CHAPTER 4: A Dazzling Family of Villains

CHAPTER 4: A Dazzling Family of Villains

CHAPTER 4

A Dazzling Family of Villains

After parting ways with Bernie and arriving in the rear garden, Monica found the Barrier Mage Louis Miller already leaning against a wall, waiting for her.

“You’re quite late, my fellow Sage,” he said.

“I’m sorry! Some things, um, happened…”

Louis was neatly dressed in his official Seven Sages robe, his staff in hand.

Coming in such obvious attire was probably meant as a deterrent. With one of the kingdom’s best mages present, and specifically one specializing in barrier techniques, any intruders would find it difficult to act.

“But, um… Is this okay?” she ventured. “His Majesty said to protect the prince, well, in secret, right?”

That was why Louis had originally sent the prince a magic item fitted with a defensive barrier, and why he’d sent Monica here as a student. And yet now he was boldly barging right into the academy.

As she wondered about this, Louis chuckled nasally. “It’s perfectly fine. I was officially invited to the festival, after all.”

Monica had assumed he’d applied for an invitation from the school, like Bernie, but apparently not. He was one of the more social members of the Seven Sages, so he probably had connections.

“In any case, my fellow Sage, you must have something important to discuss if you had to call me here, yes?”

Oh, right , she thought. I have to tell him about exposing my secret mission to the Abyss Shaman!

She looked down and played with her fingers before softly stammering her response. “Well, um, the Abyss Shaman, well, he’s near the academy, and…”

“Huh?” Louis furrowed his brow at the mention of a fellow Sage. “That shaman is just as much of a shut-in as you . I’m shocked he’s out and about. I figured he’d shrivel up like a prune if the sunlight touched him.”

He hadn’t shriveled up, but he had been making a fuss about the sunlight. So Louis was essentially right.

“My undercover mission, um…he found out about it! I’m…I’m really sorry!”

Louis’s eyebrow twitched, but he didn’t intimidate or threaten her. “What is his reason for coming all the way here?”

“Well, apparently one of House Albright’s shamanic tools…um, it ended up at Serendia Academy, so…”

After an abridged explanation of the Crimson Wrath, how it stole people’s peace of mind and how it wound up at the school, Louis lowered his gaze and put a hand to his mouth in thought. “Then we have a rather troublesome situation on our hands.”

“…Yes.”

“But this is also the perfect chance to put the Albrights in our debt. Let’s recover the item and have the Abyss Shaman help with protecting the prince while we’re at it.”

Monica was relieved; whatever the case, Louis wasn’t mad at her. Still, she found his boldness impressive. He was trying to gain favor with the Albrights even in a situation like this.

Recalling Ryn’s words about hair-covered hearts, Monica made her other report. “There’s one more thing I need to tell you, Mr. Louis…”

“Is it worse than a shamanic tool winding up at the academy?”

“Mr. Rutherford—er, from Minerva’s—is at the festival.”

“Geh!”

Louis’s speech was usually pompous and affected, but just now he’d croaked like a frog being stepped on. He grimaced, his displeasure obvious.

But there was a good reason even this hairy-hearted man was so ruffled. Professor Gideon Rutherford was Louis’s master.

“That old geezer…er, my master… He’s here…?”

Monica had belonged to Professor Rutherford’s laboratory, but he hadn’t actually instructed her. He’d simply let her do her own research. He wasn’t her master, just a former teacher. Louis, on the other hand, had learned about magical combat from him directly, and thus respected the man as his master.

Louis seemed to anguish over this news for a moment or two, but eventually he steeled himself and came to a decision. “Understood,” he said lowly. “I’ll draw his attention. You take advantage of his distraction to…”

“Okay.”

“…to use unchanted magecraft to kill him on the spot, and then we’ll bury him.” His eyes were serious.

“Um…what…?”

“My apologies. I lost my cool.” Louis took a slow breath and regained his normal, confident attitude. Then, something seemed to dawn on him, and he abruptly looked toward the faculty room. “Come to think of it, Mr. Macragan is here as well, isn’t he? And yet you say he hasn’t realized who you are.”

“Y-yes.”

Professor Macragan, who taught fundamental magecraft at Serendia Academy, was formerly a teacher at Minerva’s, and Monica had been one of his students there. But his eyesight was poor, and for the moment, it didn’t seem like he’d figured out she was the Silent Witch.

“How convenient. My master is old friends with Mr. Macragan… With both of them in the same place, they’re sure to have a long, protracted conversation over tea. We should try and orchestrate a meeting.”

Louis placed his hands on Monica’s thin shoulders. He had on his usual smile, but she thought his eyes looked a little bloodshot.

“So while I’m distracting my master… You get that shamanic tool back. Before I run out of patience.”

“…Y-yes, sir.”

Monica was too afraid to ask what would happen if his patience ran out.

According to Ray, the Crimson Wrath had been sold to someone at the academy. Significantly, he hadn’t given the family name of any one student, only the name of the school itself.

That meant it was likely the buyer wasn’t an individual student. One of the clubs had probably purchased it for the school festival, and there were only so many clubs that would need an accessory like that.

As student council accountant, Monica looked over the names and prices of all items being purchased, so she had a good guess as to where it might be. I’m almost certain…it will be part of a costume for the play.

In about an hour, students would put on a play using the outdoor stage. Flowery, gorgeous plays were the highlight of the festival. She’d heard the costumes would be just as elaborate and impressive as everything else.

The issue was how to go about checking them—and how she’d switch the real item with the fake once she found it.

Well, for now…I’ll hurry to the dressing room. If I don’t get there soon, they’ll start changing!

Monica rushed off. But just as she turned a corner in the hallway, she spotted one of her classmates—Lana—coming toward her. As usual, she sported a complex hairstyle and cute accessories. When she noticed Monica, she waved and ran over.

“Monica! I’ve been looking for you! …Oh, what’s that?” She looked at the white-rose decoration on Monica’s chest, then narrowed her eyes meaningfully—though what the gesture meant, Monica couldn’t guess. “Huh,” she mumbled. “Hmm. I see.”

“…? What’s the matter?” asked Monica, confused.

Lana put a hand to her mouth and giggled in delight. “I’ll get you looking nice and pretty for the ball. Look forward to it!”

Monica nodded vaguely, unable to follow. But then she remembered something. Lana was involved with the play’s costumes. Maybe she’d know about the accessory.

“Lana!” she cried, leaning forward. Her voice came out louder than she’d intended.

Lana’s eyes widened in surprise. “Wh-what? Why are you yelling?”

“Um, well, the costumes for today’s play… Is a, um, necklace with a red jewel part of any of them? With a black decorative frame and…” Monica trailed off, worried whether that would be enough explanation.

Lana nodded easily. “That would be Queen Amelia’s necklace. What about it?”

She knew Lana would remember. She remembered everything when it came to clothes. So the shamanic tool will be worn by the person playing Amelia… If Monica was going to swap them out, she’d have to move now—before the play started.

“Lana, um…have the actors started changing into their costumes yet?”

“Oh, they’re already finished.”

“Huh?! B-but there’s still an hour left!”

Lana sighed at Monica’s shock. “There’s only an hour left. Of course they’re already finished. They don’t have to put on just their costumes—they have to do their makeup and hair. Especially the one playing the queen. She’ll take the longest.”

Monica barely needed any time to dress herself in the morning, so she hadn’t even considered that. Highborn girls took a long time to get ready. Especially if they were going onstage.

The queen’s actress is already wearing it… I have to hurry and get it back!

“Hey, Monica,” said Lana. “My father’s carriage is going to arrive soon, so I wanted to go out and greet him. Would you like to come with me? I want to introduce him to you.”

Apparently, that was why Lana had been looking for her. Unfortunately, Monica had a very important mission to attend to. “Um, I’m sorry. I actually have something to do…”

“Student council work? Will it be done by the time the play starts?”

Monica gave a little nod—she knew Lana wanted to watch it with her.

“…Yeah. I’ll make sure it is,” she said, half to herself, before quietly clenching her gloved fists. Lana had supervised the costumes, and Monica knew exactly how much she was looking forward to the play.

I won’t let it be ruined , she told herself.

Getting the item back before the curtains rose—that was her current mission as the Silent Witch, Monica Everett.

…Or so Monica told herself as she headed for the play’s green room. But just as she was about to knock on the door, she stopped short. There was still one problem.

I know where it is now, but how do I make the switch? Ask her to take it off so I can see it for a moment? But I’m not part of the play or anything, so if I barge in and say something like that, they’ll just be suspicious… And besides, I don’t know who’s playing the queen, so what should I do…?

Nero and Ryn were protecting Felix while she retrieved the item, so she couldn’t ask them for help. Louis was busy holding Mr. Rutherford at bay. Monica was going to have to figure this one out herself.

As she racked her brain, her collaborator’s words came to mind.

“Today we are partners! I’ll be your perfect backup. You can count on me for support!”

If she wanted Isabelle’s help, she only had to touch her left ear. Her left hand reached up unconsciously, but she held it down with her right. I can’t. This involves Albright family secrets. I can’t tell Lady Isabelle about it.

The only time she could rely on Isabelle was if her identity was about to be revealed while she was guarding the prince. She couldn’t ask her for anything else.

What should I do…?

Monica broke out into a cold sweat.

With her unchanted magecraft, Monica could shoot down dragons without saying a word. But when it came to negotiating, she was completely powerless.

If someone had asked the old Monica to do this, she’d have started crying and run away, thinking it impossible. Now, at least, she could rally herself. She knew she had to do something to get the dangerous item back.

But she couldn’t get any further than that. There was a problem before her she needed to solve, and she had no idea where to begin.

As the words what should I do? swirled around and around in her head, time continued to pass. At this rate, the play would start.

What should I do, what should I do, what should I do…? she thought, standing there at a loss.

Then she heard the sharp click of a heel behind her—and the sound of something flapping open. She knew that sound. Someone had flipped open a folding fan.

“Ohhh-ho-ho-ho!”

At this confident, high-pitched laugh, Monica whipped around to look behind her. And there she was—the self-professed villainess, Isabelle Norton, smiling with her fan spread out before her.

“L-Lady…Isabelle…,” Monica stammered.

Isabelle brushed back her orange curls and, in an arrogant tone befitting a villainess, said, “What in the world are you doing , hanging about a place like this? You’re meant to carry my things, remember? Come along, now!”

She twirled back around, but not before giving Monica a little wink. From anyone else’s point of view, it would look like a mean-spirited young lady was bossing around a weak-willed little girl. But to Monica, Isabelle’s slender back as she walked in front of her was the most reliable thing she could imagine.

Once they’d moved to a hallway where guests were not allowed, Isabelle withdrew her evil smile and meekly bowed to Monica.

“I’m sorry for acting out, dear sister,” she said. “It just…seemed like you were troubled by something.”

She had probably seen Monica raise her left hand, then push it back down, realized she was wondering whether to ask for help, and called out to her.

“A villainess mustn’t let weakened prey out of her grasp, after all.”

And so, this reliable villainess had secretly reached out a helping hand to a vulnerable young lady.

“Lady Isabelle, I… Well…”

As Monica wondered whether she should explain the situation, Isabelle shook her head to indicate that no further words were necessary. “It is fine if you can’t tell me what’s happening,” she said. “We may not be able to assist you, but we can listen. However small your worries or big your troubles… We all want to help.”

I’m so lucky to have her , thought Monica. Whenever she was in a pinch or she found herself stopping, unsure of what to do, a hand would always reach out to help. She was beyond grateful.

Swearing that she would never forget Isabelle’s goodwill or any of the kindness others had shown her, Monica slowly began.

“I can’t tell you the details, but… The actress for Queen Amelia is wearing a necklace that is actually very dangerous. I’d like to secretly switch it with this fake.” She took the duplicate necklace out of her pocket.

Isabelle gave it a close look, then nodded. “Ah, I understand… Agatha!”

She received an immediate reply from the maid, who had been keeping an eye out to make sure nobody was listening. “Yes, my lady?”

“Bring a ruby necklace here from my room. The one from Anmel with the small diamonds surrounding the gem.” Isabelle delivered these instructions quickly before looking at Monica with a smile. It was a firm, reliable smile, one of the sweetest she’d ever seen. “You can leave it in our hands, my sister! I will resolve this issue in a dazzling manner befitting a villainess!”

Less than an hour remained until the play. The actors, now all in costume, were gathered in the large green room, awaiting the beginning of the show.

Eliane Hyatt, the daughter of Duke Rehnberg and the actress who would be playing Queen Amelia, sat in front of a dresser in the room’s corner and gazed at herself in the mirror.

In its glass, she saw a pretty young girl with bluish-gray eyes and soft light-brown hair. She was wearing a dress for the play, though it had no pannier to expand and raise the skirt; it hung straight around her, like a robe, with flowers blossoming out from the hem.

It was a beautiful dress, but Eliane knew it would look better on a taller, more mature woman.