Exiled Villainess Becomes Ruler (Republished/Edited)

Team 7 (New Additions!)

Eve and Julia followed Mrs. Hendrikson into the house. The older woman led them to the living area and gestured for them to sit on the nearest furniture.

"Would you like anything to drink, Evelina?" Mrs. Hendrikson asked politely.

"No, thank you. I'd prefer to finish before it gets dark," Eve replied, wanting to wrap up the conversation quickly.

"Alright then. Now, why were you girls yelling so much outside?" Mrs. Hendrikson inquired, settling into a chair across from them.

Eve and Julia exchanged glances. Eve hoped Julia would be brave enough to speak up, but Julia remained silent, nervously twiddling her fingers and keeping her head down.

Eve sighed. "Well, your daughter told me she wanted to learn how to fight. I understand if you disapprove—"

"Alright, that's fine," Mrs. Hendrikson cut her off.

"Huh?" Eve was taken aback by the quick acceptance.

"Yes, it's fine. Arlene mentioned what you've been doing with her sons. Initially, I was skeptical about training kids in combat, but now I think it's a good idea for you to train my daughter."

Mrs. Hendrikson glanced at Julia, frowning slightly at her bowed head. "You see, I want Julia to become more confident and come out of her shell. She doesn't interact much with other kids at school except for Kyle and Mason. Arlene mentioned that your training instills discipline and strength. Maybe you can help Julia grow into herself."

"I... I don't know what to say, Mrs. Hendrikson," Eve responded, touched by the trust being placed in her.

"Please, call me Catherine or Kat," Mrs. Hendrikson insisted warmly.

"Um... what about Mr. Hendrikson?" Eve asked, noting she hadn't seen Julia's father.

"Oh, David will approve. He's asleep right now; he had a long day. I'm sure he'll be on board, as he usually is with my decisions," Kat said matter-of-factly.

"Alright," Eve said, realizing who makes the decisions in the household.

"Thank you for letting me train your daughter," Eve said gratefully.

"You're welcome, Evelina." Kat turned her attention to her silent daughter. "Well, Julia, are you happy now? Evelina will be training you from now on. Hopefully, this will help you become more social. What do you say to Evelina?"

Julia looked up, her face brightening as she turned to Eve. "Thank you, Eve," she said with a small but clear voice.

---

The Next Day

"Alright, everyone, our team is finally complete!" Eve said enthusiastically, raising her fist in the air.

"Are you really not taking any more students, Sensei?" Kyle asked. Eve had taught the kids Japanese terms even though the language does not exist in this world. The word for teacher in Japanese is "sensei." Kyle, who never heard of Japanese, preferred calling Eve "sensei" rather than just "teacher."

"Well... maybe another day, but for now, three students are enough," Eve said, addressing her three students.

Kyle looked at Eve with a determined expression. Julia, standing beside him, gazed at Kyle with an almost lovestruck look. Mason, next to Julia, was distracted by a wandering butterfly.

Eve surveyed each of them and suddenly had an idea. "I know what we're going to be called. Our team will be called Team 7!"

"Team 7? Why are we called that? Why not something else? And why the number 7?" Kyle peppered Eve with questions.

"Yeah, why does our team name have to be a number? And what's so special about 7?" Mason chimed in, still watching the butterfly.

Eve chuckled. "Eheh... well, you see," she began, "Team 7 is a reference to a famous...uh play that I have seen before. It's about a group of young warriors who train together and overcome many challenges. The number 7 signifies their team number, and it has become iconic in stories from my world."

Julia's curiosity piqued, she leaned forward. "What's the play about?"

"It's about a group of warriors called "ninjas", their adventures, and how they grow together as a team. The play emphasizes teamwork, courage, and the importance of relying on each other," Eve explained. She began to describe some of the iconic scenes and characters, sharing her enthusiasm.

As she spoke, Eve noticed the kids were captivated. Their imaginations lit up with visions of adventure and heroism.

"So, what do you think? Team 7 suits us, doesn't it?" Eve asked with a smile.

Kyle and Mason exchanged excited glances, and even Julia's face brightened. "I like it!" Kyle said eagerly.

"Me too!" Mason agreed.

Julia nodded, a small smile on her face. "I think it's perfect."

"Great!" Eve said. "Then Team 7 it is. Now, let's get started on our training!"

The kids cheered, and Eve felt a renewed sense of purpose. This was the beginning of something special, and she was eager to see where their journey would take them.