The Villain Purchased the Heroine

There's a crack.

A hole so small that not even a child's eye could fit through. Through that tiny space, a beam of light seeps in.

Surrounding her is nothing but pitch-black darkness. Unable to clutch at her wildly beating heart, the young girl instead clutches her own body.

Though she was more afraid of the light coming from that gap than the surrounding darkness, she stubbornly pressed her eyes against the small opening.

Ouch. The small thorn jutting from the hole pricked her as her body trembled violently. Yet, such minor pain failed to capture her attention.

Through that light, the girl peered outside. The scene out there was so horrific that she wanted to turn away immediately, but she gritted her teeth and held on.

In her view, there was another girl—a girl who wasn't much older than herself, but to the younger girl, she felt like a full-grown adult.

She kept watching the other girl. The girl wielded a massive sword that looked heavy to the untrained eye. Bloodstains, unknown to the owner, soaked her old clothes and the sword. She was fighting someone.

The girl shifted her body to change the angle of her view through the gap. Something came into sight.

An unpleasant creature that was hard to describe with words.

Though it stood on four legs and was no bigger than an adult, its blood-red skin and its unsettling, pupil-less amber eyes were both bizarre and menacing.

At that moment, the four-legged monster lunged at the girl. It was lightning fast. The girl wielded her sword and charged forward as well. And then came the next scene.

Kwahak! Blood exploded forth violently as if everything held within was released at once, and the girl's heart…

"No—!"

She screamed as she awoke. Raspy breaths and sweat drenched her body. Her labored lungs were no different from the time trapped in darkness.

With widened pupils, she scanned her surroundings. This wasn't the old house from her vague memories. It wasn't the wooden building that looked like it could collapse at any moment. It wasn't the creaky bed that felt like it had been there for ages.

Instead, she saw expensive-looking furniture and bright blue light streaming in through large windows that hadn't ripened yet.

A blue light, still unripe, streams through the window.

Drip. The emotions that filled her eyes flow down her cheeks. She wipes away the liquid with her slender hand.

Her rapid breathing gradually stabilizes. The blood that rushed through her veins and her dilated pupils slowly return to their original state.

"..."

She realizes the situation. She had lost consciousness after exhausting all her mana yesterday. The memories leading up to that moment are vague, but a faint residue remains.

"If I don't prepare quickly…."

Despite the lingering tremors in her body, Alicia knows there's no time to waste. She has a busy schedule today.

As she gets up from the bed and tidies the blankets, her right hand shakes as if cold, but she grabs it with the other hand to steady it.

However, the trembling is strong. The vibrations even spread to the hand she used to stop it, making standing up difficult.

Thud. Unable to bear her own weight, she collapses onto the floor. She wraps her arms around her shoulders, trying desperately to stop the shakes.

"Please… stop."

The nightmare she had after a long time still feels as real as yesterday. The solid chains that seem never to break continue to torment Alicia.

*

"Well, well, riding together in this wagon feels like we're off on a trip! Isn't that right, Lady Alicia?"

"…I suppose so. …Ah, no! Not at all! You didn't tell me where we're going, but since it's Young Master's will, it must be something more worthwhile!"

"…Why are you changing your words by gauging my reaction?"

"Are you asking if I don't know? If you glare at me with such fierce eyes, it's only natural I'd be cautious with my words. Right? Isn't that true, Lady Alicia~?"

"Uh, that is…."

Alicia, sitting upright but carefully glancing at me from the corner of her eye, has quite an unpleasant look.

"Ah!"

"Don't ask why I guessed correctly. Sometimes it's necessary to figure out the cause with your own strength."

"Wow, Lady Alicia's skin is so pale that it's turning bright red."

"Professor Paula, if you keep distracting everyone like that, you might find yourself expelled, so be careful."

"…I feel like I might really get expelled, so I'll stay quiet."

Finally, Paula sits down and shuts her mouth. If only she'd fix that ridiculous attitude, returning to the Academia would be much easier. But with that behavior, even with talent, she gets put on probation.

"Ah! Were you just trying to tease me about being on probation at the Academia again? I can tell just by that look!"

"…That look?"

"Ah, I mean… Wow, Bram! It's been so long! I haven't seen you at all lately since you've been busy with Young Master's duties."

Paula spoke to the man who had been quietly sitting beside her.

That guy turned his head while speaking, with a nonchalant expression. How dare he act so casually.

"Without any further ado."

"…Yes, it's been a while."

"You're still as quiet as ever! Oh my, look at those thick arms. You seem to be getting in even better shape!"

"Get down."

"Bram? No… is that… Young Master? Are you telling me to get off this moving wagon right now?"

Paula stares at me with a bewildered expression. What's with that ridiculous look? I'm sure I said it clearly.

"Aren't you an excellent magician, teacher? There's no way you can't follow along just because you're not sitting on the wagon."

"But… it's much more comfortable on the wagon…"

"Get down, Paula."

Paula gulps, and I can see a subtle smile forming. She is definitely planning to wiggle out of this.

Before her noisy mouth can open again, I emphasize once more.

"Teacher, have I ever joked with you?"

"Never…."

"I trust that a clever teacher like yourself has understood well enough by now."

"Hohoho… I got it, Young Master."

Hearing that weak laugh is like a breath of fresh air. It's much less irritating than her usual silly chatter.

As the door of the moving wagon swings open,

Paula jumps out with a loud thud.

"Ugh! It's cold?!!"

Until we reach our destination, she clung to the side of the wagon, flying through the harsh winter weather.

As expected of a magician, riding her huge staff like a broomstick.

*

"…I guess it's a big city; even the lodging is enormous."

"Ugh… my butt hurts. This is why I didn't want to ride a staff… Ah, Lady Alicia, I told you it's an expensive place. Very pricey. You see, magic might seem all-powerful, but in truth, money is the real magic. In a world where money can solve anything, it's rather convenient. Phew! …I've only been hanging around the Young Master's mansion these days, so it's been a long time since I came out here. Phew!"

"Teacher… are you okay in many ways? At least wrap this around yourself."

"Oh, thank you, Lady Alicia. There's not a spot on my body that doesn't ache."

After arriving in the city, even though she was warmed enough by magic, Paula still wrapped herself with the blanket Alicia offered. Ah, if she weren't a professor, I'd have thrown that away ages ago.

As I glare at Paula with that thought, I catch the glimmering eyes of Alicia directed at me.

"By the way… Young Master? Why did you give me a wooden sword?"

If you're going to give something, wouldn't it be more fitting for a magician to receive a staff? Why hand over a heavy wooden sword that's been reinforced with iron nails?

Alicia, it seems you're a bit mistaken.

"Well, it's because you need to train in swordsmanship."

"Swordsmanship… As I'm ignorant of the world, may I ask? Do magicians usually learn swordsmanship?"

"Typical magicians don't, but heroes are a different story."

"Oh… so that's why swordsmanship…."

"However, since you're not going to be a magician, it's a meaningless question."

"…Huh?"

Was the wooden sword heavy enough to momentarily sap Alicia's strength? She recoils for a moment and then lifts the sword up with determination.

"Not a magician… then why have I been doing magic until now… Ow!"

"Pathetic. A caterpillar that hasn't even become a chrysalis trying to become a butterfly."

Especially considering she just hatched from an egg.

Alicia, unable to grasp her forehead with her sealed hands due to the wooden sword, looks quite miserable. It's a rather amusing sight.

"Alicia, what you're destined to be isn't a common magician found everywhere. You will become a swordmage that fights by combining magic and swordsmanship."

"A-a swordmage?!"

"Moreover, a very high-ranking swordmage."

Usually, a swordmage is a mediocre trash that's neither a magician nor a swordsman, but she is different.

Alicia was originally born with the aptitude of a swordmage. However, the fake protagonist, that prince, obliviously made Alicia develop only as a magician from her abilities. Well, at least he's not the worst.

The bigger problem is the peasant protagonist I read about in the novel. The real protagonist, 'Liam', does something even more absurd.

He discovers Alicia's talent as a swordmage just as she's growing into a magician and stirs her to change her class halfway through. Wow, it's nothing short of applause.

Alicia, who followed those words, is undoubtedly a fool, but the root problem is Liam. If I ever meet him in the future, I'd want to hurl a ton of curses at him. No, I will. Very gracefully.

To change classes in the midst of an important story. No matter how much of a genius Alicia is, it's unreasonable for her to easily follow that flow. What on earth was he thinking? Does he even think at all?

Anyway, as long as Alicia is in my grasp, there's no way she can grow through such a silly method. Absolutely not.

"That's also why I brought Bram."

The battle slave and loyal man, Bram. In the original work, he was always there as Vargan's right hand, achieving great results quietly. He shows almost no change in expression and is taciturn but is more consistent and trustworthy than anyone else.

Bram bows his head to Alicia. Although their positions are similar, can anyone else bow that low to someone much younger than himself?

Alicia, surprised by this greeting, also bends deeply at the waist. Perhaps due to the wooden sword, her body sways a little.

"I've heard that you're quite skilled."

"Right, whether it's a sword or a bow, he is a martial artist who has achieved great things with all weapons."

Consider yourself lucky, Alicia. Even though he's under house arrest, receiving lessons from Paula, a capable professor from the Academia, and Bram, one of the top swordsmen in the novel, there's no better elite course than this.

"Now that you understand, hurry up and prepare. Time is always being consumed, so it's even more precious."

"Y-yes! I'll get ready right away."

Alicia moves busily.