The Villainess Should NOT Outshine the Main Protagonist!

Chapter 5: Demonstration/Royal Summoning

"Before we proceed, I must ask: any damages to the campus won't fall on me, correct?" My tone, steady and composed, cut through the field's silence. The gathered crowd of students and faculty fixed their intense gaze on me, most likely doubting my audacity.

"The academy assumes full responsibility for this demonstration, Miss Vancourt," the headmaster assured, his tone carrying an undercurrent of reassurance.

Despite expectations of showcasing my full might, I planned to hold back. Memories of past recklessness—a forest crater, to be exact—served as a sharp reminder of my powers' potential for destruction.

I won't let that happen again.

Securing the headmaster's word, I shifted my focus to the task ahead. The wooden sword, plain and unremarkable, lay beside the enchanted armor. Picking it up, I had an idea surface. I was about to unleash a highly experimental move no one had seen.

A technique used by the game's final boss, the demon king, was the ability to infuse dark magic into any blade. This created a weapon that could slice through the strongest armors and enchantments like they were mere shadows. It was a skill I had secretly honed, a blend of the game's lore and my own relentless practice in the woods.

Whether or not it could work on a plain wooden sword felt like a reckless yet fun gamble to make.

Gathering dark magic around me, I allowed it to flow into the wooden sword, turning its simple form into a conduit of power. As the blade absorbed the energy, it darkened, radiating an otherworldly glow. The crowd's murmurs intensified, a plague of awe and fear spreading among them.

Amplifying the magic further, I watched as the blade transformed, elongating and widening under the dark aura that enveloped it, casting ominous shadows over the field. The once-clear sky darkened under the influence of the magic I wielded, drawing the crowd's attention as the illusion of nightfall descended upon us.

With the sword now fully activated, I surveyed the scene. The academy's training ground had become a stage set for a clash between light and dark, yet my stance bore no aggression, only the calm certainty of a mage at peace with her formidable power.

The enchanted armor now appeared diminutive before the amassed dark magic. In the deepening silence, I raised the sword and executed an overhead strike. The impact released a burst of dark energy that made the air crackle and the ground quiver, as if protesting the unleashed force.

The armor was reduced instantaneously to dust, not merely broken or fractured but annihilated, leaving behind a cloud that hung in the air before slowly settling to the ground. The shockwave of the obliteration rippled outward, leaving the audience winded with the impact.

I turned to face Cornelius, my expression unchanging. "Does this suffice, or is further demonstration necessary?" I asked, my tone cool, a smirk barely touching my lips, challenging the stunned silence with confidence.

Cornelius, trapped between awe and fear, managed only a whispered, "Monster..." His wide, unblinking eyes fixed on me as if seeing me anew.

"Scared, Your Highness?" My voice was laced with an uncharacteristic tease, perhaps I was finally enjoying this.

+++

The following day, the royal palace summoned me. My demonstration, which had momentarily turned day into night, had caused quite a stir. Not just within the academy but across the kingdom, sparking fear, awe, and endless speculation about me.

Royal knights escorted me swiftly to the palace, the journey marked by an air of urgency. As we approached the palace, the imposing structure loomed larger, a showcase of the power and history of the kingdom of Florabelle.