"I’ll make your body mine."
*You’ll be my pawn.*

The words slipped out, calm and measured.

I told the girl: I’d protect her weaknesses in exchange for her cooperation on my side.

For a moment, her expression froze.

"Wh-what… what did you just say?"

"There’s quite a lot for you to do, Lady Vanity."

I answered with a slight smile.

"Plenty for us to discuss… and I look forward to working closely together on it."

Emilia was a capable person.

Her grades and skills spoke for themselves, and she had an exceptional knack for reading the room.

She calculated quickly, able to anticipate moves accurately.

In the original story, she had appeared as a villainous extra, but it would be a waste to discard her now.

*She’ll be useful in various ways.*

She had hidden connections that would be valuable. And with her academic excellence, she could also cover for me in tedious assignments. Perfect.

I found myself smiling at the thought.

Sitting there with a bright grin, I was startled when Emilia’s eyes started welling up with tears.

Her expression was heartbreakingly sad.

"Sniff, hhic…."

What now?

Why was she crying all of a sudden?

Didn’t she like the terms of the deal?

But I was saving her life. Surely, serving as my assistant until graduation wasn’t too much to ask?

"Why the tears? This is quite an appealing offer, don’t you think?"

I asked, genuinely puzzled.

"It’s a mutually beneficial deal, don’t you agree?"

"..."

"Just do your best to satisfy me, and I’ll protect your weaknesses as promised."

"How am I supposed to trust someone like you?"

"You’ll have to."

*Not like you’re in a position to refuse.*

One word from me, and she’d be expelled—and soon enough, she’d be saying her final farewells to this world.

Such an overly suspicious girl.

I let out a sigh of exasperation. It seemed I’d have to give her a reality check.

---

"I’ll make your body mine."

Emilia froze.

Her breath turned cold, a shiver running through her shoulders.

It was a reflexive reaction of pure unease.

"What… what did you just say?"

She must have misheard.

Maybe because she’d cried herself to exhaustion the previous night, her senses weren’t fully alert.

Clinging to a desperate hope, she asked.

But.

"There’s quite a lot for you to do, Lady Vanity."

That last shred of hope was mercilessly crushed.

"We’ll have a lot to work on, just the two of us, very closely."

"Ah."

Her heart dropped.

It was as if her very pulse, the thread connecting her to life, had stopped.

Her blue eyes filled with despair.

Weaknesses, conditions, the cost.

The golden snake watched her with a sinister glint in his eyes, flicking his tongue like a venomous serpent.

Emilia understood.

This boy wanted her body.

*A slave.*

The word surfaced in her mind.

She wished it weren’t true, but his stare was too blatant to ignore.

His narrow eyes carried an ominous gleam.

"Haha."

Even his humorless laugh was frightening.

Her breath grew unsteady.

She bit her lip hard to keep from crying.

Emilia had always devoted herself to her studies.

She’d spent countless nights training, but she’d never shown interest in relationships.

The confusion was all the greater for it.

Fear of the unknown.

The blood drained from her face.

*Why.*

Why was this happening?

The villainess couldn’t finish the thought, knowing she’d brought it upon herself.

Regret rose with her next breath.

*I should never have challenged him to that duel.*

She had longed for the top seat.

She’d thought that if she could reach that shining position, she could finally defy the elders of her family.

So, she’d acted rashly.

A boy who seemed unimpressive.

Who could have known he was so strong?

Perhaps it had been arrogance.

In front of countless students, she’d suffered a humiliating defeat. Now, even her dignity was at risk.

"Sniff, hhic…."

Tears began to fall.

She didn’t want to cry.

She didn’t want to be weak.

No matter how painful the road, she wanted to stand with pride if it meant survival.

But.

"Why such sorrowful tears?"

"Hic…"

The tears wouldn’t stop.

As she sat, crumpled in despair, his voice whispered again.

"This is quite a favorable arrangement, wouldn’t you say?"

"..."

"Just do your best to satisfy me, and I’ll protect your weaknesses as promised."

"How can I trust someone like you?"

"You’ll have to."

His smirk curved dangerously.

It was as if he’d been waiting to say that.

"If you want to protect your dear family."

"What are you…?"

"You have a younger brother, don’t you? In a similar position to yours."

A boy in Class A this term.

His name was Ruska Vanity.

The last family Emilia had left in her life.

Her desperation came partly from her love for him.

She needed to protect him.

"He’s someone you rely on, I hear… I wonder if the family elders will be as passive as you’d hope."

A pointed hypothetical struck her deeply.

There was no one the children could lean on.

And if Emilia were to disappear, it was obvious what would happen to them.

It would truly be the end.

"...So, I never really had a choice, did I?"

She murmured softly.

Her transparent blue eyes were lifeless and grim.

"Hic, hha… sniff."

Circumstances were forcing her to choose.

Reality closed in, cold and unyielding.

To avoid the worst outcome, she would take the last path left.

Even if it looked like a thorny one.

"Fine."

Better this than death.

In the end, the villainess fell into the hands of the conniving serpent.

Emilia lowered her gaze.

"I’ll… follow your orders."

How pitiful.

Her tears sparkled with a tragic beauty.

"You know…"

"Hm?"

"I… have no experience in these things. Please be patient with me if I’m clumsy."

"No problem."

He replied smoothly.

"In fact, I think it’ll be fun, gradually showing you how things work."

"...That’s a bit… frightening."

"Oh, no need to be scared."

He reached out his hand.

As his fingers reached her chin, he gently lifted her face until her blue eyes met his half-lidded gaze.

For a moment, her breath hitched.

"I’ll be gentle with you."

Such a wicked person.

What light could those eyes of his see her with?

They must be filled with lust.

"Ah."

He leaned in closer.

Was it starting already?

Just a little…

She was scared.

"…"

She closed her eyes.

With her sight cut off, she felt a bit better.

But the trembling didn’t stop.

*Thump. Thump. Thump.*

Her heart raced, beating loudly in her ears.

And then.

"…!"

Something warm brushed her lips, then pulled away.

It lingered with warmth.

Emilia instinctively thought it was his lips.

She squeezed her eyes shut tighter.

As if unsatisfied, he pressed his lips to hers a few more times.

But it wasn’t rough.

*This feels strange.*

It felt like her body temperature was rising.

Her breath was unsteady.

To steady her hazy mind, she clenched her fists tightly.

It went on for a while.

*So, it’s not as painful or terrible as I feared.*

Softly, it enveloped her.

It was her stolen first kiss.

---

Meanwhile.

"Gradually showing you how things work… I think that’ll be enjoyable."

*Meaning he would carefully explain if she wasn’t familiar.*

"Oh, there’s no need to be afraid."

*He genuinely meant there was nothing to fear.*

"I’ll be gentle."

*He wouldn’t go too far, so she shouldn’t worry.*

In reality, the boy’s mind was blank.

He wore a quizzical expression.

*Why is she closing her eyes when I’m just wiping her lips?*

Her lips had been bleeding, so he’d simply meant to clean them up.

But now she was acting strangely solemn.

Every time his fingers touched her lips, she trembled.

*Maybe she’s had a tough life… she doesn’t seem well.*

Indeed.

What Emilia thought was a kiss was just his finger.

They completely misunderstood each other.

*Anyway, I made a new friend. I should introduce her to Regia.*

And the misconception deepened.

---

Thus, the chaotic duel event came to an end.

We all kept our promises.

Per the victor’s wishes, the [Execution] was indefinitely postponed.

Emilia began staying close by, fulfilling her role as my secret “friend.”

The outcome?

"Ta-da!"

I made a new friend.

"L-Lord Snaikers? What… what is this?"

"And what did you do this time?"

Regia stood frozen, while Irene crossed her arms with a frown.

Their expressions, though not openly shocked, showed they were definitely taken aback.

Unbothered, I introduced someone to them.

"She’s someone I’ve recently grown close to."

"...Hmph."

It was none other than Emilia.

The villainous lady stood silently, her blue eyes filled with a cold gleam.

She radiated the aristocratic air of a grand noble.

"Lady Vanity…

?"

"Oh, the girl who acted rudely to you."

Unexpectedly, Regia, who had some trauma with Emilia, was visibly startled.

I smiled reassuringly.

"Now, now~ she won’t bite."

"W-what?"

"We had a heartfelt conversation a few days ago. We realized we understood each other, so we decided to become friends."

I reassured her.

At the same time, I casually patted Emilia’s head, a sign that she was safe.

"…!?"

"Huh."

The fox and the knight looked equally stunned.

That someone would treat the daughter of a duke so casually…

And more shocking, Emilia didn’t seem to mind.

With a wry expression, Irene asked,

"What on earth did you do to her?"

"I told you. A sincere conversation."

"Right."

"Oh my… you don’t believe me?"

"You’re the king of lying. I’d be naïve to believe you."

"Everyone lies."

"Not like you."

We exchanged a few light words.

Meanwhile, I continued to tousle Emilia’s blue hair.

"…."

It was an uncomfortable situation for the villainess.

She started by pressing her lips together, but now her fists were clenched tightly.

Finally, Emilia couldn’t take it anymore.

*Smack!*

She swatted away the hand resting on her head.

Her blue eyes gleamed with anger.

"You two. Don’t get the wrong idea."

Her cold gaze was aimed at the other two girls.

Apparently, she couldn’t stand up to me, so she turned her frustration on them.

"I don’t intend to associate with a clueless commoner or a servant maid in such vulgar attire."

Even when bowed, a villainess is still a villainess.

Her pride burned within her.

Though she’d knelt before me, she wouldn’t show the same humility to others.

The familiar arrogance returned.

Emilia glanced at me, as if to ask for this bit of dignity to be allowed.

"I may have given you my loyalty, but it doesn’t mean I’ll give you my heart."

"A fair point."

"I… I won’t let my heart be taken."

"As you wish."

She might be on my side now, but that didn’t mean she’d trust me fully.

Given her suspicions, it was natural from her perspective.

I felt a bit disappointed, but I’d have time to change that.

Slowly, I’d work on winning her over.

"However."

There was something I couldn’t overlook.

"I’d appreciate it if you could watch your tone around these two."

Irene and Regia.

While I didn’t care about other students, I couldn’t tolerate her speaking harshly to my people.

I flashed a deliberately unsettling smile.

"They’re valuable connections of mine, after all. In fact, you almost made me a bit angry just now."

"…."

"I’m sure you don’t want to be on my bad side, right?"

"…I’ll be careful."

Emilia eventually nodded.

Gone was her haughty air, replaced with a hint of resignation.

She muttered an apology to the other girls.

"Maybe I was too emotional… sorry."

"O-oh, no, Lady Vanity, no need to apologize…!"

"No, I’m sorry."

Seeing her apologize on her own.

I must have scared her a bit.

Regia, who’d initially been tense, seemed to relax, seeing the subdued villainess.

I watched the scene, pleased.

"Haha."

As I nodded along,

"…?"

I felt a piercing gaze on my cheek.

When I turned to look, I saw Irene’s cold, disdainful stare.

"Didn’t you say you did nothing?"

Her glare was icier than usual.

What was her problem now?

"What did you do to make her say she’s ‘given you her body’?"

The chilly look persisted.

After a long pause, Irene scowled and muttered,

"…You pervert."

It was a genuine accusation.

For a moment, I couldn’t quite grasp her reaction.

Wait a minute.

What did I do wrong?

---

Anyway.

A week passed.

Settling into a bit of a routine, I spent my days quietly.

"Irene?"

"The children. I haven’t seen them in over a month. I want to check in."

"Haha, seems like you miss them."

"Well… maybe a little."

"I understand. They’re important to you."

Irene had a request.

She wanted to check in on the “safe people” she’d entrusted to me.

I gladly agreed.

"I needed to visit anyway."

It would be nice to see them again.

I wondered how they’d been.

*Astro.*

The rulers of the city that never cried.

Picturing their faces in my mind, I stood up.

Time to go check on my crew.