Reiko’s Manners – She’s Referred To As A Villainess, But Actually She’s Just Penniless - Chapter 19

While Lady Sara was in shock, I quickly opened my mouth. I had to resolve this commotion!

“I’m actually also a reincarnator! All this happened when I tried to avoid being the villain.”

Now, I was also a delusional girl. A genuine delusional girl. I winked at Lady Sara and Lord Souju. The two reluctantly kept quiet and watched the events unfold.

“R-really? You’re also a reincarnator?”

Oh, she believes the story! Now there were two delusional girls.

“It seems like that. When I saw the academy gates, my memories came back. But, I can’t recall the actual name of the game. However, I do remember that Reiko Kujouin is the villain and is banished after she interferes in the romances of the heroine, Ms. Miu Yuuki. But, my number one favorite in the game is Lady Sara.”

I mimicked the setting of the web novel I read yesterday! I learned about ‘number one favorites’ for the first time. If you make a female character your favorite, you’ll break your love flag. Probably.

“Do you really remember? Then, why did you attack my dad’s company? I thought you said you weren’t a villain.”

Before I could answer the glaring Lady Yuria Sakurada, Lord Souju came between us.

“Listen here. The secretary from Sakurada Online tried to break into the house of a girl living alone, you know? So, you are just paying consolation for injuring Rei and your condescending attitude. So, isn’t it strange for you to be the one angry? We’re just glad that the president of Kaname Cloud, our cousin, happened to be there.”

It appeared that Lady Yuria Sakurada hadn’t heard this story and muttered in disbelief.

“You and that secretary are terrible. If you hadn’t interacted with Rei like that, none of this would’ve happened.”
“Hayashida, right!? That man! He’s a disgusting man who boasts his intelligence and uses flattery! Even when I tell Papa, he won’t don’t anything.”

Was Ryuuji Sakurada okay for having such a man be his secretary? Was he being blackmailed with some weakness?

“A-anyway, I’m sorry. I didn’t think there was anyone else who reincarnated. Miss…Reiko Kujouin, are you really not aiming for anyone? Not Kaoru? Or even Mr. Akimi?”
“Lord Katsuragi and Dr. Ichijou? Impossible. I have no such interest in them.”

Lord Katsuragi who was like Mr. Yamamoto from Interpol, unwilling to listen to others, and Dr. Ichijou who was an infringement of morality. No, I shouldn’t be caught up in his infringement of morality. I mustn’t have a narrow view. I’m sorry, Dr. Ichijou.

“Really? The two are handsome, rich, and popular, you know?”
“Handsome, you say? I truly don’t have any interest in those two. If possible, I want to peacefully graduate from the academy. I’ve even become friends with Sara and Sou.”

When I said that, I looked over at Lady Sara and Lord Souju. Although the two look unsatisfied, they smiled.

“Do you understand, Yuria Sakurada? If you make any more false accusations at Rei, I won’t show any mercy!”

Lady Sara put her hands on her hips, raised her chin, and glared at Lady Yuria Sakurada.

“Sara looks more like a villainess than me. But, she’s so cool. Yeah, she’s wonderful!”
“Sara as the villainess!? That fits her too well!”

Lord Souju held his sides in laughter, causing Lady Sara to shoot a harsh glare. This common scene was heartwarming to me.
When I thought that, I heard Lady Yuria Sakurada mutter that this wasn’t like Lord Souju.

“Isn’t Lord Souju the cool-type who doesn’t laugh? I’ve never actually seen him smile once.”

Huh? Lord Souju was the type not to laugh? Rather, I thought he laughed rather easily.

“I mean, I never had to laugh. No one would take a jab at Sara like that.”

“Eh? Could it be that Lord Souju had been lonely the whole time? In a world with only you and Lady Sara?”

Lady Yuria Sakurada had an amazing train of thought. As expected of someone who only lived in the world of an otome game.

“How did it turn out to that? I don’t understand. Disgusting. I absolutely hate being meddled with. I only want to be with the person I love. Do you understand? I only need the people I like.”
“Pft, fufufufu, a cool beauty with a cool personality, right? But, Souju? Ufufufufu, hahahahaha. How humorous. Souju, this Souju?!”

That’s right. Lord Souju was a hot-blooded super hacker. He’s a super hacker, I’ll have you know!

“Rei, you’re thinking of something weird again, aren’t you?”
“No need to worry since I didn’t say it out loud.”
“I also don’t like having my name called out in your head.”

That was a problem. I adore super hackers. Super hacker Souju!

“What’s with this? This wasn’t in the game. Is it because Reiko Kujouin is a reincarnator?”
“No, it’s because both Lady Sakurada and I are abnormalities in this world. Aren’t we both interfering with the game in some way? The heroine Ms. Yuuki will probably be together with someone by herself.”
“That’ll be a problem!”

She appeared to become desperate for some reason, but I think it’s unromantic to force someone’s heart.

“I will not interfere. I will continue to be friends with Sara and Sou, but I swear that I will not be anything more than acquaintances with Lord Katsuragi and Dr. Ichijou.”
“…I understand.”
“Hey, that’s why you do not need to worry. There is no great evil targeting the academy or villainess deceiving Lady Sakurada’s precious people. In the first place, what would they do once they take over the school? Why would someone occupying a kindergarten when they want to rule the world? Sounds so petty. If I really was an evil woman, I would naturally aim for world conquest!”

“You really are different from the Reiko Kujouin from the game. You seem kind of slow in the head.”

How rude! I was still a scholarship student. I might have just read too many web novels. Lady Sara seemed ready to burst into anger, so I pulled her into the school by her arm. There were no shoe racks in this school. Muddy feet were fine. It was completely different from Hanaoka Middle School.
Then, where would you put your love letters? It was well-known that you put it in the target’s shoe rack. Placing the love letter above the shoes of the person you love may have become some kind of fetish. Of course, I have never received such. In the first place, the custom of writing letters itself has faded. I mean, everyone has a smartphone nowadays.

“Rei, come back to reality!”

As my mind wandered about the matter of love letters, Lord Souju brought me back to reality.

“Are you really okay with that? Won’t people think that you’re delusional as well? I can’t help but get angry. You should just leave that crazy girl alone.”
“That’s right! I’m also not convinced at all!”

The two were angry. They resented the way I was actually treated.

“Sara, Sou, thank you very much. I’m fine. Lady Yuria Sakurada has it much harder, being unable to distinguish her delusion from reality. She is the only one in her delusional world. I feel heartbroken at her loneliness.”

I remembered Lady Mary. As Lady Mary’s dementia progressed, she began to see things that weren’t there. She would sometimes be frightened. Yes, that Lady Mary! I didn’t know what she saw. However, just once, I saw her trembling while muttering about a “Prof. Madenokouji.” That teacher must have been quite terrifying.
Likewise, there were times when this happened immediately after her life as a pianist was severed.

A world she didn’t share with anyone.
It was probably very lonely.

I found the best way to calm down the mad Lady Mary was to become a denizen of her world.

Whenever she was scared of something or there was something there, I would whack the space with the broom.

When she would scream about the time after the accident when she could no longer be a pianist, I would say this every time to her.

“Lady Mary, a well-known doctor will be handling your surgery next week. Additionally, your concert next year at Carnegie Hall has not been canceled. You are a pianist, after all.”

Whenever I said that, Lady Mary would agree and be convinced.

However, whenever Ms. Fuki extended her hand to calm down the excitable Lady Mary, Lady Mary would scream, “Filthy prostitute, don’t touch me,” and hit her. When Lady Mary was confused, she would call Ms. Fuki a prostitute. The silver lining there was that it was said in French, so Ms. Fuki couldn’t understand what was being said to her. I had thought that Lady Mary called Ms. Fuki a prostitute because of the way they first met, but I feel like that may not be the case. Ms. Fuki had clearly been standing on the street corner to sell her body when Lady Mary picked her up, and her body was clean at that time. In fact, she wasn’t a prostitute.
Maybe there was something in the past that only those two knew.

Given my experience with Lady Mary, I felt sympathetic towards Lady Yuria Sakurada. There was probably no one out there who could understand a delusional girl’s mind. That was why it was truly lonely.
And, as someone who was also lonely, I felt some kind of compassion towards her, and I didn’t feel troubled by acting like a clown.

“I’m not a kind person. If Sara and Sou weren’t here, I probably wouldn’t have extended my hand to Lady Yuria Sakurada. As long as you two are with me, I don’t care what anyone thinks.”

I had been alone for the longest time, but now I had friends. And these two were immensely wonderful people. It was very, very reassuring. That was why I didn’t particularly hate acting like a delusional girl. I had friends who understood.

“Jeez! You’re too soft-hearted, Rei! But, we’ll always be on your side!”

Although angry, Lady Sara blushed. Lord Souju seemed defeated as he looked at me.
I was truly blessed to have such friends.

To tell you the truth, I thought I was caught up at the moment then. I had forgotten that as a poor, lonely person, I wasn’t in any position to sympathize with Lady Yuria Sakurada.