chapter 54

What!? Just what can Albert-Oniisama be thinking? I have not even the slightest desire to get along well with Liz-san. If the two of us become good friends, then that will automatically disqualify me from being the villainess.

“Perfect! I want to become great friends with Alicia-chan!” Liz-san exclaims while smiling like an absolute angel at me.

As I thought, I’m no good at dealing with that sort of expression. Please don’t expect me to like you just because you smile affectionately at me.

“But I don’t have any desire to become friends with you, Liz-san.”

At my words, that beautiful smile stiffens and she blinks those huge emerald eyes of hers in my direction.

“Alicia-chan, have I done something wrong?”

No, not at all. But you’re the heroine, and I’m the villainess. The two of us need to always be at odds with each other, ready to tussle or at the very least get into an argument.

“The two of us definitely cannot become friends.”

Question marks appear in everyone’s gazes as they stare at me.

Hm? Did I really say something that unexpected?

“Ali, you two haven’t even had the chance to talk much. So there’s no way you can know if you’ll be able to become friends or not,” Albert-Oniisama says smiling encouragingly at me. “So why don’t you just try talking with her for a while? Get to know each other?”

Seems like a pointless endeavor if you ask me. I doubt we’d find anything in common even if we talked for hours.

However, if my options are to have a conversation with her right here, right now, or to go to town on a date with her, then my choice will obviously, overwhelmingly be the former.

“If we don’t have to visit the town together, then I’m willing to share a conversation with Liz-san.”

Liz-san’s face lights up at my words. Albert-Oniisama also sighs in relief at my admission.

They want me to chat with her that badly?

“Alicia-chan, what sort of sweets do you like?”

“Macarons.”

“Macarons! I like those too! Then, what about pretty flowers?”1

I also find the way you say “pretty flowers” quite off-putting. Is there any need to specifically add the word “pretty” before “flowers”?

“I don’t have much interest in flowers.”

“Oh…. I see…. I really like wild daisies.”2

Of course you do.

“Their meaning in the language of flowers is wonderful as well! It’s”

” “True love.” “

Liz-san looks startled as I chime in.

“It also signifies sincerity, reliance, and trust. Liz-san, the meaning seems to fit you just perfectly,” I say, smiling snidely. I try to leverage the full force of my sarcasm behind the remark. Though, I don’t know why I bother since Liz-san never seems to notice such nuanced minutiae.

“Even though you say you have no interest in pretty flowers, you still know what meaning they hold?”

“I read about it in a book once.”

“Then, when you were reading, did you never come across any pretty flowers that stood out to you?”

Like I said, I have zero interest in flowers. In herbs? Sure. But flowers? Not a whit.

But Liz-san is staring at me with an excited twinkle in her eye. I can’t let her down when she’s looking at me so passionately, now can I?

“I liked Lily of the Valley,” I tell her, smiling smugly.

“In the language of flowers, Lily of the Valley signifies purity and that happiness will come back once again. It’s a flower with a truly lovely meaning.”

“Yes. And I find them especially charming since they have such a meaning regardless of the fact that they are toxic enough to poison you to death.”3

The whole room falls deadly silent. Even Liz-san’s happy expression becomes cramped and uncomfortable.

It was a truly villainous line, wasn’t it? I was actually able to bring a spasm to that perfect little heroine’s angelic face with it. That’s one for the books for sure!

Thank goodness I decided to read that book on flowers anyway. I thought I would never have a use for such knowledge in my entire life. I saw no reason that knowing about flowers would help me in my pursuit of becoming a villainess, but looks like it turned out to be useful after all.

It’s always good to have unexpected tricks up your sleeve.

“Alicia-chan, what’s your favorite color?”

The one who ended up breaking the silence first was Liz-san.

Even though she’s smiling much more naturally now than a few moments before…. Liz-san, your expression still looks quite stiff, you know?

And just how long does she want to keep this question corner going for?