Chapter 24: Chapter 23
I begin my morning routine. Wake up, wash my face, brush my teeth and find wherever Zeno is lying crumpled into a ball. After healing the elf's wounds, we head to breakfast together and meet up with Marshal and Noah along the way. I'm not looking forward to today, and neither is Noah judging by the look of fear on his face. With are grandfather coming, I can't blame him.
We head to class, and Miss Erlis only gets partway into her lecture before we are called to the principal's office. I really wish he decided not to turn up today. Noah is shaking, so I take his hand and assure him everything will be okay. In reality, I should be the one feeling scared. I'm not sure what I have done this time, but my granddad is most likely mad at it. I probably just forgot his birthday again.
"You,"
I was right. He is mad with me. As soon as we enter the office, my grandfather instantly glares at me. Our principal is nowhere to be seen, and our grandfather sits at his desk as if he owns it. He probably does, considering he is the school's biggest source of funds. Noah is shaking and starting to sweat, but his glare and hate-filled words are powerless against me. I know how little he can do to me. Being engaged to a prince really limits his options.
"Care to explain why people are talking about you being a bully? Why they are talking bad about my family behind my back?"
"Oh, that was a misunderstanding," I tell him. I'm surprised people are still talking about that.
"Then the rumours of you beating up your fellow students are?"
"False," I shake my head. "They attacked one of my friends and me, so I defended myself."
"Enslaving another student?"
"Not true,"
"Using your overwhelming power to get what you want?"
"Another lie," I haven't even heard that rumour myself.
He sighs and takes a deep breath. He really is showing his age right now. He glares at me even harder.
"Then let us talk about the fact you have been ignoring the invites my friend's children and grandchildren have been sending you,"
"Oh them…"
I can't really say I want to sleep, play with Bozzair or do anything else than meet those people. I just don't want anything to do with them. Some of the names I recognise from the game. They were my minions or people I worked with to torment the heroine. Some of them still bullied Ellis even without me telling them to.
"I have no desire to talk with people who behave like they do,"
"Fool," My grandfather growls. "Do you have any idea who those boys' and girls' parents are? They control the kingdom's courts, churches and armies. If you get on their good side, you will gain power, money and influence."
"I have no desire for those things,"
My granddad looked at me like I was crazy but what I said was the truth. I don't need other people's money when I can earn my own, and power and influence are something I really don't care about. I would be far happier with my friends living a simple life than the one my grandfather wants for me. Besides, when he said I will gain power, money and influence, he meant he would gain those things.
If I got close to the children's generals', my grandfather could sell them weapons easier. The children of church heads will allow him ease of access to poor people in need of loans. Finally, he benefitted from me growing close to schoolmates with their parents in the court. He has been slowly building up his control over the kingdom's court since he was my age.
"You are the future queen!" He yells. "You need these people on your side!"
"I can live without them,"
"There will be revolts,"
"I can handle those,"
"Strikes!"
"Those are manageable,"
"People will want you dead!!!"
"I can handle myself,"
My grandfather shivers when I create a small flame to prove my point. He mutters to himself, trying to find some way to gain an advantage over me. It is always fun to watch me try, but he still has never won after multiple years.
"Let us drop that subject for," He shakes his head giving up. "Tell me. Why did you lower yourself to work as a servant during club activities? You are a child of a proud noble house, not some gutter trash."
"Because it's fun,"
"Fun…" Wow, he really didn't like my answer. I have never heard him growl like that or felt this intense glare before. "Fun… you are not here for fun! You are here to learn and make connections!" He even has flames sparking to life in his hands. As he stands up, I move in front of Noah. "You are to quit your club! Stop ignoring the invites you are given!! AND ACT LIKE A PROPER NOBLE LADY!!!"
"I'm fine as I am,"
I have never seen him this mad before smoke is even coming off of him as he is losing control of his magic. Just to be safe, I put an invisible barrier around him. I developed this technique after Daniella nearly blew herself up just in case something like that were to happen again.
"No, you are not fine! You are clearly insane!" He yells at me before turning his anger towards Noah. "And you… why didn't you stop her?!"
"Well, I…"
"My action are my own," I speak up in Noah's place. "Try and blame him for them if you want to. But then you will find out what happens when I get mad."
"Are you threatening me?!"
"It's not a threat," I smile darkly. "It's a promise."
Being a villainess really has its upsides. It helps when you need to intimidate someone. My grandfather shivers when he sees the look in my eyes and the smile on my lips. I really try not to let this side of me show, but my grandfather is an expert in bringing it out.
"Just quit your club and make connections soon," He says as he walks out. "I will see what I can do about the rumours. I doubt you would be able to handle that."
I was tempted not to take my barrier down, to let him crash into it, but that would have revealed my new trick to him. With regret, I take down the barrier and let him walk out of the room.
"Sister, you need to be more careful," Noah tells me as soon as the door swings shut. "He is a powerful man."
"I know,"
I have been taking him seriously. One of my escape plans if I approach a bad ending involves running from him. I know he forces strengths and weakness, parts of the kingdom that are unfriendly towards him and which nations he has little influence in.
We return back to class and have to explain things to Marshal and Zeno. Zeno offers to let me hide in the elves' kingdom, Cheery Castle. I might have been tempted, but then he commented about sharing his bed, so I quickly refused. Marshal, meanwhile, says he will see what he can do about my grandfather. It won't do much good since he hasn't broken any laws, but Marshal might be able to slow down whatever my grandfather is planning to do about me.
"Your four, please pay attention to the lesson!"
We jump when we hear miss Erlis yell. My grandfather could learn a thing or two from her because miss Erlis is genuinely terrifying when she is mad.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone