My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, Volume 3 Read online

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Color Illustrations

  Chapter 1: The School Festival at the Academy of Magic

  Chapter 2: The School Festival — Various Vignettes

  Chapter 3: Wherein I am Held Captive

  Chapter 4: My Life as a Captive Continues

  Chapter 5: The End of Everything

  Afterword

  About J-Novel Club

  Copyright

  Chapter 1: The School Festival at the Academy of Magic

  I, Katarina Claes, was living well. My days were pleasant and cozy, and I was usually in a great mood. The reason for this was, of course, the fact that I was now free from the fear of Catastrophic Bad Ends.

  On a certain day back when I was eight years old, I accidentally hit my head on a rock, and somehow all the memories of my previous life flooded back into my mind — and it was then that I realized something terrible. Namely, the fact that I was now living in the world of an otome game I had played before in life — and that I had been reincarnated as Katarina Claes, a villainess character in said game.

  To make things worse, this villainess, Katarina, was also the protagonist’s rival in four of the game’s potential routes. She had no happy ends of any kind; should the protagonist achieve a good end, Katarina would be exiled from the kingdom. In a bad end, she would end up getting killed by the protagonist’s love interest. What awaited me upon my reincarnation into this terrible and unfortunate character was a sea of Catastrophic Bad Ends.

  Although I had been thrown into despair upon realizing this... the plot of the otome game did not begin until eight years later, when I would begin attending the Academy of Magic! I realized that if I worked hard, I might still be able to do something about those Bad Ends that awaited me.

  And so I did work hard — ever since that fateful day eight years ago. I trained fervently in the way of the sword, so that I would not be easily slain if any of the protagonist’s love interests came after me with a weapon. I also practiced my magic in whatever ways I could, so that it may serve me well if I were exiled. Lastly, if it really came down to it, I prepared to become a humble farmer by eagerly reading up on agricultural practices and methodology.

  While I was preoccupied with all these countermeasures, however, time passed — and before I knew it, I had become fast friends with the game’s four potential love interests, and all the other rival characters. Eight years passed. Although I wasn’t quite sure why we all got along, the love interests, rival characters, and I finally enrolled into the Academy of Magic last year — the main stage of the otome game.

  It was at this academy that we met the game’s original protagonist, Maria Campbell. Maria was a charming girl, and in only a few days was able to capture the attention of my fiancé, Prince Jeord, and my adopted brother, Keith. So impressive was Maria’s charm that I lived in fear of her embarking upon the reverse harem route — but before I knew it, I had also become captivated by the gentle and lovable Maria. While we should have been enemies in the original setting of the game, we instead became close friends.

  After this, a certain character that I had completely forgotten about, Sirius, caused a dangerous incident. Fortunately, everything was resolved in the end, largely thanks to my dependable friends. And with that... and some other events along the way, we arrived at the graduation ceremony at the end of the year.

  The graduation ceremony was the last event of the otome game — the event in which Maria, the protagonist, would form an eternal, lasting connection with someone. Who was it, this person she had chosen for the end of the scenario? Or was it everyone, the reverse harem in which we had all become captivated? I watched on with bated breath. However...

  Unexpectedly, the game ended with Maria... not particularly expressing her love for anyone. Instead, the “Friendship Ending” came to pass — as its name suggested, we all simply remained friends. And so Katarina, the villainess and a rival character, was not faced with any Catastrophic Bad Ends.

  Why would we get such an ending, despite Maria’s charm...? And then there was the fact that Maria had said the words she would usually say at the end of the game to a love interest, only to me instead. “So... please, Lady Katarina. Let me continue being with you... from here on out.” I couldn’t wrap my head around it... Why did Maria say that?

  In any case, the game had ended safely. I, Katarina Claes, had successfully overcome the Catastrophic Bad Ends!

  It has been nine years since I had regained my memories. Now that those terrible Bad Ends are finally behind me... I can finally live the rest of my peaceful, cozy life.

  “A school festival, huh?”

  “Yes, Katarina. A school festival.” The one who responded with a familiar faint smile on his face was my fiancé, Jeord Stuart, third crown prince of the kingdom.

  With his blonde hair and blue eyes, he was the very image of a fairy-tale prince — except for the fact that he was a terrible sadist at heart. If I somehow managed to anger Prince Jeord, even accidentally, I would expect a particularly painful reprisal. I say this mainly from experience.

  Prince Jeord, however, was largely seen as a gentle and handsome prince in most circles. He was very popular; in particular, he was famous amongst noble ladies of his age. The backlash I faced from simply being his fiancée was noticeably strong.

  Due to his stellar academic performance, Jeord was promoted to Student Council President after we became second-years, and with that role came many large-scale projects and duties. Hence, our discussion of the “school festival.” This festival appeared to be the talk of the academy recently. But...

  “I don’t remember there being a festival last year though.” I had started at the Academy of Magic last year, and we’d mostly spent our time listening to lectures or attending practical lessons. There weren’t any fun or festive events.

  “Yes, of course. School festivals occur once every two years, Katarina. As such, there was no festival last year.”

  Ah, right. Once every two years. I see. I suppose the Academy of Magic doesn’t have yearly festivals like my school in my previous life did. As the Academy of Magic only featured a two-year curriculum, this meant it was guaranteed to occur once during a student’s time at the academy.

  But, a school festival, of all things? Perhaps it was because I had attended a few in my previous life — I couldn’t help but feel excited. I eagerly inquired about the activities and events I could expect at the festival.

  “Hmm... I suppose there will be outdoor food stalls, and stands featuring arts and crafts that students have made — for sale, of course. A student-organized orchestral performance and a play is also on the itinerary... Ah, yes. There will also be a ball held that night.”

  Oh! This is better than I imagined! A true school festival! And students are allowed to put up their own food stalls and art stands? How exciting! Maybe there’ll be okonomiyaki and takoyaki too! I hadn’t seen any of these foods in this reincarnated life of mine, but maybe they’d be for sale at the festival.

  How nostalgic... in my previous life, I’d make it my goal to have a bite of every single kind of food. Okonomiyaki, takoyaki, yakisoba, chocolate bananas, candied apples, sweet chestnuts, cotton candy... and then...

  “...Katarina. Are you listening?”

  “...Ha! Ah, yes. Sorry.” I had forgotten about Prince Jeord altogether as my mind was suddenly assaulted by images of food and festival stalls.

  “...Well. In any case, I will be busy making the preparations for the festival from now on. For some time, I will no longer be able t
o have tea with you in this fashion — just the two of us. Please do relax and take it slow today, Katarina.” Jeord gave me his usual smile, piercing a bite of food with a fork as he did so. “Here. Have a taste,” he said, lifting the pierced snack to my lips.

  “Thank you very much!” Just as I was about to chomp down on the morsel, however... the food, fork and all, vanished from before my eyes.

  Ah... my snack...! My eyes quickly darted over to the person responsible. It was Keith Claes, my adopted brother, who had a grave expression on his face at the moment.

  “Prince Jeord. Have you not been ignoring my presence for quite some time now?”

  Hmm. Why does it almost seem like Keith is glaring at Jeord?

  Jeord, however, simply responded, his ever-present smile hardly faltering. “You say that, Keith. But then... consider that I had not invited you in the first place. Why, then, have you invited yourself?”

  Indeed, Jeord had only invited me, sending me a note that said: “I have arranged for a scrumptious spread of food.” But just when I was about to leave, Keith, who had obtained information on this event from some unidentified source, had insisted on coming along with me as well — which is why we were both in Jeord’s quarters. A little strange, considering that Keith hardly had an eye for delicious food in the first place.

  “But of course, Prince Jeord, I have come along out of sheer worry for my adoptive sister’s physical and mental health. It is a most important issue to me.”

  Eh? So Keith wasn’t here for snacks after all? Hmm... So he’s that worried about me? What a good brother Keith is, always looking out for his sister. However...

  “Surely you jest, Keith. Katarina is merely heading to another room in the same dormitory building — for tea, no less. Are you not being overprotective? It would do you well to give your sister some space, instead of always clinging to her side.”

  Hmm. Yes, exactly. We are, after all, in the same dormitory. I’m sure I’d be fine even without Keith worrying over me.

  With his flaxen hair and green eyes, Keith was quite handsome. He was also highly capable in his studies, and did well in sports. While I was very proud of my brother, he did have a tendency to worry a little too much. He had become excessively concerned recently, declaring that, “I simply must be with you when you meet with Prince Jeord, Big Sister.”

  I suppose it was somewhat dangerous in the past — in one of the Catastrophic Bad Ends, Jeord could have exiled me, or even drawn his blade upon me if I ever made a terrible mistake... but that was no longer a concern. With the events of Fortune Lover now over, along with the fact that we had achieved the “Friendship Ending,” this danger was now effectively over.

  As I continued pondering about previous matters, the two of them continued their own little conversation, now apparently facing each other with visible smiles.

  “But you see, if her destination is this particular room, then I must be present as well. After all, it is simply too dangerous for my adoptive sister to be in this place by herself.”

  “Whatever would you mean to imply, Keith?”

  “Perhaps you should look within yourself for the answer to that question, Prince Jeord.”

  ...Hmm. I could no longer follow their conversation. As Jeord and Keith continued their seemingly friendly conversation, full of smiles, I found myself isolated once more. The two of them were quite fond of doing this — they would get lost in conversation, in that little world of theirs, and soon enough there would be nothing for me to add.

  I’ve known them both for a long time. It’s heartening to see the two get along so well! I decided to just quietly help myself to the food on the table. Ooooh. These treats are... truly delicious. Impressive. I should have everyone else try them at the next opportunity.

  With that, my fiancé and brother, now fully engrossed in their own conversation, said little about me helping myself to the delicious food. Which was perfectly fine with me.

  Shortly after I heard about the school festival from Jeord, preparations for the event began full force. In the Academy of Magic, students were separated by year — and although the lecture halls looked like the classrooms I was used to, the size of a single class was simply immense. So it didn’t seem like each individual class would be putting up an attraction of their own, which was how it had been in my previous life. Instead, students who got along with each other particularly well or nobles who were connected to each other by blood ties (even faint ones) would issue invitations and form their own groups.

  All right then! I should apply to, or perhaps even make my own group to sell the crops that I’ve put my back into growing! At least, that was what I thought... But Jeord, Keith, and to my surprise, even Alan vehemently opposed the idea. I suggested that I could hand them out for free, but that idea was rejected too. Apparently, the sale of crops and vegetables did not suit the supposed image of the Academy of Magic.

  The crops that I’ve grown with so much effort, “unsuitable”? Ever since coming to the academy, I hadn’t been able to use up as many vegetables as I did back home, so I had a lot left over. I’d thought that this would be a good opportunity to sell off that stock... How depressing.

  I really was sad about it! However, Maria, angelic as she was, quickly said to me: “Well then, Lady Katarina... if I may suggest, perhaps I could use the vegetables you have so lovingly cultivated in my baked goods?”

  Ah, Maria really is a sweet girl. I’d consider it an honor if my vegetables were used in her snacks. After all, Maria’s snacks really were something else — in fact, I could even compare her work to that of professional chefs and patissiers. They were very delicious.

  So now, there wouldn’t be an issue with using up my vegetables. It was simple, then — Maria would make treats with the crops I’d grown, and we would simply sell those products at our stand instead. Although concerns were raised about such snacks not being very popular in a noble-dominated academy like this one, I was quite passionate about the idea, even saying, “Well, if it’s that or me selling vegetables at a stand...” Before I knew it, I had received permission for the venture. Well done, Katarina Claes.

  Since I was the one who brought up this entire idea in the first place, I decided to help my friends in the council as much as I could. Members of the council were saddled with a lot of work in preparation for the festival, and could use what help they could get.

  Also, the student body had apparently strongly requested that the student council put on a play of some sort. I supposed that made sense, considering the number of beautiful people on the council in general — it went without saying that they each had their fair share of fans.

  The council had agreed to honor this request from the students. Although my friends were somewhat insistent on me joining in on the performance, I repeatedly rejected their offers. After all, I had only played the roles of inanimate objects like trees and rocks during class performances and such in my previous life. A performance where all the actors had lines would simply be too much for someone like me.

  Just to be sure, I asked my friends if they were in need of a rock, or perhaps even a tree. They, however, responded somewhat incredulously. “Are such roles even needed...?”

  What a pity...! Those were roles that I perfected in my previous life! However, I did feel a little bad about simply sitting in the council chambers, snacking and not doing anything to help out. So I decided to help my friends with any backstage work they needed done.

  Leave it to me if there are any scenes where throwing an object is required! After all, I was particularly confident in my throwing skills, having practiced for long hours with my projectile snakes. Eh? There’s no scenes which require projectiles...? How unfortunate.

  Between helping Maria with her vegetable-based baked goods and assisting my friends with the production of their play, the days passed by quickly. Before I knew it, the school festival was here.

  With the conclusion of Student Council President Jeord’s address, along with t
he almost deafening squeals and sighs of the noble ladies in the crowd, the school festival was now officially under way. Even the usually more reserved noble ladies in the student body were visibly excited today — and I was no exception.

  Festivals were always exciting for me in my previous life. And this was the first festival I’d attend in this new life! Since I was the daughter of a duke, I had been to many balls and the like, but a festival was something else altogether. I had never been to one in this world.

  And so, while I was already delighted at having overcome the Catastrophic Bad Ends, I was markedly excited and in good spirits today — perhaps the happiest I had ever been since enrolling into the academy... or even in this life. In fact, I was currently preoccupied with restraining myself, lest I suddenly start skipping and humming a tune.

  In truth, I had been so excited that I had started dancing alone in my room last night, much to Anne’s chagrin. It would seem that a noble lady skipping along or humming a tune was unbecoming — simply not things a lady would do in front of others, or so I was told. Being a noble lady was difficult.

  There was also the fact that there were guardians and parents present at the School Festival. My mother, however, claimed that... “Alas, it would be too embarrassing. I would greatly prefer to abstain from this event,” apparently. Hmm. Given how adamant Mother is at home... why would she be ashamed outside of it? A lion at home, a mouse abroad indeed...

  I asked Anne for her opinion, and she said, “Young miss, if I may say so... I assume that the madam is not embarrassed... at herself,” all while regarding me with a somewhat disappointed gaze.

  Hmm? What’s that supposed to mean? In the end, I didn’t quite understand. Even so, my father seemed most interested in showing up at the school festival, and given the lovey-dovey couple that they were, the possibility of both of them showing up was somewhat high. If Mother did show up on the academy grounds, and saw me skipping along, humming a tune... I dreaded to even think how many hours she would spend lecturing me. Yes, I’d have to be careful.