The Villainess Carries a Strategy Guide

When I tried to push through the crowd, someone grabbed my hand and pulled me without any hesitation. I lost my balance and was pulled back to the center.

“Stop…!”

“Duke Slutarch’s daughter!”

“Shake hands!”

Descent of the Legendary Archmage C...

“Look over here!”

It was an irresistible force of fear. I couldn’t do anything alone.

I could feel Christina getting angry in my pocket, but they were probably just brainwashed and not guilty. I must not hurt them by mistake.

I look around for help.

That’s when I saw the unusual deep purple hair.

“Melinda!”

Our eyes met through the gap in the crowd.

“Help me!”

The clamor around us intensified, as if to say, “You can’t escape”. I shouted as hard as I could, determined not to be defeated.

But Melinda had a puzzled look and pointed to her ears before making a cross with her fingers, indicating she couldn’t hear me.

But the man next to her seemed to have guessed something from my desperate expression.

The giant crow that was perched on his shoulder suddenly rose. It flapped its wings and flew straight above me.

I grabbed its thick legs with both hands and was easily lifted up as the crow carried me away, soaring above the heads of the people and successfully escaping.

Even so, they still chase after me. I ran out as if weaving through the crowd at the same time as I landed.

“What’s wrong?”

The master of the Phantom Beast crows, Fried Neher, started running beside me.

“Where is His Highness?”

“I don’t know——over there.”

Fried pointed upwards. There was a giant eagle hovering in the sky. As I looked up, I met eyes with His Highness, who seemed to be looking for me on its back.

“Rebecca!”

“Your Highness! Please take me with you!”

Grue rapidly descended and landed right above us. I grabbed the hand extended to me and got on.

“Neher-sama, thank you!”

I quickly thanked Fried as he receded into the distance and faced His Highness as the altitude increased.

“Sajad has disappeared.”

His Highness narrowed his eyes. And then he spoke.

“If it’s going according to the scenario, he should be somewhere.”

“The first school building.”

Upon hearing that, Grue changed course. The school building is off-limits during the Phantom Beast Festival. It’s the perfect place for a secret operation.

“But there’s a possibility that it’s different from the scenario.”

“Indeed, reality differs from the strategy guide. But there are also similarities. Let’s hope that his whereabouts are the former.”

His Highness calmly said, “Lower the altitude” to Grue. The first school building is nearby.” He then began searching the entire school building with magic. This is a high level magic that no one but His Highness can use in the Academy.

“——There are two of them. Another one is——.”

At the name his lips spun, I opened my eyes wide.

＊＊＊

I descended from the Grue on the roof of the school building. Using magic to eliminate footsteps and rustling of clothes, I aimed for the place where the two were and descended from above.

The two were in a classroom on the tenth floor. I listened to their conversation from just outside the classroom.

“How many times do I have to tell you the same thing? I don’t trust you at all when you call people up and lie about [someone being hurt]. Can I go back now?”

“Miss Emilia, wait.”

The situation inside was different from my expectations. Sajad was calmer than I thought.

Rather, it was Emilia who was brought here that was excited. It was unusual for her, who is basically gentle, to have obvious irritation in her voice.

The reason was soon understood. Sajad spoke in a tone as if he was trying to convince a child who doesn’t understand things, and it reflected everything.

“Even though we are now students of the same Academy, you have dirty blood flowing through your veins. Do you think that commoners are only allowed to breathe when serving nobles? Why do you act like a human? What have you mistaken? It’s pitiful… but it’s okay. Even if you’re a lower species, if you have the power of healing, I and my Viscount house will properly make use of it.”

It makes me sick. He’s too arrogant and foolish. I can’t stand it.

But His Highness held me back as I tried to stand up. He persuaded me in a very small voice.

“If you leave now, the gap between reality and the scenario will only widen. Because The Kyuubi is there, he can’t beat Emilia. So it’s better to move in a way that doesn’t lose the advantage of information.”

I looked at His Highness with a feeling as if I was hit on the head. It’s true, it’s a correct argument.

“But…”

To be told that, to just endure it? No matter what Emilia says, Sajad doesn’t pay attention. “Commoner.” That’s why.

I can’t just stand by and watch my best friend being vilified.

“Your Highness, I——.”

“Ah, I understand.”

His Highness nodded. And then he pointed to the other side of the hallway with his chin.

“So, let’s leave it to [him].”

At that time, a man suddenly appeared and entered the classroom where Emilia and Sajad were.

How had he been hiding such intense anger until now? A storm was happening centered on his body. The windows creaked, the entire school building shook slightly, and all the people on the spot were attacked by a sharp ringing in their ears.

“——Shut your mouth, Sajad Mahajanjiga.”

The man stood there, his magic boiling with anger.

One of the capture targets, and one of the five highs. And more than anything, he had been fond of Emilia since the first part.

Gadd Maysen would never forgive anyone who insults his important girl.