Chapter 8: I Reincarnated as a Villainess…and Ended Up Stranded (7)

I made a broom.

To sweep the yard?

No, to fly through the sky.

You already know I got pretty roughed up by those wolf monsters recently, right?

Sure, nowadays they settle down with just a pipe smack or two, but back then, I nearly died.

And that’s when I realized something.

Kiriel had been holding back her magic all this time so I wouldn’t get caught in the crossfire.

In other words, if I could fly on my own, she’d be free to go wild, and things would be a whole lot safer all around.

Hm?

You’re asking where I got the broom?

Obviously, the doggies brought it to me.

Sure, the handle was broken, so I had to do a bit of work rebuilding it using some apple tree wood lying around nearby…

While remaking the broom, I came to a realization:

I’m actually really good with my hands.

To be honest, I already had a hunch when I was building the house and brewing potions with alchemy.

But this just confirmed it.

All my magical talent… went into blacksmithing and alchemy instead!

A proper villainess is supposed to be born with extraordinary magical powers, become arrogant thanks to her talents, develop a cocky, smug attitude,

and then get a taste of humble pie from the protagonist—that’s the classic formula, right!?

So why did I end up with practical, wholesome crafting skills!?

“This isn’t villainess-like at all…! I’m more like the hardworking childhood friend who supports the protagonist with a lunchbox!”

“…….”

Clutching my head atop the broom, I glanced sideways at Kiriel, whose face said, ‘Here she goes again…’

Yeah.

I know the reason.

The blood running through my veins—Rosegarden blood—has always been tied to alchemy and history.

But still, in Four Gods of Romfan, were the Rosegarden family members ever stuck brewing potions?

Absolutely not.

Even when they said “alchemy,” they’d whip up glimmering golden weapons mid-air—practically indistinguishable from mages.

The alchemy was just flavor text to explain their wealth.

In the end, they were just magic users with flair!

And yet…!

Poof…!

Why is my firepower stuck at the level of a pocket lighter!?

“I want to hurl a massive fireball! Something super cool and flashy—uwaaaah!!”

Right then, I lost focus and the broom flipped.

“H-huff… huff…”

Luckily, all my prior crash experience paid off, and I managed to cling to the broom just in time.

With a few desperate pull-ups, I hauled myself back up.

Even though I was practicing over the lake to avoid injury… getting my clothes wet still sucked.

Sure, I could dress light if I was just going to fall in anyway, but that killed the sense of danger.

Failure has to feel like failure to make success more meaningful!

In fact, thanks to this self-imposed restriction, I’d gotten way better at flying.

I could now stay airborne for quite a while in low skies.

Heh heh. This is the genius of a true villainess at work…

Now, even if I ran into a monster, I could safely watch from above while Kiriel and the doggies handled it.

…Still, I really do want to learn at least one cool magic spell.

“Alright…”

I finished today’s broom flight training and landed softly on the ground.

“Looks like it’ll still be a while before rescue arrives…”

Maybe I should add magic practice to my daily routine too?

This world is what you’d call a “medieval fantasy” setting.

So naturally, communication tech is very different from my past life.

Even if it looks medieval on the outside, it actually has pockets of quasi-modern tech—but phones are not a thing.

And even if they existed, it’d be short-range stuff limited to the capital.

Of course, the world of Four Gods of Romfan, the one I reincarnated into, is no exception.

If I had to guess, they probably just now got word about the airship crash.

Heck, maybe they still don’t know.

Anyway, the point is, rescue will take a while, and I might as well make the most of my time until then.

Thanks to having the wolves under my command, I didn’t need to worry about food or salvaging debris.

Water, food, essential nutrients like salt and vitamins—I had jerky, fruit, herbs, you name it.

Plus, the most important thing in the wild: healing potions!

Seriously, if I didn’t have that notebook, I’d probably be dying of infection or injury by now.

Nameless alchemist, you’re my true lifesaver!

“Phew…”

With all my gratitude, I began my daily ritual: a hundred sparks of thanks to the unknown alchemist.

“Hyaaah!”

But no matter where or when I tried it, all I ever got was a lighter-sized flame.

No progress.

…

Guess I’m really not cut out for magic after all?

“…No! Don’t be weak already, you dumb idiot! A true villainess stands proud no matter what! Confidence is key! If I keep working hard, the sun will rise on my efforts someday…!”

Yes! I can do this!

Let’s goooo!

With that internal pep talk, I slapped my own cheek.

……Ow.

That hurt.

I need to dial it down next time.

Anyway, the next day—and the next after that—I resumed my daily magic training.

Following the usual routine, I took a deep breath and focused on the mana flow inside me.

Though, to be honest, it’s not like I had any specific techniques or breathing methods.

I just went by instinct and tried to ignite a flame.

Poof…!

“…….”

Once again, the same tiny spark lit up.

Kiriel and the wolves looked at me with eyes full of pity.

“Hahh… hahh…”

“Whimper…”

Some of them even licked me gently in sympathy, saying,

Don’t be discouraged! At least your broom skills have improved a ton!

…Wait.

Who just patted my head?

“Don’t pity me! You’re just dogs! A human heart is a delicate thing, okay!?”

As I flailed my arms in wounded pride, their eyes grew even sadder.

Please.

Stop.

It’s like watching a little kid who excitedly bought a 15+ age model kit saying, This is easy, only to fail miserably and sit there all gloomy…

“R-right! That’s it! It’s because I don’t have a magic staff!”

Desperate to salvage my pride, I blamed my lack of equipment.

…

Wait a sec—come to think of it, that’s not totally wrong?

Wizards do usually cast spells with magic staves, right?

Exactly!

Just like swordsmen need swords, mages need staves to unleash their full power.

Which means I wasn’t bad at magic—I just didn’t have the proper gear!

“If I had a staff, I’d finally be able to show my real strength!”

They say to strike while the iron’s hot, so I quickly ordered the wolves to fetch me any stick that resembled a magic staff.

“Pant pant pant!”

The moment I spoke, they sprinted off like the wind.

…Huh?

Usually, they ignore my orders and only listen to Kiriel.

Why are they suddenly so obedient?

Could it be… they’ve finally realized who the true alpha is?

Yes, yes.

So cute when they listen so well.

I’ll reward them with fragrant herbal tea.

Of course, brewed by Kiriel—not me.

“Pant pant pant!”

After a few hours, they returned, dropping a pile of sticks at my feet.

From massive staffs taller than me to short wands the length of batons, they brought an impressive variety of magical-looking implements.

Judging by the selection, most of these probably came from adventurers exploring the forest rather than the airship wreck…

Can I really use these?

Well, if you think about it, wouldn’t a cute villainess like me be a better owner than someone who’s, you know, dead?

Still, I had to pay my respects.

Before trying out the staves, I pressed my hands together and offered a heartfelt prayer.

“May you all rest in peace…”

Hopefully you all get reincarnated as cute and beautiful girls like me.

Though of course, I will still be the cutest and most beautiful villainess.

“Alright! Let’s try them out one by one!”

Starting with this super-old, high-level looking staff!

As I gripped the staff, I could feel the mana naturally flowing through my fingertips.

It really felt like I was using a magic staff.

I say “flowing in” but it wasn’t like it was being forcibly drawn—it just felt like my mana was naturally spreading into the staff.

See!?

I knew it wasn’t that I sucked at magic—it’s just that I didn’t have the right gear!

“Fwooo…”

Feeling the mana’s rhythm through my whole body, I channeled power into the tip of the staff.

Definitely better than doing it barehanded!

With this, I was sure—

“Haaaah!”

With confidence, I cast my fire magic, sure I’d finally get a bigger flame!

Poof…!

With a tiny sound…

Once again, just a teeny spark popped up.

Actually, it might’ve been even smaller this time… What the heck!?

“Well… it did look super old. That’s why you shouldn’t hoard junk—just toss it when it’s worn out!”

“Haaah!”

Poof…!

But—

“Yahh!”

Again—

“Oh flame…!”

Again—

“…Hey guys? Just so you know, all of that was just practice. Now I’m really going to show you what I’ve got…”

And again—

“The real protagonist always appears last! Come on, staff! Let’s end with a glorious finale!”

Poof…!
Poof…!
Poof…!
Poof…!
Poof…!

“……….”

“Kyuuu…”

And so, they say…

Not a single flame larger than a lighter ever appeared.