~Big Book of Fairytales~ My Hero Academia x Reader Fantasy AU

-5- Happily Ever After

Now looking back at it, I might have jumped the gun a little. I mean, this woman is a smart-ass, but she might also be smart. Aichian duels have more to do with strategy than brute force. I was out of my maid gear, and Aoyama had hooked me up with some dueling attire. Off-white riding pants and a matching tie-up shirt, a brown corset-vest laced along my back, and brown boots reaching just below my knees.

Saiko stood on the other side of the library. She stood there surrounded by maids I vaguely recognized from my time working with them. She wore a formal dueling skirt made of an inky black satin, with pants of the same material underneath, buckled black boots, a pure white blouse with lilac gloves, and a lilac bow holding her hair in a flat braid along her back.

Eleven fifty pm.

Ongowers swarmed the library balconies, most refusing to risk being on the main floor with us. Saiko pointed to Uraraka, "Take her stalf away. I'm not letting the little maid cheat."

"How dare-?" I stopped Uraraka's objection.

"Just... comply for a moment please," I looked at her earnestly, "I don't want any doubt in anyone's mind when I crush her."

Uraraka smiled, "Okay. Whatever you want."

Eleven fifty-one.

"You won't beat me," Saiko had lost all interest in being still as the maids finished preparing her, "I was born and raised to marry her. I cannot be beaten."

I had lost track of Momo, my guess was that she was reeling from everything, "You were born to marry her. I was born to love her. And that means her happiness is my top priority. She won't be happy marrying someone based on a political lie."

"Who cares if it was a lie?"

Eleven fifty-two.

"Who cares?" I grabbed the same sword I had used in the friendly duel between Momo and I, "This is your life. Her life. Do you really want to live like that? Knowing that you are with someone who never loves you? Someone who only married you because your mother lied for you. Never having a chance to find a partner who loves you for you, not because she can't back out of a decree?"

"As you said," She grabbed another sword from the wall, "It's my life. And I don't care about love," she said the word like it was a disease, "I'll live a life of luxury and wealth. Power and fear. What's love compared to all that?"

Eleven fifty-three.

"Man," I chuckled, "and I thought your mother messed up my life. Seems she did worse to you."

"Worse?" She laughed, "This is the first time I've seen my mother since I was ten. She's barely an acquaintance of mine. She must have really messed you up though."

"And why was that?" I pretended to ponder the thought, "Maybe... she was afraid? Afraid that if I was given a good life, and was permitted to be happy and free, that... I would ruin any chance you had with the princess. Because she knew I was better than you."

"Better than me!?" Anger flared up inside her normally emotionless body, "You're a peasant girl who's spent her entire life cleaning the dirt off my feet. A motherless, worthless, little slug."

Eleven fifty-four.

"I get it," I watched as everyone vacated the bottom floor, "You're jealous of me."

"Jealous!?"

"Your mother gave me more attention than you, her own child. You were raised to believe that your value was based on your ability to do one thing, make Momo fall in love with you and marry you. And you couldn't do that. I was able to get a whole night of wonder at her side, but you didn't even get a glance. I honestly... feel sorry for you."