Flag-Breaking Villainess: The Story of How Breaking the Romance Flags of the Otome Game's Protagonist Ended Up Creating New Flags Between the Reincarnated Villainess and the Heroine - Chapter 15.1

As the common route neared its end, I found myself spending a peaceful afternoon in my room with Liel. We were having tea and snacks after classes, but something about her behavior seemed off. She was restless, fidgeting as if she had something on her mind.

I chose to observe her silently rather than commenting on it right away. Eventually, she stood up, walked over to her desk, and retrieved something. With a determined look in her eyes, she turned back toward me.

“Um… Lady Lilia, there’s something I want to show you!”

“Something you want to show me?”

Looking a little shy, Liel carefully placed the item she had been holding—a sheet of drawing paper—onto the table.

What appeared before me was a monochrome portrait of myself, from the chest up. The expression captured in the drawing was one of warmth, a gentle smile brought to life with striking realism. It looked nothing like the reflection I saw in the mirror. My breath caught in my throat.

“This is… me? But why…?”

“You once said you stopped being able to paint because you lost touch with the feelings that used to guide your hand. You didn’t know what you wanted to draw anymore. I hoped this might help you remember, even if just a little. So, I decided to draw the person who means the most to me… my friend. I put my heart into it, Lady Lilia. I drew this for you!”

“A drawing just for me…”

Hearing her say that I was the person she cherished most stirred something deep inside me. I stared at the drawing, absorbing every detail.

“…The lines are a bit uneven, and you haven’t fully utilized shading. To put it simply, your technique needs work.”

“Ugh…!”

I wasn’t going to call it awful, but from an artistic standpoint, there were clear technical flaws.

“It’s not a particularly skillful piece.”

“I figured as much…”

Liel slumped in disappointment, the air around her deflating.

But I wasn’t finished.

“Even so… I love this painting.”

I could feel the sincerity behind Liel’s strokes, the emotions she had poured into each line.

This was a work filled with pure, unfiltered affection—a piece meant for no one but me.

Something deep within me stirred, an unfamiliar warmth unfurling in my chest.

“More than any masterpiece in that museum, this painting has captured my heart. To me, this is the most precious artwork in the world.”

Before I knew it, tears began slipping down my cheeks. My chest tightened, overwhelmed with emotions that I couldn’t quite put into words.

Liel had thought about me—deeply enough to create something so personal.

That fact alone filled me with an immense sense of joy. The raw honesty radiating from her work enveloped me in a gentle warmth.

The tears trailing down my face were proof of just how much this moment meant to me.

“Thank you, Liel… It makes me so happy to know you think of me this much. Truly, thank you.”

I stood up and pulled Liel into a tight embrace, pressing her head against my chest.

Her warmth seeped into me, filling the hollow spaces inside.

In that moment, I realized just how much her presence had come to mean to me.

“Liel… Heh… Hehehe…”

The possessive part of me began to surface.

I wanted to keep her close.

As she remained still in my arms, I ran my fingers through her hair, savoring the sensation.

I had to suppress the growing desire within me.

Slowly, I let her go, allowing her some space.

Liel’s face was bright red, utterly flustered. She was so adorable that I almost pulled her back into my arms—but I managed to restrain myself.

“Do you have more drawing paper? I feel like I might be able to draw something right now.”

“Oh! Yes! I bought extra, so you can use as many sheets as you’d like!”

Liel quickly placed a fresh sheet of paper and a drawing pencil onto the table.

“What are you going to draw?”

“The person I most want to capture at this moment… you, Liel.”

A bright, delighted smile spread across Liel’s face.

How adorable.

“Then I’ll sit somewhere where you can see me clearly!”

“Wait.”

I reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from moving away.

“Sit next to me. I think I’ll be able to draw better that way.”

“…Okay!”

Liel sat down beside me, so close that our shoulders nearly touched. Having her nearby gave me a sense of calm.

I turned my gaze toward her, taking in the details of my subject.

The silky ends of her golden hair reached just below her chest.

Her blue eyes, shimmering with anticipation, were the kind one could lose themselves in forever.

Her body, slightly smaller than mine, made me want to wrap her in my arms and keep her there.

Though modest, her chest still held a presence, the very place where I had once heard the sound of her life.

I gripped my pencil tightly but didn’t move it just yet. This wouldn’t be a mere reproduction of what I saw. I needed to compose the image in my mind first, shaping it into a single cohesive piece.

“How should I draw you…?”

Memories of Liel’s smile and the moments we had shared began surfacing in my mind. Her kindness, her innocence, the way she sometimes looked so serious—it all came flooding back.

And then, as if the hesitation I had carried for so long had never existed, my hand finally moved.

The moment my pencil touched the paper, it felt as if my emotions were taking shape right before my eyes.

Liel’s presence softened my heart, yet at the same time, made me feel stronger.

Before I knew it, I had lost myself in the act of drawing.

As I sketched, more and more feelings welled up from within me.

For the first time, I understood what it was I had felt when I painted in my past life.

I wanted to draw the things I loved.

I wanted to express what I cherished.

I simply wanted to enjoy creating from the heart.

That was all.

I put down my pencil.

The sun was already beginning to set.

“It’s finished.”

On the sheet of paper, I had captured not just Liel’s image, but also the affection I held for her.

I turned to her and, with the same expression she had drawn on my face, I smiled.

“I hope you like it.”

Liel was silent for a long moment, her eyes fixed on the drawing. Slowly, her lips curved into a soft smile.

“I can’t quite put it into words… but it feels like the version of me you drew is even more beautiful than I am in real life.”

“You’re already beautiful, Liel. Don’t say it like that.”

I lightly tapped her nose with my finger.

“Ahh… Oh… T-Thank you. That makes me really happy.”

Her cheeks flushed a deep red, and the way she smiled filled me with warmth.

“I should be the one thanking you, Liel. You saved my heart.”

I gazed at her. The sunset bathed her in golden light, making her expression seem even gentler. Her blonde hair glowed with warm orange hues, and her blue eyes reflected the heat of the evening sun, as if absorbing its warmth.

I slid an arm around her waist, pulling her slightly closer.

Our faces were just inches apart.

In her deep blue irises, I saw myself reflected.

“…Ah…”

My eyes drifted downward, drawn to her lips.

They looked soft… inviting…

Would it be so wrong to cast everything aside and make Liel mine?

I tightened my hold on her ever so slightly, ensuring she wouldn’t slip away.

I leaned in—

But just then, the chime of the academy’s bell shattered the quiet atmosphere.

The sound of evening settling in.

I let go of her waist and averted my gaze.

That was close. I had almost let my desires take over.

Being forceful wasn’t the right approach.

Besides, I wasn’t a romanceable character. There was no happy ending for the two of us.

Liel was the protagonist of an otome game. For her, a relationship with another girl wasn’t even within the realm of possibility.

Even if that weren’t the case, I had already taken away her choices for my own sake.

Someone like me—who had stolen Liel’s freedom to choose—had no right to be chosen by her.

“On our next day off, we should pick out frames for our paintings.”

“Yes! And we can decide together where to display them.”