A Villain's Survival Guide

In the stillness of the night, Raine settled onto her bed, still dressed in her black vest, sword resting in her grip.

She’d pushed through the night training and gone out like a light somewhere in the middle of it. An hour or two was all it ever took for fatigue to kick in.

Tension and soreness had settled deep into her shoulders, feet, muscles, waist, and joints, healing or not. That brief kip had been enough of an escape for the moment.

Deep in her slumber, however, something made itself known.

It started slowly. Gentle touches at her fingers, working at her grip on the sword. It carried on a while, but she was holding too tight to shift.

Then the sensation moved. Something was closing in on her neck, and the feeling against it left little doubt, hard and cold. Probably steel.

It was strange. She couldn’t tell if she was dreaming or if something was genuinely happening to her body. Her consciousness tried to shake it off, but the longer it dragged on, the more the sensation felt real.

Lazily, she turned over on the bed, shifting sides, and then something bit into her neck, sharp and clean as a paper cut.

No more deliberating. Her body moved before her mind did, springing to her feet on instinct.

Her eyes combed the room. There was no one there. That couldn’t be right. Blood was still dripping from the cut.

Then it clicked. She spread her Divine Aura across the room without missing a beat, and almost immediately, her attention zeroed in on the door. Her sword was already in the air.

The sword tore through the wooden door. A trickle of blood hit the floor, and then something echoed out.

"Hehe..."

It was a soft, teasing laugh. The person wrenched the sword free from their hand, shoved the door open, and did a runner, leaving it swinging in their wake.

Raine gritted her teeth. Hand going straight to the cut on her neck, she healed it the moment she clocked it wasn’t that deep.

"They could have killed me..."

She let out a deep sigh.

"At least I managed to injure them."

She didn’t need it spelled out. Whoever just tried to kill her was the same person she’d been chasing.

She’d aimed for the neck, trying to kill them with that throw, but sensing their presence alone wasn’t enough for an accurate shot when you couldn’t see them.

But something nagged at her. This person could curse others and themselves, that much she knew. So why creep into her room with a knife rather than finish her off with a curse?

—

The lounge was dramatic, elegant, and had a moody interior design. Deep burgundy and wine-red dominated the walls, upholstery, and decor, creating a rich and intimate atmosphere.

Plush velvet chairs and bar stools in matching red hues surrounded small round dining tables set with wine glasses and neatly folded napkins.

Large, ornate framed floral paintings of Emperor George I, Emperor George II, and the current King, Alastair II hang on the walls, adding a classic and luxurious touch.

Soft wall sconces and candlelight provided warm, low illumination, enhancing the romantic ambiance.

Raine, Charlotte, and Marie had settled in the far corner near the portrait of Emperor George I. The cadets filled the other seats well enough, though the aristocrats were present too, and as ever, they’d put a good bit of distance between themselves and the rest.

"I understand now." Charlotte’s expression was dark when she spoke.

"Yeah. Until we find out who is behind it all, Marie will remain a hostage."

When Raine spoke, Marie let out an awkward smile and scratched the back of her head.

Raine didn’t care about that. This same person had come at her this morning. Strange as the encounter was, she still had something to work with.

Once she arrived, she checked both Marie’s and Charlotte’s hands for wounds. Nothing. She’d struck the person with her sword, there should have been something to show for it.

Soon enough, Leomaris was upon them, smoothing his cream cravat with the easy grace of a born noble, and for a moment, he had Raine’s full attention.

"Where’s Hazel? I didn’t take you for the kind of person to leave her behind."

Leomaris smiled awkwardly, dragged a seat over, and made himself comfortable. "Well, I tried waiting for her, but she’d been messing about with her makeup for far too long."

Raine furrowed her brow. She’d never had Hazel down as someone who fussed over makeup. She was a butler, after all.

Raine’s attention snapped to more pressing matters, and soon enough, she’d filled them in on everything that had happened hours ago.

Leomaris stroked his chin. "Strange. Why would they attack you? So they were listening in on our conversation yesterday?"

Raine shrugged. "If she went out of her way to attack me, then it means we’re getting closer."

She weighed her thoughts for a second. "But what I don’t understand is why she didn’t just kill me with a curse..."

"They can’t. If they could do that, they would have killed me by now. I believe the curse ability can only affect others physically. Their ability must involve a third party, like erasing themselves from someone’s memory or making themselves invisible. It’s a target curse ability. Once they are marked, that’s when the curse takes effect. So they could have marked you with a curse that forces someone to kill you, but they can’t kill you themselves."

Things were beginning to add up. The first time they’d cursed Leomaris, it had been much the same. The mark made him a target for hatred.

But it didn’t matter now. The wound on their hand was something to work with. Unless they could heal themselves, they were only one contact away from being sussed out.

Her attention shifted to Marie. The moment those crimson eyes found her brown ones, panic crossed her face, but she collected herself soon enough.

"Mention all the names of your friends. The ones you believe could be the culprit, Marie."