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

For one whole moment, Lady continues to behold the starry night sky in awe and wonder.

Now that she was taking time to admire the sight, she recalled that particular evening when she was with Fallon in the woods. She remembered seeing a similar view while they were hiding from Xavier.

Because of their situation back then, Lady didn't really have any chance to do some stargazing. 

That was actually the first time she got out at night – the first time she saw those celestial bodies up so close. In her past life, all she could do was look at them from her bedroom window. She never thought that it would turn out to be that pretty. So, once she caught sight of them that fateful evening, her breath was completely stolen away.

Right now, Lady has all the time in the world to take pleasure in the scenery, and with Fallon there, doing so has turned out to be a lot more enjoyable.

"Hey," he called quietly.

"Yeah?" she replied without looking.

"Do you remember? We've seen something like this before."

"Oh, you do too? That's great! I thought I'm the only one who remembers."

"Well, the whole experience itself is unforgettable. Even if I try to, I cannot fail to recall."

"Let's make other memories from now on – fun and happy ones!" 

She finally turns to look at him then. With how genuine her smile is, he can no longer keep himself from giving her a sincere one of his own. He can already feel that his life will never be the same anymore from that point on – regardless of how cheesy it sounds.

When they broke eye contact to gaze at the stars again, he suddenly took notice of Maximilian. He was still discussing something to Calixtus with a serious look on his face. 

"By the way, Lady, I have something to tell you…" Fallon began again, leaning closer and whispering in Lady's ear.

"You see, earlier, I think Uncle was jealous of Dad."

---

Moments after Fallon and Calixtus went home, Maximilian found Lady acting a bit strange.

It's not like this daughter of his has always been anything but that. She's up to something all the time, and as usual, he's clueless as to what it can possibly is.

It just so happened that Lady started trailing after Maximilian for some unknown reason.

When they went back inside the mansion, he caught her staring at him with those wide, curious-looking eyes, and when they got to the hallway, she was still following him from behind. Even when they finally reached his office, she did not leave nor show any sign of doing so. 

Finally deciding to acknowledge Lady's presence, Maximilian stopped walking. 

"Okay. What do you want?" he sighed.

"Nothing. I just thought I'd say good night to you," she said, taking him by surprise.

"Say what to me?"

"Listen up, Father, if you want to get along with me like how I think I have to get along with you, we have to do these kinds of things. Communication is very important in relationships. So, let's start with this. Saying good night to Lady won't be so bad, anyway, would it-" 

"Then, good night."

"Eh...? T-That's it?" 

"That's it. Now, go back to your room and sleep. I still have some paperwork to finish."

"O-Oh, alright."

Lady wanted to be furious. Here she was trying to do her best to make this relationship work. But then, Maximilian does not seem to care. He must've thought that she's taking this whole pretend family thing lightly – that she didn't even mean what she'd just said.

If it wasn't for what Fallon revealed to her earlier, though, she wouldn't consider making an effort for something like this. Yet, after learning that her father was probably jealous of Calixtus when he was patting her and that he invited his son on purpose just to cheer her up, she realized that he could not be all that bad. In fact, considering that he's one of the multi-faceted characters that she created, she knew he was not.

Regardless of Maximilian's true intentions, all that he did tonight ended up making Lady happy.

'Not only did I get to spend time with Fallon again, but I also got to talk with Uncle Calix and somehow deepened our relationship. I had actually hit two birds with one stone, and it's all thanks to Father, though he didn't know how much he had helped.'  

She only stays there by the doorway and keeps silent as he settles down behind his office desk. Upon seeing that she still hasn't gone out, he puts his elbows on top of the table and props his chin over his folded hands. Then, they stare at each other, neither uttering a single thing.

Somehow, this scene reminds Maximilian of when he first saw Lady again after a while – with her standing right in front of him and him sitting right in front of her, an office desk and some inches-long distance separating them from each other. 

"Got any more things to say? Why're you still here?" he asked eventually.

"I swear I'll give you a happy ending," she suddenly declared in all seriousness, perplexing him.

"Huh? What're you saying now?"

"I will properly fulfill my role, and I will make sure that everyone is going to be happy. So, don't worry. Even though you're like this right now, you're someone who deserves to live a life full of happiness like everyone else. I would know. Trust me."

"Hmmm… Talking nonsense again, I see."

Lady didn't care if he thought she's just messing around. Someday, Maximilian will realize what she means.

She couldn't find it in herself to thank him out loud for helping her without him knowing it, so she just decided to make that promise to him. Of course, he's still a jerk for what he did earlier that day, but because he's able to make up to her by letting her see her cousin even though he clearly said hours ago that their psychologists advised against it, she'd just take the gesture as his way of apologizing.

'He's an ass, but he's not totally an ass. The best thing I can do to thank him is to help him get that happy ending that will eventually bring out the good in him. With the heroine and her mother's help, he won't be an ass for too long.' 

Feeling quite smug about that, Lady goes ahead and flashes a haughty smirk to which Maximilian only makes an unamused look in return. 

"Just get out already."

---

Several weeks passed, and at long last, the opening of classes arrived.

Lady woke up on the first day of school with a huge smile on her face. With her contagious positivity outshining the morning sun itself, everyone in the mansion is more than delighted to help her prepare. What made it even more thrilling was that Maximilian would be taking her there himself. She was not able to spend time with him in a while, so she was practically bouncing on the passenger seat of the car as she happily sat beside him.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm only coming with you to attend the school's opening ceremony. It's a tradition for parents to be with their children on their first day at Golden Rose Academy," he explained with a stern tone and expression.    

"Doesn't matter. I'm just happy to be with you, Father," she beamed.

"I don't have cookies right now. So, stop with the pleasantries."

"I'm not trying to please you, though! Besides, I already ate some before we left!"

Maximilian didn't say anything. He just leaned back, crossed his arms and shut his eyes closed – a sign that he wanted to be left alone. Lady pouts at that. It seemed that he's just really forced to come with her.

'Hmph. Let's forget about him.'

Ignoring him, she just decides to take a look at her uniform again.

Her eyes gleam with joy then, her lips curving into a grin. She had never worn anything like it in her entire life. Just as expected of an elite academy, the school uniform is worthy of the wearer and vice versa.

The design is just downright exquisite, and the fabric used is of high quality. Students at the primary level like her wear a dress instead of the usual two piece outfit that those from middle school and high school wear. It is of pinafore style with golden embellishments, a white long-sleeved inner shirt, a tiny red ribbon, and a pair of knee-length white socks. She also has a black mini beret with another red ribbon.   

'So cuteee! I look so cute in this!' she squealed inwardly, feeling so endeared with herself that she did not even realize that she was happily bouncing on her seat once more.

For that whole ride, Lady just keeps admiring how she looks and mumbling praises to herself – without noticing that Maximilian is actually watching her in secret that entire time while pretending to be asleep.