A Villain's Survival Guide

Raine’s POV:

Two ladies occupied the train compartment.

Raine sat cross-legged, leafing through a newspaper she’d picked up from a beggar that morning. Across from her, Charlotte kept her gaze fixed to the window, those dark soulless eyes of hers trailing from one tree to the next as though they held something worth looking at.

The newspaper, though, was just for show. Raine’s mind was firmly set on what had happened to her a few hours prior.

She’d begun her day with intense training, but it hadn’t shifted the feeling. Deep within her, something still sat wrong. No explanation needed, it was the unease gnawing at her about consuming her solution, Glorious Mint.

Only a few days had passed since she’d properly set about her personality synchronization, and though she’d admit her circumstances had nudged perceiving into a habit, drawing the short straw in only a week was still a rush by any measure.

To make matters worse, evolving into a Sorcerer meant her ten percent blindness would creep up. Something she desperately wanted to fight, but Leomaris had been straight with her. Their strength wasn’t up to scratch to go after the Ascension Chest, the only thing standing between her and losing more of her sight.

It weighed on her more than she cared for, but in the end, she’d made up her mind... she’d consume the Glorious Mint after their holidays at the Pandora Floating Island.

But that unsettled her most.

Two days ago, she’d worked out that Marie Marven could be the culprit behind the Great Citadel incident and, on top of that, Emerald’s ally, with Leomaris squarely in her sights.

She hadn’t been keen on tackling it alone at first, but after she’d tried to get word to Leomaris and found him well and truly occupied trying to cheer up his butler, she’d made up her mind to sort it herself. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

’According to Instructor Rosario, the academy is allowing us to spend roughly a week on the floating island to learn about Pandora and the history of similar islands. That makes this the perfect opportunity.’

She settled back into her seat, eyes landing on Raine. After this holiday, the eight selected cadets, herself included, would be heading to some remote location with Instructor Moon as his trainees. Marie hadn’t been included.

Which meant her only window to smoke Marie out and have her answer for the blood on her hands, and her attempt to kill Leomaris, was this one week. That was why she’d gone and befriended Charlotte.

’Even after our dinner yesterday, she still harbours doubts. Frankly, she should, as I do not entirely trust her myself. She is a Calamity, and one of them nearly killed Leomaris. However, given that Leomaris places his trust in her, she is a more reliable ally than the others.’

Outside of Leomaris and her maid, Ren, Raine didn’t have many companions. Ren was off on a mission, and she’d made up her mind to steer clear of Leomaris for the duration of the holiday, using it as a chance to watch Marie closely.

Lucius would’ve been the better candidate. All things considered, they got on well, but Lucius was a Calamity as well, and she had no intention of getting mixed up with potential culprits.

So she’d settled on Charlotte. Trust wasn’t quite there, but Leomaris already held her in high regard, and it was obvious she currently wasn’t her suspect. Having Charlotte around would keep her company and stop her from looking suspicious.

She just needed to confirm Marie was the right person. If she was, there was a good chance she wielded a cursing ability, though whether it needed contact or worked as an area effect, she couldn’t tell. Observing from a distance was her safest option.

’Still, it wouldn’t be a bad outcome if Marie inadvertently led me straight to the Calamity who stabbed Leomaris.’

The quiet in the cabin was getting to her. She leaned forward slightly, pulling herself out of her gloominess, and started up a conversation with Charlotte before it could settle any further.

The train was making its way to the last station in Chatenham, drawing close to the coast. After two hours, they were only minutes out, and Raine didn’t fancy them stepping off the train with dull tongues and nothing to say for themselves.

Soon enough, the station came. Off the train, countless servants were lined up waiting, each one assigned to a specific cadet. Nearly two hundred of them were standing there.

The servants trailed behind, gazes locked firmly on their assigned masters, while Instructor Rosario led the crowd.

Rosario wore that satisfied expression of his, hands working lazily over his potbelly as though he were some child who’d gone and overeaten and was now dealing with a right thumping gut.

"The Pandora Floating Island is one of the few floating islands known to tell its own stories. It was among the earliest islands explored over 1500 years ago. Not only does it possess the unique feature of having its history carved into stone, but it is also one of the few islands capable of producing its own clean water without a known source. Only six such islands exist in the entire world."

Rosario gestured toward the island floating above the ocean at a considerable distance. The sea, by rights, should have been red, the blood of the true creator, Genesis, but over fifteen hundred years of clean water pouring in from the Pandora Floating Island had changed things. The majority of what was visible had long turned blue.

The island itself was dark stone, narrowing to a sharp point underneath like an inverted mountain. From it rose an ancient tower-city, partially ruined but still standing.

The architecture was elegant and vertical, full of arches, spires, and open balconies that gave the whole thing the air of a forgotten divine sanctuary.

Waterfalls poured straight off the floating landmass in several places, trailing glowing blue streams down into the sea below. It looked almost magical, as though gravity hadn’t quite got the memo.

Smaller rocks floated in orbit around the main island, each carrying its own patch of vivid green vegetation.

At the very top, an artificial clock face had been planted, deliberately, by all accounts. Its design was equally pleasing, done up in an ancient style that kept the whole vibe of the island going nicely.

"It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Hehe, this is the only five-star hotel here in Chatenham."

All the while, Raine’s gaze hadn’t stopped moving. Shooting from one point to the next, but always drifting back to Marie.

Nothing seemed off at first. Then she saw it. Marie was pulling her long dark hair back over her shoulders, her brown eyes flicking about in all directions, making sure everyone was focused on Instructor Rosario.

Raine’s heart skipped a beat.

That didn’t stop Marie.

She eased past the three cadets standing between herself and Leomaris. A safe distance away now, nothing blocking her line to him, she did nothing more than stare. A lustful smile draped across her face.

Raine bit her tongue so hard she nearly bled through it. ’What’s she playing at? Is it a curse?’