Unintended Encounter -2-

Yuria hates me.

From the first day we met at the Imperial Academy right up to now, Yuria has hated me.

"Ricardo."

"Yes?"

"That pervert's staring at you."

"Pervert?"

"That pink-haired girl over there has been watching you nonstop since earlier."

"Nah... no way."

Our eyes met, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the pink-haired girl quickly whipped her head away.

"Holy shit, she really is."

The "pervert" the young lady mentioned—this novel's heroine, Yuria.

I guess she found it weird that I'd shown up to the entrance ceremony in butler garb, or maybe she just didn't like my looks. Either way, Yuria kept stealing glances at me throughout the dean's boring speech, her cheeks flushing red.

Muttering to herself, "He's crazy, he's crazy."

It freaked me out—like she'd seen right through me and pegged me for a lunatic. Who wouldn't be scared hearing that from the girl who rises to the top of the world in the novel's late game?

I'm not crazy, though. Sure, I built up poison resistance by chugging toxic mushroom soup for fun, and gained fire immunity by diving headfirst into salamander breath, but that doesn't make me insane.

Back then, I figured I'd fucked up from the start with the heroine—the one who bags romances with the strongest guys. The one who, late in the story, wipes out undead hordes with a flick of her wrist. Getting on her bad side at the entrance ceremony? Yeah, I sensed I was screwed.

After that, for some reason, Yuria started tailing me in secret. One day, she even slipped a weird letter into my shoe locker.

I thought it was a setup for a group beating, so I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bundled up thick even in midsummer and went to the spot—but no one showed. I remember that clear as day. Happened about three times.

Fountain. Girls' dorm. School rooftop.

I showed up on time every time, but came back empty-handed, pointless trips. Sure, it pissed me off, but at least no mob lynching.

There was a fourth letter, but I had something come up and couldn't make it.

Anyway, while at the academy on the young lady's orders, I bullied Yuria.

"Oh dear, sorry! I was watering the flowers and accidentally spilled wine on your dress."

"Flowers right now...?"

"Oh! The flower can talk!"

I tried to keep the bullying as harmless as possible so it wouldn't really hurt her.

"It's fine. I'm a flower, after all!"

"I'm truly sorry. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠just love cosmos flowers so much."

"Do I look like a cosmos?"

"Yeah~ If you tell me your name, I can compensate you..."

"Forget that—dance with me later? I don't have a partner."

Yuria took it all with that carefree, happy laugh of hers. She really was as kind-hearted as in the novel. Even when the bullying crossed lines, she'd just smile at me for some reason. Hell, she'd even eat lunch with me.

Maybe it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was because she was the heroine. So tolerant, so considerate.

But I pushed her away.

We'd started off on good terms, but cracks formed after the young lady got rejected by Mikhail.

"Ricardo. See that trashy bitch?"

"No, I don't."

"Shut up. Look properly."

"..."

"Lock her in the closet till the party's over."

"Do we really have to go that far?"

"Better than killing her, right?"

"As you wish."

The young lady was the villainess back then. I knew she couldn't even squash an ant, so she wouldn't actually do it—but variables always exist.

I played mediator between her and Yuria. When the young lady heard weird rumors from the other noble ladies, I'd call it a misunderstanding. When they provoked her into scheming, I'd talk her down. All so Yuria might hate her a little less.

Maybe she knew how I felt, because the young lady would secretly tip me off about the other ladies' plots.

"May 12th."

"Yes?"

"Check the dungeon."

In the novel, Yuria faced mortal peril plenty of times—not just from our young lady. Ladies who liked Mikhail. Ladies who liked Ruin. High nobles secretly pining for the crown prince, jealous as hell.

Poisoned tea. Kidnappings in alleys. Bribed classmates leaving her behind in dungeons.

I'd swoop in to save her before shit hit the fan, and Yuria misunderstood every time.

"How long is this gonna go on? Just kill me already."

Poisoned black tea. Lost in the dungeon. And now locked up?

"That's not—"

"Not what? You're always there when shit goes down. You expect me to believe that?"

"And you saved me again this time, huh?"

"Yuria, hear me out."

"No. I can't trust you anymore. I must be the crazy one for ever thinking well of you."

I wanted to clear it up, but she wouldn't listen. All those threats she'd endured overlapped with me in her mind.

I got why she hated me.

Still, we kept bullying her. If not the young lady, the others might actually kill her. We stuck to harassment that never threatened her life.

In the end, as the tragic heroine, Yuria overcame every hardship with grit. The young lady and I met the same canon ending.

And Yuria? She hated our guts. Never smiled at me again.

After expulsion, a letter arrived at the mansion: "I don't like you anymore." And "You're the worst villain I've ever met."

True enough—I couldn't reply.

Yuria's staring at me.

A mix of emotions flickers across her face. Her expression's stiff as she watches me. Gone is the bright academy smile—in its place, icy coldness.

"Long time no see?"

Her voice is sharp. I force an awkward grin.

"Haha... good to see you."

Perpetrator and victim. No clue what to say. Nothing I could utter would land well.

Right now, I just wanted out.

Should I bolt?

Vanishing in a flash—turn into the bad guy for a sec and done. Better than sticking around red-faced. Best for Ruin, Yuria, and me.

As I pondered waking an elite orc for escape time, Yuria—clenching and unclenching her fists—spoke up.

"Not thrilled to see you. We're not the type to chat and smile, are we?"

"Sorry. Been so long, I must've misread it."

She sighs. A ton of baggage there.

"First time since Olivia got expelled, right?"

Expulsion. Bad memories.

"What'd I do wrong? Kick me out 'cause I like someone? You all fawn over that bitch—why can't I?!"

The young lady screaming, fists balled. Professors ignoring her. Sub-male leads and students cursing as we got dragged out.

The crown prince shut her mouth in an instant, looking at us like bugs.

"Shut it, Olivia."

Ruin, thrilled to snag top spot, grinned like a thorn finally pulled.

"Fucking pathetic."

Mikhail, all pure and proud:

"I'll never forgive you."

Hated that prick bargaining forgiveness, but Yuria was there, so I held back. We had wronged her, after all. Didn't wanna look uglier at the end.

"Don't ever show your face again."

No love, no friendship—just that send-off as we left. The scene replayed in my head.

Crown prince. Mikhail. Ruin. Yuria.

Bonds we'd never bridge. Mutual hate, pushing away. Evil fates.

At the center stood Yuria, saying to me:

"Why'd you run away?"

"Run?"

"Yeah. Should've at least explained before bailing."

She stared straight at me—even with Ruin right there.

I didn't get what "running" meant.

Why call it running when she said never show up again?

I asked her.

"What're you talking about...?"

"Why didn't you reenroll at the academy? I waited so..."

Yuria cuts off.

"Sigh... what bullshit is this now."

She shakes her head.

"You weren't expelled, Ricardo. You should've come back."

"The young lady was."

"What's that got to do with you?"

"Everything."

I told her, firm.

"Where I'm from, we have this thing called collective responsibility. One fucks up, the whole group pays."

"Not my problem. You should've fixed it before leaving. The school life you ruined. Own it."

She scoffs, incredulous. Disgusted by me invoking responsibility.

"Didn't read my letter?"

"I did."

"Then shouldn't you have come back and said something? If you had a conscience... That collective responsibility crap? Just fancy talk for running away together."

Calmly demanding accountability. Nothing to say.

Yuria's voice rises, emotions boiling over. From "I don't give a shit about you" to raw feeling leaking out.

"Why? No fault of yours? Olivia made you? Gonna claim innocence?"

"No."

She had the root wrong.

"Yuria. Why would I have no fault?"

I don't like hiding personal fuckups. Already the villain—no point mincing words; she won't listen anyway. Might as well go full truth for catharsis.

Spit it straight.

"Remember getting ditched in the dungeon? I was there."

"...What?"

"Spying on you."

Her face hardens.

"And those morning desk scribbles? 'Get out of the academy.'"

"..."

"Me too."

She asks:

"Why?"

"'Cause..."

Young lady's orders? Nah. Every school bully's excuse.

"It was fun."

Truth was, all for her sake. But her favorability said otherwise. Had to play it this way.

Might as well commit fully to being the bad guy. Just wanted to get back to the young lady ASAP.