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 9.1

Today is a holiday, but being at the academy is troublesome. That’s because the academy is packed with events today. Even if there’s no direct problem with Allen, who is now attached to Shiroe, the connections will spread to his younger brother, Vein, and the branch family’s Makios, so it’s best to avoid any events if possible.

So, what should I do? The answer is simple: if we’re outside the academy, the event flags will be broken, and the issue will be solved. With that in mind, I go on a uniform date with Liel.

In the morning, I gently knead Liel’s face with both hands, causing her to make sleepy noises and wake up. If Liel had a previous life, she might have been a kneaded bread or a mewing cat.

We have a light breakfast with Urs and then head out in our uniforms.

First, we stroll through the morning market. The market is lively, with fresh ingredients, some avant-garde ornaments that make you wonder who would buy them, and street foods that are perfect for snacking. Just walking around is enough to pass the time. It’s also fun because we get to see sights not described in the original story.

After exploring the market, we sit on a bench at the fountain square, where Liel and I first met, to rest.

“It’s already been over a month since I met Liel. Time really flies.”

“Every day is so fun that I feel like time is moving too fast. It’s all thanks to you, Lady Lilia.”

“Hehe, I also feel that my days are brighter with you around.”

I gently stroke Liel’s long, golden hair, which glows in the sunlight. She smiles contentedly, narrowing her eyes in happiness. If I wanted to, I could probably keep petting her forever.

After I stop stroking her hair, Liel, now back to her usual self, suddenly realizes something.

“Wait just a moment!”

She runs over to Urs, receives something from him, and quickly returns.

“Lady Lilia! Please, try this!”

What Liel brought back was a small basket filled with bite-sized cookies and a water bottle. I recognize them from the original story, but I check to be sure.

“Did you make these, Liel?”

“Yes! When I was at the orphanage, I often made cookies for the children. I wanted to thank you for everything… I secretly made them after you went to sleep last night.”

Ah, that’s why she was so sleepy this morning.

“I’ll have one.”

I take a cookie and, after a single bite, the rich buttery flavor fills my mouth.

I look at Liel, who’s watching me nervously, and share my thoughts.

“It’s really delicious.”

Liel smiles in relief, her face lighting up with happiness.

“Really!? I’m so glad!”

“I’m sure the children at the orphanage must have enjoyed them too. They have so much heart in them.”

“Hehe…”

Liel blushes shyly, clearly pleased by my praise.

After eating a few more, I start to feel a bit awkward.

“I’ve been eating them all by myself.”

“These cookies are for you, Lady Lilia, so please don’t worry about me.”

Even so, it doesn’t feel right for me to eat them all by myself. It’s a bit strange for only one of us to keep eating while sitting on the bench.

Hmm… Ah, I’ve got it.

I take another cookie and offer it to Liel.

“Liel, you should eat one too.”

“Eh, but…”

“Don’t be shy, here, say ‘ah’.”

I hold the cookie up to her mouth, and Liel, with a resigned expression, slowly opens her mouth.

“Thank you… ahh.”

Liel eats the cookie, looking a bit embarrassed but also happy.

“Things like these taste even better when shared. Don’t you think?”

“…Yes, it’s really delicious.”

We continue eating the cookies, enjoying the lively atmosphere around us. The sound of the fountain and the laughter of people make the scene feel peaceful.

In the original story, all the characters, except for Tarmain, have events where they eat Liel’s cookies. Allen eats them in a flower field, Vein on a mountain road, and Makios in the student council room, each enjoying them in their own way. While I’m not one of the target characters, I find it touching as a player to actually taste Liel’s cookies.

After the break at the fountain square, we take a short walk to a nearby restaurant for lunch. When I try to pay for both mine and Liel’s meal, Liel stops me.

“I can pay for my own!”

This part isn’t in the original story, but at the academy, students can create magic stones in a designated workshop and sell them to the academy. Although the payout is very small, Liel seems to have earned enough pocket money from selling light attribute magic stones, as she can only make one per week due to her current magical capacity.

Afterward, we visited the flower shop to choose flowers to decorate the room, and accompanied Urs to a store selling tableware and cooking utensils. We decided to have the purchases delivered for an additional fee, then headed toward the city walls surrounding the royal capital.

Eventually, we left the bustling town and arrived at the entrance of the city walls. By the time we got there, it was already evening.

The soldier at the reception stood with perfect posture and, upon our approach, explained without expression:

“Welcome. To enter here, there is a small entrance fee.”

He took the money for the three of us, checked it, and nodded.

“From the top, you’ll get a wonderful view.”

We climbed the long staircase that led from the entrance, and once we reached the top of the city walls, a beautiful view unfolded before us. The rooftops of the town were bathed in the colors of the setting sun, the sun sinking in the distance, and clouds that stood out against the orange sky. It was almost like a painting.

Liel spread her arms out as if to fully enjoy the view.

“Wow… amazing!”

We moved to the edge of the city wall and looked out over the royal capital. Below us, children were playing, and merchants were hard at work. It was like the lives of the people were unfolding in a picture scroll.

At that moment, Urs jumped onto the edge of the city wall.

“Heh, what a nice view.”

“Wait, that’s dangerous!”

Liel gasped in alarm and hurriedly called out to her, but Urs waved her hand casually, answering with his usual carefree attitude.

“I’m not dumb enough to fall. Besides, with this height, I wouldn’t get hurt even if I did fall.”

“This height…?”

Liel leaned forward to look down, and I quickly pulled her back, hugging her tightly.

“It’s dangerous to lean forward like that. And don’t worry, Urs is fine.”

“Ah, yes…”

We composed ourselves and continued admiring the view.

“The royal capital really is vast when you see it from up here.”

“We’ve only seen a small part of it so far.”

Liel seemed excited about all the places we hadn’t yet seen.

“How about we go on another trip to an unknown place, like today?”

At my suggestion, Liel’s face lit up with a bright smile.

“Yes, I’d love that! I want to see all sorts of different views with you, Lady Lilia.”

I smiled at her words and turned my gaze back to the sprawling town.

After enjoying the scenery, we descended the long staircase. As we returned to the entrance, I noticed Liel was out of breath, her hands resting on her knees.

I had made a mistake. I hadn’t considered that Liel’s stamina… or rather, her status, was still not high. I should have used the town carriage, like a taxi, more often. I’ll be more careful next time.

We caught a town carriage, paid the fare, and were driven back to the academy.

Urs sat across from me, and Liel took the seat to my right. As I gazed out of the carriage, I noticed that except for the taverns, most shops were closing for the night.

Suddenly, I felt a faint sensation on my right shoulder. When I looked over, Liel had fallen asleep, her head resting on my shoulder. The combination of the carriage’s swaying and her fatigue had claimed her, and she looked peaceful, with a relaxed expression. Her sleeping face was so gentle and serene, and I couldn’t help but smile at how adorable she looked.

“Aren’t you going to kiss the sleeping princess on the cheek?”

“Liel and I aren’t that kind of relationship.”

“Hah, how boring~”

If it were one of the target characters from the game here, they might have done something like that, but not me.

When we arrived at the academy, I woke Liel and helped her out of the carriage.

She was still unsteady on her feet from her exhaustion. Unable to watch her struggle, I immediately swept her up in a princess carry.

“Eep! Oh no…”

“You’re swaying too much. I’ll carry you like this.”

As we started walking, Liel asked in a concerned voice.

“Ah, um, is it not too heavy for you…?”

“You’re as light as angel wings.”

With my stats, carrying Liel was no burden at all. I had even trained by carrying large rocks to improve my strength, so this was nothing.

“Lady Lilia… everyone is watching…”

To reassure Liel, I smiled and responded confidently.

“I’m showing it off.”

No matter what the reality was, if I made it clear to everyone that Liel was “mine,” it would be harder for anyone to treat her badly or gossip about her when I’m not around. With that in mind, I proudly carried her back to our room.

Since it was dangerous for her to take a bath while exhausted, we decided to wait until tomorrow morning to bathe together before heading to bed.

I had successfully broken the flag for today’s academy event, and I’d enjoyed a uniform date with Liel. Everything was perfect.