A Villain's Survival Guide

Raine had been quick off the mark with Marie. Even so, she still believed Marie could well be the culprit hiding behind some front. She just decided to approach the remaining four differently.

Marie had named four friends, people close enough to her that any one of them could have nudged her into calling Leomaris out at eleven at night.

The first was a first-class cadet, Jumie Xyphrant. She was tall, near Raine’s height, with a slick build that made her hard to miss. The red hair only added to it.

The second was a third-class cadet, Nona Enkrid. She had quite the reputation. Lower class or not, humility wasn’t in her nature. She’d pick a fight with anyone. First-class cadets included.

The next was someone Raine had no time for whatsoever: Bianca Coco. A noble with a rich heritage, her family’s multimedia company has been in the family for centuries. All of it had made her a bit too big for her boots. Prideful and looked down on everyone, friends included.

Despite being second-class, her rotten attitude didn’t stop at the door of the first-class. The only person Raine had never seen Bianca flash her noble card at was Leomaris. His father being a Duke put paid to that.

Last was Raphi Eden, a second-class cadet. Around 5’6, short dark hair, and the sort of gloomy nature that preceded her into a room.

Raine knew the lot of them well enough, and so she kept Raphi for last. It was a fluke if nothing else, but Raphi’s height lined up with the person who’d broken into her room that morning, and she was the quiet, unassuming type. The sort nobody clocked twice.

Marie and Leomaris headed after Bianca, Charlotte went after Jumie, and Raine went after Nona.

’It would be best to leave Raphi for last. If she really is the one, then any of us confronting her alone would be making a grave mistake.’

Raine moved through the corridors of the floating island. She hadn’t had a spare moment to enjoy the place since they’d arrived, if she was honest. Every day had been spent trying to suss out the culprit.

They had less than three days left on the island, and yet her mind was firmly on finding the curse ability wielder. The one who wanted Leomaris dead.

At the very top of the island, where others had gathered to take in the sweeping view, Raine’s eyes cut through the crowd in search of Nona.

Her eyes moved from the cave entrance at one end to the far end of the balcony at the other.

She frowned. She’d seen Nona’s location with her ability and had no doubt she was here. Not being able to find her was making her wary.

But soon enough, her eyes went back to the cave entrance, and there she was. Long silver hair caught the dark as she rabbited on among her friends. They were heading into the caves.

Raine followed without wasting a second, keeping a safe distance between herself and Nona’s group.

She’d wounded the culprit on their left arm that morning. She watched Nona’s hand first, nothing there. Then her voice, aggressive and sharp, nothing like the culprit’s.

’I can’t remain a distant observer. I need to close in.’

Being someone who could heal herself, she knew that even if Nona had somehow healed the wound, a deep enough injury would still leave some lingering discomfort in the hand. It wasn’t something you could fully shake off.

She closed in quickly and flashed a wide smile none of them had ever seen from her before, reaching for Nona’s hands. Nona recoiled, but Raine’s grip wasn’t giving.

Nona stared at her with open discomfort, but Raine’s smile held firm.

"You’re Nona Enkrid, aren’t you? Would you consider joining our faction?"

Nona wore her confusion plainly enough, but it wasn’t long before something else crept in.

"You mean the Mercy of Death?"

Raine nodded. Nona, for her part, couldn’t resist nudging glances at her mates.

With sparkling eyes, she spoke. "Of course I would. I mean, who wouldn’t?"

"Great. Then could you tell me what abilities you possess?"

"I am a summoner. I can call forth a wind spirit, an eagle to be precise."

Raine’s smile turned slightly awkward. "Okay. I’ll see you back at the academy. I’ll need to see a demonstration of your abilities."

"No problem."

Raine took her leave, her expression souring the further she got. Nona was out. No trace of discomfort in the hand, and a summoner was nowhere near what she was looking for.

Back at the balcony, someone waved from across the way: Leomaris and Marie, Charlotte alongside them. Hazel, Leomaris’s butler, was there too.

"So it wasn’t the others either. That means Raphi is our sole remaining suspect." She muttered before moving toward the others.

She was starting to feel the strain of it. So many dead ends, and still she held herself back from rushing. She knew better than that by now. Or at least, she was trying to.

No sooner had she activated her ability than Raphi was found.

’Strange. She’s standing in the hallway, yet she hasn’t moved an inch.’

"Have you found her?" Leomaris asked.

"Yes, I have."

She said nothing more and took point. The others fell in behind her. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

—

The corridor was dressed with paintings and flower pots at measured intervals. It had the quiet of a place that didn’t see just anyone. The lighting did its part too, dim enough to be courteous, dim enough to be useful.

A few metres off, they spotted her. Raphi. She had her fingers in one of the flower pots, drawing out soil and pressing it into her left hand.

One look and Raine’s heart skipped. Raphi’s eyes found them not long after.

One look at them, and the panic hit her face plain as day. She was bolting before the second was out, boots cracking against the floor as she went.

No words needed. They gave chase in an instant, the thunder of their boots shattering the calm that had settled over the corridor, as though it had never been there at all.

It wasn’t long before Raphi ran out of the corridor. She stopped. They stopped. Then she was on her feet, hands out, pleading.

"Please, I’m begging you. Don’t tell anyone... please."

Raine’s anger was right there, barely in check. But she’d learned her lesson about rushing. She clocked Raphi’s left hand, she was injured, sure enough. Though the wound was fresh and, more to the point, too slight to be the work of her sword.

"We shouldn’t fall for her deception, Young Master. I believe the safest course of action is to kill her," Hazel said.

Leomaris scratched the back of his head and offered a smile that said as much as his words. "That’s not mine to decide, though."

’Right, he left everything in my hands. This is my decision to make.’

Raine closed in on Raphi. "What do you mean? What exactly don’t you want us to tell anyone?"

Raphi looked perplexed. "Uhm... that I was using the soil to wipe my blood."

"How did you get hurt in the first place?"

Her expression darkened. "I don’t know. I was looking around this place when I suddenly got cut. There was no one there... It’s strange, but it’s clearly a knife cut."

"That’s a strange alibi."

Raine had barely finished speaking before Leomaris stepped forward and pulled her sword free.

Her expression went flat. He looked murderous.

No explanation needed, but she asked anyway.

"What do you think you are doing?"

Leomaris found Raphi on the floor, trembling. A wicked smile suffused his features.

"What do you think I should do? She wants me dead... doesn’t she?"

Raine gulped back bile. "But Leo—

The words died in her throat. Then Leomaris moved with deadly precision. Raine threw herself in front of Raphi before the thought had even formed.

"What the...?"

Raine’s block has been for nowt, as it turned out. The attack never came in their direction. It went into Hazel’s gut, clean and deep. Leomaris watched her choke on her own blood without so much as a flicker.

Then he twisted the blade and made it worse.

Hazel’s eyes held everything at once: horror, betrayal, and panic. The sight sent chills straight through Raine.

Hazel trembled where she stood, but she wouldn’t fight it. Loyal, even now. Loyal to Leomaris.

"B—but why... young master?"