The Villainess has Shattered

Scene 5

"What was that?" Odette exclaimed, springing out of bed, her heart racing with adrenaline.

"Seriously, what was that? That was..." She murmured to herself, turning to her right index finger before affectionately adding, "Different."

"Who was that? How did that happen? Is that what changed? Who cares! Something new happened!" She rambled excitedly as she began to skip around her room, chanting 'something new' over and over again.

To Odette, this was intriguing. If Odette's world was monochrome, then this dream had a splash of colour, something impossible to ignore.

"That guy! Who is he? More importantly, he could see me. Think, Odette! Think!" She urged herself.

"I sensed ether from him. Was it barely anything? Yes, but who cares how little it was?"

Odette's mind spun with this revelation. For so long, nothing had truly changed for her, but for something like this to happen for someone, even in a dream she did not know to come into view, it meant that maybe there was some hope.

"I can find him. Maybe he knows why I'm stuck here. Something new will happen."

*****

However, searching for answers would have to wait momentarily, as she almost forgot about the one universal thing in her world. School.

The central focus of her [Rehearsals] revolved around the Imperial University of Magic, reliving the same four years before the 'final' act.

"So that's why I'm currently sitting in this carriage in front of Alvis," Odette mused silently, her gaze drifting towards the window as the carriage passed one of the school gates.

The sight was grand yet elegant. The campus lacked ostentatious decorations, but intricate patterns adorned tapestries, walls, and columns. Large open garden areas provided space for leisure, while several fine buildings housed various academic subjects, even those outside the field of magic.

Seeing this beautiful and rich location, most people would appear amazed.

"What's with that horrid expression?" Alvis interrupted Odette's thoughts.

However, Odette was not one of those people, evident in her bored and slightly annoyed expression.

"Nothing," she replied curtly before striding off, ignoring her peeved half-brother.

"What's with you? You're acting weird! Hey! Do you even know where you are going?" Alvis called after her, hastening his steps to catch up.

Without warning, Odette halted in her tracks, turning to face Alvis.

"You have your introductory 'Development and Augmentation of Magic Circles' lecture soon. It's in the south wing of the magical research building. So leave me alone."

"How did you know?"

"Doesn't matter. I need to go." With that, she left, leaving a stunned and confused Alvis behind.

Odette strode through the school halls to her dormitory. She barely needed to ask the dorm receptionist, as it was the same room again. She merely requested the key and departed.