Please Bully Me, Miss Villainess!

“…The method you’re suggesting, it’s not pretending to be a couple or something like that, is it?”

Although she wasn’t aware of it herself, Elsa was, after all, the protagonist of this world. While she hadn’t been in a relationship with anyone so far, she had experienced quite a few typical scenarios.

“No, no, no! How could I possibly do something that would damage a lady’s reputation!”

Garth spoke with righteous indignation. He aspired to become a man like the yuri knight Owen, his senior.

A yuri knight stands behind young girls troubled by love, silently offering help and protection, without interfering obtrusively.

“Besides—given sister’s oblivious nature, if we used the fake couple strategy, she’d definitely take it seriously!”

Discussing love matters with a serious face, all traces of Garth’s previously menacing delinquent impression had completely vanished.

He would absolutely never engage in behavior that would interfere and potentially lead the relationship between the two in an uncomfortable direction!

“…Indeed.”

Imagining Yvonne’s reaction, Elsa’s face instantly darkened.

She could almost picture that scene of despair.

If it were that person, she might even smile and offer her blessings.

“So, we need to find a more reliable method!”

“Hmm… you’re right.”

Elsa nodded in agreement repeatedly.

Somehow… little brother seemed even more enthusiastic than herself,

Though he wasn’t a bad person at all.

“According to Miss Dorothy, you told sister that you ‘like’ her, but she didn’t take it seriously, right?”

At this moment, Garth had transformed into a yuri strategist.

“…Yes.”

Bringing this up made Elsa feel dejected.

If only the other party had understood her ‘like’ as something beyond the level of friendship, she wouldn’t have done something like trying to set her up with her own brother.

Bang—!

“In that case, we need to be more proactive in our approach!!”

After listening to the young girl’s troubles, Garth displayed the most manly expression he had shown all day. He slammed the table, startling the surrounding customers.

“But…”

Although she was being encouraged like this, Elsa was still very anxious.

“…What if she says it’s disgusting or something?”

If that happened, she’d want to die!!

Up until now, Elsa hadn’t dared to speak too plainly because she was worried about this very thing.

“Don’t worry, Miss Dorothy. That won’t happen. Sister isn’t that kind of person.”

“But…”

Garth, armed with extensive theoretical knowledge, explained the specific method to Elsa.

Indeed… this way, there would still be room for maneuver.

It was a good strategy that could be both offensive and defensive.

“Sister is very dense when it comes to these matters. If you don’t spell it out for her, she won’t understand.”

Spell it out, huh…

Including her feelings up until now, and the part of her heart that harbored romantic love.

Moreover—actually, sister cares about you more than you think.

From their correspondence, Garth could see that Yvonne also valued her greatly.

After the duke’s scandal was exposed, the Smollett family fell into chaos.

After enduring a prison-like life for a year, sister rarely smiled anymore.

But when they met today, when talking about introducing this girl to him, sister’s face showed a rare, genuine smile from the heart.

“Thank you! Garthie!!”

Having received support, Elsa finally mustered up her courage anew.

“I know what to do now!!”

She was going to confront her head-on!

“Wait, Miss Dorothy! If you go out now, you’ll be discovered!”

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It seems… things are going quite smoothly?

Although she felt the current distance was safe enough, her behavior itself was still the criminal standard combination of stalking and tailing, so Yvonne felt somewhat guilty.

Those two… if only they could continue to progress smoothly.

—She should have had such expectations.

It should have been like that.

But… why?

Looking at the scene of the two sitting face to face, chatting and laughing together not far away, she felt very depressed,

There was a tightness in her chest, as if she had swallowed a large bitter object,

Unable to spit it out, unable to swallow it.

What swept over her like a hurricane was intense jealousy.

…Was she being too petty?

Although Elsa was close to her, as the game’s protagonist, she would ultimately end up with one of the other conquerable characters.

She couldn’t become an obstacle to the happy ending that originally belonged to her.

Moreover…

How long could this relationship, maintained through ‘bullying’, really last?

Yvonne felt very uneasy about the current situation.

If she could follow the game’s original route and have a normal romance, then Yvonne would be able to completely break free from this system, no longer having to awkwardly play the roles of villain and protagonist with her through bullying.

At that time… they might be able to become even closer friends.

Thinking of this, Yvonne felt her face heating up.

So,

This was the right thing to do.

If you ask why—this is the world of an otome game after all,

The villainous character is set up as an antagonist to hinder the protagonist’s romance.

Therefore, as long as she could enter another route, Yvonne wouldn’t need to continue ‘bullying’ her.

This was what she thought, and what she planned to do.

All the characters in the list of conquerable targets could bring happiness to the protagonist.

Among them, there was no option for herself.

Being with her, constantly being bullied, would only lead to unhappiness.

Already…

She didn’t want to bully her anymore.

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“—How was it?”

Pretending to arrive fashionably late, appearing before the two at the agreed time,

The Leinster family’s carriage had also arrived. Before sending Garth to board the carriage, Yvonne asked casually,

“Just as you wrote in your letter, it’s a nice little town.”

“…That’s not what I’m asking about!”

Yvonne was somewhat annoyed, but quickly softened her tone, asking her brother in a low voice:

“Ahem… I’m asking you, Garth, what do you think of that child?”

“You mean Miss Dorothy?”

Looking at Elsa, who was smiling and waving goodbye to him not far away, Garth also politely smiled and waved back.

“I think Miss Dorothy is a very charming person.”

He answered thus, his gaze still lingering on Elsa,

“She has a very special attraction that makes one want to stay with her all the time.”

These words were not mere flattery.

If it weren’t for the fact that she already had someone in her heart, Garth felt he might have pursued Elsa himself.

But as a yuri knight, Garth would never allow himself to commit such an act of betrayal, so he had already cut off this small seed that had yet to sprout from its roots in the garden of his heart, nipping it in the bud.

Now, all he had left to do was to assist.

“So, I also asked Miss Dorothy for a request to further our relationship.”

“…?!”

Hearing this, Yvonne’s heart skipped several beats in tension,

That Elsa… she actually managed to make her usually shy brother do something so proactive with girls?!

Is this the power of a protagonist?

However, this constitution that seemed like a walking love potion, Yvonne had already witnessed before.

For conquerable characters, the existence of the ‘protagonist’ was indeed this special.

Observing the change in Yvonne’s facial expression, Garth was inwardly elated.

Sister is anxious, she’s anxious, she’s anxious!

The joy of a yuri enthusiast was this simple.

No, no, I must stay calm, I must stay calm—the plan must continue, Miss Dorothy still needs my help!

“…Unfortunately, I was rejected.”

At this point, Garth deliberately placed his hand on his chest, furrowing his brows, putting on an expression of heartache.

His handsome appearance made this expression particularly pitiful.

The contrast with his usually fierce expression made the desire to comfort him even stronger.

If only he could always maintain this beautiful boy appearance, he wouldn’t have gone so many years without any girls daring to approach him, right?

“You were too hasty, you should have taken it slowly.”

When she heard that he was rejected, Yvonne suddenly felt relieved,

Strange feelings…

These complex emotions… what exactly were they?

“It seems Miss Dorothy isn’t very interested in me.”

Garth continued to supplement with a regretful expression,

Just as Yvonne was secretly breathing a sigh of relief inwardly, the reason Garth gave next caught her completely off guard,

“She said she’s already become lovers with sister, so she can’t be in a relationship with me.”

?!?!?!

Hearing this, Yvonne almost spat out water like in a comedy manga.

What…

Lovers???

“W-wait, that’s not the case at all—”

This was a completely unexpected development, Yvonne was very flustered. Just as she was about to explain to Garth that this wasn’t true at all, Garth had already quickly slipped into the carriage, and the horses pulling the carriage had already raised their hooves,

“Sister~ See you next time!”

“Wait a minute!! Let me finish what I’m saying!!”

Yvonne was exasperated.

Now the plan had been completely disrupted.

At this moment, from behind, a soft, slender hand grabbed her.

“Um, Evie…”

The owner of this hand was undoubtedly the culprit responsible for the current situation.

—What exactly are you trying to do?

—Why did you tell such an unfounded lie?

Just as she was about to question her like this, however, when Yvonne turned around angrily, she was met with her sparkling gaze,

The words that were about to come out were swallowed back.

“…I have something to tell you.”