Reincarnated As A First Rate Villain: I Don't Know How To Play My Role

As the convoy of Grand Duke Aldric disappeared beyond the horizon, a heavy silence lingered over the Velebrandt estate. Though the sun shone brightly over the stone walkways and marble towers, the absence of the estate's powerful patriarch left behind an unspoken weight—a quiet but undeniable shift.

Lucien, however, spent the remainder of the day nestled in the luxury of rest. With Aldric gone and his intense training yet to begin, he did what any reasonable soul would do before facing the abyss: he pampered himself. After a long soak in the ornate golden bathtub filled with scented oils, Lucien brushed his teeth, changed into his finest lounge robe, and devoured a hearty breakfast of freshly baked croissants, fire-seared sausages from the drakari highlands, creamy scrambled wyvern eggs, and chilled elderberry juice from the elven groves. The servants moved about discreetly, careful not to disturb his tranquility.

But peace never lasts.

The morning of the next day arrived swiftly, with the sky still wrapped in amber and blue. Lucien stood in front of a polished mirror, tying the last knot of his simple yet breathable training outfit. Gone were the layers of noble silks and embroidery—in their place, loose charcoal pants, a sleeveless tunic, and leather shoes built for movement. He ran his fingers through his silver hair and exhaled slowly. His body still felt a bit sore, the residual effects of whatever strange event had afflicted him before, but there was no excuse now. Today was the beginning of something new.

He stepped into the corridor where Knight Rex was already waiting.

Rex, towering and grim as ever, wore a worn black training coat. His blade was strapped to his back, and a scroll was tucked beneath his arm. Without a word, he turned and began walking.

Lucien followed in silence, the quiet tapping of their footsteps echoing through the halls. As they passed the servant housing quarters, Lucien glanced around, noting how the maids and guards gave them a wide berth. Their eyes held a mixture of respect, curiosity, and pity. They knew what today marked.

"Sir Rex," Lucien finally spoke. "Can you tell me about the training plan? My father's plan. What exactly will I be doing?"

Rex's eyes remained forward, his voice calm and steady. "Six days a week. Full schedule in the morning. No breaks."

Lucien raised a brow. "Wait… thats almost every day of the week!"

Rex nodded. "If you look at it like that, then Yes. Each day is structured for maximum gain, balanced across theory, technique, and conditioning."

Lucien exhaled slowly, not sure if that sounded promising or exhausting. "Go on."

"We'll begin with two hours every morning focused on the fundamentals of aura," Rex explained. "You'll study the three primary aspects: generation, control, and projection."

Lucien furrowed his brows. "So, like… how to bring aura out from my body?"

"Exactly," Rex said. "How to access it, how to manipulate it internally, and eventually how to project it outward. It's the foundation. No matter how much raw power you have, without control, it's meaningless."

Lucien gave a slow nod. That made sense. "And after that?"

"Three hours of applied technique," Rex continued. "This is where we go beyond theory. Channeling aura into strikes, movement, even defense. You'll be under my direct instruction during this portion."

Lucien already imagined how sore he'd be. "That's already five hours…"

"We're not done," Rex said plainly. "After a midday break, you'll undergo six hours of physical training. Strength, endurance, agility, reflexes. Sword drills, core conditioning, obstacle routines."

Lucien let out a long, suffering groan. "Six hours of that? I'll be dead by dinner."

"You'll adapt," Rex said with a hint of amusement in his otherwise dry tone. "The body remembers when it's pushed to survive. In time, the pain will become your baseline."

Lucien glanced up at the sky. "That's not very comforting…"

"And finally," Rex went on, "the last four hours of each training day will be spent in sparring."

Lucien blinked. "Sparring? For four hours?"

Rex gave a nod. "You'll be partnered with me. No holding back. These sessions are to refine your combat instincts and test your ability to apply everything you've learned."

Lucien nearly stumbled over his next step. "Every single day?"

"Yes."

Lucien's shoulders slumped in dismay. "That's an entire day of just… getting beat up, learning to bleed, and then more beating."

"You forgot learning discipline," Rex added coolly.

They rounded a corner and stepped into a quieter hallway that led toward the servant quarters and adjacent training fields. The morning sun filtered through the tall windows, casting golden lines along the marble floor.

"And the seventh day?" Lucien asked excitedly. "Do I finally get a break?"

Rex gave him a brief glance. "Not exactly."

Lucien hearing this braced himself for the worse.

"Each week will conclude with a special activity," Rex said. "We'll bring in a live beast for you to engage in controlled combat."

Lucien stopped walking. "A beast? Like a real monster?"

Rex halted as well, turning to face him.

"Yes. A living opponent. Properly contained, properly scaled to your strength level. You won't be alone—we'll monitor everything. Several knights and mages will be on standby to intervene if necessary."

Lucien stared, blinking slowly. "That's supposed to make me feel better?"

"You're not expected to win easily," Rex said. "The purpose is to face pressure. Real danger. It's part of your growth. But we'll ensure your safety."

Lucien sighed, his hands buried in his pockets as he looked down the hallway ahead. "So… six days of brutal training, and a seventh day of being thrown into a cage match with a beast?"

"It's not a cage," Rex replied, straight-faced. "And yes."

Lucien let his head tilt back, gazing at the ceiling in despair. "I miss being six…"

"You're ten now. Time to carry weight," Rex said, already turning back down the hall.

Lucien groaned and followed. "Right. Goodbye peace. Hello lifelong trauma."

Rex didn't respond.

_________________________________

Lucien continued trailing behind Knight Rex, the echo of their steps muffled by the polished stone floor of the lower corridors. The deeper they walked into the mansion's underground servant housing, the fewer people they encountered. The air grew cooler, carrying a faint trace of iron and oil—like old weaponry and distant gears. Lanterns hanging on the wall gave off a dim, bluish glow, flickering softly like fireflies.

Eventually, Knight Rex stopped in front of a plain wooden door tucked between two stone pillars. There was nothing special about it at first glance—no engravings, no emblems, not even a lock or handle. Just a simple panel of aged oak, worn slightly from use.

Lucien tilted his head. "Here?"

Instead of answering, Rex raised his hand and knocked—not once, but in a specific rhythm. A pattern. Knock. Pause. Knock-knock. Pause. Knock. It echoed down the hallway strangely, almost like a coded message.

A moment passed in silence. Then, with a faint creak, the wooden door clicked open—not pushed by anyone, but sliding inward as though it had heard and obeyed the knock.

Rex glanced over his shoulder at Lucien. "This," he said, voice quiet but clear, "is where you'll be spending most of your formative years as an aura user."

Lucien stepped forward hesitantly, and as soon as he crossed the threshold, he stopped—stunned.

What lay beyond wasn't a room. It was an entire underground training complex.

A long, wide track stretched through the center of the chamber, its surface gleaming with faint blue mana lines. It looked like a racing track, except that its material shimmered subtly—built to endure high-speed movement and intense bursts of force. Running alongside both walls were dozens of racks and equipment stands: weighted dummies, punching posts, balance boards, strength training apparatuses, and more. The ceiling soared high above, arching in a soft dome shape, and vents near the top breathed in fresh, cool air that smelled faintly of pine.

But what caught Lucien's attention even more were the bookshelves.

At the far ends of the room, carved directly into the walls, were vast wooden shelves filled to the brim with books—thick tomes, leather-bound manuals, scrolls in cases, and journals. Between those two grand libraries sat a modest lounge area: four long tables with reading lamps, parchment stacks, and a couple of couches that looked surprisingly soft and well-kept.

Lucien stared in disbelief. "This… this place is huge."

Knight Rex nodded, stepping inside fully. "It was built decades ago as a private training facility for the Velebrandt family's heirs. Only a select few know about its existence."

Lucien blinked, slowly spinning in place to take it all in. "So I'll… be here every day?"

"For most of your training, yes." Rex walked calmly ahead, his cape swaying with each measured step. "You'll learn to channel your aura through your body while training your endurance and focus in this space. When you're not training physically, you'll be studying aura theory, battle history, and mental discipline. This room holds both the sword and the scroll."

Lucien frowned, eyes following the running track as it looped around a row of strange runic pillars. "So… I'll basically spend my teenage years inside this—what do I even call this? This stadium? Chamber? Dungeon?"

Knight Rex chuckled softly, a rare expression for the usually stoic man. "Call it whatever you wish young master. It will become your second home soon enough."

Lucien sighed, shoulders drooping slightly. "At least it's not a musty cave."

Knight Rex looked over his shoulder again, his expression already returning to neutral. "Stop ogling. We start now."

Lucien straightened instinctively. "Right. Sorry."

They made their way to the lounge section, where a large table awaited them, already prepared with a stack of beginner aura cultivation scrolls, diagrams, and inked notes. A faint magical hum hung in the air—the enchantments embedded into the walls kept the room at a constant, comfortable temperature, and Lucien suspected there were mana regulation devices somewhere nearby.

He glanced one last time at the towering bookshelves and whispered to himself, "Guess this is where my life changes for good."

Knight Rex placed a thick leather-bound book on the table and opened it with a flick of his hand, revealing a series of complex aura diagrams.

"It already has young master."