Getting the hang of FanFiction's publishing system, I think. The differences are going to certainly make writing future chapters an interesting process since I'll need to keep cross-posting in mind. Thank goodness I worked out a system to use the original full titles I came up with for each chapter. The truncated ones I improvised were bothering me to no end.
Protagonist and Villainess
"What a total waste…" I sighed as the Three Bitches finally left to go get their panties in a twist over Brad Fou Field, the Pretty Boy capture target.
Miss Bella Fou What's-her-Tits ended up showing up with two friends so that they could "pass the time until the Field Heir's Party." That was honestly fine by me; the moment that she reminded me of Zola was the moment that I discounted her as a viable option. I just lamented putting the good tea out for them. I served them diligently, but silently. The moment it became clear that they weren't worth the effort, I simply stopped putting effort in… Well, any additional effort, at least. I still had my pride as a tea enthusiast.
"At least you didn't bother wasting your breath on any of them," replied Luxion helpfully.
"Yeah, that really would have been a real waste," I snorted. "Thank goodness I didn't go with my original plan of having her sample Blend Seven."
"You still haven't explained why that could have been an option, Master," pressed Luxion.
"Well, that's pretty simple, Luxion," I explained. "I wanted an honest opinion on it. Still, I had too much faith in the bitches at this Academy…"
I froze as I heard angry shouting in the hallway. While I couldn't make out everything, I could hear things like "know your place" and all the typical noble lady BS. Whoever the poor sap was out there, those bitches were really laying into him. I waited until the voices died down before moving to the door.
"Are you going to lend a hand, Master?" asked Luxion as he cloaked himself.
"Come on, you know the old standby, Lux," I replied with a smile. "Bros before Hoes, right?"
I opened the door to my tea room and blinked blankly at what I found out there. I closed the door, waited for a count of ten for my hallucination to clear and then reopened the door. I was still hallucinating. It had to be hallucinations because there's no way that what I saw could actually be there. Luxion, however, relieved me of that particular hope moments later.
"...That would not be a 'Bro', Master," observed Luxion.
"...No, Luxion, that would be the goddamn Protagonist herself," I replied softly as I stared at the girl with light brownish blonde hair as she sat in the hallway, shreds of an invitation scattered around her.
Clearly, there was some serious tomfoolery happening in this timeline, if what I'd seen earlier with Marie was any indication. Olivia the Protagonist was very alone in all of this, when one of the Love Interests should have been acting as a guide and shield to all this schoolyard bullshit. She was just as lovely as I remembered her being in the cutscenes from the game, with a dirty blonde bob cut and stunning sapphire blue eyes and a buxom frame that most women would kill for. Truly, the perfect Main Character for the cover art, to say nothing for the… spicier scenes within the game. Still, imagining the Protagonist's naked form was probably not the best idea right now.
She looked emotionally drained, as though all her tears had long dried up, and yet somehow she still found some more to cry. With Marie taking the girl's place at Julius's side, there was clearly no one to help her through these first few weeks. She didn't even move to gather the scraps of her invitation, from which I could recognize the Field family crest. Honestly, I was a little amazed that Brad paid any attention to her whatsoever, considering his playboy nature and all the other beauties that surrounded him. Unconsciously, I took a step toward her.
"Master, are you sure you want to do that?" asked Luxion. "You did say that you wanted to avoid the 'plot' if you could."
I hesitated for a moment, considering what Luxion just said. I did say that I wanted to stay out of the main plotline when we first met, but did I really feel that way? Honestly, I didn't think I did anymore. Already, I'd chosen to take large steps to influencing this world from the background. Belmont Tea Company was an excellent example of how I was amassing huge reserves of wealth for the sole purpose of an "Oh Shit" moment if my presence suddenly triggered a Butterfly Effect and caused things to go sideways in such a way as to be unlivable. With the amount of wealth I'd amassed now, not just in Holfort but also abroad, I could retire happily a hundred times over, but I was saving all but one percent for a "rainy day" that might never come.
I knew that if I walked down this road there was no turning back, but somehow I didn't really mind that. Clearly, this "Marie" had already screwed up events to the point where there was little hope of getting them back on track, so maybe the world really did need a more direct hand to guide it in this situation. …I couldn't kid myself: I just really hated seeing that broken expression on the girl's face.
"I think fate has other plans, Lux," I whispered, walking toward the Protagonist. "Besides, some really weird shit has thrown the plot off the rails and we need more intel on what's going on."
"And her hopeless expression and broken tears have nothing to do with it?" snarked Luxion.
"She needs a helping hand, Lux," I replied with a frown. "Who am I to turn away?"
"As you say, Master," replied Luxion.
"Hey," I smiled at the Protagonist, taking a seat next to her as she glanced up in surprise and wariness. "Noble ladies are kinda bitches, aren't they?"
The Protagonist gaped in shock at my words, her earlier melancholy completely forgotten at my crass and harsh criticism of those who claimed to be her betters. Her mouth opened and closed for a brief moment, as though trying to decide what emotion to feel before finally settling on indignation. Her perfect, rosy cheeks puffed up the most adorable angry pout I have ever seen in my entire life as she spoke in defense of her would-be tormentors.
"Don't say that!" chided the Protagonist, glaring at me. "That's very rude!"
"I should hope so! I intended it to be quite rude," I grinned as the girl's adorable pout deepened. "But I would say turnabout is fair play, would you not agree? I'd even say they're getting off lightly…"
"...It may be fair, but that doesn't make it right," she conceded, looking away.
"Ah, so you're suggesting that I should try to be the 'better man' and rise above their level, then?" I countered, and she nodded, her frown still firmly in place. "In that case, why don't we both 'rise above' this dusty floor and talk more about it over tea? I feel like I may be able to present a most convincing counterargument for my case."
"Are you sure that's alright?" asked the Protagonist, her indignation falling away as her lack of confidence and insecurities once again surfaced. "I wouldn't want to impose-"
"Nah, no worries," I dismissed calmly, standing up and offering a hand to help her. "You'd be doing me a favor, honestly."
"Oh… In that case, I appreciate your generosity," replied the Protagonist as she took my hand. "My name is Olivia."
"A pleasure to meet you, Miss Olivia," I replied with an exaggerated bow that made her giggle slightly. "Leon Fou Bartfort, at your service."
"These are amazing, Mr. Leon!" exclaimed Olivia after trying a bite of one of the cakes that I'd held back from the Three Bitches. "This has to be the best cake that I've ever had!"
"I'm glad that you think so," I replied, a truly honest grin slipping onto my face as I prepared two cups from a fresh pot of Earl Grey tea. "I was chastised earlier for it being from a 'cheap peasant bakery', but the expensive cakes just don't blend well with this variety of tea."
Olivia glanced curiously into the cup of tea that I was pouring her before immediately becoming more reserved. She made no move to take the cup that I placed in front of her, fidgeting uncomfortably. I frowned, quickly checking the pot of tea to make sure that I didn't steep the leaves for too long.
"Is it not to your liking?" I asked finally. "I do have other blends available, if you would prefer-"
"Oh no! No, it's not that at all!" exclaimed Olivia worriedly before glancing away self-consciously. "It's just… are you really sure it's okay for me to drink this? It's really expensive, isn't it?"
I could feel my soul leave my body as I beheld how adorable Olivia was. I couldn't stop the smile on my face any more than I could stop the sun from setting as I gently placed the teapot back onto the table and took a seat in the chair next to her.
"Miss Olivia, I cannot think of a single woman more deserving of that cup of tea than the one sitting next to me," I stated earnestly. "I would be honored if you would drink it with me."
Olivia glanced away bashfully, perhaps not completely believing my words but not wanting to voice her disagreement, before carefully taking the cup and taking a careful sip. She hummed thoughtfully, taking a moment to truly appreciate the aroma and flavor before taking another sip.
"This tea is quite lovely, Mr Leon," replied Olivia with a faint smile. "The aroma is soothing and it has a… citrus flavor?"
"That would be the oil of bergamot used in the blend," I explained with a smile. "It's a particular favorite of mine, so I'm glad you enjoy it."
With the ice broken, we chatted about the Academy, about our classes, about our homes growing up, and our families. It was… comfortable. Nothing felt forced about our conversation, and Olivia actually seemed interested in what I had to say. She especially liked my stories about dungeon crawling as well as what gear I'd designed. Still, I could still feel that Olivia was not quite at ease, and something was bothering her.
"...Mr. Leon, why do you speak so highly of me?" asked Olivia finally. "Surely there are better ladies than me-"
"Would you like me to make a list of what makes you better than most 'ladies' of the nobility that I've met?" I interjected, raising an eyebrow as I cut her self-deprecating spiral before it could start. "For one thing, you didn't turn my honest invitation into a way to pass time before you ran off to meet with another man who's already engaged. For another, you've actually taken the time to have an honest conversation with me. For a third, you actually have appreciated the efforts I have made for this tea party and have taken the time to tell me so. I could go on, but any more would simply belabor the point; that point being that you are the most wonderful woman I've ever met."
"...I'm not that special…" blushed Olivia, glancing away.
"You caught Lord Field's attention," I argued. "A nigh impossible task in its own right, given the swarm of women around him. He personally invited you, right?"
"He did," conceded Olivia. "He said it might be interesting to talk to a scholarship student and invited me along, but everyone else said I have no business showing up… since I'm a commoner."
"And they're all bitches, as I said before," I said, casually sipping my tea as Olivia frowned at me again. "And yes, I'm going to continue to call them 'bitches' until they prove themselves to be otherwise."
"...What if they're right, though?" asked Olivia. "I'm trying my best, but I'm only barely keeping up with everyone else. I don't even know why I was allowed to attend."
"Because you proved yourself to be worthy of a scholarship," I replied bluntly, leaving no room to argue. "The palace has deemed you worthy of said scholarship, and anyone who wants to argue can take it up with the royal family. Hell, they can take it up with me; I'll use the sticks up their asses to knock some sense into them. Not too hard, mind you. Just a moderate ass-stick beating."
Olivia huffed at my crude words, but I still could catch the smile on her face before she was able to hide it behind a sip from her teacup. Her smile slowly faded as she set her cup back down.
"If it was simply a matter of studying more, it would be easier, but there are so many unwritten rules that I don't know about," replied Olivia. "With all the pranks and the bullying, I've been unable to study nearly as much as I would like."
Ah, the unwritten rules in the academy. I'd asked Jenna about that a few times, hoping to understand the mind of the Academy Noble Girl better so that I could woo them more effectively. Basically, it was just highschool bullshit on steroids. Simple bribery and ass-kissing to the "top-dog" of the class would basically give you a "get out of jail free" card until graduation unless you did something really stupid. In our year's case, said "top dog" was going to be the Villainess herself. Olivia needed a leg up with this.
"...Luxion…" I ordered.
"You rang?" chimed the AI as he shimmered back into view.
"Please get a box of our finest tea from the ship," I requested, ignoring Olivia's bemused look at the floating orb that had appeared. "Blend Number Seven."
"Number Seven?" questioned Luxion. "I thought you said that we weren't to start distributing Blend Seven for another two weeks in order to 'build hype'?"
"Exactly," I replied. "So any 'advance product' would be a suitably lavish gift for our class representative so that the rest of the class will leave Olivia alone, yes?"
"...Your assessment is sound in principle," replied Luxion, as Olivia's eyes widened in shock. "Shall I arrange for the delivery as well?"
"No, let Miss Olivia do it, and make sure she's able to do it herself without the use of an intermediary," I replied. "With the value and rarity of the gift, it's likely any intermediary would attempt to pass the gift off as their own."
"Mr. Leon- I- What-" stammered Olivia, tears welling up in her eyes, before a resolute edge came to her eyes. "I swear I will repay you for this however I can."
"Honestly, you already have," I replied with a smile as Luxion buzzed away. "It was… nice… talking with someone who actually cared to listen. For that, I thank you, Miss Olivia…"
"I'm still a little confused on what exactly I'll need to do," admitted Olivia. "I'm supposed to give a gift to someone to be allowed to study here?"
"Yes, that someone would be Angelica Rapha Redgrave, daughter of Duke Redgrave," I explained. "As the highest ranking lady in our class, you'll need to pay your respects to her, and a gift will go a long way to doing so."
"The daughter of a Duke?!" exclaimed Olivia, panicking briefly before relaxing slightly. "Are you sure that I'll be able to speak with her? That she'd even meet with me?"
"I'm positive, Olivia," I replied with a smile. "She's a little bit uptight, but she's nothing like the hallway bitches that you've encountered thus far."
"You've met her, then?" asked Olivia, looking on in wonder at me.
"Only very briefly, but yes, we have spoken before," I explained with a laugh. "Trust me, don't worry about trying to put on some sort of act or anything like that. If you just be yourself, you'll charm her in no time. Of that, I have little doubt."
"If you're sure, Mr. Leon…" replied Olivia hesitantly. "...Still, I don't really understand why you're doing all this for me… We only just met. Why would I possibly warrant such kindness?"
"Would you believe that I just don't like seeing beautiful women cry?" I joked, to which Olivia frowned a disbelieving pout at me. "...Ok, yeah that's only partially true. The rest of it… I know what it's like, seeing all of your best efforts turn to ash and feeling destined to suffer no matter how hard you try. I also know that, without a helping hand, eventually you'd stop trying or die in the pursuit of happiness without ever reaching it. I just wanted to be that helping hand so that you wouldn't turn bitter and jaded or worse."
"...I'd like to listen more to your stories, if it's not too much trouble?" asked Olivia softly.
"...It would be my pleasure, Miss Olivia…" I replied with a smile.
Angelica Rapha Redgrave studied the nervously fidgeting girl in front of her with an appraising eye. This was the scholarship student, a commoner girl with a remarkable aptitude for magic, and yet she somehow had gotten her hands on what could possibly be the only advance box of Belmont Blend Seven. As a gift, Belmont Tea Company teas were certainly a sensible and popular recent choice; in fact, Belmont Blend Four was a recent personal favorite of hers. But a genuine advance package of Blend Seven would have been an impossible gift even for the Prince himself to give.
What was even more shocking was why the girl had given this gift. She wasn't asking for any extra consideration or special favors. She was simply following one of the unwritten rules of the academy, and her only request beyond that was to be allowed to study there, a request that should have been given already by virtue of the scholarship she held.
"You are a rather special girl, aren't you?" mused Angelica to herself.
"I'm sorry…" sighed Olivia. "I shouldn't have troubled you with this-"
"You're not a bother, Miss Olivia," interrupted Angelica to prevent the girl's depression from worsening. "It's worse than that, I'm afraid: you've become interesting."
"I'm sorry?" replied Olivia, her resignation giving way to confusion and even fear.
"No, don't be sorry," reassured Angelica quickly before the other girl could panic. "You yourself have done nothing wrong. Let me explain first, and then perhaps you can answer a few questions for me as well?"
"Of course…" replied Olivia as she bowed her head respectfully.
"Please take a seat and make yourself comfortable while I prepare some tea for us," requested Angelica, moving to prepare a pot of Blend Four. "You're fortunate that I had the presence of mind to dismiss my other followers before they saw the gift, or else there would be no stopping the consequences."
"Is the tea really that bad?" asked Olivia, wincing slightly.
"Quite the opposite," smiled Angelica. "What do you know about the Belmont Tea Company?"
"They're very popular, according to-...a friend," replied Olivia.
"I would even say that's an understatement," sighed Angelica. "For a tea company that has only been in operation for under a year, it has become the most popular brand in all of Holfort. It's so popular that the company uses a specially-designed seal of authenticity to prevent false tins from circulating. There are currently six blends available for sale, ranging between two hundred and three hundred dia per tin."
"Two hundred dia?!" exclaimed Olivia before the first part of Angelica's statement registered. "Wait, you said six blends? But that's-"
"-Belmont Blend Seven, yes," nodded Angelica, placing the tin in question on the table. "A blend that should not be available to anyone for another two weeks. The Crown Prince himself couldn't get his hands on a tin if he wanted to send me one as a gift as his fiancee."
"Oh…" sighed Olivia. "Then it's a fake?"
"If only it were so simple," frowned Angelica. "I know the Belmont Tea Company's seal well, and the seal on this tin is authentic. This is an actual tin of Belmont Blend Seven. Whoever gave this to you is either a well-intentioned idiot or a cruel manipulator-"
"Mr. Leon would never-!" exclaimed Olivia, leaping to her new friend's defense before realizing what she'd done. "Forgive me, your Grace, I didn't mean to speak out of turn…"
"You spoke in defense of your friend, which only speaks well of you," dismissed Angelica as she took a sip of her tea. "Speaking of your friend, I assume that by 'Leon' you mean Leon Fou Bartfort?"
"Yes, he was the one who provided the tea," replied Olivia, taking a seat and finally trying the tea before her eyes widened. "Wait… This is Mr. Leon's favorite blend!"
"Is it?" asked Angelica in honest surprise. "It happens to be my preferred blend of tea as well as of late. I must admit, the more that I hear about Baron Bartfort, the more intrigued by him I become. I take it that you know him fairly well?"
"We only just met yesterday, actually," blushed Olivia.
"And yet he gave you a gift of incalculable worth to give to me?" asked Angelica, almost to herself. "What sort of man is Bartfort?"
"He's a kind man, though he pretends not to be," elaborated Olivia, smiling softly as she thought about her friend. "Perhaps a little coarse at times, and honest to a fault, but you can feel that he truly cares in his actions and his words. Although, he doesn't have a high opinion of the noble ladies at this academy. I actually scolded him for the first thing he said to me about them."
"Oh? And what did he say about noble ladies?" asked Angelica, arching an eyebrow.
"Well… I'm not sure I should say…" hesitated Olivia. "It was extremely rude…"
"Please don't worry about causing offense," reassured Angelica. "I have met Lord Bartfort before, however briefly, and I am aware of his rather blunt personality."
"...Well, he said noble ladies are kind of… 'bitches'..." replied Olivia bashfully, almost whispering the last word.
"...Oh dear," replied Angelica as she hid a smile behind her hand, partly smiling at Olivia's bashful expression and partly at Bartfort's antics. "Well, you certainly weren't wrong about Lord Bartfort being quite rude."
"He was, but I think he was actually trying to be kind," explained Olivia. "You see, moments before he showed up, a group of noble girls had just been rather unkind to me. I'd been invited to Mr. Brad's- I mean, Lord Field's-"
"Please don't worry about titles right now," smiled Angelica as she marveled at Olivia's innocent charm. "While it will be an important skill to learn while you are here at the Academy, it is just us for the moment, and I'm quite interested in what you have to say."
"Ok, as long as it's alright…" nodded Olivia. "Well, Mr. Brad had invited me to his tea party because he was interested in speaking with a scholarship student, but the others were…not. They said that it was merely a courtesy and that I should know my place as they tore up the invitation."
"...I'm inclined to agree with Lord Bartfort on his opinion of noble ladies from the lower ranks," replied Angelica with a frown of distaste. "Their actions were as unnecessary as they were unsightly. As for Lord Field's part, he's not the sort to say things idly, in spite of his reputation as a playboy. I presume that this is when Lord Bartfort stepped in?"
"Oh yes, I remember it quite clearly," replied Olivia with a smile. "He approached and then gave his opinion on noble ladies, sitting right beside me on the floor in the hallway. I was left completely speechless at his blithe condemnation of those ladies, completely forgetting their actions towards me, which I honestly think was the point."
"You mean he purposely made up something so absurd and outrageous that you would forget your own troubles?" asked Angelica with a raised brow.
"No, I think he really did mean what he said, but he certainly made it blunt enough to hold my attention," giggled Olivia. "And it did work well. As I scolded Mr. Leon for his rudeness, I had completely forgotten my own troubles! Well…At least for a moment, but then Mr. Leon invited me to have tea with him."
"Did he?" asked Angelica, smiling despite a growing concern she felt for this girl rising. "I trust that he was a gentleman?"
"Oh, he most certainly was!" gushed Olivia, her enthusiasm sweeping through the room as she beamed a truly lovely smile. "We spent the entire afternoon together, and he told me such wonderful stories about his adventures before coming to the academy!"
And with that, Angelica let the entire afternoon slip away as she listened to a girl she would have never imagined spending time with share stories of the enigmatic Leon Fou Bartfort.
When I opened the door to my dorm room, I blinked twice to make sure that I wasn't hallucinating Angelica Rapha Redgrave at my door with an unreadable expression. This… was unexpected, to say the least. I know that Olivia had successfully delivered the gift to her yesterday, but since we'd had yet to meet up for breakfast like we'd planned, I had not heard how successful she'd been.
"How may I help you, Lady Redgrave?" I asked slowly.
The girl gave a thoughtful nod before stepping into my room and closing the door.
"You may start by explaining what the Hell you were thinking by giving that poor girl Belmont Blend Seven without explaining its significance to her," demanded Angelica with a stern glare.
"Significance?" I questioned, honestly confused. "I know that it's a bit early-"
"Two weeks!" snapped Angelica. "A box of the most anticipated tea blends from the most popular tea company in the entire Kingdom of Holfort! A box of tea that my fiance the Crown Prince Julius would find impossible to procure before the official product launch! And you simply give it to a commoner girl to present as a gift without even telling her what she's getting into?! Are you trying to enlarge the target on her back?"
As I blinked blankly at the incensed young woman in front of me, I realized three things at once. First, I really should have found time to read Luxion's reports about Belmont Tea Company's success more thoroughly, because Miss Redgrave did not seem to be the type of lady to exaggerate. Second, I really needed to have a chat with Luxion to clarify levels of secrecy with our little projects. Third, I apparently had a thing for beautiful women with light colored hair, especially when they were annoyed with me.
"...Clearly, to say that I owe Miss Olivia and my business partner an apology would be a gross understatement, as would saying that I made a severe miscalculation," I replied after clearing my throat. "However, I suppose I owe you an apology as well, given how I assumed you would have responded to the gift."
"...What do you mean by that- Don't change the subject!" snapped Angelica. "You still need to explain yourself and your intentions toward Miss Olivia!"
"...'Intentions'?" I growled, not liking where Angelica was taking this conversation.
"Why would an up-and-coming nobleman with several accolades to his name pay any mind to a 'commoner girl'?" snarled Angelica, stepping toward me. "Why would you then give her a priceless gift to get her out of her predicament? Even if you did really 'miscalculate' how valuable that box of tea really was, that tea will be worth at least three hundred dia a box when the product launches! Why would a noble lord spend any sort of money on someone who cannot directly advance their station? Explain yourself!"
I took a few deep breaths to steady myself. I really didn't like what Angelica was implying, but I could see where she was coming from. Still, I had to cut this off at the knees before it escalated.
"...You really care about Miss Olivia, don't you?" I replied softly as I let my anger at her insinuations fade. "I'm glad to see that, but let me make one thing perfectly clear: I have no intention of making Miss Olivia some sort of 'pet', as you tactfully avoided asking, and anyone who implies otherwise will be corrected of that misunderstanding with the back of my hand first, edge of my blade second, regardless of rank or standing. Does that sufficiently address your initial concerns so that I may explain the day before from my perspective?"
Angelica relaxed slightly at my words, saying nothing but nodding for me to continue. I gestured to the nearby table so that we could take a seat.
"I'm sure Olivia has explained her circumstances from that day, yes?" I asked, receiving a curt nod in return. "And your question to me is why would I have bothered with her, yes? Well, to put it simply, I saw a kindred spirit in her plight, and simply sought to commiserate our misfortune."
"In what way is she a kindred spirit to you?" asked Angelica carefully.
"We have both received very poor treatment at the hands of so-called 'noble ladies' at this school," I replied simply, without fanfare.
"You've been treated poorly?" blinked Angelica, her surprise dissipating her severe glare. "But why? You're a self-made adventurer with a host of accolades! You're one of the youngest to achieve the rank of Baron through achievements alone, and there's even talk of elevating you to Viscount upon your graduation!"
"I also don't have the heaping stacks of wealth that those harpies value above all else," I countered. "And before you bring up Belmont, consider that there's a reason why I have chosen to keep that little fact concealed."
"…To deter the 'harpies', yes?" replied Angelica ruefully before frowning in confusion. "If your goal is not to find a wife, then what are your goals?"
"When did I say that I wasn't trying to find a wife?" I smirked slightly. "I just want to find a wife that I can at least live with amicably on our private estate in comfort when we've gotten too old for adventuring."
"You intend to take your future wife into dungeons with you?" blinked Angelica, her eyes almost brightening at the suggestion. Did she have a taste for adventuring?
"As long as she wants to, and ideally the woman I would marry would want to," I explained.
"…On our upcoming dungeoneering practical midterm, I would formally request to join your group to see you in action," stated Angelica, making it clear she would hear nothing to the contrary.
"I have no objections, but I would have thought you would have preferred to fight alongside your fiancé?" I replied warily.
"The Prince appears to be otherwise engaged," replied Angelica stiffly, and I didn't press the matter further. Besides, I probably knew more about the situation than she did.
"Then I shall try not to disappoint you," I replied with a grin. "Now, forgive me, but I'm late for meeting up with Miss Olivia, and I owe her another apology on top of that. Will that be all for now, Lady Redgrave?"
"That will be all for now," replied Angelica, rising and turning to leave before pausing to glance back at my vambraces. "Actually, one more question, Lord Bartfort: do you really wear concealed blades at all times?"
"I'll be happy to demonstrate them at the midterm exam, but yes I do," I replied with a smile. "…Well, except for in bed or while bathing-"
"I would like to see them now, if you would indulge me?" pressed Angelica, turning back to me and stepping forward. It seems I was right on the money with my earlier thought about Angelica and adventuring. Hmm, time to have some fun with this…
"Oh my, that's rather bold, isn't it? Asking to see a man's hidden blade while alone in his room?" I teased with a grin as Angelica blushed at my innuendo.
"That's- You know that's not remotely what I meant!" exclaimed Angelica indignantly as she turned a lovely shade of red.
"I did, but I couldn't resist the temptation to make you blush," I chuckled as I raised my hands in a placating gesture before complying with Angelica's earlier request.
My blades slid out with a ringing sound of good steel against good steel, catching the light. Angelica jumped briefly in surprise before her own curiosity took over, stepping forward to examine the blades.
"Daggers that cannot easily be disarmed," mused Angelica. "The design is ingenious, and clearly well-made. I would ask the name of the craftsman that you commissioned these from, if you're willing to share?"
"Leon Fou Bartfort, at your service, my lady," I bowed cheekily, grinning at the mildly bewildered look she gave me.
"…Well, I suppose I'll wait to see them in action before I commission my order," replied Angelica with the ghost of a smile on her lips. "I must say, I wasn't expecting you to be a close-range fighter."
"Oh, I'm not just a close-range fighter," I smirked as I sheathed my blades.
"...But your blades-" exclaimed Angelica.
"-are the only weapons and armor that the school will allow me to carry on my person at all times," I explained with a mischievous grin. "If you like these now, just wait until you see the rest of the armor."
"...I will hold you to your word, Lord Bartfort," replied Angelica, her eyes a little bit brighter than a moment ago as she left the room with a smile that she wasn't quite able to conceal in her eyes.
"...Luxion…" I smiled, frosty as a winter's day as the AI shimmered into view behind me. "The next time that you think that I'm not paying enough attention to your reports, please just ask me. I will fully accept that I was a dumbass, but Olivia was put at unnecessary risk by that little stunt. We will both be apologizing to her the next time we see her. Fair enough?"
"As you say, Master, but may I make an observation?" replied Luxion.
"Sure, what's up?" I asked.
"You have stopped referring to Miss Olivia as 'The Protagonist'," observed Luxion.
"That's because she's not a character in an otome game, Lux," I replied immediately as I straightened up my tie in the mirror before briskly walking out to meet Olivia. "She's Olivia; a thinking, feeling person and deserves to be treated as such."
"Does this mean that you will be referring to the Villainess as 'Miss Angelica' now?" asked Luxion into my earpiece.
"Probably 'Lady Redgrave' but yeah," I confirmed, turning the corner to see Olivia waiting anxiously on a bench, rushing up to me and immediately fussing over me.
"Mr. Leon! Are you alright?" exclaimed Olivia. "I told Miss Angelica to not be angry with you and that you've been nothing but kind to me, but-"
"No, Lady Redgrave was right, and I was an absolute fucking idiot," I cut Olivia off before she could descend into a rush of gibberish. "I honestly had no idea that my tea company was that popular, but I still should have shown more restraint in helping you. I apologize for the trouble I've caused you."
"Mr. Leon, no!" protested Olivia. "You've been nothing but kind to me and helped me so much! Honestly, I don't even know how I can begin to repay you-"
"Well, the first thing would be to stop trying to keep score," I chuckled as I gently brushed her hair out of her face, to which she pouted at me in spite of her blush. "Friends don't let friends keep score with each other, okay? I helped you of my own initiative, so please don't doubt my intentions."
"...Alright, but I still want to do something nice for you," conceded Olivia with a pout. "Friends do that much for each other, yes?"
"Well, in that case, clear your schedule this afternoon, because we've managed to impress Lady Redgrave so much that she wants to be in our group during the midterm!" I grinned at Olivia's shocked expression.
"What?! But-but I don't know how to fight!" stammered Olivia.
"And that's why I'm going to teach you over the next three weeks, and we're going to knock Lady Redgrave's socks off!" I replied with an enthusiastic grin. "I'll show you combat and weapons, and we'll boost your mage skills along the way while we're resting from combat training!"
"...I only ask two things, Mr. Leon," replied Olivia after a moment. "First, please call me Livia."
"'Livia', eh?" I grinned as she blushed and nodded. "Only if you call me 'Leon', Livia."
"...Of course I will… Leon…" smiled Livia as she looked away shyly.
"And your other request, dearest Livia?" I teased with a grin.
Livia pouted at me for a moment before taking a deep breath and giving me a determined grin.
"Don't hold back on me, Leon," demanded Livia as her eyes gleamed.
"As you wish, Livia…" I grinned back.