The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

Standing in front of the mirror, Shuen wore a dark expression.

“…Hoo-ah.”

Even when she forced a cheerful expression, a natural smile refused to form, and her pounding heart wouldn’t calm down easily.

“This isn’t like me at all.”

Shuen, standing before the wall of nerves, let out a deep sigh and gazed at her reflection beyond the mirror.

The image of a lady adorned in a dress overflowing with frills and a large pearl-studded necklace.

“Haa…”

Shuen lacked confidence.

“It’s too perfect.”

She was talking about herself, the one about to be rejected by Mikhail.

To shake off her nerves, Shuen lightly patted her cheeks. After all, even in this state, (self-proclaimed) the Empire’s most beautiful woman was standing before the mirror.

“Ohoho…! I’m simply too perfect!”

Shuen shouted at the mirror in a voice brimming with confidence.

“Ohoho!!!”

What man in the world could dislike purple drill curls? Ever since childhood, Shuen had been told she was beautiful, and her confidence was ready to pierce the sky.

Though the commoner had told her not to dress up.

“Commoners don’t understand fashion.”

She hadn’t trusted the words of a commoner who wore nothing but black butler’s attire every day. While she could accept other pieces of advice, Shuen was particularly prideful when it came to fashion.

“Ohoho…!”

“Oho..ho…”

“Huaa… I’m so scared.”

Of course, only her confidence, that is.

Shuen’s complexion darkened.

She was scared, unable to gather her energy due to worries about what would happen if she got rejected. She was also afraid of repeating the mistakes she’d made in the past.

“Haa…”

For Shuen, the Academy was a series of trials.

It was an awkward space where commoners and nobles mingled, and she didn’t know how to interact with them. She had made many mistakes.

To Shuen, who had grown up in the Tetra Household, which strictly upheld the class system, the Academy felt like being forcibly mixed into unblended paint.

Everything was unfamiliar.

Dealing with people.

Dealing with commoners.

For Shuen, who didn’t realize that not everyone could get along, the Academy was like a massive dam. Before coming to the Academy, everyone liked her.

“Commoners… Can I do well with them?”

While fixing her makeup in front of the mirror, Shuen recalled a painful memory she had momentarily forgotten.

The memory of a major mistake she had made at the entrance ceremony.

-Ohoho…! I am Tetra Shuen! Unlike the commoners here, I am the proud eldest daughter of the Tetra Marquisate!

-…What the.

-As an upright noble, I will treat commoners without discrimination! I want to get along with all of you! So bring me your friendship!

-Ugh, how annoying.

It was only much later that Shuen realized the words she had spoken back then were wrong. Specifically, that the word “commoner” was the problem.

She had been taught from a young age to clearly distinguish between commoners and nobles. She wondered what was wrong with that, but after seeing the sour expressions of those who frowned at the mere mention of “commoner,” Shuen finally understood her mistake. Commoners didn’t view nobles favorably.

“…”

Whether a noble was kind or wicked, they all looked the same in the eyes of commoners. Shuen had continued to speak arrogantly, oblivious to this fact, and had done so up until now.

It was her fault.

“So what!”

Her own foolish mistake.

She had tried to make an effort.

To fix the misaligned button.

-Ohoho… So this is the dining hall where commoners eat! Today, I, Shuen, will graciously join you for lunch.

-Hey, let’s go somewhere else.

-…Huh? Where is everyone going?

-Let’s throw this in the compost bin and leave. I’ll buy lunch.

“…”

But opportunities didn’t come easily. By then, there were already too many people who disliked her.

She was afraid to approach them.

They didn’t give her a chance to get closer.

Her pride wouldn’t allow her to apologize.

And so, she had been lonely.

So lonely that she thought studying alone was more enjoyable, and her Academy life was dull.

Then, she met Senior Mikhail.

“Wow…”

She fell for him.

There wasn’t a particular reason.

She thought that if it were Senior Mikhail, who shone brighter than anyone else, he could fix her misaligned button, and perhaps people’s perception of her might change a little.

Of course, his face was the biggest reason.

But.

“It’s difficult.”

Love was so difficult.

Shuen forced a smile as she looked down at the notebook on her dressing table.

[☆The Proud Tetra Shuen’s Grand Confession Plan☆]

-Author: Ricardo.

-Written by: Tetra Shuen.

1. ☆Absolutely avoid wearing flashy clothes.☆

└☆☆☆Frills, pearls, and rings—1 gold fine per item.

2. Refrain from using the word “commoner.”

3. Don’t get overly excited and jump the gun.

4. Avoid unnecessary TMI.

“I’m not a child…!”

Shuen burst into laughter as she read Ricardo’s notes written in the notebook. The fact that he had written it for her because she claimed she couldn’t write well, and the way he emphasized points with stars, was hilarious…

Every time she read the notebook, it felt as if she could vividly hear his words.

“It’s so funny.”

Shuen let out a deep sigh as she put on her earrings. The overly radiant earrings dangled from her earlobes as she awkwardly smiled at her reflection in the mirror.

“I can do this!”

The time was now 10:45 AM.

Shuen hurried to arrive early for the appointed time.

***

In front of the Academy fountain, many students were passing by. From couples to familiar faces, there were more people than on weekdays, likely because it was the weekend.

Standing in front of the fountain, Shuen clutched her black leather bag tightly and exhaled.

“Don’t be nervous.”

“I am Shuen, the most perfect woman in the world! I don’t get shaken by something like this!”

“So…”

-Hey, look at her outfit.

She froze.

-Where is she going dressed like that? Doesn’t she feel embarrassed?

-Babe, should I dress like that too?

-Oh, please, babe…

“Huh…”

At the sound of passing conversations, Shuen’s shoulders flinched, and she began to glance around nervously.

“Are they talking about me?”

Wearing the dress she had carefully saved in her wardrobe, Shuen didn’t think their words were directed at her. Yet, for some reason, their gazes felt as though they were piercing her, and her mind became even more tangled.

‘Ah… It can’t be, right?’

However, the students passing by Shuen began to mock her appearance even more.

-Look at her makeup.

-She looks like a crazy goblin.

-…Pfft. Hey, your voice is too loud.

-No, seriously, look at her makeup. It’s not even panda-like; it looks like she got bruised around her eyes.

-Ugh.

Her heart began to pound wildly.

Because the words they spat out were directed at no one else but her. Even though she tried to ignore it, pretending it wasn’t true, the voices of those passing by scraped at Shuen’s heart, making it beat uncontrollably.

Clutching the strap of her bag tightly, Shuen looked at her reflection in the fountain and muttered softly.

“What do I do? I must look strange…”

When she looked in the mirror back at the dormitory, she hadn’t thought anything was wrong. But now, everything about her seemed odd.

She just wanted to look good.

She had woken up early and worked so hard to prepare. But from the start, her spirits were crushed, leaving Shuen with a pitiful expression as tears welled up in her eyes.

“This is so embarrassing.”

At times like this, it would have been nice if a commoner were around. Shuen lifted her trembling eyes and looked around the fountain square.

And then.

-Wooah!

“Huh?”

Seeing the ridiculous figure of a man in the distance, Shuen couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Ah… It’s been a while since I dressed up, so the stares feel overwhelming.”

Ricardo stood a little further away, holding a magical tool that played music. Wearing a sparkly blue outfit, he was gyrating his hips in a bizarre dance while exclaiming “Woo!” and collecting all sorts of curses.

From his clown-like makeup.

To his ridiculous outfit.

“Pfft…”

Ricardo winked at her and puckered his lips dramatically.

“Didn’t I tell you not to dress like that?”

“Ugh…”

“Prepare a fine of 30 gold.”

“Commoner!!!!”

Shuen, feeling a smile creeping onto her face, found herself watching Ricardo.

“What is that ridiculous outfit…!”

Just as she was about to slowly approach Ricardo.

“Uh… Shuen?”

At the familiar voice calling from behind her, Shuen’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

She turned awkwardly, looking at the man who had called her. And there, she met the protagonist of today’s event, wearing an equally awkward expression.

“Mikhail, senior?”

“Uh… Yeah.”

At Mikhail’s awkward smile, Shuen’s face began to stiffen.

“You… dressed up nicely.”

The lie was so obvious.

She couldn’t bring herself to smile.

*

After Shuen disappeared.

Near the fountain square, in the restroom.

“Haah…”

I let out a deep sigh, as if the ground would cave in, while wiping off the makeup on my face.

“How many times did I tell you not to dress like that? Ugh…”

‘I had a feeling this might happen, so I came prepared. Looks like it was the right call.’

Letting out a dry laugh at Shuen’s unpredictable actions, I wiped my face with a towel.

“Still, that’s a relief.”

Because Shuen didn’t get hurt.

Embarrassment was always the possessor’s burden, so I felt like I had been rewarded by Shuen’s relieved smile.

And then.

“Sniff.”

“Hm?”

“Damn it…!”

Before long, a sorrowful sob began to echo from the women’s restroom.

“Huuuuwaaaah!!!”

“…”

“Hic! Sniff! Oh-hoho…”

“…”