The Selfish Villainess
Bella senior's low, trembling voice rang through the training hall.
I couldn't bring myself to lift my head.
Ah... I'm screwed.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
I tried my best to play dumb, but I couldn't hide the tremor in my voice.
"Don't pretend you don't know."
Bella senior's voice sank even colder.
"I saw it earlier when you came out of the room too. You almost fell because you couldn't properly see where the doorknob was. I thought it was just a slip then... but looking at you now, it wasn't."
Ha... so she already knew everything.
"If I say... I'm fine, you won't believe me anymore, will you?"
"That's right."
Bella senior answered without hesitation.
"From now on, I will never believe a word when you claim you're okay."
Deep worry and pity lingered in her cold gaze.
"So."
Bella senior took another step closer.
Her eyes bored relentlessly into my right eye.
"That eye—why did it end up like that? Since when? What's the reason?"
I shrugged as casually as I could manage and made an excuse.
"...Well... it's a side effect."
"Side effect? What kind of side effect? Don't tell me—it's because of that strange power you used when we fought those monsters back then?"
My shoulder flinched slightly at her final words.
"...Yeah."
I had no choice but to confess.
"That power... the price for using the Evil God's authority."
The moment she heard it, sadness and deep guilt clouded Bella senior's face.
She was clearly blaming herself for the fact that I had used the authority.
"No, this isn't your fault, senior!"
I waved my hands in a frantic denial.
"Those monsters were after me anyway. Even if it hadn't been you, I would have had to use it! And this... it might get better with time!"
I found myself speaking comfortingly without meaning to, but Bella senior's expression didn't improve in the slightest.
Instead she looked at me with an even colder gaze and said,
"I just told you. From now on, I will never believe you when you say you're okay."
"……."
I had nothing left to say.
Bella senior looked straight into my eyes and asked again. Anxiety filled her voice.
"Is it really... treatable? Are you sure?"
"...I don't know."
I finally lowered my head and answered weakly.
Watching Bella senior's face grow even more desolate at my reply, I let out a deep sigh inside.
Haa... this won't do.
Having someone worry about me was a pleasant feeling, but receiving that kind of pity over every little thing was thoroughly bothersome.
Because my end was ultimately destined for ruin.
"Senior."
"……."
"For now... I can't use this authority for a while. No—I won't use it. Master forbade it too, and I don't want my body breaking down any further either. So don't worry too much."
I hesitated a little before adding,
"And... from now on, I won't hide things like this. If a problem comes up... I'll tell you first, senior."
At those words, Bella senior's eyes widened slightly.
Surprise flickered across them, followed by a faint trace of relief.
"In exchange... you don't worry too much either, senior."
I met her eyes and spoke seriously.
"If you keep fretting and getting anxious over me like that, it makes it hard for me to be honest too. In the end I have no choice but to pretend I'm fine and lie again. Understand?"
Bella senior looked briefly stunned by my words.
As if she had only just realized that her concern might actually be making things harder for me. She stayed silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.
"...I understand. I'll try."
Her voice still trembled a little, but it was far calmer than before.
Sorry, senior.
In the end I was nothing more than a selfish villainess who deceived others just to avoid the discomfort of my own feelings.
After a brief, awkward silence, we decided to continue the sparring session.
Senior had wanted to stop, but I insisted I needed to adapt to my changed vision, and that settled it.
Thwack!
"...Kh!"
Bella senior's wooden sword sliced through empty air, and my own wooden blade slipped into the opening and struck her side cleanly.
She let out a short grunt and stepped back. It was already the umpteenth solid hit.
Huh?
Something felt off.
Had I... always fought this well?
"Haa... haa..."
Bella senior was breathing hard as she dropped her wooden sword.
Bewilderment and outright shock were written across her face.
"This is impossible..."
She stared at me blankly and muttered,
"These movements, this reaction speed... and this absurd mana control on top of it. I've never seen anyone fight the way you do. And you're telling me you have no talent?"
"Huh? Me? That good?"
I was just as dazed.
I hadn't been aware of it at all.
Suddenly Master's words came back to me.
Back when I had been grumbling that I had no talent, Master had smirked and said,
"Your talent is quite outstanding, so don't get too discouraged."
At the time I had assumed it was just empty comfort...
Could it have been the truth?
"Martial arts fundamentally require both the ability to move the body with precision and the ability to freely control mana at the same time before they can be properly learned."
Bella senior began explaining, clearly trying to rein in her excitement.
"Yet your movements and mana control already far surpass Level 5. For someone like you to be completely unable to learn martial arts... it doesn't make sense. There has to be some other reason."
I tilted my head at her words.
Was that really true?
Was my talent that exceptional?
Then why couldn't I use martial arts?
"Then... should we try actually learning some martial arts this time?"
I looked at Bella senior and made the suggestion.
A small hope stirred that she might notice something different.
"Yeah. Good idea."
Bella senior's eyes lit up with fresh motivation.
"We'll start with the absolute basics. This is the fundamental footwork taught at the Academy. You focus mana into your feet and move as fast as the wind. I'll demonstrate first, so watch carefully."
Senior moved her feet lightly.
Her body blurred like an afterimage and crossed the training hall like a gust of wind.
Fast, fluid motion. It was basic, yet clearly a refined technique.
"Alright, your turn. Just like I showed you—concentrate mana into your feet, lower your center of gravity, then..."
I tried to focus mana into my feet exactly as she instructed.
But something was wrong.
The mana moved according to my will, yet instead of concentrating precisely in my feet it simply spread through my entire legs, only enhancing my physical abilities.
"It's not working?"
I tried several more times, but the result was the same.
The mana refused to take the form of a technique and merely boosted my body in a vague, general way.
"Try again. Make the flow of mana a little more precise..."
Bella senior offered advice from the side, but it was useless.
In the end I awkwardly misstepped and staggered. Forget footwork—I could barely stay upright.
"……."
Bella senior stared at me with an expression of pure disbelief.
I felt the same.
As if the movements and mana control I had displayed in the sparring moments earlier had been a lie, I couldn't use even the most basic martial art.
As expected... I really had no talent.
What on earth was the problem?
I tried again and again exactly as Bella senior had taught me.
I focused mana into the tips of my toes, steadied my breathing, and tried to shift my center of gravity.
But the result never changed.
The mana still spread wilfully through my entire legs, and my feet tangled and stumbled instead of moving like the wind.
"This is truly strange."
Bella senior crossed her arms and watched me with a grave expression.
After observing my clumsy attempts for a long while, she finally spoke.
"It's almost as if... some kind of Geas has been placed on you. As if something itself refuses to allow you to learn martial arts."
"Pfft!"
I couldn't help snorting with laughter at her words.
A Geas, of all things.
A restriction obtained by a Transcendent—or someone of equivalent standing—through a bargain with the scales inside the Akashic Records.
Like Master, who had placed a restriction on herself to maximize other abilities.
That was a Geas.
"Come on, senior. I'm no Transcendent. What Geas are you talking about?"
I waved it off with a laugh.
"I just don't have the talent."
"...True enough."
Bella senior accepted my words, yet the look of lingering suspicion never quite left her face.
Still, she didn't press the matter any further.
"Well, whatever the reason, that's enough for today."
Senior rolled her stiff shoulders as she spoke.
"It's already quite late."
I glanced at the clock hanging on the training room wall and realized time had indeed flown by.
I hadn't noticed while concentrating, but I had worked up quite a sweat as well.
"Then... we should go wash up soon."
Bella senior wiped her sweat with a towel and said,
"You've sweated a lot too, so let's go wash together."
"Huh? W-wash? Together?"
I doubted my own ears.
Together?
Me and Bella senior?
My mind went blank for a moment and my face burned hot.
"Why? Is there a problem?"
Bella senior looked at me as if it were the most natural thing in the world, genuinely puzzled by my fluster.
She already had a towel and a change of clothes in hand.
"No... it's not that..."
I stammered.
Since we were both women, washing together shouldn't be a big deal, but...
"Not coming? Then I'll go first."
Bella senior still waited for my answer with a completely calm expression.
Looking at that face, it really seemed she had said "let's go wash together" with no ulterior motive whatsoever.
I fretted inwardly, torn over whether to follow Bella senior or not.
I had learned how women bathed together from the times I occasionally shared a bath with Master...
It should be fine, right?