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

Golden Rose Academy.

That's the name of the most prestigious school in the country that's known for rearing exceptional personalities, renowned prodigies, and esteemed figures. Distinguished as an exclusive scholarly institution, it only accepts chosen elites of the high society as well as commoners who're capable enough to have their schooling fees paid for by private individuals or organizations. Students who showed outstanding achievements and passed all the phases of the entrance examination would be admitted.

Lady is a special case, however.

After much deliberation from the academy staff and officials, she has been allowed to enter the school without requiring her to go through the usual process. This is most probably the doing of her family – her adoptive father, more particularly.

He can practically do everything that he wants to with the power he has. His influence is just that massive. He can even afford the things that money can't just easily buy. 

Having that said, Maximilian also got an exclusive offer to tour Lady around Golden Rose Academy weeks before the opening of classes.

Both of them are on their way to there at the moment. Once they got to settle down on the passenger seat of the car, they began discussing everything that needs to be discussed about the ever prominent Golden Rose Academy, which is apparently crucial if they want to maintain the honor and dignity of the Mireille clan.

"Listen, Lady…" Maximilian started, speaking in all seriousness – as always.

"The academy has these so-called social circles. In order to be part of those with the highest status, you have to gain entry to the Student Elite Society in which you'll receive the school's golden rose insignia, a symbol of excellence and honor. To do so, you have to earn merits through exceptional academic performance and civil skills-" 

"Look, Father…!" Lady blurted out all of the sudden, completely distracted by the sceneries outside the car window.

"There's a lot of people here! Shops, too! I didn't know that there's a whole store that sells ice cream! Oh, and that's a bakery, right?! Can we get cookies there later on, Father?" 

"Were you even listening to me? I was saying something important."

"Oh, y-you were? S-Sorry. I didn't hear it. What're you saying again?"

"We're so not getting any cookies."

"Ehhhhhh?!!!" 

He only sighs as she slumps and pouts.

This is the downside of adopting a child. He didn't get to raise his daughter himself earlier on. His siblings were able to discipline their own sons at a very young age. Now, they're all good kids with great talents and skills. Even though they are not perfect, they certainly are on their way already – to become the next generation of Mireille's that they are expected to be, that is. 

His child, on the other hand, is still apparently lacking in many areas.

"Hi! Hello! Whaddya doin'? Lovely weather, ain't it? Have a nice day!" 

And now, she's waving at the passersby on the sidewalk as their car drives off. She keeps greeting them even though they can't hear her. There's also this big, bright smile plastered across her face the whole time, telling him that she's thoroughly enjoying whatever she's doing. 

"You do know that the car window is tinted, right?" Maximilian deadpanned.

"What's tinted?" Lady asked, confused.

"Meaning it's too dark for the people outside to see you."

"Eh?! They can't see me?! Why?!"

"People of high status have this type of car window to protect themselves."

"Protect from what? The sun? So, they're like shades for cars?" 

"From bad people. You should already know by now that we're often targeted." 

"Oh, I see. But what if the bad people are inside? No one can see me crying for help from here if the windows are too dark."

"Why do you think the bad people would be inside?"

"Fallon and I were in a car when we got abducted."

He fell silent at that, taken aback by how she brought that up so casually.

Perhaps, she's actually no longer as appalled as he thought she'd be by those horrific events. But that could not be right. Her psychologists told him that this kind of terrible experience has a much bigger impact on children than it has on adults. He himself had been through several kidnapping attempts when he was younger. So, he knows they're telling the truth.

'It's a bit strange how she can easily move on from that. Even her caretakers said that there's no problem at all. In fact, based on their observation, she's gotten a lot more energetic ever since that day compared to the time when she just arrived at the mansion…' Maximilian pondered as he studied Lady in silence.

'I get what they're saying, though. Something has changed. I, for one, couldn't remember that she's this chatty and expressive. When I first met her, she barely got any words out.'

A total outcast – that's how he saw her back then.

For six years, nobody wanted to keep her. There were those who tried to adopt her, but they would all eventually return her to the orphanage weeks after. It happened every single time. They claimed that misfortunes befell them ever since they took her in, which was why she never lasted with them. 

'But just what kind of misfortune would fall on the most powerful man in the country?'

He'd like to see it try. 

If anything, the misfortune could have been directed to Lady herself. She's got kidnapped soon after she left the mansion for the first time, and she's got Fallon roped into trouble even though he had never gotten into one before. While Maximilian doesn't really believe in stuff like good luck and bad luck, he can't help but be a little interested in the prospect. 

"Anyway, Lady, before we have a tour around your school, we'll be talking with-"

"Hmmm… Everyone looks like walking trash bags with these tinted windows," she commented out of nowhere while she continued to stare out the window, cutting him off.

"You… Why do you keep cutting in every time I'm on the roll?" he sighed exasperatedly.

"Huh? Father wanna roll around?"

"When I'm talking, I mean. You absolutely must not do this when you're in front of the principal later."

"The principal?! But I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Just what're you saying now?"

"Don't you have to see the principal when your parents got called over after you did something bad? Like skip classes, or cheat, or vandalize a locker, or push a teacher down the stairs-"

"If you ever do any of those, I'll disown you right then and there. Do. Not. Do. Them. You hear me, Lady?" 

"Y-Yes, Father."

It appears that her daughter has a misconception about school principals. But rather than that, he's more astonished at how fast she comes up with ideas. She still shouldn't know about the bad ways to earn an appointment in the principal's office at the age of six. It's too early for her to be in that rebellious phase.

'Well, let's just wait and see. I don't even have any expectations of her at this point. While it'd be nice if she got to be accepted in the Student Elite Society at the end of the school year, I should first worry about her pushing a teacher down the stairs…' Maximilian thought and sighed, looking back at Lady and making an unamused face when he found her squishing her cheek against the car window to get a closer view of whatever had caught her attention this time. 

'Really. I'm worried.'

---

'Woahhh! It's really freakin' Golden Rose Academy!'

Lady can't believe that she's seeing this now – the elite school that she used to only imagine during her past life. It's one of the main settings of The Princess of High School, and it's the place where she's going to meet Sarah a few years from now. 

'So cool! I actually made something this awesome, huh?!'

She was in awe as soon as she caught sight of its palatial layout and exquisite design. The front gates alone are already grandiose, and the courtyard that has greeted them right after entering is massive. There are so many things to see – the lush greenery, a resplendent plethora of flowers, some fine arts and crafts, and the enormous infrastructures. The whole place appears like a castle.

It all exceeded Lady's expectations.

"Lookie, Father! There's a lady with a chopped head!"

"Naked! This one looks naked, Father!" 

"Father, Father! That man's got a beard! Is he Santa?!"

Maximilian holds it in.

He needs to hold it in.

While he understands that the academy is worthy of all sorts of praise, he doesn't understand why his daughter must point out the weirdest things as she goes through every single thing there that's praiseworthy – the sculptures, the paintings, the decors. She was impressed by the figurines in particular, and if only she'd just shut her mouth, she would appear like she was greatly amazed. But then, she really had to say what didn't need to be said.

"Say, Father, who's that chubby egghead over there? The tour guide?"

And alas, Lady has gone and said it – she just happened to be referring to the school principal himself, and he just happened to hear everything.