Chapter Text
“Any final words?”
“None. I have lived a good life.”
“Well said.”
Chnk!
I woke up with a start in the dead of night. I could hear Catherine softly snoring above me, as she often did. More than that though, I could hear my own heart beating in my ears, feel the cold sweat on my face. I quickly decided there was little point in trying to go back to sleep now, so I got out of bed and quietly walked over to the nearest window. Opening the curtain, I got a look at the full moon. It looked remarkably like the moon from my past life’s world. Back then, when I couldn’t sleep, I’d often go to a window and stare at the moon as I contemplated whatever was bothering me. Tonight, though, it’s weighing on me even heavier than before, because…
That is the fate that awaits the Villainess.
I knew it well, of course, but it never really “sunk in” until I saw Mt. Sassal. In Revolution, Mt. Sassal erupts, killing King l’Aussiel Bauer, and plunging the kingdom into chaos and famine. This sparks the titular revolution, an event that finally resolves the class divide between aristocrats and commoners in Bauer. How, you ask? Through a bloody civil war, of course, a war that ends with the nobles’ heads on the chopping block. Prominent among these is, of course, me. I had no way to know for sure that it would happen like it did in the game, but I couldn’t ignore the risks. If the volcano erupted and the revolution occurred, I would be executed with the rest of the nobility.
At least, there is some hope. Mt. Sassal doesn’t erupt for another several months, so I had time to plan and prepare. My mind immediately jumped to the possibility of simply escaping, fleeing to the Alpes, or Sousse, before the eruption. No matter what happens in Bauer after that, I’d be safe. But…
Urk. Maybe I could be safe, but… Catherine, Loretta, Pepi… Even my father. All of them would be at risk. Rae would be safe, she’s a commoner, but… No matter what, I couldn’t just abandon them. Loretta and Pepi in particular would have to leave their families behind to follow me, unless I could bring all of them too, but that wouldn’t be feasible. There were no ways about it; if I wanted to prevent tragedy, I couldn’t simply escape Bauer; I’d have to prevent the executions from occurring in the first place. I wasn’t sure how to do that, but I had time to figure it out. My brain was too worn out to do it tonight, anyway.
Turning away from the moon with a sigh, I closed the curtains and walked back into bed. It’d be a bit before I could sleep. It’d be easier if I could talk to Lene or Rae, but they were no doubt sleeping like Catherine. What would I even tell them, anyway? That I know the future and need to plan for imminent doom? I’d sound crazy. Of course, I am crazy, but not in that particular way. Ugh. Times like this made me wish I could cuddle with Rae to make myself feel better. Come to think of it, if Rae and I were to marry, would that make her a lady of House François, and therefore at risk in the revolution? Bluh. Too complicated for tonight. I decided to cross that bridge when I got to it. Though, if Rae were here, she could put me to sleep with magic again. It’s almost unfair how perfect she is, really. Eventually, I fell back into an uneasy slumber.
The next morning was a groggy mess, admittedly. Lene and Rae had to work together to get me out of bed. Hearing Rae’s voice sparked some energy into my mind, but what really got me going was when I realized I had an opportunity to do something here; something I felt I deserved to get me out of the funk I’d been in since yesterday.
“Oh, Lene? Don’t you think it’s time for Rae to learn how to dress me properly?” I yawned, trying to mask my excitement.
“I suppose so. Is that alright with you Rae?” Lene turned to look at Rae, whose face went red.
“U-um… well…” Rae seemed unsure. Yes, this is what I need this morning! Keep being cute, Rae!
“Sometime, Lene could get sick, and I’ll only have you to look after me. You don’t want to be unprepared to help your poor, soft master when she’s all alone with you, right?” I pleaded, making puppy eyes at Rae.
Rae squirmed a bit, before relenting. “I understand, Miss Claire.”
I jumped out of bed. “Wonderful. Let’s get started immediately.”
We left for my dressing room, Rae still appearing a little bashful, but she’d get used to it eventually. Of course, I loved seeing her all cute and shy, so I enjoyed it while I could. I couldn’t help showing off a little, wiggling my hips when I knew Rae was looking.
Lene did not approve. “Miss Claire, she can’t dress you properly if you don’t sit still.” Had she guessed my intentions?
“Oh yes, my apologies, Lene. I’m just eager to start the day, that’s all.” I glanced back at Rae, who looked flustered, and… a little annoyed? Was that bad? I couldn’t tell. Regardless, I behaved myself as she fixed my favorite red bow into my hair.
After getting me dressed and eating breakfast, the three of us set out to start the day. Because Lene couldn’t accompany me to classes, it was Rae’s responsibility to attend to me during school hours. I tried to think of excuses to make her pay attention to me, but I failed to come up with anything while focusing on the lessons. At least she sat next to me, though. After class, we joined up with Lene again, and on my insistence, took a walk around campus. This walk, of course, was simply an excuse to boast about my achievements to impress Rae. But, as we passed through one of the campus’s gardens, the sound of music brought my showboating to a halt. Before I could speak, Rae ran ahead, in between bushes, to find the source, with Lene and I following close behind.
Sat in a gazebo was none other than Prince Thane, strumming the harp. My heart raced when I saw him. After all, Prince Thane was my crush, according to Revolution and my memories. Even now I had to admit he was quite dashing up there, and his music was beautiful. But, I had Rae now. I could just listen and move on, but…
“Oh wow! Prince Thane’s music is incredible!” Rae said, moved to tears.
“It is!” Lene agreed. “I could listen to this for hours…”
What?! That’s a little too excited, isn’t it?! Oh no, we can’t have that. If Rae listened to the whole thing, that would put her right on track for the Thane route! Fortunately, I knew precisely how to break this flag…
“That was a wonderful performance, Prince Thane!” I shouted, bursting from the bushes, notably before he was finished. I glimpsed Rae and Lene behind me gaping in shock at my sudden outburst, like I’d just made a big blunder. But it was very much on purpose. Thane stopped playing and looked down at me with dour annoyance written all over his face.
“You are… from the François Household.” That’s how he greeted me, though I couldn’t blame him for being displeased.
“My name is Claire, Prince Thane!” I said with a sunny smile, feigning ignorance. Sorry, Thane! But sometimes a villainess has to get her hands dirty! Without answering, he instead started returning his harp to its case. “Oh? Are you not going to play anymore?” I asked, fully aware that he wouldn’t.
“This is a simple diversion. It has nothing to do with the qualities of a king.” He answered simply as he packed it up. “Not meant to be heard by others.”
Ah, that’s right. Prince Thane is all brooding and moody all the time because he wants to be the next king, but thinks he is far from that goal. His brothers Rod and Yu are far more popular, with Rod next in line for the throne, and Yu favored by the Spiritual Church due to his mother being a former Cardinal, Queen Riche. Even in the exams, he performed noticeably worse than the other two. I felt bad for him, truthfully, but I wasn’t going to give Rae to him. Rae was mine.
“Oh, dear! My apologies, Prince Thane!” I bowed my head. “But, is appreciation for the arts not a key part of being a king?”
That confused him. “Explain.”
Quick and to the point, wasn’t he? I continued. “While playing an instrument is not crucial to rulership, music is a form of self-expression. In playing your harp, you are demonstrating your feelings and thoughts. Moreover, a great king must understand and relate to his people, so practicing ordinary things like playing the harp helps you keep your connection to your future subjects. I wouldn’t call that pointless, would you?”
Thane put a hand to his chin, contemplating my words. “Perhaps you have a point, Claire François. I’ll consider this perspective.”
“I am honored you would say such a thing, Prince Thane.” I did a curtsy, much better practiced than Rae’s. “Give it some thought!”
With our conversation over, I returned to my companions. Rae had a complicated look on her face. “Miss Claire, I think you were supposed to wait until he was finished.”
Humph! Rae saw right through me. Very well, I could play it off. “Ooohohoho!~” Yep, never getting tired of that. “Yes, perhaps, but Prince Thane’s work was so impressive I lost control of my impulses! Never mind that, though, where was I?”
With my guilt at ruining Thane’s music time assuaged, I could now fully revel in the mischievous glee I felt in sabotaging a romance flag. Another obstacle between myself and Rae dealt with! I resumed my prior boasting, but… did I imagine a smirk on Rae’s face?