My Adorable Daughter Can't Be A Villainess - Chapter 26 - Coward

Charlotte wandered through the academy, quietly observing the places Eric had pointed out to her earlier.

She felt slightly overwhelmed by everything around her. She had never been anywhere so vast and beautiful before.

She remembered her mother once telling her that Obsidian Spire had been her haven, a place she loved more than her actual home.

Now Charlotte could understand why. This academy was a place worth falling in love with.

The ashy gray walls, the cobblestone paths, the faint chill in the air, and the scent of freshly trimmed grass made every step feel memorable.

As she wandered down one of the corridors, she took the first turn that led toward the gymnasium.

Her mother had told her that it was the arena where she spent most of her time.

While walking, Charlotte frowned when she heard someone sniffling nearby.

There were a few other voices as well, coming from a little farther ahead. Maybe three.

She did not stop. Instead, her feet carried her closer to the sound, until she saw a girl with black hair pinned against the wall by an older man.

Three boys stood there, all looking two or three years older than Charlotte. They wore the uniform of Ardentia and had cornered the girl, who was not wearing any school uniform. She was likely a visitor, just like Charlotte.

As Charlotte drew closer, she heard the red-haired boy holding the girl’s wrists above her head sneer, “Shout once more and see why they call this corridor the Death Passage.”

The girl was weeping, her face twisted in pain. It was clear she was being molested.

Charlotte knew, realistically, that she stood no chance against three older boys.

But that did not stop her.

“Hey, you three,” she called out, and their reactions showed they had sensed her approach.

The one with spiky green hair turned and snickered. “Look at this. A heroine came to save the day. And that hair. Are you a noble, perhaps?”

There was no caution in their voices.

Charlotte narrowed her eyes. “Does that matter to scoundrels like you? Let her go, or I will shout loud enough for someone to come and beat your asses.”

The three glanced at one another before bursting into laughter.

“Phahaha!”

“Was that supposed to scare us?”

While they were distracted, Charlotte suddenly charged forward.

Before any of them could react, she slammed her shoulder into the red-haired boy with all her strength.

“Gah!” He staggered back, completely unprepared.

Charlotte immediately turned to the black-haired girl and shouted, “Run! Now!”

Terrified, the girl nodded and bolted away.

The green-haired boy lunged after her, but Charlotte kicked the back of his knee, forcing him to drop to the ground.

“Guh! Nasty bitch.”

The third boy grabbed a fistful of Charlotte’s hair and smashed her face into the wall.

Charlotte groaned, but she did not stay still. She reached down and grabbed the boy’s crotch, squeezing with everything she had.

“Aaahhhh!” He screamed and instantly let go.

Charlotte spun toward the green-haired boy, but she was too slow. His kick landed squarely in her stomach.

DHAK.

She staggered back, only for the red-haired boy to punch the back of her head, slamming her face into the ground.

Charlotte groaned as her vision swam.

Just as she tried to push herself up, a foot pressed down on her head, forcing her face against the cold floor.

“Try getting up,” the red-haired boy said heavily, his mana flaring like a thick blanket, “and I swear the cleaners will be wiping your blood off the floor.”

Charlotte refused to yield. Her hands trembled as she struggled to rise, but the harder she tried, the more force he applied.

“Gah!” she cried when another boy suddenly stepped on her fingers.

“You nasty thot! You dare touch us?!”

“Ahhh!” Charlotte screamed as he twisted his heel, crushing her fingers.

“Hey. What are you doing?”

A voice rang out from behind them.

The three boys froze for a split second, then immediately fled, leaving Charlotte lying on the ground.

She remained there, groaning softly, until a warm voice spoke again.

“Are you okay?”

Charlotte tilted her head and saw a black-haired boy with droopy eyes staring down at her. His eyes trembled with nervousness.

He did not look much older than her, and his posture was tense for some reason.

She slowly pushed herself up and glanced around. “Who… helped me just now?” She had expected an instructor, but only this boy stood there.

The boy swallowed and admitted, “I used my skill to make myself look older.”

Charlotte let out a quiet “Ooh” as she slowly got to her feet.

Her lips were split, blood trailing down her face. Dirt smeared her left cheek, and a boot print marked the back of her hand. The back of her head still throbbed.

But none of it compared to what she had endured in the past.

So it was fine.

“Thank you for helping,” she said to him.

The boy quickly lowered his head and shook it. “I… I was standing there the whole time. I saw that girl being molested, but I was too shocked to move.”

His eyes glimmered as he continued, “But then I saw you. You confronted them and fought back. That gave me the courage to step in.”

Charlotte narrowed her eyes, a low growl slipping from her throat. “So you watched her suffer and did nothing? Doesn’t that make you a coward?”

The boy’s shoulders slumped. The words were harsh, but they were not wrong.

Charlotte snickered. “People like you don’t deserve to stand in a prestigious academy like this. Either change yourself, or don’t even think about enrolling here.”

With that, she turned and walked back toward the central complex, leaving the boy behind.

Yet beneath his tears of shame and regret, a fire of determination began to burn.

Today, he had seen that even without magic, someone could still protect others.

All it took was a bit of courage.

The boy clenched his fists and whispered, “No… I can’t let this keep happening.”

Today, he had learned a very important lesson.

Thanks to a certain silver-haired girl, he was going to change himself for good.

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