The Villainous Me Turned the Losers into Blackened Bosses-Chapter 82 - Birthday Surprise

Eir dragged Treya far away.

Finally…

After confirming they had reached a secluded corner of the training grounds where Will wouldn’t wander, she whispered:

“Your Highness, how did you know it’s the Young Master’s birthday?”

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“He mentioned it last week.”

Treya crossed her arms, thinking for a moment before continuing:

“I asked my subordinates to check with some acquaintances connected to the Hysterm family and found out it’s today. Since he was planning to stay for dinner before leaving, I prepared a cake for him as a courtesy.”

“I see… as expected of the thoughtful half-elf princess… Wait, you… Your Highness, you ordered a cake?!”

Eir exclaimed in shock.

She had almost thought her plan to bake a small cake was doomed.

But now…

In front of her was a ready-made solution!

“…Yes. It’s a necessary formality,” Treya said, tilting her head in confusion. “So, why didn’t you let me tell him?”

Eir crossed her arms, scolding her:

“Seriously! Your Highness, do you know? You almost ruined everything. This is the first time in ten years that the Young Master has forgotten his own birthday!”

“Wouldn’t it be better to remind him?”

“Of course not!” Eir’s ears perked up in frustration at Treya’s dense response. “Think about it. If we secretly prepare something and surprise him when he’s forgotten, he’ll be so much happier.”

“…A surprise? He’ll be happy?”

Treya, who struggled to understand even slightly indirect meanings, found this concept hard to grasp.

“Exactly. Since you’ve already prepared something, Your Highness…”

“—Let’s set it up together and see how it goes.”

In Treya’s fifteen years of life, she had never prepared a birthday surprise for anyone.

“Hmm… when should we do it?”

“While you’re changing out of your training clothes. The Young Master is considerate enough that he won’t follow you while you’re changing… probably… right?”

—

Will couldn’t shake the feeling…

That after Eir “burned her tail” and left with Treya, the two of them were plotting something behind his back.

Hmm…

But then again, they were two young girls. It wasn’t unusual for them to have things they didn’t want a man to know about.

For example…

Maybe they needed to change because it was that time of the month?

Or maybe their bra straps had come undone, and they needed to fix them?

Or perhaps wearing black stockings was making their feet hurt, so they went to take them off and relax?

Will smacked his forehead.

Why was his brain filled with things only adolescent girls would think about?

And why were such inappropriate thoughts creeping in?

It definitely wasn’t because, in his past life, he had reviewed a junior writer’s personal novels while hiring her for his team. Definitely not!

But…

What was even stranger was that after their secretive glances and whispered exchanges, they kept… they kept sneaking glances at him?

Uh…

Was there something wrong with him?

At least his zipper was up, his hair was fine, and nothing that shouldn’t be “up” was up.

Whatever. Maybe this was just one of life’s seven great illusions—like thinking the women around you care about you.

“Shing. That’s the fortieth set. Will-sensei, please critique me.”

“Very good. Honestly, I can’t find any faults.”

“Then… are we done for today?”

Treya glanced at the clock hanging near the training grounds… and then at Eir below it.

Eir’s long wolf ears perked up before drooping again as she signaled Treya with a subtle ear twitch to wrap things up.

“Hmm… it’s almost dinnertime, and it’s getting late. You’ve worked hard enough. Believe in yourself—you’re doing great, really great!”

“What should I practice tomorrow?”

“Uh…”

Will hadn’t thought that far ahead.

He had assumed that even with such basic swordsmanship for five-year-olds, it would take two days to unlearn her previous flawed techniques and master these movements smoothly.

But…

Treya’s talent and dedication far exceeded his expectations. It even made him feel a bit sorry for her.

She had always been so diligent and hardworking, yet her life was filled with people who betrayed her and set traps for her.

“Uh… I think you can take a day off. We can focus on choosing what you’ll wear for the ceremony. You should also take some time to reflect and prepare.”

“And if I insist on practicing swordsmanship?”

“Then… I’ll find you a copy of Beginner’s Swordsmanship for Ten-Year-Olds?”

“…Alright. I’ll go… change my clothes.”

Treya, unusually obedient, glanced at Eir again.

Eir’s wolf ears were wagging so fast they were a blur.

“Well… uh…”

Treya racked her brain for a reason to leave with Eir, but her mind blanked.

“But! Eir, you! Have! To! Come! With! Me!”

She said it with such force, her gaze sharper than before, as if she and Eir had some deep-seated grudge to settle.

Eir’s ears drooped as she held her forehead.

“Huh?”

Will was startled.

Was Treya really that vengeful?! Just because she couldn’t land a few hits earlier, she was dragging Eir off for a private duel?!

“Uh… it’s just that Her Highness Treya wanted to consult me about the black stockings, so I-I-I’m going with her to help her with her outfit!”

Eir used every ounce of her brainpower to come up with what she thought was a foolproof “female problem” that the Young Master couldn’t possibly question!

“You usually wear white stockings. Are you sure you can help? If there’s an issue, I’ll go instead—I’m a stockings expert.”

When it came to stockings, Will couldn’t sit still.

“Young Master, since when did you qualify as an expert?” Eir, unwilling to back down, pressed on. “It’s… it’s about how to wear stockings without them slipping!”

“That’s easy—just put a coin inside the stocking. We still have plenty of counterfeit magic coins left. Let me help.”

At the mention of stockings, Will got so excited he stood up.

Smack.

Eir forcibly pushed Will back into his seat—a rare act of defiance on her part!

“It’s… about how to pair stockings with underwear… a women’s issue!”

“Then I definitely can’t miss this!”

Will, brimming with enthusiasm, almost overpowered Eir.

But…

Noticing Eir’s death glare—her “you’d better sit down” look of pure menace…

And Treya’s confused yet judgmental “this guy is so weird” expression…

Honestly…

Those stares had a certain “darkening” intensity that made Will, for a brief moment, remember he had at least some responsibility as their mentor.

“Hmm… on second thought, I’m not a pervert, so you two go ahead.”

“Young Master, your earlier comments… already proved you’re a pervert, didn’t they?”

“As long as I don’t act on it, I’m not!”

Will declared with righteous confidence.

“Well then…”

Having gained his approval, Eir released her grip.

“Wait here. We’ll be back soon~”

Will watched Eir’s upright and confident figure as she walked away, feeling like she had grown a lot.

And beside her, Treya seemed to be trying to engage in conversation.

It seemed she was finally making an effort to understand others’ emotions.

“That’s nice…”

“But…”

“What are they hiding from me?”