At the start of my day, I sat at my vanity and meticulously studied my face from every angle.
I was beautiful, gorgeous even. The deep blue of my hair—unthinkable in my previous life—reminded me of lapis lazuli. The long and abundant locks flowed down my back in natural waves that reached all the way to my hips. My blue eyes with purple highlights sparkled like tanzanite and contrasted against my skin, which was the color of white porcelain. I had a straight nose and small yet plump lips that gave me a suggestive edge. The same could be said about the curves of my body. I was only fifteen, but I already looked far more beguiling than I ever had as Yukimura Rina. My waist was also slimmer than in my past life.
Seriously, though, what cup size are my boobs? Are they gonna get even bigger?!
Somehow, the warm light of the morning didn’t quite fit me. I was a budding flower, yet I already had a mature allure. I didn’t look sweet or cute in the slightest. I could picture myself standing in front of an eerie ancient castle as lightning struck behind me. My beauty was just that impactful—that intense. Rather than soft smiles, I got the feeling elusive smirks and unrestrained waves of laughter suited me better.
I can’t help it, can I? I’m the villainess!
“You’re beautiful, my lady,” my maid, Mina Frey, said matter-of-factly.
“Thank you, Mina,” I answered feebly.
Mina was a cool beauty with short purple hair, and I couldn’t help but think the duchy’s maid’s uniform suited her very well. She’d been by my side ever since I’d moved to the imperial capital and always spoke in a very detached tone with an unchanging facial expression. She was so much like a statue that I’d initially worried about whether we’d get along or not.
“Are you stressed, my lady?”
“Well, yes, a little,” I confessed.
I rested my cheek on my hand and sighed.
The big day had finally come. Today, my brother and I would leave the ducal residence and move to the Magic Academy’s dormitory. Tomorrow was the entrance ceremony.
Worrying won’t get me anywhere, but I can’t stop my hands from shaking.
As the villainess, what awaited me at the academy was...my downfall. Not to mention, if the heroine failed to clear an important event, the entire empire would follow right behind.
I’d already made my first move to lower the flag that loomed over me: I’d told Alexei that I had no intention to marry the prince. All I had to do now was make sure I interacted with the heroine and the prince as little as possible. I’d never bully her in any way, shape, or form! Hopefully, that’d be enough to keep me out of trouble.
What worried me far more, however, was the potential destruction of the empire. I had no control over the heroine and no way to ensure or know in advance whether she’d live up to her tasks.
If she failed...
Well, according to the original plot of the game, the empire would fall to the might of the final boss—the master of all monsters, the Dragon King.
I knew I’d end up straying from the original scenario, but I had no choice. I had to do what I could to prevent that from happening. That was why I’d decided to pour my energy into improving my mana control.
Ekaterina—wait, I had an affinity for earth magic, a different attribute from the heroine’s. Because of this fundamental difference, I had no idea whether I could successfully clear events myself if the need arose. Still, my tutor had praised the strength of my mana, and I’d managed to complete every assignment he’d sent my way.
To be perfectly honest, I’d loved his lessons on using magic. I always became immersed in what I was doing, which explained my speedy progress. Back when I’d been playing the game, I’d barely paid any attention to the characters’ mana attributes. After all, magic was such a staple in games that it’d just been another mechanic to me.
However, living it was something else entirely. The existence of mana within my own body gave me an indescribable feeling, a mix of disbelief and exaltation.
When I’d started training, I’d suddenly recalled some of Ekaterina’s early memories. Her mother had taught her the basics when she’d been just a little girl.
Not only was I able to call upon my mana as soon as I remembered that sensation, but I also felt as though it was natural to do so.
In my past world, magic had come in all sorts of forms in fictional settings, but the image that’d stuck with me had been magicians holding wands and chanting spells, just like in that one bestseller.
In this world, however, magic wasn’t even called that most of the time. People preferred the term “mana control,” and they described it as an art that used innate power to connect with the world and control the resulting energy.
Got it? No? It’s okay, me neither!
It would be like trying to explain to someone with two arms how to move a third arm. Mana was the same. Unless you actually had it, you’d never get it.
Anyway, I had control over earth. When I activated my mana, I felt as though it left my body and dived into the earth. I could then reshape the earth or make it move in accordance with the amount of mana I’d poured into it.
I’d tried to do the same with fire and water but, since I had no affinity with those attributes, I couldn’t pour any mana into them.
I still wasn’t sure how I felt about this. It felt both peculiar and obvious at the same time. Another interesting fact about this world was that no one ever yelled the names of their spells out loud. There was no need for it, so people eyed you strangely if you pulled something like that.
Anyhow, mana control practice was always an exciting activity for me. I’d received permission to practice in a corner of our large garden. My tutor had gradually taught me how to increase my control over my mana, but I’d hoped he’d let me do more. I’d been dying to try my hand at more difficult spells and did my best to make him aware of it.
When he’d finally challenged me to move a doll made of earth, a golem, I’d been so excited that I made my creation dance the traditional Bon Festival dance. My tutor couldn’t hold back his laughter.
Oops, sorry!
In a way, that’d been for the best, as that little incident had brought us closer. From that point on, we chatted more. He actually told me a lot about himself. For instance, I learned that he was only working as a private tutor temporarily while looking for a research job, and he had a young daughter.
Thanks for everything, Mr. Moldo! Your build made you seem kind of intimidating, but your glasses and gentle demeanor softened your aura!
While my golem’s dance made him laugh, Mr. Moldo still praised me for managing to move my golem so much on the first try. Still, while he seemed to genuinely think I was talented, it was all in the realm of what could be expected from a good pupil.