I’ll Become a Villainess That Will Go Down in History

a rose can charm you even as its thorns draw blood.

However, in her thanks just now, I could sense none of that intention.
Her demeanor held a steady dignity and her words nothing but an honest gratitude.

“Alicia,” Gramps greets, coming forward to stand next to Rebecca.

As always, his posture is straight and regal and he’s filled with a silent majesty that commands attention.

Although his hair is white, his face is unlined by wrinkles.
And even though his eyes are blank and pure white, with just one look you can tell that his features are strong, symmetrical… not bad looking for sure.
His kind wisdom also shines through clearly on his face.

“Grandpa Will!” Alicia joyfully calls out to him.

When she’s in front of Gramps, her expressions and mannerisms become just like those of an ordinary young girl.
Seeing her act like this, she must have really missed him.

“You look to be in high spirits,” Gramps remarks, a broad smile stretching across his face.

Without waiting a second longer, Alicia bounds over and flings her arms around him tightly.

For a moment, Gramps freezes, looking taken aback, but then his expression softens again and he brings his hand up to gently pat Alicia’s head.

…..Could it be that the reason Alicia hasn’t seemed like a villainess at all today is because she was too excited about being able to see Gramps again?

The bond between the two of them seems so strong that I almost find myself feeling a bit jealous.

Even though I’m definitely the one who’s spent more time with him since we lived in the same house together, his relationship with Alicia still seems to run deeper.

But, even if he and Alicia are closer, I still know him quite well, or at least enough to know that Gramps is one of the most intelligent, collected people that I have ever met.

And so his reaction to what happens next….
surprises me a great deal.

“Grandpa Will, would you lean down a bit for me?” Alicia requests, and Gramps complies, albeit with a curious expression on his face.

No one says a thing.
We all just stand there and watch in puzzled silence.

Without paying us any heed, Alicia draws closer to Gramps, bringing her mouth up near his eyes.

I’m starting to wonder what she’s trying to do when she begins chanting a spell.
The words sound silky and smooth, rolling off her tongue easily, but somehow I can’t understand them.
They’re words that I’ve never heard before.
And the way she chants them, drawing out the vowels and keeping to a slow, unhurried rhythm, makes it feel like she’s singing.

As she continues, a faint light starts glowing around the two of them.

….The more I listen, the more I’m convinced that she seems to be singing in the ancient language of the Duelkis Kingdom.
But I’m still only half certain, since even for the nobles that have managed to reach level 100 in magic, I didn’t think there was anyone capable of using those spells.

The people who would be able to understand this language should have long since left this world.
And even if there were some left, those who had passed the words down from ancestor to ancestor up until now, there shouldn’t be more than a handful of people.
And even they would likely not be able to decipher the characters anymore.

I know just how complex the ancient language can be, since I came across a book written in it once.
But, no matter how hard I tried, I could not understand a word of it.

I’ve heard it can take serious scholars decades to become proficient in it.
It must have been an extremely difficult skill to acquire, so why would she have bothered with it?

…..Don’t tell me she learned it just so she’d have the chance to be able to use this kind of magic? Even though it’s basically considered a lost art?

Her clear voice rings out throughout the silent area.
And at the same time glittering white light slowly engulfs her and Gramps.
It’s so radiant I can hardly keep my eyes open.

As the light continues to grow brighter and larger, I’m forced to shut my eyes.
But even then the light still burns like a hot brand on my closed eyelids.

And just as I’m about to throw up my hands for extra protection, that blinding light vanishes completely.
Simultaneously, the surrounding area grows completely silent as Alicia stops chanting.

Slowly, I open my eyes again.

…..So it really was that sort of magic after all.
Although I had suspected as much, the realization still hits me hard, causing goosebumps to break out across my whole body.

The rest of the villagers also seem to be frozen in shock and amazement.
There are even a few whose mouths are hanging wide open as they stare.

Even Rebecca seems to be shaking, and there’s a crazy smile splitting her face.

“Woah…..” she whispers, while staring wide-eyed in wonder.

It certainly is an unbelievable sight.
Even I want to doubt my own eyes.

Right in front of me, something like black smoke is billowing out from Alicia’s left eye.
And, opposite her, Gramps’ own previously blank left eye now has a brilliant, golden iris shining out from the middle of it.