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 5.2

Just like the night before, I followed Lady Lilia to the bath.

Determined to stay composed, I quickly undressed and stepped into the water ahead of her, hoping to settle my thoughts before she entered.

The only reason I had gotten so flustered yesterday was because it was my first time experiencing something like that.

Now that I had been through it once, I was prepared.

This time, I wouldn’t let myself get overwhelmed.

I wouldn’t look at her in that way.

I wouldn’t—

Lady Lilia stepped into the bath just within the edge of my vision.

To test my self-control, I glanced at another woman already in the bath.

Beautiful…

Then, I looked at someone else.

Also beautiful…

And then, I turned to Lady Lilia.

Too beautiful. Too dangerously beautiful.

I immediately covered my face with both hands.

Oh no.

Why was Lady Lilia the only one I saw like this?

I was doomed.

Not just in one way, but in many ways.

To resist my wandering thoughts, I made a firm decision—for the duration of this bath, I would not look at Lady Lilia.

Absolutely not.

…Well, at least not too much.

…Okay, maybe just a little.

…Perhaps occasionally.

…Just a quick glance.

…Alright, I’ll look.

…I’m sorry. I looked.

But at the very least, unlike yesterday, I didn’t get so overwhelmed that I nearly fainted.

That was progress.

Once the lingering warmth from my bath had faded, I sat at my desk and took out my diary—something I hadn’t had the chance to write in the night before.

Before I could begin, Lady Lilia’s voice called out to me.

“Is that… a diary?”

“Yes! It was a gift from the headmaster and the children at the orphanage to celebrate my enrollment.”

I had noticed the children whispering among themselves before I left, but I never expected them to prepare a gift for me.

When they handed me the diary, they told me to “fill it with happy memories from the academy.”

The kindness behind their words had moved me to tears.

Now, remembering that moment filled me with warmth all over again.

“That’s a wonderful gift. It suits you.”

“Right? I loved it the moment I saw it!”

The diary’s design was exactly my style.

Part of me felt it was too precious to use, but at the same time, I wanted to cherish it by filling it with meaningful memories.

Perhaps sensing my need for privacy, Lady Lilia gave me space, allowing me to focus on the blank pages before me.

I wrote about my first impression of the royal capital—how overwhelmed I had been by its grandeur.

I recorded my less-than-graceful arrival.

My unexpected encounter with Lady Lilia.

And everything that followed.

The words flowed easily, filling the pages with my thoughts and experiences.

When I finished, I closed the diary with a deep sense of satisfaction.

Writing in it felt right, like I was solidifying my place in this new world.

If Lady Lilia hadn’t been here, my entries might have been filled with sorrow instead. Or worse, I might not have written anything at all, unwilling to taint something so precious with unhappy memories.

No… there was no might about it. I was certain that would have been the case.

Even though I had only known Lady Lilia for a short time, she was already becoming an irreplaceable presence in my life.

She wasn’t just beautiful—she was kind, warm, and deeply considerate.

Thinking back, there were times when I had forgotten to use proper formal speech with her, yet she had never once scolded me for it.

The more I reflected, the more I realized how much I had received from her.

Lady Lilia had given me so much, yet I had given her nothing in return.

Someday, I wanted to be strong enough to stand beside her—not just as someone receiving kindness, but as someone who could give it back.

Someday, I wanted to be able to support her, just as she had supported me.

I would do my best.

As I solidified my resolve, Lady Lilia suddenly asked me an unexpected question.

“Can I ask you something? Do the words ‘save’ and ‘load’ mean anything to you? Or have you ever felt like time has rewound, or been able to see your abilities displayed as numerical values?”

I searched my memories.

I had never heard the words save or load before.

The concept of time rewinding… Wasn’t there a word for that? Déjà vu? But no, I had never actually experienced something like that.

And as for seeing my own abilities in numbers—if I could, I wouldn’t have spent so many years unaware of my light magic affinity.

“Um… no, none of that sounds familiar.”

“I see. That’s good to know. On another note, do you think you’ll be able to keep up with the academy’s lessons starting tomorrow?”

“I think so. I studied at the church’s Sunday school, so I should be able to manage… Plus, after my enrollment was confirmed, the Magic Association sent instructors to the orphanage to teach me various subjects.”

That was reassuring.

I had worried that, as a commoner, I would struggle academically. But it seemed I wouldn’t be completely lost.

The instructor sent by the Magic Association was an older woman.

She had extensive knowledge and experience in magic manipulation and spellcasting, and her teaching was exceptionally clear and effective.

Since magic wasn’t covered in the Sunday school classes that commoners attended, I had started from zero. But thanks to her lessons, I managed to grasp even some basic applications before my enrollment.

“I see. But if you ever have trouble with your studies, come to me immediately. Don’t hesitate—I’ll be your personal tutor, Liel.”

Lady Lilia… as my teacher?

And just for me…?

☆ ☆ ☆

“Professor Lilia, there’s something I really want to know…”

Hesitant, I spoke up. Lady Lilia’s cool fingers wrapped around my hand.

“You can ask me anything.”

“I… I want to know more about you, Professor Lilia.”

She gave me that signature faint smile of hers.

“If you want to learn about me… I’ll teach you everything.”

With practiced ease, she undid the top button of her shirt. Then another.

One after another, the buttons came undone, revealing more and more of her pale, flawless skin.

When the last one was unfastened, she slipped the fabric off her shoulders in a smooth, fluid motion, letting it fall away.

“Come here.”

—Wait, what!?

I snapped out of my delusion, horrified at my own thoughts.

“Y-yes! I’ll definitely rely on you!”

After finishing our nighttime preparations, Lady Lilia turned to me with a gentle invitation.

“Liel, let’s sleep together.”

She smiled before slipping under the covers.

Heart pounding, I hesitantly lay down beside her.

Her scent filled the air between us, and her warmth was close—far too close.

I was completely aware of every tiny movement, every breath she took.

“Good night, Liel.”

Her voice was soft, soothing, yet it only made my heart race faster.

I couldn’t believe I was lying next to her.

“G-good night, Lady Lilia.”

Not long after, her breathing settled into a calm, rhythmic pace.

She had already drifted into sleep.

…I wasn’t going to sleep anytime soon.

Unlike last night, when exhaustion had taken over, my mind was completely alert.

I was hyper-aware of the situation—Lady Lilia and I were sharing a bed, wearing matching negligees.

Of course, I was nervous.

But more than that, I was mesmerized.

Lady Lilia’s sleeping face had a different kind of beauty from when she was awake.

Silver hair shimmered in the faint moonlight filtering through the curtains.

The steady rhythm of her breathing was soothing, almost hypnotic.

Her features, usually so poised and regal, were now relaxed, peaceful.

In this moment, she looked like something out of a dream—an ethereal, otherworldly beauty.

Looking at her, I felt something tighten in my chest.

“Lady Lilia…”

I whispered her name and, almost unconsciously, leaned closer.

Her face was completely serene, vulnerable in sleep.

She looked like a fairy… or an angel.

Drawn in by her beauty, I found myself moving even closer, until our lips were nearly touching—

And then I snapped back to reality.

What was I doing!?

I jerked back, mentally scolding myself.

Over and over, I repeated in my head: You can’t do this.

Taking a shaky breath, I steadied myself.

“I’m sorry, Lady Lilia…”

Even though she was asleep, I felt the need to apologize.

Looking at her made my emotions spiral in ways I didn’t fully understand.

But I didn’t want to turn away from her.

Instead, I lowered my gaze.

“…Whoa.”

Lady Lilia had shifted in her sleep, lying on her side, facing me.

And because of that…

Her chest…

Pressed together.

Her deep cleavage stood out even in the dim lighting.

The thin fabric of her negligee did little to conceal anything—it was nearly transparent.

I swallowed hard.

They must be so soft.

So… unbelievably soft.

She was completely defenseless, lying there in such an alluring way.

My face felt like it was burning.

No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t stop my heartbeat from accelerating.

It was impossible not to feel something.

But I couldn’t betray her trust.

Even if she never found out, I knew I would regret it by morning.

So instead, I simply stared.

I gazed at her sleeping face, her perfect features, the way her body subtly rose and fell with each breath.

I watched, for what felt like hours.

Until eventually…

I ended up staying awake the entire night.