Transmigrated as the Villain: I Will Destroy Fate

This was so awkward.

Elara stood by Ronan as he looked at the club recruitment information. It was for the Runic Arcs Club, and he seemed to be very interested in it.

That wouldn’t have been a problem if they barged in on the literal princess of the kingdom, who was looking at the same club.

Elara shifted nervously; all eyes were on the three students in front of the recruitment poster.

"Look," Ronan said casually. "They offer free runic paper for practice."

He was talking to her, that much was obvious, but all her attention was on Princess Seraphina.

She also looked a little amused by the scene, most likely unaware that anyone would actually come to the same stall as her.

It wasn’t that they weren’t allowed to. It was just that the Princess was usually someone people avoided due to not wanting to offend her somehow. The Royal Family was not someone the average person could afford to offend.

She supposed Ronan and herself were different, as they were technically from two of the four great royal families, but that didn’t ease her nervousness. After all, she was just a branch member.

"Y-yeah," she said nervously, her usual bravado not present. "We should get going, though. There are a bunch of clubs."

"No. I haven’t even read half of what’s here yet."

"H-haha, okay. Hurry up then."

Elara kept her gaze fixed forward.

If she looked at the princess again, she was fairly certain she would stop functioning entirely.

"They also provide free snacks."

This time, the voice hadn’t come from Ronan, it came directly from the princess herself.

Elara gulped audibly.

"I do see that," Ronan replied casually. "I’m more interested in the free runic paper they offer."

"P-princess," Elara offered. "I apologize for his tone; he isn’t the brightest, and he means no harm."

"It’s quite all right, Elara Lockhart. His tone does not offend me in the slightest."

Elara let out a silent sigh of relief at that,

But that sigh of relief was quickly shoved back down her throat when a second figure came into frame.

The man had a blank expression on his face, and he had long hair and feminine features.

Kuzuma.

"Hello, best friend," Kazuma’s voice came out monotone, and his body language was so awkward it hurt to watch, even for Elara, who was a bit of a recluse herself.

"Kazuma," Ronan greeted back. "Did you look at the weapons club you wanted to see?"

"Yes, I did. However, the lack of different weapons offered by the club deterred me away from it."

"A weapons club without a large assortment of weapons?"

"I personally do not understand either, friend."

"I would suggest checking out the combat arts club," Princess Seraphina suddenly said. "The club you were looking at is more on the study of weapons rather than their practical use."

"Princess," Kazuma greeted. "Greetings. I apologize, I did not notice you."

How do you not notice the literal princess of the kingdom?! Elara wanted to say, but she kept those thoughts to herself.

"And you are?"

"Kazuma Momozono."

"Well then, nice to meet you, Kazuma."

Elara didn’t understand how those two were speaking so casually with the princess, but she didn’t want to find out. Why did she decide to come with the two weirdest people in her class?

"I’m done," Ronan said. "Princess Seraphina, will you be joining the Runic Arts Club?"

"I will, in fact."

"I see."

Ronan nodded to himself, as if he confirmed something, and then turned around and walked away.

Kazuma and Elara followed soon after.

"What is wrong with you?" Elara hissed. "That is the princess, not some random noble girl you can converse with."

"We are all students of the same Academy. She does not have the authority to punish me for talking to her."

"That’s not the point."

"Besides, if you were in the princess’s shoes, would you like being avoided all the time?" Ronan asked.

Elara thought about it. If she were in the princess’s situation?

"I’m not the princess of the kingdom, though," Elara whispered, keeping her voice low. "We can’t know what she is thinking."

"She’s only human. You’d get tired of it too."

"And how would you know that?"

Ronan shrugged.

"I just do."

· ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

Elsewhere in the academy, a far more serious conversation was taking place.

"Greetings. Come sit down."

The man standing in front of the headmaster nodded. He was a scraggly man with a long beard and a pair of sharp, dangerous eyes who had seen enough horrors for multiple lifetimes.

The man sat down.

"First of all, I’m glad to see you are safe."

"Thank you for your concern, headmaster, but I would like to cut to the chase."

Headmaster Rubin raised his eyebrow.

"I take it that something unexpected happened on your mission?"

"Not just unexpected," the man said. "No, this is far worse than just unexpected."

Headmaster Rubin’s eyes hardened, and he leaned forward.

"James, you are one of our few rank 6 mages. What could have happened for you to speak in such a grave tone?"

"The gods... they have begun to move."

"What?!" The usually calm professor Rubin yelled. "Do not joke with me, James. That is a fire matter you speak of."

"I am not joking. Look at my eyes, Rubin. Does it look like I am joking to you?"

The man’s eyes looked dead. Hollow. He had seen far too much.

Rubin put a hand on his chest and calmed himself down. He was getting far too old for this.

"Explain. Do not miss any details. What happened on your mission in the Northern Continent owned by the demons?"

James paused, unsure of how to phrase the next words that were about to come out of his mouth.

"The demons..." He gritted his teeth. "Have been seeing signs of divine corruption. People have been losing themselves to divine power, becoming mindless husks, attacking friend and foe alike."

"You..." Rubin paused. "You are certain of this?"

"I am."

"Then you know what that means, James. The time is upon us. Another great war will begin soon, and at our current state, we are not prepared."

"I am aware. If the deities are meddling with mortal affairs, it means they are growing impatient."

Rubin clenched his fists beneath the table and took a sip of his coffee.

His eyes scanned the papers in front of him. Different names of various students, all enrolled in Luminara Academy.

They were weak. Far too weak. The era of peace had made the next generation grow complacent, and that complacency may cause humanity itself to perish.

"We must take drastic measures, James," Rubin said. "I am not aware of how much time we have, but this next generation... they are our only hope."