I leaned back in the carriage, adjusting the folds of my gown, and tried not to panic. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. The straps dug into my shoulders in that delightful "royal villainess fashion" way that screamed, you're in way over your head, Yuki. I peered out at the city sprawling beneath us: glimmering streets of crystal and cobblestone, bridges stretching between floating islands like lazy ribbons, and the occasional elemental sigil hovering over shops like decorative street lamps.
It was beautiful. Terrifying. And entirely, maddeningly real.
I shivered. And then my mind decided it was the perfect time to remind me of my previous life.
I remembered the floor of my dorm room, littered with empty ramen cups, half-burned coffee mugs, and the faint smell of old electronics. My eyes stung from exhaustion. My stomach was a hollow echo of rebellion. And yet I refused to stop. I had to see the game through — the glitches, the true ending, the leaks, the everything. My brain had convinced my body that survival was optional.
And then… I died.
No heroic battle, no dramatic monologue. Just me, face-down on tile, the scent of burnt coffee lingering in the air like a cruel taunt. Ironic, isn't it? I literally died chasing fictional princes. Congratulations, Yuki. Epic life choices.
"Are you planning to stay in that carriage forever, Lady Thornheart?"
I snapped back to reality. The First Prince — Leonhardt von Regalus — stood there like a sculpture of irritation and perfection. Narrowed eyes, posture so perfect it hurt to look at, and the faintest aura of energy that screamed do not mess up today.
"You… you're early," I stammered, attempting some semblance of poise.
"Observation," he replied simply, clipped and regal. "And to make one thing perfectly clear: your engagement does not grant you privileges here. No gossip. No leveraging your status. Understood?"
I huffed, crossing my arms. "Got it. Totally fine. I'll mind my own business… probably. Maybe. I could also… look for other interesting male leads and… get connected with them. Totally normal first-day strategy, right?"
He pinched the bridge of his nose. Classic. I thought: Good luck surviving this school, Yuki. Villain mode activated.
The academy gates loomed above us, impossibly tall, with magical runes floating lazily in the air. Students of every race wandered the grounds — humans, elves, beastkin, demons — each radiating varying levels of magic and confidence. Whispers followed my every step. Typical.
Then the Headmaster, Orvel Dain, appeared. Towering. Beard practically demanding a library be built in its honor. His eyes sparkled faintly with magical insight, and I felt… examined. Yeah, I can feel your judgment, old man.
"You are aware, Lady Thornheart," he said slowly, "that demons are required to wear a suppression tool while attending the Academy."
He produced a necklace with a crimson gem. "This will prevent sudden surges of magic."
I raised an eyebrow. "Uh… and that's supposed to…?"
He fastened it around my neck. A subtle pressure, a faint hum. Barely noticeable. Cute attempt.
The Headmaster gestured for me to follow. I let my eyes roam the hallways — floating staircases, glowing runes marking classrooms, students practicing low-level spells as they walked, some clearly trying to outdo each other.
I counted the teachers first:
Professor Lysara Elenion: silver-haired elf, elemental magic specialist; strict but fair, aura of quiet authority.
Professor Marwen: beastkin, combat magic; boisterous, practical, lively.
Professor Selene Vaelis: human, conceptual and law manipulation; elegant, calm, intellectual presence.
Then students. Key ones. My mental notes:
Kael Ardent, human noble, fire magic; calm, collected; potential subtle rival to Leonhardt.
Tivon Duskweaver, dark elf, shadow manipulation; quiet, mysterious, unreadable.
Rylan & Lyric Thorne, beastkin twins; chaotic, playful, wind and water magic respectively.
Elara Veyrin, noble human girl; polite, skilled in healing and illusion; observant.
Jareth Kaelson, mischievous human student; loves pushing people's buttons.
Kiera Lunaris, half-demon girl; sharp-tongued, intelligent; wary of me.
Subtle whispers rippled through the crowd. They had no idea who I really was, or that I had a system now. Bonus.
Class began: Magisterial Theory 101.
Students summoned elemental orbs, sparks flying, small explosions here and there. I got bored halfway through. My turn.
A spark. A flicker. The classroom lights nearly shorted. The suppression necklace glimmered crimson. Oops.
"Lady Thornheart!" Lysara's voice cut through the chaos. "Control your magic!"
"Yeah, yeah, new student jitters," I muttered. Internally: Whoops. Didn't even feel that powerful. Totally fine.
Leonhardt pinched the bridge of his nose again, exasperated. I felt a small, wicked thrill. At least I'm memorable.
After class, I wandered to the dorms. The magical city interface on my phone buzzed with notifications: newsfeeds, digital currency updates, even trending students. Naturally, I was on top of the list.
I flopped onto my bed, staring at my reflection. Elegant. Powerful. Utterly out of place. But… capable.
Then, a quiet ping echoed.
[Magisterial Notice: Hidden Quest Unlocked — "The True Path of Thornheart" Activated]
I froze. Stared. And muttered, dripping with sarcasm:
"Of course. Of course it starts now."
I froze, staring at the Hidden Quest notification hovering faintly in the air. My fingers itched to touch it, even though I knew better — everything in this world seemed more real than any VR headset, and messing with unknown magic could be… unpleasant.
[Magisterial Notice: Hidden Quest Unlocked — "The True Path of Thornheart" Activated]
I muttered, dripping with sarcasm, "Of course. Of course it starts now."
A soft chime echoed through the dorm, almost like the building itself acknowledged the quest's activation. I glanced around the room — sparse, elegant furnishings, a floating mirror in the corner, and a desk with neatly stacked books that seemed almost intimidating in their perfection. Somehow, everything screamed, this is not a game anymore, Yuki. Stop thinking in cheat codes.
I approached the mirror, trying to ignore the sudden pressure in my chest. My reflection glimmered faintly, and I noticed details I hadn't before. My hair — long, silver, cascading perfectly despite the breeze from the enchanted windows. My eyes — emerald, sharp, unnervingly aware. My posture — the faint lift of my chin making me look like the villainess everyone whispered about, whether they were terrified or impressed.
I couldn't help but smirk. Well, at least I look fabulous doing it.
My thoughts drifted to the students I'd met. Leonhardt, of course, would be watching me — or worse, analyzing me. Kael Ardent, quiet but calculating. Tivon Duskweaver, lurking in the shadows like some emo cosplay of the "brooding best friend" trope. And the beastkin twins, Rylan and Lyric, already buzzing around the courtyard in a chaotic whirlwind of wind and water magic. I made a mental note to keep an eye on all of them — for fun, strategy, and maybe chaos if opportunity struck.
I settled onto the edge of the bed, opening my phone-like interface again. Magical newsfeeds scrolled endlessly: trending students, duel rankings, magical anomalies in the city. The usual nonsense, except now I had the system whispering hints in the corner of my vision — subtle, teasing, like it wanted me to figure things out without relying on brute force.
"Alright," I muttered to myself. "Let's see what this Hidden Quest wants from me. Probably involves drama, power, and a whole lot of me not dying again."
I felt a faint pull, almost magnetic, guiding me toward the window. Outside, the courtyard was lively: students practicing spells, small magical duels sparking in the open arena, and hovering textbooks floating elegantly toward waiting hands. A group of nobles laughed at something in their haughty way. A few demons glared at each other over territory disputes. And through it all, a faint shimmer — almost invisible — pulsed from the far corner of the academy grounds, like the world itself was pointing me in a direction.
The system pinged again.
[Observation: "Path ahead is obscured. Exercise caution."]
I frowned. "Of course. Nothing is ever simple."
I glanced at my reflection again. The villainess smirk, sharp emerald eyes, silver hair catching the magical light — and somewhere beneath that mask, the old me still lingered. The me who loved games too much, who obsessed over impossible things, who died in pursuit of fantasy.
Well… now the fantasy is real. Let's see how well I do in the real version.
I took a deep breath, adjusted my necklace (the suppression tool), and stepped toward the window. My fingers brushed the sill, and the shimmer intensified. It felt alive. Dangerous. Inviting.
And I knew, instinctively, that this was only the beginning.
Somewhere in the depths of my mind, a tiny voice — maybe it was the system, maybe just me — whispered:
Welcome back, Thornheart. Your story is about to get… very interesting.
I smiled faintly, trying to ignore the pit of anxiety in my stomach. "Oh, I bet it will," I said. "But lucky for the world, I'm ready. Kind of."
And with that, I turned toward the door, preparing to leave the dorm and step fully into the academy. Hidden paths, magical mysteries, and maybe a little chaos awaited.
Because in this world… nothing ever went according to plan.
As I was leaving the dorm, I noticed a figure sitting cross-legged in the courtyard, apparently meditating… or napping. His messy dark hair fell into his eyes, and he had a faint smirk even in sleep. Something about him screamed "trouble waiting to happen."
I tilted my head. Wait a minute…
He opened one eye lazily, and the world seemed to shift slightly. His presence was calm yet undeniably strong, like a storm just beneath the surface.
"Uh… hi?" I said, unsure.
He yawned dramatically. "Oh, hey. You must be the new demon princess. Thornheart, right? Heard a lot about you. Don't worry, I'm harmless… mostly."
I narrowed my eyes. There was something familiar — though I couldn't place it yet. Why do I feel like I should both run and flirt simultaneously?
A small ping from my system reminded me:
[Observation: "Potential key relationship detected. Exercise caution."]
I blinked, forcing a casual smile. "Right. Harmless, got it."
Inside, I couldn't help but think: Oh great, here we go. The real trouble of this academy has already arrived.