Reborn as the Villainess?!

Obsidion Eyes

I heaved a sigh as I stared out the window into the garden. Truly, it was beautiful every time I looked outside, rain or shine.
Wearily, I looked down at my undercoat and thought of the nightmare ahead of me.
In all the years I had spent in and out of the capital, the thought of finally having a debut made me shiver. Although I enjoyed parties, I never enjoyed being the focus of such events. In fact, I had managed to spectacularly avoid such instances on several occasions.
The only saving grace was that my debut had managed to fall in line with the princess's birthday. Due to the political struggle between the emperor and the nobility, the emperor thought it prudent that a celebration involving the daughter of the duke should also involve the debut of the princess.
Not that I was complaining. In fact, I was grateful.
All the attention would be on her.
Leaning forward, I tightened the laces of my leather boots before donning a light-weight robe to cover my figure. The sun was setting, turning the sky a beautiful ochre that was the prelude to the night to come.
Over the years I had gained independence in my hunting endeavours. After running my body to the ground to the point of nearly breaking, I had reaped the rewards and scars as proof that I had struggled to get here. Scars that I refused to show Kael. He was funny about me injuring myself, so I tried to hide it with the help of my maids. Their faces were always reluctant when they had to.
The bumps and lines of my skin that had failed to heal properly only served as a reminder that strength alone would keep me alive in this place.
In truth, it always unnerved me walking through a forest at night on my own. Thankfully, the darkness was not an obstacle to me. With Nyx's help, I was able to use the darkness as a medium to sense things beyond my visual field. Strangely it was more accurate than sight. If I wanted to, I could walk with my eyes closed and know where every leaf was placed on the ground below me.
Without hesitation, I sprinted along the forest floor. My absences from the mansion were now a usual event.
A familiar flutter appeared beside me. "Alf. What took you so long?"
He leaned backwards as we surged into the forest depths. "As the patron of this forest, it is only natural that I should assist in the eradication of the disease which seeks to destroy my home." His pale blond hair fluttered softly despite the speed at which we travelled.
Within minutes, we approached three rabid wolves. Not too many, and not so many that I couldn't handle.
After catching the pack by surprise, I easily managed to take the first rabid out before they knew what was going on. In a situation like this, it was always better not to hesitate. All of Tirack's training had begun to bear its fruit in recent years. Spindly arms and legs became firm with muscle. I could now quickly braid my own hair, as it quickly started to become a nuisance when it became soaked in the blood of the rabids I killed. Of course, Nyx loved it. I, on the other hand, was half tempted to chop my hair off.
Lettie had looked at me on horror when I mentioned this to her. After laughing and saying I was joking–although I really wasn't–I was annoyed with how much value society placed on hair here.
Nyx's energy thrummed as I sensed something trying to sneak up on me, just as it leaped into the air, I bent backward a threw my knife forward. With my other hand I reached out to the third wolf which had leapt at me from the side. While the second rabid wolf dropped to the ground with a yelp before becoming motionless, I had the third by its neck. It was now effortless to hold the wolf midair without so much as a twinge of muscle effort. It threw its claws at me, and on reflex I dodged, crushing the wolf's throat at the same time. I let it's mangled body drop to the floor.
Nyx sucked the darkness up before I could catch my breath.
Hunting like this also helped provide a distraction from my thoughts. After falling to the ground in exhaustion, Alf appeared behind a tree. "I would say this is rather gross, but you do my forest a favour by cleaning it up."
Using a cloth, I rubbed some of the blood off my face. "You're welcome."
He flicked his fingers and the blood disappeared from my body and hair.
I examined my clothes before smiling. "Too bad Nyx can't do this."
Alf gave a smirk. "Darkness conceals, light purifies." He gave a shrug. "What can I say?"
Fortunately because Alf seemed to exist on different existential planes being a fairy, he could see Nyx when she decided to grace us with her presence.
Like now.
"Oh please." She drew in all the darkness around her, making her eyes become pitch black. I would have been terrified if I didn't see it so often. "Where would your precious forest be without our help?"
Alf held his his tongue. It was enough killing these beasts, but the aftermath was destruction and death. In fact, it was only when Nyx and I sucked in the darkness that the stench of death and destruction disappeared.
I had experimented once. After killing two rabids, I only drew in the darkness of one and left the other. After returning a few months later, the surrounding shrubbery and trees had overgrown and covered the wolf we took the darkness from. The other wolf, however, was untouched. The surroundings were wilted with not an inch of life. Like a disease.
I tied my hair up. "This is enough. Any longer and Lettie might send a search party."
Nyx rolled her eyes. "Just leave. We are enough."
I gathered my knife and belongings which had scattered in the ruffle. "Unfortunately, darkness is not as filling as a meal. So that will be a no from me."
She flicked an imaginary piece of dirt off her shoulder. "If you say so."
The she disappeared in a whisper of the wind.
Back at the mansion, I made sure to eat all the protein first. Thankfully, Kael's visits here were restricted due to the nature of his dukedom. Business always called him, and surprisingly, he appeared reluctant sometimes.
"If you gain any more muscle, someone might mistake you for a gentleman." Lettie noted in dismay.
I grinned at her. "Perfect."
Anything that would bring me further away from the image of Edythe's final scene. She had been dainty and weak
I was not.
Despite my efforts to distract myself, I was always brought to the shopping district to test more dress designs. As I tried on the gowns, it was a bleak reminder that I needed to avoid Aster the whole night. Getting caught up with him would do me no good.
Thankfully, I had finally reached the age where I had successfully managed to enter the Royal Academy of Knights.
In truth, I had suspected that Kael would not allow me to enter the academy. But he had followed through with his promise. Although my brothers had been adamant I enter the magic academy with them, I refused to go anywhere near the main storyline of this book.
And Aster, for that matter.
Word had travelled quite quickly that the second Prince had become enamoured with a scholarship student who had entered around the same time as him.
Thankfully the most I ever heard was rumours regarding him. I shivered recalling the harsh treatment Edythe inflicted upon Eleanor in the book. Whereas at the knight academy, although rare to be a woman, I was not the first. There were more women than I expected, though some graced with gifts and talents passed down through their lineage.
I had kept my head low, entering the academy without making eye contact with anyone. It was important because the moment anyone saw my—
"Red eyes. DeVillanova. I heard you were coming." The man at the admissions point said, annoyingly loud and pale with fear.
People became silent around me and stared.
I breathed slowly to calm my frustration and straightened my back, removing my hood. "Yes. The admissions form please."
He gave it to me without question. I snatched it and tried to escape as quietly as possible, but the damage was already done. I would have used magic to conceal my eyes and hair colour, if there wasn't a ban on magic here.
"Edythe!"
I spun around and nearly fell to the ground as Isa careened into me. "We made it!"
I gave her a smile, genuinely thankful to have a friend.
Although I had been worried about the unnecessary attention, it quickly quelled upon news that the new young Duke of the North was also to be attending the academy this year a year above me. Apparently he had spent the first year at his residence in the north being trained in his new duties after the passing of his parents, while also being trained in combat.
If the rumours surrounding him weren't enough, the crown Prince was also entering the same year as the young duke. Apparently he had finished the three years of the magic academy in only a year and a half. Thus, he spent only half a year training thereby allowing him to skip a year. Usually you were at one academy or the other, but with rumours that he was a true prodigy had me wondering how he ever managed to die in the war.
There was one point where Isa and I were in the corridors between classes that we heard a commotion at the other end. There was a tall man surrounded by a swarm of both men and women trainees. His bright blonde hair stood out among the rest.
"Honestly, give the man a rest." Isa huffed, annoyed by crowds and those hoping to curry favour. "Hard work speaks louder than words."
I grinned. "Says the one who tried to get the teacher to not mark her so harshly on her footwork."
She gave me a shove. "Don't hate me at my lowest. I'll have you know that after our six months of footwork training I was allowed to hold a sword before you."
I rolled my eyes. "It's hard to teach an old dog new habits."
Terrible habits, I might add. They allow for no flexibility. About as rigid as their personalities.
"You're only sixteen Edythe. I would hardly call you an old dog."
I laughed, before I felt something staring at me. Glancing up, I made direct eye contact with the crown Prince. Unconsciously, I averted my gaze.
With all the rumours around this academy, I dreaded the thought of causing more. As I quickly managed to steer Isa away, I was left with a weird sense of familiarity.
Though I couldn't imagine meeting him at the magic academy upon my visits to see my brothers. Their disdain for him was almost palpable. Ignoring my curiosity, I dispelled thoughts of him from my mind. It wouldn't do me any good to get involved with someone who wouldn't be with us for much longer.
I had spent much of my first year at the academy focusing on honing my skills with Isa and avoiding rumours and complications when they reared their ugly heads.
Typhon, the new Duke of the North, was a name that became infamous throughout the whole academy — with news that both the young duke and crown Prince had topped their years. Whenever I caught wind of their presence, Isa and I made sure to turn the other way. Isa was determined to rise up in her own strength. Thankfully, the bad rumours surrounding me only served to fuel her determination to succeed in the academy. At least with me, there would be no accusations of succeeding through nepotism.
One thing which Isa and I both enjoyed were morning training. The physical exhaustion always helped to distract me from my thoughts. A benefit from our training sessions before entering the academy meant the shock of training didn't hit us the same way it did with the other nobles. They had probably never exercised much before this. Now it was hours of gruelling training everyday.
"Miss?" A hand on my shoulder shocked me out of my reminiscing.
She appeared wary as she gestured to my dress, bringing me back the present and the looming ball in the not to distant future. It was hard to believe that is was already the end of the year and the beginning of the festive season. The emperor had decided to start the festive season off early before the new year with a ball celebrating the debut of both the princess and I.
I was now seventeen and had finished my first year at the academy without drawing too much attention. Though when I looked down at this dress, I prayed that the princess's would take the limelight. Even though I opted for the most basic dress I could, it was still extravagant. Just without all the excess jewels, with a focus more on the materials and design.
It felt strange being in a dress after a year in uniform. I didn't like it. It was too restrictive.
Turning slowly, the fabric billowed around me as if weighing nothing. Turning my head, I examined the bodice which glittered with an assortment of fine crushed jewels which acted to refract the light. An idea I came up with as a compromise to Lettie and the designers that I had to have jewels as the daughter of the duke. Apparently the duke himself had said to spare no expense—which I found hard to believe. He hated flashy displays like this. It was about the only thing I found similar between us.
Frowning, I turned to the attendant. "May I make a few adjustments?"
"Of course!"
After a few discussions and looks of concern, they reluctantly agreed to remove the extra jewels they had tried to sneak on without me knowing. The simple design I chose removed the puffed sleeves and instead exposed my shoulders, giving a more elegant look. It gathered at the waist before falling simply to the ground. The fabric was a mixture of midnight and silvers, giving a more ethereal feel.
Satisfied, I left the designs with the tailor before leaving the store. The tailor seemed more excited than the attendant over my new designs. "It will be a work of art!" He exclaimed with eyes that shone like a baby with a new toy. His excitement worried me.
I had learnt from my days spent at the academy to not try and please people. Thus, I wasn't going to dress for others. With the rumours going around regarding me, even if I wore a dress that matched the current trends, they would still find something to gossip about. Although the rumours had died down considerably, with cold looks disappearing and people less terrified whenever I made eye contact with them, I didn't want to add fuel to a fire that had died down.
At the academy, the excited chatter of those around me became more animated the closer the day of the ball came.
With all the talk of the princess, I was thankful I could use her as the scapegoat for attention.
While walking in the academy hallway, there was a time when Isa had left for an extracurricular class and it was a rare moment when I was left to my own devices. I had found the best tactic to avoid others was to read. Whether sitting or walking, reading helped to act as a barrier which stopped people from attempting to make conversation with me. As I walked, I heard another pair of footsteps in the hall. I would have not thought it strange, except for the knowledge that everyone was meant to be in classes right now. Glancing up, I saw a tall, dark figure at the end of the hallway that made my stomach drop. Someone I had managed to avoid this whole year and only seen from a distance. But there was no mistaking the dark hair and strong physique of someone who looked as if he could crush those around him in an instant. An icy feeling grew from the pit of my stomach as I realised that I was now alone with the one person I had been desperately trying to avoid.
It was Typhon, Duke of the North.