I Raised the Villain's Daughter Too Well-Chapter 50: Didn’t Know! -

"I hope next time we can part with a smile."

"...I’ll try."

Olvesia casually blew up the noble girls’ heads and vanished.

My hand, which had been poised for a possible attack, fell powerlessly from the hilt—

At that moment, Emily, who had been hiding behind my back all along, leapt out and blinked as she looked at the dusty plains and me.

"W-What the hell? What’s your relationship with Olvesia??"

"There is no relationship. She suddenly attacked, so I ran. That’s all there is to it."

There was no need to mention that I’d already taken Olvesia down once. Not like she’d believe it anyway.

"Then, c-could it be... to win the favor of me, a Laurencian noble...?"

Emily muttered something bizarre to herself and nodded as if convinced.

"You didn’t hear what Lady Olvesia said, did you? Emily, she didn’t even acknowledge your existence."

"Obviously that was just a front. Why would a butler like you be trembling? You didn’t even do anything—you just ran away."

I was about to retort but shut my mouth.

Sure, what Emily said made no sense—

But Olvesia’s behavior made even less. Explaining it logically was impossible, so I just went along with her.

"...Now that I think about it, that must be it. Laurencia’s prestige truly is something."

"Don’t be sarcastic!"

She’s sharp with this sort of thing. I brushed it off and headed back up to the command post.

"Let’s clean up what’s left. I still don’t know what just happened, but things are definitely safer than before."

"Yeah, you’re right... and anyway, we’ve got to pass..."

While climbing, Emily suddenly looked at me like she’d just had an idea.

"Oh! Then we can go conquer another outpost now, right? Those two are gone..."

"Absolutely not."

"Why?"

"I understand your desire to shoot for the top ranks, but there’s not a single reason to introduce a new variable. As long as Lady Olvesia and Lady Firnea are around, dreaming of first place is pointless."

Emily wants to climb the ranks and make a comeback. I just need to pass.

I expected her to lash out like a lunatic if our opinions clashed—

"...Fine, I get it. Just stop glaring at me like that."

Emily grimaced in distaste, but she didn’t pick a fight.

"Let’s go help the commoner girl. Come to think of it, isn’t she kind of weird? Doesn’t seem like a witch, but... it’s like she didn’t receive a proper upbringing. Maybe the word’s ‘beast.’"

I scratched my head as I looked at Emily, who clearly didn’t care much.

Before the exam started, she would’ve exploded with a fit and tried to make it a life-or-death situation, then gotten smacked down and sobbed like a child.

It’s nice that I don’t need to threaten her anymore, but the reaction was so different from what I imagined that it threw me off.

"What’re you doing? Not coming?"

"...Coming."

Well, guess it’s good if things go smoothly.

As I headed back up to the command post, I looked once more toward the direction Olvesia had vanished.

But where the hell is she going?

If my memory’s right, there shouldn’t be any outposts over there.

...Whatever. She’ll do her thing.

****

"What is he even doing..."

Firnea let out a sigh of disbelief.

She trusted that Virdem would handle things well on his own.

But his path was completely erratic.

He would go the right way, then suddenly veer off, then run, go straight...

Then start running again.

It looked like someone just randomly driving a carriage in a straight line with no thought at all.

'That Laurencian noble... what was her name again, Emily?'

Was she the one who bullied Firnea as a child? Or did Firnea bully her?

All she remembered were the memories that belonged to Virdem. So the girl must be just some worthless bug.

There’s no way Virdem couldn’t control such a foolish woman. When it came to manipulation and intimidation, even Firnea herself couldn’t surpass him.

Which meant—something had happened.

"Haa..."

Even so, Firnea still believed in Virdem.

She had no doubt that something as petty as this exam wouldn’t break him. The reason she was going to find him wasn’t to help—it was because she wanted to see him.

If they were in the same space, why should they be apart? It was simply unfair.

With that thought, she had thrown away the whole exam the moment she hit the passing line.

Well, she was going to be late if she walked like this.

She let out a sigh, regretting not bringing a carriage—her judgment always blurred when it involved Virdem—

When she sensed something from far away.

‘Maybe if I run, I won’t be too late.’

Firnea ignored it without hesitation.

She knew full well that nothing in this mana space could possibly threaten her. freewebnoveℓ.com

As long as the team leader wasn’t eliminated, the team wouldn’t be eliminated either—and that rule heavily favored her.

Just as she was about to throw all decorum aside and sprint at full speed—

"Kyaaaah! Y-You maniac, what the hell is going on!!"

A cadet burst out of the bushes, screaming.

His body was covered in wounds, caked in dust, and he was clutching his sword tightly, gasping for breath.

He was like this even though she ignored him? Firnea sighed and looked at the cadet, who then widened his eyes and pointed his sword at her.

"L-Lady of Seriratus... Are you here to kill me too!?"

"...What is this now?"

Firnea looked at the cadet like he was an insect and tried to ignore him again—her destination was still far away.

But the cadet convulsed and shouted.

"Graaaah!! So the two families united to defeat me, the Lord of the Black Mountains, Goldion! Seriratus and Senfenesia joining forces... what did I ever do wrong!?"

Firnea caught a family name she couldn’t overlook in that ridiculous scream.

"This can’t be how it ends! Come, face my Twin Dragon Coordinated Blade Technique—me, the one who slew a thousand dragons!"

"..."

As Goldion made his last desperate stand, pointing his sword, Firnea looked at him with folded arms and a look of disdain.

“Head down.”

“...What?”

Goldion stupidly asked back, and Firnea was not the kind of person to offer mercy twice.

—Crunch!

Goldion’s head turned to dust in an instant.

His body collapsed, also crumbling into dust, and Olvesia emerged from behind, sheathing her sword as she walked forward.

Expected.

Firnea watched the scene and let out a crooked smile.

“Hm, looks like you’re having fun.”

“...Aren’t you the heiress of Seriratus? I didn’t think we’d meet in a place like this—what a nice surprise.”

Olvesia replied with a friendly smile.

Only—her body was completely covered in dust.

That dust must have belonged to other cadets.

It didn’t take long to realize what the Senfenesia girl was up to.

Firnea let out a sharp, thin smile and stepped forward, snapping open her fan.

“Go ahead, knock yourself out. I’ll give you the first move.”

It would be inconvenient to beat her senseless during the Grand Melee—

So she might as well make it absolutely clear right here, right now, and keep her from ever crawling back up again.

If she left this fool alone and she ended up laying a hand on Virdem, it would be a disaster.

Firnea was fully prepared to take a few hits just to serve up an overwhelming defeat—

“I’m not here to fight you.”

“...Huh?”

Olvesia shook her head, and Firnea blinked at the unexpected answer.

“Why not? Weren’t you trying to knock out every other cadet?”

“Oh? So you noticed.”

“It’s not a matter of noticing... You’re drenched in their dust and knocked them out right in front of me. What, were you hoping I wouldn’t figure it out? Whatever. If that’s your plan, you should start with me. That’s the obvious move.”

Firnea knew all too well the instinct—no, the reflex—that drove Senfenesia’s warriors to charge headfirst the moment they saw a strong opponent.

So she had assumed from the very beginning that Olvesia would go wild the moment she laid eyes on her.

No—she had sensed it as far back as the power struggle over the crystal orb. The girl’s eyes had been practically dripping with honey.

But now she’s suddenly...?

As Firnea mulled over the situation, Olvesia stepped closer and extended a hand.

“...What’s this?”

“They call it a handshake.”

“...”

“There’s no need for us to waste strength fighting. Why don’t we get along? In this exam, and at the Academy as well.”

A complete 180 in attitude.

Firnea hesitated for a moment, then took her hand.

“Can I take this as agreement?”

“I mean... I figured you’d pull me in the moment I grabbed your hand and stab me in the face with a sword.”

Firnea mumbled with a strange expression as she pulled back.

Of course, when someone bends over backward this far, not accepting would be weirder.

Their exchange seemed equal, but given this level of concession, it was clear Senfenesia had laid its belly bare.

And from Seriratus’s standpoint, that could only be a good thing.

So—it made no sense.

‘...What the hell? Did I scare her?’

That was the most ridiculous possibility of all.

Fear and Senfenesia—there were few words more incompatible.

They were freaks who got more excited the stronger their opponent was.

Firnea kept a measured distance and accepted the truce.

“Then, let’s avoid any need to bare fangs at each other. I won’t # Nоvеlight # go out of my way to bother you.”

“That’s all? I was hoping we could get even closer.”

“...Wait, what’s wrong with you? Did you eat something bad?”

Even Firnea, born of the most intense bloodline, felt a chill run down her skin as Olvesia smiled sweetly at her.

Pure hostility would’ve been easier to handle. This kind of approach—where the opponent says things that only benefit you—was far more difficult.

Still wearing her gentle smile, Olvesia backed away.

“My apologies if I made you uncomfortable. I just wanted to convey my sincerity.”

“Y-Yeah...”

She smiled inside as she watched Firnea’s puzzled expression.

A butler follows their master.

Which meant—if you stayed close to the master, contact points would form.

There was plenty of time. No need to rush and ruin things.

“Best of luck.”

Just like that, Olvesia disappeared into the forest the same way she had come.

From the faint screams echoing in the distance, it seemed she really did intend to eliminate almost every other cadet.

And yet... she was giving up her chance at first place?

Even when she was alone?

“...Suspicious.”

Firnea stood rooted in place for a long time, thinking.

What was her real intention? What was she after?

And then—eventually—she realized something.

“...Ah!”

She should’ve been thinking while walking.

...Too late.