Neptunia: Trapped in a Dating Sim Chapter 01: Olivia, the Protagonist
Lyall the Werewolf: Imagine my surprise when dinocam3 announced that she started a TV tropes page for Persona 4: Snowy Spring. And the next thing I know, I've got my own TV Tropes page, which is amazing. I know it's a little late, but to celebrate, allow me to introduce this new crossover I've had in the works for a while.
After watching recent Villainess anime, I thought to myself; what would happen if we put Neptune of Hyperdimension Neptunia in one of these kinds of stories? I believe she would fit best in Trapped in a Dating Sim.
I initially planned to make this a solo Oliva story, but it eventually became a Neptunia Villainess Isekai.
Instead of the main storyline of Trapped In a Dating Sim, I'll be taking inspiration from Otome Games Are Tough For Us, too, a.k.a. the Marie Route, except there's no Marie. I have mostly the manga to on because I don't have access to the light novel.
With that preamble out of the way, let's get started.
(I don't own Neptunia or Trapped in a Dating Sim)
"I hate you! You're the worst Prince alive!" cried the girl with short light brown hair and innocent blue eyes.
Those words shook the very souls of those who heard them. Most especially, Prince Julius Rapha Holfort, who was fighting for her honor and love in a duel she wanted no part of.
But why? Why would the gentle and caring Olivia say such a cruel thing to a Prince despite everything he did for her?
The answer leading up to this incident dates back to about a year ago when times were more innocent and the stakes weren't so high.
[-One Year Ago: April: Holfort Academy's First School Term-]
Olivia was in a depressed mood. It hadn't been long since the school year started, and she wasn't enjoying her time here.
Olivia was a girl of common birth, but one of the teachers at this school came to her hometown to scout her. They discovered her hidden potential in magic and taught her some magic spells. She excelled in healing magic. They recommended she attend the advanced class of Holfort Academy as a scholarship student. Her curiosity piqued; and Olivia took the scholarship.
However, her time at the academy wasn't as grand as she initially believed. She was forewarned that the aristocratic students may not take kindly to her presence, but Olivia was never one to be undaunted. She tried to be as courteous to them as possible, but the regular students either gave her snide remarks about her commoner status or ignored her outright.
Olivia never experienced bullying before. It was depressing and stressful. But she still had the desire to study and learn about magic. Even if she missed home, Olivia wouldn't let a few hurdles like this get to her.
Speaking of hurdles, Olivia was too lost in thought to realize that she bumped into a hurdle until it was too late. She wanted a break from all the teasing, so she escaped to the park behind the academy, where the School Garden was located.
Who she bumped into was a tall, incredibly handsome boy with navy blue hair and matching eyes. Compared to most of the plain-looking boys at the academy, he was most especially beautiful, well-groomed, and sculpted.
He silently glowered at her in annoyance.
"I-I'm sorry!" Olivia stammered and bowed her head before the young nobleman. In her effort to not offend nobility, she still did it anyway. She learned to apologize and try not to anger them further.
"Be more mindful of where you walk. I came here to catch a break from mindless groupies. How clueless can one girl be?" the boy admonished.
"You didn't have to go that far…" Olivia thought. If she said it out loud, there would surely be hell to pay.
"Why am I stuck in an academy full of foolish people? The girls are especially bad at reading the room." the boy groaned.
Olivia adopted an angry scowl. She apologized for bumping into him. What more did he want? Honestly, why were all these noble kids so stuck up? Olivia rarely got angry before, but listening to this boy's rant was infuriating.
"Are you still here? Surely you have better things to do than listen to me ramble."
That was the last straw.
Guided by instinct, Olivia swung her hand and slapped the boy on the cheek.
"Y-You hit me? Don't you know who I am?" the shocked boy asked.
"No, I don't! But regardless of who you are, I refuse to tolerate such disrespect!" Olivia stated. As resolute as she tried to make herself look and sound, deep down, she immediately regretted getting physical with this stranger. After all, he was a noble. If anything, she probably won't get off lightly for physically assaulting him, even if it was just a slap to the face.
However, something puzzling happened. The boy smiled.
"You're not like the other girls at the academy." the boy said with fascination, further confusing Olivia.
"I-I'm sorry. I don't know any of the norms around the royal capital." Olivia said meekly. If this boy wasn't holding what happened in contempt, maybe she could find a way out of punishment.
"That's okay. I deserved it for forgetting my manners." The boy waved off, "Since coming to the academy, I've had to deal with unpleasant interactions with the girls around here."
"I guess that means he's popular." Olivia thought. Given how handsome he was, that made sense. With his good looks and riches, he could get any girl he wanted, and any girl would be happy to fall in love with him. Olivia never understood that sort of mindset, though.
"Why don't we start over with an introduction? Ladies first." the boy said politely. His jovial tone was still odd.
"A-Alright. My name is Olivia. I'm a scholarship student."
"A pleasure, Olivia. I am Julius Rapha Holfort, Crown Prince of the Holfort Kingdom."
"Eh…? The Prince?" Olivia's eyes widened like saucers, "Him… he's the Prince of the Kingdom…? And I just slapped him…? Oh my god, I'm dead!"
"I-I… I'm so sorry! If I had known beforehand, I never would have slapped you!" Olivia cried as she frantically bowed.
"Hehe! So, you really didn't know? This is a first." Julius chuckled.
"A-Aren't you mad at all?" Olivia asked. Normally, a commoner like her would be severely punished for impertinent behavior towards nobility, especially if they were royalty. That's what she thought, anyway.
"Of course not. In actuality, I'm intrigued by you."
"Intrigued? By the person who slapped him?"
This Prince's sudden shift in attitude made Olivia more confused. He went from odd to plain bonkers.
"R-Regardless, I committed an even greater act of disrespect toward you! I have to make up for it somehow."
"There's nothing for you to be ashamed of, I assure you." Julius assured, "But if it means that much to you, I'd like to talk with you again, under less hostile circumstances."
"I-I guess that's alright…" Olivia mumbled, "Does that mean I won't be punished?"
"That's good to hear. I have some tedious errands to run, so I'll speak with you later, Olivia."
Prince Julius walked away from Olivia soon after.
"W-What… just happened?" Olivia wondered as she stared blankly.
[-May: Lunch Hour-]
Olivia's days at the academy continued as normal since the start of the semester. As normal as days could get when you meet royalty.
She was still in shock after meeting Prince Julius. His strange behavior didn't sit right with her. He should have been at least a little angry. After all, every little thing Olivia did in the academy seemed to either draw attention or get her ignored. She thought she might be able to make some friends here, but her status and ignorance of the academy's traditions and unspoken rules were a constant reminder of how impossible it was.
Yet, the only one kind to her was Julius. When he had free time, he invited her to socialize with him. Just to be polite, Olivia accepted each time and got to know him a little.
Olivia was sure the Prince would grow bored and forget about her in due time, so maybe indulging his whims for a while wouldn't hurt. It was better that she faded into the background and quietly continued her studies.
At least that was the plan.
"Hello, Olivia. How has your day been so far?" asked another incredibly handsome boy. He had long green hair and eyes. He spoke with a polite and gentle tone. This was Jilk Fia Marmoria.
"O-Oh… hi, Jilk. And, yes, I'm doing fine." Olivia nervously answered. She and Jilk stood out in the hallway, and several students already took notice of him. Obviously, he was another popular one, being a member of Julius's entourage.
"That's good to hear. I was hoping you were free. His Highness sent me to fetch this time."
"J-Julius?" Olivia sputtered.
"Yes. He has something he wanted to discuss with you," informed Jilk.
"O-Okay…" Olivia uttered before gasping and correcting herself, "I mean, yes! Right away!"
"Don't be so tense. You know Julius won't bite." an amused Jilk said, "Now please, this way."
Olivia obediently followed Jilk, despite not really looking forward to seeing Julius so soon. Or any of his friends, honestly.
Noble heirs of high social standing had an entourage of followers with them. Being a Prince, Julius had followers of his own too, Jilk being one of them. Julius introduced Jilk and the others over the last month. Julius, Jilk, Brad Fou Field, Greg Fou Seberg, and Chris Fia Arclight were considered the most popular students in the academy due to their stunning looks, talents, and high status. They were widely known as the Five Princes of Holfort Academy. They had fangirls all over campus, but the Five Princes mainly took an interest in Olivia for some reason.
And being an ignorant commoner, Olivia had no idea what the fuss was about. But, she did learn much from her interactions with the so-called Five Princes since the school year started in April.
Olivia met Brad at the school library during break. They conversed over a book he was reading. She read it too and told him of her fascination with it. The conversation over books was admittedly pleasant. However, Brad's over-confident personality and seemingly backhanded praise of her intellect were slight annoyances.
She met Greg while in town. She was returning a borrowed book to a bookstore, but Oliva found some interesting books and lost track of time from reading them. It was nightfall by the time she left. By coincidence, she ran into Greg who was looking for a place to eat. He was the rebellious type, so he didn't care if he was breaking curfew. He offered to treat her to a meal when her stomach growled, though Olivia knew it was good-natured teasing. At least the food was good and she got to eat a lot.
She encountered Chris as he was practicing his swordsmanship in private. He didn't express much emotion, but highly valued honor and chivalry. He also seemed like the type to crave praise, probably due to his family's high standards. Since he was the best swordsman in class, Olivia asked to join him in training to prepare for an upcoming practice dungeon run. Naturally, she had poor form due to a lack of combat experience. Her only talents lay in magic and even that needed work. Nevertheless, he still offered some advice.
Olivia also got to know Jilk more. They once took a walk around town and found an obscure antique shop. It was fascinating looking at the rustic antiques on display. Also, he told her he was adopted by the Royal Family, making him Julius's foster brother and closest friend since childhood. He expressed his contentment as part of the family, but Olivia noted a slight darkness in that devotion to his foster family.
And finally, Olivia seemed to be spending the most time with Julius. One day, they went into town together, and he looked like he wanted one of the steak skewers from the vendor, so she bought it for him. He greatly enjoyed it. Soon after, Julius told her of when he ran away from home and ate a skewer because he was tired of his restrictive lifestyle at the palace, particularly eating only what was recommended to the royal family. Olivia found it odd because Julius could buy a skewer now that he was a student and his Prince title didn't matter. Unfortunately, no one in high society would approve of a Prince eating commoner food, according to Julius. Olivia wasn't familiar with high societal norms, other than it was overly complicated.
As fascinating as it was to get to know the Five Princes, there was one problem. They kept coming. Olivia rarely found time alone, as they kept coming to her for requests to socialize. It was beginning to bother her.
Another problem arose from jealous female students giving her the stinky eye.
Even now, Olivia could hear the malicious slander from the gossipers. As irritating as it was, she couldn't voice her complaints because she feared making them angrier. Olivia could only hope it wouldn't get worse than that.
"You needn't worry about them. Gossiping and spreading unfounded rumors is an immature thing to do." Jilk said.
"Huh? Y-Yes." Olivia replied, somewhat surprised that he caught on to the gossipers.
"And should the need arise, I'm sure Prince Julius will be at your side," Jilk assured.
Olivia doubted Julius would really do that for her. Why would he stick up for a commoner? His time spent with the scholarship student had to be a minor distraction at best.
And right now, she could only go along with Julius's request.
[-Courtyard-]
Olivia followed Jilk out to the courtyard of the school. There, they found Julius arguing with another female student.
She was beautiful, had shining blonde hair in an upswept hairstyle, and fierce red eyes. Complimenting her beauty, she had a big bust and slender body. Olivia had big breasts, but that girl was bigger.
"Oh dear, it seems they're still at it." Jilk sighed.
"M-Miss Angelica Redgrave?" Olivia asked, having recognized the girl arguing with Julius. Just seeing Angelica made Olivia nervous.
"You know Angelica-san?" Jilk asked.
"We have classes together, but we've spoken once," Olivia answered. She still remembered how threatening Angelica was when she confronted her for her activities with the Five Princes and warned her not to forget her place. Olivia wanted to explain the situation, but Angelica would hear none of it and left the scene in a huff.
"I presume it wasn't a pleasant encounter," Jilk guessed.
"No…" Olivia shook her head. By now, she doubted whether someone like Angelica even knew or cared to know her name. After all, she was a Duke's daughter. But why come to her with threats when she was having a hard time? She knew right from the start that a commoner like her couldn't carelessly try to get close to Julius and his entourage. So if they were the ones coming to her, Olivia couldn't refuse their invitations for social events.
She gathered that most nobles were very temperamental, after all. The students bullying her sometimes threatened her family and hometown if she ever rebelled against them or said anything to authority figures.
Julius and his friends were good-natured and probably wouldn't go that far, but Olivia couldn't take that chance, especially not with their overzealous fangirls around. She had to accept associating with the Five Princes and take the abuse from the girls, no matter how detrimental to her health it was.
"That is understandable. Your presence in this academy is upsetting for many students who hold noble upbringing in high regard." Jilk explained, "But I think there may be some jealousy involved."
"Jealously?" a confused Olivia asked.
"Angelica-san is His Highness's fiancé," Jilk informed.
Olivia turned pale at the mention of that. No wonder Angelica was upset. Olivia was unwittingly stealing away another woman's fiancé. Worse, Angelica was a Duke's daughter while Julius was the Prince of the whole kingdom. Getting involved with an engaged couple was asking for trouble. And she didn't want to think about what could happen if Angelica found out about her slapping Julius in the face.
"Olivia!" Julius suddenly called out upon noticing the scholarship student. He casually ignored Angelica and walked over to Olivia and Jilk.
"Your Highness, I brought Olivia as you requested." Jilk greeted.
"Thanks, Jilk. I knew I could count on you." Julius said before turning to Olivia.
"Y-You called for me, Your Highness?" Olivia asked shyly.
"Yes. I'm sorry I couldn't come to you myself."
"Were you held up by… your fiancé?"
Olivia saw the hostile glare Angelica gave her. It made the scholarship student more anxious. Not helping was Julius continued disregarding his fiancé.
"Oh… I'm guessing Jilk told you about Angelica and me." Julius gave Jilk an annoyed look.
"Sorry, Your Highness. It seemed she knew Angelica and I felt she had to be informed." Jilk said.
"No matter." Julius sighed, before turning back to Olivia, "Pay Angelica no mind, Olivia. Our relationship and status are kept outside of school. We're students first and foremost."
"I-If you say so…" Olivia nodded, "It still seems rude to talk to another girl while your fiancé is around. And now that I think of it, Julius never mentioned being engaged. Did they not get along or something?"
As she was wondering that, Olivia noticed that Angelica wasn't alone, as other girls were behind her. They must be her followers. However, one of them stood out to Olivia. She had seen the girl around before but didn't know she was associated with Angelica.
Contrasting her leader's mature beauty, this girl was small and cute. She was short enough to be mistaken for a pre-teen girl at most. She had short unkempt, short bright blonde hair and big purple eyes. Along with the academy uniform, the short girl wore light blue and white striped knee-high socks with frills at the top.
The short girl noticed Olivia looking in her direction. Contrasting other nobles who would sooner sneer at a commoner looking at them, this girl flashed a friendly smile and waved at her, despite Angelica's disapproval.
"Is something wrong, Olivia?" Julius asked.
"That girl… the short one with blonde hair. She's one of Miss Redgrave's followers, right?" a curious Olivia wondered aloud.
"Who? Oh, her…" Julius frowned at the sight of the short girl, "Yes, she is one of Angelica's followers. I believe her name is Venessa Fou Bartfort. Rumor has it she cleared a dungeon on her own before the school year started. Not only that, she also discovered an uninhabited island and claimed it as her territory, making her a soon-to-be baronetess. Her accomplishments got the Redgrave Family's attention, so now she's under Angelica's wing for the foreseeable future."
"Wow, I didn't know an amazing person like that was here," Olivia said with fascination. She never heard of a noblewoman, let alone a daughter of nobility, going into a dungeon and clearing it by herself. Venessa must be a brave and talented person.
Julius looked anxious and hoped to divert Olivia's attention, "I guess she is impressive, but she lacks manners and behaves like a child. There's no need to concern yourself with her."
"I see…?" Olivia wondered why he was eager to change the subject.
"Onto more important matters, Olivia…" Julius said, "I'll be holding my tea party soon, and I'd very much like you to come."
"Huh? Me?" Olivia gasped.
"That's right. I prefer it not to be too flashy, so I'm only inviting acquaintances. I wanted to invite you as well."
Apparently, not only was Holfort Academy a place of education, but also a place where young nobles needed to seek potential marriage partners. Starting in May, male students must court a female student by hosting tea parties to cater to her tastes. There was even a class for male students to learn tea etiquette.
Unfortunately, since women in high society hold the most political power in the Kingdom, the haughty daughters of those families get to do as they please at the academy, making finding a partner difficult for the boys who have to wait on hand and foot for them at their carefully crafted tea parties. Not helping was that female students were allowed to purchase and bring Exclusive Servants to school.
Exclusive Servants were demi-humans with contractual servitude, and as the title suggested, they were exclusive to women. And because of their exotic demi-human features and strength, they were preferred by women over human males. It was also rumored that since male demi-humans couldn't impregnate human women, they were free to engage in a physical relationship.
So far, none of the male students have invited Olivia to tea parties, probably because of her commoner background, thus there was no benefit. Julius was the first to extend such an invite, much to her surprise and dread.
"Your Highness, what are you thinking?!" Angelica yelled, having overheard Julius's request, "There are rules and etiquette for tea parties! You must hold a larger party befitting your station! That scholarship student doesn't belong with us!"
Olivia hung her head in silence. She knew Julius was just being nice, but Angelica also had a point.
"Right… I'm just a scholarship student, a commoner… I shouldn't be attending tea parties for nobles, especially ones held by the Prince…" Olivia thought.
"You dare to question my decisions, Angelica?" Julius sternly asked, making Angelica docile.
"N-No. But the authority of the royal house…"
"Need I remind you that I'm a student at the academy now? We may be betrothed, but that doesn't give you the right to meddle in my affairs." Julius chided.
"I… I apologize. Please, forgive my rudeness." Angelica said regretfully.
Olivia didn't expect Julius to say that. Sure, it hurt to hear Angelica say that, and Olivia appreciated Julius for standing up for her, but he didn't need to sound so cold.
"Excuse me, Prince." Venessa suddenly spoke. Her voice was soft and youthful. "I know it may not be my place to say, but you should at least invite Angelica-sama to your tea party too. She's still your fiancé regardless."
This surprised Angelica and the other followers.
"I didn't ask for your opinion either, Bartfort." Julius scoffed.
"Indeed. You are merely one of Angelica's followers, so please be mindful of what you say to His Highness." Jilk added.
"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir." Venessa sighed. Judging from the half-hearted tone and expression, she only apologized to get out of trouble. She didn't seem to feel regret for stepping out of line. Angelica noticed this and nudged her.
Julius turned to Olivia, "I'm sorry you had to see that."
"It's okay. But are you sure I won't be causing a scene by attending your tea party?" Olivia asked. She hoped she could politely turn him down and not make Angelica more upset. Besides, she still had her studies to get back to.
"Not at all, Olivia. You're more than welcome to come." Julius said while flashing a charming, but shy smile.
The smile flew over Olivia's head, but it seemed he was expecting an answer. She couldn't opt out now.
"In… In that case… I'd be happy to attend!" Olivia declared while trying to look as happy as possible. Honestly, she was a little curious about noble tea parties.
"I'm glad to hear it." Julius sighed in relief.
"I must say, I've never seen you this enamored with a girl before, Your Highness. You're usually bad at handling formal events." Jilk teased.
"H-hey, that's not true." Julius blushed.
"Even though his fiancé is standing behind him?" Olivia thought.
Feeling insulted, Angelica turned on her heel and trotted away, followed by her entourage. Venessa glanced back at Olivia with sympathy before leaving.
Olivia felt bad for Angelica. Julius must be ignoring his fiancé to spend time with the scholarship student. That didn't seem right, but she could complain.
"I'm also in attendance, so I'll look forward to seeing you there as well, Olivia," Jilk said, also wearing a charming smile.
"Hey, Jilk!" Julius groaned.
"Don't worry, this is just out of courtesy. I have no intention of stealing the girl who strikes your fancy, Your Highness." teased Jilk.
"I told you it's not like that!" retorted Julius.
While the two boys were arguing, Olivia stared at them in confusion.
"I don't get it… why are these boys interested in me…?"Olivia wondered. It wasn't like the male students ever showed interest in her before, preferring to ignore her presence. And yet these Princes were being kind.
Later, the scholarship student attended Julius's tea party as he requested. Just as Julius said, only acquaintances attended, such as his entourage. Angelica was there too, but she stood off to the side so she wouldn't disturb the Prince and the other guests. The tea and snacks at the party were delicious, but Olivia still felt out of place.
She thought perhaps this was just a whim of the Prince. By the next day, he'd forget this happened and they could move on without seeing each other too often.
[-Several Days Later-]
Olivia wasn't expecting her life to be this turbulent. After attending Julius's tea party, the Five Princes seemed more determined than ever to take up her time.
This motivated the jealous bullies to get more aggressive than ever. One in particular was unbelievably nasty, and Olivia hoped she wouldn't run into her today.
As a result, she never found time alone and her grades began to slip. Brad offered to tutor her, but it seemed like an excuse to spend time with Olivia and stroke his ego over his intelligence. While he was indeed smart, Olivia could barely follow along because half the time was spent hearing him gloat.
And to top it all off, Olivia felt like she was being followed. She habitually turned back to see who, but no one was there. At least, no one paid attention to her. Olivia had a feeling of who her stalker was. It was Venessa Fou Bartfort.
Venessa wasn't a good spy, as she stood out pretty well. Sometimes, Venessa would carelessly give herself away and try to act like it was a coincidence. It was so weird. Just what did she want? Since she was her follower, Angelica might have wanted Venessa to keep tabs on Olivia to make sure she stayed away from the Prince and his friends.
After all, Olivia was cornered by Angelica that one time. After the tea party fiasco, Angelica must surely hate Olivia even more for getting Julius's attention.
Suddenly, Olivia thought about seeing Venessa around when she wasn't stalking the scholarship student or staying by Angelica's side. Outside of her leader, Venessa seemed to have a bigger social circle. Even though she was going to a baronetess, she made friends with girls and boys alike. She was cheerful, and kind. The infectious energy she had made others around her at ease. It was also rumored that Venessa helped some unlucky boys out by recommending less troublesome girls as potential marriage partners to them. These girls were reportedly shut-ins and didn't have absurdly high standards like the typical spoiled rich girl. Whatever the case, it seemed Venessa was popular, and Angelica must be very lenient to let her do as she pleased.
"Venessa-san must be a nice person… I wonder if I could be friends with her too…"
There was more to Venessa than just friendliness, too. Sometimes, Olivia felt that Venessa was…
"Hey, scholarship student!"
Olivia's thoughts came to a crashing halt when she heard that voice. It was all too familiar.
She hesitantly turned around and saw the worst of her bullies marching up to her. This bully was flanked by followers and servants, equally as intimidating.
This was Stephanie Fou Offrey, the heiress to an Earl household. She had an infamous reputation for being rude and demanding everywhere she went. No one wanted to get close to her or incur her wrath. Unfortunately, the one who had a special talent for getting Stephanie's attention was the resident scholarship student.
"S-Stephanie…" Olivia uttered in fear.
"Who gave you permission to utter my name like that, huh?!" Stephanie growled as she grabbed Olivia by the collar and pulled her closer.
"I-I'm sorry! G-Good afternoon, Stephanie-sama!" Olivia cried.
"Skip the pleasantries!" Stephanie shoved Olivia into a wall, "It seems you're too stupid to understand a simple command. Did I not tell you to stay away from Brad-sama?"
She and Brad were discussed being betrothed, despite rarely interacting at school. Stephanie seemed more interested in establishing her dominance in the academy. Her favorite pastime seemed to be punishing girls who had the nerve to approach Brad without permission.
"I'm sorry! But my grades have been slipping and he kindly offered to help me with my studies! I couldn't turn-"
"I don't need your excuses! I want your obedience! You commoner pests should know your place!" Stephanie yelled as she pulled Olivia's hair and forced her to drop her books.
Olivia whimpered and shed tears of fear and pain. Stephanie always took delight in making her cry. And no one was around to help her. Even if students were here, they'd never lift a finger to save a piece of commoner trash.
"You really think your innocent act is fooling anyone? We all know you're a skank trying to seduce Brad-sama and the other Princes." Stephanie gleefully accused.
"Y-You're wrong! I would never do that!"
"Did I give you permission to talk back, you damn pet?" Stephanie darkly asked. She raised her palm, preparing to beat the frightened Olivia.
"HEY, KNOCK IT OFF!"
Olivia and Stephanie turned to the source of the new voice.
Standing alone, brave and confident, was Venessa.
"Venessa-san…?" Olivia uttered in disbelief.
"Who the hell are you?" Stephanie rudely asked.
"Pretty and mysterious Venessa Fou Bartfort, at your service! In the names of the Bartfort and Redgrave Families, I'll punish you!" Venessa excitedly introduced herself while striking an eccentric pose.
"What?" growled an annoyed Stephanie.
"I think it's that girl who discovered and cleared a dungeon on her own. As a result, she became one of the Redgrave's followers." Carla, one of Stephanie's followers explained. She had long blue hair and was somewhat shy.
"Oh, right. Angelica Redgrave's favorite little lapdog." Stephanie sneered, "Not real smart butting in as I'm disciplining this commoner. I thought were you watching her on Angelica's orders."
"Just as I thought. Miss Redgrave wanted Venessa-san to spy on me…" Olivia thought apprehensively. She started to wonder what Angelica had planned for her. Something probably worse than what Stephanie was doing.
"I don't know how you think that's the case, but it doesn't matter. I'm not gonna stand around and watch you bully Livia!" Venessa declared, surprising Olivia.
Stephanie scoffed, "Ha! And what are you going to do? Go to a teacher or something? As if they'd take you seriously or even lift a finger to help common trash."
That was a fair point. The teachers couldn't be bothered to help a commoner like Olivia. There was possibly one exception, but she couldn't go to him and cause him trouble. He was busy with his tea and etiquette classes, after all.
"Maybe not, but I can't say the same about Angie or even Prince Julius." Venessa countered.
"Huh?"
"Angie tolerates bullies even less than I do. And Prince Julius and his buddies have taken a real shine to Livia, your betrothed Braddy-boy included. Guys can get pretty defensive of girls they fancy, so it won't look good for you if Braddy-boy finds out you're bullying her. Rejection hurts but what can you do?"
Venessa's bold statement quickly enraged Stephanie, as indicated by an angry vein ready to pop. That was especially the case with that demeaning nickname.
"So, if you want to get in their good graces, you might wanna consider correcting your behavior." Venessa taunted further.
"You're the one who needs correcting, you noisy brat! Boys!" Stephanie's demi-human servants prepare to lunge at Venessa on their mistress's order, "You won't act smug after they rough you up a little! You'll think twice before addressing Brad-sama like that again!"
However, as they attacked her, Venessa threw each of the Exclusive Servants over her shoulder one after the other. Despite their larger frames, she did it without breaking a sweat. As they landed head first, they lost consciousness almost immediately. To the shock of all, one small girl toppled three towering and strong men with ease.
"You should be careful. A little lapdog like me has tricks. Why do you think Angie allowed me to join her entourage?" Venessa bragged.
"Y-You brat!" Stephanie growled.
"And just so you know, that was self-defense. No one will deny that. Not even Angie! And won't take kindly to you, a lower-ranked noble attempting to assault one of her followers."
Stephanie gritted her teeth. She was ready to retaliate physically, but Carla intervened.
"S-Stephanie-sama, we shouldn't pick a fight with one of Angelica-sama's followers! Who knows what she'll do!"
Carla received a backhand from her leader for her trouble.
"Shut up, Carla! Nobody asked you!" barked Stephanie. Of course, even she knew when to back off, seeing as that little lap dog wasn't as defenseless as she looked.
She turned on her heel and stomped away, but not before glaring at Olivia and Venessa, "This isn't over, you snot-nosed twerp! Don't get cocky just because you have the Redgraves protecting you!"
Stephanie's group fled the scene, followed by her Exclusive Servants.
Olivia was stunned by what had happened. Normally, she'd be terrified by Stephanie's group. But Venessa handled that so well.
"Well, that was fun." Venessa sighed before turning to the flinching Olivia, "Are you okay? She didn't hurt you, did she?"
The scholarship student was surprised. She assumed Venessa would try to bully her too. She was associated with Angelica, after all. Maybe she only saved her because she wanted payback for being forced to spy on her. Yeah, that must be it. Nobles do petty things like that.
"Aw, don't look at me like that. I won't bite." Venessa assured.
"B-But… you're a noble, right? Don't you hate that a commoner like me is in your presence?" Olivia glumly asked.
"Why should I care if you're a commoner?" Venessa nonchalantly asked, "Worrying about stupid stuff like status and privileges is why this school stinks, especially with harpies like that girl around."
"B-But, aren't you spying on me on Miss Redgrave's behalf?"
"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" Venessa feigned.
"It was so obvious. Even Stephanie-sama figured it out." Olivia thought. For all that intimidation, Stephanie didn't seem all that smart, so it really said something of Venessa's skill at espionage.
"Just as I thought; you're having a rough time here, aren't you?" Venessa smiled empathically.
Again, Olivia was surprised. She didn't expect Venessa, a noble heiress, to empathize with her.
"If you ask me, having your magical talent recognized by the academy is pretty amazing!" Venessa praised.
"You think I'm amazing?" Olivia asked. Venessa sounded genuine when she said that. It seemed genuine compared to Brad's vain way of complimenting people.
"Yeah. You should be proud of that. You might even be a Saint like in the old legends." Venessa proclaimed.
"W-What? Me, a Saint?!" Olivia gasped. Even in her hometown, she heard tales of the Saint among the adventurers who founded the Holfort Kingdom. History classes even spoke of the Saint. However, Olivia felt some details were missing.
"Hey, I'm just joking!"
"O-Of course… A klutz like myself a Saint? That's impossible…" Olivia said wistfully. Saints were supposed to be high-level mages and worshipped as deities. Someone like Olivia, who lacked a presence and got easily picked on couldn't possibly become so important.
"Hey, cheer up! I wasn't making fun of you."
"I-I know that, but…"
"Okay, here's an idea! Why don't we go somewhere relaxing? I know a good place where we can chill out and think positive." Venessa suddenly suggested.
"A-A are you inviting me to go with you somewhere?" asked a surprised Olivia.
"Yep! Or do you not want to come?" asked Venessa.
"I-I will!" Olivia blurted. Normally, she would have complied to avoid angering the nobles, but she didn't get a hint of danger from Venessa. It was a strange contrast to what she was used to.
"Awesome! Let's go before he decides to close shop."
"He?"
"My brother, Leon. He's got room for tea parties, and as his favorite sister, I'm entitled to free tea and snacks!" Venessa declared, "Now, let's go get those tea and snacks!"
Venessa grabbed Olivia's hand and gently pulled her along.
Olivia didn't know what to think. Normally, nobles were more demanding and unpleasant, like Stephanie. Venessa once again proved her indifference to the status quo.
"It's a little late to say this, but I'm Venessa. It's nice to meet you, Livia!"
"Venessa Fou Bartfort… what a strange girl. Who is she, really?" Olivia thought.
Lyall the Werewolf: That ends chapter 1. I had to do a lot of rework for this opening chapter. I had to make up most of it as I went, but I believe it turned out well. I hope this was worth the wait and that it will impress some of you.
Yes, for those who didn't get the hints, Venessa is Neptune. Of course, Neptune wouldn't be the villainess. I don't think she'd have it in her. Then again, the purpose of the Villainess concept is to make the Villainess the heroine of the story.
How she became Venessa will be revealed in the next chapter.
