BJ Villainess Chapter 309

* * *

Motie, bringing snacks to the annex, frowned as soon as she spotted the servants clustered around the windows.

 

“What are you all doing here?”

 

“Ah, Motie.” The servants awkwardly straightened up and smiled sheepishly.

 

Motie knew exactly what they were watching through the windows—Theresa. Theresa was researching magic in the annex, and her work had become quite famous within the mansion because it was so beautiful to behold.

 

Magic, in its very manifestation, differed from holy power. Holy power didn’t have the dazzling effects of golden particles of magic energy swirling around or lines of light appearing in mid-air like magic did. Magic was visually stunning and beautiful, and Theresa, wielding it, was even more so. The servants were utterly captivated by the mysterious allure of Theresa.

 

Motie, while acknowledging that Theresa was indeed captivating, also recognized how inappropriate this situation was. Sometimes, when the servants were caught by Theresa, she would even teach them magic, acting openly and without pretense, which caused them to forget their duties and lose themselves.

 

Motie scolded them sternly. “This behavior is disrespectful to our master. Return to your duties immediately.”

 

“Yes.” The servants quickly replied and left the annex, knowing a harsher reprimand might follow.

 

Motie knew they would leave now, but it wouldn’t be long before they sneaked back.

 

“Haa.”

 

Perhaps it was time to tighten the discipline within the mansion. Though I’m not sure that would help.

 

Since Theresa arrived, the formerly rigid and formal atmosphere of the mansion had softened considerably. Even Clyde, the master himself, had changed his behavior, let alone the servants.

 

Clyde would perform his official duties during the day, then head straight to the annex after work, staying there until dawn. He had always acted with such strict self-discipline to avoid bringing any dishonor to the Ananuka family, which had taken him in. That strictness had permeated the entire mansion, leading outsiders to describe those working there as cold and unyielding. But these days, that description seems to need revision.

 

It is starting to feel more like Duchy Ananuka. Motie was one of the few people who knew how Clyde was treated at the Ananuka family’s main house.

 

Knock, knock.

 

“Milady, it’s Motie. I’m coming in.”

 

Motie, upon arriving at the door to the laboratory, didn’t wait for a response and entered the room. She knew from experience that whenever the servants were clinging to the windows like that, it meant Theresa was napping. Theresa had been staying there for two months already, so Motie had become quite familiar with her habits.

 

As she gently covered the sleeping Theresa with a thin blanket, Motie found herself smiling fondly without realizing it. How could she be so beautiful, sleeping so peacefully like a child? She seems to get along well with master. I wonder if there might be some good news soon.

 

Motie hoped that something might blossom between the two before the emperor returned from the war. After all, Theresa was the only one the usually cold and indifferent emperor seemed obsessed with finding. Motie worried that if the emperor and Theresa were to reunite, he might suddenly decide to make her his empress.

 

Surely master has feelings for this beautiful stranger as well…

 

“Surely master has feelings for that lady from another world,” said a voice that echoed Motie’s thoughts as she walked down the corridor.

 

Motie turned her head sharply to find the source, and her eyes met those of someone who had also turned at the same moment. Unfortunately, the person was not favorable.

 

Even in a well-managed household under a great master, there were dozens of people working, and when people gathered, factions naturally formed, competing based on their beliefs and values. The woman Motie had locked eyes with, Karen, was a head servant of equal rank who often clashed with Motie’s group.

 

Karen glanced at the direction Motie had come from and the tray in her hand with a curious look. After the two briefly nodded to each other, pretending nothing was amiss, a servant reported, “The master has returned.”

 

Karen immediately ordered that no one approach the annex. Motie, too, instructed the servants to prepare everything so that Clyde wouldn’t need to leave the annex for food, bath, or rest.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

Their eyes met once more. It was Motie who opened her mouth first.

 

“It seems we’re thinking the same thing, Karen.”

 

“Unexpectedly, it seems we are, Motie.”

 

“…Shall we call a temporary truce?”

 

“Just what I was hoping for.”

 

In that moment, the leaders of two opposing factions in the household united to ensure the young lady would stay.

 

* * *

A delicious smell wafted through the air. The wind was warm today, and as I dozed off at my desk, the sweet aroma tickled my nose, waking me up. The smell came from toast, rich with butter and sugar. It made my mouth water.

 

“You wouldn’t wake up when I called your name, but the smell of food had you opening your eyes right away.”

 

I looked up from the toast in front of me to meet Clyde’s exasperated gaze. He was holding the plate of toast right under my nose.

 

“Oh, you’re back? You’re off work early today.”

 

Clyde, being one of the 13 knights, seemed quite busy. The emperor had taken the other knights with him to war, leaving Clyde to handle the knights’ duties alone. As a result, he usually didn’t finish work until sunset, but now the sun was still high in the sky.

 

“I don’t always come home late.” Clyde set the plate on the table. “Give me your hands.”

 

When I quickly extended my hands, he unshackled the restraints. As soon as the cuffs, which sealed my holy power, were removed, I heard the sound of raindrops beginning to fall outside.

 

Technically, Clyde wasn’t supposed to remove the cuffs. But since I needed to use holy power for my research into magic, he had removed them without hesitation. He even taught me how to use holy power.

 

“Holy power is directly connected to your mental state, so you need to control everything from surface thoughts to deep subconsciousness.”

 

“It’s not as easy as it sounds.”

 

Despite my efforts to stop the rain, it only diminished slightly, so Clyde pointed outside.

 

“It’ll be easier to grasp if you experience it directly. Let’s go out.”

 

I didn’t want to get rained on. I had been relieved that the rain clouds had stayed outside while I was indoors, but now I was going out into the rain on purpose. Did I really need to try this hard? Grumbling, I followed him out of the annex.

 

This place was lush with grass and trees, so much so that it was hard to believe the desert lay just beyond the walls. The land inside the walls was fertile, with clean water flowing and plants growing well, though Clyde explained that the area around the annex was unique.

 

“And the plants growing here are a bit strange. Some are native to Signio, but most have a peculiar energy about them.”

 

I explained why. “That’s because they’re magical plants.”

 

The plants that had grown under the rain I created were, surprisingly, mostly magical.

 

Clyde inspected the magical plants and murmured, “I’ve never heard of things from another dimension taking root like this.”

 

Even with all my experience traveling between worlds, I had no knowledge of this phenomenon.

 

“Is it something negative?”

 

Clyde glanced at a bird chirping nearby and answered, “Not at all. In fact, it’s a welcome ability.”

 

“Of course. It’s common for dimension travelers with such abilities to be highly valued.”

 

“Enough nonsense. Focus on the rain. The drops are getting heavier again.”

 

He was so strict.

 

I glanced at Clyde, thinking, Maybe a heavy downpour will drench you. The thought crossed my mind briefly, almost casually. And then…

 

Whoosh! A torrential downpour suddenly focused solely on where Clyde was standing.

 

“…” Clyde swept back his now-soaked hair and looked at me with a murderous glare.

 

“Uh… Why is it suddenly raining so hard?’

 

I had only thought about it for a moment… haha.

 

“You’re laughing?”

 

Before I could react, he pulled me into the downpour with him.

 

“Puf!”

 

This was like having a bucket of water dumped over my head! I tried to escape the rain, but Clyde wouldn’t let me.

 

“Where do you think you’re going after causing this mess? You’re going to get drenched too.”

 

“I’m already soaked! Just put the cuffs back on!”

 

“No way. You need to take responsibility for what you’ve done.”

 

No matter how much I begged, Clyde wouldn’t let go of me, determined to drag me down with him. Then, pulling me close, he whispered in my ear, “If you want to stop the rain, focus.”

 

Even after getting soaked, his body was still warm, so the heat from his skin felt especially vivid against mine.

 

“Focus.”

 

His deep voice made my shoulders involuntarily tense. This close contact felt a little awkward. Especially since it was Clyde, not the demon Clyde.

 

Now’s not the time for idle thoughts. Even though the downpour was localized, it was still heavy rain. If I didn’t stop it, everything around us would be ruined, and the magical plants would die. Let’s focus.

 

Clyde extended his left hand, taking mine, and guided my palm upward toward the sky. “When your thoughts and actions are in sync, it’s easier to focus. Now, command the sky.”

 

I followed Clyde’s instructions, focused my mind, and commanded, “Stop.” Ah. This felt like the way to use magic.

 

Thinking I would fail to stop the rain, I opened my eyes to check the sky. But to my surprise, the raindrops had already thinned considerably. The downpour turned into a light drizzle, and then even that stopped. The sky cleared. Finally, I had controlled the holy power.

 

“…Stopped. The rain stopped!” I turned around, beaming with joy.

 

Clyde was smiling even more brightly than me, clearly pleased. “Well done.”

 

At that moment, the radiant light emitted by the magical plants reflected off the raindrops, creating countless rainbows around us. A tiny rainbow appeared on Clyde’s cheek as well.

 

In the midst of this breathtaking scene, with visible joy and delight, we looked at each other and smiled as if we were dancing a waltz. I felt like I would never forget this moment, even until the day I died.