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

The unthinkable has happened...


You had a sneaking feeling something was off ever since your birthday. At first, you thought it was just too much sugar; you always had a weakness for sweet stuff and are pretty sure you ate an entire confectionary store's worth of sweets back then.

That would explain why you felt a little heavy on your morning runs this week. Why you felt your growing body rebelling against you in ways big and small. You know from your old body that a growth spurt's coming. If it was anything like your old body, you were about to shoot up like a weed.

And that subtle sense of wrongness sure as shoot explains why you're flat on your face now, the damp grass soothing your aching muscles.

"You okay, Grace?" Camille says from above you, voice heavy with worry. "Did I overdo it with the secret techniques?"

You roll around in the grass before lifting yourself onto your knees. "Pfaaaaaah! This week's been super weird!"

Camille shyly offers you a hand. "Even for you?"

You take it and stand up. "Even for me. You know I added Lily to my entourage, right?"

"The Darkling girl who kept looking at me like a new dress?" he asks.

"Yeppers," you say, stretching. "Everything's been a little wiggy since then."

Camille gulps, trying manfully not to show his concern. "You think she hexed you or something?"

"Doesn't seem the type," you say. "I think it's nerves, maybe?"

Camille laughs. "You, nervous? Is that physically possible?"

You playfully slug his arm. "Duh."

He takes it like a champ. "Well, I'm technically your swordsmanship teacher, so listening to a student's worries is something I'd do."

You run your hand through your golden locks, lustrous enough now to blind people if you catch the light just right. "Thanks. It's like, I love being under pressure in the moment, but when the moment's gone and I start thinking about stuff it just gets," you gesture with your hands, "You know?"

"Like reverse stage fright?" Camille says, finger on his chin.

"Yeah! Just wondering if something's gonna come back and bite me on on the butt later."

Camille salutes you, hand in palm. "If anything happens, I've got your butt...I mean back!" He blushes and kicks himself in the calf.

You laugh and pat his shoulder. "I'd trust you with my butt when my maid's not around."

That just makes him blush harder.

<Sensible> "Our HUD's been glitchy all week, are you sure he's not on the capture route?"

<Flashy> "Dahling, at this point we can make half the kingdom swoon with our charms."

<Emo> "And the other half want to kill us, fufufu..."

<Sensible> "Oh god, you're corporeal again. Is that why Sporty's in the Shame Corner?"

You freak out a little, waving your hands to clear any misconceptions. "Not like that! Mom'd kill me if we did that kinda butt stuff! And then my maid would resurrect me so she could kill me again!"

Camille laughs his hurt away. "Yeah, we're in totally different classes for that, anyway. You have the Prince, Young Lady Alteisen, or any other high ranking noble for that kinda stuff when you're older."

"I'm not thinking of that kinda stuff anyway," you say, pouting. "And don't put yourself down like that. You're super cool and a part of my crew, so that nobility ranking stuff doesn't mean spit."

You remember from FFG that Camille's status as a lesser noble caused him no end of discrimination, usually at your (Grace's) hands. It was the fuel for the fires of his resentment, those fires tempered the blade that killed the maid, and you'd rather die than let that happen.

Besides, nobody who teaches you how to do crazy Wuxia stuff with a scissor-sword deserves to be bullied. That's just common sense.

Camille smiles shyly towards you. "Sblood, you're swell..."

You give him a cheeky monkey smile. "You're pretty neat too, mister. I'd trust you with my back any day."

His smile gets broader and gooey from your approval.

You rock on your toes. "And maaaaaaybe, once we're older, I'll trust you with my butt. Y'know, after we see how the whole bethrotal thing goes."

It's his turn to flail. "Now you're just doing it on purpose!" He grabs his wooden training sword and points it at you. "As your instructor, it's my job to correct that cheekiness of yours!"

You limber up and pick your own sword off the ground. "Right, right~ A good workout'll make things make sense again, so let's go 'til you're satisfied."

"That's the spirit," he says, grinning.

The two of you touch swords, then spar until the sweet sting of fatigue draws you both down into the grass.


It's Gildsday, Friday in non-isekai, and you're in your room trying to do your hair up like Sailor Moon. Your hair, unused to such contortions, fights you every step of the way.

Why isn't Chiaki doing this, you ask (to yourself)? One, you wanted to be more self sufficient and two, Justine's been pulling her aside a lot this week.

Chiaki hasn't told you anything's wrong, and you believe her. Also, she hasn't been showing any of her "bad stuff's happening but I don't wanna say it" tells. If anything, it's probably something super cool.

Sure enough, once you've gotten your hair properly dango-fied and have told your mirror you're gonna punish it in the name of the Moon, Chiaki slides into your room and up behind you.

She hides a giggle with a white gloved hand. "Having fun, Young Mistress?"

You look up and back at her. "Totes! I was just thinking I needed an Ami to my Usagi."

"Well I can't provide the bubbles or the bloodlust, but I can handle analysis," she says, handing you a sword in a tastefully opulent crimson and gold sheath. "It'll help in the future."

The heft of it tells you it's a real blade. The balance tells you it's impeccably made.

"I know I've got death flags, but aren't I a little young for a preemptive strike?" you tease.

"Your charming monkey self has screwed up the initial parameters so much that might not be necessary," she says. "So instead, we're going to focus on making the best you possible before things get heavy."

You hoist up the sword. "So time to grind?"

Chiaki nods. "Time to grind. That's Lady Justine's old sword, by the way. Managed to talk her into naming you as its formal master, too, so it'll grow with you."

Your eyes go wide. Not only was this a huge sentimental gift and a magic blade, Our Bloody Valentine taught you that being named a blade's master is the first step towards true badassery.

The game's Grace was badass enough to force her blade, Razortongue, to acknowledge her as master. But since she stole it from Justine's armory, it never truly accepted her and happily transferred itself over to Prince Alteisen once Grace became a vampire.

With a formal transfer, you wouldn't have to worry about that. You're not sure how much of the old plot you have to worry about now, but every little bit helps, you know?

Chiaki clears her throat, drawing your attention back to her. "Lady Justine wants you to get a taste of the adventurer's life now that you're thirteen. She was slaying Slimes as a ten-year-old, but decided to give you a bit more time to grow, given everything."

"Hardcore," you say. "Do I get to bring friends?"

"Of course," Chiaki says. "We'll make it a playdate."


Chiaki will automatically come with you until you've come of age or you explicitly tell her not to. Since this is your first adventure, you can't tell her not to this time.

[Adventure time, c'mon pick your friends!] {Choose up to 2, or choose None if you're feeling yourself}

[ ] Prince Alteisen
[ ] Bridgette Alteisen
[ ] Camille Asuka
[ ] Tanya Schwartzwald
[ ] Lucciano Morningstar
[ ] Lily Valentine
[ ] None