I'm a Villainess, But So What? Fuck Off.

Lady Novea, My Newfound Rival

(Author's Note: Hey guys! So, this chapter is going to be from the POV of the second prince, Naska! Enjoy!)

I was left speechless. This Novea girl truly got on my nerves. She looked like a puppeteer playing with her toys whenever she had that refined smile on her face. She looked like me.

When I went to meet the person I was engaged to forcefully by Father, I never expected her to be like this.

She was beautiful. With silver hair and mysterious red eyes, I felt like I was drawn in. It looked like she was otherworldly. Of course, it didn't intrigue me for long, as I was quite used to looking at beauties, she was just a tiny step up from them.

But when she started talking, it was like she wasn't even looking at me and was thinking of something else entirely. She was speaking, yet it looked like she didn't care about anything. Her expression was serene, yet here eyes seemed to scream indifference.

I hated it. It was like she was me. She was considered the pride of Asar, like me, and was considered a prodigy, like me. She was clearly against the engagement, like me, and bored, like me. I absolutely despised it. Whatever attack I threw at her, she would reflect like it was air.

Then, she led me by the nose to the training arena. Like I was a puppet. I felt indignant. She was supposed to be my puppet. But I kept my front and started my forms. I knew that Lady Novea was skilled in the sword, and I wanted to one-up her, which was very rash, also very unlike me. Usually I was calm and calculative, but it was like she was a child pressing all of my buttons.

She corrected me. She did it just like my master did. Her form was perfect, fluid like water. I challenged her to a duel. I don't know when, but I felt a fierce rivalry with her. It was my first meeting, yet I saw her as my one and only rival. I wanted to beat her, so badly. I wanted to beat her in anything. So I told her that the seamstresses could alter a uniform, so stupidly. She smiled. She knew I would say that, I'm sure. She moved me like a chess piece, yet again. I wanted to beat her more.

"If you insist, then I shall duel. I will be back in five minutes. Please wait patiently." I heard her smooth words and saw her mumble something, then a white circle appeared before her. Is that a portal?! I thought as I saw her smile again. "I forgot I had a uniform in my space. I will be back." She chuckled before slipping into it without hesitation. She... that... Lady Novea. Lady Novea... Lady Novea... Lady Novea. Was she was the one who successfully increased the gross domestic product of the Novean duchy by five percent because of her crop rotation method? Was she the one who created Physical Enhancement...? She was the 'mysterious' girl who had fifteen attributes and counting? she was the one who had her own... dimension.

So that means... that thing she opened just now... was a dimension of her own. I felt more and more agitated. I need to beat her.

----

Lady Novea came out of her space casually, wearing an adventurer-looking uniform. With navy blue pants and a white shirt, over the knee black boots, and a light blue leather jacket, her aura completely changed from dignified to daring and fashionable. She had a sheath fastened on her waist with a strange looking handle, unlike any of the sword handles usually seen on the continent.

"We are sparring casually with swords, right, Prince? Pardon my rudeness, but I do not seem to have a wooden sword here with me." She said to me, unsheathing her sword and studying it nonchalantly. It's.. curved. The sword was curved.

"...Of course, Lady Novea." I replied belatedly. Is that something that she, herself, chose? That mutilated sword?

"If you do not wish for me to use a katana, I will gladly borrow a long or heavy sword from one of your knights. I am adept at those too, however, my preference is still my own katana." She noticed my gaze and sheathed her sword again. Even with her uniform on, she still looks regal. As expected of her. I thought.

I smiled gracefully and shook my head. "Of course not, Lady Novea."

"Very well. Before we begin our fun duel, I would like to ask a question. Are we allowed to use physical enhancement? Oh, but I suppose it would be one-sided, since you do not have an earth attribute." She corrected herself and smiled again. I got ticked. I could feel another vein popping up on my forehead.

"Hahahahaha, indeed. No magic." I told her. Attacking me again... She nodded while I glanced at a knight to begin the duel.

"Ready. Begin!" He shouted and we both launched ourselves at each other. Lady Novea still had that serene and faraway look in her eyes, like she was completely separated from the duel we are holding. It got me more annoyed.

Her sword swung swiftly and fluidly, and I barely dodged. Smooth and fast, her sword is made for long-distance attacks. I began assessing her movements, but it seems she was doing it as well. Before I got a chance to attack, she parried and slipped closer. I managed to block her 'katana' with my sword but she just giggled and withdrew her sword. Fast as the wind, she ran behind me and attacked me again to the back. Is she trying to kill me!?

I stumbled forward and whipped my head back to block her attack once more. I was always on the defense, unable to attack, while she was casually attacking me from all angles with heavy attacks. Aggressive and swift. She was calculating every move, every step, every block I made, and putting it into an algorithm. Completely calm, like she was looking at the duel from a distance.

Then, after attacking for the umpteenth time, she grinned wickedly and bent down. She attacked my open legs and I fell to the ground. She rushed towards me, knocked my sword out of my reach and put her foot on my chest, then pointed her sword on my neck.

"Do you yield, Prince?" She asked slowly with mocking undertones. Another vein popped out on my forehead.

"...Yes." She quickly withdrew her sword and put it back in her sheath, before stepping harder on my chest.

"Very well. Then, I win this casual duel." She told me, then stepped aside. She's emphasizing that she was never going for real. How... I looked at her face. It was still clean, with a little bit of a shine to it from sweating. Her hair was still, miraculously, dirt-free and untangled. My rival. I thought. I noticed a small scratch on her face, and winced.

"Lady Novea, your face." I told her after standing up from the ground. She touched the cut and smiled. Then, after mumbling a few words, it disappeared. Magic. She has... light magic...

"NASKA."

"ALI."

"Alice!"

Voices could be heard coming closer, and I could see Lady Novea shudder. What could make her- damn it, Father's coming.

"Ali, what happened?" The duchess had an expressionless smile on her face as she walked closer to Lady Novea. She was glancing at me, then back at Lady. "What did you do?"