WeTried Translations
Translator: Nemui
Editor: Nemui
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Reincarnated as the Villain's Heir
Chapter 23: Do Not Do Anything Stupid
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I, Esty, was using lunch break to train by myself at Training Ground Two.
That was when Dale and his two friends came over and surrounded me.
Dale was the son of a count house, the one I had fought in a match.
Even if status was supposed to be equal here, the atmosphere did not feel like something I could defy.
"Come with us for a bit."
"Huh? But... lunch break is almost over..."
"Just a bit. What, are you looking down on me because you think I am a noble who could not settle things against a mere commoner?"
"N-no, n-n-nothing like that!"
And so, reluctantly, I ended up following Dale and the others.
Just outside Training Ground Two, there was a grove where people's eyes did not easily reach.
There, Dale and the others surrounded me.
"Do not get full of yourself and train like you are someone important, commoner."
"N-no, I was not trying to be someone important, or two people important..."
"They say status is equal here, sure. But that does not mean the difference in status disappears. You understand what I mean, right?"
"Yes..."
Dale and the others were grinning.
I had a very bad feeling about this.
"In the next mock battle class, lose to me."
"Huh? Th-that is a little..."
"Unlike a commoner like you, I have a brilliant future ahead of me. Or what? Are you saying you matter more than my future?"
"Huh? Ah... I did not... say that..."
Ugh, why did this have to happen?
It seemed he had really hated how stubborn I had been during the self-introduction mock battle.
I barely had any combat experience, and all I had done was run around as much as I could.
"Your father works at a woodworking factory, if I remember right."
"H-how do you know that?!"
"That factory is a subcontractor for the trading company my father runs. What do you think I am trying to say?"
"No..."
Why? Why was this happening to me?
And he was dragging my father into it too.
After he had struggled to pay my enrollment fees, I absolutely could not cause him trouble.
Someone, someone help me-
* * *
"That is far enough."
When we tailed Leticia, we came across quite the scene.
The one who appeared gallantly in front of Dale's group and Esty was Leticia.
We deliberately hid in the shade of a tree where they would not find us and decided to watch.
"Princess Leticia! Why are you here?!"
"I saw you forcibly taking Esty away. When I followed, sure enough, this is what I found."
"I-it is a misunderstanding. We have always been close. Right?"
Dale tried to smooth things over while threatening Esty with his eyes.
It was as if he were saying, You know what will happen if you tell the truth.
"Esty, is that true?"
"Y-you know my name?"
"We are companions attending the same academy. I know every student in every year."
"Amazing..."
The first thing Leticia had done after enrolling was learn the names of every student.
She had walked around the academy constantly, hammering faces and names into her head.
And she was doing that alongside her training. You did not often see someone with that kind of grit.
"Now then, Esty, is it true?"
"...Um..."
Dale was glaring at Esty so hard it looked like he might pin her in place with his eyes.
Then Leticia took Esty's hand.
"Esty, it is all right now. I will guide your courage."
After biting her lip, Esty opened her mouth as if forcing herself to endure.
"...They were threatening me."
"Yes. I understand."
After smiling at Esty, Leticia looked at Dale's group.
Her expression was different from the smile she had shown Esty.
Her eyes were cold, as if she were looking at criminals.
Dale and the others shrank back, their faces completely pale.
Well, no one could stay calm after being looked at with such contempt by a princess of the kingdom.
"Dale, Keter, Biz. You threatened Esty. Do you understand what this means?"
"N-no, that is not... We were only joking a little..."
"I will take proper custody of this matter."
"Um! What is going to happen to us?!"
At that moment, the bell before the end of lunch break rang.
It was the signal that lunch break would end in about ten minutes.
"This will not do. Everyone, afternoon classes are about to begin. Esty, let us go."
"Y-yes!"
Leticia and Esty ran toward the school building.
Dale and the others were the only ones still there.
"...Damn it! Why did it turn out like this?!"
"Dale, this is bad. If Princess Leticia marks us, we are finished."
"Why the hell is Princess Leticia protecting a commoner like her?! This pisses me off! I am seriously irritated!"
"Let us give up on Esty..."
Dale scratched roughly at his head.
I see. So he was not reflecting on it after all.
Now that I thought about it, this was probably a side event.
If I remembered right, Esty had been a nameless mob.
I knew what would happen after this.
The game's Alphys had not touched it, but I was different.
"Hey. What are you doing in a place like this?"
"Y-you! No, Lord Alphys!"
"You remember my name now? You do not have to be that frightened. I do not care about what happened before the entrance ceremony. So, what happened?"
"N-nothing. We were just resting for a bit."
Back when he picked a fight with me near the school gate, he had not known I was a member of House Balfont.
Now, he was clearly shrinking back. With me arriving after Leticia, his heart probably was not at peace.
"I see. I thought you might be plotting something bad."
"H-haha... There is no way we would..."
"That is fine, then. But you all had better be careful. Depending on the situation, this could go beyond suspension or expulsion."
"R-right. Of course."
Dale and the others, still pale, gave me ingratiating smiles.
I had made an appearance and tried threatening them, but it did not look like it had much effect.
It would be easier for me if this made them change their ways.
This was originally a side event that happened much later, so with the current Leticia, the development after this would be a little harsh.
"No matter how frustrated you are about losing to Esty, do not even think about taking revenge."
"Huh... No, we would never... Haha..."
"Right. I was just saying it at random."
"Ahaha... Ah! Class is starting!"
Dale and the others, pale and sweating buckets, ran toward the school building as if fleeing.
They vanished in quite the hurry.
Now then, I should go back too.
"Luchel, reinforce your legs with mana and run back. This is training too."
"Yes!"
When we ran with mana reinforcement, we passed Leticia, Esty, and Dale's group in no time.
Not neglecting training even in everyday life was the secret to becoming stronger.
Now then, there was no way Dale and the others would settle down quietly.
I suppose I would do one more job.
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