THE VILLAINESS WITH A HEROINE HAREMC55 - Don't Ask What You Shouldn't
Thankfully, it was just a normal strawberry cake, although still quite fancy and elaborately decorated.
The horrifying thought of something created in her image being carved up and eaten had already sent shivers down Emilia's spine, though. She made a mental note to try staying away from the celebrations hosted by anyone who could possibly do so.
The pot-bellied man smiled widely as he lifted the little party star over his shoulders, making her squeal in delight.
"Happy Birthday to my one and only dearest daughter, Bianca!"
And as the cheerful greetings and applause rang around, the girl was finally let down to pick up the knife.
Although Emilia didn't know what tricks Bianca's dad used to placate her, the little girl seemed quite happy and satisfied as she cut her birthday cake and received everyone's well wishes.
"Happy Birthday Bianca!"
"Happy Birthday!"
Shortly after the girl carved out and smashed a huge piece on her amused father's face, the waiters took over and divided it into smaller portions for the guests. As one of them brought a tray over to her, Emilia also decided to have some.
Although she wasn't expecting too much in the first place, Emilia still felt a little disappointed.
'Meh… nothing impressive. I can't tell where it falls short, but this just feels lackluster compared to what was served by Mrs. Brown or Crystal's mom.'
Of course, Emilia wouldn't say that out loud. That would be incredibly rude.
But a certain confectionary heiress didn't seem to think so.
"Tsk, barely average."
Even if she was saying that to herself, the waiter still felt embarrassed hearing it. After all, just one piece of this thing was probably worth more than what he earns from a whole day of work, yet here this rich girl was despising it so.
But he was used to silently carrying such grievances, and remained silent.
Thankfully, no one else heard it.
Emilia nudged her friend, and Dixie seemed to realize her slip up.
"S-Sorry, Princess! I've just been used to critiquing food these days, so—"
Emilia smiled, waving the waiter away. "It's fine, but be more careful in the future, okay?"
The short haired girl nodded furiously.
Shortly afterwards, the pot bellied politician carried his daughter out of the venue, much to everyone's confusion. What are they supposed to do if the host just leaves? Fortunately, there were still a few people assisting the politician in placating and entertaining the guests, who assured them that he'd be back shortly.
Emilia expected that he had just delayed the time bomb of Bianca's demands to make sure it didn't explode in public, and the real 'diffusion' would have to take place away from the public eye.
As both the hosts were currently absent, Emilia of course became the biggest' center of attention'. Not to mention her own generation, even some adults approached her to 'praise her' for doing a 'good deed' for the society.
Although Dixie could divert most of them, she still had to face the remaining herself.
"Ah, Emilia, you're even more beautiful up close than what I saw from afar! Have you met my son, Theo? He came to greet you earlier."
Emilia nodded, remembering the spectacled boy. Among all the boys who came to greet her so far, he seemed to care the least about her.
The reason became obvious, as he was clearly a siscon. In the two short sentences he squeezed out during their conversation, he mentioned his little sister four times. Surprisingly, she was in her own class, though Emilia didn't have any impression. Dixie seemed to realize who it was, and promised to introduce her later.
In any case, this family should already be quite inclined towards her 'side' instead of the hero's. It was always good to have more allies.
"Yes I have, auntie."
Flowers seemed to bloom on the lady's face as she realized Emilia actually remembered her good for nothing son. 'Is it really true that the prettier the face, the dumber the brain?! Well, it's good for me!'
"Well, what do you think of him, then? He's of the same age as you, only a few years older. Very affectionate kid, dotes on his little sister all the time. Hoho. I hope you two can get along well. How about you visit us sometime? Or I could send him over to your mansion instead—"
Emilia felt Dixie's arm twitch, and for a moment, she worried that the middle-aged lady might get punched straight in her nose. Thankfully, her knight had very good self control. After all, it would ruin a lot of her plans if Dixie ended up causing such a scene.
'I'll have to reward her later...'
The situation was still slightly awkward for her, though. In her previous life, no one would actually dare make such remarks openly, so she never had to face this kind of 'good intention'.
"Auntie is too kind. I'm sure Theo is very good, so we'll be good friends if our paths cross in the future."
At this moment, Theo finally realized that his obnoxious mother had started 'picking out a wife' for him again, and this time she really ascended to the sky in one go!
'Can't she at least pick more wisely?!'
He rushed over hurriedly as he grabbed his mother's arm, trying his best to drag her away without appearing too rude.
"M-Mom, why don't you come over there with me? I have something really important we need to talk about!"
His mother didn't seem to get his hint, however. "Hush, child! Can't you see I'm having an important talk with this lovely girl?"
'I can see! That's why I'm stopping you!'
But even if he was screaming in his heart, he could only pretend to be calm and forcefully drag her away. "It won't take long, mom, promise!"
The middle aged lady reluctantly allowed herself to be dragged away, assuring Emilia that she'd be back to 'resume their conversation' soon enough.
As they finally got away from the crowd, Theo couldn't help but whine.
"Why are you always trying to set me up, mom?!"
If not for taking care of her image, Theo's mom would have spit on the floor. "You disgrace! If I don't do this, won't you remain single forever? And what are you even complaining about? It's our luck if she's stupid enough to agree to your courtship!"
"HEY! I'll have you know, I have absolutely zero interest in anyone other than my little angel!"
The lady sighed, rubbing her slightly wrinkled temples tiredly. "That's your sister, Theo. If you're really serious, how would you like your father to carry out your murder? I can put in a good word for you, if you like, to match your preferences."
Theo's body seemed to turn stiff upon hearing the word 'father'. "Uhhh, m-mom, actually, you know I only mean it platonically! Platonically!"
"Of course."
"B-But anyway, if you're gonna find me a wife, she has to be cuter than my angel!"
The middle-aged lady sighed as she grabbed Theo's face before yanking it in Emilia's direction.
"Look, you moron, and think for a moment! Think! Are you a Greek God? Do you think you look like Adonis? Or are you a genius standing at the top of the world? NO! If a girl prettier than her even looks in your direction, she'll probably die from sheer disgust!
"And that is if you can find one! I think she's at least one of the ten prettiest girls I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot! Just how ridiculous are your expectations, you useless son of mine?!"
Theo knew it was true, because his mother managed a pretty big modeling agency. He had no way to refute it, except…
"S-She may be beautiful, but not cute! There's a difference! And my angel is the cutest in the world! How can anyone else even compare?!"
His mother sighed as she released his face and dusted off her hands. She finally couldn't help but ask a doubt that had been plaguing her all this while.
"Theo… don't tell me you're actually impotent or something, and this is just an excuse? Should I get a doctor to have a look? We may not be comparable to the White Deer or Black Tiger, but we can surely afford your treatment—"
"MOM! I'm not impotent, okay?! I masturbate three times a day, every day!"
Theo's mom immediately regretted her decision.
REMOVE ADS FROM $1
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
THE VILLAINESS WITH A HEROINE HAREMC56 - Rothschild
Not far from them, Emilia watched Theo and his mother's almost comical reactions to each other, bemused. Although she couldn't hear what they were talking about, she never imagined seeing such a scene here. And for no one else to look surprised… they must do it quite frequently.
'Well, he seems kinda funny. Maybe he's not as bad as his mother made him seem. Classic example of good intentions but poor execution. But still, it doesn't matter anyway, since he's too manly for my taste.'
Cynthia rolled her eyes. "Your 'taste' is clearly 'girls', Emilia. All boys are probably 'too manly' for you."
Emilia chuckled. She liked what she liked, and she wasn't embarrassed to admit it. 'Ehehe… I guess that's true.'
Cynthia also wanted to take a dig at Dixie by saying she should probably be too manly for Emilia too, but looking at the bimbo's cute little face… it probably won't work. She really wished Dixie's face was as flat as her personality. Other than panting like a dog in heat and wagging her tail around Emilia, what other thoughts were there in her puny mortal mind?
But Emilia will probably scold her for stating such a simple truth, so Cynthia could only pout in silence.
Unfortunately, Theo's mom was far from the last one to approach Emilia, and the ones who came afterwards were even more of a headache. It was as if every word out of their mouth just had to be a subtle taunt or probe, or they would suffer some divine retribution.
The worst of the bunch were those who took a dig at her 'mental stability' for changing her name, and some of them even refused to acknowledge it.
"I heard you had an 'arrangement' of sorts with Mr. Black's only son, Danielle? But I don't see the two of you being very close today?"
"Amos? No, we never really talked much. Uncle must have heard wrong."
This man had been one of the easier annoyances to handle, but the next lady proved herself to be on 'another level'.
From the condescending look in her eyes alone, Emilia felt a little nauseous. She could tell this was someone who enjoyed looking down on people, and toying with those she thought couldn't hurt her back.
Not the type of person she hated the most, but still extremely annoying to deal with.
Dixie tried not to let her talk to her princess, perhaps feeling the same, but the lady waved her off.
"Am I talking to you? No, right? So, stand aside."
Dixie's face was dark, and if not for Emilia holding her hand, she might have already snapped. The lady didn't seem to notice the strange atmosphere, however, and continued as if nothing had happened.
"I'm worried for my little daughter, so I wanted to ask, what caused you to spiral into depression, 'Emilia'? I want to make sure I prevent any chance of it happening to my own child, after all."
Her name was uttered with such obvious sarcasm that it disgusted Emilia to her core.
'I'll make sure to remember this bitch!'
Emilia knew that Dixie really was about to fly into a rage this time, and knowing her strength and ability, this lady might just get her spine snapped in two. It wouldn't be good to cause such a scene in public, so she squeezed her knight's hand to calm her down.
Dixie took a deep breath and barely managed to rein herself in, but her eyes were dark and gloomy.
'To dare speak to my princess like that… Isn't she in the cosmetics business? What can I do… If only those unreliable friends of mine weren't so late, this could all be avoided!'
Dixie's mind turned rapidly as she thought of a way to take revenge, although she would definitely have to vent on her friends later, too, the real problem was still this bitch in front of her.
'That's right! Koko's mother runs that famous beauty parlor chain! Her own words don't matter, but if she can influence most of her customers to think Rothschild's cosmetics are bogus…'
The more she thought about it, the more viable her idea seemed.
'Heh, even if it won't bring her down, it should still hurt a lot! I have no idea if it's possible, though, but it can't hurt to try, right?'
But Koko won't listen to her, of course. She would have to convince Emilia to do this, somehow. 'I hope princess won't be too kind for her own good, and that monkey brain won't try to demand another 'favor' in exchange, or I'll really have to break Koko's legs!'
Meanwhile, although Emilia wasn't as enraged by the woman's taunts as her knight, she was still considerably ticked off. For Emilia, poking fun at her appearance or intelligence was bad enough, but poking fun at her name was offensive on another level entirely.
"What's your name, 'auntie'?"
Although she was almost four decades older than the girl in front of her, the lady could still feel a sense of oppression coming from the little doll. She decided to shake off the strange feeling, turning her head up haughtily at the girl.
"You can call me Mrs. Rothschild, 'Emilia' dear."
Her confidence wasn't completely unfounded. Her husband led a conglomerate that wasn't much worse off than the likes of Black Tiger and White Deer.
However, a conglomerate was inherently different from what they had. Although it seemed like he had a lot under his hand, what he really had was nothing much when compared to the true leaders like the hero's father and Mr. White.
Emilia smiled, as sweet as honey, and her voice turned fainter to the point where even Mrs. Rothschild could barely hear her, let alone anyone else.
"Well, Mrs. 'Rots'child, my 'depression' stemmed from knowing people like you exist in this world. So if you just stay away from your daughter, I'm sure she'll grow up just fine!"
Even though she said that, Emilia looked quite 'shy' as she clung on to her friend, as if she was responding to some teasing words from the older lady.
The lady's face turned green and purple as she tried her best to control her anger, never expecting this little girl to actually dare speak out against her.
She knew this little bitch did it deliberately. Her appearance and her words were so contrasting that no one would believe her to be anything but a victim if the older lady started openly scolding her.
Mrs. Rothschild knew that her next reaction would be to probably look shocked and confused, as if not understanding why she 'suddenly changed'. It'll definitely make her look like a villain.
She couldn't believe she had been cornered by a child!
Some concerned waiter stepped forward at this moment.
"Madam, are you alright? Would you like us to call a doctor?"
She hurriedly waved him away, not wanting to attract any more attention to her situation. "N-No need, I'm fine."
But she didn't dare to stay near this girl any longer. In stark contrast to the harmless little rabbit she thought of playing around with, this was clearly a wolf in sheep's clothing!
REMOVE ADS FROM $1
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
THE VILLAINESS WITH A HEROINE HAREMC57 - Sullivan's Scheme
Unfortunately, although handling this matter covertly was necessary, it also meant Emilia's actions didn't really deter anyone else from approaching her.
Both Dixie and Emilia handled them as gracefully as they could, while trying to appear neither overbearing nor subservient.
The ones who did come were the minority, however. Most adults remained separated from the younger generation, mingling between themselves instead.
Emilia could tell that none of them attached any real importance to her. Not to mention the ones who didn't even bother, this also included the ones who did come over to greet her.
Mrs. Rotschchild was not an exception in her attitude, she was just too blunt and forward with expressing it.
And indeed, although she was still the 'center of attention' among the adults, their remarks were anything but pleasant.
"Hoho, Mrs. Sullivan, are you not going over to greet our shining little star over there?"
The one speaking was the wife of a large-scale transportation company's head, Mrs. Porter. And the lady she was facing was the wife of a major political figure who had once even taken the seat of 'Minister of Finance'.
It was no joke to say that even top figures like Mr. Black would have to treat her with respect.
Compared to her husband, who was eloquent and careful with his words, Mrs. Sullivan was known for being brash and caustic, speaking her mind openly without a care for the repercussions.
It had to be said that Mr. Sullivan knew how to turn the public opinion in his favor, because even his wife's brash behavior ended up casting him in a positive light. The public image he had built was of a good husband who let his wife do as she pleases, even when it might cost him his career.
"Tsk, don't be ridiculous. It's just the second daughter, not even worthy of being a mistress for my son."
Mrs. Porter laughed, though there was some envy deep within her as she thought of how even what this lady considered unworthy was already unattainable for her. Because even a one percent share in the White Deer Corporation was worth more than her husband's entire fleet of trucks.
No matter how little Mr. White cared for this second daughter of his, he wouldn't let her go completely empty handed, right?
"Ahahahaha… you're as ruthless as ever, Mrs. Sullivan. If that little doll heard you, she'll probably go bawling about it straight to her Daddy. Wouldn't that be bad?"
Mrs. Sullivan scoffed, not even bothering to mask her disdain. "Will Mr. White even care? If he cared about her, he wouldn't expose her to public scrutiny like that, would he?"
And it was clear from her tone that even if he did hear about it and held it against her, she wouldn't really care. After all, anyone not in the ruling party was as good as a peasant to her.
Mrs. Porter chuckled nervously. "True, which one of us cannot make our children a public figure if we want? But it brings more harm than good."
Mrs. Sullivan nodded. "The top of the top in the business world are there for a reason, after all. Mr. White is so ruthless, even to his daughter. My husband would never do such a thing to his family. Really, you people are far too 'cutthroat', there's no bottom line at all."
Although the barb was aimed at Mr. White, as part of the business circle herself, Mrs. Porter still felt a little miffed. Even so, her rebuttal had to be carefully worded so as not to offend this mighty lady, otherwise, all her bootlicking for the past few months would completely go down the drain.
"Well, you can't blame him. She's just a spare, second daughter. When will she even be of use? He treats his real daughter very well, and that's all that matters."
Mrs. Sullivan smirked. "Speaking of her, I heard your son's been trying quite hard to get an executive position at the White Deer's? Could it be... you plan to win her over? Tsk tsk, aiming quite high, aren't you?"
Mrs. Porter felt her back break out in a cold sweat. 'How does she know that?!'
"D-Don't joke around, Mrs. Sullivan. That rebellious son of mine is just seeking his own path, and wants to build his career by himself. It has nothing to do with us."
"Ah, since Mrs. Porter says so, it must be true. Let him do as he pleases then, I guess I don't need to help him, after all."
"H-Help? You can help?"
Mrs. Sullivan smiled confidently. "Who do you think I am?"
==========
Even if Emilia heard them, however, she wouldn't find their words so strange.
After all, it was true that she was only the second daughter. Even if the control of the White Deer family didn't fall into the hands of the eldest 'son-in-law' in the future, it would still not be hers. Just based on this alone, her true 'value' among the elites dropped by a significant margin.
To these people, she was at most a pretty little doll who could be handed out a small chunk of shares, and it wasn't even guaranteed if it would be 0.1% or 5%. Either way, White Deer's decisions had nothing to do with her.
Even this little publicity stunt of rescuing trafficked children was probably just the White Deer using her as a puppet. How could attracting so much attention be a good thing for such a young girl?
Just like Mrs. Sullivan, most of the top echelon thought that Mr. White's decision to use his second daughter in this publicity stunt just goes to show how little he cared for her well-being. Instead, Samantha was clearly the one being nurtured as the one who will take over his business in the future.
There was no need to cater too much to this disposable little doll.
Of course, the younger generation was free to form their own opinions and plan out their own moves.. After all, this could also be considered a learning experience for them.
REMOVE ADS FROM $1
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
THE VILLAINESS WITH A HEROINE HAREMC58 - Done Being A Gentleman
After constantly talking to the persistent idiots who kept approaching them, Dixie felt her throat was slightly parched. Only then did she remember that Emilia also hadn't had any water or juice for a while, either.
"Wait here, Princess, I'll get you something real quick!"
Emilia shook her head. "No need, look…"
And as she pointed out, a waiter approached them with a tray full of an assortment of drinks. Of course, before Emilia could even think of what she wanted to have, Dixie had already snatched two glasses of orange juice and shooed the perplexed waiter away.
'Does she think I'll pick the wine if she didn't do that?'
While Emilia was amused, Dixie felt slightly embarrassed.
"H-He was looking at you weird, okay, that's why I did that!"
Of course, Emilia didn't believe it. The poor waiter was doing his job diligently, with his eyes constantly trained on the guests to meet their needs. He probably deserved a tip, not slander.
"That's not very nice of you, Dixie. You shouldn't blame innocent people for things they haven't done. Unless it's an enemy, then go ham."
Cynthia cheered. "That's right! Spoken like a true villainess, Emilia! No mercy to enemies! All is fair!"
Dixie felt her jaw drop. 'What? Does that mean I can blame innocent people if they're my enemy? Oh, but, isn't every human being my enemy when it comes to fighting for my princess? I guess it's all fine then? Ehehehe…'
Of course, she couldn't tell Emilia about the loophole she had just found, so Dixie pretended to nod obediently. "Of course, Emily. I'm sorry, and I'll give that waiter a big tip to apologize later?"
Emilia smiled. "If you want to, sure. But don't overdo it either."
==========
Despite many being underage, there didn't seem to be any restrictions on drinking at the party, and many young men and women could be seen sipping their favorite alcoholic drinks.
Of course, the waiters made sure to gently shoo away any curious preteens, but that was it.
Consider that the party was hosted by a politician, this might seem like a disaster waiting to happen, but it was actually quite well thought out.
The entry of any kind of recording instrument was, of course, prohibited in the venue. Even mobile phones weren't allowed.
Of course, most people still had their assistants and secretaries attend to their calls while they were busy, and those people would certainly let them know if anything requiring their attention came up.
No matter what the identity of the person was, protesting against this rule was absolutely out of the question. This was a basic etiquette in these types of parties, and not following it generally meant you wouldn't be getting any more invitations in the future.
If your status was low, you could even be directly escorted away.
And that was why the hero had the luxury to down glass after glass of wine as he watched Emilia mingle and laugh with people, one after another.
Ever since the day his high school life started, it was as if anything that could go wrong, would go wrong.
And it was always this bitch at fault.
The fact that she was constantly being showered in praise while he received nothing but scorn filled Amos with a burning fury.
'Just what kind of blindness do these morons have? Compared to me, what talent does she have? What can she ever achieve in her life? Nothing!'
Didn't everyone hate her just recently? So all it takes to reverse their opinion is just one fake news report? How cheap.
Even if the rescue operation was not a lie, Amos did not believe one bit that 'Danielle' had anything to do with it.
As for why that bitch had changed her name, the hero didn't care at all. He simply couldn't be bothered to remember another name for that vile whore.
'Anyone with half a brain should be able to see that this spoiled little daddy's girl just got glory handed to her on a silver platter, but these morons actually believe all that bullshit in the news! Worst of all, some even dare question me! ME!'
Why would he ever lie about the vile deeds of that bitch? Anything he could imagine, she had probably done worse. Just because she was pretending to look innocent now didn't mean she stopped being a vile snake on the inside.
'Just wait, I will ruin not only her, but all of you as well! Bastards! Anyone who dared to look down on me today, just wait for your turn to come!'
But these insignificant worms weren't that important, no, he would deal with them sooner or later, just like he would deal with Danielle.
What really infuriated him, however, was how even the love of his life was being ensnared in the deceptive clutches of this evil witch.
But of course, the hero would never let that happen. Regardless of whether his father supported him or not, if he gave up on true love, he would not be Amos Black.
He already had a plan to take his angel out of this villainess's claws. But that was for tomorrow.
Today's grievances still had to be repaid today itself. Although he generally followed the policy of how it was never too late for a gentleman's revenge, Amos decided that enough was enough. He was done being a gentleman.
As he sauntered over in her direction, a few people turned to look at him curiously. After all, he had stayed in a gloomy corner all by himself most of the party.
They thought he would surely just leave without a word sooner or later, but seems like the rich heir had something else in his mind.
Those who had noticed watched him with great interest. After all, most were already familiar with the 'history' between Emilia and Amos. Regardless of which side they stood on, it was guaranteed to be an interesting show to watch.
Contrary to the people waiting with bated breath for the hero to startle Emilia and start a dramatic argument, Amos had a completely different plan.
He had no intention of exchanging words with her. That was beneath him.
The red wine swirled in his glass, and as he got closer, the boy started swaying from side to side, as if intoxicated.
REMOVE ADS FROM $1
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
THE VILLAINESS WITH A HEROINE HAREMC59 - 'Flawless' Execution
The hero's acting wasn't quite good enough to fool most people, and his inebriated behavior was so fake that if this had been a movie, the director would have already kicked him out of the set.
Of course, this was not a movie, and there was no one to stop Amos from doing as he pleased. Even if there had been a few 'well-wishers' who didn't want to see Emilia humiliated, they still had to think twice before offending someone like Amos so directly.
And this short hesitation was more than enough for Amos to flawlessly execute his plan. Of course, even if someone had managed to squeeze out a warning, he would still have succeeded.
As he finally 'stumbled' on his own feet and the glass was sent flying towards that villainess he hated so much, Amos felt a feeling of elation and relief in his heart that he hadn't felt for a long time now.
'This is it… this is the feeling! Only when she's suffering is the world right…'
Of course, Dixie had been paying close attention to the safety of her princess, and noticed something was wrong. She barely managed to step forward in an attempt to shield her, but felt her waist being grabbed as Emilia spun her around.
The people who had seen Amos clearly throw the wine glass towards Emilia had already turned excited as they wondered how Emilia will react. When Dixie tried to stop it, that was still fine, but what happened next made their eyes almost bug out in shock.
Emilia didn't step aside to avoid it, nor did she try to grab it mid-air. Oh no. Of all the absurd things she could have done, she just had to do a fucking backflip and kick the glass up and away, sending it flying high in the air.
Their shock was justified, because first of all… who in the world would react like that?
Secondly, even if someone did that, the fragile wine glass should have been shattered by their heel, making the situation even worse. Because now there aren't just wine stains on their body, but glass shards too.
And if they go flying in other people's eyes, that makes it all infinitely worse!
But somehow, Emilia's flip was executed in such a smooth, slow arc that not only did the glass not shatter, even most of the liquid was retained in the glass by the centrifugal force.
Some of it did spill on Emilia's bare ankle and thigh, but it didn't reach her dress.
Of course, whatever goes up, must also come down.
Amos had been so gobsmacked by what happened that he couldn't move a muscle even as some people shrieked subconsciously as they saw the glass fall towards his head. He stood stock-still until it shattered less than half a foot away from his position, forcibly startling him out of his daze.
'Fortunately', he wasn't injured, because the glass only shattered after hitting the floor, and its sharp shards could only futilely brush against shoe leather.
But the remaining contents of the glass had all ended up raining down on the hero himself. His pristine white three-piece suit was completely ruined, and the stinking look on his face was like that of a demon from hell as he stared at the girl in rage.
As some of the red liquid flowed down the silver-haired boy's brow, combined with his furious expression, many shuddered at his almost fiendish appearance.
Was Emilia the type to let this chance go? Of course she would milk it for all it's worth.
"AH! I'm sorry, I panicked! Are you alright?"
Looking at her fake concern, the hero almost popped a vein. He could feel the murmurs and glares from the audience as they compared Emilia's innocent and sincere reaction to his obvious unreasonable fury.
"Y-You—"
He knew he couldn't get angry. He had known how he should react the moment the glass landed on the girl. Apologize gently and sincerely, and it would make whatever furious response she was making look infinitely worse.
But somehow, their roles had been completely reversed, and he couldn't adapt to the sudden change at all.
Amos hadn't lost his mind completely to anger, though, so he just gnashed his teeth and stormed away, accidentally knocking away one of the waiters who had been collecting the broken glass on the ground.
In his fury, the hero didn't even notice, and left without looking back.
The waiter's hands ended up being pierced by a few of the glass shards, but he could only grimace and bear with it as he got back up.
In sharp contrast to the hero, Emilia's mood was ecstatic. Earlier, she had even been a little down, thinking that despite that interview and accomplishment, it seemed like the people's impression of her wasn't quite deep enough.
Too many here believed it all to be her father's doing, while using her as a mere figurehead. But even if they were blind, they couldn't hold on to that 'incompetent' image of Emilia now, could they?
At the very least, they now had to see her as someone not so easy to mess with. Even though she had a loyal friend who tried to defend her, she still managed to not only fend off that kind of direct social attack, but also retaliated at the same time without making herself look bad.
Anyone else might have been already humiliated. Once the wine had been spilled on them, and the Black Tiger's heir apologized, who here would be able to hold on to their face? Their only choice would be to retreat in disgrace while plotting for revenge on another day.
Even as her outward expression remained elegant, Emilia was actually so excited that she couldn't help but scream out gleefully in her mind.
'Holy shit! Cynthia... you weren't kidding when you said this was an easy-difficulty world! It's as if that guy is worried I won't do well enough, and gives me such wonderful opportunities left and right!'
Cynthia chuckled. "I… don't think that's what he meant to do, but good job still, ehehehe…"
'I know that much. Imagine being on that guy's side, though. If I had such a pig teammate, I would probably go crazy! All his moves have been such great 'assists', and he just rushes to give me 'free wins' one after another, ahahaha…'
Cynthia wanted to say Emilia shouldn't take the hero too lightly, but thinking about it again… Not to mention her villainess was too meticulous to do something like that, at this point the hero really wasn't bright enough to be taken seriously.
Perhaps he would grow up a few years down the line, but her villainess should probably have him firmly under her heel by then.
"Emily! You're not hurt, are you?"
Dixie couldn't believe that she had been careless enough to allow Emilia to still get in harm's way. Although it was her own move, it still exposed a flaw in her defense.
Being alone, she could only deal with one threat at a time, and if that guy had someone assisting him from the side, he would have managed to get to Emilia anyway.
Although Emilia was far from being a defenseless doll, Dixie thought that her ability to defend herself should be a last resort for emergencies, and not something to factor in while planning how to protect her.
'Those dunderhead friends of mine better have a good fucking excuse for not being here today, or I'm gonna fucking flay them alive...'
Of course, since Emilia hadn't been injured at all, she tried her best to reassure her knight.
"I'm fine, Dixie. Don't worry."
She would even have gone forward to help out the poor waiter who had been kicked aside by Amos to score 'additional points', but since another staff member had already rushed ahead with a first aid kit, that would just make her look stupid now.
Her knight ignored her placating words, and was still fussing over her as she knelt down and started wiping off the wine that had spilled on her leg with a wet cloth handed to her by a waiter.
Of course, only Dixie knew her true thoughts at this point. 'Ahhh! What a waste! I wish I could lick it off of her… Oh no, don't tell me that bastard sipped it before?! How could I let it taint her body! I must wipe it clean!'
Emilia's smile faded a little as Dixie's wiping got rough. 'I-Is she trying to rub my skin off?!'
REMOVE ADS FROM $1
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
THE VILLAINESS WITH A HEROINE HAREMC60 - Someone Picked The Wrong Side
"Wow… did you see that?!"
"Is she a gymnast?"
"Cheerleaders can also do that kind of thing, right?"
Among the younger generation, most had already been quite impressed by Emilia, and their impression of her only got deeper with her 'counterattack'.
"I-I'm pretty sure that was a fluke, right?"
"Most likely, yeah. No, it definitely was a fluke. She just acted on instinct, it seems."
"What kind of 'instinct' is that?"
"Who knows? She was homeschooled by her family, right? Who knows what they taught her."
"She doesn't have any muscles to speak of, though, I doubt she knows any martial arts."
"Probably just basic training of gymnastics, or ballet, maybe?"
"Hmm… you might be right. Though I still think her leg muscles should be more prominent in that case. Her thighs are defined enough, though. Hm… maybe—"
"Sister… you're too obsessed with that girl's legs. Are you secretly a lesbian?"
"I-I'm not! I'm straight as a rod!"
Such discussions were not unique to just them.
Even if she may have only done it 'accidentally', it was still a sight to see a girl backflip a glass of wine into the air.
Among the older generation, many of them who had previously looked down on Emilia had to at least reconsider their opinion. Perhaps she may not just be a useless doll. Perhaps Mr. White was training her as a weapon for his older daughter to use. Although Emilia looked a bit too weak, looks can often be deceptive.
Meanwhile, in the corner of the lobby, Theo's mom was fussing over the boy as he clutched his nose while looking pained.
"W-What happened to you?"
"I-I saw it…"
"… Saw what?"
Theo gulped as he realized what he had almost blurted out, and refused to speak another word.
He could only curse at his teenage hormones for weakening his will to the point where anyone other than his little angel could ever enter his eyes. Only pure, platonic sibling love was worthy of his heart!
His mother finally seemed to recall that in the commotion earlier, the girl had executed a backflip with a very, very short skirt. For her son to be having a nosebleed from the sight alone though—and at this distance, no less, where he couldn't possibly have caught anything but a brief glimpse—made the middle-aged woman very worried.
'Does that mean he's not impotent, at least? But to have a nosebleed from something like this… he's hopeless.'
==========
Bianca's father only returned to the venue once the party was almost about to end, and only bothered entertaining and seeing off the most important guests.
In sharp contrast to his daughter's attitude, he actually seemed to intentionally ignore Emilia's existence.
Going by convention, Emilia's status as Mr. White's daughter made her position important enough to warrant at least a personal greeting by the host. To fail to do so, he can be seen as intentionally snubbing not just Emilia, but the entire White Deer corporation. After all... that was what she represented at this party.
His attitude clearly made many onlookers uncomfortable, while many others gloated in their hearts. Regardless, none of them were stupid enough to get in between these 'giants' and risk being targeted themselves.
Of course, some loose mouths would definitely let it 'slip' to Mr. White later. Whether their intentions were to help him or not was anyone's guess.
Cynthia couldn't help but sneer. "You can't let him go unpunished for looking down on us, Emilia! Go kick his ass!"
Of course, she couldn't just listen to Cynthia, or it would be another spectacle.
Emilia scoffed in her heart. 'Tch. He probably wouldn't dare to do this if Sam or Danielle's father were here instead.'
Perhaps he had already judged the tides to be in favor of Mr. Black earlier, and having already picked a side, he was now bound to that boat. Maybe he even believed that Mr. Black would still come out on top in the ongoing struggle between the two megacorps, but Emilia was sure that anyone who deluded themselves so… was in for a nasty surprise soon enough.
Perhaps tomorrow's sunrise would finally open their eyes.
Emilia did not need to take his snubbing seriously, because she was already quite familiar with these kinds of turncoats. Once the tides really turned against Mr. Black, he wouldn't think twice before switching sides. Maybe he'll even use his daughter's affection towards Emilia as an excuse.
After all, these types of people did not have any true loyalty to anyone. Although Emilia preferred dealing with staunch and straightforward people like Dixie, she knew that making use of those like Bianca's father was also critical to ensure success at a larger scale.
"HUH? Instead of kicking his ass, you want him to turn to your side? Are these types of people even reliable, Emilia?"
Emilia sighed. 'No… of course not. Even while making use of them, we have to be careful not to be stabbed in the back. Unless we have no other alternatives, it's best to use more reliable options.'
Of course, if she had a better, more loyal ally available to get things done, why would she hand a task over to a possible traitor?
"Wouldn't it just ruin all your plans if someone like that betrays you, though? It's best to not use them at all. It's better to let your plans go than to have them backfire on you."
Emilia smiled in her mind. Cynthia was quite sharp, but she was too straightforward and honest. Of course, that's how she preferred it to be.
'You're right, Cynthia. I'll never use them for anything crucial, but there are times when even these types of people can be of use.
'For example, consider an enemy kingdom with a treacherous duchy who wants to betray them and defect to my side, but I know they're the worst kind of scum that cannot be trusted, in that case, what do I have to lose if I tell them to get over to my side while creating a path of blood?'
"Huh? I don't think I get it… you'll tell them to do as much damage as possible to the enemy while coming over to your side, right?"
Emilia nodded. 'Right. It will damage them both, and even if they manage to come to me in the end, they'll be a much smaller threat to contain, and that is only if I decide it is safe enough to spare them. Moreover, I managed to split a part of the enemy forces as well.'
"Ohhhh… going back on your word like that! As expected of my villainess."
'I mean, I only told them they can come over, not that I won't kill them once they do, right? Fufu.'
It didn't take long after the 'host' returned for the party to end.
And although Bianca's father saw the guests off with a smile, Emilia could tell he was dissatisfied with how things really went. Perhaps he had already heard about what happened to Amos, and worried what kind of impact it will have on his cooperation with Mr. Black.
Emilia was of course happy to see it. Anything that made things difficult for her enemies was a welcome change in her book.
==========
Meanwhile, Amos finally arrived back at his 'home', having long since left the party in advance.
However, instead of feeling relief, the hero felt his blood freeze as he felt a malevolent gaze he was far too familiar with.
REMOVE ADS FROM $1
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS
THE VILLAINESS WITH A HEROINE HAREMC61 - 'In'Justice
"Ah, my son is finally back. I have heard of all kinds of glorious deeds of yours, all earning me great pride, no doubt, ahahaha…"
With the number of contacts Mr. Black had at the party, how could no one have informed him of the absolute disaster of a performance of his son? Forget about making any new contacts or gaining prestige, if he had just stayed as he was, that would also have been fine.
But no, he just HAD to fuck things up no matter what task was given to him.
Mr. Black was generally a patient man. He always silently waited for the perfect opportunity to strike, and when he did, he made sure his prey couldn't escape.
And the reason for that was obvious. If he had been able to do things as he always did, the White Deer corporation wouldn't even know what hit them before it was too late. Unfortunately, the prey had somehow been startled, and Mr. Black was still investigating where he slipped up.
But when it came to Amos, his only son, Mr. Black found that his patience was being tested again and again. It was like every time they faced each other, his son would find another matter to disgrace him with.
If he wasn't off having a fling with some boy, he was off causing a public disaster instead. Of course, Mr. Black was well aware that someone must have laid a trap, and Amos fell right into it, but that only made him blame the boy more.
The hero's anxiety only grew the longer his father remained silent.
"D-Dad, I can explain—"
"Save it. Let's talk in the study."
Amos could feel his heart beat rapidly in fear as he hesitantly followed his father to the study. For him to be led there could only mean that whatever his father was about to say, he didn't want to risk the servants overhearing.
Mr. Black signaled for Amos to get in first before following him inside, and then locked the door after him.
Just as Amos was about to take a seat, however, something fiercely latched onto his hair, and flung him into a bookshelf.
A miserable scream tore out of his throat involuntarily, but his father ignored all his pleas as he rained down kicks on the fallen hero. He didn't even care for some of his precious book collection being stomped as well.
"D-Dad! Stop! It hurts! STOP IT!"
"You piece of shit! Motherfucker! I should have known that whore couldn't give birth to a good son! Fuck! To think I wasted so many years of my life teaching garbage like you, only for you to fuck up every single thing!"
The combination of mental and physical abuse caused the hero to break out into sobs even though he tried his best to control himself.
But even as he sobbed, all his grievances combined with his hatred, and he swore to one day tear out the throat of this vile monster with his own hands.
Mr. Black only seemed to calm down once he felt that he had doled out an 'appropriate' amount of punishment.
"Get up."
It took almost a minute for Amos to realize he was being spoken to, and he shakily got up while supporting himself against the bookshelf he had been flung against.
He hid his hatred as best as he could before looking up, but what greeted him was not his father's stern face, but a sturdy fist.
Even as the back of his skull rang with pain after crashing into the bookshelf, and his vision momentarily went dark, Amos had a feeling of déjà vu.
'T-These motherfuckers… dare look down… on me!'
He didn't know where it came from, but Amos felt a huge rush of both courage and patience fill his body.
Even with his left eye swelling shut, he looked up into his father's startled gaze.
Mr. Black couldn't help but be a little impressed. If nothing else, this bastard son of his was quite tenacious at least.
"Take a seat, now we can talk."
==========
Emilia and Dixie were startled to spot their driver heading into the venue right as they were exiting.
"Ah, young miss, your friends called earlier—"
Dixie gnashed her teeth in anger as she took the phone from his hand. If they'd been here earlier, surrounding her princess along with her, wouldn't the adults find it too awkward to approach them?
That alone could have greatly reduced the annoyances tonight and made her princess more comfortable. But these idiots didn't even show up! If they didn't have a really, really good excuse…
"Which one of the three idiots am I talking to?"
"I-It's me, Jenna…"
"Jenna… why the hell are you only calling me just now? I expect this kind of idiotic behavior from that idiot Lara, but you—"
The person on the other hand hastily interrupted her. "A-Ah, Dixie, don't go on a tirade yet, y'see… we might need your help first."
Dixie could feel a headache coming. 'Oh no no no… don't tell me they're going to disgrace myself even further in front of Emily now, right?'
"… What did you do?"
"Um, well, y'know what Lara is like. She spotted this hunk of a man on our way to the party, and since we were a little early, she decided to, you know, do the usual."
Dixie gritted her teeth in anger. "If you mean she was wasting time seducing the guy only to reject him as soon as he showed interest, I'm gonna have to ask you to smack her across the face for me first!"
After a momentary silence, her friend cleared her throat, as if slightly embarrassed.
"I don't think I need to. Her face is already pretty swollen now, after all."
Dixie blinked.
"Excuse me, what? Did she fall down face first while flirting?"
Jenna rolled her eyes, though Dixie couldn't see it from the other side of the phone.
"I wish! Y'see, the guy she was trying to seduce had a girlfriend who came back just in time to spot her, while the guy looked uncomfortable. Long story short, the two of them got into a fight. The hair pulling, nail scratching, heel kicking kind."
Dixie suddenly had a bad feeling. "Jenna… where the hell are you talking from?"
"Uh… the police station?"
"Fuck!"
REMOVE ADS FROM $1
Report chapter CommentsContact - ToS