Reincarnated As A First Rate Villain: I Don't Know How To Play My Role-Chapter 38

The waiting chamber was quiet, yet beneath the silence lingered a potent tension—an anxiety that seemed to seep into the room from the heavy air itself. The luxurious chamber, located deep within the sanctum of the Awakening Church, was designed to ease noble guests into patience. Its walls were adorned with silver and white marble inlays, warm sconce lighting casting gentle glows on intricately carved wood. Tall shelves filled with books lined the walls, their gilded spines gleaming in the soft light. At the center, a long velvet couch and several lush armchairs were arranged around a finely carved coffee table bearing a polished silver tea set, though none had touched it since arriving.

Marie sat on one of the armchairs, her hands folded tightly on her lap. Her soft, brown eyes were trained on the tall, double-sided door ahead of her—a door wrought with ancient engravings and flowing divine runes, softly glowing with residual energy. This was the door to the awakening chamber, where her young master, Lucien, was undergoing his rite with the guidance of the esteemed Aurorwen Everleigh. Her heart thudded with an anxious rhythm.

Across from her, pacing back and forth with heavy, armored steps was Rex, the knight appointed as Lucien’s personal guard and trainer. His graying hair was cut neatly, Rex bore the hardened discipline of a battlefield veteran. His sharp crimson cape fluttered as he turned yet again, his gloved hand brushing over the hilt of his sheathed sword as if for comfort. His brows were furrowed, and each step of his boots echoed off the polished marble floor.

It had been nearly an hour since Lucien entered the sanctum. And then, it happened.

The familiar transparent interface that had accompanied all beings since birth suddenly glitched—once, then twice—before freezing completely. Then it vanished, replaced by a single, universal message across the eyes of all who possessed it:

[SYSTEM ERROR: INTERFACE HAS BEEN SUSPENDED. UNABLE TO DISPLAY STATUS. ESTIMATED RECOVERY: UNKNOWN.]

At first, it had been disbelief. Then silence. Then came the questions.

The two guards stationed at the entrance of the chamber—both knights of the Elyssiran Order—had rushed off, panic etched on their features, seeking guidance from higher clergy of the church. No one had been prepared. No one could make sense of it.

And now, only Marie and Rex remained.

Rex paused mid-stride and looked at the door again, running a tense hand through his short black hair. "Damn it... What if the awakening process failed? What if young master Lucien was caught mid-transition?" freēnovelkiss.com

His voice wasn’t loud, but it was sharp—edged with concern he couldn’t completely mask. He turned toward Marie.

"How long has it been since the message appeared? Twenty minutes? Thirty?"

Marie opened her eyes slowly. Her voice was softer, gentler than his. "Thirty-seven."

"And still no word..."

He sighed, resuming his pacing.

"The System’s been part of our world for as long as recorded history," Rex muttered. "Mana, Aura, Holy Power... all structured, all measured. What happens if we can’t see it anymore? How do we know where we stand?"

Marie lowered her gaze. "I worry more for the young master. If his awakening was interrupted..."

Rex flinched. "I was afraid you’d say that."

They both turned their gazes to the ancient door again. It stood unchanging, silent, almost defiant.

Marie tried to calm herself. She was one of the gentle pillar in Lucien’s life—a soothing presence in the grandeur the Velebrandt family. She had watched him grow into a boy of curiosity, mischief, and untapped brilliance. The very idea of something going wrong behind that door sent ice through her veins.

Yet she couldn’t show it. Not completely.

She breathed in slowly. "The Church wouldn’t have proceeded if they weren’t confident in the sanctity of the ritual. Miss Aurorwen is one of the highest branches of the Church herself. Surely... she would not allow harm to come to him."

"Confidence doesn’t help when the world itself is shifting under your feet," Rex countered. "Even she couldn’t have predicted a system collapse in the middle of an awakening."

Marie said nothing.

Time passed slowly. The tick of the crystal clock on the wall was the only measure of its passage.

Rex finally stopped pacing and stood behind Marie, arms crossed, eyes still on the door.

"Do you think he’s alright?"

"I believe in him," she replied simply. "I believe in the young master."

Rex turned his head slightly, meeting her calm expression. Her quiet faith eased something in him.

The soft creaking of ancient wood and iron whispered through the chamber like a breath of wind through a crypt. The towering double doors, embedded with runes older than memory itself, groaned softly as they stirred. Knight Rex and Maid Marie—who had both been locked in a tense stillness—snapped their attention forward, the subtle sound slicing through the thick silence like a blade.

Knight Rex was the first to move. His tall frame strode with urgency toward the door, his boots making soft thuds against the lavish velvet carpeting. Beside him, Maid Marie—whose brown eyes had remained shut as she tried to calm her worry—now stood, her shoulder-length chestnut hair slightly tousled as she followed with delicate steps, heart pounding with unspoken hopes and fears.

The doors, worn yet majestic, cracked open to reveal a radiant glow within, and from between the parting light emerged the composed face of Miss Aurorwen Everleigh. Her golden eyes flickered softly under the dim glow of the chamber’s mana-lights. Clad in her pristine ceremonial robe—white, with gold-trimmed purity—she stood as a figure of celestial calm.

But behind her, a tall shadow loomed.

A silhouette—a shape familiar yet changed—stood in quiet grandeur. As the doors opened fully, the glow behind them spilled across the waiting room like a river of light, and what was once shadow stepped forth into clarity.

Lucien.

Gone was the child they had ushered through those doors an hour ago. In his place stood a young man, tall and regal. His silver-white hair now fell in graceful strands, glinting faintly under the room’s light. His face, chiseled with noble elegance, bore an ethereal beauty so profound it made even the ancient paintings of elven lords on the walls seem dull. His mismatched eyes—one red, the other gray—glimmered with an intensity far beyond his years.

Marie’s heart skipped a beat.

A blush bloomed across her cheeks like the first light of dawn. She had always thought her young master was handsome, even as a boy. But this... this Lucien was breathtaking. A living masterpiece that seemed untouched by time or imperfection. Even the most prideful high elves would pale beside him.

Rex, though composed, blinked in disbelief. It took a full breath before the seasoned knight gathered himself and broke the silence. "Miss Aurorwen... what happened? Has the young master successfully awakened? This transformation..."

Aurorwen offered a polite, gentle smile, her hands folded before her. "I wish I could say I know the reason for his physical change, but I do not. As for his awakening, it proceeded without disruption. He has awakened power—this much is certain—but with the system interface now disabled... I cannot verify what kind."

Her voice was calm, yet there was a weight of uncertainty to it. For one of the Six Branches of the Church of Elyssira to admit ignorance was a rare thing.

Knight Rex let out a deep exhale, the tension in his shoulders finally beginning to fade. "Even so... the fact he has awakened is enough for me. We feared the worst."

Beside him, Marie remained quiet. Her eyes were still drawn to Lucien, and when he turned his gaze toward her, she flinched slightly. But then, Lucien smiled—a soft, familiar smile that still bore the warmth of the boy she knew. Her lips trembled before curling into a shy smile in return, her blush deepening.

Aurorwen cleared her throat delicately. "I must take my leave now. The system’s shutdown has caused great unrest among the other branches. I expect my assistance will be needed."

Lucien, Rex, and Marie bowed slightly in unison.

"Thank you, Miss Aurorwen," Lucien said quietly, his voice deeper now, but still rich with clarity and control. "For everything."

Aurorwen gave a final nod, though her golden eyes lingered on Lucien a moment longer than expected. She turned and exited through the left-side double doors, her footsteps soft yet swift.

But as she walked the corridor alone, her thoughts betrayed her composure. Her face burned with color, and she instinctively brought her gloved hands to her cheeks, desperately willing herself to regain composure.

How could she forget? She had embraced that now impossibly handsome man while he was entirely bare.

"I am one of the Six Branches..." she muttered to herself like a mantra, shaking her head. "This should not faze me."

Yet her steps faltered slightly as a memory surfaced—the feel of his warmth against her robe, the scent of the awakening chamber still clinging to him, and his silver hair brushing against her shoulder.

Aurorwen bit her lip, cheeks still ablaze. "Control yourself, Everleigh... control yourself."

Despite her best efforts, the way she walked—hurried, awkward, almost childlike in its embarrassment—belied her internal chaos.