Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Hothead Lady's Home Tutor (1)
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A common trait among the third-rate villains who pop up briefly at the start of a story and then vanish is, without a doubt, their low intelligence.
I mean, picking a fight with the protagonist right after they pull the holy sword?
I mean, trying to frame the protagonist when there's clear evidence against you?
I mean, not only wrecking the protagonist's home but killing their dog too, then passing the final blow to someone else?
They draw aggro with idiotic antics, get their comeuppance from the protagonist's justice punch, and blow open the readers' frustration vents.
They don't pose any real threat, have no deep backstory or convictions—they're just fools who fume on their own and drag their lives into ruin.
Disposable villains who show up quick, get used up fast, and were never meant to have any profound narrative from the author.
If these characters were smart, it'd wreck the story's plausibility.
So whether the novel's set in fantasy, martial arts, or modern times, third-rate villains have no choice but to be hotheads.
"Sebastian!"
"My name is Jarvis, Young Lady."
If she'd just shut her mouth, our Young Lady's face would actually be pretty. Her name is Tiona Mercifius Beckerpionte Krishantimaiu.
She's the third-rate villainess—scratch that, third-rate villainess lady—from the hit romance fantasy Academy Commoner Scholarship Student Obsessed by the Prince.
"I've finished the workbook!"
"You've only done the front side."
"Gasp! That's not true!"
"No, I even marked the bottom of the page for you. Young Lady, do you think it goes 1 then 3, 3 then 5?"
Of course she's a hothead.
"How am I supposed to see such tiny print? Ugh, this is why uneducated commoners—Kyaa!? It stings!!"
"I've told you about ten thousand times not to judge people by their status."
She's steeped in discrimination, yet lacks even a shred of the dignity befitting nobility.
"It stings! What is that!?"
"An electric shock using water elemental magic."
"What's electricity...?"
Pathetic girl.
For reference, in the original story, she snaps "How dare a lowly commoner like you!" at the protagonist, dooming not just herself but her entire house.
The epitome of a third-rate villainess lady.
"More importantly, Young Lady, finish the workbook."
"Workbooks are boring! Your Young Lady wants to hear romantic poetry, not do workbooks!"
"If you don't finish the workbook, we'll skip afternoon tea today."
"Eek...!?"
Tiona shrank back as if she'd heard the most horrifying thing in the world.
"S-Skip afternoon tea...? Sebastian, you're lying, right?"
"Not even a little. And it's Jarvis."
"Th-This is abuse! I'll report you to Father!!"
"Go ahead. The family head entrusted me with full authority over your education. And there's no such phrase as 'abuse-wa-yo.' Say 'abuse-i-wa-yo' or 'it's abusive-wa-yo' instead."
"Eeeeek...!!"
Tiona's ridiculous donut bun bobbed comically.
"Fine! I'll just finish this stupid workbook, that's all!!"
"A heads-up: wrong answers mean making an error notebook, so don't scribble nonsense."
"Wh-What's an error notebook...?"
"A notebook where you note the wrong problems, answers, and why you got them wrong."
"Hmph! If it makes you suffer, Sebastian, I'm all for it!"
"You're the one making the error notebook."
"What did you sayyyyyy!?!?"
I covered my ears.
To give you a sense of daily life with this hothead lady, let me describe today from start to finish.
First, our location: not the ducal castle or manor in the duke's territory, but the mansion the duke bought in the imperial capital.
It's in the Capital District's A District, home to nobles and wealthy merchants—anyone with influence.
Residents: me, Tiona, and two maids hired for housework. Total of four.
Here, I tend to Tiona from morning till night, handling her education.
Mornings go like this.
"Young Lady, time to get up."
"Ughhh... Nooo..."
"If you don't, I'll eat your breakfast portion too."
"Zzz..."
"By the way, today's menu is waffles I baked myself."
"Gasp...!!"
At the table.
"Young Lady, I won't say eat ladylike, but at least use a fork."
"Huh?"
Watching the duke's daughter suck cream and syrup straight off her fingers makes my blood pressure spike.
"No way, too annoying."
"...No more waffles from now on."
"Seras! Have you no heart!?"
"Who's Seras? An imaginary friend?"
"—!"
Why does that hit the mark?
After breakfast, I drag the girl who wants to nap back out for a walk.
"Sis, it's windy! This wind will ruin my skin!"
"Staying cooped up makes your skin oily. No walks and you'll get sick."
"No way! I'm not a dog!"
"True enough. Dogs are smarter than they look."
"That's too much!!"
Post-walk, bath time. Obviously handled by the maids, not me.
"Sniff, sniff... Sybilus dragged me like a dog... Next he'll leash me and make me crawl on all fours in public..."
"Hmm, cabbage soup for dinner tonight?"
"Eeeeeek!!"
After washing, a short break.
"Young Lady, study time... Get up! I said no lying down after eating!"
"Zzz..."
Then the oh-so-fun workbook time. We already saw that, so skip.
After, afternoon tea.
"Ufufufu, the scent of black tea!"
"Today's is peppermint."
"Never heard of that region!"
"......"
Next, second study session including error notebook.
"This... is torture... I'll sue in high court..."
"Please, for the family's honor, don't tarnish it further."
Dinner next.
"Sirius, I bestow broccoli upon you."
"I am deeply grateful, Young Lady. But I dare not accept, so here—take my carrots."
"Th-This is violence!"
"Aren't these fine carrots sliced and stir-fried just right? Try them."
"No! Carrots are peasant feed!"
"Peasant?"
"...Eek."
I straightened up and raised one finger. Tiona freaked out.
"S-Sorry..."
"Realizing your mistake so quick—it's touching, tears in my eyes. Be careful from now on."
"Okay..."
"And stop shoving broccoli onto my plate!"
Evenings are free time.
I indulge her a bit here.
"Charles, read this to me today!"
"Dancing Prim's love poems?"
"Yes!"
I have no idea what fun she gets from these cloying strings of sentences that kill your appetite, but tastes are tastes.
"Which one?"
"Any!"
I open to a random page and start.
"'Oh, my Susanna. Your breath is like the winds of the Euphrates, your lips like the scorching sun over Inpre-Sahara...'"
An hour or two suffices. Our hothead conks out by 10 p.m.
"Young Lady, off to bed."
"Yaaawn... Carry meee..."
"I'll add it to your tab."
Joking, but honestly not thrilled.
She's the daughter of a great noble. Weird rumors could cost me my head. No unnecessary contact.
Still, carrying her inside is within job bounds. Calling staff this late is rude.
I slide arms under her back and knees.
"Ugh..."
Tiona twitched oddly.
"What's wrong?"
Feeling shy, maybe?
"I need the bathroom..."
"Sigh, knew it, you hothead."
"Did I mishear?"
"Of course, Young Lady. Let's go."
"D-don't shake too much... Might leak..."
"Got it."
"That's no way to treat a lady!!"
"I'm dying here! Ack!!"
......
......
......
"Ugh."
Another noisy day.
Ears still ringing even after escaping Tiona.
'This gonna cause tinnitus or something?'
World lacks modern worker comp, but maybe squeeze extra from the duke at retirement.
"Phew..."
Craving a smoke I've never had.
Not planning to start.
'One year left.'
Till our hothead enters the academy.
By then, teach her human manners, conscience, and baseline intelligence.
Success means huge reward. Power denied to a no-connections commoner like me.
Fail? Duke promised to hunt me down anywhere and smash me.
"Sigh..."
If she were just a normal dullard, it'd be generous. But as you see, she's exceptional.
Ambitious commoners willing to bet their lives abound, but most'd bolt by week one. Zero odds, rewards irrelevant.
And I accepted knowing that.
Not career-obsessed.
Not that into wealth and glory.
Pre-possession, I was an average Seoul everyman.
Dream home: not a mansion, a three-bedroom apartment.
Ideal wife: not a princess, a busty pretty girl from a slightly richer family.
Max wealth hope: enough to loaf three generations. Bonus if no one knows my face.
But.
I know this world's truth.
The romance fantasy masterpiece Academy Commoner Scholarship Student Obsessed by the Prince swerves into grimdark late-game, tanking its 9.91 average to 1-point territory.
No fixes. Finale dives into extreme despair.
Heroine almost pairs with male lead—he dies. Sub-males die. Friends die. Capital burns. Empire swallowed by writhing outer god darkness.
Last line: heroine in worse-than-death hell realizes no rest in death, no oblivion in madness. A scream.
Grimdark drifts into horror.
Author's note at end: "Failed. Couldn't beat the enemy without the Red Witch."
Black Saintess.
Blue Swordswoman.
White Mage.
Protagonist's party fights invading outer gods, perishes breaking grimdark/horror.
Red Witch's role? Obvious.
"Haaa..."
Tiona.
Turn this hothead third-rate villainess lady into academy-worthy talent.
Into the Red Witch who can join the protagonist's crew.
To save this world.
Failure? Better the duke than that.
Contract's pure profit for me. Zero risk.
Shake head to lighten heavy thoughts.
Shitty situation, but what can ya do.
Whining changes nothing. Sleep bad, tomorrow suffers.
And morning came.
Knock knock.
"Young Lady, time to—"
"Don't come in!!!"
"...?"
New pattern.
That averse to studying?
"I-If you come in, I'll kill you!!"
Villainess indeed—not "I'll die," but "I'll kill you."
"No choice then."
"R-Right!?"
"Kill me if you can."
"Kyaaaaaaaah!!!!"