Lady Misfortune: Daddy, I'll Be A Righteous Villainess!

Sarah raises an incredulous brow at Lady while Hartigan sighs in resignation.

"Hey, is she seriously not aware? She's more deeply involved than me."

"This isn't really her kind of thing. I don't think she'll fully understand either."

"What's that all about? Are you talking about me?" 

Both simply give Lady a look, slightly concerned with how oblivious she can get. Feeling somewhat neglected, Sarah's classmates start piping up again. This time, they decided to change targets, vexing Hartigan even more.

"Oh, wow. Look who showed up all of a sudden."

"Funny how two nemeses can be so alike." 

"Thorns to the SES's side."

"Is she not enough so you have to go after them too?"

"Get a life."

"We won't let you get away with those lies."

"Do both of you love people's attention that much?"

Hartigan sneers at them, shutting them all up at once. If only it had been Weiss or Fallon, they would have immediately scurried away. With how intimidating they are, no one would even attempt to utter a single offensive word at Lady.

"Seems like you've got a lot to say, you bunch of nosy outsiders…" he glowered, extremely displeased. 

"I don't care how much you look up to those people, but if doing so has turned you so toxic, I say you're the ones who should go get a life instead of fawning over them like a flock of goons. Both of these girls aren't in the wrong. Get your facts straight before accusing others. If you think doing this to them will help the student council, you're gravely mistaken." 

That did the trick, and ultimately, they made their retreat.

Dealing with bullies is relatively easy since Hartigan used to be one. He knows what would strike the nerves the most. Being around a foul-mouthed person like Fallon has also helped him sharpen his bluntness. He even got to master the art of asserting dominance because of him. 

"Woah…" Lady breathed out, slightly in awe. 

"You can actually be pretty cool, Hearty!" 

"What are you saying? I'm always cool…" Hartigan huffed indignantly, blushing nonetheless.

"In any case, just ignore what they said, Lady."

"Or should she really…?" Sarah chimed in suddenly.

"I don't think people will leave her alone any time soon. You better explain what's happening to her."

Their attention is quickly drawn by that statement.

They simultaneously turn to look at Sarah who's now staring back at them. Judging by how fast she recovered from what just went down, Hartigan sensed that this wasn't the first time she'd been treated that way. While there are those fights she usually engages in with Lady, none of them is ever this bad.

"I do plan to tell her that. I'm just waiting for our friends," Hartigan reasoned, turning away.

"By the way, what are you doing out here, Sarah? The cafeteria's over there," Lady asked.

"Got dragged around, apparently. I was actually about to eat lunch," Sarah groaned, clearly upset. 

He perks up a bit at the realization that they're holding a proper conversation – for once. Something about them has changed. They're not as belligerent nor as confrontational as they used to be. He wonders if this is because of that controversy with the student council.

'She's supposed to be very close with the SES, right? It's only reasonable if she takes their side and gets mad at her. Yet, considering that she's being attacked by their supporters, that might not be the case anymore.'

Regardless of the reason, he will be absolutely relieved if they are really getting along. They may not know this yet, but in this dispute with the student council, there may come a point when they have to work together.

"Oh, so you're having lunch alone…" Lady blurted out with a thoughtful expression. 

"Why don't you join me and my friend here for lunch, then?"

At her sudden proposal, Hartigan and Sarah flinch in surprise.

Oddly enough, the offer came out as something a close friend would say. He certainly did not expect that they were getting along that well. As for her, the idea did not even cross her mind.

"Why are you inviting me so out of the blue?" Sarah inquired, both doubtful and bemused.

"I just thought it would be helpful to you. I mean, those bullies may get you again," Lady explained, looking a little nervous.

For the second time, she lifts an incredulous brow at her – the one who's literally her everyday bully is actually trying to protect her from other bullies. 'Is this what you call, 'It's okay if I do it but not if you do it,' that people often say?" she wonders briefly, struggling to find the logic in it. Even then, she doesn't feel suspicious of her intentions. 

If anything, Sarah feels genuine concern from Lady.

'Well, I guess there's no harm in it…' she contemplated, blushing lightly.

'I do owe her a favor for standing up for me when Glenn Valentin tried to touch me inappropriately yesterday. Also, it's difficult not to worry, especially after what the others did to her-'

Then, she froze.

All of the sudden, her eyes fell on the bandages around her wrists. She didn't notice it earlier since they're hidden beneath the sleeves of her school jacket. Almost immediately, that certain part of yesterday's event flashed through her head. She felt her blood boil at the memory for some reason. 

"Is everything fine? You're spacing out," Lady called, baffled by the sudden change in Sarah's expression. 

She quickly pulls herself together, not wanting to let her emotions show. Taking up her suggestion to have lunch together seems like a good idea. She has to ask her a lot of questions, and she needs them answered today.

"Is it really okay for me to join you?" she questioned before glancing in Hartigan's direction.

"I don't mind if it's what Lady wants," he said without looking, sensing that Sarah was kind of wary of him. 

Lady cheers loudly then, taking them aback again.

She wraps her hand around Hartigan's arm before pulling him towards her. Once the three of them are side by side, she uses her other hand to grab Sarah's wrist before tugging both of them along. 

"Let's get going! Lunch time's almost over!"

The two of them have every reason to be perplexed by this, but with how cheerful Lady is acting right now, they've come to a silent agreement to just go with the flow. 

---

"Aren't they brutal or what~?"

This is just the kind of thrill that Belle is hoping for.

Deafening silence bounds all around the crowded studio at the moment. Further inside lies the center of attention – the cause for the all-too gripping tension. All eyes are on the main stage. Everyone is trying to keep up with the ongoing heated exchange. 

"As we have already said, it's all but a mere accident," the current face of the Student Elite Society tried to explain over and over again.

However, neither Weiss nor Fallon would have it.

It's already been twenty minutes since they got there, and yet, it's the same petty excuse they keep hearing – they're getting pissed. Both show just that as they sit before the executive board members of the student council. All they were asking for was a simple apology, but the more they kept denying the truth, the further they've driven themselves to the point of no return.

"And your evidence, President?" rasped Weiss, not bothering to put on a courteous act anymore.

"Our members' testimonies – and also, common sense. Many students witnessed the incident. They all said that our members were just trying to defend Sarah Gracelyn. Everyone in this school already knows that Lady Mireille likes to harass her. It's only understandable that our members would do that. They're just looking out for the weak."

"So, you think that the majority always wins, President? You know, just because you 'claim' that many people saw it doesn't mean it's the truth. There may only be a few on our side, but what's wrong is wrong. To begin with, this isn't about the number of words you can put on your 'excuse' letter," muttered Fallon, expression forbidding.

One thing that they hate the most about this is the fact that they keep insisting that Lady getting hurt is only but an accident. 

As if they'd let such an accident happen to her. She was clearly bruised, and she even got burnt. In all truthfulness, they're still going easy on them. They would've already shot down all their chances of explaining themselves if only they would have it. 

But they both think that there's no thrill in that.

'Oh, how thrilling~' Belle thought upon returning from buying a box of popcorn and seeing the ominous aura around Weiss and Fallon.

Her fellow club members gave her an incredulous look. She just casually settled back down as if she's in a movie theatre. One of them walks over to her and tries to make her snap out of it.

"I think you're being too laid-back right now, Ms. Belle."

"Relax. Not like we're not allowed to eat in here. Besides, it's lunch."

"No, I mean, you should probably deal with Ms.. Verosica first."