Not the Villainess, but the Maid

Chapter 19: Temporary Alliance

The shady underside of the academy.

There existed the cunning villainess Clara and her followers.

Clara, surrounded by her loyal girls, wore a grim expression.

“She’s a far more dangerous person than we initially thought. The maid of the Sarka family, Amber…”

The commoner who seemed naive and foolish on the first day of school turned out to have an astounding background beyond their imagination.

“Not only is she a commoner, but she’s also the fiancée of the Second Princess Amethyst Lupine and Ruby Sarka’s exclusive maid.”

Using her unique status, she was rumored to ruthlessly blackmail weak-hearted nobles like Diana.

This was the gossip that circulated about Amber among the students.

Clara and her followers gathered all the rumors about Amber and shared the information they had heard.

“Recently, I heard she’s forming a club with other nobles…”

“A club? That’s unusual. A first-year student creating a club…”

At that moment, one of her followers seemed to recall something.

“Ah…! Yesterday, I saw her entering an old abandoned building with Ruby.”

“What? Why are you telling me this just now?”

“I-I’m sorry, Clara…”

Clara pinched the bridge of her nose and, in a calmer voice, asked her follower again.

“Tell me the details.”

“…Yesterday afternoon, I saw her walking behind the school grounds with Ruby. At first, I thought they were just taking a stroll, but when I followed them secretly, they went into a building I’d never seen before.”

“A building you’ve never seen before…”

Clara, feeling she had obtained a valuable piece of information, voiced her suspicion.

“They must be scheming something there. A woman’s intuition can tell.”

“As expected of Clara! Your instincts are extraordinary!”

“Fufu, you’re just realizing that now?”

Amber, the two-faced villainess threatening Clara’s position.

Though she wore an innocent expression, Clara was convinced there was a venomous snake lurking within her.

“This is an opportunity. We’ll uncover what they’re up to in that place and expose the vile true nature of Amber, that commoner, for all to see.”

After obtaining permission from the student council president, Citrine, to form a club, the young lady and I met in the usual empty library right after class.

However, this time, we weren’t there to read books, but for a club-related meeting.

Unfolding the paper she handed me, I suggested to Ruby.

“I think it’d be best to put your name down as the representative.”

“…Alright. Let’s use my name.”

Since the representative was essentially the club president, it made more sense for her, rather than a commoner like me, to be listed.

“Now that we’ve completed the application form and secured the clubroom… Is there anything else we need?”

As we casually assumed the library as our clubroom, Coral, who had been observing us from across the table, asked curiously.

“Wait a second… A club? A clubroom? What are you two talking about?”

Coral tilted her head, brushing her violet hair to the side.

‘Ah, that’s right. We didn’t tell Coral anything about this…’

Feeling awkward, I hesitated for a moment before answering her with an uneasy smile.

“…Actually, Ruby and I are planning to form a club.”

“A club?”

While I was trying to figure out how to ask for permission to use the library as the clubroom, Ruby spoke directly to Coral.

“Coral.”

She declared bluntly.

“We’re going to use this library as our clubroom.”

“…Excuse me?”

Coral looked flustered at Ruby’s matter-of-fact declaration.

“Of course, we’re not asking for it for free. This place must’ve been like your private retreat all this time.”

With an expressionless face, Ruby pulled something small from her pocket and handed it to Coral.

“What’s this, Ruby?”

“Read it. You’ll like it.”

Coral, confused, read what was written on the small piece of paper Ruby handed her.

“Amber… Rental Coupon…?”

“Each one is valid for 24 hours. Not a bad deal, right?”

An absurd item, an Amber Rental Coupon, had appeared.

Feeling embarrassed, I turned to Ruby with a questioning look.

“Wait a second. What exactly is an Amber Rental Coupon, my lady?”

And there was no way Coral would agree to this ridiculous offer…

“Sure, that works for me.”

Contrary to my expectations, Coral smiled in satisfaction and tucked the coupon into her pocket.

“…I can’t understand either of you.”

In any case, the deal was successfully sealed through this suspicious bribe, and Coral naturally joined as a member of the club.

We began discussing our plans with her participation.

I pointed at the paper spread across the table and explained.

“The current issue is the number of club members. According to this, we need at least ten members to apply for the club.”

So far, we had myself, Ruby, Amethyst, Diana, and Coral—five members in total.

Unless each of us kidnapped someone, it seemed impossible to reach ten members.

The problem was that I didn’t have any other friends besides them.

“Miss Ruby, do you have anyone else in mind to bring in?”

“…No, I don’t.”

“Coral, what about you?”

“Same here.”

“…”

The three of us, feeling a little dejected, sat in silence when it happened.

-Thud.

“…!”

A loud thud sounded from outside the library door.

“…Did you hear that?”

Everyone looked startled as the noise reverberated through the room.

‘That’s strange. No one else should know about this place…’

Feeling uneasy, I stood up to check and approached the door.

After a moment’s hesitation, I decisively opened it wide.

“…Kyaa!”

Falling in with a scream was a group of five women, one of whom looked eerily familiar.

“Clara…?”

The one at the front, who took the brunt of the fall, was unmistakably Clara—the girl I had clashed with several times before.

“What were you doing pressed up against the door?”

Clara, lying sprawled on the wooden floor, glared at me with flustered eyes and stammered.

“Pressed against the door? That’s ridiculous. I was merely passing by and noticed this suspicious building…”

“…So you weren’t eavesdropping?”

“…”

Her sudden silence told me I had hit the mark.

“Let’s get up and talk, shall we?”

As I reached out to help her up, Clara flinched and shielded her head with her arms.

“…!”

“…Why are you reacting like that?”

“I-I can get up on my own.”

“Well, suit yourself.”

For some reason, everyone seemed to be overly wary of me.

As the commotion by the door continued, Ruby approached with a curious look.

“Amber, who’s out there?”

“Oh, it’s last time’s…”

Ruby glanced at Clara and her followers, then spoke indifferently.

“…Perfect timing. Let them in.”

“Excuse me? Are you sure?”

“It’s fine. Nothing will happen.”

Unlike before, they weren’t displaying any hostility, so perhaps it was okay to observe them a bit longer.

Though, from my perspective, I wanted Ruby as far away from them as possible.

“…Alright. Come on in, everyone.”

They obediently entered the library, while Clara, still on guard, surveyed the interior before asking me.

“What is this place?”

“It’s an abandoned library. And it’s also the clubroom for our free activity club.”

“…Free activity club?”

Clara looked puzzled, and a girl who seemed to be one of her close followers whispered in her ear.

“It must be the club that commoner is creating with Lady Ruby, Clara.”

“…Ah, I see.”

I couldn’t help but remain wary of them.

‘The fact they followed us here so easily is strange.’

After witnessing how they openly bullied Diana last time, I had even more reason to be cautious.

Ruby, keeping her indifferent attitude, looked them over and asked.

“Do you already have a club in mind?”

Her unexpected question left them flustered, exchanging glances before Clara replied on behalf of the group.

“No, not yet…”

“Then why don’t you join our club?”

A moment of silence followed.

Even Coral, who had been quietly holding a book, dropped it, while I and the rest of the group froze.

“…My lady, could I have a word with you?”

I smiled as I quietly led Ruby to the corner of the library.

“Are you serious? You know what they did to us on the first day, don’t you?”

“They don’t have a club, and there are five of them. Isn’t this a great opportunity?”

It was true that if Ruby invited them, they didn’t seem likely to refuse.

“That’s true, but it’s still worrying.”

“It’ll be fine. Besides, if anything happens, you’ll protect me, right, Amber?”

“…”

I had indeed promised something along those lines.

“…Alright, my lady.”

Once Ruby’s stubbornness took hold, there was no stopping her.

While Amber and Ruby were away, Clara’s group began a heated discussion.

“What’s happening? Lady Ruby wants to take us in?”

Considering all the things they had done just to get close to Ruby, the outcome was undoubtedly baffling.

“What should we do, Clara?”

Everyone turned to Clara for guidance.

“…”

It was undeniably peculiar.

Amber, the vile commoner maid, was believed to have a tight grip on Ruby from behind the scenes, yet they were being allowed to approach her so easily.

After contemplating for a moment, Clara spoke.

“…This is undoubtedly a trap.”

“A trap…?”

“It’s definitely something that woman, Amber, has planned.”

They knew the pink-haired maid was capable of exploiting nobles through intimidation.

She had demonstrated her cruelty firsthand by using Diana of the Osteon family to secure grades and instilling fear with electric shocks when necessary.

This had to be her next ploy—keeping them close as pawns, only to discard them later.

‘It’s clearly a trap using Ruby as bait… But still…’

Even if it was a trap, it was the perfect opportunity to approach Ruby openly.

‘If I can slowly win Ruby over while avoiding Amber’s watchful eyes, victory will be mine.’

Clara’s greatest asset was her eloquence.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she had survived 90% of her life through her silver tongue.

While they debated, Amber and Ruby approached them again.

Amber, wearing her usual dazed expression, asked.

“So, what will it be? Will you join our club?”

Seeing her expression, Clara thought to herself.

‘That innocent-looking face… She’s like a fox in disguise.’

To Clara, it was obvious Amber was feigning innocence to conceal her schemes.

“Alright. We’ll join Lady Ruby’s club.”

The agreement was sealed, and Ruby nodded quietly.

“…Welcome to the free activity club.”

Ruby read over the paper with their names listed and handed it to Amber.

“Amber, could you take this to the student council office?”

“Yes, I’ll go now.”

Amber, with a swish of her skirt, exited the library.

Watching her leave, Clara opened her fan to hide her sly smile.

‘Amber, just wait and see. I’ll make Ruby mine soon enough.’

To gain Ruby’s favor, the first priority was earning her trust.

Putting on the most pleasant smile she could muster, Clara turned to Ruby and asked.

“How can we help you, Lady Ruby?”

Ruby glanced back at them and replied.

“…Ah, I forgot to mention one thing.”

“Yes?”

The calm expression Ruby had worn until now disappeared, replaced by one that sent chills down their spines.

“If you mess with her again like last time, you won’t like the consequences.”

Everyone, including Clara, avoided meeting Ruby’s gaze and looked down.

“W-We’ll keep that in mind…”

It seemed Ruby was thoroughly brainwashed by the villainess Amber.

Otherwise, there was no way she would speak like that in defense of a mere commoner.

“…Anyway, take these.”

Ruby handed each of them a thick stack of papers and a pen.

“We’re making club flyers. I’ve prepared a sample, so I’d like you all to copy it diligently.”

“Yes, Lady Ruby…!”

Scratch, scratch.

Rip.

The library was filled with the sounds of pens scratching paper and sheets being torn.

By the time they had hand-copied nearly twenty flyers, the girls, clutching their pens tightly, whispered among themselves.

“This is so exhausting, Clara…!”

“There’s no end in sight…!”

“Hang in there. We need to comply for now and seize the chance to get closer…!”

But the copying task didn’t stop until they were pleading for mercy, begging Ruby to let them stop.