The smell of something burning. That was the first thing that assaulted my senses.
Then came the heat, searing the tips of my right hand's fingers, like I'd just grabbed a stripped live wire.
'What... what the hell is going on? Didn't I just pass out in front of my laptop after hitting a manuscript deadline?'
I tried to force my eyes open. Blinding sunlight stabbed right into my retinas, making me blink rapidly. The scene in front of me slowly came into focus. It wasn't the moldy ceiling of my boarding room, and definitely not the dimly lit monitor screen.
What was right in front of me was a girl's face.
She had shoulder-length short brown hair, round glasses with a crack on one side, and wide emerald green eyes filled with terrified tears. Her face was flushed, her breathing ragged and desperate.
And what really froze my blood was the fact that it was my hand gripping her neck. Lifting her petite body a few inches off the ground.
Cough! Cough!
That painful coughing sound snapped me back to reality.
'Wait a sec. White and gold academy uniform, round glasses, and... huge assets bulging against that tight vest. She looks like Jessica? Jessica Miller? The heroine from my own novel?!'
Panic exploded in my head like fireworks.
'WHY AM I CHOKING HER RIGHT NOW?! LET GO! YOU IDIOT, LET HER GO!'
I screamed with all my might inside my heart, ordering this hand to release its grip. I wanted to apologize. I wanted to kneel down and check if she was okay.
But this hand... this slender hand with black-painted nails didn't budge an inch. As if it were made of steel controlled by hydraulics, my grip actually tightened.
Instead of letting her go, my lips moved on their own. A voice that wasn't mine—a woman's voice, melodious but cold as the arctic ice—flowed out softly.
"Is that it?"
'Huh? That's not what I wanted to say! I wanted to say SORRY!'
"You think your cheap tears can extinguish my anger, you little rat? You dare look at my fiancé with those filthy eyes, and now you expect mercy from me?"
My body pulled Jessica closer. I could smell the scent of vanilla soap from her body, mixed with the smell of cold sweat from fear. My heart was pounding, not out of anger, but out of fear and, honestly... a little mesmerized seeing my created waifu character this close.
But the expression on my face reflected in Jessica's glasses said otherwise. I saw myself. Long silver hair, glowing red eyes, and a cruel smirk that made my own blood boil.
Olivia von Vanderbilt. The Villainess I wrote to die in the next arc.
'I'M DOOMED! I'M IN OLIVIA'S BODY?!'
SWOOSH!
The sound of sharp wind cut through my panic from the side. My instinct—or rather, Olivia's combat instinct—reacted faster than my brain.
I threw Jessica's body to the side.
THUD!
"Kyaaa!"
Jessica tumbled onto the sandy ground. At the same time, I spun around, raising my left hand into the air. A dark purple magic circle materialized instantly in my palm, forming a hexagonal shield.
BOOOOOM!
An explosion of fire slammed into my shield. The heatwave swept across the arena, blowing away dust and gravel. My silver hair whipped around in the wind from the blast.
Behind the thin smoke, a young man stood with a drawn sword that was still glowing hot. Blond hair, blue eyes, a handsome face acting all high and mighty.
Kevin von Clyne. The Protagonist. He is Olivia's fiancé.
"Enough, Olivia!" Kevin shouted, his voice trembling as he held back his rage. He pointed the tip of his sword right at my face. "Have you gone crazy?! Trying to kill your classmate in the middle of a sparring match?!"
'Kevin! Thank god you're here! Hurry up and stop me! Knock me out if you have to!' my inner voice screamed hopefully.
But once again, this damn "Villainess Filter" kicked in automatically.
I felt my back straighten arrogantly. My chin lifted up. My eyes narrowed, looking down on him.
"You came to save your little slut, Kevin?" my voice sounded bored, as if the fire attack just now was merely a minor annoyance. " The quality of your fire magic has degraded. Are you too busy playing house with this commoner that you forgot how to hold a sword?"
'NOOOO! DON'T PROVOKE HIM, YOU MORON! HE'S A HERO! HE COULD ACTUALLY KILL ME!'
Kevin's face turned crimson from the insult. Bright red mana began to gather around him, heating the air in the training arena until my vision rippled like a mirage.
"You... truly are a devil woman," Kevin growled. He dropped into a low stance. "I won't hold back anymore, even if you are my fiancé!"
ZRRRT... ZRRRT...
The terrifying sound of condensed energy filled the air. Kevin's sword was now cloaked in blue fire—high-tier flame!
'Wait, wait! That's Azure Flame Slash! That's his ultimate move he shouldn't use until Arc 3! Why is he using it now?! I could actually die here!'
"Haaaaa!!"
Kevin dashed forward. His speed was incredible, leaving a trail of fire behind him. He wasn't playing around. He really intended to slice my neck open!
I wanted to run. I wanted to scream for mercy. My legs were trembling, wanting to back away.
But Olivia's body refused to retreat even a millimeter.
Instead of dodging, my hand stretched out forward. I could feel the Mana Core in my heart beating fast, pumping dense, cold energy through my veins.
'What are you doing, you damn body?! Move out of the way!'
Snap.
The sound of a finger snap rang out clearly amidst the roar of the fire.
From the shadow beneath Kevin's feet, dozens of pitch-black chains burst out like snakes ambushing their prey.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
"What...?!"
Kevin's eyes went wide. His attack stopped in mid-air. The black chains wrapped around his ankles, waist, and neck, holding him exactly one meter in front of my face. The fire on his sword flickered, then died out as if it ran out of oxygen.
It was Shadow Bind. A Tier 4 Dark Magic. How could I cast it without a chant?! In the novel, Olivia needed 5 seconds to cast this!
Kevin struggled, his face red from being choked and humiliated. He hung in the air like an insect trapped in a spider's web.
"L-let go..."
I stepped forward, approaching the helpless Kevin. My high heels went clack, clack, clack on the stone floor, sounding like a countdown to death for anyone who heard it.
The other students watching from the sidelines held their breath. It was silent and terrifying.
My face was now only a hand's breadth away from Kevin's. I could see cold sweat dripping down his temples.
'Okay, he lost. Now let him go, apologize, say it was just training, and run!' I begged myself.
My right hand raised up, touching Kevin's cheek gently.
'Good... stroke him. Show him some affection.'
SLAP!
My hand slapped his cheek hard.
Kevin's head snapped to the side. Fresh blood trickled from the corner of his lips.
The silence in the arena was shattered by the sound of that slap.
"So weak," I whispered right in his ear. "If you want to be a hero for that slut, at least make sure you can touch the hem of my dress first, Prince."
I snapped my fingers again.
Click!
BAM!
The black chains vanished, and Kevin's body face-planted onto the ground with a pathetic heavy thud. He groaned in pain, his pride shattered into pieces in front of the whole school.
I turned around, putting my back to them both. My black dress rustled elegantly.
'Walk. Don't run. Don't run. If you run now, you'll look ridiculous. Maintain your dignity until you turn the corridor corner...'
With the last bit of my strength, I glanced at Jessica who was still sitting on the ground. She was clutching her neck, red from where I choked her. Her eyes met mine.
I expected to see hatred in her eyes...
But... why was she looking at me like that?
Her eyes weren't focused on Kevin who was groaning in pain. Those green eyes were staring straight at me. There was a strange glint there. Not fear, not hate.
It was a look that was... very weird?
Ah, maybe I was just seeing things because of the panic.
"Clean up this trash," I ordered the still-stunned audience, then I walked out of the training arena with steady, upright steps.
One step. Two steps. Ten steps.
As soon as I turned the corner of the corridor and was sure no one was watching...
My legs turned to jelly instantly.
Thud.
I slid down against the cold stone wall, burying my face in my palms. My heart felt like it was going to explode. My breathing was ragged, like I'd just run a marathon.
'Crazy... Crazy... Crazy! I just humiliated the Protagonist! I just slapped the face of the guy who's supposed to kill the Demon King later! The plot is probably ruined! Everything is screwed!'
I grabbed my beautiful silver hair in frustration.
'God, if this is a dream, please wake me up. I promise I won't write anymore cliché face-slapping scenes for the rest of my life!'
But the pain on my scalp felt very real. And in the distance, I could still hear Kevin screaming my name in vengeful frustration.
"OLIVIAAA!!"
Oh god. I'm dead meat.