The girl bit down hard on her lip and lowered her head. Brima Bickel, like Angelina, was also from Japan.
Angelina had realized this the very day she enrolled at the academy in the pre-rewind world, when she happened to glimpse one of Brima’s notebooks, scribbled full of notes in Japanese.
Learning she wasn’t the only reincarnator in this world, Angelina decided to make use of Brima, who was timid, spineless, and in the game itself so unimportant she didn’t even have a name.
In the game, the best friend character first appeared in a scene where Sierra was harassed by one of Angelina’s followers, who cut her hair. If that event could be triggered, Angelina could hijack the “best friend” position for herself.
In the pre-rewind world, she had revealed her reincarnated identity to Brima and used the Bickel barony as leverage to threaten her into cutting Sierra’s hair. From there, everything had gone smoothly. Angelina, helping Sierra up before the original best friend character ever appeared, became close to her, and even gained Brima as a servant in the process.
It had been the perfect result. Which was exactly why, this time around, Angelina had attempted to replicate it step for step. But just look at how that turned out. Nothing was going the way it had before.
Angelina glared at Brima. The girl finally managed to haul herself upright, speaking through her tears. “It wasn’t like that, I swear! Lady Milly just happened to pass by right then!”
“And I’m asking why you didn’t drive her off on the spot. Are you stupid?”
“I-I tried! I tried to drive her away with magic, but it bounced off in some strange direction and...”
“What?! Of course it did! Did you forget that idiot has the Grand Duke’s Blessing?!”
“Oh...” Angelina’s shout sent Brima crumpling pale-faced to the floor once more.
The pitiful sight only stoked Angelina’s fury further, and she clicked her tongue yet again.
Brima, who was supposed to know the game, had somehow forgotten the “losing event,” where any attack against Milly was nullified under the grand duke’s protection.
Unbelievable. Beyond pathetic. Crossing one leg over the other, Angelina sat back down and looked upon Brima with eyes full of scorn.
“How pitiful. Because you’re such a useless fool, the Bickel barony—scraping by on the trashy cotton it sells my family—will soon be ruined.”
For Brima, those words were no less than a death sentence. The Bickel barony survived only by selling cotton grown on its meager lands to the Grey family.
If she lost that patronage, they’d have nothing. For a family already overburdened with far too many children, it wouldn’t just be a setback, it would mean ruin. Starvation. Suicide.
Brima knew that perfectly well. Shaking, she staggered to her feet and pressed her forehead to the floor at Angelina’s feet. “I-I’m sorry! I beg you! Please, anything but that!”
“That house of yours has children crawling everywhere, doesn’t it? Instead of groveling before me, maybe decide which rug rat you’re going to sell off first.” Angelina nudged Brima’s shoulder with her foot, mocking the wretched sight.
Though they were both reincarnators, Brima had no memory of the pre-rewind world.
Of course she didn’t. In the game, she didn’t even have a name. She was just a faceless background character. Clearly, retaining her memories across timelines was a privilege reserved for the chosen villainess alone.
At any rate, now that I can’t seize the best friend role, I’ll have to make sure Milly quits the council.
Angelina’s gaze slid from the trembling Brima to the notes scattered across her desk. On one sheet, written in neat Japanese characters, the heading read: “Tea Party Event.” It was a detailed breakdown of the soon-to-come tea party, step by step. This was the first major event that unfolded in the game.
In this event, the heroine Sierra became embroiled in an incident: Poison was slipped into a student’s teacup, and suspicion immediately fell on Sierra, the commoner seated at the same table. By clearing her name, Sierra won the attention of Nicholas, the student council president, and secured a place in the council.
In the pre-rewind world, that incident never took place. The culprit in the game, Angelina herself, chose not to set the plan in motion. As a result, the event never occurred, and because Angelina spent her time glued to Sierra’s side, the tea party passed without incident.
Angelina still remembered how favorable that outcome had been. With Sierra never entering the council, Angelina had been free to deepen her bond with Gilbert alone.
I don’t have the luxury of fussing over Sierra this time around.
Her top priority now was driving Milly Asteara out of the council. She had to put every ounce of effort into that, and the tea party was the perfect opportunity. There might never be another.
“A poisoned teacup, hmm...”
Tracing a finger along the bold words in her notes, Angelina muttered under her breath. She already had an idea or two for how to use it to force Milly’s resignation. But the thought of failure made her hesitate. Especially now, when irregularities were cropping up at every turn, the risk of something unpredictable happening was too high.
Would she take that risk or simply bite her tongue and watch Milly sit in the council, day after day?
After turning it over in her mind, Angelina was suddenly struck by a flash of brilliance. Actually, I’ve got it. The perfect plan. Her lips curled into a crooked smile, and a breathy laugh slipped through her teeth. It was too wonderful an idea.
Angelina lifted her teacup with practiced grace, savoring a sip before resolving herself. I’ll drive her out. I’ll see that woman cast from the council, without fail.
That would come first. Killing Milly Asteara would wait until after the grand duke met his pathetic end.