Shift! The Side-Character Heroine

Zhao Youyue could not help but feel a tinge of disappointment. It was already such a crucial point, and he was still talking about literature. She was not forming a society for fun – she had a motive, and that was to slip into the student council, earn the title of Deputy Minister, then gain the rights to vote in the Student Council president voting. It was all part of her plan to step into a higher realm. Once she becomes the Student Council President, she would gain the rights and power to do as she wished.

No matter what, Han Leng was still her old classmate. He did not seem overtly keen on getting close to her, but at the very least, he was still loyal to her faction, which would have to suffice. With Han Leng’s talent, becoming the Deputy Head of the Advertising Department would not be too far-fetched an idea. He was almost unbeatable when it came to the pen. He would boost their standing on no time at all.

Han Leng’s reputation alone would be enough to qualify for a dedicated column in the school magazine. Who cares about the content when sales would rocket up with a casual slide across the paper with his pen and a few hundred words.

Zhao Youyue was already almost treating herself as the Student Council President. She was working to surround herself with her trusted cohorts and lieutenants. She was convinced that such a mindset would constant remind herself of her lust for that spot. An instance of complacency might just be enough to make her forget her goals.

Considering the positions that Lady Zhao had once chaired or was still chairing, even the top institute’s Student Council President position would not matter much to her. It was nothing compared to her moviemaking studio, it was nothing to what her “Two Dimensional Gate” could ever provide. She may not yet have access to certain resources as she had yet to obtain a governess’ character card, but that was just a matter of time.

Zhao Youyue was not born a genius. Even if she gave her maximum effort, she would not have amounted to much. Without her “Two Dimensional Gate,” she might have truly ended up as a boring old Milady throughout her entire life.

Of course, others may think that being a Milady was enough of an achievement, but Zhao Youyue was a prideful one. She wanted to stand with her own two legs, minus her connections. Those underhanded methods were too shameful. She intended to continue working with her own strength and prove her worth.

The past Zhao Youyue might have lacked the initiative and means of doing so. Her helplessness only contributed to her past self’s solitary coldness. As her proficiency over the “Two Dimensional Gate” grew, her very being was reformed, remolded. Now provided with the means, she could begin her conquest and claim her spot above others.

Zhao Youyue had the mind of a monarch, but she was no tyrant. She was somewhat in the same vein as a Yin King [1]. She used her calm, warm voice to instill an inexplicable sense of compliance and obedience to her subjects. They would obey without a question, and the thought of hesitating would not even cross their minds.

Zhao Youyue had moved on to her new stage. The play was just beginning. She led Han Leng to the lone corner on the 3rd floor of a certain library. Maybe it was due to the school opening just recently, or maybe because it was noon. Either way, the library was almost completely empty.

When exam periods draw closer, that library would turn into a warzone. When it came to the library of Jiangnan University, lines might spill to the outside entrance. At that time, phrases like “Have you seen the rising sun at Jiangnan University?” would be irrelevant, but that was how hardworking students or crammers lived.

Zhao Youyue leaned back against a bookshelf, folding her arms across her chest. She gazed at Han Leng, but did not immediately start speaking. The tense silence only made her seem more authoritative than ever.

Han Leng had always been extremely uncomfortable whenever he got alone with Lady Zhao. The empty library left him no one else to turn to, no distractions to relief his mind. An empty, cold, silent library may seem romantic to some, but he made no move on her. It did not make him the gentleman, but rather, a well-behaved primary school student.

A braver man might just go for a kabe-don [2]. It sure sounds exciting to kabe-don a Milady.

Looking at how proud and confident the Milady was, the experience would be entirely different. It would only work if the one doing the kabe-don actually surpassed her standing and status.

But didn’t some guys love the crushing sensation of servility beneath a girl? They would be the noble knight serving a queen, wouldn’t they?

In the end, delusions would remain as delusions. Zhao Youyue knew very well that Han Leng was not that sort of guy, so she had no qualms about meeting him in such a manner. If it was someone else, she would have had her guard up, as if she was dealing with Cao Chuanguang, and there was no way she would agree to it. She might just find the mercy in her heart to not set her entire team of bodyguards on that man like a pack of wolves – but she would definitely bring her cane along.

Lady Zhao was one who treated the honest and the obedient appropriately. If the honest and obedient had talent to add on to his already favorable traits, she might even praise him. If he becomes an irreplaceable asset, she would not hesitate to shower him with rewards.

She was different, compared to those who treated honest people as spare tires. Such girls only knew how to ask and ask, taking full advantage of the meek and honest. They would wear them out, tie them down until they had nothing left to give, before leaving them to waste away.

Han Leng was already trembling in fear. He was starting to regret asking her out. In reality, he was just spouting bullshit that he heard from Zhang Xiang who had grown rather close to him. Zhang Xiang had tried to try to get Han Leng to join the literature club by raising the possibility of his popularity serving as the catalyst to forming a harem out of those female members.

After all, literature club members had to be into literature, and Han Leng was a famous writer. He would be their ideal cup of tea.

Guys were efficient producers of nonsense. When you pair them up together with their own kind, you would see the greatest form of teamwork mankind could ever witness – an ungodly amount of nonsense would spread around – and the main topic would undoubtedly be about girls. Han Leng was a stranger to picking up girls – but he was just as capable as the next guy when it came to spouting nonsense about hitting on girls or getting some girls into literature for him, etc.

Due to this, Han Leng had habitually spouted a whole bunch of nonsense in front of Milady, only to finally notice that his 3 seconds of coolness had just gotten himself into a load of trouble. He would soon receive Milady’s wrath if he did not shut up.

Just when Han Leng could not take it anymore and was about to break down from his cool, arrogant composure, Zhao Youyue spoke up. She went straight to the point. “I want to be the student council president, and I’m offering you the chance to become a powerful figure yourself, second to only me.”

Han Leng was flustered. If she wanted to join the student council, why the heck open her own club?

That was when Zhao Youyue laid out her plan to Han Leng. Upon hearing her plan, he was flustered in an entirely different direction. “That actually works?!”

Translation Notes:

[1] Yin King: “Yin Wang” can be translated to “a king with virtue,” yet it might also be a reference to the web novel series “贤王”

[2] Kabe-Don: 壁ドン, the action of slapping a wall fiercely, which produces the sound “don.” Often appears in shoujo manga and anime when a man forces a woman against the wall with one hand or leans against the wall and makes the sound of “don,” and this has become popular as a “clever move of confession.”