He had said "My fiancée" even when they agreed not to. Before Louise could protest, he smiled back at her and corrected himself.
"It was a mistake."
She was sure it wasn't a mistake. But she didn't want to point it out, so she kept her mouth shut.
*
*
*
As they left the store and went on to the street, Louise looked around anxiously. Ian followed her two steps behind, disguised in the dark robe.
"President."
Louise stopped and called to Ian a small voice, and he gave her a sharp look from underneath the robes.
"…What kind of family girl calls her wizard 'President?'"
"We're going to do it like this?"
"Of course."
"Are there really Academy officials around here?"
"Yes."
"You're actually just enjoying this game, aren't you?"
He smiled back as usual.
"No. I'm just trying to be very careful. I don't want to be kicked out of the Academy."
"But it's strange for the president to walk two steps behind."
She felt a little uncomfortable treating him like a servant.
"Enjoy it."
"That's impossible."
"But we can't change the scenario now. We're like a wizard and a girl who eloped, or maybe a genius wizard and a stupid errand girl."
"Don't you think the material is a little extreme?"
"That's why I decided on a normal mean girl and a loyal wizard. Wait, Mistress, stop."
Ian suddenly stopped walking and pointed towards a store. It was a tool shop.
"I have something to buy, so let's go that way, Mistress."
Who was supposed to be the master here?
Louise pushed open the wooden door of the tool shop with a small grunt. Tool shops generally sold various experimental tools and working parts. The inside of the store was very crowded, not with people, but with many boxes piled up in random order. The elderly store owner was going through the boxes to find the items customers had ordered. He didn't write down a single thing, but found what he looked for at once.
"Are you looking to purchase something?"
Louise shook her head and looked back at Ian.
"Gloves for farming. Three pairs."
"A wizard wants to buy a bunch of these?"
The old man took out the gloves while looking curiously at Ian's wizard robe.
"My magical abilities aren't very good, so I have to use my body for labor so I won't be abandoned by my master."
What a load of crap! Louise looked at him with surprise, but Ian poked her in the ribs with his elbow. This meant that she was supposed to answer accordingly. As a wicked mistress.
Ugh! She couldn't act like a villainess! But contrary to what she was thinking, Louise's mouth started to move freely, as if by magic.
"That mouth of yours is always complaining, but can't chant a few spells?"
"…I'm sorry, Mistress."
"Anything else?"
"No."
"Then stop fooling around and hurry. How much more of my precious time are you going to waste in this place?"
Ian quickly took out the money and handed it to the owner, then hurried to open the shop door. Louise exited the store with her chin lifted in the air. As Ian was about to close the door there came a comment behind him.
"…Good luck, Mr. Wizard."
Ian bowed his head in return. Outside of the store, Louise leaned her forehead on a tree.
Louise Sweeney! A scary person…!
She was born to be a villainess. When she had opened her mouth she found her lines to be true to the original. She shouldn't think lightly of this body's instincts.
"I've got a chill down my back. That was pretty good."
Ian praised her, but Louise wasn't pleased at all.
"Please don't say that. Oh…"
Louise inhaled the fresh scent coming from the trees, purifying herself from the viciousness that had stained her lips and head.
I am not a villainess. I am really not a villainess. I won't bother the female lead nor prevent their love from happening!
After a long time reflecting on her life, her mind calmed down.
"I'm okay now. Why did you buy gloves?"
"For you. You're the one most familiar with soil and plants in the academy."
"Me?"
Ian nodded. It didn't seem so long ago that they had talked about strawberries.
"Why did you buy three pairs?"
"Because one belongs to the faithful wizard that follows his mistress."
"Then the other must belong to Simon."
"Yes, Simon Hillard. The loyal hairdresser."
"I can't hire the grand duke's son as my hairdresser."
"Well the crown prince is a humble wizard."
"Oh, come to think of it."
Louis clapped her hands as if something had crossed her mind.
"I'll have to buy a thank you gift."
"For the gloves?"
"No."
Louise shook her head without thinking.
"For when Simon gave me a hair ribbon."
Louise looked around for a place to buy a suitable present.
"…He will be happy enough to touch your hair with permission."
Ian seemed unhappy about something, but he followed Louise to a small grocery store. She wanted to buy some cookies to eat with tea.
She was forced to play the role of the villainess again, but this time it was all Ian's fault.
"The cookies are too hard, and the dried fruit would get stuck in your teeth."
He was criticizing everything. In a fit of irritation, Louise let out a loud yell.
"Be quiet or I'll have you polish my shoes all day tomorrow!"
Everyone in the grocery store froze.
Louise was in despair.
Look at this crazy villainess talent.