Chapter 5
Chapter 5
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Hothead Lady's Home Tutor (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In the romance fantasy world, electric lights don't exist yet at night. Only lanterns or candles chase away the darkness, so once the sun sets, even inside the house is swallowed by shadows.
Late at night, on my desk where I was preparing Tiona's new workbook, a single candle was the only source of light.
'Addition done, subtraction done, and even the multiplication tables finished.'
Since it's a custom workbook, I have to make everything by hand from scratch. I jot down a rough draft on paper, revise and refine it, then copy it over neatly.
A world without modern conveniences brings inconveniences in every way imaginable. I've been here for over twenty years now, so I'm used to it.
"Yawn..."
I stretched.
It was just as I thought I should head to bed since there's still tomorrow.
Click.
Someone triggered the detection spell I'd placed around the house.
'Thieves?'
Cities are always full of thieves by nature, but it had been ages since any bold ones tried robbing Area A.
"Darkness." I chanted in the tongue of mystery, and the darkness clung to my body.
「Yay! It's been so long!」
"「Long time no see. Mind hiding me for a bit?」"
「If it's for you, I'd hide you until the big yellow one rises again!」
"「Appreciate it, but just a short while will do.」"
The darkness fully shrouded my body.
With my footsteps silenced, I slipped out the back door into the yard. Sure enough, a shady two-man team was prying open a first-floor window to break in.
'Lucky. They don't look all that tough.'
So I simply sidled up beside them and tapped their shoulders.
"What are you doing there?"
"Gulp—"
"Quiet!"
I smashed the head of the one trying to yell, knocking him out cold.
"We—"
"I said be quiet."
Thud.
Thump. Thump.
'Argh.'
I told them not to make a racket, so why are both of these idiots trying to kick up a fuss? If our villainess lady can't sleep at night and wakes up extra vicious tomorrow, are they gonna take responsibility?
'Anyway, what to do with these clowns.'
Too much hassle to tie them up and lock them away, so I figured I'd just dump them at the police station.
I hauled out the handcart I use for lugging stuff around and stacked the two unconscious thieves one on top of the other.
Rattle, rattle.
"Thieves trying to break into the Duke's Daughter's house? We'll toss 'em in holding for now."
"Thanks for the trouble."
The next day in broad daylight, a patrol officer showed up.
"Sir, those guys from last night keep insisting they want to see you."
"Now? I'm kinda busy at the moment..."
It just so happened to be time to take Tiona out for her walk.
"Well, here's the thing."
The officer lowered his voice.
"They're claiming to be followers of some evil cult. Could you come verify for us?"
"Pardon?"
We headed down to the station basement. They'd isolated them separately just in case.
The two thugs were gripping the holding cell bars. The moment I appeared, they started yelling different things.
"We are survivors of the Blood-Dripping Tongue Cult!"
"Revenge! Foe of the cult!!"
"...?"
I drew closer for a look and told the officer,
"Fakes. Looks like they heard some weird rumors somewhere and spiraled into delusions."
"Figured as much."
One of the thieves, the guy, yelled,
"What're you talking about? We really are cult survivors!"
"Hey, don't go tossing that around lightly. What if word gets back to the real Blood-Dripping Tongue Cult?"
"That's why—we are the real deal! The ones you destroyed!"
"Me?"
It's true I'd once wiped out a single church belonging to the outer god cult these bozos were ranting about.
But.
"No way that's true."
"...Huh?"
"See? You don't even grasp how terrifying outer gods are."
If taking down one measly church could wipe out a whole cult, the original protagonist's party wouldn't have gone through all that hell. And even after all their suffering, they still failed to fend off the invasion.
"Ah, no, for real... we..."
"If you're that insistent, show me something—proof you're outer god apostles."
"Pr-proof..."
"None, huh?"
"There is! Right here!"
The male thief hiked up his pant leg at the ankle.
"There used to be a blood-red brand stamped right here!"
"...There's nothing there."
"There was! It vanished after you destroyed us with your sword!"
"Handy little backstory."
"It's not backstory—it's the truth!"
"And if you two really were servants of the Tongue, why can't you muster any power?"
"That's—"
"Because 'the day I destroyed your church,' right?"
"Exactly!"
"Ah, yes, of course. Sure, sure."
"Arrrgh! You gotta respect us! We've chased you across countless days—"
I shook my head at the officer.
Leaving the bellowing thieves behind, we climbed back up to the ground floor.
"Thanks for cooperating despite your busy schedule."
"No problem. So what happens to those idiots now?"
"Ordinary crooks would head to prison or a labor camp, but if we rule 'em mentally ill, off to a treatment facility... Though."
The officer eyed me, his gaze sparkling with an almost burdensome level of admiration.
"No way—you're that guy from the rumors—"
"You're late!"
Cutting off the officer's words like it was the most natural thing, as expected of our villainess lady.
I gave the officer a slight bow and led our thoroughly pissed-off young lady outside.
"Sorry, it took longer than I expected."
"You think a lame apology like that gets you forgiven!?"
I hadn't done it on purpose, but I had kept Tiona waiting.
"What can I do to make it up to you?"
"I wanna try that! Buy me one!"
Does an instant answer like that usually pop out? Wasn't she buzzing with excitement the whole wait, dreaming up ways to mess with me?
"What's that... sausages?"
Where Tiona was pointing sat a typical street stall grilling sausage skewers.
"That's what they call sausages?"
"Weird. This is supposed to be a noble lady exclusive event."
"I am a noble lady, right?"
"Gasp."
Come to think of it, she is. A villainess lady still counts as a noble lady. But does that mean a villainess gets to enjoy noble lady events?
I bought a sausage skewer, slathered it with ketchup and mustard, and handed it to the young lady.
"It's hot, so eat it carefully."
"Let's see... Nom!"
Tiona's eyes sparkled brightly.
"It's delicious!"
Maybe it's some universal law? Put commoner food in front of a highborn lady's mouth, and she turns into a cat hopped up on catnip.
"But it's so spicy, I can't eat too much! My mouth's all salty now!"
"Hmm..."
I pointed to a nearby bakery.
"How about pairing it with some white bread? You could even sandwich it between slices."
"There's a way to do that!? Let's go right now!"
"Miss, don't run—"
As expected, Tiona bolted off, crashed into a bakery clerk, and both went tumbling.
"Eek!?"
"Ow!?"
Tiona sprang up, ready to yell.
"Now— Mmph!?"
I rushed over at top speed and clapped a hand over her mouth.
"Are you alright, miss? And you too, clerk?"
I kept up a calm facade on the outside, but my heart hammered like crazy—worse than the time I realized our mountain campsite was actually perched on a dragon's head.
Because the bakery clerk who'd collided with our lady was none other than the original story's protagonist.
Cynthia Frey.
A plain beauty with unremarkable black eyes and hair.
A commoner girl who'd bounced between odd jobs around the capital, until some incident awakened her talents and got her into the academy.
And despite her skepticism toward the gods' existence, she awakened the greatest divine power in a thousand years—earning her the double-edged title of Black Saintess.
For reference, "plain beauty" means she looks averagely pretty when she's not bothering with her appearance, but get her properly dolled up and she crushes every other woman in the room.
Put simply, she's the romance fantasy version of a protagonist who hides her power.
Seeing the bread scattered around us, a scene from the original story flashed in my mind.
The noble tries to just walk away after bumping into her, but the commoner girl grabs their hem.
"Wait! No matter how grand you are, you still have to pay for the bread you knocked over!"
That was Cynthia's character.
The kind of woman who never gives up no matter how tough things get—always bold, principled, and gutsy. The epitome of a protagonist.
"Uh...?"
Cynthia blinked.
Finally registering the situation, her eyes went wide and blank.
"Eek!"
Cynthia dropped to her knees on the spot.
Lightning-fast reflexes—she'd place in a kneel-speed contest, no problem.
"I'm so sorry a worthless commoner like me dared bump into someone so noble!! I'll lick the soles of your shoes if you please just forgive me!"
"...?"