Chap 29-Selfish Villainess

 

Senior Bella’s low, trembling voice echoed through the training grounds.

I couldn’t bring myself to look up.

‘Ah… I’m screwed.’

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I tried my best to play dumb, but I couldn’t hide the tremor in my voice.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”

Senior Bella’s voice sank even lower, colder.

“I saw you when you came out of your room earlier. You almost tripped because you didn’t see the doorknob properly. I thought it was just a mistake then… but now I see that wasn’t the case.”

‘Ha… she already knew everything.’

“If I say I’m fine… you won’t believe me anymore, right?”

“That’s right.”

Senior Bella answered firmly.

“I will never believe you again when you say you’re okay.”

Her cold gaze held deep worry and pity.

“So.”

Senior Bella took another step closer.

Her gaze relentlessly pierced my right eye.

“Why is your eye like that? Since when? What’s the reason?”

I shrugged, trying to act as nonchalant as possible, and made excuses.

“…It’s a side effect.”

“A side effect? A side effect of what? Don’t tell me it’s because of that strange power you used when you fought those Magical Beasts back then?”

My shoulders twitched slightly at her last words.

“…That’s right.”

I had no choice but to confess.

“That power… it’s the price for using the Evil God’s authority.”

The moment she heard those words, sadness and deep guilt clouded Senior Bella’s face.

She probably blamed herself for me using the authority.

“No, this isn’t your fault, Senior!”

I waved my hands frantically.

“Those Magical Beasts were after me anyway. I would have had to use it even if you weren’t there! And this… it might get better with time!”

I spoke as if trying to comfort her without realizing it, but Senior Bella’s expression didn’t improve at all.

Instead, she looked at me with an even colder gaze and said.

“I just said it. I will never believe you again when you say you’re okay.”

“……”

I had nothing to say.

Senior Bella looked straight into my eyes and asked again. Her voice was full of anxiety.

“Is it really… getting better? Are you sure?”

“…I don’t know.”

I finally lowered my head and answered weakly.

Seeing Senior Bella’s expression become even more somber at my answer, I sighed deeply inwardly.

‘Haa… this won’t do.’

It was nice to have someone worry about me, but it was quite annoying to receive such pity for every little thing.

Because my end was ultimately destined for ruin.

“Senior.”

“……”

“For now… I can’t use this authority for a while. No, I won’t use it. Master also forbade it, and I don’t want my body to break down any further. So don’t worry too much.”

I hesitated for a moment before adding.

“And… I won’t hide things like this from now on. If something happens… I’ll tell you first, Senior.”

Senior Bella’s eyes widened slightly at those words.

Surprise and a faint sense of relief flashed across her face.

“Instead… don’t worry too much, Senior.”

I looked into her eyes and said seriously.

“If you worry about me and feel anxious like that, it becomes difficult for me to be honest. In the end, I’ll have no choice but to pretend I’m okay again. Understand?”

Senior Bella looked shocked for a moment at my words.

As if she was just realizing for the first time that her worries might actually make things harder for me. She was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

“…I understand. I’ll try.”

Her voice was still a little shaky, but it was much calmer than before.

‘Sorry, Senior.’

In the end, I was just a selfish villain who deceived others to avoid my own emotional discomfort.

…

After a brief awkward silence, we decided to continue our sparring.

Senior tried to stop, but I asked her to let me continue because I needed to adjust to my changed vision.

Thwack!

“…Kugh!”

Senior Bella’s wooden sword cut through the air, and my wooden sword, which had pierced through the gap, accurately struck her side.

Senior retreated with a short groan. It was the umpteenth effective hit.

‘Huh?’

Something was strange.

Was I… always this good at fighting?

“Haa… haa…”

Senior Bella dropped her wooden sword, gasping for breath.

Her face was filled with bewilderment and shock.

“No way…”

She stared blankly at me and muttered.

“This movement, this reaction speed… and even this incredible Mana manipulation ability. I’ve never seen anyone fight like you before. And you’re saying… you have no talent?”

“Huh? Me? Am I that good?”

I was also feeling dazed.

I wasn’t aware of it myself at all.

Suddenly, Master’s words came to mind.

When I used to complain that I had no talent, Master chuckled and said this:

『Your talent is quite outstanding, so don’t be too discouraged.』

At the time, I thought she was just saying that to comfort me…

Could it be that she was serious?

“Martial Arts basically require both the ability to move the body precisely and the ability to manipulate Mana freely to be properly mastered.”

Senior Bella tried to calm her excitement and began to explain.

“But your movements and Mana manipulation ability have already far surpassed level 5. But for you to not be able to learn Martial Arts at all… it doesn’t make sense. There must be another reason.”

I tilted my head at her words.

Was that really the case?

Was my talent that outstanding?

Then why couldn’t I use Martial Arts?

“Then… shall we try learning Martial Arts for real this time?”

I looked at Senior Bella and suggested.

I had a feeling that maybe she could discover something different.

“Okay. Good.”

Senior Bella’s eyes lit up as if she was also motivated.

“Let’s start with the basics. A basic footwork taught at the academy. It’s a technique that allows you to move as fast as the wind by concentrating Mana on your feet. I’ll demonstrate it first, so watch carefully.”

Senior lightly moved her feet.

Then her body blurred like a residual image and crossed the training grounds like the wind.

Fast and fluid movements. It was definitely a sophisticated technique, even though it was basic.

“Now, it’s your turn. Concentrate Mana on your feet as I taught you, lower your center of gravity, and then…”

I tried to concentrate Mana on my feet as she told me to.

But something was strange.

Mana was definitely moving according to my will, but instead of being precisely concentrated on my feet, it just spread throughout my legs, only enhancing my physical abilities.

“It’s not working?”

I tried a few more times, but the result was the same.

Mana didn’t manifest in the form of a technique, but simply enhanced my physical abilities vaguely.

“Try again. Make the flow of Mana more precise…”

Senior Bella advised from the side, but it was no use.

In the end, I awkwardly stumbled and staggered. I couldn’t even stand properly, let alone use the footwork.

“……”

Senior Bella looked at me with an unbelievable expression.

I felt the same way.

As if the movements and Mana manipulation ability I had shown in the sparring match just now were a lie, I couldn’t use even the most basic Martial Arts at all.

As expected… I really had no talent.

What was the problem?

I tried again and again as Senior Bella taught me.

I tried to concentrate Mana on my toes, calm my breathing, and shift my center of gravity.

But the result was the same.

Mana still spread uncontrollably throughout my legs, and my feet kept tangling and stumbling instead of moving like the wind.

“This is really strange.”

Senior Bella crossed her arms and observed me with a serious expression.

After watching my clumsy movements for a long time, she finally opened her mouth.

“It’s as if… you’re under some kind of Geass. As if something isn’t allowing you to learn Martial Arts itself.”

“Pfft!”

I couldn’t help but burst out laughing at Senior’s words.

Geass.

A restriction that a Transcendent, or an existence equivalent to one, obtains through a deal with the scales in the Akashic Records.

Like Master, imposing restrictions on oneself to maximize other abilities.

That was Geass.

“Come on, Senior. I’m not some Transcendent, what Geass are you talking about?”

I waved my hands and laughed it off.

“I just have no talent.”

“…I guess so.”

Senior Bella agreed with my words, but she still couldn’t shake off her suspicious expression.

But she didn’t pursue the cause any further.

“Well, whatever the cause, let’s stop here for today.”

Senior said, rotating her stiff shoulders.

“It’s already quite late at night.”

I looked at the clock on the training room wall and realized that time had really flown by.

I didn’t realize it because I was so focused, but I had apparently sweated quite a bit.

“Then… I should go wash up soon.”

Senior Bella said, wiping her sweat with a towel.

“You’ve also sweated a lot, so let’s go wash up together.”

“Huh? W-Wash up? Together?”

I couldn’t believe my ears.

Together?

Senior Bella and me?

My mind went blank for a moment and my face flushed.

“Why? Is there a problem?”

Senior Bella looked at me as if she really didn’t care, and even wondered why I was so flustered.

She had already grabbed her towel and change of clothes.

“No… it’s not that…”

I stammered.

It was true that it shouldn’t matter if girls washed up together…

“Aren’t you coming? Then I’ll go first.”

Senior Bella was still waiting for my answer with a calm expression.

Looking at her expression, it seemed like she really just said “Let’s go wash up together” without any intention.

I panicked inwardly and wondered if I should follow Senior Bella or not.

I had learned from Master how to wash up with other girls when we bathed together sometimes…

It’ll be okay, right?

Author’s words:

Thank you for reading!