The Villain Purchased the Heroine

"You've worked hard so far. With who you are now, you should have no trouble achieving your first goal."

"All thanks to your grace, Young Master."

It's been less than a month since the dramatic events in Rubid Village wrapped up for Alicia.

Alicia kneels with one knee on the ground, her head bowed. She's as respectful as a knight paying respects to the king.

Her long hair cascades down her back. There's no wobble in her poised position.

"I received excellent guidance in both magic and swordsmanship, and you, Young Master, provided all the support. I will show results worthy of your expectations."

"Of course, you should."

Just a week from now.

Alicia and I met all the entrance requirements without any trouble and successfully enrolled.

And soon, just a few days away, the entrance ceremony will officially herald the start of Academia.

I will lead all the changes and stick that amalgamation straight into Academia. Will the characters from the novel react as I expected? Or will they delight me with some unexpected twists?

"Young Master…? Did something amusing come to mind?"

Alicia, having risen from her seat, tilts her head curiously.

"Oh, it's nothing much. I'm just feeling a sense of accomplishment from your amazing progress."

"That's embarrassing… I still have a long way to go."

Alicia shows humility. While there's quite a gap compared to her prime from the novel, if this is her starting point, the results at the finish line are bound to be exciting.

"Humility is a good virtue, but it can be a poison for you."

Her confidence and self-esteem have been far too low. Recently, she's been slowly recognizing her worth, but there's still a long journey ahead.

"You've worked hard all this time. You've shown good results in reality too. This isn't just down to talent."

"…Thank you."

Alicia's ears begin to blush like autumn leaves. It seems she's not used to praise, as she's quite vulnerable to it.

"So today, I'd like to reward you for your hard work. This wasn't in my original plans, but since you've shown such excellent results, you shouldn't refuse."

"..."

"If you don't respond, just know I might poke a hole in your forehead."

She flinches.

Her body trembles for a moment.

"I will graciously accept your wishes, Young Master."

Good. That's a substantial change. Compared to when I first met her, it's a remarkable transformation.

"Alright, without further ado, let's head out."

"Let's get going without any more delay."

"Oh, do we have to go somewhere else?"

"Well, if we're going shopping, we need to go outside."

"Shopping… is that what you mean?"

"I won't bother explaining, just follow me."

*

Amid the noisy crowd and the feast of various goods, the world feels like it's hosting a festival. Alicia is visibly startled by the hustle and bustle.

"Y-young Master…! There are so many people! There are even more than when we went to the City of Rhodes! I've never experienced anything like this…!"

"…Stop widening those eyes in such a rustic manner. Didn't you claim to be from the prestigious Schugenharz?"

"Ah…! I'm so sorry. I ended up showing a foolish side without realizing it. I'll get myself back to normal."

Smack⎯!

Alicia slapped her own rosy cheeks hard. The sound was quite bizarre, and it must've hurt, yet she declared, "I'm fine now!" with determination shining in her eyes.

"…I meant to say keep your poise, but that was odd. …But well, it works."

Vargan pulls on Alicia's hand.

One would expect his hands to be as cold as ice based on his looks and usual conduct, but at moments like this, she felt he was just like anybody else.

She found herself being led forward.

The passersby automatically made way, recognizing him as someone of high status by his attire and demeanor.

Although it was her first time seeing so many people, it was also the first time experiencing so many caring about them.

Right.

But….

Everything is good, but….

Too fast!

This guy is walking too fast!

Is it because of his long legs? Or is it just his fiery impatience? At this pace, it feels like she's literally being dragged along.

Alicia decided to stop pondering alone and voiced her thoughts. Her cautious demeanor remained, but urgency tinged her tone.

"Y-young Master…! Could you please slow down just a little?"

"Time is money."

"…I'll try to keep up faster."

Alicia quickened her pace to match his stride. Walking alongside Vargan, a noticeable difference in their heights remained, but they shared the same rhythm.

As the pain in her hand faded, she suddenly became acutely aware of the warmth and texture of his grip. His long fingers wrapped securely around hers.

Huh? Wait a second.

Isn't this just like holding hands?

Alicia felt a twinge of oddity.

As her perception shifted, sweat started to bead from her palm, and her heartbeat quickened. It wasn't the sweet thrill of liking him; it was a shocking realization.

The important thing was that she was holding a man's hand. The sensation of grasping a man's large hand for the first time had her shaken.

Walking down the street, hand in hand.

All eyes were on them.

Thinking this made her start to feel shy. At the same time, her mind spiraled into confusion.

What's going on…? What is this! Wait a minute!

Is there heat rising in me?!

Am I still keeping my composure? I hope it's not obvious that I'm flustered! Is my face turning red?

As her thoughts tangled, her body temperature increased. She felt her neck warming up.

Her breathing grew quicker, and it seemed that blood was circulating faster.

Wanting to ease this sensation by letting go of his hand, she found it impossible due to his firm grip. Yet, she couldn't very well shake him off either.

But he was holding on so tightly that it was impossible to break free. It wasn't like I could just shake him off either.

I cautiously stole a glance at the man's face. The height difference was so significant that I had to look up at him. And then—

"Well, this is something…"

I made eye contact with Vargan, who had been looking at Alicia. He stopped in his tracks and loosened his grip.

Alicia rubbed her freed hand, accepting his sharp gaze. Vargan had the same cold demeanor as always, showing no sign of wanting to dodge.

"The delusions keep dragging on endlessly, and I can't bear to carry it further. I've told my master not to lust after her so many times. No, wait, this is my master's fault. I need to re-educate him."

"Y-young Master?! That's not it at all! Lust, you say… I have absolutely no such impure feelings… absolutely…!"

'I did not harbor it at all!'

Alicia screamed silently in her mind.

The thought that she was excited by him was absolutely not true. It was indeed a fact that she felt nervous holding a man's hand for the first time… Wait? That means she was trembling in front of him. It was one of those situations—something that wasn't quite right yet hard to deny… Ah, how should she respond?

"I'm sorry…."

If it's ambiguous, it's better to apologize.

It was indeed true that she felt tense. Even though she felt a bit wronged, she decided to apologize.

With this resolve in mind, she adopted her most commonly practiced pose of apology, straightening her back and stopping her tremors. Her posture was perfect.

"…My dedicated servant, being a pervert who lusts after me at the drop of a hat and even sneakily peeping at his training, is quite the predicament."

"…I-I'm sorry."

It was always like this…

How unjust…!

*

"Oh my~ You look so good! You're so beautiful that you'd look good in anything~!"

"Thank you… uh…"

Indeed.

Being the heroine, her beauty was exceptional. It was just that she had been wearing shabby clothes and the outfits of servants, but now dressed up, she was kicking the faces of most noble ladies.

"You're lucky to have such a good partner to buy you these clothes. How nice~!"

"Um… he's not my partner…"

"That guy is my servant. Don't blow any unnecessary winds my way."

"Oh… I see? You look so good together that I… must have misunderstood."

The store owner wore a face of realization and hurried to change the subject. She quickly brought out other clothes, saying they were quite popular lately, urging her to try them on.

"Here, here. Please try these on. You'll definitely look great in them."

"Y-yes… Is that okay, Young Master?"

When I gestured for her to go try them on, Alicia was pushed along, changing clothes each time.

Since I said it was a reward, I wish she would pick up on that and enjoy it a bit.

"How many outfits has she tried on so far?"

I asked another staff member nearby. Has it been about an hour since we arrived?

"Including the outfit she's putting on now, it's a total of seven."

"Seven outfits, huh…."

I have no idea how many clothes women need. More is certainly better, but for now, as long as she has the necessities, this should be sufficient.

"The outfit you just recommended was a dress suitable for formal occasions, right?"

"Yes, that's correct. It's made by the most popular designer nowadays. The children of count families come here often to buy it."

"I see."

Considering the outfits she's worn so far, mainly casual ones, I guess it's time to get a formal suit. In fact, that's the main purpose of coming here.

The main purpose is on.

Tap, tap.

Before I knew it, Alicia, who had changed her clothes, approached with the sound of heels. This outfit seemed more extravagant, and she wore the most awkward expression compared to her other clothes.

Her pale face had turned like a ripe peach.

"What do you think? Isn't it beautiful? To me, it feels almost like an angel has descended from heaven."

The store owner, with a bright face, proudly boasted. Sure, it's a bit expensive, but I can appreciate the effort to sell it.

"…I'm embarrassed."

Alicia's voice trailed off. What good is looking outstanding when the substance lacks depth?

I scanned her from the tips of her toes to the top of her head.

Hmm… still, the fancy wrapping makes the contents seem valuable.

"Alicia, do you like the dress?"

"I'm worried about the price…"

"What?"

"…I like it so much that there's no hint of concern. I truly believe this dress is the most beautiful among all I've worn so far."

It's not the best answer, but she doesn't seem to be lying. She's way too transparent for that.

"I'll settle the bill."

"Yes, yes! Which clothes should I pack? I'll confirm all the ones you've worn so far."

"Oh, I don't need confirmation."

I've already seen enough.

"So… what should I pack?"

"All of them. Everything I've worn so far."

"Young Master…! Even so, that's…!!"

The slightly bewildered girl quickly calculated in her head and showed the most genuine smile I'd seen today.

"Thank you—!"

*

Before I knew it, the streets had darkened.

The lights from various stores illuminated the roads.

After leaving the clothing store, Alicia struggled to carry the weight of the bundles in her arms. Her eyes darted back and forth between me and the clothes, glancing at me again.

"I told you I'd reward your hard work. I didn't think you'd just buy one outfit. That's disrespectful to your master."

"I'm sorry… but… no. I gratefully accept it."

She seemed to have many things to say, but due to what I'd instructed her when we set off, she couldn't freely speak.

As her busy eyes stopped, this time, Alicia's slender fingers, holding the clothes, started fidgeting busily.

Her thoughts always express themselves through her entire body, so how could I not notice?

I needed to redirect the conversation.

"Finally, it's next week."

"Y-Yes…? Ah, yes, that's right. Next week is the Entrance Ceremony at the Academia."

During the past six months, I've done everything possible. To ensure that future activities proceed without any problems; smoothly executing our plans.

"I didn't buy those clothes for no reason. You may be a servant, but you're a part of the Schugenhartz family, and you'll be attending the Academia in that capacity."

"That's correct."

"Therefore, I provided you with appropriate attire. Even though there's the Academia uniform, you shouldn't only wear that, right? We wouldn't want to tarnish the family's reputation."

This isn't just a matter of what you want. Everything I do is ultimately for my own benefit.

"I'll show you results that meet your expectations, Young Master."

"That's only natural."

Today is a brief respite before the battlefield about to begin. Just thinking of the impending drama brings a smile to my face.

"All preparations are complete."