I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss

I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss
First light novel volume cover
悪役令嬢なのでラスボスを飼ってみました (Akuyaku Reijō Nanode Rasubosu o Katte Mimashita)
Genre	Isekai
Novel series
Written by	Sarasa Nagase
Published by	Shōsetsuka ni Narō
Original run	May 2017 – August 2019
Light novel
Written by	Sarasa Nagase
Illustrated by	Mai Murasaki
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	NA: Yen Press
Imprint	Kadokawa Beans Bunko
Demographic	Female
Original run	September 1, 2017 – present
Volumes	11
Manga
Written by	Sarasa Nagase
Illustrated by	Anko Yuzu
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
English publisher	NA: Yen Press
Magazine	Comp Ace
Demographic	Seinen
Original run	June 2018 – August 2019
Volumes	3
Anime television series
Directed by	Kumiko Habara
Written by	Kenta Ihara
Music by	Natsumi Tabuchi Hanae Nakamura Miki Sakurai Sayaka Aoki Kanade Sakuma
Studio	Maho Film
Licensed by	Crunchyroll SA/SEA: Medialink
Original network	Tokyo MX, MBS, Wowow, AT-X, BS-TBS
Original run	October 1, 2022 – December 17, 2022
Episodes	12

I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss (悪役令嬢なのでラスボスを飼ってみました, Akuyaku Reijō Nanode Rasubosu o Katte Mimashita) is a Japanese light novel series written by Sarasa Nagase and illustrated by Mai Murasaki. It began serialization online in May 2017 on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō. It was later acquired by Kadokawa Shoten, who have published ten volumes since September 2017 under their Kadokawa Beans Bunko imprint. A manga adaptation with art by Anko Yuzu was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's seinen manga magazine Comp Ace from June 2018 to August 2019. It was collected in three tankōbon volumes. Both the light novel and manga are licensed in North America by Yen Press. An anime television series adaptation produced by Maho Film aired from October to December 2022.

Characters

Aileen Lauren d'Autriche (アイリーン・ローレン・ドートリシュ, Airīn Rōren Dōtorishu)

Voiced by: Rie Takahashi (Japanese); Alexis Tipton (English)

The youngest and only daughter of the Duke d'Autriche, Alieen grew up overshadowed by her three older brothers until the Crown Prince of the Ellemeyer Empire proposed to her. The engagement gave Aileen purpose, leading her to work hard and excel in sports and studies. Her dedication made her appear vain and snobbish to her peers, who ostracized her. In her previous life, she was a terminally ill Japanese teenager obsessed with the fictional otome game Regalia of Saints, Demons and Maidens, playing its paths countless times while hospitalized. When her memories of her past life return, Aileen realizes she is destined to die in the normal course of events. To avoid her demise, Aileen decides to earn the loyalty of the final boss meant to kill her, using her vast knowledge of the original game in her favor. Though her initial goal is to avoid death, she develops feelings for the final boss.

Aileen is politically savvy, a competent tactician and a capable entrepreneur, building and then rebuilding the d'Autriche family's business enterprises a few times throughout the series. Though her character was the villainess in the original game, the "real" Aileen is a compassionate, caring woman who wants to use her position to create a better, more equal world for humans and demons alike. Although she is human, she is easily accepting of demons, which helps her earn their loyalty. She is selective of her friends and allies, which has resulted in her having few, but she is fiercely protective and generous to them. She has an inferiority complex due to the favor her father showered on her brothers, as being the only female meant she did not gain as much attention or recognition. She is an excellent cook and enjoys making sweets, which she often uses as bribes for her demon allies.

Claude Jean Ellmeyer (クロード・ジャンヌ・エルメイア, Kurōdo Jannu Erumeia)

Voiced by: Yūichirō Umehara (Japanese); John Burgmeier (English)

Claude is the oldest son of the current Emperor. The original heir to the throne, Claude excelled in every aspect of his education, but was disinherited when he displayed vast magical powers early in his childhood, as they revealed his half-demon status. He was eventually banished to an abandoned castle in an outlying region. His powers made demons flock to Claude, who extended his protection over them and grew to become ruler of demonkind. He was the final boss in the original game, destined to succumb to his demonic side and transform into a full demon monster, killing Aileen off-screen before dying at the hands of the Holy Sword Maiden.

Although stoic and distant to most, Claude cares deeply for all of his subjects, always trying his best to improve the lives of his citizens and preserving the non-aggression pact between humans and demons. He is an intelligent and capable ruler, easily outmaneuvering his half-brother in political matters. Because he was ostracized by them after his demonic nature manifested, he is mistrusting of most humans, with an exception made for his loyal aide Keith. He slowly becomes more open as a result of his interactions with Aileen, whose presence begins to fluster him, much to his servants' amusement. His mood affects the local weather: when he is upset or angry, storms break out and nearby plants wither.

Cedric Jean Ellmeyer (セドリック・ジャンヌ・エルメイア, Sedorikku Jannu Erumeia)

Voiced by: Toshiki Masuda (Japanese); Kyle Igneczi (English)

Cedric is Claude's younger half-brother and heir to the throne after Claude was ousted. Although charismatic and perceived by the populace as a chivalrous prince, Cedric is in truth a petty, resentful, selfish noble with deep insecurities. Frustrated with the fact Claude was more talented than him in everything as children made Cedric both tremendously spiteful, yet also tremendously fearful of Claude as an adult. He was the heroine's main romantic route in the original game.

At some point prior to the start of the series, Cedric fell in love with Lilia Reinoise. He and his original intended, Aileen d'Autriche, had been raised together and connected over feeling passed over for their brothers; though he first fell for Aileen, he also harbored a great deal of hidden jealousy towards her for being a stronger individual than him and having the courage to face her fears. This led him to announce the end of his engagement to Aileen by surprise, in the middle of a royal ball with hundreds of attendees, all in an attempt to prove himself her superior. When Aileen gracefully navigates the humiliating episode and is revealed to be involved with Claude, Cedric's wounded pride drives him near madness; leading him to plot against both Aileen and his brother, the two people he envies most.

After his own botched plots lead him to rescind his claim on the throne, Cedric becomes more perceptive of the world around him. Though he remains brash and arrogant, he learns to look beyond his insecurities and the way others manipulate him by way of his ego. In time, he makes peace with both Aileen and his brother.

Keith Eigrid (キース・エイグリッド, Kīsu Eiguriddo)

Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama (Japanese); Kyle Phillips (English)

Claude's aide and right-hand man. As a child, he was a page to the royal family; he fell into a pond in the gardens and almost drowned. A young Prince Claude used his powers to rescue him, even though this outed him as a demon to all of the onlookers. His selfless rescue earned him Keith's undying devotion. He followed Claude into exile by choice and remains one of the few humans his lord trusts. Keith keeps track of financial matters, like budgeting and tax collection, and other administrative duties. He also prepares Claude's tea.

In the original game, Keith is the catalyst for Claude's transformation into a full demon. Keith is selling demons to humans in secret, an unethical yet legal market that often results in the demons being mistreated. When Keith's secret is outed, a betrayed Claude will kill Keith in a fit of rage and then succumb to his demon side in his grief. The "real" Keith is in fact being blackmailed into selling demons to save his lord: the deeds to the lands where Claude's castle stands, which Keith had bought, are forgeries, and the human lord who owns the land demands a quota of demons to sell. Should Keith refuse, the lord will have Lord Claude removed from his home. Keith lives in shame of the arrangement, but keeps track of the buyers and then pressures them so that the demons will be well-treated. Aileen later saves Keith and gives him the chance to redeem himself before confessing the situation to Lord Claude.

Beelzebuth (ベルゼビュート, Beruzebyūto)

Voiced by: Yūki Ono (Japanese); Brandon Johnson (English)

Claude's demon aide. Beelzebuth is fiercely loyal to Claude, often acting as a sort of bodyguard to him. He brooks no insult or disrespect to his lord. Though he is outwardly rough and easily angered, it is revealed that he often masks softer emotions with rage. Having grown up amongst demons, and then a part of Claude's minuscule court, he was never taught the manners and etiquette required when amongst nobility. Aileen earns his loyalty by teaching him manners and etiquette.

Lilia Reinoise (リリア・レインワーズ, Riria Reinwāzu)

Voiced by: Kana Hanazawa (Japanese); Hayden Daviau (English)

The game's heroine and main character in the original setting, and the series' main antagonist. Lilia is the Holy Sword Maiden, which grants her powers effective against demons and the ability to summon the Maiden's Holy Sword. An outwardly charming, kindly and naïve girl, Lilia is in fact evil, conniving and cruel, and takes immense pleasure in ruining other people's lives. Though Prince Cedric fell in love with her and broke his previous engagement to make Lilia his fiancée, Lilia uses her innocent façade to make others fall for her, attempting to earn even Claude's affections at several points in the series. Though she acts kindly to Aileen, in secret she tries to undermine her, even framing her for death threats at one point. The death threats were eventually traced back to Lilia herself.

It is later revealed that, like Aileen, Lilia was also a teenaged Japanese fan of the game in her past life, killed in a traffic accident. She also has vast knowledge of the game, which she uses to gain suitors and manipulate others for self-gain. She tries to make the game's story play out as intended, despite the many deaths that occur in it and the knowledge that the game's real life counterparts will die true deaths if she succeeds. She fully believes the world is a video game that will reset itself when the story has "ended", refusing to believe that the world and those in it are real (even when evidence is presented before her). When she begins to suspect there may be someone else with a grasp on the game, she manipulates Selena Gilbert to discover them. Once she determines it is Aileen, Lilia plots to defeat Aileen, destroying Aileen's happiness and taking back her status as the main character. Though the plot involves destabilizing the entire empire, Lilia is determined to see it through. Towards the end of the series, Lilia falls into a deep depression after several botched attempts to kill Claude and Aileen as well as discovering the world was real and not a game like she convinced herself, and she is sentenced to prison for life.

Almond (アーモンド, Āmondo)

Voiced by: Tomokazu Sugita (Japanese); Anthony Bowling (English)

A crow in the service of Claude. Like most of demonkind, he is very loyal and protective of his lord. He is named Almond by Aileen after he enjoys her almond cookies. Somewhat hostile to Aileen at the start, she is able to coax obedience from his by bribing him with her homemade sweets, and he becomes a devoted ally of hers in time. He often uses the magical doorway in Aileen's shadow to teleport to her location and demand cookies.

Isaac Lombard (アイザック・ロンバール, Aizakku Ronbāru)

Voiced by: Yuma Uchida (Japanese); Alejandro Saab (English)

A close childhood friend of Aileen's and the one she trusts to join her in all her adventures, no matter how dangerous. He is cautious and prudent, which often puts him at odds with Aileen's more risky approach to solving problems. Once in the service of Prince Cedric, he was let go for not living up to the prince's expectations, and he remained unemployed until Aileen struck up a deal with Claude: in exchange for employing all the workers Prince Cedric had fired, she'd repair the demon lord's castle. It is strongly implied that he has feelings for Aileen, and regrets not acting on them before she met Claude. Despite this, he is both loyal to Aileen and supportive of her relationship with Claude.

Jasper Varie (ジャスパー・バリエ, Jasupā Barie)

Voiced by: Hiroki Yasumoto (Japanese); Marcus D. Stimac (English)

A journalist and friend of Aileen. His newspaper specializes in reporting that champions fairness and truth. Jasper has a vast networks of contacts, who can be trusted to provide sensitive information.

Denis (ドニ, Doni)

Voiced by: Takuto Yoshinaga (Japanese); Ryan Reynolds (English)

A sixteen-year-old genius architect who used to work for Cedric, but was let go from his service for simply not meeting his expectations. He was then brought on by Aileen to work for Claude in renovating his castle, causing him to look up to Aileen and Claude greatly. Due to his youthful looks, he is often mistaken for a boy far younger than his true age. He is also a capable inventor, creating equipment for Aileen's doctor and botanist.

Luc (リュック, Ryukku)

Voiced by: Shin'ichirō Kamio (Japanese); Jerry Jewell (English)

A skilled doctor who specialized in clinical medicine. He worked at Cedric's castle, but was let go by the prince for failing to live up to his expectations. When Aileen rehired him in Claude's name, he at first proposed they recreate the pharmaceuticals he'd made for Prince Cedric's businesses, but was persuaded that they'd never be allowed to compete so directly with the prince's business enterprises. He found new joy in harvesting the various plants around the demon lord's castle to make new medicines. He and Quartz are behind the line of cosmetics that Aileen creates to make up for Prince Cedric taking over her pharmaceutical businesses as part of the dissolution of their engagement.

Quartz (クォーツ, Kwōtsu)

Voiced by: Yu Miyazaki (Japanese); Jarrod Greene (English)

A proud botanist who once worked for Cedric, but was let go for merely not meeting his expectations. Prince Cedric further shamed him by taking away the plants he worked so hard to grow for his own needs, which earned him Quartz's enmity. He gains a new lease on life when Aileen brings him on to work at Claude's castle to help maintain all the lord's plants.

James Charles (ゼームス・シャルル, Zēmusu Sharuru)

Voiced by: Soma Saito (Japanese); Ben Balmaceda (English)

The president of the Mische Academy school council. James is reserved, distant and wary of strangers, though he performs his duties as president with diligence. When a string of demon attacks threaten the human-demon treaty in the region of Mirchetta, Aileen transfers to the school disguised as a boy to investigate, earning "Ailey Calois" James's immediate distrust. James is a half-demon, born under the name Ashtarte, though he goes to great lengths to hide it: His mother, a human and the sister of the Grand Duke of Mirchetta, eloped with a demon 20 years before the start of the series. His uncle the Duke is aware that his sister birthed a half demon, but is unaware of the child's identity. Nevertheless, James's existence concerns him, both for his half-demon status and the possibility that James might be chosen as the next Duke, and so he grants the local church ample funds.

James was the final boss of Regalia of Saints, Demons and Maidens 2: in the original game, James is targeted by a powerful church within the duchy. The church sends assassin after assassin to kill him, until a distraught James gives in to his demon side, declares himself the successor of Claude Ellemeyer as demon lord (who would have died in the original first game) and raises a demon army to destroy Mirchetta. Aware of his fate, Aileen aims to save him. There are heavy hints that he too developed feelings for Aileen once she revealed she was a girl and after she saved him.

Auguste Zelm (オーギュスト・ツェルム, Ōgyusuto Tserumu)

Voiced by: Tasuku Hatanaka

The vice-president of the student council of the Mische Academy and the first (as well as most popular) romance route of the original sequel game. He is the first to befriend the disguised Aileen, defending her and quickly allying himself with her goal to protect others while maintaining the truce between humans and demons. He is a very skilled swordsman, surpassed only by Lord Claude in ability. He is compassionate and personable, always eager to protect his underclassmen, which has earned him many admirers amongst the girls of the Mische Academy. Despite the sexism inherent to the region of Mirchetta, Auguste is against viewing women as inferior to men. In the original sequel's "best ending", he borrows Lilia's Holy Sword and defeats a transformed James.

Walt Lizanis (ウォルト・リザニス, Woruto Rizanisu)

Voiced by: Toshiyuki Toyonaga

A member of the Mische Academy school council and the second romance route of the original sequel game. He is an outgoing flirt, even as he jokes that fellow council member Kyle Elford has more fans than he does. Despite being an open ladies' man, he is a gentleman and treats women fairly. Though he is welcoming of a disguised Aileen, he intuits from the start that she is a woman in disguise; finding her cute, implying that he has a growing attraction for her. Walt later reveals that he is a demon hunter, trained from an early age to serve Mirchetta's powerful church. He and Kyle were both sent to eliminate the demon that they suspect is behind the vampire attacks at the Mische Academy. He is the only member of the student council who figures out Aileen's secret before she reveals it herself, which he keeps a secret once Aileen promises not to out him as a demon hunter; his genuine feelings for her become more apparent as he chooses to accompany her through many outings in the academy.

Kyle Elford (カイル・エルフォード, Kairu Erufōdo)

Voiced by: Chiaki Kobayashi (Japanese); Kieran Flitton (English)

A member of the Mische Academy school council and the third romance route of the original sequel game. Despite often appearing cold and jaded, he is actually placid and polite. He is considered very popular, as Walt teases him that crowds of fangirls follow him around the school. Like Walt, Kyle is a demon hunter, trained from an early age to serve Mirchetta's powerful church and sent to the school to eliminate the demon that the church is sure is behind the vampire attacks at the Mische Academy. In his spare time, he prefers to be alone and tend to the cats that live behind the academy building; becoming very embarrassed when the disguised Aileen discovers this.

Selena Gilbert (セレナ・ジルベール, Serena Jirubēru)

Voiced by: Ayana Taketatsu (Japanese); Emily Neves (English)

A female student at the Mische Academy and the heroine in the original sequel. Selena is a respected upperclassman to whom the female students both look up to and fear. Her status means she is often called on to mediate between students, especially between girls and boys. She instantly dislikes a disguised Aileen for speaking out against Lilia's tacit endorsement of female submission, as Selena is a fan of Lilia. Though she is attentive to the underclassmen, Selena is also haughty and snobbish, bullying those she considers beneath her. She also uses the information entrusted to her by the very underclassmen who seek her guidance for her own benefit. She has an unrequited crush on Auguste, and disparages any girl who expresses interest in him to stop them from approaching him. She holds great respect for Claude, uncaring that he is half-demon, and reminding that he is half-human while also disapproving of his engagement to Aileen (thinking it was forced on him). It is later revealed that she had been instructed via letter by Lilia on how to out James as a demon, though she believed to be acting for Lilia's benefit. Once she learns that she was being manipulated, Selena develops a deep hatred of Lilia.

Rachel Danis (レイチェル・ダニス, Reicheru Danisu)

Voiced by: Rie Murakawa

A female student of the Mische Academy. A disguised Aileen defends her from her abusive betrothed on her first day at the academy. When Rachel tells Aileen her name, Aileen is surprised: Rachel was the villainess in the original sequel game, but in reality she is meek and submissive. She is a frequent target of Selena's bullying. The first victim of the purported demon attacks at the Mische Academy was a friend of hers, which led Rachel to attempt to unravel the mystery on her own. She is emboldened by Aileen and begins to stand up for herself, even to Selena. She eventually leaves Mirchetta to join Aileen's household as a maid-in-waiting. She develops feelings for Isaac.

Elephas Levi (エレファス・レヴィ, Erefasu Revi)

Voiced by: Koki Uchiyama

A mage and member of the Levi tribe, he was the final boss of the fan disc of the original game. He approaches Aileen instead and offers her and Claude his allegiance from the beginning. Unbeknownst to them, he is an ally and a suitor of Lilia's, tasked with separating Aileen and Claude, then with ensuring Aileen is exposed as a traitor to the Emperor and Dowager Empress. Once Lilia betrays him, a remorseful Elephas tries to avert the destruction of his tribe and the empire by allying himself with Aileen.

Media

Light novels

The series by Sarasa Nagase began serialization online on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō in May 2017. It was acquired by Kadokawa Shoten who began publishing it as a light novel with illustrations by Mai Murasaki through their Kadokawa Beans Bunko imprint on September 1, 2017. The light novel is licensed in North America by Yen Press. As of December 2022, eleven volumes have been released.

No.	Original release date	Original ISBN	English release date	English ISBN
1	September 1, 2017	978-4-04-106036-0	October 12, 2021	978-1-9753-3405-5
2	March 1, 2018	978-4-04-106037-7	February 22, 2022	978-1-9753-3407-9
3	September 1, 2018	978-4-04-107258-5	June 21, 2022	978-1-9753-3409-3
4	March 1, 2019	978-4-04-107259-2	November 8, 2022	978-1-9753-3411-6
5	July 1, 2019	978-4-04-108267-6	April 18, 2023	978-1-9753-3413-0
6	September 1, 2019	978-4-04-108268-3	August 22, 2023	978-1-9753-3415-4
7	January 1, 2020	978-4-04-108962-0	December 12, 2023	978-1-9753-3417-8
8	September 1, 2020	978-4-04-109847-9	April 16, 2024	978-1-9753-3419-2
9	October 1, 2021	978-4-04-111863-4	September 17, 2024	978-1-9753-7834-9
10	September 30, 2022	978-4-04-112995-1	March 18, 2025	978-1-9753-7836-3
11	December 28, 2022	978-4-04-113125-1	—	—

Manga

A manga adaptation by Anko Yuzu was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's seinen manga magazine Comp Ace from June 2018 to August 2019. It was collected in three tankōbon volumes. The manga is also licensed in North America by Yen Press.

No.	Original release date	Original ISBN	English release date	English ISBN
1	November 26, 2018	978-4-04-107720-7	October 26, 2021	978-1-9753-2120-8
2	June 26, 2019	978-4-04-108347-5	November 30, 2021	978-1-9753-2121-5
3	December 26, 2019	978-4-04-108930-9	March 1, 2022	978-1-9753-2123-9

Anime

On October 1, 2021, an anime adaptation was announced. It was later revealed to be a television series produced by Maho Film and directed by Kumiko Habara, with scripts written by Kenta Ihara, and character designs handled by Momoko Makiuchi, Eri Kojima, and Yūko Ōba. The music is composed by Natsumi Tabuchi, Hanae Nakamura, Miki Sakurai, Sayaka Aoki, and Kanade Sakuma. It aired from October 1 to December 17, 2022, on Tokyo MX, MBS, Wowow, AT-X, and BS-TBS. The opening theme song is "Kyо̄kan Sarenakute mo Ii Janai" (共感されなくてもいいじゃない) by Rie Takahashi, while the ending theme song is "Nomick" (ノミック, Nomikku) by ACCAMER. Crunchyroll streamed the series outside of Asia, and have premiered an English dub starting on October 15, 2022. Medialink licensed the series across Asia-Pacific.

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Storyboarded by	Original air date
1	"The Wicked Heiress's Story Begins" Transliteration: "Akuyaku Reijō no Makuake" (Japanese: 悪役令嬢の幕開け)	Kumiko Habara	Kenta Ihara	Kumiko Habara	October 1, 2022 (2022-10-01)
The main character awakens in her life as Aileen Lauren d'Autriche, the villainess in the last otome game she played before her reincarnation, Regalia of Saints, Demons, and Maidens. Not only that, but she gains awareness in the middle of the game's ball where she is dumped by her fiancé, crown prince Cedric Jean Ellmeyer, for the game's heroine, Lilia Reinoise. Refusing to give her ex-fiancé the satisfaction of seeing her cry, she politely excuses herself with some poignant words and leaves. Realizing she's nearing the end of the game, wherein the demon lord awakens and kills off her character, she vows to find and "tame" him to prevent her own death. She makes her way to the demon lord's domain, where she ruins her clothes and encounters some talking crows who serve him, including one she later names Almond, and winds up at the front door of a castle. Unable to open the door, a voice behind her offers help before blowing the door to pieces with magic. Realizing it's the demon lord, she confirms his identity as Claude Jean Ellmeyer and asks him to marry her. Claude's shock causes his magic to surge and the resulting lightning strike makes Aileen faint. She wakes to Claude discussing her fate with his faithful subordinates, demon Beelzebuth and human Keith Eigrid. Revealing she's awake, she once again states her intentions. Claude wonders bashfully if she's in love with him, which she denies, then after fixing her clothes, uses magic to hypnotize her into going home. Undeterred, she goes back the next day, and after some convincing, manages to get Claude to hear her out. Before they get far, a fenrir pup goes missing and Aileen offers to look for it. She finds the pup at the school she was recently expelled from, saves it from some students who are trying to kill it, and is rescued by Claude after Cedric arrives and accuses her of summoning the demon to cause trouble. After taking Aileen home, Claude agrees to go to the ball.
2	"The Villainess May Have Many Enemies, but She Also Has Many Underlings" Transliteration: "Akuyaku Reijō wa Teki mo Ōiga Teshita mo Ōi" (Japanese: 悪役令嬢は敵も多いが手下も多い)	Naoyoshi Kusaka	Kenta Ihara	M.F.K	October 8, 2022 (2022-10-08)
Aileen's business achievements in pharmaceuticals and agriculture will become Cedric's after their engagement is officially annulled, and her father coldly orders her to recoup the losses before the ball in two months. Later, she runs into an old friend, Jasper Varie, and asks him for a favor. The scene cuts to her in Claude's castle, proposing they renovate the castle and hire workers Cedric fired to complete the job. Claude agrees surprisingly quickly, tasking Keith with finding out who has been embezzling funds meant for him and his domain. It's revealed that the favor Aileen asked of Jasper was to investigate the same thing. Claude turns Aileen's shadow into a gateway for demons, which will make her universally accepted by demons everywhere, and the fenrir pup from before, now named Ribbon, appears. The next day, Aileen, Jasper, and the workers she hired--Isaac Lombard, Denis, Quartz, and Luc--arrive and discuss the work to be done with Claude. After it began pouring outside, Claude states that the castle is in a severe state of disrepair and reveals a massive hole in the ceiling above the workers, letting the rain soak them. He has apparently been hiding the damage with his magic. After forming a plan, everyone disperses. It's determined Luc, Quartz, and Isaac will make cosmetics at Aileen's behest and become one of her new business ventures. Meanwhile, Cedric is concerned about Aileen's association with the demon lord. With the repairs going well, Claude and Keith inform Aileen that the embezzlement issue has been resolved. Beelzebuth requests to accompany Claude to the ball as his attendant and asks Aileen to teach him etiquette. Later, bad news arrives from Jasper and Keith. Apparently, Lilia has been receiving death threats and Aileen is being framed for it. Though her character was originally the one to send the threats, presently this isn't the case, and Aileen asks Almond to investigate. Cedric vows to Lilia that Aileen will pay for her "threats."
3	"The Villainess Is Greedy and Goes for the Win" Transliteration: "Akuyaku Reijō wa Gōyoku nanode Kachi ni Iku" (Japanese: 悪役令嬢は強欲なので勝ちに行く)	Kyōhei Ōyabu	Kenta Ihara	Kumiko Habara	October 15, 2022 (2022-10-15)
Almond finds one of the threatening letters in the garbage at the academy and retrieves it. Claude gifts Aileen with an extravagant outfit to wear to the ball that evening and is escorted there by her father, where he learns Aileen's cosmetic business, Oberon, is on the road to success. Aileen and Isaac discuss the threatening letters and that their theories about forgeries is correct, but it's followed by more bad news: Lilia has gone missing. Naturally, Cedric suspects Aileen and sends a search party into Claude's domain. Cedric arrives at the ball and orders Aileen's arrest. Lilia arrives in Claude's castle, surprising him as she got past his magic barrier without him knowing, and professes pity for him. Claude correctly accuses Lilia of writing the threatening letters to herself, while Lilia insists Aileen is going to hire thugs to kidnap her. Lilia accidentally causes Claude and Beelzebuth pain by nature of her Holy Sword Maiden powers and desperately tries to get Claude on her side. Claude becomes enraged and demands she leave. Back at the ball, Cedric and Aileen argue over his false accusations that she kidnapped Lilia, among other things. Claude arrives in spectacular fashion, saving Aileen and shocking his brother, Cedric. With Isaac's help, Aileen proves that she was framed. She signs the annulment documents, officially ending her engagement to Cedric, and Claude asks her to dance. Claude escorts Aileen home after the ball. He kisses her goodnight, but at the same time Aileen gets a flashback from the game of Claude fully transforming into a demon lord after being betrayed by the person he trusted most.
4	"The Villainess Should Be Able to Tame the Final Boss" Transliteration: "Akuyaku Reijō wa Rasubosu datta Kaeru Hazu" (Japanese: 悪役令嬢はラスボスだった飼えるはず)	Toshiaki Kanbara	Kenta Ihara	Kunihisa Sugishima	October 22, 2022 (2022-10-22)
Aileen and Beelzebuth confront Keith, accusing him of hiding a despicable secret from Claude: he's been selling demons into slavery. He admits his guilt. Aileen uses her game knowledge to imply Keith's betrayal will result in Claude's death at the hands of the Sword Maiden. A flashback reveals Keith forged the original documents for the land sale, resulting in the nobleman who actually owned the land to blackmail him into selling demons to keep the forgery a secret. While Aileen struggles to think of a way to tell Claude the truth without triggering his transformation, Cedric and Lilia show up to tell Claude the truth just like they did in the game. Aileen successfully interrupts before they can and concocts a plan to capture the noble blackmailing Keith. During the next sale, Aileen and Beelzebuth lie in wait while Keith conducts business as usual. Since Lord d'Autriche legally bought the land from the noble at Aileen's request, the deal can be safely called off, all they need is the account book detailing all previous sales. The noble's goons are tricked into hurting themselves to avoid violating the non-aggression pact between humans and demons and are successfully captured, but Cedric and Lilia show back up and kidnap Aileen. Cedric intends to rape Aileen to anger his brother and trigger his transformation so Lilia can kill him and be accepted as his bride by the Emperor. The assault is foiled by Claude, who loses control and transforms into a dragon when he sees what was about to happen. Lilia goes for the kill, but is intercepted by Aileen, who is stabbed and takes the sword, declaring that she has Sword Maiden blood, too. After, she professes her love to Claude and cries, her tears bring him back to his human form. Cedric's right to the throne is revoked and Claude becomes the crown prince once again, taking Aileen as his fiancée.
5	"The Villainess Tricks Her Fiancé" Transliteration: "Akuyaku Reijō wa Konyakusha o Damasu" (Japanese: 悪役令嬢は婚約者をだます)	Naoyoshi Kusaka	Kenta Ihara	M.F.K	October 29, 2022 (2022-10-29)
A demon uprising occurs in the duchy of Mirchetta, led by a demon claiming to be a representative of demon-kind named Ashtarte. Claude, as crown prince, intends to go and negotiate alone, which makes Aileen uneasy as events from Regalia of Saints, Demons, and Maidens 2 begin to unfold. Someone is using demon incense to incite the demons and boost physical strength in humans, and she worries for Claude's safety. Claude forbids her from going with him, and Aileen responds that if she can't go, then he is forbidden from using his magic to visit her while he's away. In the present, Aileen goes undercover at Mische Academy, the setting for the second game in Mirchetta, with Isaac as a boy named Ailey Calois without Claude's knowledge. On her first day, she saves the game's villainess, Rachel Danis, from her abusive fiancé and scolds him on his and the region's rampant sexism. Later, she meets the love interests Walt Lizanis, Auguste Zelm, and Kyle Elford, and finally the game's final boss, James Charles, who is half demon. She also meets the game's heroine, Selena Gilbert, who idolizes Lilia Reinoise as the Holy Sword Maiden and despises Aileen. Aileen, as Ailey, attempts to join the student council to have a better chance of uncovering who's responsible for the release of demon incense. As a test, James, the council president, tasks her with investigating a potential vampire attack on a female student to prove her worth. Ailey has the idea to create a Security Force to protect the students, but this requires the approval of the academy director, the Grand Duke--which, at the moment, happens to be Claude who is acting as the Grand Duke's proxy while the real duke is ill. To keep her identity a secret, she arrives at the Grand Duke's estate in costume to get Claude's signature. Later, while on patrol with Isaac, they find Rachel being threatened by one of the professors. Walt arrives and declares they need to report the incident to James. When the professor attempts to harm Rachel, Isaac rescues her and Ailey gives chase after the professor but loses him. Eventually, she begins to smell demon incense and finds the professor unconscious with James looming over him in demon form.
6	"The Villainess Is Unforgiving of Evil" Transliteration: "Akuyaku Reijō wa Aku o Yurusanai" (Japanese: 悪役令嬢は悪を許さない)	Kyōhei Ōyabu	Kenta Ihara	Kyōhei Ōyabu	November 5, 2022 (2022-11-05)
Under the influence of demon incense, James struggles to remain human and Ailey tries to keep his secret from Walt, who was apparently following her. James escapes thanks to Ailey, but her identity as a woman is revealed to Walt. She uses her game knowledge that Walt and Kyle work for the Church to get him on her side and they become partners. Back in Ailey's room, Rachel explains the situation with the "vampire attack," that it was all orchestrated by the professor, and the mention of the professor using a mysterious smoking pipe makes Ailey suspicious. Rachel joins the Security Force after finding her own resolve. Ailey discovers Selena is devious and spiteful when she posts her friend's private love letter to Auguste on a public bulletin board. Kyle intervenes and tears the letter up, and Ailey teases him about his love of cats. After a threat from Ashtarte is made to the academy, Claude decides that he must inspect the academy to keep the students safe. Selena continues her shady attempts to keep people away from Auguste, since she likes him. Claude arrives at the academy during the school festival and starts asking about a student who walks around in costume, prompting Ailey to hide from him. Selena unsuccessfully flirts with Claude, and later a student council meeting is held to determine who will guide Claude around the school, where Selena volunteers. The student council (mainly Selena) badmouths Aileen, seeming to pity Claude for his "beastly" fiancée, and everyone but Selena leaves to patrol the academy grounds, fed up with Selena's attitude. On patrol, demon incense nearly reveals James's true nature and they search for the source. After Ailey uses game knowledge to reveal the plot to hide demon incense in the festival's prizes, Kyle learns that Ailey knows he and Walt are priests, which is also revealed to James and Auguste. James and Ailey talk alone and James confronts her about what she saw the night they rescued Rachel.
7	"The Villainess Steals the Show" Transliteration: "Akuyaku Reijō wa Deban o Sōdori Suru" (Japanese: 悪役令嬢は出番を総取りする)	Naoyoshi Kusaka	Kenta Ihara	M.F.K	November 12, 2022 (2022-11-12)
James demands to know who Ailey truly is, and to prove she's on his side, summons Ribbon from her shadow. Convinced, James reveals that he is, in fact, Ashtarte, but that someone else is using his name to commit crimes. Ailey vows to protect him so long as he doesn't report her to the director (Claude). Elsewhere, Keith informs Claude that he and Beelzebuth will patrol around in search of Ashtarte and Claude must remain in the Grand Duke's estate. However, Claude wants to make friends and sneaks out to attend the festival at Mische Academy. At the festival, Ailey and the other student council members search for demon incense in costume. Claude arrives in a poor costume, pretending not to be the demon lord and asks Auguste how to enter the swordsmanship tournament. Ailey's identity as Aileen is nearly revealed to Claude when he realizes she's the same costumed character that asked for his permission to start the Security Force. Walt and Kyle inform Ailey that the Church has ordered them to hunt down the demon at any cost and that the Church has also covertly placed incense in the arena to try and draw the demon out of hiding. Ailey informs them that if the demon lord participates in the tournament and is affected by the incense when they are lit, he will turn into a dragon. Isaac gives her a sleeping potion to sneak into Claude's drink to keep him from attending the tournament, but it doesn't appear to work. Selena retrieves Claude for the tournament, but Ailey intercepts in costume to distract him. She insults Aileen in a number of ways, which angers Claude and backfires when he teleports them to the arena to challenge her to a duel. While fighting, Ailey dodges an attack and Claude destroys one of the incense burners, giving Ailey the idea to use Claude's attacks to destroy the incense and keep him safe. Walt and Kyle arrive in costume to try and help Ailey, and Auguste arrives just in time to save her from Claude after all the incense are destroyed. Before her identity can be revealed, Keith and Beelzebuth arrive, distracting Claude. Claude informs them that the Church sent agents and has placed something in the lanterns that were destroyed, much to Ailey's surprise. Claude and Auguste become friends. The next day, Rachel volunteers to enter the White Lily Princess pageant to try and win the prize, which is demon incense. Isaac buys Rachel a dress, but while showing it off to Ailey, Selena arrives and stages a scene. She pushes Rachel down the stares, falling with her and ripping her own dress in the process, blaming Rachel for the "accident." With Rachel's ankle sprained, Ailey volunteers to enter the pageant "in drag," arriving looking like herself, Aileen.
8	"The Crimes of the Villainess Are Revealed" Transliteration: "Akuyaku Reijō no Akuji wa Abakareru" (Japanese: 悪役令嬢の悪事は暴かれる)	Naoyoshi Kusaka	Kenta Ihara	Kunihisa Sugishima	November 19, 2022 (2022-11-19)
Ailey impresses the judges with her grace and beauty, and all the Council boys are flustered by her appearance, as well. James offers to be her dance partner for the dance portion of the pageant, much to other boys' dismay. While the crowd gossips about Rachel's apparent attempt to sabotage Selena, Selena antagonizes Rachel and withdraws from the pageant. Ailey wins the pageant and receives the prize, an incense burner, running off with it before the award ceremony can conclude. However, once she reports to the Council, the incense burner is empty. Back on stage, Selena holds the stolen demon incense and announces that Ashtarte is in their midst. James's true nature is revealed by the incense and Ailey attempts to bring him back to his senses. After James reverts back, Selena attempts to coax Auguste into using the Holy Sword to slay him. Unfortunately, Auguste doesn't have the sword, which confuses Selena. The Council members turn on Selena, who reveals that she was instructed by someone else. Suddenly, a horde of demons appears over the academy. Ailey reveals to the Council that she is really Aileen and attempts to use the Holy Sword to scare the demons away when Claude arrives. The next day, Aileen tries to reconcile with Claude for lying to him. He intends to punish her, but she talks herself out of it with help from Almond. Aileen informs Claude of her plan to make James their representative in Mirchetta. She also offers Auguste and Rachel official positions of knight and handmaiden, respectively, and tells Walt and Kyle of her plans to steal them from the Church. Claude apparently knew Selena was guilty all along, since she smelled of demon incense, and captured her the night before. Aileen concludes the person instructing Selena and posing as Ashtarte was Lilia and confronts her back in the capital. Lilia reveals that she was also reincarnated into the game world like Aileen was and remembers how the game is supposed to go. Lilia only views everything as a game while Aileen understands that this is reality for them now, and Aileen warns Lilia to back off. "Ashtarte" calls off the demon attacks and peace returns to the academy, where Claude and the Security Force are thanked for their help.
9	"The Villainess Should Just Be Forgotten" Transliteration: "Akuyaku Reijō no Koto wa Wasureta Kata ga Ii" (Japanese: 悪役令嬢のことは忘れた方がいい)	Kiyotaka Kanchiku	Kenta Ihara	Tetsurō Amino	November 26, 2022 (2022-11-26)
Claude and Cedric cross paths at the palace and Cedric warns that Lilia is planning something. Aileen, Walt, Kyle, Auguste, and James infiltrate a black market auction selling demons to bring it down, unbeknownst to Claude. While trying to gather evidence, Aileen and Auguste are interrupted by a hooded sorcerer, who offers the evidence in exchange for an audience with the demon lord. His reveals himself to be Elephas Levi, the final boss of the first game's fan disc. Claude saves Aileen from falling off a balcony in shock and scolds her for keeping secrets. Aileen introduces Claude to Elephas, and the sad history of the Levi family is explained. Elephas asks Claude if he'll formally recognize the Levi family as citizens of the Empire after he ascends the throne. Later, remembering Claude is one of the romanceable characters in the fan disc and what happens, Aileen tries to find him. Almond informs her that Claude has gone missing and the magic barrier around the forest is gone. Suddenly, Aileen's father arrives and tells her that Claude has been stabbed, and that while he is okay, he has apparently lost his memories and magic. The Emperor prevents Aileen from seeing Claude, intending for his son to "start over" as a human, including marrying him off to someone else of his personal chosing after annulling their engagement. A ball is planned for Claude to find a new fiancée and the d'Autriche family has not been invited to the event. Cedric and Lilia appear, protesting the annulment of Aileen and Claude's engagement, branding it suspicious to do after he's lost his memory, and convinces the Dowager Empress to allow Aileen to attend the ball. The Dowager declares that if Aileen attempts to see Claude before the ball, she will be executed. Lilia reveals that this is all part of her plan to challenge Aileen. Almond finds where Claude is being kept and Elephas helps her infiltrate the building to see him. Cedric catches them and, in an uncharacteristic gesture, leads them to Claude's room. Claude is shocked to learn that she is the Aileen he was "warned about" and tries desperately to get to her to leave. Aileen swears she'll make him fall for her again, taking a lock of his hair and fleeing before the guards return and warning him not to cheat on her. Alone, Claude wonders if they're fated to be together.
10	"The Love of the Villainess Doesn't Reach" Transliteration: "Akuyaku Reijō no Ai wa Todokanai" (Japanese: 悪役令嬢の愛は届かない)	Toshiaki Kanbara	Kenta Ihara	Kunihisa Sugishima	December 3, 2022 (2022-12-03)
Aileen gifts the lock of hair to Beelzebuth and the other demons, then forms a plan to get Claude back with Isaac. Jasper arrives to inform them that Claude is doing an inspection of the kingdom with Cedric and Lilia tagging along. Elephas advises on how Aileen might trigger Claude's memories to return and that the Holy Sword's magic within her might be preventing it. Aileen plans to infiltrate the inspection party and sneaks in to visit Claude again. He still tries to push her away when they are interrupted by Lilia and Cedric, forcing Aileen to hide. Cedric informs Claude that many demons have been circling the city and therefore the inspection route has been changed. After Lilia leaves Cedric and Claude, Aileen reveals herself and tells Claude she'll see him at the inspection. A fight breaks out at the demon lord castle when Selena shows up, having been apprehended by Auguste for leaving Mirchetta against Claude's orders. She claims she came to the capital to get help from Lilia, who declined to do so, and now she's after Cedric to become his mistress and gain his protection from her family. Auguste tries to speak with Selena before she leaves but is rejected. Aileen once again disguises herself as Ailey to infiltrate Claude's guards as a new recruit. Claude realizes immediately but keeps it a secret for her safety, warning her to stay away from him. Lilia joins Claude in the carriage and tells him Cedric suddenly fell ill and won't be coming. A cyclops intercepts the carriage, responding to Claude's confused feelings about Aileen. Elephas saves Claude when the cyclops drops the carriage after being attacked by humans, and the cyclops attempts to kill Aileen "for Claude," misunderstanding Claude's confused feelings for genuine dislike. It is stopped by Beelzebuth, and an upset Aileen slaps Claude for hurting her, declaring that she won't be attending the ball since she's such a bother to him.
11	"The Villainess Always Gets Condemned" Transliteration: "Itsudatte Akuyaku Reijō wa Danzai sareru" (Japanese: いつだって悪役令嬢は断罪される)	Naoyoshi Kusaka	Kenta Ihara	M.F.K	December 10, 2022 (2022-12-10)
Alone, Claude remembers Aileen's parting words when Keith and Beelzebuth secretly visit him. After a bit of fussing, Claude requests that they convince Aileen to attend the ball no matter what and that he must see her. Keith delivers a dress to her on Claude's behalf, and though she is still very upset, the demons manage to convince her to go. Still angry, she arrives at the ball with the gang wearing the dress but also the head of the costume she wore at Mische Academy. When she refuses to take it off after Claude requests it, he picks her up and carries her outside to talk alone. He removes the costume and eventually tells her that even if his memories are gone, his body remembers how much he loves her and that they are fated to be together. She puts up a fight about forgiving him, but eventually does, albeit begrudgingly. They part so Aileen can fix her makeup, where Elephas betrays her even though he doesn't want to. He confesses he's been working with a "horrible master" from the beginning and is remorseful about what he's about to do. He shows her that he has taken Almond hostage so she will do as he says. Aileen gets framed for bringing demon incense into the capital to get demons to attack the city, as well as consorting with other men when Elephas confesses to the Emperor that he is one of her many lovers. Claude merely asks Aileen to tell him she loves him and he will believe her, but with Almond's life at risk, she lies and says she never loved him. Almond suddenly breaks out of his prison and tells Claude Aileen is lying, but Elephas shoots Almond with magic, killing him. Claude loses control out of grief, since his subconscious remembers Almond, and Aileen manages to calm him down. The furious Emperor immediately orders his forces to kill Aileen and the demons in Claude's domain. Some of Claude's demon powers return and he tells Aileen to protect the demons until he returns, teleporting her and the gang back to his castle. At Claude's castle, the gang prepares to evacuate when Denis and Isaac reveal the secret underground passageways they built for emergencies. Keith becomes provisional demon lord and orders all the demons to flee. Back at the imperial palace, Claude sadly holds Almond and is attacked by Lilia, who uses demon incense and a new Holy Sword she acquired to pacify him. The gang are forced to separate to evade imperial forces. Walt, Auguste, Kyle, and Rachel stay behind to act as decoys while James goes with Aileen and the others. While flying on a demon's back, Elephas finds them and takes Aileen hostage. Her Holy Sword activates by itself and Aileen uses the distraction to throw herself and Elephas off the demon's back, sending them plummeting to the ground.
12	"Even the Villainess Can Be the Main Character if There Is Love" Transliteration: "Akuyaku Reijō datte Ai ga Areba Shujinkō" (Japanese: 悪役令嬢だって愛があれば主人公)	Naoyoshi Kusaka	Kenta Ihara	Tetsurō Amino	December 17, 2022 (2022-12-17)
Elephas and Aileen have been detained by Levi family, having landed directly in their domain, who intend to use the demon lord to attack the Empire and free the family members the Dowager is holding hostage. Elephas reveals the Dowager was the "horrible master" he was serving, not Lilia, although he does fancy her even if she doesn't return his feelings. Aileen is unimpressed and tells him he got played, which he knows. He tells her that Lilia got her hands on another Holy Sword and ordered him to attack Claude with it, which is how he lost his memories and powers. During their fall, Aileen absorbed all Elephas's magic, so he can't help them escape, but Aileen uses the Sword to escape. Before she breaks him out, she demands he grovel for killing Almond. Elephas removes one of his eyes as penance gives it to Aileen, telling her a sorcerer's eye is incredibly powerful and to use it to break the spell on Claude. Back in town, James, Rachel, Walt, and Kyle run into Selena while running from guards, and she takes them to where Claude is to spite Lilia. Elephas and Aileen take a hot air balloon to the capital and he tells her that the Dowager keeps his people subjugated because she uses their power to keep herself looking young. They encounter the Isaac, Keith, and Beelzebuth on the way. Aileen leaves Beelzebuth in charge of the demons while she and Elephas go to rescue Claude. James contacts Aileen and informs her they've found Claude, but that the situation with him and the guards is dire. Aileen and Elephas go after the tool they need to free Claude and run into Lilia. Aileen and Lilia duel. Lilia tries to reabsorb Aileen's Holy Sword, but she uses Claude's demon powers to thwart the attempt. With that and the power of love (since this is an otome game), Aileen becomes more powerful and destroys Lilia's sword, winning the duel. However, Lilia still has one trick up her sleeve and gains the upper hand, nearly killing Elephas. Almond, who was apparently never dead, is released by Cedric and stops Lilia, allowing Elephas to use his sorcerer's eye to break the spell on Claude, meanwhile the Dowager loses her youth and beauty. When guards show up to execute Aileen and Elephas, Claude intervenes with his power and memories fully restored, declaring he is now the acting emperor, as the Emperor and the Dowager have fallen ill. Cedric finally betrays Lilia (like she deserves), done with her scheming, but is still in love with her. The Levi family hostages are released, promised reparations for their suffering, and Elephas swears his loyalty to Claude. The shamed Emperor and now elderly Dowager's corruption is exposed as the two flee the country in order to escape justice. Cedric and Lilia are sentenced to prison (with Lilia falling into a deep depression as over the destruction of her fantasy), and Aileen and Claude are finally married.

Reception

Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network said of the first volume of the light novel: "It isn't wholly innovative, but Aileen's growing awareness that she's actively rewriting the plot is good, and the novel just gets better as it goes on." She praised the illustrations and said that "Aileen's active script-flipping gives the book a real edge", but criticized its use of familiar story beats and present tense narration. She later reviewed the second and third volumes, stating: "Both books have a lot of good giggles in them, with the ducks being a highlight across both volumes. The epilogue to volume three is a delightful comedy of errors ... and Aileen, although at times unbelievably dense, is mostly a very engaging heroine."

See also

• Akuyaku Reijō no Naka no Hito, another light novel series by the same illustrator
• The Do-Over Damsel Conquers the Dragon Emperor, another light novel series by the same author
• The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen, another light novel series that centers on a similar plot of a girl reincarnating as the main antagonist of an Otome game.
• Zutaboro Reijō wa Ane no Moto Konyakusha ni Dekiai Sareru, another light novel series by the same illustrator

External links

• Web novel at Shōsetsuka ni Narō (in Japanese)
• Light novel official website (in Japanese)
• Anime official website (in Japanese)
• I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss (light novel) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia