I had memories that weren't mine. They were probably Hosui's so I started writing them down in a blank notebook I found between her stuff. I would have a whole network of information that would help me survive in this new world and figure out what happened, because there had to be a reason why I was brought here, right?
Hosui Yoshino's first memory is of being trapped in a dark damp abandoned cave deep in the forest. She remembered the cold and the damp and the hunger and the fear and most of all the hate. Hosui was filled with hate, something that threatened to consume me as well if I don't discover the source and take care of it.
One day a girl with golden hair and amber eyes appeared in the cave and freed her. That girl's name was Anika. She was the one who introduced her to this aristocratic family with whom Hosui and now lived with them, the Lockwoods. They adopted Hosui and wanted to give her their surname, but she refused because the name "Yoshino" was the only thing she had left from her family. The Lockwoods accepted it but on the condition that Hosui would use the family name in social gatherings so that there would be no confusion between people.
That was the first step towards Hosui's hatred for her western family.
The Lockwoods took her into their mansion, gave her a room and treated her like their daughter. They gave her every comfort a young noblewoman could ask for but none of them know that what torments her every day are the nightmares where she sees her family massacred and humiliated by the western nobles who invaded her country to enslave her people and force their culture on them. She hated them so much that she fantasized about killing them every day. But she didn't do it because she knew that the only way for these people to suffer was by messing with the thing they loved most in the world: their fortune.
As I wrote Hosui's memoirs, I could understand more and more her reasons for doing what she had in mind. She didn't want to kill, but to make them wish for death. She wanted to wipe out the Western nobility, she wanted to become their nightmare and take over everything they loved, she wanted to become the villain of their story. That thought made me laugh a little.
And it was at that moment that I remembered Hosui's days at the magic academy. She specializes in dark magic which was hated and rejected thanks to various prejudices when in reality it was as common as light magic or elemental magic. Hosui's affinity with darkness came from her hatred but for some reason she had never used it to hurt anyone.
Her classmates ostracized her at school, the only one who approached to talk to her was Anika but quickly her four princes came to take her away from her because it could be "dangerous". Then I realized that all this was the world of "How to be a Villaness", and now that I embodied (literally) Hosui the title of the game made more sense. However this was no longer a game, this was real life, it was my new reality. How would I get used to my new life? And my parents? Had they lost another child in the same day? Thinking about that made me want to cry, I didn't want to even think about the pain they must be feeling. I have to go back to them as soon as possible, but how?
Someone knocked on my door, it was that man who had greeted me at the bottom of the stairs. His name is Walter and he is my butler, well... Hosui's.
"Miss Hosui, I brought you your breakfast. May I come in?"
"Just give me a second."
I looked for the academy uniform I was a little surprised to see that it was actually the same as the one in the game. I dressed as quickly as I could adjusting my skirt and vest and tie. I figured that Hosui would wear his hair straight and loose as it was, so I decided to leave it that way, without any ornaments in between.
"You can come in now."
Walter came in with a cart which carried a silver tray with my breakfast. A teapot with a cup next to it and a plate with scrambled eggs and bacon and another plate with toast with jelly and a small bowl of red berries. He left the cart near the table in my room (which was the size of a studio apartment) he served the breakfast on it and moved the chair aside so I could sit.
"Please, take a seat and have breakfast. You'll be late."
I did as he said. I sat down and started eating breakfast, everything was really delicious but the part of Hosui that was still dormant inside me hated every single thing I ate and even hated Walter with all her being. I tried not to let that hatred show in my expression so I finished eating quickly and stood up only to be surprised by Walter ordering a frozen gel and placing it on the bump on my forehead. The surprise made me jump thanks to the sudden cold which made my butler smile.
"Young Reese told me about the incident this morning. Is there a reason why you are so... agitated?"
I looked at Walter. Hosui doesn't trust anyone in that house and neither do I since I barely know them. I shook my head and acted as my alter ego would.
"Nothing that is any of your business." I pushed his hand aside separating myself from the cold of the gel and took my bag to leave my room.
There was a car that would take me to the academy it was a car that I shared with my brother, with Reese. While we were traveling, I couldn't stop thinking about my own brother, about Caleb. I had heard his voice the time I appeared in this place. Did he call me here? Why? What if... What if he was here and wanted me to find him? No, that wasn't possible. Caleb had died. How could it be possible that he was in this world? Had he... been reincarnated in this place? If that was the case, what had happened to me? Did I die too? How? Did I fall down the stairs and hit my head?
"Hey, we're here." Reese's voice brought me back to reality, distracting me from my thoughts.
I noticed that we had really arrived at the academy and that it was really a carbon copy of the one that appeared in the game, every doubt I had about whether I was really in the world of "How to be a Villaness" was cleared up in these cases. The academy was imposing and luxurious with gothic and modern overtones. I got out of the car and walked next to my brother as we entered. I noticed that many people were looking at us. Actually they were looking at me.
Hosui had a reputation for being a gloomy and lonely girl, everyone felt sorry for Reese for having to put up with a sister like me. And Reese was radiant, he walked as if he were parading full of confidence. He had bright blond hair and blue eyes like sapphires, his body was enviable with a broad back and legs trained by so many years of horse riding. He has a marked waist and delicate and perfectly distributed facial features. He was a prince charming parading on his way to the academy being accompanied by a ghost straight out of a horror movie. That's how everyone saw us.
I didn't share classes with Reese. In my classroom I was alone, everyone kept their distance from me as if I had some kind of disease that is transmitted through eye contact. It made me feel alone and hurt, and I understood that this is how Hosui felt every day of her life.
"Hello, Hosui! Good morning." Anika paused and panicked when she saw the bump on my forehead. "Oh, my God! What happened to you? Are you okay? Did you go to the infirmary?"
Her shrill voice made me look up at her. Her blonde hair was in braids and had flower decorations in the. She was alone without her harem following her.
I ignored her because that's what Hosui use to do.
I didn't hate Anika because I owed her my life but that didn't mean I had to pretend to be friends with her.
The rumor that Anika had saved Hosui from the "darkness" was known throughout the academy and just because I wasn't nice to her for that I was automatically ungrateful and heartless. I definitely hate nobles.
The blonde sat down next to me and placed a hand on my shoulder to get my attention, I looked at her ready to tell her to get lost but someone decided it was a good idea to pour a bottle of water on Anika's head soaking her completely. Of course I was affected too, half of my body was wet it was cold. There was laughter behind us it was the villain of the moment from "How to be a Villaness", Elizabeth Grenville. I turned to her and I saw her green eyes shining with amusement and her red hair falling elegantly in a ponytail over her left shoulder, her friends laughing behind her too.
" Commoners shouldn't be here, much less wearing the uniform of a prestigious academy like this one," said Elizabeth who turned to me. "And you go back to the hole you came from, vampire. Don't spread any plague you picked up in that stinking cave to us."
I smiled at Elizabeth and stood up, I moved my hand towards her and saw her freak out and take a step back and hide behind one of her "friends." That made me laugh.
"Next time you feel like being a bitch to me, come alone. That way you'll have a little more credibility, Lady Elizabeth."
The red color of her face was increasing as curses came out of his mouth, obviously, never reaching obscenities because she was a lady. Anika looked at me with shining eyes as if I had protected her but the reality was far from that.
"What have you done to Anika!?" said the number 1 prince. "Get away from her, Hosui. I will talk to the director of the academy about this."
He took Anika by the hand and gently pulled her away from me, the remaining princes appeared seconds later. I could only look at them in surprise because they really were identical to the game. I wondered when I could go home.