So You've Become a Villainess: an (Otome) Isekai Raising Project

<Emo> "We should fight her. That's how these things work, right? Two fight idiots beat each other stupid and forge bonds stronger than any sane person could?"

<Flashy> "No darling, we should charm them with our personality. Domination without a punch thrown is the ultimate kind."

<Brainy> "Silence! If we learn the mechanics of this world's sword fighting techniques, we can defend ourselves against that foppish prince in the future. Think to the future for once!"

<Sporty> "Can we go running again? I want to go running again."

<Sensible> "Everyone, please! Too many voices at once and we'll be paralyzed by inaction!"

<Emo> "...Well then what do you want to do?"

<Sensible> "W-Watch and learn..."

<Emo> "Heh. Three cheers for inaction."

You sit seiza-style and watch the girl work. The first thing you notice, after really paying attention, is the rippling musculature underneath the training tunic. This person has been training since they were old enough to stand upright, at least. You don't get that economy of motion this young without it being on the level of walking.


You manage to sit, enraptured, by this person and study their every movement. You see their style is made to handle a thrusting and slashing weapon, but it's lighter and faster than you're used to seeing. It's almost like a wuxia movie, all flowing fronts and acrobatics. You think the girl noticed you halfway through, as she moved with more flair and extra flourishes.

Your hunch is confirmed when she finishes her final kata in front of you and tosses her sweat-soaked black bangs out of her face.

She gives you a wolfish grin. "Enjoy the show, princess?" There's a boyish tenor to her voice.

"You are the coolest girl I've met my age," you blurt out.

She blushes and stammers. "I'm a guy, dammit!"

Now that you get a better look, you can see the start of some broad shoulders and a sharpness of features. But hey, you've seen plenty of handsome girls. Hell, you were one.

"Okay, then you're the coolest guy I've met my age."

He rubs his nose, suddenly proud of himself. "That's better. And that's right! Name's Camille Asuka, future heir to the Asuka Martial Academy!"

Oh, you remember him now, he's one of the capture targets in Our Bloody Valentine! An aloof pretty boy with a complex about his looks and a bit of a tsundere attitude. Grace utterly humiliates him during a tournament in Fall From Grace, causing him to be disowned by the Asuka family and turn into a derelict. With no pride or hope left, he takes out Autumn in a self-destructive midnight duel, leaving you unprotected from Prince Alteisen and the mob!

<Sensible> "Uwaaah...we should keep our distance. Not rude, but distant."

<Emo> "Shouldn't our distance be several meters away?"

You gulp despite yourself.

<Flashy> "Don't back down, dahling; now's the perfect time to make him ours! None of that unpleasantness has happened yet and we've propped up his fragile ego. I know you've never been much for using feminine wiles, but this may be a matter of life and death."

<Brainy> "His style is dreadfully inefficient, but it would do to learn self-defense from someone currently competent. Plus, it pays to keep threats in your sight."

<Sporty> "We need to get muscles like that. Cardio's great and all, but we gotta start getting ripped."

He undoes his topknot and squats down, his voluminous hair falling about him. "So what brings you out here? Never took you for this kinda stuff."


[How do you respond?]
[ ] I was charmed by your martial skill. Could you teach me your style?
[ ] Ever since my accident, I've been trying to live my life to the fullest. That means doing things I never have before.
[ ] Uhhhh, I thought you were a cute girl...

"I never knew Mother was such an influential and accomplished adventurer," you say with awe. Being an adventurer is badass, even more so being one of the top ranked ones. But being the person other adventurers look up to, and aspire to be? That was an entire new class of cool you hadn't even thought of.

"Lady Claudius is a woman of many talents," your maid says with a smile.

"What I don't understand is why I never saw any of this!" You complain. "This stuff is so interesting, and the Fall from Grace game was from the villainess's perspective."

"Well, Young Mistress you didn't *clear* the game," Chiaki points out. Gak, yeah that would explain things wouldn't it. "I suppose it could be other content you didn't see. "Maybe some of these details would come out as you seduce the heroine? As you become closer, perhaps Valentine would learn these things about the villainess."

Okay, that actually seemed kinda cool! A little frustrated you didn't get to see it yourself. "Still that raises an issue from another angle. Why didn't Justine rush in to save her daughter?" For all that the blonde woman was concerned with etiquette and appearance you didn't doubt for a moment she'd rush to save her daughter in need.

"The game sorta ends pretty quickly from when Grace dies in the canon ending after the fight on the airship," Chiaki considers. "I mean sure it alludes to a happy ending, but who knows what Justine might have done afterward. Does the Fall From Grace Bad End reveal anything?"

"No, it's way too focused on a grotesque ending which drags out her painful death. I couldn't even watch all the way t-through it," you stammer, shivering as you're all too aware that fate could be your own if you couldn't avert it.

<Emo> "Death is never pleasant to experience, whatever the form it takes."

A pair of arms wrap around you and you feel yourself relax into the familiar embrace. "There, there Aachan," Chiaki says. "You can do this-"

"I-I'm not sure I can," you whisper uncertainty filling you. Why did the programmers have to make clearing the game so hard!

<Emo> "To encourage using the purchasable items and more in-game spending."

<Sensible> "You have a point, but what ghastly thinking by the developers…"

"And that's why I'm here, we can do anything together," your friend says reassuringly.

"C-chiaki!" You bury your face in her chest. "You're the best."

She lets out a small laugh. The two of you remain like that for a bit before you pull away. "Thanks, I needed that," You tell her, grateful.

"Of course Young Mistress, I am here to support you. Though if it would make Young Mistress better," she says, her tone dropping conspiratorially. "I could tell you more ways of how impressive Lady Claudius is."

"Always!" You cheer, your previous depression forgotten at the idea of learning more cool things about Justine.

Chiaki let out a small giggle at your enthusiasm. "Well, we've talked about her accomplishments as an adventurer, but Lady Claudius is even more renowned at court."

"Really?" You declare excitedly. "But she's already so cool being an adventurer, what could top that?"

"In short, the Duchess's strength is great, but it is also how approachable she is and how she wields it that has won her even more acclaim," your fellow reincarnate informs you.

Justine approachable? You couldn't help but find that mental image of her at odds with the ferocious side she'd found after you'd been fighting with the princess.

<Sporty> "It's too bad, Kicking ass is a great way to make introductions."

<Sensible> "Less so when you're fighting with Royalty,"

"Lady Claudius can be quite intimidating," Chiaki admits. "But she reserves that for when she's frustrated, or protective." Ahaha, you can well imagine you'd done enough to annoy her in that situation.

"While there are other strong adventurers, many of them look down on those they consider lesser than them. Be that martial strength, or noble rank. On the contrary, provided someone speaks to her with due respect, Lady Claudius is always polite and willing to make conversation, particularly with those she considers hardworking or of upstanding character.

"When facing troubles, many fellow nobles look to her advice and guidance," your maid goes on. "Lady Claudius has little tolerance for brownnosers, but her guiding philosophy can be thought of as one of noblesse oblige, to those with power and privilege they are to wield that strength as a shield to those less advantaged."

"Sooo cool!" You whoop. "Not only is she awesome, but reliable too…" The lady adventurer label is really starting to seem fitting now.

"One case you know of already, her clearing the dungeons that some nobles weren't properly maintaining, but she also intervened in what she saw as cases of injustices. Lady Augustine's story is perhaps a good example. She was the only daughter of a Countess by his first marriage, and when her father remarried his new wife attempted to exclude her from inheritance in favor of her own daughter when his health declined after a sudden bout of illness."

"Ooh, this practically sounds like a story from another otome manga plot I've heard of," you note.

"Indeed, while I can't go too far into details because they involve the private dealings of another house, the publicly available data show that after learning of her plight, Lady Claudius personally stepped in and lodged a complaint on her behalf contesting the change in succession as a violation of her due rights, not least because the 2nd wife had no authority to unilaterally change the will. When the facts came to light it was apparently quite the scandal."

<Sporty> "There's never a better time to be fighting than for the sake of Justice!"

<Flashy> "Such a terrible affront, stealing from a young woman her dignity and her inheritance! How low can some people sink…

<Sensible> "If we have to get in a fight, doing so for the sake of helping someone is at least a better reason than most."

"Lady Augustine was able to receive her due inheritance, her stepmother had her marriage annulled after the Count recovered and she was an outcast out of court life after that," Chiaki explained as you listened enraptured. You've always tended to favor Sports Manga and romance games, but there was something enthralling about the tale. All the more so to know that it had really happened here, rather than just be some manga.

"What other things did she do!" You begged, wanting to hear more. Chiaki regaled you with the tale of how Justine broke up an attempt to corner a market for luxury goods by nobles who were putting on the squeeze on some commoner merchants, resolving a kidnapping plot of one of her friends, and other such tales.

"In short Justine's even more awesome than I thought," you say with awe.

"Indeed! Lady Claudius has expended considerable effort to assist others, and while these are the most exciting tales she'd also would sponsor other less experienced noblewomen in learning court etiquette and building connections, Lady Augustine is one such example," Chiaki proudly informs you. "While her noble title was recovered, her reputation was tarnished by the affair and rumors her stepmother had spread. Lady Claudius personally aided her, and now the Countess has become a court darling of her own merits, renowned for her skill with arranging social gatherings and the like."

"Remind me to never complain about my etiquette lessons again," you say under your breath. While they could get boring, hearing Justine using them to help others opened your eyes to just how useful they can be.

<Flashy> "Being graceful and eloquent isn't easy, but it always leaves an impact when done well!

<Sensible> "Knowing more about etiquette is always prudent, as is building allies."

"I'll be sure to remind Young Mistress should she need some encouragement," Chiaki agrees readily.

"And Mother is like the epitome of a real ojou-sama type," you say reverently. "A cool, regal bearing but actually being really reliable and awesome. The person you go to when you need help and you're sure she'll give it." Geeze you wanted to be half, not a tenth as cool as that!

"If the shoe fits," your maid notes.

You raise a hand to stroke your chin. "So Mother is even cooler outside of dungeons than in them," you say, stroking your chin with one hand. "But you say she's got even more renowned at court, how do you measure something like that? I mean it's not like there's some in game approval meter…"

<Sporty> "With fighting, to know how strong you are, you only need to know the toughest person you can beat to know where you stand!"

"In adventuring, you could tell that by those emulating her style and aesthetic," Chiaki recounts. "Court is much the same way, with people's influence measurable by their reputation and the trends they influence. Lady Claudius is lauded, with many saying her accomplishments showing she's a true descendant of the God-Imperatrix, some circles that she's her second coming. As for her influence on court, well by comparison her influence on adventurer fashions is lesser by a considerable degree compared to the sway she has on what's fashionable among noblewomen."

Your eyes go wide at that.

"Partially this is because adventurer equipment isn't as subject to 'trends', as is court fashion. When it's equipment your life depends on, there's only so far you'll go for aesthetics. Whereas for noblewomen, appearances are everything. And plenty want to hitch their ride to what they consider to be a rising star. Mirroring appearance can also be a way of showing support and allegiance, and Lady Claudius has many thankful supporters. "

<Flashy> "A lady lives or dies by her appearance and reputation, and with how stylish Justine is who wouldn't want to copy her…"

You nod slowly. "Sounds something like a combination of fan culture for celebrities, except one's ranking in that fandom actually had currency in the real world."

"A good analogy, I'd say that it's not just any currency though, it's the ultimate currency, political sway and power," your friend clarifies. "Less like a highly ranked celebrity getting a discount at establishments, as getting gifts of jewelry, dresses and vacations for the 'hope' of their favor. And that Lady Claudius so rarely exercises her privileges for herself means she's built up quite the balance that only makes people clamor all the more to win her favor.

"For instance, frilly gowns like Lady Claudius's have been the most fashionable thing to wear for over a decade, entirely displacing other styles. The appeal of a dress is measured by the fullness of the skirt and the number of adornments it has, with Lady Claudius's as the ideal reference. The latest type of styling she's worn at a party is considered 'ideal', but for those not able to afford or obtain the latest cuts fashioned off her, having the proper silhouette of the gown is seen as essential."

"Huh. So all the noblewomen dress like Mother then?" You say, a bit surprised. You've heard of celebrities influencing fashion trends but this something on a whole nother level.

"The exact coloring and styling can vary but yes, most any noblewoman aspiring to be anybody wears a dress in the style, even if they have to buy it secondhand. Lady Claudius's influence at court is actually a matter of some unease with the Royalist faction. In addition to concerns about the rising acclaim of House Claudius, there is some agitation about those calling your mother the 2nd coming of the Imperatrix, wondering if she harbors any political ambitions. " Chiaki informs you.

"W-what, this is the first I've heard of this," you say waving your hands. "If there's tension then why do I get engaged to Prince Alteisen?"

"Ah, that's actually an attempt to strengthen ties between the Duchess and the Royal Family. There's no need to usurp the throne if her daughter is already sitting in the palace, I suppose went the logic. It reverses the current issue and means that if Young Mistress and the Prince are married then your family's rising power becomes a pillar supporting the Kingdom."

<Flashy> "Through marriage averting a crisis they saw might end in battle, a clever way to defuse a crisis…"

O-ok, that made sense. Your engagement with him didn't turn out well, but you can see the logic behind it at least-

"Maybe we should move on from that point," Chiaki suggests, and you nod rapidly. Thinking about your future, or lack thereof with Prince Alteisen is the last thing you want to consider.

"Speaking again of your mother's influence on court fashions, her use of enchantments as an adventurer has led to a wider adoption of enchantments in noble clothing though they typically lean to comfort enchantments rather than combat ones. While not inexpensive, they're quite more affordable and make wearing elegant gowns in Lady Claudius's style more comfortable.

"And nor is that the only arena she has sway, for instance while long hair has long been fashionable, Lady Claudius's current ankle-length locks are considered quite desirable. And you should be aware that much of this influence passes on to you Young Mistress."

"Me?" You exclaim pointing at yourself. You want to insist you're just a normal schoolgirl, but as Grace Claudius you suppose it's natural you'll inherit a lot of it.

Flashy covers her face with a fan demurely.

<Flashy> "The burden of needing to wield such influence with grace and dignity."

"Indeed, many young ladies your age will naturally approach you, both of their own accord and out of their parent's desire to curry favor."

"I-I'm not sure what to feel about that," you admit. Being popular feels nice, but you'd prefer it to be for something you did, rather than who you're related to.

"It's something Young Mistress will need to keep in mind. You are a Duchess's daughter, and as the scion of the Claudius family your actions have considerable influence. For example, it's likely Young Mistress's choice of dress will reinforce the current lady's fashion." At your confused expression, Chiaki goes on. "You asked for your dresses to be modified to mirror the frilly gown style of Lady Claudius, which will be taken as a sign the fashion will continue into another generation. Certainly at least for what the young ladies your age will be wearing anyways."

Your closest experience to something like this would be like that time you wore an anime cosplay of the latest hit female protagonist and everyone was saying yours looked the best. It's a bit more than that to hear you'll be influencing the clothing of everyone your age!

"If it reassures Young Mistress, you can just say how you were just hoping to channel some of the elegance of Lady Claudius. It even has the benefit of being true."

Ooh, right there was that. And you had plenty of glowing things to say about your mother. "O-okay, I can make this work."
Sti

[♡] I was charmed by your martial skill. Could you teach me your style?


You know exactly what to say to someone as talented as Camille. Your pure, honest, unvarnished feelings.

"I was charmed by your martial skill," you say dreamily. "Could you teach me your style?"

All Camille's martial grace bleeds out, leaving him a mess. "W-What kinda stuff is that for a girl to be saying?!"

<Sporty> "What does he mean by that?"

<Flashy> "What does he mean by that?"

<Brainy> "What does he mean by that?"

"Whaddya mean by that? My mom's basically a living Valkyrie, why wouldn't I say stuff like that?"

"Dad says guys and girls getting all sweaty together is debauchery," Camille says.

"Well we don't have to practice together together," you say, "You can just watch me."

Camille blushes. "I guess that works..."

You leap to your feet, arms out to keep your balance without a big, fluffy dress as counterweight. You're going to have to watch out for that.

"Okay," you say. "Show me the basics!"

"Hey!" Camille says. "I didn't say I would teach you.'

You give him an easy grin. "You didn't say you wouldn't teach me, either."

He scratches his head, face scrunched up in thought. "Huh. You're right. Guess I have to, then."

<Flashy> "Cute and kind of simple? Oh dahling we can work with this!"

"Sweet!" You reach your grubby mitts out for his cool wooden sword. "Now gimme that sword!"

Camille frowns and rubs his chin, looking all the world like the old master from an old wuxia flick. "I can't have you practice with my training sword..."

You tilt your head. "Why not?"

"It's all gross from my sweat," Camille says.

"Then just rub it off on your tunic and give it to me," you say.

"You'll get boypox on you," he says, blushing again.

<Brainy> "Boypox?! How unscientific!"

<Sensible> "Now, now. The boy's just being shy."

<Emo> "Or boypox is a thing in this world..."

<Brainy> "I refuse to accept the existence of boypox."

<Emo> "We didn't read the lorebook, you can't know for sure."

<Brainy> "How vexing..."

After some hemming and hawing from Camille, you take matters into your own hands by snatching a good sized branch from off the climbing tree.

Camille is impressed."Whoa. Nice grip strength."

You grin like a monkey. "Gotta start early if I want to be like Justine."

Camille clicks his tongue and smirks. "Don't get cocky! Not even the Iron Lady could best the Asuka Family combat style!"

So that's why he was able to beat Autumn when he got older. You definitely want to learn this style now, so you can teach Chiaki how to defend against it. It messed you up enough when Autumn died in-game; you shudder to think of what it would feel like if your bestie went with her.

"So, uh, how do I get to be all-" You swish your branch around and make wooshing noises.

Camille shakes his head. "Well first, you have to learn how to hold the sword. Keep your wrist loose and your thumb on the handle." He demonstrates on his practice sword.

You clutch your stick like a train pole during rush hour.

"No, no," he says, "Loosen your grip and hook it with your pinky."

You loosen everything but your pinky. The stick falls out of your hand.

Camille picks up the stick and puts it in your hand, then shapes your hand to the right grip with his own. "See? Thumb out, keep it loose. You want to be able to snap with your wrist and make fine control with your first two fingers."

His hands are warm and slightly calloused, a little big for his growing frame. He's so focused he doesn't even realize he's breathing down your neck.

"I think I got it," you say. "But what happened to boypox?"

He freezes. His ears glow red-hot from blushing. He makes a face like mainlining lemon juice and forces himself to be calm with a harrumph. "It's fine, since you're so boyish anyway!"


After a good thirty minutes of learning how to hold a sword, you had to head back inside. Camille said he'd be free to teach you more on the weekends. You plan to take him up on that.

You soothe the Justine-frazzled Chiaki awaiting your return by telling her you've learned a way to protect her from Autumn's bad end. She tells you she's had to cover for you for an hour, which felt like playing Russian Roulette with an AK-47. Justine wanted you to show her what you learned from the magic teacher and to schedule another weekend tutor for you.


[Weekend Activity: Actualization gains on successes are doubled!]
[ ] Magic Lessons (Brainy and Artsy++, Sensible-)
[ ] Ballet Lessons (Artsy and Sporty++, Flashy-)
[ ] Fencing Lessons (Sporty and Flashy++, Brainy-)
-[ ] With Camille (Gain Camille as a friend, defusing potential death flag. Chance of getting caught by Justine, imposing heavy Stress increase)
[ ] Oratory Lessons (Flashy and Sensible++, Artsy-)
[ ] Cooking Lessons (Sensible and Brainy++, Sporty-)
[ ] Do Nothing (Stress--, all others-)