SIX HOURS EARLIER....

"Azrael, do you remember anything else?" I asked, my gaze still fixed on the papers on the desk.

"She scented of agarwood and herbs," he listed off, and I paused in my tracks. "Did she carry a satchel?" I turned to him, asking.

A satchel was just a very small pouch that usually had medicinal herbs and scented agarwood or shrubs added to it. If she scented like that, then the attacker must have had one.

"Take me back to where I almost died."

In the blink of an eye, we appeared at the building. I walked closer to the edge. I remembered when I was pushed off, I had called out to her and reached out with my tied hands. My fingers had brushed against something, and it fell off. Sighting the plain satchel on the ground, I took it and gently sniffed it. It scented of shrubs... this was nice.

I had suspected Liora for no reason. She clearly did nothing wrong after all. I had never seen her with a herbal satchel, and her scent...if I had been close enough to notice, it didn’t carry herbs. Thankfully, I had investigated before drawing my conclusions, but that still left the question... who?

Remembering when I arrived at the academy, I had noticed someone pass by wearing a satchel, and in the novel, there was only one character who actively practiced alchemy... my eyes darkened, remembering her name.

"Do you know who it is?" Azrael asked, though from my expression he already had the answer.

"Azrael, take me to the training ground."

We disappeared together and appeared in a haze of greenish-black mist. Everyone was training, and I walked through them, seeming to be in a hurry, drawing as much attention as I could.

"I have to find Liora. How dare she try to kill me?" I raised my voice, letting anyone within range hear.

"I know you’re here. I know you hear me. Now all I have to do is wait," I said inwardly, and the reactions were as expected.

"How could she?"

"I knew she seemed strange." The crowd murmured about Liora.

Now I just have to make my exit. And now I’ll lure her out to my room...

....The memory faded and I snapped back to reality.

I watched as she was gagged and tied on the ground, her eyes glaring daggers at me.

I simply sipped my tea.

"Hmm, strawberry. It tastes really sweet," I said, licking my lips.

"Hmm—mmph!" she tried to speak, but the cloth stuffed in her mouth muffled her speech.

"Sorry, I couldn’t hear you... you know, because you have a gag on and everything," I said, taking another sip of my tea.

Ryker placed a cookie on my plate, and I giggled, reaching for his cheek and caressing it softly.

"Hmmmmm!" she yelled again.

I sighed. "Shut it," and she went still with fear.

"What happened? Weren’t you boasting before? Where did that go?" I asked, clicking my tongue.

"How did you catch her?" Veyra finally asked. I turned to him and smiled.

"Of course, my dear Liora helped," I said, watching their expressions shift into confusion.

The door opened, and Liora walked in with her beast-man.

Oh... did I leave that out? (Muhahahahaha)

Twenty minutes earlier.....

"What? You think I tried to kill you, Duke? I, a lowly master, dare not," Liora said, staring at the ground.

I nodded. "Of course, I know you wouldn’t."

She raised her head, confusion in her eyes. "Then why did you—"

"By twelve this afternoon, bring a pie to my dorm room," I said flatly.

Her lips parted. "Huh? Why?" But my smile widened. "I just want to invite a friend over," I said softly.

Of course, I had planned it all from the beginning, and I wouldn’t even need to use my magic.

Anyways, during the training earlier, while Liora used her water magic, someone else had used water magic, probably just showing off, unaware that I was watching, or maybe just confident I could never find her. That "someone" was Sara, Elowen’s best friend, a character depicted in the novel as being incredibly loyal to Elowen, willing to do anything for her. And she was at B-rank, making her a more likely suspect, unlike Liora, who was merely C and had no ties with Elowen at all.

(Ends)

"You’re wondering how I caught you. Well, it’s a long story," I said, snapping out of my thoughts.

I could see the shock in her eyes, that I had baited her out.

She must have thought I was clueless. "So tell me. Did Elowen put you up to this, or did you decide to play hero and get rid of me since I stood in Elowen’s way?" I asked.

She murmured inaudibly. I sighed, and Veyra walked toward her, gently pulling the cloth out of her mouth.

She gasped, breathing heavily. "You stole everything from Elowen. You even tried to seduce her beast-man, Darian. She told me how you ruined her chances and made her a laughingstock," she spat.

I placed my hand on my temple. "Another fucking idiot," I muttered.

Ryker walked toward me and gently placed his hands on my head, massaging softly. I saw the way her eyes twisted with anger and disgust at his actions.

"You deserve to die," she spat.

"So do you," I murmured, and I turned to Veyra.

"Assemble everyone at the assembly," I said, standing up and staring down at Sara.

"I’ll make an example out of you."

I didn’t care about the stares around me.

Living as Raven, I now understood why she had to be the villainess. Imagine waking up and everyone wants to kill you in different ways. I didn’t blame her for killing her attackers in cold blood. What I did blame her for... was hurting the innocent.

But with me here? No innocent person would get hurt... But if you cross me... I’ll bury you.

I walked out of the room, letting my long red gown sweep across the floor.

If I had to be the villainess...

Then so be it.

******************

"Attention! Everyone is summoned to the assembly!" The magic bell rang, echoing through every dorm and every hall.

Soon, everyone gathered outside.

"What’s happening?"

"Who summoned us?"

The crowd murmured.

I knew Sara wasn’t acting alone. Someone bigger was backing her, apart from Elowen.

I’ll send them a message...