The Villain Bought the Female Lead - Ch. 2
“Take it off.”
A dimly lit room.
In that space where a few lights illuminate the room.
Just after bathing, when her hair was still damp.
Alicia was with Vargan, the third son of the Schugenharz family.
“… yes.”
Taken aback by his commanding tone, Alicia had prepared herself to some extent since the moment she was sold here, so she swallowed her saliva and replied that she understood. She began to slowly undress.
Swish…
Clothes stained with dirt that wouldn’t come off no matter how much she was beaten with a washboard. There was nowhere proper to put them, so she laid them on the floor. Putting them on a chair or a bed made her own clothes look too dirty.
And so, after shedding one layer, only one set of clothes remained. If she took even that off, she would be left with nothing on.
Alicia glanced briefly at the man who had ordered her while trying to hide her trembling.
The man who had become her master from today onwards seemed to be observing her own body as if he had no shame. Seeing his sharp gaze, her suppressed tremble and embarrassment resurfaced.
His eyes were fixed without a hint of movement.
“Um… Master Vargan.”
Eventually, Alicia called out his name.
And she met his sharp gaze.
“Should I… take off even my underwear?”
She already knew the answer, but she still asked. She had firmly resolved herself, yet her original defensive posture seemed to have slipped out on its own.
“…”
His gaze deepened as he looked at her. She didn’t know if she would be scolded for asking why.
Suddenly, he stood up from his seat.
His large stature seemed threatening to her.
Her mind went blank.
Thoughts stopped and started spinning around.
“…M-Master.”
She couldn’t resist.
She could only accept.
Because there was such a difference in status between her and him.
“…”
His wrist, which felt elegant even in its length, reached out. The destination was her …ha. Without even realizing it, she tightly closed her eyes.
And then, it continued.
“Ouch!”
A sharp finger.
Her forehead hurt.
“I can see everything you’re thinking. Tsk tsk. Being aroused in front of your master… I have no desire for someone like you, so don’t worry.”
“… yes?”
“Clumsy as you are. Didn’t I measure your body to create clothing that fits you? It meant for you to change into clothes that fit. How long do you intend to wear such dirty clothes?”
The man gestured lazily with his chin.
Rubbing her tingling forehead, she looked where he indicated. On the chair, neatly folded clothes of the same style as the others were placed.
… she hadn’t seen them in the darkness.
“… I’m sorry.”
Alicia bowed deeply. So deep that her face couldn’t be seen at all because of the darkness. It was because of the darkness that this situation had occurred, but at the same time, she could hide her blushing face because of it…
“… if you’re embarrassed, change your clothes quickly. You have plenty of tasks to do. There’s no time to waste.”
“… yes.”
There wasn’t.
***
By the time Alicia’s embarrassed cheeks returned to their original state, she couldn’t close her mouth at the sight of the towering pile of books in front of her.
“Close your gaping mouth and focus on what I’m saying.”
With a sigh, Alicia closed her mouth, and her large pupils, which had been staring in amazement, looked at me. It seemed she was determined to remember every word I said without missing a single syllable. Alright, the form is there.
I asked Alicia, who was concentrating.
“What is magic?”
“It’s the blessing of the gods.”
“… quite a dignified and orthodox answer. Think of magic as a part of your body. What do you think it’s most similar to?”
After considering for a while and examining my feelings, Alicia didn’t hesitate to answer. It seems she thought that if she took too long, she would be scolded.
“The brain… wouldn’t it be?”
The brain.
She wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t what I intended.
“Magic is like a muscle.”
“A muscle… what do you mean?”
Alicia’s eyes, which had been filled with determination, loosened slightly, and she tilted her head. Alright, let me explain it in a way even a child could understand.
“Yeah, muscle fibers.”
Using the knowledge of the character <Vargan> that I had taken over, I explained the basics of magic to her.
Among them, there were parts that might be difficult to understand at first, but fortunately, she had a good enough head to nod along and spark her eyes even at difficult concepts.
Moreover, it was easy to explain because she could read and write, which was rare among commoners. If she couldn’t read, it would have been difficult to give her assignments.
“So, if you don’t know how to use it, it may never manifest, but if you get used to the feeling, it can develop unless you’re a complete blockhead. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I do. In the end, the important things are the feeling, size, and density when using it.”
“Good, you’ve finally moved beyond the level of a newborn baby. What you’ve learned today is basic even among the basics of magic, and it’s something that anyone with a sense of magic would know. … but at the same time, it’s also a very important concept. Don’t ever forget it.”
“I won’t forget.”
Her eyes were somewhat serious.
“Alright, that’s enough. What you learned today will be checked tomorrow, so make sure you remember it… let’s talk about something else for a moment.”
Looking at the clock on the wall, a lot of time had already passed. Now it was time to finish the lesson and talk about something else.
I brought her here for my own benefit. Surely, this would return as a huge butterfly effect in the future. If that was the case, I needed to minimize the damage while maximizing the benefit for myself.
“I’ll tell you about the future you’ll face.”
“The future… you mean?”
Technically, it was the things you would have to do for me.
“Yeah. I’ve already said it. You’ll learn theory and practical skills at the same time to master magic.”
“… yes. I’ll do my best.”
“Doing your best isn’t enough. You have to do well. No one cares about your progress. Only the results matter.”
“… I’ll show you the best results. Master.”
“It seems you still don’t fully believe my words. I even said you’re a mad genius.”
Even though she was an important heroine, she had grown up in the countryside, receiving abuse and hardship. Even if I suddenly told her she had an abundance of talent, it would be hard for her to believe or even comprehend.
“… I’ve taken your words to heart. I believe there’s a reason you’re speaking to me in such a manner, Master.”
“You speak so nicely, as if you’re trying to please someone. Words. Anyway, that’s it. In six months, you’ll grasp the feel of magic, and then you’ll enroll in Academia with me.”
“The Academia…!”
“It’s a gateway to train heroes. It’s also called the Hero Academy.”
A place of learning and training that attracted the world’s attention. The main stage where many of the main characters and protagonists of this novel world appeared.
A place where the two main characters who got on my nerves were active.
“You will compete under the name of the Schugenharz family.”
Thinking about it made me laugh.
I would crush those damn protagonists with the heroine, Alicia.
“….”
There was a moment of silence, and Alicia cautiously spoke, her fear evident.
“If that’s your wish, I will do my best. However… I’m worried that because of me, you might tarnish the glory of the great Schugenharz.”
I struck her forehead lightly, as she fretted.
“Ugh…”
Quite firmly.
I faced her squarely, sensing she needed a lot of mental education.
“Remember this.”
You fool who didn’t even know your own worth.
“As you say, I am the direct descendant of the great Schugenharz. My status and position are on a different level from a mere peasant girl like you.”
“….”
“Those in high positions carry heavy responsibilities and have much to do. They must acquire knowledge to bridge the gap between heaven and earth every day, waste time on pointless social gatherings, and even then, cutting down on sleep is insufficient. In simpler terms, I am extremely busy.”
But still, I came to fetch you.
“That is true at any time, even now.”
While I hadn’t given up on my learning, prioritizing Alicia was a fact.
“I am a very practical and calculated person. If your education were useless and hopeless, I wouldn’t have bothered teaching you about magic myself.”
That was plain truth.
As I revealed this, Alicia’s eyes widened in surprise. She stood frozen, no reaction or sound coming forth. I gazed at her.
As silence lingered, the blue moon, previously obscured by dark clouds outside the window, slowly revealed itself, casting rays of light into the room.
The room brightened, revealing Alicia’s face.
She just waited quietly, expecting the conversation to continue.
“You have value and talent equal to that. Why?”
I chuckled.
An arrogant and authoritative chuckle.
“Because I acknowledged it. No other trivial reasons are needed. That’s more than enough.”
I asked her.
“The answer…?”
Alicia bowed her head deeply, hiding her face as if ashamed. It was a gesture she made when she wanted to conceal her expression, much like when she felt embarrassed.
“… yes, thank you.”
Her voice was filled with moisture. Alicia herself seemed surprised by the tremor in her voice.
In truth, I hadn’t said much.
I hadn’t comforted her or kindly instilled confidence in her.
However.
Alicia shed a single tear.
I knew what her tears meant.
That she had talent, that she could do something.
It must have been the first time she heard words that made her feel like someone believed in her.
Truly a delicate and distorted woman.
“Very well then. From tomorrow onward, you must undertake tasks harder than today’s. Make sure to rest quickly. I, too, shall return now.”
“….”
No response from her forehead.
“… ah!”
“I wonder how many times I’ve struck you today. My fingers are numb. As I said in the carriage, always answer your master’s questions.”
She replied, wiping the slightly moist corners of her eyes. There was a hint of a smile on her lips.
“… yes. I will keep it in mind!”
***
Alicia lay on her bed. It was late into the night, but sleep eluded her.
“… me, having talent.”
Her mother, with whom she lived, had no expectations of her. She said Alicia couldn’t do anything, so she had to help herself and live her life.
Alicia didn’t mind helping her mother and followed obediently, feeling she had no talents.
But she never thought things would turn out like this.
In just one day.
The environment surrounding Alicia had completely changed.
She was truly surprised when the strange man barged into her house earlier, and when he said he bought her with a large sum of money, it felt like the sky was falling.
In the carriage, he talked about learning magic, having talent, and believing in her value.
Even moments ago, he told her to have confidence in herself. Well, maybe he didn’t say to have confidence. He wasn’t that kind of person.
The man who became her master had incredibly high self-esteem and possessed things he could boast about. So maybe he could speak so boldly.
He brought her from the countryside to teach her magic, which would cost a fortune.
“… if I really have talent, how did he know?”
How did he find her in a remote village? Where did he hear about her?
She still knew nothing about him. He seemed like a bad person… or maybe not. It was hard to judge definitively.
“Ugh…”
Her mind was in turmoil.
She worried about her mother and her own future.
She made a promise with him, so she might be able to see her mother once a year, but what if it was a lie…? No, he didn’t seem like that kind of person… or did he…?
… it was pointless to worry about it like this.
Yeah.
First, let’s do our best in the given environment.
Just as she always had.
With that determination, memories of her misunderstanding his intentions today, undressing, and saying strange things, as well as showing tears, passed by.
“….”
She pulled the pillow beside her.
Then she lifted it onto her face and covered it with both arms. The pillow smelled nice and cozy, but the fingers holding it pressed deeply into its surface.
“…Ugh!”
Filled with uncertainty, but one emotion was certain right now.
“It’s embarrassing…!!”