There is bound to be failures in life.

As a genius, I am no exception to this rule. I was once a fool who knew and cared nothing about fate, and simply enjoyed a stable life. Because of my resourcefulness, I looked away from the fact that fate should be played according to its natural course.

I overcame that mentality, and became the villainess Christina Noir.

I decided that I wouldn’t stop no matter what hardships lay in store for me. When I heard those words that opened my path to destiny, I was determined to love my fate.

Yet there was someone who stood in my way as I tried to side with fate.

“What’s wrong with you, Prince Endo?!”

“What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”

I barged into the student council room and came face to face with the prince. He looks clueless.

I wonder if he’s just pretending, or if he really doesn’t know what’s wrong. He can be ignorant and incapable and incorrigible sometimes.

I’m screaming at the idiot prince.

“What do you mean what’s wrong with me?! Your personality is what’s wrong!”

“You screwing up your own life is what’s wrong, you idiot.”

He raises his eyebrows.

What a retort. I have always devoted my life to making my sister happy.

It has been about three months since the first event that leads to that goal of mine.

Using Freesia as my pawn, I have established myself as the villainess getting in Michelie’s way. Freesia is trying her best too, in her own way.

Events are going according to the natural course of fate. The location, timing, and appearance of the characters match perfectly. As a genius, I am fulfilling my role as a villainess in order to allow these events to take place. That’s only natural.

But for some reason, Endo interacted with Freesia, not Michelie.

I don’t get it at all.

Freesia was the one who harassed Michelie, yet Endo helped Freesia instead of Michelie and even exchanged a few words with her.

It’s alright. The situation is still under control, even if just barely. On the other hand, if I leave things as they are, Freesia and Endo will get married eventually. Although they do make a good pair.

But what’s going to happen to Michelie if that happens?

“What? Are you in love with Freesia? What happened to the creepy prince who fell in love with Michelie at first sight? Also, I wonder about your sensibility if you’re really interested in Freesia. Are you okay? She’s not evil, but she’s an idiot, you know?

“So you did instigate her!”

He’s gaining the upper hand in this conversation now.

“You’re the cause of her unchecked idiocy……! She’s been sticking around me and causing unnecessary trouble for me! What are you trying to do with her?! Is this some sort of harassment? Is this your way of indirectly causing trouble?!”

“Yes and no.”

“Huh?! So it is harassment after all!”

The one I’m harassing isn’t him. My goal is to do it to Michelie in order to gather sympathy towards her as a tragic heroine.

We’re staring straight at each other.

Endo is the first to look away.

He clicks his tongue and sits back down.

“Alright. If that’s all you have to say, then I’m going to sleep. You’re tired too, aren’t you? Don’t take your insomnia out on my, Christina Noir. And stop that girl from causing trouble again.”

“……Tch.”

To be honest, I was going to beat him up if it came down to it, but I’m glad he backed down. I’m a villainess, but I’m still a lady. I can retaliate with force without much consequence whatsoever, but it would be unladylike if I started the brawl first.

I’m relieved. It’s not that he’s particularly interested in Freesia. There have been too many flags set up at once, I was getting worried that he might start liking her.

“……That’s fine. I didn’t come here to pick a fight with you. I just wanted to ask.”

“I see. In that case, hurry up and leave. You’re in the way of my work.”

“Then let me warn you, before it’s too late. If things keep going at this rate, you’ll end up getting married with Freesia. If you still wish to pursue Michelie, then do as I say.”

“Shut up.”

He looks displeased, even though I was warning him out of goodwill.

“I’ve only listened to a tenth of everything you’ve said. If I act according to your plans, it will only result in ruin. So stop making so much noise. It’s annoying.”

“You’re not listening to me!”

I’m annoyed at how I can’t make things go as planned, but I’m even more pissed at his uncooperative attitude. And Charles hasn’t contacted me proactively since that unexpected event.

It’s so quiet it’s almost scary, but I don’t have much time left. I can’t allow Charles to think too much about me. In any case, all my relationships will be severed when the time comes. That’s the fate that awaits me.

Despite that, things aren’t going according to plan, and I’m growing rather impatient. I’m about to tell him off again when Rona butts into the conversation.

“I do not know what is going on. Lady Chris, you should calm–”

“Shut up, Rona. I have yet to forgive you for what you’ve done. Don’t get friendly with me.”

“Gulp!”

I glare coldly and sharply at the traitor. She backs down in shock.

Then she speaks up resolutely.

“I-I understand. It is true that I have done things without your knowledge or permission. However, please at least bless me with your autograph……!”

“Like I would. I don’t care.”

She doesn’t get it. There’s no way I will ever give her my autograph. I simply ignore her request.

It seems that Endo really doesn’t plan on listening to me.

And just because he’s upset with me. It’s the epitome of foolishness and childishness to base his decisions on his mood, but I’ll overlook it. If he’s not going to listen, then I’ll have to make him.

“Endo. There’s going to be a debate in the near future, right? How are the preparations going?”

“I won’t ask why you’re interested in knowing about it, but obviously yes. ……You had better not do anything stupid like you did last year.”

“I wasn’t going to.”

I look the other way.

I won’t do anything stupid. I’ll just carry out what fate has in store. It’s true that my tricks last year went a little overboard, but that’s all. I did it in order to make myself known as a villainess, and the crowd got excited anyway.

The debate hall was established in order to discipline students in the school of logic within the liberal arts, and to strengthen their debating skills. It’s a big event this time, in which the student council hosts an event once every three months, and the students with the highest grades gather for a debate.

The contestants are split into several groups, and each group is assigned a topic which they will debate on. The debate groups themselves consist of students from different years mixed together, and students who are unable to participate in the debate will be listening to it instead.

And this is the event in which I will have the showdown with Michelie.

“Of course, I’m assuming that I have been picked for the debate.”

“……Yeah. The only thing good you have going is your grades.”

He’s finally stopped letting his emotions get in his way and admitted that I’m a genius.

“This may be a stupid and obvious question, but Michelie is attending too, right?”

“Yeah. She’s especially gifted. Unlike you, her personality and behavior are perfectly fine.”

“Alright. Put me in the same group as Michelie.”

“Huh?”

The students will be debating within their groups, so I can’t debate against her if we’re not in the same group. Prince Endo frowns at my proposal.

“You siscon. Why should I have to help you through unfair–”

“Rona, if you help me here, I will let you choose to either have my autograph, or become my sidekick again. Your pick.”

“Understood! I will do as you wish!”

Endo makes a wry face at the student council member who accepted my bribe so easily.

“You little……”

“Either way, both their grades are good enough to be put in the same group. It is not unfair at all.”

Rona answers him confidently.

In any case, I’m prepared for it.

In the debate hall, I will denounce Michelie in front of all the students and fail miserably. Basically, that will be the event in which I will begin to fall as a villainess.

Now that I’m prepared, all I have to do is carry it out. But something bothers me.

“……Oh yeah. Freesia will be listening among the audience, right?”

“Yeah. She’s an idiot, even in her studies.”

“I see. That’s good.”

Now I don’t have to worry about her getting in my way, or in the way of fate. She has her ways of messing things up.

I won’t get her involved in this event. The main cast is only me and Michelie, after all.

Now that there are no irregularities, I’m all set.

It’s time to take the first step towards my fall.