Chapter 1: Surely, have no friends for ten years.

“It’s Lady Ludbeck.”

“That’s the rumored…”

“She looks really scary… Ah!”
*

Every time I walk, I naturally draw attention.
Of course, it wasn’t a blatant stare, but more like a murmur.

—Hic!

Even that stopped when I glared unpleasantly, everyone lowering their eyes and silencing their voices.

As soon as I disappeared from their sight, they gathered and whispered among themselves.

I wonder if they know I can hear them?

‘Damn it.’

I expected it, but things never go as planned.

Especially for someone like me.

To explain what’s happening to me now, I need to go back 10 years.

There’s a novel called [May It Reach You].

It was the kind of romance fantasy novel that only a select few read, due to its heroine academy setting and surprisingly dark worldview.

To cut a long story short, I was reincarnated as the villainous lady in that novel.
And it was 10 years ago.

Although it wasn’t a carefully considered conclusion, I could definitely tell I was screwed.
The ‘Trea Ludbeck’ I reincarnated into was a character who died before even graduating from the academy.

Why, isn’t there always one of those characters in fantasy academy stories?

A noble lady who blocks the protagonist’s path, demeans others by calling them commoners at every turn.

A villainess who ruins supplies and envies the protagonist.

Perhaps that’s why Trea, hated by readers and other students alike, dies horribly in the latter half of the novel.

Despite being the daughter of a duke, she fights the swarming monsters with only a very few people, and becomes their food.

Seriously, it’s not just a bad ending, but a super loser monster food bad ending.
How could it be so terrible?

Around that part, not only ordinary people but also students close to the protagonist die in droves, so Trea’s death actually brought catharsis to the readers.

As if to create a grotesque atmosphere in a heavy mood, the description of Trea Ludbeck’s death was very exaggerated and cruel.
Her limbs torn off, with other monsters…
It was to the point where you couldn’t imagine it being an all-ages novel.

The lonely and miserable end of a villainous lady who looked down on and tormented people.

Of course, readers like me who followed the novel at the time felt that scene was a satisfying cider.

‘The problem is that I became that villainous lady.’

Of course, I wasn’t just standing idly by.

Fortunately, I reincarnated 10 years before the original story began, and I got that much grace period.

What was the survival method I, as the 9-year-old Trea Ludbeck, had in mind?

Making low mental age toddler friends?

Building connections in the secret salons of high society?

Making a contract with an ancient spirit that others don’t know about?

No.

When I thought about it, the real reason Trea Ludbeck died was.

‘Because she’s weak.’

In the end, the direct reason Trea died was because she couldn’t stop the swarming monster horde.

If she had the ability to wipe out enemies with a single gesture, would Trea have died?

To sum it up, my conclusion is ‘She had no ability, but she acted without anything and died.’

She trusts only in her status as the daughter of a duke and dies without doing any special training.

All she did was create factions and engage in political struggles.

In a way, it’s a cliché of a typical villainous lady.

There’s a saying that Ben Uncle in the Spider-Man movie I watched said.

‘With great power comes great responsibility.’

No matter how I think about it, that statement is half wrong.

If I add a little more, I would correct it to ‘With great power comes great responsibility, but not with f*cking great power.’

‘Power…’

And that’s f*cking great power.

The survival strategy that the 9-year-old me came up with was to get stronger.
Very strong.

Even thinking about it now, it was a perfect idea without a flaw.

And as always, seemingly perfect plans are never perfect.

“Lady Ludbeck!”

I heard a voice from behind, and I pulled my mind, which had been lost in thought, to the surface of consciousness.

There stood a man I had never seen before.

He was wearing the same uniform as me, but the color of his name tag was different, so I guessed he was a senior.

I responded in the same cold voice as usual.

“What’s the matter?”

At my gaze, the man’s shoulders flinched slightly.

People say that my eyes are dark and fierce, so even if I have a blank expression, I look scary.

I don’t really think so.

The man, who had flinched for a moment at my words, continued.

“Apologize.”

“Apologize?”

“Didn’t you publicly humiliate Sophia today?”

Ah, this man must be something like Sophia’s son-in-law.

Even though Sophia is the daughter of a baron, she must be angry that her father’s magic formula – which I don’t even remember well – was insulted.

Ha.

“So?”

“…I wish you would apologize to others, or at least to Sophia.”

The man lowered his eyes, as if he had cooled his head a little.

Trea Ludbeck was the daughter of one of the four dukes in the empire, and that had some power even in the academy where status was equal.

Of course, the reason that man lowered his eyes now was probably because of Trea’s unique charisma.

“I refuse.”

And I flatly rejected the apology request.

It’s not just because I have a personality that shouts No when others shout Yes.

Let’s briefly recall the situation this morning, I was taking a tour of the academy where I would be living before entering.

New students were allowed to live in the dormitory from a week before enrollment.

It was to help them adapt by looking at the geography and atmosphere of the neighborhood.

I was roughly eating and taking a walk around the academy.

And then Sophia and her friends, who were practicing magic outdoors, caught my eye.

To me, who had been madly focused on only one magic for 10 years, her magic was nothing special, and it seems that a few too strong words came out in a fit of anger.

I was only going to give a little advice disguised as help.

I can’t help it.
There are times when people have to use very strong words, even though they know that using them makes them look weak.

Sophia, taken aback by my words, got angry, and I also have a strong sense of pride, so I didn’t particularly apologize.

After that, well, as you can see.

We dueled on the spot.
We fought.
And I won.
Overwhelmingly.

If I had my original body, I would have said ‘You’re so noob.’ and tea-bagged him.

Since entering Trea’s body, I haven’t done such vulgar things.

Maybe it’s because of the etiquette education I’ve received for 10 years.

Anyway, the important thing is that I didn’t do anything wrong.

“1
..Did you say you refuse?”

“It was a fair duel, I won, and it was just a small accident in the process.”

This is the biggest disadvantage I feel after being possessed by Trea Ludbeck’s body.

She has a terribly high self-esteem and a personality that never compromises with others.

That’s why she dies lonely without a single friend.

And I’m sadly living in this character’s body.

I know in my head that it’s a situation that ends with just one word of apology, but this stubborn body doesn’t want to apologize even if it dies.

“I never think I did anything wrong.
If there’s anything you want, throw your glove.
You’re always welcome.”

It was a rather rude remark to a senior who seemed to be in the 2nd or 3rd grade, but it doesn’t matter since I’ve been rude from the beginning.

The man was about to say more, but instead of speaking, he let out a sigh.

“…You’ll regret it.”

The man took off the white glove he was wearing and threw it in front of me with a flick.

It was a sign of duel.

Funnily enough, a breeze blew.

Yeah, it’s a wind that suits spring.

Silver hair fluttered freely in the wind.

The man took five steps back and prepared for the duel.

“I am Trea Ludbeck of the Ludbeck Duchy.
And you?”

“I am…”

Whoosh!

Ah, I couldn’t hear it properly because a breeze blew for a moment.

I only heard some barony at the end.

‘It doesn’t matter anyway.’

When I read novels, I often forget the names of extras who aren’t important characters.

Why waste your energy on that when you’re not going to see them often anyway?

“I’ll concede the first move.”

“There’s no need.”

Really.

“There was a duel once today, and I’ll concede because the opponent is a woman.”

The man shook his head firmly.

I don’t know who he is, but Sophia must be very happy.
To meet such a gentleman.

“Then.”

I’m sorry, kind male student whose name I don’t know.

I’m not the type to refuse what’s given to me.

If there’s one thing you’re wrong about, it’s.

‘Not knowing your place.’
*

The duel ended in an instant.

My steps returning to the dormitory were heavy.

That was the same even after returning to my single room.

“Ha…”

I plopped down on a chair made of luxurious cushions.

Silver hair was stuck together, completely dead.

From the beginning, Trea wasn’t in very good physical condition.
Worse than the average person.

So, what’s the imperfect plan I mentioned earlier?
I have poor social skills.
Very poor.

The direct reason Trea died was because of the monsters, but the indirect reason was because she had no friends.

For her, other people were either above or below her, a unique dichotomy.

Arrogant and harsh personality, fierce appearance, a lady stuck in the mold of her family and only training.

These three things combined to create the strongest outcast girl on earth.

I slightly resented my past self for ignoring it, thinking, ‘There’s no way she wouldn’t have a single friend in 10 years.’

The silver-haired, red-eyed, S-class prettiest girl in the province eventually rotted in her room for 10 years.

And it was as I expected when I came to the academy.

A week before the academy entrance ceremony, I had already lost two friends.

‘…Sh*t.’

I’m a moron.