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 7.1

It was the first weekend since our enrollment at the academy.

With no classes, I spent a peaceful afternoon enjoying a tea party in the academy’s courtyard, accompanied by Liel and Urs.

At this point in the original storyline, there were no major events.

Aside from helping Liel with her studies, there wasn’t much that required my attention.

That meant—a rare opportunity to relax.

Liel and I shared a table, while Urs sat at a separate one beside us.

On our table:

A reasonable amount of sweets.
A gleaming teacup filled with freshly brewed tea.

On Urs’s table:

A mountain of desserts, stacked to the very edge.
A large glass filled to the brim with fruit juice.

Ever since I took Urs in, she had always eaten in large portions.

The reason was simple—she had lived in constant hunger before.

Now that she had unlimited access to food, she ate to her heart’s content.

Seeing her enjoy herself so thoroughly, I had no reason to stop her.

All of the sweets on our table were Urs’s own creations.

Though not a maid in the traditional sense, Urs had learned to cook—not out of duty, but to satisfy her own appetite.

Now, she could prepare a wide variety of dishes.

Since the academy’s cafeteria and pantry were free for students and staff, Urs had taken full advantage, making desserts without restraint.

I casually enjoyed a slice of her indulgent, fruit-filled cake, engaging in light conversation with Liel.

“Liel, what do you plan to do after graduation?”

“I’ll be working at the Royal Mage Institute in the capital. I’ll be involved in magic stone production and research assistance. That’s actually why the Magic Association arranged for me to attend the academy in the first place.”

“I see. With your light attribute, you’ll certainly be in high demand.”

Upon graduation, students received an official license to create magic stones.

Magic stones were an essential resource for operating magic tools, used by both nobles and commoners alike.

Fire and water magic stones were used in kitchens and baths.
Lightning magic stones powered lamps and lighting fixtures.

Essentially, magic stones were elemental batteries.

There were three primary ways to obtain magic stones:

Mining them from high-magic-density regions.
Extracting them from defeated magical creatures.
Creating them using magic-infused techniques.

The demand for magic stones was constantly increasing.

They were always valuable, making them a major source of wealth.

Because of this, strict regulations were in place regarding their production.

Only nobles who graduated from the academy were granted the legal authority to create and sell them.

This naturally granted them power and influence.

However—

There was one limitation.

Mages could only create magic stones of their own attribute.

Light-attribute magic stones were especially rare.

They were used for protective magic tools.
They were more valuable than lightning stones for illumination.
They were an essential component in photography-related magic tools.

However, very few people possessed a light-attribute affinity.

Based on the original game’s lore and the exceptional circumstances of Liel’s enrollment, it was safe to assume—

Liel was the only known light-attribute mage in the entire kingdom.

At the Royal Mage Institute, research was being conducted on:

Transforming magic stone attributes.
Creating magic stones beyond one’s natural affinity.

Given Liel’s unique abilities, she was too valuable to be mistreated.

The institute would protect her well, at least for the sake of their own interests.

“Lady Lilia, what about you? After graduation, will you return to your territory to govern?”

“No. My older sister, who is married, will be the next ruler. She already has a child, so there’s no longer any need for a ‘spare’ like me to return.”

“A… spare?”

I briefly explained how I had been raised as a backup for my sister, and how that had resulted in me having little to no real family life.

“That sounds… really sad.”

Liel frowned slightly, concern evident in her soft blue eyes.

She lifted her teacup, taking a slow sip, all the while watching me closely.

Her expression was filled with kindness.

Even without words, I could feel her quiet empathy.

“That may be true.”

I let out a small breath, gazing into the distance.

“But thanks to that, I was able to act as I pleased. In the end, I think it worked out for the best. As for my plans after graduation… I’m still figuring that out.”

Liel’s expression softened, her blue eyes shining with sincerity.

“I hope you find your path soon. If there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know.”

A quiet chuckle escaped my lips.

“Fufu… Thank you, Liel.”

What did I truly want?

A blank canvas surfaced in my mind.

But before I could dwell on it, I pushed the thought away.

Because right now—I had nothing to paint on it.

Liel, seemingly sensing the shift in mood, brightened the atmosphere with a cheerful remark.

“Urs, your cakes are absolutely amazing! I feel like I could eat them forever.”

Her enthusiastic praise made me smile naturally.

“Urs’s skills never fail to impress me. No matter how exhausted I am, her cooking always manages to soothe my heart.”

Urs, who had been stuffing another pastry into her mouth, paused mid-bite, looking a bit sheepish at the compliment.

I took a bite of my own cake.

The rich sweetness of the fruit melted on my tongue, filling me with warmth.

As I savored the taste, I turned to Liel with curiosity.

“Liel, what’s your favorite dessert?”

For a brief moment, her gaze lowered, an almost apologetic look crossing her face.

Her voice was quieter than before.

“I… haven’t had many opportunities to eat sweets. So I don’t really know which ones I like or dislike.”

I could sense her hesitation, so I responded with a gentle smile, hoping to ease her heart.

“Then let’s find out together.”

Liel looked up at me, her cheeks dusted with a faint pink hue.

“Together…?”

“Yes. We’ll try different desserts and discover which ones you love the most.”

Her lips curved into a small smile, a mix of shyness and excitement lighting up her expression.

“That sounds like fun. I’d love to try new sweets… especially with you, Lady Lilia.”

Watching her genuine delight, I couldn’t help but smile along with her.

The thought of sharing more warm moments like this in the future made me look forward to the days ahead just a little more.