Cursed Villainess’ Obsession

Laphne’s anger was terrifying.

Though her fury wasn’t directed at me, the way she kept questioning me about Mary and Emily with those predator-like eyes was enough to send chills down my spine.

“They’re trying to take Ken… They’re trying to take Ken… They’re trying to take Ken…”

Even after her anger subsided, Laphne continued muttering under her breath, biting her nails. She was genuinely frightening in that state.

If that anger had been directed at me…

It sent shivers down my spine.

‘This isn’t sustainable.’

After narrowly avoiding the life-threatening situation with Laphne, and after all the bullying I had recently endured from Emily, I had come to one undeniable realization:

I needed to get stronger—and fast.

‘If I go now, he should be there, right?’

I was too weak. Sure, I could momentarily become stronger by exploiting skills and traits, but the risks were too great. Using Calorie Burn required me to consume food within a time limit, or I’d collapse. That wouldn’t be enough to protect myself when it really counted.

Which meant the only real solution was to lose weight.

‘…But Laphne’s food is just too delicious.’

And she always served large portions. If I tried to leave food behind to eat less…

‘K-Ken… Why didn’t you finish your food? Was it not tasty? Have you lost your appetite? No, please! If you stop eating, you’ll leave the tower! I’m sorry! I’ll remake it right away! Please, just give me one more chance…!’

I could already picture a trembling, tearful Laphne.

Cutting down the food portions would take time and careful persuasion. Until then, I had only two options: increase my exercise and hone my skills.

‘If I train repetitively, I might even unlock new skills.’

One thing I had learned from being bullied by Emily was that in this world, skills that were originally obtained through items or skill trees in the game could now be acquired through repetitive training.

If I trained in swordsmanship, I could gain a swordsmanship skill. If I studied magic, I could unlock magic skills. Which meant that the person I needed to seek out now was...

“…Excuse me.”

With a creaking sound, the rusty hinges of the door groaned open. Fresh air and the fragrance of flowers wafted toward me from beyond.

I had arrived at the rooftop garden, a serene place filled with blooming flowers.

• Possesses strong mental fortitude, granting high resistance to mental attacks.