ACCORDING to Shannon, Sayaka and Asuka had become the latest targets of bullying at the academy. They fell victim to Shizuki’s trap and were sentenced to three days of community service for attempting to ridicule and expose me as a fraud. While this seemed like a light punishment on paper, the real and far greater consequence was their total loss of face and social standing for daring to harass a Sakurazaka.
To be honest, I would’ve more than liked to say, they got what they deserved! and left to them to their fate. But this was a world based on an otome game—an otome game that did not have a development in which the villainess’s former underlings get bullied!
Concerned that leaving them alone could lead to deviations from the original storyline, Shizuki and I discussed and agreed I should step in.
Thus, one afternoon, Shannon and I waited in ambush. As soon as her text arrived, I headed to the classroom and arrived just in time to see Asuka and Sayaka pushed to the floor with a blonde-haired bully towering over them, laughing menacingly.
With my usual dismissive flick of my hair, I anchored myself, slipping into my villainess persona. Time to get to villainessin’.
“Enjoying ourselves, are we, ladies?” I said with a haughty giggle.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Lady Mio?!” squeaked the blonde ringleader. “What are you doing here?!”
Shina Urama. Though an associate of the Sakurazaka Group, she never once appeared in the original story. I flashed her a perfunctory smile. “How quaint of you to ask, Ms. Shina. Considering this is my domain, my classroom, why would I not be here? You, on the other hand…”
The color drained from Shina’s face as my implication sank in. “L-Lady Mio, this isn’t what it looks like.”
“It isn’t? Well, that’s a relief. Because for sure I thought I was witnessing someone deliberately leaving their own class to torment someone in mine. But since that’s not the case, I can rest easy, can’t I?”
“L-Lady Mio…”
She couldn’t even bring herself to meet my gaze—to lie, to confirm or deny what I was saying, or to talk at all it seemed. She was going to play the role of the villain with such thin skin?
I closed the distance. “Ms. Shina, what were you saying just before I arrived? ‘Never mess with a Sakurazaka’?”
“I-I…!”
“You strike me as a girl with at least something between her ears, so I’ll explain it to you. Yes, I humbled these girls for daring to cross me, but that was where my interest ended. So,” my finger lifted her chin, compelling her gaze to lock with mine, “you are free to antagonize whomever you wish; that is beyond my concern. However, do not—ever—presume to act in my name again. Is that clear?”
Her nod was quick, desperate. “Y-Yes, sorry.” The tremble in her voice betrayed her fear, and she didn’t dare remove my touch.
“Will you do it ever again?” I asked, cryptically on purpose.
“D-Do what again?” Shina whimpered.
“Will you channel your frustrations onto others and use my name as your shield ever again?”
“Never. Never!” She shook her head violently.
I almost felt pity for her. Was I truly that intimidating? On reflection, I probably was. After all, in the public eye, I was the girl who had just orchestrated the complete downfall of Asuka and Sayaka. I guessed that no one wanted to even catch my eye right now.
In that case, I’d be merciful and wrap things up. “Allow me to make myself clear one last time. I will retaliate against every threat that comes my way without mercy, but I do not hurt innocents without reason. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” Shina replied quickly. “I won’t ever harass those two girls again!”
If only she had consistently applied such logic and reason, we might have avoided this unpleasant confrontation. But what could you do?
“Good,” I said. “Then we are in agreement. This conversation will be buried here, never to resurface. To spare you becoming like those two over there, I will act as if today’s events never transpired. Now leave.”
“Th-Thank you, Lady Mio! Excuse us!” Her gratitude was palpable, as was her haste to escape my presence. Hugging themselves, Shina and her entourage fled the room like baby spiders scattering into the shadows.
After they disappeared from view, I returned my gaze to Asuka and Sayaka. They just sat there in a daze, as if in utter disbelief of what had just transpired.
“Do you two intend to stay on the floor indefinitely?” I inquired.
“Oh, um.” Sayaka’s laughter was tinged with nervousness as she scrambled up, brushing off her skirt in a fluster. Asuka, on the other hand, remained sprawled on the ground, immobile.
“Ms. Asuka? Are you injured?” I pressed, showing slight concern.
She murmured something inaudible.
“What was that?” I urged.
“Why did you help us?” she asked louder but barely intelligible. “We tried to humiliate you, you know?” She hugged her knees closer, her defenses visibly up. Was accepting help from me such a blow to her ego?
“You call that humiliation?” I shot back. “Please. In actuality, I’m grateful to you. You and Sayaka played your roles to the hilt.”
She gripped herself even tighter. “You…bitch.”
“Yes, I’m a bitch. Yes, I look down on you. But that is no justification for them, or anyone else for that matter, to harass you like that.”
Sayaka suddenly spoke. “Is that why you stepped in?” She certainly seemed to be the more level-headed of the two.
I shifted my gaze to her. “Partly. But mostly, I intervened because I believe you two may still yet redeem yourselves.”
“Redeem ourselves?” Sayaka repeated.
“Yes. Now that through this incident, you know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of such treatment.”
“I…” Sayaka struggled to find words. I thought she had none to offer, but after a moment, she murmured, “We’ve always known what it felt like.”
I felt something shift inside me. I’d always thought of these two as mindless minions, mere pawns of the villainess that would ultimately contribute to her downfall. I’d never once thought about the fact that they were real people, burdened with fears and struggles of their own.
“Well, as long as you’re aware,” I returned, my voice softening. “Now, what you choose to do next—whether to change or continue on your path to ruination—is none of my concern.” With that, I turned to leave. But I found myself stopping in the doorway, turning to give them one final glance. My last words left me not in the voice of the villainess, but my own. “Ms. Sayaka, Ms. Asuka, it isn’t too late. You two can still save yourselves. Because unlike me, your hearts aren’t wholly darkened.”