My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
Another beautiful day!
Perfect for working the fields!
Episode 2 A Prince Challenged Me to a Fight...
It's been a few months since my memories from my past life returned,
and taking care of the fields has become my hobby.
Need any help, Sister?
I'll help, too, Catarina.
Thanks, you two!
They're wilting...
But why? I've been giving them water and fertilizer.
Cheer up, Sister.
Here, stand u—
You don't need to worry about my sister, Prince Geordo.
Also, there's no need to take the time to come by every day.
I'm sure there's no need for you to cling so close to her all the time, either, Keith.
They've become such good friends.
Catarina...
You've received an invitation to a tea party.
Would you like to go?
Tea party?
She mustn't go, darling!
Just look at her!
She hasn't learned any manners at all!
W-Well, that's true...
But perhaps she can learn through actual experience.
Yes, I do agree, but...
I know!
Why don't we send Keith along with her?
We won't have to worry if he's with her.
I'd be glad to go with her.
Thank you! That'll be a big help!
Wait... I'm the older sister.
Why can't I be trusted to go anywhere without Keith?
Thank you for attending our tea party today.
And thank you for inviting us.
Welcome to our home.
Please, make yourselves comfortable.
Thank you.
I-It's a pleasure to meet you.
I'm the fourth daughter, M-Mary Hunt.
Nice to meet you, Lady Mary.
Please, come inside.
Oh... Of course.
So you're Lady Catarina Claes?
The one who's engaged to Prince Geordo?
I've heard all about you.
It's an honor to meet you.
Yes...
Lady Catarina, allow me to introduce myself!
Me, too!
Oh, certainly.
I'm exhausted just from greeting everyone.
I guess they're all too busy talking to eat.
What a waste.
If I had a bag, I'd take all of these home.
Sister?
Why do you look so lost in thought?
U-Um...
Don't tell me...
you're thinking about taking all those desserts home.
That's incredible! How did you know?!
How I knew isn't the issue here.
If you do that, the dignity of the Claes family will come into question.
Besides, you'll be in big trouble if Mother finds out.
Didn't she just forbid you from eating sweets after
you ate a cookie that had fallen on
the floor, saying something about a "3-second rule"?
Th-Then I have no other choice.
If I can't take them home, I'll have to eat them all now!
Sister, please!
I think you've had enough...
Huh?!
A-Are you all right?
N-Nothing's wrong!
Just going to powder my nose!
Sister?!
Glad I made it in time.
I guess I ate a bit too much.
L-Lady Catarina?
What brings you out here?
Oh, um... I just wanted a little fresh air.
What about you, Lady Mary? What brings you here?
I don't like noisy, crowded places very much.
She almost seems like she's afraid.
Because I have such an evil face?!
Th-This garden sure is incredible.
There are so many flowers. It's really beautiful!
And they're all blooming so brilliantly.
You must have a very skilled gardener.
Oh, I know!
Hey, Lady Mary, would you introduce me to your gardener?
Huh?
There are some questions I'd like to ask
someone who can cultivate such pretty flowers!
I-It's me.
Huh?
I'm the one who takes care of these flowers.
Incredible...
How do you do it?!
Do you have a secret trick?!
Or is the secret in the dirt itself?!
U-Um, Lady Catarina...
I'm sorry!
F-Fields?
You raise farm fields?
I've been raising vegetables,
but for some reason, they're wilting.
I don't know why, or what I should do.
I do wish I could help you,
but I've never raised vegetables before.
I can't give any advice after just hearing what you...
Then would you please come to my house and take a look at them?
Huh?!
Over here, Lady Mary!
You really are raising farm fields.
I am!
Look. This is what I was talking about.
They do seem to be wilting.
I thought it was the heat,
but the vegetables our gardener, Tom, is raising are doing fine.
Maybe...
Do you have an idea?
W-Well, I can't be sure, but...
It may be that they aren't receiving enough water and fertilizer.
Let's try moving them somewhere else and see how they do.
Okay!
Look, Mary! They're doing so much better!
And it's all because of you! Thank you!
I-I didn't...
You have a green thumb for sure!
A green thumb?
That's what you say about people who have a talent for raising plants!
Your green thumb makes you extra special and extra amazing, Mary!
I'm... special?
Um, Lady Catarina...
Yes?
I know the vegetables are doing better now,
but can I still come and visit again sometime?
You're more than welcome to! Come visit anytime!
Okay!
See you soon!
Lady Mary seems more cheerful than before.
That's true. She must have been so afraid of me before
because I have such an evil face!
I... I don't think that's why.
She was acting that way toward everyone.
Really?
Yeah.
I bet she's going through things at home
that have made her lose her confidence.
Like what?
I heard at the tea party
that Lady Mary's mother was Marquess Hunt's second wife,
and the rest of the family wasn't happy about the remarriage.
Lady Mary's older sisters treated her like a nuisance,
and they've verbally abused her all her life.
I think, after her mother passed away,
she felt like she had nowhere to belong.
So that's why...
But I'm sure Lady Mary is going to be all right now.
You can tell, Keith?
I suppose I can.
Incidentally, Lady Mary's engagement to Prince Alan should be settled soon.
Oh, really?
Wait... Mary's engagement to whom?
Prince Alan. Prince Geordo's twin brother.
That's the third doom flag!
We will now commence our strategy meeting.
Alan is one of the conquerable routes in the game!
Befriending the girl who's engaged to him
would be like walking right up to our own doom flag!
Let's review the information we have.
Because Alan was in poor health until he turned five,
he had a sheltered upbringing, making him spoiled and egotistical.
Alan Stuart
Was in poor health until age five
He feels a deep rivalry, as well as an inferiority complex, toward his brother Geordo.
Spoiled and egotistical
Deep rivalry and inferiority complex toward his brother Geordo
But when he meets the heroine in the game,
his heart takes a positive turn
and his barely-existent relationship with Geordo improves.
That's such a nice story!
This is no time to feel moved!
No need to worry.
Catarina barely appears in Alan's route at all.
The rival who appears in her place
is Alan's loving fiancée, Mary.
Mary Hunt
Th-Then is Mary going to end up either exiled or killed?
Adores Alan from the bottom of her heart
Is jealous of the heroine, however she doesn't bully her like Catarina
No.
In the happy ending,
Mary congratulates the couple and withdraws.
In the bad end, she ends up with Alan.
She's a rival just like us, but she's such a nice character!
Why is Catarina the only one to be treated like a monster?!
What were you thinking, production staff?!
You guys should try being in Catarina's shoes for once!
Order!
We don't even know if this story will pan out as it did in the game.
Take a look.
Alan
You have a green thumb, Mary.
Mary
A green thumb?
Alan
That's what you say about people who have a talent for raising plants.
Your green thumb makes you extra special and extra amazing.
Th-That sounds like what Catarina said.
It's exactly what Catarina said, in fact.
I thought I'd heard that somewhere before!
Wait, does that mean we said it first?
A great line like that has only half the impact the second time!
Mary won't fall for him now!
I fear all we can do is wait and see what happens.
Y-You're right.
Alan is a beautiful prince in an otome game!
Having one line stolen from him isn't a big deal!
Mary, I heard your engagement's been settled.
Congratulations!
Thank you.
I'm engaged to a prince now, too.
I'm so happy to be in the same position as you, Lady Catarina.
Right...
So, what was Prince Alan like?
He was very beautiful.
And he praised my garden, just like you did.
Really? And what happened next?
Nothing. That was all.
Um... Your green thumb didn't come up in the conversation or anything?
Lady Catarina! Did you actually hear about that?
So it did, then?! It actually came up?!
Yes!
I told Prince Alan what you told me!
What?! You told him?!
And you told him I said it?!
Yes.
I was just so happy that you said such a thing to me.
I couldn't help but tell him about it.
No way he could say it, then.
Not when he knew someone else beat him to it.
Sorry, Alan.
Keep growing and make me some delicious veggies!
My Lady!
The prince is here to visit!
What are you so flustered about, Anne?
Prince Geordo can just come right out here, like always.
Not him! The fourth prince, Alan, is here!
What?! Why?!
S-Sorry to make you wait!
Took you long enough.
Wh-What kind of attitude is that? He's the one who showed up unannounced.
No, no. He's just a child.
Mentally, I'm seventeen plus nine years old.
I can't get angry at a child.
I apologize. It took a bit of time to get ready.
I am Catarina Claes.
Alan Stuart.
I need to talk to you.
A-About what?
About Mary Hunt.
Huh?
She's my fiancée now. Did you know that?
Yes, I am aware.
If you're aware, then stop seducing her!
S-Seducing? What do you mean?
Are you trying to play dumb?!
I invited her over, but she refused, saying she had plans with you!
Lady Catarina is...
And when we're together, you're all she ever talks about!
Lady Catarina said...
It's obvious that you're trying to seduce her!
Lady Catarina and I...
Excuse me?! That's a blatantly false accusation!
What's false about it?!
You're trying to deceive my sweet, pure Mary!
That's ridiculous!
You just invited her at the wrong time,
and whatever you talk to her about is boring!
What?!
L-Lady Catarina!
Any girl would accept the invitation of someone who appeals to her!
You just have no appeal at all!
No appeal?
I've never been ridiculed to my face like this before.
U-Um, that was just a slip of the...
You've got guts, Catarina Claes.
I accept that insult as a personal challenge.
We will have a showdown!
Why a tree-climbing contest?
Because Prince Alan said that since I'm a girl, he'd let me choose the contest.
And this was the only thing I could think of that I'm good at.
But I doubt that Prince Alan has ever climbed a tree before.
It'll be fine.
Prince Alan, please don't do this.
Keith is keeping Mother occupied so she won't find out, so for his sake,
If you were to get hurt...
E-Enough! Be quiet!
I'll end this quickly.
Okay, shall we get started?
The first one to reach the top wins.
Sure, fine.
All right, then... take your marks.
Set!
Begin!
Looks like the contest is over, Prince Alan!
I-I demand a rematch!
I'm just not used to this because I've never done it before!
Hah! Don't think you can beat me, little rich boy.
They called me "wild monkey" in my past life.
That's fine with me,
but you won't beat me that easily!
Bring it on!
Are you all right, Prince Alan?
I-I'll win the next round!
Just you wait!
P-Prince Alan!
Catarina Claes! It's time for another showdown!
Another showdown!
Today, I will win!
Wh-What are you, a monkey?!
These are good, too!
Prince Alan has been coming here every day since.
Yeah, they're not half bad.
Indeed. He just doesn't want to give up.
Catarina! I'm back for another...
Wh-Why are you here?
This is my fiancée's house.
What's so strange about my being here?
Well, I have a showdown with her today, so don't butt in.
You've had numerous showdowns already, and you haven't won even once.
Don't you think it's time you gave up?
N-No.
The contest hasn't been decided yet!
I can do it, too! I can...
L-Listen, Prince Alan...
Why don't we pick something else to compete in?
I think my mother is about to find out that I've been climbing trees.
If we must... What shall we compete in, then?
I know! How about piano?
What a surprise. I didn't know you could play the piano.
Y-Yes...
Was that supposed to be a compliment?
It's your turn next, Prince Alan.
Incredible! You're very good!
It's nothing that special.
But it really is!
We played the same song, but it sounded completely different!
You have remarkable talent!
Catarina is right.
That was truly splendid.
You don't really think that.
You can drop the stupid flattery!
I know you're mocking me on the inside, calling me a failure!
Alan...
Prince Alan!
Prince Alan.
I don't have anything worth calling a talent.
That's not true...
I can't do anything.
I'm just the dregs left in Geordo's wake.
Why do you have so little confidence in yourself?
I've been compared to Geordo since the day I was born.
No matter what I do, I can't hold a candle to him.
I've been told all my life that
I'm just the dregs left behind after Geordo took all the good qualities.
How am I supposed to feel confident?
I think it's more an issue of what you are and aren't suited for.
What do you mean?
Well... Prince Geordo has things he's good at and things he's bad at,
and I'm sure you have some of each, as well.
We all have things we handle well and things we don't.
I've never heard of Geordo having anything he can't handle, though.
If you want to know what Prince Geordo can't handle, I know of something.
Huh?
It happened a week ago...
He's normally so composed,
but when he saw it, he was terribly shocked.
That's clearly the thing he can't handle!
What was it, though?
Catarina? Where are you?
Here he comes! This way!
H-Hey!
The thing Prince Geordo can't handle...
is this!
Prince Geordo can't stand snakes!
Snakes?
Yes!
I wanted to find out for sure someday,
so I've kept a toy snake hidden in my pocket!
Uh, that's not what I meant by "things he can't handle."
I've finally found the perfect prince's weakness!
This is sure to come in handy when I face the threat of my doom!
Catarina...
P-Prince Geordo?
What, exactly, is this?
Um, that's...
Surely you wouldn't throw a thing like this at your fiancé, would you?
W-Wait! Am I going to be exiled for the crime of throwing a toy at a prince?!
I must tell your mother about your tree-climbing and this toy.
Wha—
Anything but that! Please!
P-Prince Geordo!
I can't believe he actually told Mother everything.
Still, this is great!
I know what Geordo's weakness is now!
When he's about to kill me, I'll just toss a toy snake
and run away while he's recoiling in fear!
It's the perfect plan, if I do say so myself!
Now I can avoid that doom flag!