I Became the Absolute Hidden Villainess Princess of the Academy

The Male Lead (?) Appears (2)

On the morning of the academy’s entrance ceremony, just a little earlier…

A faint sigh echoed through the quiet academy grounds.

The sigh belonged to a boy with black hair and blue eyes, standing at just under 160 cm tall.

“Haa… It’s been a year, huh? Since I last saw Esti.”

A boy who dared to call the 3rd Princess of the Empire by her name.

If an ordinary person did that, people would call him insane and point fingers.

But he had every right to do so.

His name was Louis de Blézer.

The eldest son of the Blézer Ducal Family and a longtime friend of Esti.

However, as Louis muttered Esti’s name, his face was far from bright.

He was thinking about the threat she had made to ensure her enrollment in the academy.

‘She even threatened to cut her hair again… Has her trauma worsened over the years I wasn’t there to support her?’

Cutting her hair.

To most people, it would be a trivial thing.

But to Esti, it was one of the deepest wounds she bore.

The fact that she had threatened to do it herself left him unable to feel at ease.

That’s why he made a vow.

‘I’ll stay by her side and comfort her again. I’ll feed her cookies and tell her she’s pretty.’

He decided to resume the “Endless Patting Plan,” which he had put on hold during his training as the family’s successor.

Even if it meant giving up the position of Duke to his younger sibling.

He would heal Esti’s trauma.

———The trauma that his careless words had caused.

‘Alright. Since it’s been a year, I should think of something nice to say when I see her.’

From that moment on, Louis started brainstorming what to say to Esti when they met again.

“You’ve become so feminine this past year,” “I barely recognized you,” “You’re so stunning I almost fell for you”—lines that any girl would love to hear.

As he was deep in thought, time flew by.

The academy gradually grew livelier.

The commotion reached its peak when the Avrien Imperial Family’s carriage entered the academy grounds.

—Clop, clop, clop.

‘The Avrien Imperial carriage. Looks like she’s finally here.’

Louis naturally followed the carriage inside.

None of the numerous guards tried to stop him. As the eldest son of the Blézer Ducal Family and Esti’s close friend, they had no reason to.

Before long, the carriage came to a stop.

A girl with white hair suddenly leaped out of the carriage.

“Your Highness, I shall assist you in disembarking—”

“I’m fine!! Jumping out like this is standard procedure!!”

“………Pardon?”

—Whoosh.

“It’s a thing, you see. Hehe.”

A girl in crisp white riding pants, chatting nonsensically with the coachman.

Even after a year, she hadn’t changed one bit.

Relief washed over Louis.

‘Her hair is still intact. Thank goodness….’

“Ah, Louis~!! It’s been a year~!!!”

—Tap tap tap.

“………!!!!!!”

But his relief at seeing her uncut hair was short-lived.

The moment Esti spotted a familiar face, she dashed straight toward him.

Her short legs moved as fast as they could, making a rhythmic tap, tap sound as she ran, her face beaming with joy.

Seeing this, Louis’s breath caught in his throat.

‘Seeing her after a year… She looks even younger somehow…!!!’

In truth, Louis had grown a little over the past year.

About 3 millimeters—not enough for either him or Esti to notice.

Meanwhile, Esti hadn’t grown a single millimeter since 10 years ago.

That tiny change in their height difference created the illusion that she had somehow become even smaller than before.

At that moment, something inside him stirred violently.

“Ni-nice to… Ugh!!”

‘No, no, no!!!’

The instinct embedded in the bloodline of the Blézer Ducal Family surged uncontrollably.

His lips, now quivering, moved on their own.

He knew all too well what words would escape them.

“Unri…pe….”

‘No, no, no!!! I swore never to hurt Esti again! I swore after that disaster 10 years ago…!!!’

—Shiver, shiver.

Ten years ago, Louis had caused Esti a deep emotional wound with just a few words.

But as a man born of the Blézer Ducal bloodline—a lineage where, for generations, every single one of them had only ever married older women—he was bound by an instinct that could not be overcome.

For the past nine years, he had somehow built up an immunity to it.

But the year he spent focused on his successor training had completely reset that immunity.

That, coupled with the fact that Esti somehow looked even younger than before, led to this fateful moment.

In the end, Louis’s lips uttered the words that no one should have ever said.

“Unripe… she’s still unripe….”

—Murmur, murmur.

—W-what did he just say…!!!!?

—No way. Did he really just say that…!?

The bombshell of a statement exploded.

Whispers of shock and disbelief spread rapidly through the onlookers.

Meanwhile, Esti’s face crumpled into a fierce scowl.

‘I thought the protagonist was supposed to be the one caught up in the chaos.’

‘So why is it me instead?’

‘Unripe.’

It was a phrase that could get a man slapped, even if he said it to a common woman.

The commotion around them grew.

It was reminiscent of that day 10 years ago—the day of Esti’s birthday ball.

The day when her lifelong engagement was shattered and the execution of Louis, the eldest son of the Blézer Ducal Family, was openly discussed.

Louis squeezed his eyes shut.

—Clench.

‘What kind of nonsense about helping Esti heal? I’m just a worthless fool….’

He had once again stabbed Esti’s deepest wound in front of so many people.

Even after all the regret he felt 10 years ago, he had done it again.

The weight of guilt pressed down on his face, making him look like a condemned man.

…However.

“Pfft. Louis, you’re still the same. How do you plan to survive without me around?”

“…E-Esti?”

“As a sign of gratitude to this big sister, you better prepare lots of cookies for me later. Hehe.”

Unlike back then, when she had been genuinely angry.

Esti was smiling brightly, brimming with excitement.

A faint violet mana flowed gently around her.

***

Louis, my former fiancé and the boy I met the moment I possessed this body.

The moment his face went pale as if he were having a seizure, I knew exactly what was about to happen.

‘He’s going to say it…’

“Unri… unripe….”

‘Distortion!’

And having already experienced the chaos it would bring, I quickly spread my mana and activated an illusion spell.

A spell that prevented anyone other than me and Louis from hearing our conversation.

The effect was perfect.

“Unripe… she’s still unripe….”

—What… What was that!?

—Did a sparrow just chirp?

His bombshell of a statement reached only my ears.

To everyone else, it sounded like the chirping of sparrows—”cheep, cheep, chirp, chirp.”

Even the captain of the knights standing beside me looked puzzled, which was proof that my magic had worked flawlessly.

A sly grin crept onto my face.

‘I was the perfect mastermind just now…!!’

—Grin.

“How do you plan to survive without me around?”

“…Esti?”

“Relax. No one else heard it, so it’s all good!”

—Poke, poke.

Feeling good after my successful spell, I teasingly nudged Louis’s side with my elbow.

But of course, as a true mastermind, I didn’t forget to check on vital information while I played around.

—Ding!

[Current Favorability from Target ‘Louis de Blézer (20, Male)’: 80]

[Due to the high favorability, the chance of gaining his cooperation ‘significantly’ increased.]

‘Perfect. My favorability management is still flawless.’

Louis’s favorability toward me was still at 80.

Which, in practical terms, meant we were at “best friends” level.

The corners of my mouth lifted even higher.

‘He’s supposed to end up with the protagonist, after all. If his favorability for me hits 100 and he falls for me instead, that’d be a problem.’

Louis was one of the rare good guys in “Witch’s Flesh,” a world filled with human garbage.

He was one of the few who showed kindness to the protagonist.

That’s why I planned to pair Louis up with the protagonist.

He was kind, his family status was great, and most importantly…

‘…I left so many comments on those couple moments. Haha, there’s no way I’d miss my chance to make this ship sail.’

In “Witch’s Flesh,” I had been an ardent shipper of Louis as the male lead.

This was my chance to play matchmaker legally, and I wasn’t going to let it slip through my fingers.

That’s why I made sure not to raise Louis’s favorability toward me too much while keeping him within arm’s reach.

10 years ago, on the day I first possessed this body, Louis had dropped the bombshell “Unripe” on me the moment we met.

Back then, I had to quell my family’s fiery rage, preventing them from executing Louis on the spot.

Not only that, but I even went out of my way to defend him and stay friendly with him.

…Part of that was because, at the time, my mind was still that of a 13-year-old, and I saw Louis as a kid 3 years younger than me.

And perhaps because of that, I treated him like a little brother.

As I showed such big-sisterly care, Louis’s lips began to tremble.

“…Esti, you’re not… angry?”

“Huh? Angry? About what?”

“Are you sure you’re not mad? I said something terrible, didn’t I…?”

Louis’s concern took me by surprise.

I thought he’d thank me for blocking the fallout from his words, but instead, he was worried about me.

I tilted my head in confusion.

“Why would this big sister of yours get mad over something like that? Haha. Don’t worry about it, little brother.”

“…No, but still. You must’ve felt at least a little upset, right? I said something awful…”

He asked, clearly anxious that I might have been hurt.

But I shook my head with perfect composure.

I knew exactly why Louis was reacting like this.

“Not at all? It’s not like you said it with bad intentions, right?”

‘It’s the family curse, that’s what this is.’

The Blézer Ducal Family had a bizarre family tradition.

For generations, without exception, they only ever married older women.

The family line was basically a legendary “Onee-shota” family.

Having been raised in that environment, it was no surprise that Louis would have an instinctive aversion to “loli” figures like me.

…As ridiculous as that sounds, it was still a reality I had to deal with.

‘Honestly, I actually appreciate it.’

His behavior didn’t bother me at all.

Whenever other men called me “cute” or “pretty,” my brain would automatically start singing, “You touch, you get arrested! Check-in at jail!”

But Louis? He was like, “No thanks, loli’s not for me,” making it crystal clear where he stood.

Back when I had just possessed this body, I’d been furious, thinking he was picking a fight with me.

But now, I found his honesty rather refreshing.

So, I smiled at him—a big, genuine smile.

A smile for my admirable younger brother, who stood tall in a world overflowing with lolicons.

“Pfft. Besides, anyone who sees me as a woman is the real weirdo, don’t you think?”

—Mutter, mutter.

“It’s way worse than I expected…”

“…Louis?”

‘His face just got even paler…?’

He was already as white as a sheet, but somehow, he managed to get even paler.

Realizing he was getting himself worked up, I rose onto my tiptoes and stretched out my arm.

And then, I gave him a heartfelt mastermind-level head pat.

‘Alright, alright, big sister’s got you.’

—Streeeetch. Pat, pat.

“Anyway, I’m not mad, but next time, be careful what you say around others. If people heard that, it’d be a big problem.”

—Look at those two. They’re chirping like sparrows! What are they doing? So cute!!

—Are they playing house? Is the 3rd Princess the mom?

—Look at Lord Louis. He looks so embarrassed he’s about to cry. Too cute~.

—Mutter, mutter.

“…I’ll atone for this. I swear, Esti. I’ll do whatever it takes, with everything I have.”

‘Why is he acting like he’s about to cry? Seriously, such a high-maintenance little brother. What if he actually gets rejected by the protagonist later?’

And so, I spent a long time comforting Louis.

…Later on, the captain of the knights told me that the scene was “chaotic in so many ways.”