"Thump… thump… thump…"
Ana's heart raced as she stepped into the academy grounds. The sun reflected off the polished stone, and laughter and chatter echoed from every corridor. [Ana thinking: First day. Survive. Don't make mistakes.]
She adjusted her uniform, brushing a stray brown lock behind her ear. Already, whispers trailed her. "Is that… Lunivara Morcant?" A few students glanced with judgment, curiosity, and… something like fear.
She froze. [Ana thinking: Of course. Already labeled. Just like the story said.]
As she made her way to the classroom, a tall figure stepped down the hall: brown hair, piercing green eyes. Cedric Morcant. School president, heir to the throne, and—unfortunately—her older brother.
He gave her a polite nod, though his eyes were unreadable. "Lunivara," he said calmly. "I expect you to maintain… decorum."
[Ana thinking: Yeah, yeah… behave and survive. Got it.]
Later, during orientation, the academy's sword club was introduced. Among them stood a striking figure: gold hair, aqua eyes, aura calm but calculating. Leontius Veylore, the foreign crown prince. President of the sword club, observing everything with quiet precision. He didn't speak to her… not yet. But the weight of his gaze made her uneasy.
Not far away, another figure made his presence known: Velarisse Thyselle. Pink hair, purple eyes, vice president of the academy. Naturally graceful, effortlessly commanding attention. When she noticed Ana, she gave a polite nod, curiosity lingering in her violet eyes.
[Ana thinking: Of course… the perfect heroine. The one everyone will admire.]
Through the day, Ana observed, measured, and stayed in the shadows, learning the rhythm of this new world. She took careful notes of Cedric's distant yet controlling demeanor, Leontius' quiet scrutiny, and Velarisse's subtle awareness of her presence.
It was not just a school day, it was a battlefield. Every glance, every whisper, every step mattered. Every moment could affect her fate—her reputation, her survival, her control over the timeline.
"Tick… tick… tick…" — the sound of the academy's clock echoed in her mind, a reminder that every second counted.
And so Ana —now Lunivara Morcant—began her first day at the academy, not as the villain everyone expected, but as a careful strategist preparing to rewrite her fate.