Reincarnated as the Villainess’s Unlucky Bodyguard

When I woke up, it felt like my entire body had been trampled by a herd of rampaging Hellbeasts. My limbs refused to cooperate, and my head throbbed with the intensity of someone having turned my skull into a drum set.

[Good morning, Host,] the system chirped far too cheerfully for my liking.

"Shut up," I mumbled, attempting to bury my face into the soft surface beneath me. Wait… soft surface? This wasn't the hard stone floor of Seraphis's training ring. Where the hell was I?

"Finally awake, are we?"

The voice was unmistakable smooth, authoritative, and laced with an almost parental disapproval. I groaned and peeked open an eye, only to find Daena looming over me, her glowing violet eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

"Uh, hi, Grandma," I croaked, my voice raspy. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Oh, I wouldn't have to be here if you didn't keep finding new and creative ways to nearly get yourself killed," she replied, her tail flicking behind her in agitation.

"And good morning to you too," I muttered, trying to sit up. Bad idea. Pain shot through my back, and I flopped back onto the ridiculously plush bed. Wait… bed? I glanced around, taking in the ornate canopy above me, the golden trim of the room's furnishings, and the velvet curtains.

I wasn't just in any room I was in the room. Enara's room.

"What the—"

Before I could piece together how I ended up in the demon princess's royal bedchamber, a sharp laugh echoed through the room.

"Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to join the land of the living," Enara said, smirking from her spot on a chaise lounge. Unlike me, she looked annoyingly composed, despite the faint bruises visible on her arms.

"How are you alive and smirking?" I asked, glaring at her. "You were just as dead as I was yesterday."

"Clearly, I'm superior," she replied, flipping her hair.

"Oh, don't get too cocky, Enara," came a deep, commanding voice. Queen Verida entered the room, her crimson skin glowing faintly in the morning light. "Seraphis told us everything. You both nearly collapsed from exhaustion."

Following close behind was Queen Nyssara, who gave me a small, knowing smile. "We're glad you're awake, Liria. Though I must admit, your antics with Enara have become a frequent topic of discussion."

"Antics?" I repeated, offended. "I'm just trying to survive!"

Daena crossed her arms. "You call nearly setting the academy on fire and collapsing in a heap 'surviving'? Seraphis painted a very vivid picture, Liria."

"Of course she did," I muttered under my breath.

"And let's not forget this one," Daena added, gesturing toward Enara. "You're supposed to be the responsible princess, not engaging in reckless sparring matches!" Discover hidden tales at empire

Enara rolled her eyes. "It was training. I can't help it if Liria's weak."

"Excuse me?" I shot back, suddenly finding the energy to sit up despite the protest of my muscles. "Who saved you from those enchanted dummies, huh? I could've left you to get clobbered, you know!"

"Please," Enara said, waving me off. "You wouldn't last two seconds without me."

Before I could unleash my rebuttal, Ananara chose that moment to make his presence known.

"Both of you are equally insufferable," the pineapple said, perched smugly on a nearby table. "Frankly, it's a miracle either of you survived. Though I suppose credit must go to Liria for her consistency in mediocrity."

"Why are you even here?" I snapped. "No one invited you!"

"Someone has to document your failures," he replied.

I grabbed the nearest pillow and lobbed it at him, but Ananara, in true smug fashion, dodged it effortlessly.

"Children," Queen Verida said sharply, her golden eyes narrowing. "Enough. This isn't the time for squabbling."

That shut us up pretty quickly.

As the queens and Daena settled into the room, I couldn't shake the strange feeling that they were watching me differently than usual. It wasn't just the usual mix of exasperation and mild amusement it was something deeper, almost… wary.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, trying to keep my tone light.

Daena exchanged a glance with the queens. "What makes you think we're looking at you any differently?"

"Because you are," I said firmly. "Is this about the training? Did Seraphis tell you something?"

Queen Nyssara's lilac eyes softened as she spoke, her words carefully measured. "She mentioned your progress, Liria. It's... impressive."

The way she said it sent a shiver down my spine. There was something in her voice an undertone of curiosity mixed with a hesitation that didn't belong. And it wasn't just her; Daena and Queen Verida were watching me with the same strange intensity, as though I were some rare beast they didn't know whether to approach or cage.

"Uh, thanks?" I said, trying to sound casual. "I mean, I guess I'm learning pretty fast. Not bad for someone who didn't even know what a Hellstorm spell was a month ago, right?"

Daena smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Yes, you've come very far. Too far, some might say."

"Isn't that a good thing?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. "Why does it sound like you're about to accuse me of cheating?"

"Cheating?" Enara interjected with a smirk. "If you are, you're doing a terrible job. You still almost died back there."

"Thank you for your unending support, Enara," I said flatly.

"Always," she replied, leaning back with an air of royalty far too relaxed for someone who'd collapsed mere hours ago.

Verida's sharp golden gaze didn't waver. "It's not cheating, Liria. It's just... rare. The kind of growth you're showing. The abilities you're unlocking. They're not typical."

"Well, I'm not exactly a typical person," I said, forcing a grin. "I mean, look at me Human, flaming pineapple as my companion—"

"Excuse you," Ananara interrupted, glaring at me from his perch on the windowsill. "I am not a mere companion. I am a being of immense intellect and importance, and you're lucky to have me, you ungrateful—"

"Can it, Ananara," I snapped, throwing a pillow in his direction. He dodged it effortlessly, his smugness intact.

Despite my attempt to lighten the mood, the tension in the room thickened. Nyssara exchanged another glance with Daena and Verida, a silent conversation passing between them that made my stomach churn.

"What's going on?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. "Why are you all looking at me like I've grown a second head?"

Daena's tail flicked behind her, but instead of answering, she glanced at Queen Verida, who cleared her throat.

"It's not important right now," Verida said briskly, waving a hand as though dismissing my question entirely. "What matters is what we've been doing to investigate those who attacked you yesterday morning."

The sudden change of topic was as graceful as it was obvious. My eyes narrowed. "Really? You're just going to dodge my question like that?"

Nyssara smiled softly, her lilac eyes glimmering with something unreadable. "There's nothing to dodge, dear. We're focused on your safety, and uncovering the identity of those kidnappers is our top priority."

Enara leaned forward, propping her chin on her hand. "And? What have you found?"

Verida exchanged another glance with Daena before answering. "Not as much as we'd like, but enough to start piecing things together. The group wasn't local. They came prepared—extremely prepared—and their equipment suggests they had substantial backing."

"They weren't amateurs," Daena added, her tone grim. "The magic wards, the traps, the sheer coordination it points to a group with resources and experience. Likely mercenaries, though we haven't ruled out political factions."

"Political factions?" Enara repeated, arching an eyebrow. "You think someone from the court would dare to target me?"

Nyssara's expression turned cold, her voice steady but sharp. "We cannot ignore the possibility. There are those who would benefit from destabilizing our rule especially if it involves eliminating a direct heir to the throne."

"Lovely," I muttered, slumping back into my chair. "So not only do I have mysterious flames and weird stares to deal with, but now I'm tangled up in royal drama. Great."

"It's not drama," Verida said, her voice tight. "It's survival."

Ananara, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke up. "Survival? Oh, please. If you lot were serious about survival, you wouldn't let her"—he jabbed a leafy appendage in my direction—"go off half-trained and reckless."

"Ananara, I swear—"

"You are reckless, Liria," Enara cut in with a smirk. "You ran straight into that fight without a plan."

"I had a plan!" I protested.

"Did you?" Nyssara asked, her tone skeptical but faintly amused.

"Okay, maybe not a great plan, but still—"

"We're getting off-topic," Daena interrupted, her gaze snapping back to me. "What's important is that we're doing everything we can to track these attackers down. But, Liria, you and Enara need to stay vigilant. If they strike again, we may not have the luxury of arriving in time."

"That's reassuring," I said dryly.

Nyssara reached out, her hand briefly resting on mine. "We're not taking this lightly, Liria. We'll protect you both. But you must be cautious and trust us to handle this."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The sincerity in her tone softened the edge of my frustration, but it didn't entirely erase the lingering unease in my chest. They were clearly holding back something, and the way they were carefully avoiding my earlier question only made me more suspicious.

But for now, I nodded. "Fine. Just... keep me in the loop, okay? I don't like being left in the dark."

"Of course," Verida said, her golden eyes unwavering. "You have our word."

Something about the way she said it made me think their word might not cover as much as I hoped, but I let it drop for now.

"Great," I muttered. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm starving. Do royal castles come with snacks?"

Enara laughed, the sound breaking the tension in the room. "Come on, Liria. I'll show you the kitchens. Maybe you can even learn how not to burn toast."

"Insult noted," I replied, following her out.

Behind us, I could feel the queens and Daena watching, their earlier intensity replaced by whispers I wasn't meant to hear.