Crushing flags and claiming the Villainess

It was just before everything turned to chaos—before the tournament changed their lives.

On one of those quiet days, Austin sat in his office while Valerie rested on the couch nearby.

They were working together. Valerie was helping him prepare a record of all the goods that had been transported from different cities to the capital—the dates, the routes, and the estimated costs, based on the data Austin had given her.

Most of Austin's tasks were small things. Simple work, the kind that could easily be done by someone else. And even if it wasn't, it didn't really make a difference to the bigger picture of the administration.

Still, he never complained. He did what he could—because deep down, he wanted to be seen as part of the family.

But no matter how much he did, a thought quietly stayed with him:

Once Adrian was gone... would they still let him stay?

Would they still call him a Prince? Or would that title be taken from him too?

He didn't have an answer.

Austin lifted his eyes and looked at Valerie. Just for a moment.

She was focused on the report, her brows slightly furrowed in concentration.

Chewing on the end of her pencil, she carefully studied the notes before filling out the datasheet, double-checking each number.

Austin watched her for a moment and smiled to himself. There was something quietly endearing about the way she worked. Then he turned back to his own papers.

After a while, a sheet of paper was held out in front of him.

"Here," she said, "check this and tell me if there's something wrong."

Austin took the sheet and quickly compared it with the average prices he had memorized.

"Hmm... the price of nails and barrels is off," he said, spotting the error within seconds as he scanned three columns.

Valerie nodded, took the paperback, and walked over to her seat again.

Austin glanced at her as she returned—and noticed something odd.

She was frowning. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, and there was a tightness in her expression that hadn't been there before.

She looked... irritated.

That wasn't like her.

Still, Austin didn't say anything. He quietly returned to his work, though a part of his mind stayed on her expression, trying to figure out what had changed.

She had been eager to help him—that's the only reason he hadn't refused her.

But if this was getting too hard on her... he would find a way to keep her away from this pointless work.

She was already training him, attending the classes, pushing herself in personal training, and studying for the mid-terms.

The pressure must be overwhelming.

And here he was—making her do even more.

Austin let out a soft breath and went back to the documents.

Numbers gave him peace.

He began working through the data—calculating the average income of people from different regions across the nation, comparing it with their expenses, and then with figures from the past years to measure progress.

He knew his input might not matter much in the grand scheme, but still, he added a short note at the end—highlighting which areas needed attention, and suggesting how things could be improved for the people's well-being.

Just then, a sheet was extended toward him again.

Still lost in thought, Austin glanced at it and muttered, "The price of horseshoes and shackles is miscalculated—"

"Why are you such a perfectionist? It's not like anyone's actually going to check it!"

Valerie's sharp voice cut through the silence, and Austin's eyes slowly rose in surprise.

He blinked, startled.

She'd never spoken to him like that before.

Their eyes met, and in that brief moment, Valerie seemed to realize what she had just done. Her anger crumbled into disbelief. Her eyes widened, and the color drained from her face.

"Oh my god... I—I..." Her voice cracked as tears welled up in her eyes.

She let go of the paper like it was burning her fingers and took a shaky step back.

She couldn't believe it—she had just snapped at her Lord.

At Austin.

Someone who always remained respectful and patient with her ...she disrespected him.

"Valerie... it's okay. Calm down," Austin stood quickly, his voice gentle, hand reaching out to stop her.

But it was already too late.

She turned around and bolted out of the room, the sound of her footsteps fading down the hallway.

Austin panicked.

He rushed out of the room without a second thought—but she was already gone.

Vanished like smoke.

He couldn't even catch a glimpse of her.

Of course, he didn't return to the office. His feet carried him straight out of the dormitory, chasing after her in a near sprint.

Valerie was fast—faster than him—and after racing down the stairs and checking a few paths, he found himself out of breath.

He paused, chest heaving, trying to think. Where could she have gone?

The classrooms were closed off after the demon attack. She wouldn't go there.

The common hall? Too crowded. Too public.

Valerie wouldn't want to be seen like that.

Then—

Ah.

He turned and dashed toward the back of the academy.

He'd seen her slip away to that spot a few times in the past—usually when something was weighing on her or when she needed a place to be alone.

He couldn't be sure, but it was a place to start.

That part of the campus was quiet. Most of the students were out enjoying the unexpected holiday, unaware of the storm in Valerie's heart.

Austin stepped into the darkened gymnasium. The echo of his footsteps was the only sound.

His eyes scanned the empty arena. Nothing.

So he kept looking—checking the stands, scanning every corner...

And there she was.

Curled up in the farthest corner, face buried into her arms, knees pulled to her chest, her shoulders trembling quietly.

Austin let out a shaky breath, relieved.

He climbed over the low wall and approached slowly, careful not to startle her.

He sat beside her, letting a few seconds pass in silence before gently saying,

"You scared me there… running off like that."

She didn't respond. Didn't even look at him.

But the quiet sound of her weeping spoke louder than words.

He reached out and held her hand, his voice calm, steady.

"Val... do you really think our bond is so weak… so shallow… that I'd hate you just because you shouted at me?"

She flinched, then slowly turned to look at him—eyes red, lips trembling.

Austin didn't say anything at first. He just pulled out a soft handkerchief and gently reached up, wiping away the tears streaming down her cheeks. His touch was warm, careful, and quiet.

Then came her voice—small and cracking.

"B-But... you didn't do anything to deserve that. I was being unreasonable because… I couldn't control my emotions."

Austin nodded slightly. He already knew. Valerie rarely let her emotions slip, especially not when they were working together. She was always composed. Always collected.

But today… she broke. And he was right there to see it.

He gave her a faint smile, still holding her hand.

"It's okay, Valerie. You don't have to hold back with me. If you ever need to shout—do it. If you're angry, if you're sad… let it out on me. I won't mind."

His voice was soft but steady. Each word wrapped around her like a gentle embrace.

"Because we're not partners just in happiness. We're in this together—joy, sorrow, frustration, all of it. That's what it means to stay by someone's side… right?"

Valerie stared at him for a moment, eyes glistening. Then, quietly, she nodded.

Her breathing steadied. Her shoulders stopped trembling. And for the first time since she ran off, her fingers gently closed around his hand—gripping it back.

Austin hesitated. He knew he wasn't on Earth anymore—this wasn't something people asked casually here. Still, he took a breath and asked, gently,

"Valerie… are you on your period?"

She froze, eyes snapping toward him in shock. "How do you…" Her voice trailed off, her face flushing a deep red.

It was clear she hadn't expected that. And in this world, it wasn't something women usually shared with their partners. But Austin wasn't like the people here.

He gave her hand a warm squeeze.

"I've read enough to know what women go through during those days," he said softly. "So, it's no surprise your mood shifted earlier."

Valerie looked down, clearly torn between guilt and embarrassment. She didn't know what to say.

Austin reached out and cupped her cheek with quiet tenderness.

"This stays between us, okay? You don't need to feel embarrassed. I just want to know when it usually happens… so I can take better care of you."

She hesitated, then whispered, "B-But Mother said…"

"Forget about her," he interrupted gently. "I know she must've told you men don't care about things like this—but I do. I know it hurts. And even with that pain, you still helped me train this morning."

Valerie's eyes widened. Her heart skipped a beat. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. Her mother taught her to keep these things to herself. It was a part of etiquette.

And yet… here he was. Caring. Soft. Present.

She felt something stir inside her, a quiet warmth, a kind of joy that was hard to explain.

Could there really be a man more thoughtful than him?

Austin leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Come on," he said with a soft smile. "Let's go back. I'll give you a nice massage… and make you some dark chocolate."

A quiet giggle escaped her lips. She hummed in agreement, her smile stretching from ear to ear.

Something changed between them that day.

Valerie started opening up more—sharing the thoughts she once buried, expressing feelings she used to hide. The wall she had built around herself began to slowly crumble… all because one man dared to care.

....

It had been almost a year since that day.

Now, Valerie was lying on the bed, face down, as Austin gently massaged her lower back.

A soft purr escaped her lips, the tension slowly melting from her body. The dull ache in her abdomen was fading with every stroke of his hands.

Austin smiled as he watched her relax. "You sound adorable, Val," he whispered.

She let out a small laugh, her voice muffled by the pillow. "Can't help it… your hands are just too good."

He chuckled, leaning down to press a tender kiss on her cheek.

To others, this might seem like a small moment—something ordinary and forgettable.

But for them, it was everything. A quiet piece of love. A bond that spoke louder than words.

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- I felt happy writing this chapter. Thank you for reading.