A Villain's Survival Guide

Raine’s POV:

The crowd’s noise hummed in Raine’s ears. All the cheering and chatter were well too much for her liking, but her eyes stayed locked on her opponent, Charlotte Greenwood.

Her expression was flat, not a flicker of fear or emotion. Black armor clung to her vital areas despite her uniform beneath, and she held her grip firm on her equally unique black sword — forged from preet metal, the strongest metal in the Naver Kingdom, and enhanced further by an artifact.

’I didn’t expect to face Charlotte, but I guess it’s better than facing Leomaris. However, this is the perfect chance for me to drill fear into her. I need to show her who protects Leomaris, and if she was the one who attempted to kill him, it would be a sign that her death is imminent.’

The last word had hardly settled before she steeled herself, relaxing her muscles and cloaking her domain in Divine Aura as she fell into her habit of perceiving everything.

— 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Charlotte’s POV:

She gulped back bile. Naturally crimson and cold, Raine’s eyes already gave her a chilling, unwelcoming presence, but now it was something worse altogether.

Everything coming off Raine made Charlotte feel as though her life was well and truly on the line. Nothing could reach her at that moment, not even the deafening noise from the crowd. She could feel it in her bones, this went beyond an examination.

’I believe Raine is taking this seriously. Her confidence always amuses me. That is why I cannot fail. Against someone as strong as her, it will not be easy; however, if it were easy, it would not be sufficient to prove to Leomaris that I am someone he can trust. I must win this.’

When her thoughts settled, she took a deep breath and steadied herself, carrying the confidence and maturity of someone poems were written about.

—

Leomaris’s POV:

He was seated alone, every cadet in his column having been knocked out. On the other side of the arena in the waiting stands sat his opponent, Lucius, who was also on his own.

This exam was proving more of a challenge than he’d care to admit. Going up against Lucius wasn’t something he’d have done willingly even if his life depended on it, but now he had no choice in the matter.

To distract himself, he turned his attention to the pair on the field: Charlotte and Raine.

He’d been clocking the contrast between the two for a while now. He wasn’t entirely sure what Charlotte was thinking, but he knew she was set on proving her worth by coming out on top.

Raine, however, loathed Charlotte for reasons he wasn’t particularly familiar with. As he mulled it over, patterns began to surface. She’d stopped speaking to Lucius altogether and was keeping cautious around the other Calamities. Not to mention her sudden obsession.

He exhaled.

’I may be overthinking it... As for Charlotte, I think she doesn’t like her because she nearly killed me. But she has no reason to dislike the others as well, does she?’

When the officiator finally got the duel underway, his attention was pulled back in.

The duel opened with a powerful attack from Charlotte. She didn’t move, only poems, but the sheer force of her words forming in the air in a white glow was enough to send a massive wave of wind sweeping across the field.

The words formed into over a dozen daggers and shot toward Raine, but the moment they got within five metres of her, they disappeared without a trace.

Raine didn’t waste a moment before bursting toward Charlotte full pelt, her sword already in the air. Charlotte panicked and stepped back, but it was too late to dodge it completely.

Yet she managed to get a few words out, throwing up a perfect cube around her. Raine shattered it all the same, but that brief moment gave Charlotte the room she needed to scarper.

Leomaris’s mouth had fallen open as he watched, caught well off guard.

’Did she really undo Charlotte’s attacks with her Divine Aura?’

He swallowed hard, bile rising in his throat, sweat beading across his face. ’But she was supposed to figure that out only when she became a Sorcerer.’

He massaged his brow, trying to calm his nerves. Raine’s ability could do plenty: locate, perceive the unseen, and even undo weaker spells.

The range would widen as she climbed the ranks, making her all the stronger, but what Leomaris hadn’t bargained on was the possibility of her infusing Vision with her innate ability, Divine Aura.

"I believe she used the Divine Aura to encircle herself. That means it is not only enhancing her strength and speed, but also granting her full awareness of everything within her domain."

A soft smile tugged at his lips as he watched in amusement. He’d given Raine a few words about her personality synchronization for her evolution into a Sorcerer, but he’d never reckoned on her taking it this far.

But then, suddenly, he frowned.

Charlotte was on the back foot. By the looks of it, she’d already figured that Raine had a domain and was constantly trying to keep distance between them.

’This won’t work, Charlotte.’

He shook his head in disbelief and leaned into his seat.

’Her conviction, emotions, and determination behind her poems strengthen her attacks, but right now, she doesn’t seem very determined. Is she afraid?’

Charlotte’s soulless dark eyes darted in all directions. She was anxious, nervous perhaps, but nothing about her suggested she was ready to pack it in.

She kept throwing up barriers, buying herself just enough time to get clear of Raine’s attacks before they landed. This went on for a while, and even the crowd was starting to get a bit bored with it.

In the thick of it, Leomaris caught a glimpse of something. Charlotte wasn’t just defending — she was biding her time, thinking. To be specific, she was reaching for something she had absolutely no business touching.

When the words began leaving her mouth, any doubt Leomaris had left vanished entirely.

"The word is my shepherd; I shall not want.

It maketh me to stand firm in the everlasting flames:

It leadeth me through the stormy waters.

It restoreth my soul; it leadeth me in the paths of confidence and courage for its word’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for thou art with me;

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely strength and perfection shall follow me all my hours of need:

and I will dwell in the embrace of victory."1

Almost as though the sight amused him, a wide grin spread across Leomaris’s face, completely forgetting that his own duel would follow right after this match.

"This duel is going to be interesting."