BJ Villainess

Finally, the long summer vacation was over. I rode a roofless black carriage led by a black horse through the crowded city back to the duchy. It was like a parade to show our victory over the demons.

Nevertheless, the significant reduction in fear of the dungeons was an enormous achievement.

The city was completely immersed in a festive atmosphere. Human victory. Everyone was rejoicing in that fact.

“

!”

Just pretending to be unaffected wore me out, so I couldn’t wave or give generous smiles to the crowd.

I was vehemently opposed when the imperial family planned this parade.

Contrary to public belief, humans were not completely free from demons, and the dungeons were not entirely eradicated. Humans were still being invaded. Moreover, I was partly responsible for creating the crisis in this world. So, being treated as a hero made me feel very uneasy, and I could only respond awkwardly to the cheers and gratitude directed at me.

I wanted to stop this burdensome hero play. But Euges insisted that everyone needed something to celebrate in the empire that had been shrouded in dark clouds.

Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one making this grand return.

“

! The Squire sisters!”

“Lady Libby! Please look over here, Lady Libby!”

Behind me, Libby was riding a white carriage drawn by a white horse, smiling brightly and waving to the people.

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Absolutely Protect Squire’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[The contrast between black and white is much cooler

ㅠㅠ

.]

Although I made the most significant contribution in discovering how to eliminate dungeons and eradicate Stigmata, Libby received the most spotlight. It was understandable because the sight of Libby manifesting her white magic looked truly divine.

Libby, who now had hair grown down to her waist and wore a wizard’s uniform, using her ivory-colored magic, was soon nicknamed an angel. As we went around eliminating dungeons together, the fame of the ‘Squire sisters’ grew daily, and we gained nationwide fans.

We entered the wide-open gates of the Squire duchy in grand style. The family warmly welcomed Libby and me.

“Well done.”

That day, we celebrated many joyful events that had occurred in our family with a toast. The growth wasn’t limited to just Libby and me.

“Giuseppe skipped all the grades and will be entering Valhalla next year.”

Giuseppe’s abilities far surpassed those of his peers. So, the current magic academy he attended wasn’t challenging enough, and he was set to be the youngest entrant in Valhalla.

“Reading that magic book allowed me to use all the spells I understood only in theory.”

“That’s amazing.”

When I patted his head, Giuseppe, though pleased, responded gruffly with his characteristic sullen face.

“Of course, I’m a Squire, so this is basic.”

The Squire had always been a prestigious family of magic. And this time, Libby and I’s exploits firmly imprinted that fact nationwide.

At that moment, Raul spoke with a regretful tone, frowning. “The magic book you gave us suddenly caught fire and disappeared right after the three of us finished reading it. We were planning to have all the family knights read it too.”

“It’s a shame, but it might be for the best. If it became known that such a magic book exists, it would cause a lot of trouble.”

“That’s true.”

The topic naturally shifted to school.

Roseanne, sitting next to Libby, brushed her hair and spoke with concern. “Will you really be able to manage dormitory life? Though a maid will accompany you, it won’t be as comfortable as home.”

This time, Libby also applied for the dormitory. She decided to stay there because commuting from home would draw too much attention and attract a large crowd due to the current public interest.

“I’ll be fine. Sister does well in the dormitory too.”

Hearing that, Roseanne looked at me thoughtfully and then nodded. “Well, if Theresa can manage with her resourcefulness, Libby should be fine too.”

I was slightly taken aback. “My resourcefulness? I do just fine on my own.”

I’ve been living on my own for a while.

“Is that so? You often stay up all night, eat at odd times, or skip meals altogether, and read magic books with a lamp on while leaving the window open in the chilly weather.

, I’ve heard you’ve cut back on drinking. From over ten bottles of strong liquor to single digits.”

“…I’ll be careful.”

“Please do.”

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Fact Is Violence’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[To a mother, a child living alone seems almost savage.]

Roseanne smiled wryly and held Libby’s and my hands. “I’ll miss you both when you’re in the dormitory.”

Libby then cutely rested her head on Roseanne’s shoulder. “It’s only for three months.”

Raul took a swig of his drink and spoke firmly. “No, I think it’s better if both of you stay in the dormitory. It’s much safer with the school controlling external access.”

If Libby stayed at home, no matter how selectively we received guests, there would be a constant stream of visitors. Even without Libby, many people wanted to visit the Squire mansion.

“Everyone thinks Theresa will become the empress, so they’ll try to get close to her somehow,” Raul said, squinting at me. “Do you really have no intention of becoming the empress?”

“I really don’t.”

But Raul didn’t seem convinced. Roseanne also seemed curious about my relationship with Euges, subtly bringing it up.

“I saw at the ball how much His Majesty cares for you. You don’t seem entirely indifferent either.”

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘All In On Euges’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[You and Euges suit each other, just get married

ㅠㅠ

.]

I smiled awkwardly. “It’s true I like His Majesty. But if you ask if I want to become his lover, that’s hard to answer. It’s complicated.”

The feelings I had for Euges were indeed special and affectionate. But he wasn’t the only one I had such feelings for. Somehow, I had already exchanged emotions with four male leads. And it wasn’t just emotions. Except for Clyde, who had the shortest and cleanest relationship with me, I was deeply entangled with the other male leads. So, my feelings were even more complicated.

This seemed different from typical love, but the emotions were so similar to romantic feelings that they were confusing. Although we spent many days together in the dungeon, considering my entire life, these relationships had developed over a very short time. I had too little data on such emotions. And I couldn’t help it.  The four male leads were the only ones I had such relationships with in my life.

Roseanne stroked my head with an understanding expression. “I read in papers that dungeons are no different from reality, so even after clearing them, it’s hard to break away from the roles assigned inside.”

“You read papers?”

“Of course. I’m not a wizard, but I can understand papers related to magic and dungeons. Having a daughter who frequently enters dungeons makes me interested.” The last words, added like a joke, were tinged with unmistakable worry.

Roseanne spoke to me gently, with a soft expression. “Can two people, assigned roles to love each other in a life-threatening situation, avoid being affected by real emotions? Affection is powerful. Living together makes it inevitable.”

It was a perspective I hadn’t considered.

I knew this was a game, and I understood what the dungeons were. Moreover, the people who entered the dungeons with me were the main characters I created. So, naturally, I thought it was normal to care for them. I never thought I was influenced by the dungeon roles.

“When external factors cause deep entanglements, it’s impossible to suddenly become strangers once you leave the dungeon.”

“…That’s true.”

Roseanne was entirely correct.

“In such cases, you need to step back from the issues and objectively look at your feelings. Then you’ll know what you truly want.”

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Born From Theresa’s Heart’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[Roseanne is giving Theresa the advice she needs most right now…]

Putting aside my embarrassment, I hugged Roseanne tightly. “I’ll think it through, as you said.”

Roseanne hugged me back just as tightly. “I just want you to be happy.”

Then Libby, smiling, hugged us both. Her red face suggested she was already a bit drunk.

Giuseppe, sipping orange juice, shook his head at us. His look was like that of a teenager disdainfully watching adults get drunk and act foolishly. But soon, even Giuseppe was dragged by Raul to join our family hug.

“

, you smell like alcohol!” Though he complained about the alcohol smell, Giuseppe, true to his character, still hugged his family tightly.

I laughed, momentarily dispelling my complicated feelings.

At school, there would be no Clyde, Damian, or Ilya. A school with all the male leads gone. Perhaps, as Roseanne said, it would be a chance to reflect on myself away from everyone.

That’s how the second semester began.