Filthy Casual for Life

Episode 1: The Villainess and Working Out

The episode opens with a monologue by a female voice partnered with scenes from an otome game. The female voice explains why she supports the villainess in the game and how much she dislikes the heroine. After all, the heroine toys with the prince’s emotions and spouts nothing but lip service. If she could be reborn, it would be as the villainess. With a flash of lightning, we’re whisked away to the start of the story.

We meet Alicia, a seven year old girl. She is the eldest daughter of the high-ranking Williams family. Alicia has memories of her past life and playing the otome game she is now reincarnated into. She makes a vow. She is going to become a villainess that goes down in history.

Excited for the day, Alicia barrels down the hallway greeting her mother and one of the maids. They stand there in shock that she is up early. Alicia has decided to change her lazy ways and devote her time to becoming the best villainess. She approaches her brother, Albert, and asks him to teach her how to use a sword. Her other brothers immediately tease her. It becomes apparent that Alicia was not exactly a hardworking individual. To placate her, her brother tells her if she can do 100 sit-ups and 50 push-ups every day for a week, he will teach her. All three brothers are convinced she doesn’t have the conviction to stick with it.

Alicia explains that there are five types of magic in the world. Dark, fire, light, wind, and water. Only nobles have the ability to use magic. Her family excels at dark magic. She goes to the library to find books about magic, but finds none. Instead, she finds books about the world she lives in. Engrossed in books about plants, she finds she spent the whole day reading. That evening, she begins her training and obviously struggles. After seven days of training, it is obvious that Alicia is gifted at many things.

After seven days, her brother is supposed to begin her sword lessons, however, he has plans to take a tour of the magic school. Upon his return from the tour, Alicia introduces us to the conquerable routes of the game. We meet:

Eric Hudson – Fire Magic
Finn Smith – Light Magic
Gale Evans – Wind Magic
Curtis Kenwood – Green Magic
Prince Duke Seeker – Water Magic

This is the first time that Alicia meets the other boys. She wants to make an impressions as an upcoming villainess. She determines internally that she can’t be seen as a child with no manners, so she politely introduces herself. Brushing her off, the Prince asks Albert if he is going to show him his swordsman skills. Alicia reminds Albert that he was supposed to teach her. When he brushes her off, she grabs a sword, kicks the apple tree, and slices an apple in half proclaiming that she told Albert not to take her lightly. Her brother agrees to train her. She runs off to change, but not before impressing the Prince.

A year passes and Albert still has Alicia doing practice swings. From the landing, the Prince is watching her. She has noticed he comes around a lot. When she is done training, he comes to talk to her. He asks her why she works so hard studying swordsmanship, she almost gives her plot away. He pats her head and is interrupted by one of her other brothers. It is obvious to the brother that the Prince might have a crush on Alicia.

One of the boys invites Alicia over to his house. Before they can retreat to the tea party in the back, the King arrives. He asks Alicia what she thinks about the state of their kingdom. She takes this as her chance to show how much of a villainess she is. However, her answer is well-thought and polished. The King is impressed. As they walk away, the Golden Rose is brought up, but we have yet to be told what it is and why it is so important.

Back at the tea party, the Prince has his eyes on the one and only Alicia. After the tea party, the Prince surprises Alicia with a late birthday gift.

Back at the palace, the nobles and the King have found the Golden Rose. Here, we learn that its owner is the Saint, the girl who will join the kingdom’s ruler to guide to peace. There is a hint that there might be a downside to the joining of the Saint and the ruler, but we’re kept in suspense.

THOUGHTS

I see where this show is headed and I’m not mad. Our villainess, in her quest to become the best there ever was, ends up not really being a villainess, but the exact opposite. Alicia is very likeable and I enjoy her go-get-em attitude. Her ambition is admirable. I love how the Prince is already smitten with her. That should lead to some great romantic tension once the heroine joins the pack. Will continue to monitor.