*Sigh* I Got Reincarnated As The Villainess of an Otome Game

The Lady in the Forest

Twelve-Year-Old Ayana Zaremski POV:

Six years have passed since the day I met Leona and we've become great friends. Now that we're twelve years old we're supposed to attend the magic affinity ceremony held every year for thirteen-year-olds and those nearing the age of thirteen. In this world people get their magic affinity checked at the age of thirteen or twelve bordering onto thirteen and they head to the academy to learn more about magic and make connections at the age of fifteen.

Personally, I'd like to skip the ceremony since it's such a hassle especially since you needed to wait in line for your turn to go and touch the crystal ball in the temple. The reason for the ceremony to be held in such a public place is because everyone is supposed to get their magic affinity checked and it's an easy way to scout young talents.

But since the ceremony isn't until another two months I have plenty of time to figure out a way to not attend the ceremony and the party after the ceremony. The royal family hosts a party the day after the magic affinity ceremony every year and since it's hosted by the royal family, everyone has to attend. To skip the party will be difficult especially since the party acts as a debut ball for those that have turned thirteen and those close to turning thirteen.

But I don't need to worry about that yet since I still have two months before I need to worry about those things. Right now what's most important is getting permission from my dad to go to Evermore Forest.

Although, with my father's protective tendencies it's a long shot to say that he'll allow me to go in the forest after all Evermore Forest is a place few dare go into. But that's okay since I have a plan to make him allow me to go.

That's why right now I'm in my father's office.

"Father, I'll be going to Evermore Forest whenever I want from now on," I said in a cheerful tone.

"Ah, yes, okay," my father replied back to me as he answered me absent-mindedly while checking the papers on his desk.

One, two, three...

"Wait, WHAT!!!" He shouted, looking up from his paperwork, suddenly realizing what I just said.

"Thank you for your cooperation," I happily said to him as I walked out of his office, closing the door on my shocked father.

Escape before father can stop me to negotiate with me. Yes, this plan worked out well, now all that's left is to meet Leona at the edge of the forest.

Before that I need to change and pack a backpack, bringing some weapons would also be ideal for this trip.

After packing, I headed to the edge of the forest. The Evermore Forest was pretty close to my house, it's also close to Leona's house, that's why I decided to go on foot rather than on horseback. Leona wasn't there yet when I arrived so I waited a while for her, after a couple of minutes Leona arrived a little out of breath.

"The distance from here to your house is pretty close, how come you're out of breath?" I asked Leona who was trying to catch her breath.

"My father was against me going to the forest, so we made a deal that if I lasted five minutes in a duel with him, I could go," she said, "he was seriously trying to stop me from going, I barely even made it to five minutes against him, I think I need more training since I'm planning on winning in a duel with my father for real next time."

"Good luck with that," I said to her as we started walking into the forest.

We didn't talk much while we were walking in the forest since we wanted to be alert in case anything decided to attack us. We didn't decide to go to Evermore Forest without prior planning, so we should be relatively safe after all we have weapons on us, and we did thorough research on it. The main reason we wanted to come here was because there were rumors that someone actually lived here, if there was someone actually living here, they must be someone powerful.