||

Authors Note: This chapter features some violence. And thank you once again for continuing to read this story! I feel truly blessed.

T/N: Merry Christmas Eve!! I hope you all have a great holiday! If you are having a nice, relaxing time with your family, this chapter doesnt really help set the mood for that, so you may want to hold off haha. Also, this marks the fifth chapter for the week, so Ill be taking my two day weekend now. If you dont want a slight cliffhanger before a two day break, I would again hold off until Sunday XD Hopefully Ill see you then!

Oww. my arms.

Wait Whats going on? What am I doing in this decrepit little shack?

From what I remember, I was just walking through the forest on the school grounds like normal. So how did I end up here?

Ah. Wait Thats right. Somebody hit me from behind. All of a sudden, pain had erupted from my back, but then I dont really remember what happened after that. I probably collapsed and ended up losing consciousness.

My guard was down since I was walking within the academys grounds, but I guess even being within the school can be dangerous.

But to attack me from behind, just how cowardly is my assailant? And were they targeting me because Im a villainess?

If someones already aiming for me life, then I guess I must be pretty famous already.

Good going, me! I have to keep up the good work!

However, success in villainy aside, Ive really gotten myself into a tight spot now. How could I let myself be captured so easily.? A true villainess would never be caught dead in such an unsightly and disadvantageous position as being locked up in this decaying hut. Before word can get out, I need to escape from here at all costs and show them that a villainess is not to be trifled with.

For starters, I need to free my hands. I cant do much with them tied behind my back like this. Unfortunately though, I dont see anything sharp that I could use to cut the ropes with. I dont really see anything at all. The whole room is completely empty..

Wait, empty? Then wheres Gilles?

Gilles should have been walking right next to me when I was hit, so he should have been captured at the same time as I was, right?

With a bang, the door to the shack whips open and slams into the wall. A few more grand entrances like that and that splintering door is bound to crumble to pieces.

Three huge, well-built men squeeze into the shack from the now open doorway. They look just like common street thugs with unkempt hair and worn clothes, though two of them have swords hanging from their waists.

With the three of them all stuffed into this tiny little hut, it makes the room feel even more confining. Isnt one person enough for something like this?

Oh, now that theyre here, I need to ask about Gilles!

What did you brutes do with the boy that I was with?

All three men react at my words. Their eyes narrow to sharp slits. Their gazes slice through the air like knives as they peer down at me.

Haah? Id watch yer mouth if I was you, Girlie.

Callin us brutes all dainty like. Makes me wanna hurl.

But the tramp doesnt look half bad. We oughta have a bit o fun with her later, eh?

Heh. They did tell us to kill her. Shouldnt matter what we do before that.

Lets have lots o fun with her then.

The three thugs talk back and forth all the while staring at me with leering smiles practically splitting their faces. Their vulgar, bulging eyes make cold sweat break out on my back as they look me up and down.

How revolting. These goons need to be taught a lesson. My magic should teach them a thing or.. Huh? Its not working. No matter how many times I snap my fingers, nothing happens.

No way. Why isnt it working?

Quit that snapping, barks the largest of the three men before he sends a heavy kick smashing into my abdomen.

Ughhh.

.Agh that smarts. Really? Was that really just a kick?

I dont believe this. How can being kicked by another human being be this painful? I cant move. And it hurts even to breathe.

Does he have some sort of trauma with snapping or something? He didnt have to get that mad over it.

Heh, hear that? Ive got her moanin already~

Of the three swarthy-skinned men, the one who seems like he might be the leader crouches down and shoves his face right in front of mine.

Would ya look at that. Gold eyes. Pretty little thing, aint ya, he says, ogling my face.

Ahh, d*mn it! Ive never wanted to hit someone this much before in my life but I cant even move a muscle.

Get that filthy face of yours away from me, I just barely manage to get out. My lips are the only thing I can move at the moment, but the leftover pain makes my voice sound a bit raspy.

For a moment, the swarthy-skinned man just stiffens, but then he seizes me by the collar and drags me up off the ground and hoists me easily into the air.

His eyes glare murderously at me.

Its my first time seeing eyes filled with so much killing intent. Just from those few words, he really wants to kill me that much?

Ill admit youve got guts kid, but dont get too cocky now, ya hear?

As soon as he finishes speaking he punctuates his point with a hard slap across my face. I feel like Ive been struck by a brick instead of a hand.

..!!

Somehow I manage not to cry out, but the pain sends a curtain of red descending in front of my eyes. To think that a man could have this much strength.

Hm? Theres something small and hard in my mouth. He must have knocked out one of my teeth.

I taste blood and I can clearly feel it as it dribbles out from the corner of my mouth and down my chin. Dimly I notice the deep red as it splatters onto the floorboards below me.

Having made his point, the man drops me and I collapse onto the floor.

I never realized how painful it is to be hit like this. That slap felt as if it rattled my brain. A dull throb is still radiating across my cheek and all throughout my jaw.

Its the first time in my life that Ive been treated so violently. And to think that this is our first meeting.

Without saying anything more, the thug trio leave the hut. They dont even bother to close the door on their way out.

Ahh, seriously. Why do I have to suffer through this barbaric treatment. Who could their employer be?

Ugh, it was only yesterday that I was boasting to Henry-Oniisama about how Im aiming to become a villainess. And now look at me. What a disgrace. I cant let anyone see me in this sorry state! Isnt there some way that I can escape from here without catching anyones notice?

I may not be able to move my body, but I at least can move my head around a bit.

I do my best to glance this way and that around the room, seeing if there might be anything that I can work with. ..Wait, whats this feeling? I feel like theres something encircling my neck.

A choker necklace? Or some sort of collar? But I wasnt wearing anything like that before, so why would I.. Oh. Ohh. So thats what happened.

Its because of this that I wasnt able to use magic properly. This must be a magic inhibiting collar.

I really cant imagine someone other than a noble being able to get their hands on something like this. Which means that the mastermind behind my capture, the employer of those thugs, must be a member of the nobility.

||

T/N: I did not see this coming. Poor Alicia! Those sleezebags knocked her tooth out!! I hope they have a spell that can fix it T-T I think a gap in her teeth might not look very villainessy lol.

Also, I hope you dont think the cliffhanger is too bad! In case you didnt see it at the top, Ill be taking a two day weekend. (My goal is to put up five chapters a week, and this is the fifth one!) Again, have a Merry Christmas everyone! And I will see you again on Sunday