Seeing the two villainous ladies together rubbed off many people the wrong way, especially when it is known that Edith is betrothed to Richard Marshall and she is supposed to be by his side now that she is here. But what does it mean for her to come with me?

It all started when she came to see me after the second day of the finals and showed courtesy towards me as her senior. That time, I realized I could solve this situation by calling on her as a favor. Knowing how deeply Edith was affected by what happened that day in the Palace, asking her for a favor made it hard for her to refuse.

I only had to send Esmeralda to her dorm room with a letter and I got my reply last night. As the students were permitted to return to their homes at dawn to properly prepare for the party, I spent around 300 SP on today's attire and added some of Vivian's wardrobe items to it such as the fur coat, the hat, and the shoes.

In the end, I scrambled together my own spring party dress, and voila, a pretty dress was made before Edith would arrive to pick me up.

This was supposed to be the victory scene for the Heroine, the one currently hiding behind Prince Liam not too far into the large pavilion.

"Senior, let's find a place to sit away from prying eyes."

"Let's do that." I gave Edith the lead as we walked arm to arm-together like good friends.

Where Edith chose to sit was a table in the shade of a lovely flower tree، it was way inside the garden so not most of the students would flow there just yet. We were like those quiet kids that get to school parties where everyone is still meeting and saying hello to one another and we just sit far away since we don't know anyone.

But we know everyone and everyone knows who we are. We just didn't want to disturb the peace so we took to the corner and assumed a defensive position, chattering and speaking about whatever came to mind.

But we knew well that we were in a situation where we would have to go face-to-face against the merry band of bastards.

And look who's approaching of all people, if it is not Richard Marshall himself.

"Angry fiancé, 8 o'clock." I said as Edith seemed to have picked up the approaching hostile entity with her sharp senses.

"Edith." Richard walked right in front of me while facing Edith, trying to block the angle where I faced Edith.

"Dear Richard, it has been a while."

Without even standing up to meet her betrothed, Edith took a look at Richard and the junior knights that followed him here.

These are all students, after all, even House Marshall can't pull that much weight to put knights in the academy. Richard, however, had his own gang of goons following him everywhere.

"Do you mind joining me for a talk?" He asked while maintaining a calm demeanor.

He wouldn't be this calm if he knew I could reach out to my bag, get my knife, and stab him in the butt.

Oh, boy! Me and my intrusive thoughts again.

"Dear Richard, I regretfully apologize due to the fact that I am unable to join you for a talk at the moment. It would be unmannered and against all forms of etiquette to walk away while I am engaging in social interaction with my senior, Lady Vivian." Edith replied sharply like she was writing a formal missive.

Richard tightened his fist behind his back so I could see it well.

"There is no worry when it comes to manners around your Senior. Last I checked, she wasn't in need of them." Richard spoke about me as if I was absent and didn't even show a hint of respect.

"Richard, this is uncalled for." Edith immediately stood up with a fiery attitude, "She is my senior as well as yours. You ought to show respect!"

"In my house, we have to earn respect." Richard spoke proudly as he finally turned to me with a hateful gaze.

"In my house, we're born with it." I replied.

I knew Edith had it all handled and everything but one simply can't be a villainess if she let things slide.

Just like how Richard tried to sound loud and proud, I made sure to be heard as well. With his reputation as a calm person, I know well he can handle some trash talking but I can swear I heard something break just now.

"You better watch what you say, Vivian Moore. Your precious knight is not here this time." He spoke quietly rather than loudly, and angrily rather than calmly.

"What is it, Richard Marshall? You think you can brute your way through this too?" I stood up and faced the idiot head-on, replying to him just as quietly and angrily.

"You'll regret this." He said.

"You're the one who came here spouting all sorts of rubbish. If all you can handle is a sword, you better stick with it or stick it… I mean… leave talking to people who can handle talking." I replied, almost having my intrusive thoughts getting me into trouble.

But this was getting intense. I felt like I was being a hothead unlike my usual self but that guy was the person I detest the most among the seven. I am not going to let him have his way… ever.

"You better watch yourself because…" Richard started to use threats but it wasn't me who stopped him.

"Richard, this ends here! You showed nothing but discourtesy towards a senior of ours. Either you stop this shaming behavior or…"

Richard turned to Edith with blazing eyes and he seemed willing to lash out letting go of all self-restraint but as it was about to explode, a water-like voice extinguished Richard's fire almost instantly.

"Sir Richard… Are you alright?"

***

As the trio were already growling like beasts ready to jump at each other, the approach of a certain Heroine caused the intensity of the atmosphere to drop drastically.

With concerned expressions and a distressed face, the appearance of Matilda near the three nobles caused a sudden reaction from everyone involved and others as well.

"Tsk!" Vivian clicked her tongue and sat back down.

"Lady Matilda. What are you doing here?" Richard, on the other hand, faced Matilda with his mood turning 180° to the usual calmness of his.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"I saw you getting agitated and I…" Matilda got closer to Richard as she reached out to his forearm, "Why don't we join His Highness and…"

"Commoner girl, let go of him at once."

At that time and this very moment, Villainess 2 was activated. Edith eyed Matilda dangerously and showed scorn and hostility towards her.

"How dare you touch the body of a Nobleman without permission?" Edith followed up and was about to advance ahead to lecture Matilda but Richard spoke.

"I think that's enough." He said while standing between Edith and Matilda, completely ignoring Vivian.

His agitation from before died down and he seemed more rational and collected.

"I'll escort you back to His Highness, Lady Matilda." Richard then turned away and tried to withdraw with Matilda but Edith didn't leave an opening for him to withdraw.

"You've got to be kidding me!" She said and had a look of disappointment in her eyes, "This commoner girl comes interrupting us and now you are ignoring me to escort her away."

"I am a Knight Junior, you too are a Knight Junior. Our duty is to uphold the justice of Saint Heimdall and what you did is shameful, Edith. Condemning and hating other people without a reason to."

"Justice? Are you being serious now?" Edith was baffled by what Richard was saying.

"I see that you hanging around Vivian Moore has poisoned your mind. For the last time, come join us away from her and I'll consider that conversation just now as if it never happened." Richard said without a hint of agitation or heating up.

It seemed like he was making her sound like the bad guy just by being calm and refuting what she said with idealistic lines. Vivian sighed as she was now an expert when it came to dealing with this kind of behavior.

"Poisoning the mind of Lady Edith is a dangerous thing to say, especially when you take her background into consideration, young lord Richard." Vivian spoke as she sat calmly on her seat, "I've never seen a mind as perceptive as hers or a heart as pure. Are you trying to slander my good friend's name or are you trying to say something about her upbringing?"

"You know very well I didn't do that. She is my fiancée and I am looking out for her." Richard replied.

"How nice of you! Isn't he very nice, Lady Edith? Really nice!" Vivian kept saying that as if she had got something on him and Edith kept glaring at both Richard and Matilda.

"Let's get you away from here, Lady Matilda." Richard said as he took Matilda and headed back towards Prince Liam in the far distance.

While watching that situation from that far distance, Prince Liam had a solemn face and lost interest midway. He then turned and spoke faintly.

"How did she get there so fast?" He asked.

"I dare say Miss Matilda is rather quiet on her feet." Edmond replied.

"I didn't bring you with me to doze off, Edmond." The Prince said before waiting for a reply that didn't come, "Edmond!"

"Wha… Sorry, your Highness." Edmond regained his consciousness hastily.

"What about your sister?" Prince Liam changed the topic.

"That took me by surprise too. Our eyes in House Moore haven't reported any ongoing communications between Vivian and Edith." Edmond said.

While it seemed that the Prince was concerned, he acted dismissively and picked himself an apple.

"Well, it doesn't change a thing. Keep your eyes peeled."

"That's my third day without proper sleep, your Highness." Edmond complained.

"You operate well under pressure, my friend. Keep it up." The Prince said and turned to Matilda and Richard as they approached him.

"Your Highness." "My Prince."

"Well well well. I know Matilda is a pleasant company to have but were you just trying to two-time yourself into a love triangle, Richard?"

"I dare not, your Highness. I simply wanted to show my fiancée the error of her ways by associating herself with the likes of Vivian Moore but I might have let Vivian get to my head." Richard replied with a slight bow.

"From where I see it, Lady Vivian is a good friend to have. I'd be glad Lady Edith is making friends with someone as capable as Lady Vivian." The Prince said and turned to his girlfriend, "Don't you agree, dear Matilda?"

"I agree, my Prince. Lady Vivian is… very capable." Matilda said.

"I'll keep it in mind, your Highness." Richard said and bowed slightly.

"Let's go, Matilda."

"Yes, my Prince."

"Oh, right, Richard. Who did you come with again?" The Prince turned to Richard and asked before leaving with Matilda.

Knowing that the Prince hadn't asked before, Richard felt a bit worried before compelling himself to answer.

"I came with the fellows from the Martial Arts class. I will perform with Senior Reginald tonight at his performance." Richard said.

"I see. Now Vivian's joke about handling a sword makes sense." Prince Liam said and smiled to Richard, "Good luck with your performance."

As the Prince walked away, Richard stood frozen in place. No one else could tell but he was already drenched in cold sweat. Everything Prince Liam says has a meaning, most of which even Richard can't easily fathom.

"The snake!" Richard couldn't help but spit that word out as he watched the Prince's back.

He is one who twists things so much they start to mean many different things. Lies within facts and facts within lies.

But just as Richard was about to leave, he felt a piercing cold touch on the right side of his neck.

"Answer with only yes and no. You are not having any rebellious thoughts, aren't you, Marshall?" Someone behind Richard asked.

What was that?

Richard was suddenly panicking way worse than before. Everyone around him wasn't even looking in his direction and he was…

"Tick tock tick tock!"

"No!" Richard blurted right away.

"Hmmm… checks! My work here is done." The owner of the voice spoke once again and patted Richard on the back, "Smile, you oaf, it's a party."

That just now was none other than Edmond, the Prince's shadow. A graduate knight whose skills are exceptional at stealth and tracking. He must have overheard Richard cuss at the Prince and decided to give him a loyalty test.

Having rebellious thoughts? With these kinds of monsters around? Richard wasn't even fit to rebel and it all made him more nervous.

***

Not away from that, Vivian and Edith returned to their seats and the look on Edith's face wasn't good.

"That commoner girl! I thought she was just some nobody that was raised by the Temple." Edith said with a concerned face.

"No, she is pretty close to the Seven Charming Princes of our Academy." Vivian said.

"Seven Charming Princes?" Edith asked.

"His Highness Prince Liam, your brother Sir Edmond, Ian Greyson, Ronald Morgan, Valentine De Clare, your fiancé Richard Marshall, and my baby brother Robert." Vivian replied.

Edith frowned at what she heard.

"Those are some serious names. Every one of them is at least an heir to something big."

"Ian and Robert are not heirs to anything last time I checked." Vivian replied.

"Ian's older brother, Lord Thomas, has fallen ill a year back and seems unfit to lead the family in his fatal condition. As for your elder brother, Lord James, word is that he was banished." Edith said while carefully watching Vivian's reaction.

"Father hasn't banished elder brother James. If it was the case, you wouldn't have heard the end of it from Robert." Vivian replied calmly.

"Oh, I see." Edith was relieved Vivian didn't get too sensitive over the topic, "Still, it is a dangerous combination of friends that commoner girl has around her."

"She has the backing of the Temple of Saints and the favor of His Highness the Prince. I am sure the rumors around my broken engagement have her name all over it."

"It is indeed the case, though I see now how these rumors were exaggerated." Edith said and turned as she looked back, "Richard was speaking about the Justice of St. Heimdall as if it is his own standard to apply. Let alone justice, he doesn't even have the Wisdom of Hermes or the Knowledge of Joan. He infuriates me sometimes and I don't like how that commoner girl speaks with him."

"You are his fiancée, of course, you wouldn't like it." Vivian said but then her tone turned serious, "Be careful, however, whatever you plan to deal with her may backfire on you greatly. That girl has the Luck of Amadeus."

"I was thinking of scaring her a bit but now that you mention it, it sounds reckless." Edith said and turned back to Vivian, "Still, I am glad to receive your advice on the matter… and thank you."

"For what?" Vivian asked.

"Saying we're good friends." Edith replied.

Vivian smiled vividly and relaxed.

"Awe, you're welcome, dearie."

This occasion has never happened in the game but this was the start of the Villainess Alliance.