How to Survive as That Villainess - Chapter 35

Chapter 4: A Party, or Rather, a Chaotic Mess (12)

Before the party began, Aren teleported to where his partner was. Following Seria’s faint magical trail, he quickly found his way to her.

The academy’s garden was always filled with the scent of flowers, and at night, the blossoms glowed brightly under the moonlight. 

This was a place Aren cherished, a spot that brought him peace. He had taken Radel on a walk here before, and he remembered how much he enjoyed watching her face light up with excitement.

‘Radel has such expressive reactions; it’s quite entertaining.’

When she’s happy, she wears an endlessly beautiful smile. When she’s annoyed, she furrows her brow, and when she’s angry, she expresses it without hesitation. Aren appreciated her honesty and boldness. In a way, it made her seem genuinely pure. At first, he had found her somewhat difficult to deal with, but at some point, she had become a very comfortable and special presence in his life.

“Aren, you came to get me yourself.”

A refreshing voice broke his thoughts. When he looked up, he saw a woman standing with a rose in her hand. Seria, her appearance was breathtaking. Under the moonlight, her hair looked even silkier, and her large, clear eyes had an almost mystical quality. Though she was a commoner, her elegance and grace often made him forget her status.

Seria gently placed the rose on the ground. Then, she lightly touched the fully bloomed flowers with her fingers as she walked toward Aren.

“You look serious. Did something happen?” 

She softly placed her hand on his shoulder, a gesture that was completely natural for her. Aren let out a small, involuntary laugh. It felt unsettling.

“Seria.”

“Yes?”

“You were the one who ruined Radel’s coat, weren’t you?”

The soft moonlight bathed the two of them in a gentle glow. In that mysterious and dreamlike atmosphere, Aren observed Seria, who was smiling leisurely.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A blatant lie. Aren had sensed Seria’s magic on Radel’s coat. As a mage recognized even by the Tower, there was no way Aren could have mistaken her magic. And even if it hadn’t been because of the magic, Aren would still have suspected Seria. After all, there was no one else who would do something like this—except her.

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“That act you keep putting on.”

Seria always seemed somewhat unnatural to Aren. What he initially perceived as purity and beauty eventually began to feel like nothing more than a performance. The constant smile she wore, the graceful movements—everything about her started to seem awkward and contrived.

“At first, I thought you were someone completely opposite to me. But I see now that I was wrong.”

He had once believed she was a person without desires, someone pure. But after getting a glimpse of Seria’s true nature, Aren realized she was just as full of ambition as anyone else. Slowly, he began to distance himself from her.

“I won’t play along with your act any longer.”

With those words, Aren smiled faintly. He was tired of the transparent, tedious charade she had been putting on. He no longer had any desire to indulge her performance.

Seria simply stared at Aren, expressionless. No matter what he said, she planned to keep smiling as if nothing could shake her.

A heavy silence hung between them for a while. Time passed, though it was hard to say how long. Finally, Seria’s lips moved.

“…Is this sudden change because of Lady Radel?”

As soon as he heard Radel’s name, her blushing, shy smile flashed in his mind. She had liked the white butterfly he created with magic; he thought about showing it to her again sometime.

‘…I’m getting distracted.’

It was the first time he found himself thinking about someone else while talking to someone. The unfamiliar feeling made him chuckle. Seria looked at Aren curiously, puzzled by his sudden smile instead of an answer to her question.

“You’re really something else.”

Seria’s voice was sharp and mocking, and Aren sighed deeply. So this is the real her, he thought.

For the first time, Seria’s usually composed face twisted slightly. It was the first time Aren had seen her make such an expression. It was as if she had been wearing a mask of pretense all along, and now that mask had been removed.

“Aren, you’re right. It was me. The coat, I did that.”

Seria admitted with a sultry smile. It was an alluring smile, but instead of drawing him in, it sent a shiver down Aren’s spine. He felt even more uneasy than before.

“It was just a little prank. I happened to see the coat lying on a chair, so I checked the pocket and found an invitation. It had Radel Karel’s name on it.”

Seria laughed, a high-pitched, almost playful sound, as she clasped her hands behind her back and twirled around. She looked like a mischievous girl or a prankster, and it made Aren feel an odd sense of discomfort. She’s even stranger than he initially thought.

“I thought about just giving it back, but then a fun idea popped into my head. If I just tore it up, Radel Karel wouldn’t be able to enter the party, right? I wanted to see the look on her face.”

“But when I saw her at the party, I realized she got in somehow. That girl’s really lucky.”

Seria pouted playfully, then plucked a flower and began to stroke it gently as if it were something precious.

“Aren, are you going to tell anyone about what I did today?”

“It wouldn’t matter even if I did. I doubt anyone would believe me.”

Aside from a few students, nearly everyone at the academy adored Seria. Speaking out would only exhaust him, without accomplishing anything. Seria’s smile widened, apparently pleased with his response. Seeing that smile, Aren suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion.

‘I just want to go back to the Tower.’

“I’ll let this slide today, because Radel wasn’t hurt,” Aren said finally.

“Hehe, thank you.”

“But next time… I won’t let it slide.”

Aren’s eyes glinted sharply, and Seria was momentarily taken aback by the change in him. A shiver ran down her spine, and she rubbed her arms to ward off the uneasy feeling.

“Well then, I’ll be going now. I hope you take my warning seriously.”

Aren said casually before snapping his fingers and teleporting away. Seria stared at the spot where he had stood just moments ago, then viciously crushed the flower in her hand.

“He’s gone… How cold.”

She had tried to get close to him because he was the heir to the Tower, but she hadn’t expected him to leave so easily. It was all because of Radel Karel.

“She really gets under my skin.”

Her insides feel twisted. She needed to vent this frustration. Aren had left with a stern warning, a threat that had sent chills down her spine. Was Aren harboring feelings for Radel Karel?

Seria wasn’t foolish enough to risk making an enemy of the Tower. Ignoring Aren’s warning could easily lead to her destruction. She bit her lip hard, lost in thought. She would have to find a way to deal with Radel Karel, without getting caught, using all her cunning and resources.

‘Fine, let’s see who comes out on top.’

She thought, a delicate smile curling at the corners of her lips.

***

As I passed by Lady Elina, I bit my lip hard to suppress my anger. How dare she speak so carelessly. I could tolerate insults directed at me, but I couldn’t stand it when someone insulted those I cared about. Struggling to calm the storm brewing inside me, I walked out of the party hall.

To cool off and get some fresh air, I decided to stroll around the party hall. At first, I considered just going home, but I hadn’t danced with Huan yet. It would be odd not to have at least one dance with my partner. I decided I’d head back in after a short walk and find him for that dance.

‘But now that I think about it, I haven’t seen Seria at the party.’

Since the event started, I hadn’t caught sight of her even once. As the heroine, she wouldn’t typically miss an event like this. Although I didn’t particularly care what she was up to, her absence made me uneasy. She could be off somewhere having a good time with Aren, but something didn’t sit right with me.

“Wow, the moon is really beautiful tonight.”

As I thought about Seria, I happened to glance up at the moon, and it struck me with its beauty. The full moon was shining brightly, and it brought a smile to my face. I figured I’d regret it if I didn’t take a moment to enjoy the view, so I headed toward the garden. When you’re feeling down, a little change of scenery can work wonders!

“Oh, Seria?”

“Oh my, we’ve run into each other twice tonight, haven’t we?”

My attempt to lift my spirits quickly plummeted as I spotted Seria. What was she doing in the garden at this hour, and why was she alone? I had expected her to be with Aren, yet here she was by herself.

“Aren?”

“He… left a little while ago.”

“He left you?”

“Yes, quite coldly, too.”

She replied, with a slight shrug and a soft smile.

I was taken aback. Aren had actually left Seria behind? I couldn’t make sense of it. I stood there, mouth agape, surprised by this unexpected turn of events. So, even a male lead could just abandon the heroine? It was a surprising revelation.

“That necklace…” 

Seria’s voice trailed off as she noticed the necklace I was wearing.

Seria’s eyes widened as she took in the sight of the necklace with the red ruby. Her expression was one of genuine surprise. Oh, right. She must have known that this necklace was the prize for the swordsmanship competition.

“You got it from Kailon, didn’t you?”

“…Yeah.”

When Seria realized I had received the necklace from Kyle, she pressed her lips together tightly. I felt a surge of anxiety, worried she might be angry.

“The second one…”

“What?”

“Oh, nothing. You’re going to take a walk in the garden, right? I’ll be on my way then.”

Seria’s pupils wavered slightly before she smiled and walked away. I felt a bit uneasy, but I didn’t call her back. Surely nothing serious would happen… right?

I pushed aside the uneasy feeling and sat down under a large tree, gazing up at the moon. It was massive and bright, casting an ethereal glow over the garden.

“Oh, I could just fall asleep right here.”

I sprawled out on the ground. Although the dress made it a bit uncomfortable, I didn’t care much since I was alone.

“But why does the atmosphere feel so strange tonight?”

The wind was strong, and the air felt heavy, almost ominous. Even the scent of the flowers in the garden was so overpowering that it gave me a headache. Something didn’t feel right. That uneasy feeling from earlier came rushing back, and I hurriedly stood up.

Suddenly, clouds covered the moon, plunging the garden into darkness. It felt like I was trapped in complete blackness.

“Ah!”

Someone grabbed me from behind. A large hand clamped over my mouth, silencing me. The grip was forceful and terrifying. I knew something was wrong earlier, and my instincts had been right.