In this world, there exists a genre known as reincarnated heroine stories, or reincarnated villainess stories. I, too, enjoyed reading novels and manga of that kind and played games, but I never thought I’d end up being one of the characters myself.
Hello there. I’m Margaret Nuttall, a reincarnated villainess. I’m a marquis’ daughter and the fiancée of our country’s crown prince, a classic villainess template. Nice to meet you.
When did I first realize that I was the villainess in an otome game? I don’t remember, but having read so many stories about it in my previous life, I know this much:
To avoid the bad ending, efforts must be made from childhood. Personality improvement, raising affection points with the target characters, networking with those around me, and achieving my own accomplishments. Only after all that can I stand next to the heroine. And even after all that effort, depending on the game’s forced outcomes, the bad ending may still be inevitable.
...Honestly, it sounds like a huge hassle.
I’ve been reborn into a noble family, not just any noble family, but a marquis house, with both status and wealth. I’m the youngest daughter, born after a string of brothers, and my parents and siblings dote on me endlessly. I’m spoiled and given everything I want, so why should I hold back? Fortunately, my brothers are reliable, so even if I’m convicted, our family won’t be ruined.
So, I’ll live freely and happily, and then die quickly. In the game, the villainess is poisoned in prison. I don’t like the idea of prison, but with poison, I can die without suffering, so it shouldn’t be too scary.
That was the conclusion I came to.
"Lady Margaret, please have this."
"Today’s confection is from my territory."
"Lady Margaret."
"Lady Margaret."
Today again, I’m surrounded by various students as I enjoy tea. Both male and female, quite a number of them. But there’s one thing they all have in common.
"Look, it’s Lady Margaret."
"How disgraceful, keeping the company of such lowly people."
"As a marquis’ daughter, why would she do such a thing?"
The insults I hear from afar? Completely ignored. I just tune them out. The participants at my tea party know that I don’t care, so they don’t say anything outright. …What they think inside, I don’t know.
I sip my tea gracefully and take a bite of the new confection. Mmm, it’s delicious. I’ve never had this before.
"It’s a traditional sweet from my territory. Did you enjoy it?"
I must have shown my feelings because, before I even asked, they told me, and I nodded with a smile.
"Yes, very much so. Could I take some home with me?"
"Of course!"
Yay! I’ve got tonight’s snack!
Smiling as I continue the tea party, those around me smile warmly back. Yes, friends are truly a treasure!
The people attending my tea party are sons and daughters of viscounts, barons, or students who enrolled through general admission. This is a school, after all. We’re at a gazebo in the back garden of the academy, which is the main setting of the game.
The game has already begun. The heroine is the daughter of a viscount on the verge of ruin, but as a typical otome game heroine, she’s charming and is already captivating the target characters. Or rather, she already has. The people here, however, are far removed from such a heroine and have little connection to aristocratic society. Yet, here I am, enjoying a tea party with them.
"Delicious."
I take a sip of tea and place the cup back on the saucer, making sure not to make a sound—this is one of the most basic manners. The general admission students use me as a reference to learn the proper etiquette of noble society.
It all started shortly after I entered the academy. There were a few girls from the general admission in my class. When some nobles laughed at them for not knowing anything during the manners class, I couldn’t stand it and spoke up.
Of course, it wasn’t just about manners. A few tea parties later, one of the girls confessed she couldn’t keep up with her studies either. Since then, the tea party has also doubled as a study group.
Word of my tea parties quickly spread, and gradually more people began to join. In this space, there was no distinction between nobles and commoners. It was a place where we shared knowledge equally, and only those who could accept that were allowed to participate. It had become a one-of-a-kind space.
It may sound exaggerated, but doesn’t it feel like a study group from my previous life? We don’t gather at someone’s house, but instead, everyone brings different kinds of tea and sweets. Providing a place for that has become my current joy.
That said, naturally, there are upper-class nobles who aren’t happy about it. I don’t care what anyone says, so I’ve now become an outcast among the upper nobles. A fully-fledged villainess.
"Ah..."
Suddenly, one of the tea party members raised their voice while looking in a certain direction. Following their gaze, we all turned to look...
We spotted Ian Midford, the prince of our country and one of the game’s capture targets, along with the heroine, Mary.
I made direct eye contact with Prince Ian. Upon meeting my gaze, his expression immediately darkened with clear distaste, and he quickly averted his eyes. He even made sure to position himself diagonally opposite us to avoid catching Mary’s attention.
Wow, I’ve really become disliked, haven’t I?
"Lady Margaret..."
"I don’t care. By the way, who prepared today’s tablecloth? The lace is absolutely beautiful."
A few of them made awkward faces at my blatant attempt to change the topic, but I didn’t care. No, really, I don’t. This is just the game playing out as expected. There’s no point in worrying about it.
I’m the villainess. Mary is the heroine. The capture targets are supposed to fall for the heroine—this is the ironclad rule of otome games.
"Thank you. I made it myself."
Handmade! The lace! Handmade!!
Wow, that’s amazing. I could never do that, not in a million years. People say embroidery is a necessary skill for noblewomen, but I’ve always been bad with intricate work. I kept touching the tablecloth, marveling at its delicate patterns, and let out a sigh of admiration. How adorable.
Everyone watched me with a variety of expressions as I kept repeating how incredible it was. But I didn’t care about that either. I was too busy tracing the lace patterns.
Having tea parties with these lower-ranked students is one of my favorite pastimes.
I don’t get along with high-ranking nobles. Or rather, I don’t know what they’re scheming behind the scenes, so just talking with them is exhausting.
The people who attend my tea parties, on the other hand, are full of ambition. They gather here to study and pursue their dreams. While their dreams may differ, studying is the common path. It’s clear what needs to be done, so there’s no need for calculation or ulterior motives.
Friends gathering for a study group. It almost feels like I’m back in my previous life, and I really enjoy this time.
When I return home, I love sharing the events of the academy with my family during dinner. Father, Mother, and my brothers all listen to my stories with smiles. Even when I do things unbecoming of a noble, they smile and accept me. I love my family for that.
Doing what I love, eating delicious food, and being satisfied with each day.
This carefree life at the academy, where I do as I please, is slowly coming to an end.
Today is graduation day.
At the party, where the graduates and their parents have gathered, it seems the condemnation event has finally begun.
"Margaret Nuttall! I hereby annul our engagement!!"
I had seen the engagement annulment event countless times in my previous life.
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