An Unexpected Beginning [2]
「 Whoever said a moonless night is not romantic must be a very boring person. Ah, was that you, Professor of Intelligence? Oh my. You are bleeding far too much. Hmm~ That is unfortunate. I wish you could see the night sky right now. It is shining beautifully. Quite romantic, really~ 」
「 Ah, it is a shame I cannot savor this feeling any longer. Half of your lives are not enough to satisfy me. You were never more than pawns to begin with. Still, you will make a fine gift. My real target is a certain romantic fool who keeps ignoring me. Do you think he will notice me now, Class of Lumerius, Year 765? 」
「 Hmm~ Maybe I should continue. It is not as if any of you can stop me. Ah, do not glare like that. You were all so loud earlier, and now you are quiet. How dull. 」
「 I expected more from the Empire’s so called future elites. But I guess expectations only lead to disappointment. If this is the best they can produce, it is no surprise the Empire is rotting from the inside. 」
「 Now then… my roommate. Do not look so frightened. Come here~ I saved you for last so I would have something to look forward to. 」
Adelina Ruelle Armathele.
The infamous villainess of the romance fantasy novel【Era of Chosen: Sylvester Academy Chronicles.】
Her background was quite… fascinating, to put it mildly.
She was the sole daughter of the Armathele Duchy, a prestigious family of knights in the East, who served as the Emperor’s personal escorts.
From the moment she first held a blade, she was praised as a prodigy born once in a millennium. The Goddess of Wrath herself was said to have blessed her and on the battlefield, she became known as the Silver Reaper.
She was a perfect blend of brilliance and madness.
But despite coming from a place of limitless talent and incredible wealth that others could only dream of, Adelina had one fatal flaw.
She could not tolerate being weaker than anyone else.
That was the root of her downfall.
Unlike those obsessed with honor, duty, or reputation, she valued only strength. As long as she stood above everyone else, she was at peace. But the moment someone surpassed her, she began to fracture.
Adelina did not crave affection or the recognition that came with strength. What she sought was power. Absolute, unquestioned power. Power she could grasp with her own hands and use to crush others, so she would never again feel small.
For a long time, that belief sustained her.
But unfortunately for her pride, she met the Hero.
Their duel was meant to be a friendly exchange between prodigies. Instead, it became a public humiliation. Adelina was defeated, in front of the very nobles who once praised her as untouchable.
That loss shattered something inside her.
Her desire changed and twisted into obsession.
She needed to surpass him.
To defeat him.
Or to destroy him.
Anything short of that was unacceptable.
In her desperation, Adelina reached for something no sane person would touch.
Demons.
They planted a “seed” within her mana core. An alien presence that took root and slowly grew inside her. It fed on her fear, her pride, and every insecurity she had buried. Little by little, it eroded her judgment and warped her abilities. What remained was no longer just Adelina, but something more violent and far less human.
But in exchange for that hell, she gained unimaginable strength.
With this, she was sure she could defeat the Hero.
Not long after, she learned that the Hero had enrolled in an academy.
She didn’t even hesitate.
She enrolled too, intending to challenge him to a rematch.
‘A battle to the death.’ Or so she thought.
Only after her acceptance did she realize her mistake.
She had applied to the wrong academy.
Instead of the renowned Sylvester Academy, where the Hero studied, she found herself enrolled at Saira’Thyvar, the Empire’s military academy.
Realising her mistake, she didn’t leave.
She simply decided to adjust her plan.
If the Hero would not come to her, then she would force him to notice her. She would make sure word of her atrocities reached him.
After all, the Hero always answered the cries of the suffering.
That moonless night, Adelina slaughtered half the corps.
Cadets. Officers. Professors. Anyone unfortunate enough to cross her path.
And finally, her roommate.
Which, according to the novel…
…is the body I’m currently possessing.
The Hero eventually tracked Adelina down by following the demonic traces she left behind, and killed her.
To prevent rumors of demonic corruption from spreading, the Empire erased the incident. Every surviving cadet and staff member connected to Saira’Thyvar’s Imperial Training Corps was executed.
That was the official conclusion of the arc: “The Saira’Thyvar Massacre.”
For me, however, it was no longer a story.
It was the timeline I had just entered.
***
There are moments in life when you know there’s no way out.
The first time I felt this was when my father summoned me just to inform me he’d decided to ship me off to Saira’Thyvar.
The second was today.
I could feel a pair of eyes on me.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
People say you shouldn’t meet your heroes. No one ever warns you about meeting your villains.
I’ll be the first one.
I stayed frozen in my seat, watching as she gently poured coffee into a cup.
Trickle—!
She tilted the pot slightly, steadying the stream.
Drip, drip, drip.
Steam rose like mist curling off a blade.
Hisss—!
Then slowly—
Clink—!
She set the porcelain cup down with ease.
She moved with the same calm elegance described in the novel.
That composure was reflected in every detail of her appearance.
Long black hair that picked up hints of violet when the light passed over it. It was tied loosely in a bun and looked as if it would tighten right before a kill.
Soft brown skin. Sharp purple eyes. An expression too relaxed for someone capable of cutting a man in full armour in half.
It was unmistakably her.
Calling her ‘beautiful’ felt like both a compliment and a grave underestimation.
She looked like a supermodel you only see once a year in some high-end fashion magazine.
If she walked past me on the street, it would be a crime not to look back at least three times.
The kind of woman you see once, think she’s unreal, and never cross paths with again.
Under normal circumstances, I might’ve admired her the way you admire an untouchable noble lady.
Except she wasn’t.
She was the villainess of the last RoFan novel I read.
The realization gave me a second whiplash of reality.
Thump…
Thump…
My heart pounded slowly in my chest as I nervously linked my arms.
I tried to look composed, though every part of me wanted to leave the room.
Just thinking about her used to raise my stress levels.
Now I was sitting here inside her—no, our—dormitory room.
I watched as she lifted the teapot again, pouring another cup with perfect grace.
Then, just as gently, she turned around—
And smiled.
Chills—!
A cold rush ran down my spine as my brain spiraled.
This is not it. This can’t be. How did I even end up here—
“I hope you like tea,” She spoke suddenly. “It’s Sofrano. A speciality from the East.”
I swallowed.
…Tea.
She was offering me tea.
It was a normal gesture. People offered tea or treats to make guests feel comfortable.
I was her new roommate, so of course, she was trying to welcome me, as any reasonable person would.
But…
Her doing it only made the room feel smaller and suffocating.
My mind raced with thoughts.
Why was she being nice?
Why was she being gentle?
Why was she acting like a considerate roommate and not the unpredictable blade I remembered?
Right.
Because right now, she was supposed to be normal.
A friendly cadet, approachable at a glance, and the kind who looked like she’d help carry laundry or quietly lend you her lecture notes if you asked nicely.
Someone who happily held a warm teacup instead of a severed limb.
No one in this academy knew that six months from now, the same hands pouring tea would become weapons, and she’d repaint these halls in red.
And I had to sit here and pretend I didn’t know either.
My stomach twisted.
I tried to keep my feet from moving too much.
Calm down.
I reminded myself.
If she notices I’m terrified of her before anything even happens, I might as well dig my own grave in the courtyard.
She’s scarily perceptive. She read people like open books and tore out the pages if she found something she didn’t like.
So, I needed to act normal.
Get your shit together, Eldrinn!
But.
I was not normal.
I was sweating like someone had shoved me into a sauna and sealed the lid.
I watched as she walked toward me, cup in hand.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Each footstep felt louder than the last.
She was not rushing, but the distance between us closed far too quickly.
“I’m glad to meet another dormmate,” she said lightly, “The Warden mentioned mine was the only single accommodation among the new cadets. I was quite worried I’d be alone for three years. Until you showed up.”
She let out a soft laugh that sounded almost playful.
“I suppose losing the key was fate, after all.”
She tilted her head.
“Having a partner is surprisingly pleasant.”
…Partner.
It hadn’t even been ten minutes since I sat down, and she was already calling me that.
This wasn’t just great. It was wonderful.
Out of every possible room, every possible roommate in this academy—
I got her.
My luck wasn’t just bad. It was criminal.
Who knew Eldrinn was meant to be her roommate of all people?
Was this my punishment for exclusively reading RoFan novels?
‘....’
She stopped in front of me and held the cup out with both hands.
“Adelina Ruelle Armathele. It’s nice to meet you.”
Seeing her up close was overwhelming.
She wore the academy’s official uniform—a navy blue coat over a white shirt, paired with matching pants. Gold trim edged the coat, accentuating the sharp lines of her posture.
The uniform, combined with her presence, made her appear even more regal.
In all honesty, despite the horror of facing her, she was truly stunning.
And her smile… It was flawless.
It was somewhere between curiosity, gentleness and playfulness.
The kind that made me think, ‘That person seems to be interested in me.’
But,
That damned smile!
If I hadn’t read the novel, I might have believed it was genuine.
Instead, a single line surfaced in my mind.
『 The girl’s smile held the softness of a saint and the promise of violence underneath. 』
That was how she was described.
And now the person behind that smile was standing right in front of me, holding a teacup like this was an ordinary afternoon.
Seriously…
Taking the cup with both hands, I nodded.
“...Eldrinn Naurus Aurelion.”
“Eldrinn… Eldrinn…”
She tapped her chin with a finger, repeating my name, as if committing it to memory.
“Mm~ That’s a nice name. I’ll remember it.”
You don’t really have to.
I stared down at the cup.
The tea was a clear amber colour. It was almost transparent under the light. Steam rose from it in thin strands. The smell was mild; nothing strong or pleasant enough to be distracting.
“You should drink it while it’s warm,” she said. “Sofrano turns bitter once it cools. It’s picky like that.”
Her gaze dipped briefly to the cup in my hands.
“Let me know if it suits your taste.”
Shit.
Do I drink this?
Is it poisoned?
It can’t be… she doesn’t start poisoning people until later—
Unless she’s advanced her schedule—
No. No. Stop. This is delusional. It’s tea. Just tea.
Probably.
Noticing my hesitation, Adelina spoke up.
“Is there something wrong with it?”
Something wrong?
Other than the possibility that you might be trying to poison me, not really—that was the thought that flashed through my mind. Unfortunately, saying it out loud would have been a spectacular way to die early.
I’d already drawn her attention by freezing up. Backing out now meant I needed an excuse, and it had to sound natural.
“A-ah, it’s nothing,” I said quickly. “I was just… uh… admiring its beauty.”
Smooth. Real smooth.
“Beauty, you say?”
“Y-yes… it has a very… respectable appearance.”
Whoa.
“The surface is extremely… even and reflective.”
Just stop.
“And the color is exactly the colour tea should be.”
I might actually be Shakespeare.
I glanced at Adelina over the rim of the cup. For a split second, her expression shifted.
Something like amusement flickered across her face before it settled back into a polite smile.
Did I imagine that?
“Hm~ That’s interesting. Do you do this often?”
“Y-yes… I find it reassuring to look at my drinks before consuming them.”
“Then take it slowly,” she said pleasantly. “Tea is best enjoyed when one isn’t in a hurry.”
I nodded, before admiring this bland looking tea for a few more moments.
Then reality hit me.
Dang it. Acting normal is harder than I thought.
But anything for survival, Eldrinn. Commit to the bit.
She hadn’t questioned further, but Adelina was still patiently waiting for me to take the tea.
I tightened my grip on the cup.
Since I’d talked myself into a corner I now had to drink my way out of.
Haa…
Seems like there’s no way around this.
I brought the cup to my lips with what I hoped were steady hands.
My hands were not steady.
I took a careful sip.
And waited.
One second.
Two.
Three.
I was still breathing.
My vision didn’t blur. My throat didn’t burn.
Instead, warmth spread across my tongue. The tea glided down smoothly, tasting faintly sweet, and with a depth I didn’t expect.
I blinked.
It was good.
“…It’s g-good,” I said, the words slipping out on their own.
Her eyes lit up.
“That’s good to hear. Sofrano rarely disappoints.”
She watched me take another sip, as if confirming something for herself. Only then did she seem satisfied.
She then straightened her uniform, smoothing the front as if preparing herself.
“I’d like to stay,” she said after a moment, “but there’s something I must attend to.”
I nodded slowly.
She turned and walked toward the door, her steps unhurried.
Halfway there, she slowed.
Then she stopped and glanced back.
“You should freshen up. It wouldn’t do to be late for the Identification Ceremony.”
Her eyes curved into a crescent as she smiled.
“I’ll see you soon, partner.”
Then—
Click!
The door closed behind her with a soft click.
Only then did I realize I’d been holding my breath.
And only then did a thought finally settle in.
She hadn’t touched her tea.
