She Becomes A Passive Villainess-NOT!

Sure, You're Not.

After arriving on the compound owned by the campus—situated close to the Great Forest of Khoth—everyone went to their assigned rooms to unpack their things, settle down and rest.

They were given the rest of the day for themselves, fortunately.

They had two to three people sharing the same room and Adira picked the shorter end of the stick. She shared hers with the last person she wanted to share the room with, Iris.

"Hello! Good afternoon, Lady Sylveris. I am Iris Amaryllis Kalmia Latifolia. A pleasure to meet you." She announced herself the moment she saw Adira sitting by the window, enjoying the tea Lyfa packed for her, and curtseyed.

"Hello. I'm Adira. A pleasure to meet you as well." was her curt reply.

No, honestly, I don't want to ever be acquainted with you.

Adira tried to smile but it came off awkward and cold. So she didn't let it linger and raised her cup up to partly hide her face from the other person.

"I am so lucky to be able to share the room with you, Lady Adira! I really look up to you! You're like a role model for every noble lady, though I am a fake one." She started chattering and sounded sad at the tail of her sentence.

Wanting nothing to do with her at all, Adira remained silent. She didn't want to befriend her and she also didn't want to offend her.

"The nobility seems so sparkly and grand if you look at it from outside but when you're actually living in it, I realized it's harder to survive in this kind of society."

"Hey, Lady Adira, how do you do it? How can I be as elegant as you?" She started to probe with glittering amber eyes and it took every bit of Adira's willpower not to leave the room. She really didn't want to stay anywhere near this girl.

Everytime she does, a dull pain from the shoulder that she stabbed from her previous life starts to annoy her.

"Lady Latifolia doesn't need to ask me. I'm sure you are well educated of the hows of the higher society, right? Else, Baron Latifolia would not dare allow you to attend the coming-of-age banquet even if you have come of age."

There was a brief change in Iris' expression before she quickly smothered it, albeit not escaping Adira's keen eyes, and smiled brightly like the rising sun.

"Of course, Lady Adira! Father was very strict on that, especially when it concerned manners! Haha! I almost don't get to visit places I regularly visit because of the lessons packed together in a day! Ah! You know, Lady Adira—"

"One more thing, I'm sure you know that addressing someone of higher nobility with their name is considered as rude, right?" She asked as softly and gently as she could. She didn't want to come off as haughty or tyrannical, after all.

"Ye-Yes." Iris replied after being interrupted with a reminder of the mistake on her manners, feeling humiliated.

"I can understand since you did not grow as a noble from childhood, but please, when speaking to someone else, try to mind how you address them. Not everyone is as lenient as me." This time, she smiled sweetly.

Even if she doesn't like her at all, she also doesn't want to watch her get into trouble because of a mistake that she can help point out for her. After all, she was the role model of the noble ladies, right?

Also, wouldn't that damage her own reputation when it is known that they are sharing a room yet the great Lady Adira couldn't even correct her roommate's mistakes?

I am certainly not baiting her, I swear!

Secretly clenching the sides of her dress, Iris smiled brightly and nodded her head obediently.

You're really not easy at all, huh, Adira?

After seeing her nod at her words, Adira glanced outside her window when a white-head entered her peripheral vision as he discussed something with the teacher in-charge.

She smiled to herself when she remembered their conversation just minutes before they arrived.

"So Casey, why are you with us? Don't the student council have jobs back at school? You're even a year ahead of us."

"I'm done." Came his short replies again.

"So you did your jobs ahead of time so you could accompany me?"

"Mm."

"I didn't know Casey's really threatened with Triton. And here I thought you finally came into terms with it and you were really okay. Turns out you really had something else in mind, huh?"

Adira teased him and studied his reaction. She wanted to see him blush when he's shy again!

Unluckily for her, Casimir remained stoic and answered, "I'm not."

"Yes, you're not. That's why you didn't arrange my carriage ahead of time, finished your job earlier, and even went as far as going with me to the field trip. Sure, you're not."

She laughed once again when she noticed the subtle changes in his expression, telling her all that she needed to know. She hit the bullseye.

...

"Then, I shall excuse myself, Lady Latifolia. I've got... matters to attend." Adira spoke mysteriously and nodded slightly before walking past her.

Iris, who was left in the room alone, gritted her teeth while she kept her fiery gaze on the closed door like Adira's figure still remained there.

"Just because you're the prince's fiancee... However, it won't be for long." She whispered.

While on Adira's end, she walked out of the building her room was at and found Casimir still talking with the teacher, seeming to exchange pleasantries—with how the teacher was laughing and smiling at his every word.

Adira sighed with a smile as she observed him.

At least you should show a smile when complementing someone, you know?

She thought and was about to go a different route after seeing him busy when their eyes met. His gaze lingered on her for a moment and she waved her hand with a smile as a gesture of hello.

Casimir then promptly said a few words to the professor, bowed respectfully and walked towards her.

"Did I disturb you? Sorry about that. Poor Professor Hawkins, I robbed you from him, didn't I?"

"No."

"What were you talking about anyway? He seemed very happy talking with an ice block like you. Sometimes, I really wonder how you convey your words to others without ever changing your expressions.

At least, you should show a smile when discussing happy things, you know? Especially when you're happy!"

I guess I really am lucky to see a lot of his expressions, huh?

She ranted at him while the latter only stared her contentedly. It didn't matter if she was scolding him—a prince—or complaining about random things about him. Listening to her voice calms and relaxes him. Her presence, alone, makes him happy.

"But I'm only happy when I'm with you."

Oh my god! Can you please not speak long sentences only when you're trying to flirt? It makes you more dangerous!

Adira, flabbergasted at his shameless flirting—unconsciously or consciously done, she doesn't know—before she cleared her throat and looked the other way.

"A-Anyway... Tomorrow we're going to the forest and—"

He wasn't listening to her random raving anymore as he noticed the blush creeping all the way up to her ears and tittered quietly to himself.

Cute.

Notes:
I updated two chapters cause I'm happy class has ended! Final exams were hell but I respawned now! Hoho~
Thank you TunaJeju for the kind words and all readers for loving this story!

You don't know how much it motivates me to write! Thank you!