Chapter 53 - Secret Lair Of The Evil Flower

For some reason, this takes Lady back to that memory – 

Of a boy she met last summer and left without a word. 

Ever since that time, making friends felt like a far-fetched dream for her. It did not help that she was being ostracized in class, either. That was why she thought that she had to work hard before she found herself one – harder if she wanted to make them stay. 

Of course, all of these are only her personal thoughts and feelings. As the villainess of the story, something like making friends should not matter to her. She should not care about anyone but herself. But then, she just could not help it. She could not help but yearn for it.

Then, finally, Lady earned herself a friend. Hopefully, Belle is just the first of many that are yet to come.   

"Belle! Thank you! I'm so happy!" 

"Hehe~ I'll be in your care, then!"

It has been a struggle. But she has finally managed to befriend a classmate. Even though she missed a lot of things in her past life, she would make sure that she would experience it all in this lifetime. She would have hundreds of friends, and if she got lucky enough, she would make them her followers. 

And until Lady can do so, she will keep going forward – one step at a time.

---

No matter what, Lady is not fully intent on befriending the CHEEKY Trio yet.

'So, please, stop following me! Don't ask how I performed that hoax of a technique either! Even I don't know! And I don't want to be introduced to a coach nor become a muscle machine!'

Apparently, after that eventful dodgeball match, Chester, Erwin, and Kyle have begun tailing Lady every single day at school. 

Not only would they greet her each morning like how mobsters would to their head honcho, but they would also give her different kinds of treats as offerings of respect – almost as if she was a deity. They were particularly insistent whenever playtime came. It even got to the point where they would try to trap her into participating in some crazy game. 

With that, she had steeled her resolve. She was never touching anything related to dodgeball.

Ever again.

"I thought you wanted to be popular enough to make tons of friends?" Fallon chimed in after Lady finished yet another round of ranting. 

Right now, they're at what she calls their hideout – 

Which is just actually the local bakery near the academy. Ever since that moment she was charmed by their yummytastic chocolate chip cookies, she would drop by whenever she had a chance. For some reason, the owner and the rest of the staff there have become so fond of her that they turned this cute little corner of their shop into a private spot that was solely reserved for her. 

It was not too long before she decided to name that place as the 'Secret Lair of the Evil Flower' where she would take her most trusted allies and discuss her genius schemes with them – currently, though, there was only one.

"That was not the kind of popularity that I wanted! While I also do want to make many friends, I do not want to appear like a tomboy!" Lady cried out.

"Well, what exactly do you want to appear like?" Fallon asked nonchalantly.

"Duh. Like my name."

"Weird?"

"Like a lady, idiot!" 

"A lady idiot?"

"I said a lady! A fabulous, glamorous little lady!

"Oh… Okay. Sure."

Seeing the hopeless look on his face, she was not sure whether to be peeved or dismayed. He does not expect much from her, it seems – some sidekick he is. 

In the end, she just lets out an exasperated groan and chooses to brood on her own. Good thing she has a plate of cookies ready to cheer herself up. The bakery has even served her this thing they call milkshake as a special treat.   

"It's been a while since you confessed to me, hasn't it?" Fallon then suddenly started again.

"Huh? What?" Lady blurted out, confused. 

"That you're not who we thought you are, I mean. That you're from… you know, a different place, and that you're supposed to be… not here, I guess."

"Oh, right. I'm glad you still believe me. I thought you'd never bring it up again."

"Sorry. It's just that I wanted to take some time to observe and analyze everything first. They're still hard to believe. Really. Yet, as more days pass by, more questions pile up. Then, I realized I could've spent all those times asking you things instead of doubting what you said."

"I see. You can always do both of them, you know."

"Yeah, you're right. May I start asking now, then?"

"Go ahead~!"   

"You told me you're the one who made this world and that we're in your story. That means you also know about our fates because we're your… well, characters. In that case, are you aware of the original Lady's future too?"

"Yes. I am."

"What kind of role does she have? Or rather, you have now?"   

Now that he said it, she recalled that she really did not explain that part completely. What she gave before was only a brief summary of who she truly was and where she came from. Since she has already declared him as her official sidekick, though, she should probably try to let him in on everything from this point on. 

"Whether you believe it or not, I have a very, very important role in the grander scheme of things! You'll be astounded once you hear it! Just don't be too shocked, okay? After all, this is still me!" Lady asserted confidently.

"You're making yourself sound like a massive deal," Fallon commented.

"Because I am! After all, I'm the main antagonist of the story!"

"...The what?"

"You know, the bad guy who fights the good guy-"

"I know what an antagonist is, Lady."

"Good! That saves me the trouble of explaining! So, then, my dear friend and sidekick! Now that you know who and what I am, we're officially partners in crime starting from this day forward!"

"Wait, wait, wait… If you're the antagonist, then who's the protagonist?" 

"Oh, she hasn't shown up yet. She will once we're in high school. Just wait until then. I bet you'll think she's cute! For now, my mission is to set up the stage for her. I also have to train to be the worst villainess for her! That's why I'm currently trying to gather as many followers as I can, thus my goal to make hundreds of friends."

"But why in the world do you have to do that? You're technically strangers at this point. Do you even know who she really is and what she's truly like?"

"To see is to believe~ You'll know when the day comes~" 

"Who even told you to do all of that? Surely, you don't need to do this, right? Just live the way you've always wanted to. You finally have a second chance in life. Don't just live by the book." 

With a soft and gentle smile, she calmly shook her head at that. She then took one graceful sip from her milkshake, keeping her posture straight and her head held high all the while. He could tell that she was trying to act as elegant as possible – time and again. 

It seems that this always needs to happen. 

"I have long decided to give everyone the happy ending that they deserve, and fulfilling my role properly is the only way to do that," Lady reasoned.

"So, this is what you mean by wanting to be a fabulous, glamorous little lady, huh?" Fallon sighed, finally piecing the puzzle together.

"That's right~ Now, you finally get it~" 

"This is absurd."

Before she can find a retort to that, someone approaches their table out of nowhere. It was the sound of footsteps that caught their attention first. 

Upon turning around to see who it is, they find this unfamiliar-looking woman dressed in an all-too-familiar uniform. She has short, straight olive drab hair kept in a bob-cut style and a pair of almond-shaped irises of the same color. Her attire looks similar to the ones that the Mireille's hired bodyguards wear, and while that already makes her stand out, her stoic facial expression is also hard not to take notice of.

Had she been smiling, she would look prettier.

"Hey, watch your mouth, Lady."

To her surprise, Fallon chided her. It was then that Lady realized that she actually said that out loud. 

She covered her mouth at once, though it was already too late. 

"Ehem…" the woman chimed in, clearing her throat.

"I'm afraid there's nothing to smile about here, Young Miss, especially when you've broken your father's rules. Again."

"F-F-Father…?!" she exclaimed, terrified.

"I-Is he here?! T-This is not what it looks like, o-okay?! W-W-We're just-"

"I can clearly see that you're having quite a feast when you're still supposed to be grounded. You even involved the Young Master again."

"W-Who are you, anyway?"

Even before hearing the answer, Lady already felt like regretting she asked.