Reincarnated as the Villainess’s Unlucky Bodyguard

The morning started off peacefully enough. The sun shone brightly over the castle, bathing the grounds in a golden hue. Birds chirped melodically, the scent of freshly baked bread wafted through the air, and for a fleeting moment, I thought, Maybe today will actually be normal.

That hope lasted all of five minutes.

"LIRIA!" Enara's voice echoed down the hallway, sharp enough to make me spill my cup of tea. I barely had time to set it down before she burst into my room, her dark eyes blazing.

"Good morning to you too," I said dryly, brushing crumbs off my lap. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your gentle intrusion?"

"You," she said, pointing a dramatic finger at me, "are coming with me to the courtyard. Now."

I frowned. "Why? Did Seraphis decide I'm not suffering enough?"

"No," Enara said, grabbing my wrist and dragging me to my feet. "The training yard's occupied, so she's moved today's lesson to the courtyard. Something about 'dynamic environmental challenges.'"

"That's just code for 'more ways to torture me,'" I muttered, reluctantly following her out the door. "And you didn't think to warn me sooner?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Enara smirked. "Where's the fun in that?"

By the time we reached the courtyard, I was already dreading whatever fresh hell Seraphis had planned. The area was bustling with activity. Guards sparred in one corner, stablehands tended to restless horses, and a small group of castle staff were setting up what looked suspiciously like an obstacle course.

"An obstacle course?" I groaned. "Is this what we've been reduced to?"

Seraphis stood in the center of it all, her spear resting against her shoulder. Her sharp eyes caught mine the moment I stepped into view.

"Liria," she called out, her voice cutting through the noise like a blade. "You're late."

I opened my mouth to protest, but she held up a hand. "No excuses. Enara, take your position."

Enara shot me a smug grin before sauntering off to join the others. I noticed Milara among them, waving enthusiastically at me like she wasn't about to see me humiliated.

"Why do I get the feeling this is going to be a disaster?" I muttered under my breath.

[Because it will be, Host,] the system replied, its tone infuriatingly neutral.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I snapped.

Seraphis stepped forward, her expression unreadable. "Today's lesson will focus on adaptability and teamwork. You'll be navigating the course in pairs."

"Pairs?" I echoed, glancing at the others. "I call Enara."

"Denied," Seraphis said immediately, her lips twitching in what might have been the ghost of a smile. "You'll be paired with Milara."

I groaned audibly, and Milara let out a delighted squeal. "We're going to be amazing together!" she chirped, practically bouncing in place.

"Define 'amazing,'" I muttered.

The obstacle course was, in a word, ridiculous. There were walls to climb, ropes to swing across, mud pits to crawl through, and even a section where we had to fend off enchanted training dummies that attacked on sight.

"I can't believe this is my life," I grumbled as Milara and I approached the first challenge: a towering wall with handholds that looked like they were designed for giants.

"Don't worry, Liria!" Milara said brightly. "I'll boost you up!"

"Great," I muttered. "I'll be sure to write 'killed by optimism' on my tombstone."

Milara crouched down, lacing her fingers together to form a makeshift step. With a resigned sigh, I placed my foot in her hands and let her hoist me upward. I managed to grab the edge of the wall, but just as I was pulling myself over, a gust of wind nearly knocked me off balance.

"What the—?" I glanced down to see Seraphis smirking, her fingers glowing faintly with magic.

Experience more tales on empire

"Dynamic challenges," she called out. "Adapt, Liria."

I resisted the urge to curse her out loud, settling for a colorful string of insults in my head instead. Once I was over the wall, Milara climbed up with surprising ease, her enthusiasm undeterred.

By the time we reached the enchanted dummies, I was ready to collapse. Milara, on the other hand, was practically skipping.

"This is so much fun!" she said, twirling a small dagger she'd picked up along the way.

"Fun isn't the word I'd use," I muttered, dodging an incoming strike from one of the dummies. "How are you not tired?"

"Positive energy!" she chirped, throwing her dagger at the dummy's head. It missed by a mile, but she didn't seem to care.

I sighed, drawing my own weapon a short sword that felt like an extension of my arm. With a quick swipe, I disarmed the dummy and sent it sprawling to the ground.

"You could at least try to aim," I told Milara, shaking my head.

"I'm aiming for moral support!" she replied cheerfully.

"Fantastic. That'll definitely help when we're being chased by real enemies."

The course dragged on for what felt like hours, with Seraphis throwing new obstacles at us at every turn. By the time we reached the end, I was covered in mud, my muscles ached, and my patience was hanging by a thread.

"Congratulations," Seraphis said as we stumbled across the finish line. "You survived."

"Barely," I muttered, collapsing onto the grass.

Milara flopped down beside me, still grinning. "We make a great team, don't we?"

"If by 'great,' you mean 'barely functional,' then sure."

Seraphis raised an eyebrow. "You did better than I expected, Liria. Perhaps there's hope for you yet."

"Don't sound so enthusiastic," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

She smirked. "Rest up. Tomorrow's training will be even more intense."

I groaned, covering my face with my hands. "Kill me now."

[Host, I recommend conserving your energy. You'll need it.]

"Not helping," I muttered.

As the others began to disperse, Milara offered me a hand. "Come on, Liria. Let's get cleaned up."

I sighed, letting her pull me to my feet. For all her relentless cheer, I had to admit she wasn't the worst partner.

But if Seraphis thought I was going to survive another day of this, she was seriously overestimating me.

As Milara and I dragged ourselves back toward the castle, I tried to summon the energy to keep my legs moving. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest, and my clothes were still damp with mud from the obstacle course. The guards gave us sympathetic looks as we passed, but I had a sneaking suspicion they were holding back laughter.

Milara, of course, was still chattering away. "Did you see the way I jumped across that last pit? I think I really nailed it this time!"

I raised an eyebrow at her. "You landed face-first in the mud."

"But I tried!" she insisted, undeterred. "That's what counts."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, Milara. Let's go with that."

We finally reached the side entrance to the castle, where a few attendants had set up washbasins and towels. A kind older maid waved us over, handing us steaming cups of tea.

"You two look like you've been through a battlefield," she said, her tone a mix of amusement and pity.

"It feels like it," I muttered, gratefully accepting the tea. The warmth seeped through my fingers, and for a moment, it felt like the only thing keeping me alive.

Milara dunked her face in one of the basins, emerging with a refreshed smile. "Liria, you should try this—it's amazing!"

"I'll pass," I said, sipping my tea. "Unlike you, I have no desire to drown myself."

The maid chuckled. "Lady Liria, I've already prepared a bath for you upstairs. Would you like me to bring anything to your room?"

"Maybe some peace and quiet," I said, glaring at Milara, who was now splashing water everywhere like an overgrown child.

By the time I made it to my room, I felt like a zombie. The bath was heavenly, washing away the grime and leaving me feeling somewhat human again. I emerged in fresh clothes, my hair damp and unkempt, and collapsed onto my bed.

[Host, your energy levels are critically low. Rest is highly recommended.]

"Wow, thanks for the insight, Captain Obvious," I muttered aloud. "I never would've figured that out on my own."

[Your sarcasm is noted but not appreciated.]

I groaned, rolling onto my stomach. "Why do I even talk to you?"

[Because I'm the only one who truly understands your plight.]

"I'd argue Ananara gets me better," I said, glancing around the room. Speaking of which… "Where is he, anyway? I haven't seen him since breakfast."

[Your familiar's whereabouts are unknown. Perhaps he has his own agenda.]

"Great," I muttered. "Even my sentient pineapple is ditching me."

I was about to drift off when a soft knock sounded at my door. I groaned, burying my face in the pillow. "Come in," I mumbled.

The door creaked open, and Daena's imposing figure filled the doorway. She stepped inside, her violet eyes scanning the room before settling on me. "Liria, are you alright?"

"Define 'alright,'" I said, my voice muffled by the pillow.

Daena chuckled softly and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I heard about today's training. Seraphis is… thorough."

"That's one word for it," I said, sitting up. "I'm pretty sure she gets a kick out of torturing me."

"Seraphis has her ways," Daena admitted, a flicker of something—pain, regret?—crossing her face. "But you held your own, and that's what matters."

"I barely survived," I said, rubbing my temples. "And I've got another round of this tomorrow."

Daena placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "You're stronger than you think, Liria. Don't let her push you too hard. Rest when you need to."

Her tone was kind, but there was an edge to it, like she was speaking to someone else as much as she was speaking to me. I decided not to push. Whatever history she had with Seraphis was none of my business—at least, not yet.

After Daena left, I finally allowed myself to relax. The castle was quiet now, the bustle of the day fading into a serene evening. I stared up at the ceiling, my thoughts drifting.

"What am I even doing here?" I whispered to myself.

[Surviving, growing, and defying expectations,] the system answered in its usual detached tone.

"Yeah, well, it'd be nice to have a break from all that," I said.