“From now on, I’ll teach you everything—one by one. About this world you don’t know. About the world you’ve always wanted to understand. I’ll teach you all of it.”
Angela’s face lit up with raw anticipation. It was the happiest expression I had ever seen on her. Satisfied, I slowly began her education.
A gentle new song started after the previous one ended. I began to move my feet in time with the music. This was a dance I had learned since childhood as a noble lady—slow but precise, beautiful and elegant, yet full of clear discipline.
While drawing out those fluid movements as naturally as breathing, I skillfully led Angela by the hand.
“Match the beat. Left foot on one, right foot on two. Yes, just like that.”
Following my clear, quiet instructions, Angela gradually absorbed the steps. At first she stepped on my feet and nearly lost her balance several times. Her panicked face each time was quite entertaining. But just as I expected from someone with natural athletic talent, she quickly shed her clumsiness and picked up the dance with surprising speed.
As time passed, Angela’s face grew brighter and brighter. Her once-awkward legs found their proper places. Her stiff body began to flow naturally with the rhythm, like grass swaying in the wind.
Faster. More passionately.
Before long, she was drawing every eye in the hall as she danced with fervent energy, perfectly following my lead.
When the song finally ended, Angela leaned against me in a deep dip, back arched like a bow.
“Haa… haa…”
Her breathing was ragged, sweat beading on her forehead. Yet a bright, genuine smile had formed on her lips—one filled with unmistakable excitement and joy.
*
The dreamlike time that had felt like an instant, despite not being short at all, had ended. Now that all the guests had left, the castle was wrapped in silence. Angela stood on the terrace, gazing at the view outside the window.
The sun was sinking behind the mountains. Red sunset painted the sky while the city below spread out like a beautiful painting.
It was a breathtaking sight, but the reason Angela’s heart was pounding wasn’t just the scenery.
So this… is what a noble’s life is like. This is the life I’ve always dreamed of…
The sparkling days she had only read about in fairy tales as a child—she never imagined she would get to experience even a fraction of it. Of course, she had only attended as Rosette’s maid rather than a true noble, so there was a limit to the experience. Even so, for Angela it had been precious. So precious that, for one day at least, she had been able to forget the work she was supposed to do.
“Here, have a drink.”
“Ah, th-thank you.”
Rosette held out a cocktail. As Angela accepted it, Rosette spoke in her usual prickly tone.
“Good grief… You’re supposed to be the servant. You should be the one bringing me drinks without being told. How can you make your master do all the work?”
“I-I’m sorry.”
Angela apologized with a guilty expression. Despite the familiar scolding, the resentment she once felt toward Rosette had faded considerably. At first she had thought Rosette was exactly the vicious villainess the rumors described. Their first meeting had certainly been awful.
But after spending more time with her—and especially after today—Angela had started to wonder. Maybe, beneath the infamous reputation and arrogant personality, Rosette was actually a good person.
Though our relationship won’t last that long anyway…
Just as that thought crossed her mind, Rosette suddenly asked.
“Angela. Do you want to become a noble too?”
“Pardon?”
The abrupt question while she was sipping her cocktail struck directly at Angela’s deepest dream. As surprise flashed across her face, Rosette continued in a gentle, coaxing tone like she was soothing a puppy.
“It’s okay. Just answer honestly. Do you want to become a noble like the people you saw today?”
“That’s…”
The question carried a strange, heavy weight. Angela didn’t feel any need to hide the truth. Not just her—most commoners in the empire who struggled at the bottom while staring up at those lofty heights carried the same wish, big or small.
“Yes… I do. I want to become like them. I want to become a noble existence like you, Lady Rosette.”
She didn’t know how a high-ranking noble like Rosette would take it, but Angela spoke from the heart, revealing the dream she had cherished for so long. Of course, it was only a dream. Turning it into reality would require an immense amount of time and effort.
At her answer, Rosette gave a light smile.
“If you want it that badly, shall I make it happen? Make you a noble.”
“…Huh?”
The completely unexpected offer left Angela’s head spinning. She spoke with a hint of desperation.
“P-please don’t joke about that. There’s no way something like that could actually—”
“Why not? I may not look it, but I’m a ducal lady. Giving a commoner a barony is well within my power.”
“Ah…”
She had momentarily forgotten just how much power Rosette held. As the eldest daughter of one of the empire’s most powerful figures, her authority was no decoration. Elevating one commoner to low nobility was entirely possible.
Angela’s heart began to race wildly.
“From this moment on, swear that you will become my eternal dog. If you do, I’ll gladly make you a noble.”
“…!”
Rosette extended her hand. Angela swallowed dryly, intense thirst burning in her throat. The word “dog” didn’t actually repel her that much. She was already in a position where she had to come when called and go when ordered. It wasn’t much different.
And if she took that hand, she could finally become the noble she had always dreamed of. The sweet experience from earlier could become her everyday life instead of a fleeting dream. She might finally seize the chance to achieve her life’s goal—the happiness she had longed for.
But…
“What are you hesitating for? Don’t you want to become a noble?”
“I-I do! B-but… but I’m not ready yet… There’s the tea house starting tomorrow, and I have so many other things I need to do… I already broke my promise by coming out today, so…”
Angela stammered, unable to give a clear answer. In her heart she wanted to grab that hand immediately. She wanted to surrender to that sweet temptation. But she couldn’t.
Because she—Angela—was already—
“I see…”
Rosette slowly withdrew the hand she had offered. Then, with icy eyes, she stared directly at Angela’s face.
“Angela. You’re already serving another master, aren’t you?”
“!”
The words that left Rosette’s mouth were both completely unexpected and precisely accurate. Angela’s expression froze solid.
And then—
SLAP!!!
“…Huh?”