Chapter 6

What is instinct?

An innate behaviour that activates in response to stimuli.

In a moment of danger, one fights, flies or looks to defend themselves or another

When presented with a puzzle of complex shapes, words and images, one’s mind might see the answer in just a few seconds.

For me, instinct was something far simpler and focused.

When presented with something I found adorable, I would want to own it and shape it. I thought that was my only innate instinct I possessed.

However.

Steel met steel.

Training with a sword had awoken a pure combat instinct, and not just in me.

“You have grown, Yui.”

“Thank you very much, Onee-sama.”

“But.” I pushed her sword away. “You can still keep going, right?”

“Of course!”

A sword fight is not just a dance; it is a game similar to chess.

One must consider their moves, those of their opponents, and all possible outcomes all within the span of a few milliseconds.

It was a time like no other - one where I could feel more alive than ever.

Ah, how exciting.

I didn’t know what kind of face I was making, but I didn’t care - Yui didn’t seem to mind. Yuri did, but that’s not important. Yui thrust at my chest, but I knew it was a feint from its lack of power; I was amused so I pretended to be fooled and went to parry. Yui swerved her sword around and whacked mine downwards with immense force, then sliced towards my neck.

Of course, the swords were blunt and she possessed enough control to stop before hitting me.

However.

I ducked beneath the slash and tackled her to the ground, wrestling to pin her sword wrist before placing my sword to her heart.

“…You knew it was a feint?”

I smiled. “It would have worked on almost anyone else.” I helped her onto her feet. “For the next time we spar, I want you to study today’s fight and what you could have done better, especially at the end with the feint.”

“Yes, Onee-sama. Then, I shall see you this afternoon for tea.”

“Until then.” I patted her head and then she left. “Yuri, let’s go.”

“…”

“Why the long face?”

“…1 year she’s been working hard like this, 1 year, for the villainess’s sake. She’s become better than adult knights with years of combat experience, she’s learning all the perfect etiquette and becoming a little genius. Ah, where has our cute little otome seiso protagonist gone?”

“She’s gone to her morning classes.”

“That’s not-”

“Yuri, focus, let’s discuss our strategies for dealing with Lord Michael and Prince Ah-rahm.”

Out of the remaining love interests, these two were my personal high priorities.

The reason was simple - they were the two most powerful love interests.

A future emperor and the next lord of an influential mercantile house with a great deal of above and below the surface contacts - they themselves could prove my downfall.

Together, they could bring down my entire household.

Sadly, Yuri’s perversions had kept almost all the key pieces of information out of my grasp.

“W-well, they do appear in Lord Cain’s route,” she used as her defence. “Ah-rahm’s your typical, flirty ‘ore-sama’ ikemen type. He speaks in a nasty tone and has devilishly cool smile!”

Yet more strange, unknown words.

“Lord Michael appears quite quiet and shy but, in reality, he’s quite the hardcore sadist! Ah.” Yui flushed as she told me.

“…Pervert.”

“A-aaaaah!!! I didn’t-I mean, I just saw glimpses! I didn’t watch it-! Wait.” She glared at me. “You don’t get to call m that, you damn sadist, slave trainer-geh!”

“Yu~ri.”

Needless to say, the fairy regretted more than a few things she said that day.

As delightful as it was to punish Yuri for her slander, her knowledge was not all that useful.

Perhaps I could utilise their personalities in some way, maybe to manipulate them into acting how I would want, but I would never be able to properly control them.

Ah-rahm’s pride wouldn’t allow it and if Lord Michael had those sorts of perversions, he would never allow himself to bend to anyone.

“So, what do you know about their fiancés?” I asked when we returned to my room.

“I don’t know much besides their names. Ah-rahm’s betrothed is Princess Claudia, Lord Cain’s older sister.”

That would make sense. A powerful union would be born by their marriage, especially with a lady as refined and elegant as Lady Claudia.

Tall, well-endowed and with beautifully braided blonde hair, Lady Claudia had been actively involved and interested in diplomacy since she was seven. When she was ten, she helped broker a peace agreement between two warring noble provinces and then just four months later she attended her first council meetings.

She was the perfect bride for any man, especially an emperor.

“To think he would throw that away for a single girl.”

“Might I remind you that that girl is the little sister that’s infatuated with you and that you dote on?”

“Might I counter that I’m not disregarding the national security of my homeland by doing so?”

“Hmm, thinking on it, Ah-rahm’s the type who prefers a more innocent girl who’s easy to tease. As it stands, he might not even look twice at Yui.”

“Well, that’s a good thing.”

“Is it?”

“Why must you always be so negative, Yuri?”

Well, I do agree with her to an extent. It’d be good if Ah-rahm did lose all interest in Yui, but I don’t want to count on it.

Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

“Who was Lord Michael’s fiancé?”

“Oh, you’ve already met her.”

“I did? When?”

“At your birthday last year when we saved Lord Cain - it’s Victoria Highland.”

Interesting.

Very, very interesting.

A marquis house loyal to my family’s duchy and the next duke of Wessex - if that bond come to pass alongside my ‘bad end route’, it would mean war.

The Highlands, feeling confident in their righteous cause and with the backing of the country’s wealthiest duchy, they could easily overwhelm the Armina family, made easier as more lords who were sworn to us would take the chance to stab us in the back.

…I couldn’t let this come to pass.

“Let’s just focus on Lord Michael for now.”

“Because Ah-rahm will only appear at the academy?”

“…Yes.”

There’s that, but-

I needed to turn the Lady Highland into my property.

If I did and Lord Michael’s perversions came to light in a most unkind way, I could effectively take control of half of the country in terms of territory.

In terms of raw strength, my power would be unmatched.

This was an opportunity that could not be missed.

Now, how should I go about this, Lady Victoria?

***

Victoria Highland.

We had never shared more than a few polite greetings and blessings with one another, and our schedules rarely aligned for us to socialise.

So, naturally, I had both Teles and Yuri investigate her for me.

Teles continued two information brokers using coins we had taken in a recent gang arrest and Yuri could follow Victoria in total secret without worry. There was no feasible way for Victoria to link this back to me.

Then, I carried on my day to day life as normal, but I purposefully included something very high profile to bring attention to myself.

A weekly shopping trip with Yui to the most fashionable shops in the duchy.

Money flowed, attention was drawn and I and my sister were beginning to take a greater place on the main stage of the social world. I thought Yui would have lots of questions for me about the sudden, dramatic alteration in our week; however-

“I’m sure you’re doing this for a good reason,” she said. “And I get to spend more time with you!”

Well, I was happy about that fact too.

Wherever we went, I made sure that people knew who we were and how much money we spent. Some might call it poor taste, but I think it is part of my duty to demonstrate the power of the Armina family.

We had knights escorting us, but I was wearing a pants style outfit each time so I could carry my sword with me.

Basically, the knights were mere decorations.

First, we attracted gazes, envious in parts but full of longing in others. Then, someone eventually broke and approached us.

A marquis daughter, though sadly not Lady Victoria.

Once she had started talking to us, more people congregated and then I innocently threw out the idea of us all going to a luxury café for afternoon tea and cakes.

They snapped at the bait and flocked to get as close to me as possible.

“Onee-sama, who is it you are looking to bring here?”

As expected of my sister - she deduced my exact intentions.

I told her Lady Victoria and why she would be a good person to keep close, excluding my true reasons for approaching her, and Yui accepted my logic.

Although, she did add this comment in which was slightly concerning.

“I’m happy you’re approaching Lady Victoria with this intention. I would’ve hated it if you were using her to get closer to a man.”

…It’s most likely nothing.

For two weeks, we wandered and shopped before the young ladies gathered around. On week three, Lady Victoria was waiting for us outside the very first shop on our route.

As expected of her.

“Good day, Lady Raena, Lady Yui. The weather is quite lovely today, so I thought I’d make the most of it.”

I smiled. “The weather has been wonderful for the last few weeks.”

She returned the smile. “Unfortunately, my work schedule had got in the way the last few times. I was a little frustrated by that, so I finished all of my work early and then cleared my schedule.”

“My, what impressive dedication. Then, would you like to spend some time with my sister and I?”

“I would be honoured to do so.”

***

A red-headed beauty was certainly rare in our country.

You would think a woman like Lady Victoria would have been more than a perfect match for any male suitor, yet Lord Michael, like the rest, would abandon their duties and honour for Yui.

Perhaps in the original story, Yui would have become the next Duchess of the Armina’s following my unfortunate end, so it’s possible on some level that the male leads were subconsciously looking to improve their station - not that Ah-rahm had that as an excuse to fall back upon.

The more I looked at Yui, the more I started to feel like I understood them a little.

There was something intangible and indescribable about her - something almost beyond comprehension.

At the start of our 3-person outing today, Lady Victoria had not been all that keen on speaking with Yui, and yet-

“This foundation would be much better for you, Lady Victoria. Your skin is so soft and natural has a slight pink hue, and you do not want to lose it.”

“Oh my, thank you for the advice, Lady Yui. Your knowledge of cosmetics is most outstanding.”

“This is all thanks to Onee-sama.”

“Is that so, Lady Raena?”

“Fufu, the one who deserves all the credit is my maid, Teles,” I said.” She has always had a near infinite wealth of knowledge regarding fashion trends, cosmetics and more. Well, as to be expected of the wife of Louis Cordove.”

“The Louis Cordove?! The legendary fashionista who has brought innovation after innovation to the social world?!”

“The very same.”

“It seems more and more apparent how blessed of a life Lady Raena has led. Ah, how I wish mine could even come to a fraction of what yours is.”

“Do you not think you’ve lived a blessed life, Lady Victoria?” Yui asked.

Lady Victoria pursed her lips a little and hummed. “In many ways, I think I have, just…not that recently.”

“Why is that?” I followed with, pouncing upon the ripest opportunity thus far.

“Perhaps we should move somewhere more private first?

Excellent.

***

“Mining rights?”

Lady Victoria nodded. “Recently, one of the joint ventures between the Highlands and the Wessex’s struck a mineral vein of silver, and very high quality at that. The problem, as I am sure you can imagine, is that both families want priority to the mining rights, but neither of us are willing to relent.

“Lord Michael believes that House Wessex deserve the rights as they helped finance the dig to begin with, but the mine lies within our territory. Father has wielded it like a shield, but Lord Michael refuses to compromise. Naturally, as one with vested interest in both sides, I feel like they want me to mediate.”

“What about taking the matter to court?”

“If she did that, Yui, the mining dispute would be the least of her concerns. The papers and noble ladies would have an oh so delightful time smearing the Highlands and, in the worst-case scenario, Lady Victoria would be disgraced.”

If that happened, my plan would completely collapse.

“I imagine you are leaning more towards favouring your fiancé than your family right now,” I said.

“Why is that, Onee-sama?”

“Because angering the Duchy of Wessex runs the risk of financial collapse. They could quite easily, and without violating any serious laws, manipulate things behind the scenes so that the Highlands start getting worse crops, lower quality supplies and unknowingly into debt.”

“But Lady Victoria is his fiancé! Surely-!”

“Lord Michael would, without hesitation.” Lady Victoria spoke with strong conviction. "Lord Michael does love me, but it seems he likes to have a monopoly on the things he desires. It hasn’t been too bad thus far, but I think he could become obsessive in the worst possible way if I defied him.”

“Except you’d like that, you insanely perverted M-woman!”

Yuri had returned to my shoulder at some point and was spouting foul nonsense.

Of course, I couldn’t react to what she was saying or ask questions, but I’m hoping she’ll know to-

“It was only when I started following her that I remembered, but Victoria Highland is a huge close pervert who loves BDSM and more aggressive roleplay scenarios and situations. She might be acting like this on the outside, but she’s dancing a freakin’ amba in her head just imagining him dominating her. Ah, how creepy, how hardcore, how impure~”

Says you, you lewd fairy.

“Before you even think it, I’m not the same as her!”

You’re too late - also, if you’re going to try and deny reality, do so with a convincing tone and whilst not turning bright pink.

…Could I use this somehow to my advantage?

Blackmail maybe?

No, we have no physical evidence and it’d be dangerous to send an agent in to try and collect some. If the person dispatched was caught, there would be a link back to me; no matter how deeply it was buried, it could one day come to light.

What if I tried to condition her away from her own tastes and desires?

No, that would be wrong in many ways - if I tried to make her deny who she was, I’d be asking myself to do the same thing. want to immediately crush the idea I Just thought off, but it is rapidly growing in size and plausibility.

If Lady Victoria enjoys those sort of plays - if I indulged her enough and made her enamoured with me rather than Lord Michael, I could make her swear fealty to me as my slave.

By doing so, I would gain an unbelievable ally, but I would have to do the unthinkable and I’d somehow have to convince Yuri to go along with it.

Or I could send her away and then make my move?

Forever losing Yuri’s trust.

Potentially being discovered by Yui and her warm eyes turning a winter cold.

Yet, knowing the risks.

I bit my finger.

I couldn’t get the idea out of my mind.