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

Realized I never posted this omake:


"Now Young Mistress if you pay attention here, you can see the Coat of Arms of the illustrious Claudius's family's retainers," your elderly tutor goes on. He was a retired knight, with his time on the battlefield well behind him and was teaching you today all about heraldry.

Apparently Grace was well known for skipping out on these lessons, so at least you didn't need to cover up for your lack of knowledge.

"I remember the sight of it well. There I was facing down a rampaging black dragon with my fellow knights. A tree it had knocked down pinning me. I might have been able to escape with time, but the dragon seemed intent on finishing me then and there. Just as I steeled myself to accept my fate I saw a banner on the horizon-The Holstberg's red dragon standard! There's no greater ally to fight against one dragon than with another," he jokes his eyes twinkling. While the minutia was a bit dragging, he had a tendency to pepper his explanations with stirring tales of battles he'd served in. It seems Mother had noticed your increased desire for fighting and had assigned him in the hopes his tales might keep your interest. And she wasn't wrong.

"What happened next!" You called out excitedly!

"One of the bravest, or perhaps most foolhardy, of the lot charged the dragon down, piercing it with his lance before clambering over the beast! He was lucky we had damaged its wings, or the creature would have flown off. As it was, it tried to crush him by rolling against the ground."

"It apparently had forgotten about me, but I hadn't forgotten it! So when it came close in its thrashings I stabbed it through its side where the scales are a bit thinner…" Another knight might have made out how they managed the killing blow but Sir Lenguin is modest enough to just admit he weakened and distracted it enough for the knight on its back to stab its eyes.

He went through other various amusing tales detailing his adventures with the Claudius vassals, from hunting down bandits preying on merchants, to felling a drunk giant. He certainly keeps you on the edge of your seat, and it won't be hard to commit the various standards he mentions to memory.

"Sir Lenguin, you've mentioned the Holstberg's legendary trophy room of defeated monsters, or the tenacity of the Kennings of not breaking even when facing the most dire of foes. Does their choice of animals tie into this at all?" You ask. While you weren't exactly the most avid internet user, well aside from cosplay sites, even you had heard of the meme about the honey badger. The fact the Kennings had it on their shields didn't seem an accident. And the war room containing the pelts and bones of defeated monsters the Holstberg kept felt rather…dragony to you.

Sir Lenguin paused, a delighted expression passing over his face. "Yes indeed it does, Young Mistress! I was actually about to bring that up," he segued into explaining that there were actually quite a large number of animal motifs within heraldry. Some of the associations he brought up you were already familiar from your first life like lions and bravery, or dogs with faithfulness and reliability and hares with speed. Some of them edged in the mythological like the Holstbergs. A manticore for ferocity, a griffin for watchfulness and so on.

Something within his explanation perks up your interest. While your cosplays favored noblewomen in elaborate outfits, you did have a preference for settings based on fantasy worlds. There was just something wondrous about imagining such things really existing that grips you. But it's when he starts to break down the Coat of Arms symbology that you find yourself engrossed in.

"Now while the animal motifs catch the eye most, there are lots of ways people can personalize their coat of arms," Sir Lenguin goes on. "For example, these are some simple patterns used against a heraldic background."

He pulls out a small book and points to a variety of patterns; a horizontal line across the shield, a shield with a vertical stripe, another with diagonal line slashing through it. They also vary by the coloring along the edges of a shield, or simple shape like a cross and countless other varieties within the shield itself.

You can feel your creative side begin to perk up, thinking of the different possible interactions. From there Sir Lenguin speaks about different colors breaking them down into 'color, metals and furs" emphasizing not to setting the color of one group against another.

When you look at the various combinations, you find yourself admiring how bold and striking the different combinations are! Given that it's intended to let a soldier's allegiance be identified at a glance in the distance, it just makes sense.

<Flashy> "Eyecatching and striking, the best sort of combination."

"And beyond these shapes, it's not uncommon to have various charges added to the coat of arms," your teacher goes on. "Some you've already picked up on like the dragon or badger, but it can be anything from flowers and rings to diamonds and crosses. Whether one large design, or multiple smaller ones."

He flips through the book, showing you different designs to demonstrate examples of each.

"Even within the creature charges there are some common variations." This time he closes the book and holds up the Holstberg standard. A simple white background with blue along the edges and the red dragon centered. "This is what we call a 'rearing up' pose. Some other poses it could have assumed are having its wings outstretched, or having the dragon standing, or walking along to name just a few.

Your mind whirls with the possibilities. "I didn't notice any of that at all," you admit. "Tell me more!"

The older knight gives you an earnest smile, "While the coat of armors is the core of the design, there are a number of additional elements as well in a full heraldic standard. "For instance the House Motto."

"Pay Back Tenfold," you recite your house's saying.

"Indeed! But that's only the beginning. Let me tell you about the heraldry standard's…"

Another one from the backlog:

"Hello Tanya," You call out as you sit down across from her at the library. As usual, she was reading a book, this one covering the various uses of blue vitriol.

She nodded her head a bit in acknowledgment before continuing her reading. You accept it with good humor and busied yourself working over one of the books Mother's tutors had assigned you about the various heraldry of your family's vassals. Any liege lord according to Justine should be able to recognize the forces of their bannerman from just their standard and colors and do so instinctively. As the Claudius were known for producing warriors as much as their wealth, they often found themselves in the thick of fighting and might have only a moment to decide if a foe was an enemy to be cut down or an ally to be aided.

The two of you continue reading for several minutes before Tanya set her book down, and gazed at you. I've been wondering about something for a while," she began. "I know nobles spend plenty of time on pointless posturing and displays of wealth, but I'm a bit curious why you do so."

You raise an eyebrow setting down your book. Considering the …low opinion the alchemist had of nobles you were curious why she singled you out. "Why exactly would you see me as different?"

"It's not that you flaunt your wealth with the way you dress, that much I get," Tanya explained. "But you seemed more inclined to talk with your fists than to gossip or discuss fashion."

<Sporty> "You never really know someone till you fight them out." She mimes some punches.

<Sensible> "Please not here in the library!"

You preen a bit, curling a strand of golden blonde hair around one finger.

"Like that," she points out. "Most girls wouldn't take it like a compliment." After your last meeting, the girl had started to speak more openly around you rather than guarding her thoughts.

You huff, crossing your arms. "Most girls aren't like me."

Flashy covers one face with a fan and lets out a little laugh.

<Flashy> "Indeed! We're in a league of our own."

Tanya shrugs, not disagreeing but her look makes clear she wants more of an answer than that.

"Well besides dressing well enough to make good the Claudius name, I'm actually wearing an enchanted dress," you explain.

"I take it you mean more than the comfort enchantments the nobles love spending money over," the twin-tailed student asks you.

"While those are there, primarily its combat enchantments." You make a fist.

Tanya pauses. "Alright, I shouldn't be that surprised, with how quick you were to threaten my bullies. And your mother is a noted adventurer. But how does dressing like this enhance your combat ability rather than say enchanting say a simple dress, well besides flaunting your welath?"

"Well, layering enchantments over multiple lines of clothing is more efficient than a single layer," you answer. And my gown incorporates multiple layers of petticoats which helps stack the effect." You stand up from the table and do a little twirl. "Plus it looks pretty to boot!"

<Flashy> "Anyone can defeat a thug with overwhelming force, but to really leave an impression you should do it with style!"

The other girl opens her mouth, then closes it without saying anything getting a look of concentration. "This calls for testing at least."

You nod. "I'm open to it, it'd be nice to know just how resilient the dress is. Right now the enchantments are less effective than they will be in the battle gown Mother is commissioning, but it should be enough to prove the point."

Tanya seemed intrigued, "Really? We'll have to arrange-"

You raise a hand to stop her. "I just have one requirement."

"Name it."

"That you have to wear a gown like mine too."

"What," Tanya states total perplexed.

"Despite the fact I support you, I've heard word some of the girls are still bullying you," you state irritated.

"No one is tripping me, much less openly striking me anymore," the rust-haired teenager points out. The matter-of-fact way she states it makes you frown.

"But your things are still going missing and your desk is being defaced," you point out.

"It's nothing I can't deal with."

<Emo> "Enduring oppression is something the masses have gotten accustomed to."

"It's nothing you should have to!" You state angrily only for Tanya to send you a cross look.

"Volume."

Oh! Right, you're in the library. "Sorry it's just something that sets me off," you continue quieter, not wanting to get thrown out. You can't quite explain why, exactly, it's not like Grace ever experienced any bullying. So instead you shift the topic back to what you mentioned before. "I said I would sponsor you, so you need to dress in a way that shows your affiliation to me."

Tanya made a face. "Can't I just do that by wearing your house colors? That's what other nobles do."

You shake your head. "The Claudius family shows its prowess through wealth. A gown you couldn't otherwise afford in my house colors would be further proof of my sponsorship in a way little else would be."

<Flashy> "Besides dahling it would simply look divine on you."

The would-be alchemist was quiet, not able to dispute the point.

"And when we prove the efficacy of what I said about enchanting fabrics, the gown I'll get you will have defensive enchantments worked in. I bet your experiments would go easier if you knew you were resilient to blowback from explosions."

"...That would be of a great help-Wait how do you know what I'm testing out?" She asks suddenly suspicious.

<Sensible> "And just when we were getting along. Quick think of something."

Sporty opens her mouth only for Sensible to cover it.

<Sensible> "Besides fighting!"

You can't quite answer that you know from the game, so instead you channel your noble haughtiness. "Why shouldn't I want to know the impressive work of my promising alchemist?"

Tanya stood up, now preening at the recognition. Now to divert her from that line of questioning altogether.

You try to think of what about your outfit would be appealing to her, before remembering a vague line about bootleggers, and women smuggling items like alcohol under long skirts.

"Besides think of all the items you could carry beneath the gown, no one else the wiser," you point out.

Tanya's eyes light up. "There'd be so much room! I could practically carry an arsenal. Hehehe, I could use the same elite fashions nobles are so proud of to help defeat them..."

Emo stands up with a raised fist.

<Emo> "Down with the oppressive elites-"

Sensible grabs the paper fan from Flashy to hit her on the head.

<Sensible> "That includes us right now!"

You feel a bit nervous on the intense expression on Tanya's face, remembering how she cut a swathe through your guards in your bad end, guessing she's imagining something just like that right now. S-still she seemed accepting of your gowns now! If not in the way you wanted her to…Was there such a thing as succeeding too well?

Continued adventures in being calm like a bomb

[♡] Watch him(?) paint


You decide to watch them paint. Watching and waiting worked for Camille, you think it will work here.

You've been peeking at them from beside your own canvas while they labored to get their easel and canvas set up, anyway. They're using oil paints too, you notice, each dollop perfectly placed on their palette.

The kid stands up straight in front of the canvas, sighs, and paints with the frenzy of sharpened steel. Each stroke is a a statement, each daub is violence. Flecks of red paint splash back onto their angelic face, making them look like a crime scene.

<Flashy> "Oh my stars how passionate, dahling!"

<Drunk!Sensible> "Someone's repressed~ *hic*"

<Sporty> "...You okay, Sense?"


The kid dances with his canvas, their arm moves with the same speed and purpose as Camille's sword. Their whistles, hums, amd grunts bring his katas to mind as well. They're an Asura of oil paint, a child possessed.

Their combat-adjacent art draws you in closer, until you're close enough to be in the paint splash zone. Luckily, the anti-dirt enchantments on your dress hold true. Doesn't help your already paint-flecked face, though.

You're close enough to see a manic gleam in the kid's baby blue eyes. You're also pretty sure they're a boy now. They smell like it, at least.

They also aren't paying attention to you at all. You take step after step into the boy's personal space until you're right next to his painting. You might as well be air for how much it seems to bother him, he's completely engrossed in his work.

And what a work it is.

You're no artisté. The closest thing to an aesthetic sense you have involves expensive sneakers and comfy athletic gear. But even you're not dumb enough to miss the striking composition and vibrant color in the kid's work.

His eyes are wide and so is his devilish smile.

Devilish smile...devilish smile...you know who this is! It's Lucciano Morningstar, the cold-hearted handsome devil from Our Bloody Valentine! The lovechild of High Priestess Maria Morningstar and an incubus separated from his mother and raised by nouveau rich adventurers. A childhood of elite bullying (mostly from Grace) turns him into a cruel, sadistic Casanova. Valentine saves his heart with love and saves his life with her vampiric heart's blood. That's not enough to quell his hatred of Grace: in his route's bad end he slits her throat, hangs her upside down by her ankles and paints with her blood.

Your blood and body freeze.

Something stabs into your cheek. A viscous red liquid runs down your face and neck.

<Emo> "It was a good run..."

<Drunk!Sensible> "Pfft-!"

Lucciano snaps out of his reverie. He drops his paintbrush and recoils like a man standing over a butchered corpse.

Tears well up in his eyes. "I didn't...I wasn't...please forgive me for marring your face, Young Mistress Claudius!"

You touch your cheek and realize the viscous red liquid isn't your lifeblood, but paint.

<Drunk!Sensible> "Pffthahahahaha!"

<Brainy> "...She's gone mad."

Lucciano is completely kowtowing to you. You can hear him sniffling.

Holy shit, what did Grace do to this kid? And this young? How much more does Grace do to turn him into the ice-cold rogue from the games?

Thankful for the flexible boning in your dress, you crouch down to Lucciano. "Hey, don't cry now... It's okay, really!"

Lucciano chokes down a sob. "But you said that sullying your face was akin to desecrating a work of art! How could you forgive someone who desecrates art?!"

<Drunk!Sensible> "This Grace girl was a reaaaaal piece of work. *hic* We should do the exact opposite of everything she did!"

You think, then swipe some paint off with a finger. "Hey, raise your head."

He does so. His eyes are puffy with tears already.

You poke his nose with your paint-dappled finger. "Divine punishment!"

He flinches like you punched him in the nose.

You put your hand on your hips. "We're even now!"

"...That's it?"

"That's it!"

His body language is that of a cornered rat. The manic gleam sputters but doesn't catch fire behind his eyes. It takes a good minute of your winningest smile before he stops looking like he's about to jump out of his skin.

"...That can't possibly be enough," he says, sitting up with his knees to his chest.

<Drunk!Sensible> "This is one of those obsessive artsy things, isn't it? Oh god he thinks we're a work of art, doesn't he?"


[Dialogue Point: What do you say to Lucciano?]
[ ] Seriously, don't worry about it! I got up in your space so it's my fault. Honest!
[ ] If you'd like to make it up to me, maybe you can teach me how to paint like you do?
[ ] You're right! I won't let you off the hook until you paint a portrait of me! (Big Lie)