Reincarnated As The Villainess's Best Friend

His voice was deep and warm, yet it was mildly unsettling, sending cold shivers down my spine.

Lucy made a curtsy, out of respect for him, but I could tell in her eyes, that she couldn't recognize her father... adopted father.

Fumiko made a curtsy as well, graceful and deliberate.

"Your grace," she said.

The King's gaze shifted to her. "Daughter of House Nara. It is rare for a noble of Tochiko to grace the cold plains of Erentha."

"The circumstances demand my presence here. I hope I am welcome."

"Of course," he gave a slight nod. Then he glanced at me.

I froze for a moment, then I bowed slightly, my heart thudding.

"Your grace."

An uneasy silence fell in the hall. King Jirel rose to his feet and walked over to me, his eyes scanning me all over, like I was a stranger.

After a long moment, he stretched out his arm. I swallowed, and took it in a firm handshake.

"Welcome, Stormborn," he said, a flicker of a smile appearing on his face.

"Thank you, your gra..."

"No need for formalities," he cut in. "This is your home as well. The friendship I share with your father goes back for decades."

Decades, huh?

"I hope your studies at the academy are going well? Seems your mana has improved greatly."

A nervous smile appeared on my face.

"I'm doing my best," I replied.

The King turned to Lucy once more, his eyes glaring at her like a father watching a prodigal son.

"You look weary, child," he said in a somber tone. "I'll have the servants prepare you a hot meal at once."

"It's fine," Lucy replied, shifting her weight to me. "I just need a little... rest."

"The journey was rather long and tiring," Fumiko said, perhaps to divert the King's line of thought. "She'll be better after some rest. But there's something we wanted to know..."

The King raised his hand abruptly, silencing Fumiko.

"Every discussion must be put on hold until after dinner. I have prepared a banquet to welcome you all. Xira will show you back to your room now."

I turned around sharply. Xira stood behind us, her palms locked behind her back.

She made a slight nod, and disappeared to the hallway from which we came. Fumiko and Lucy followed suit. I turned to do the same.

"Stormborn..."

I froze, returning my gaze to the King.

"Wait a moment," he ordered, "There's something I want to show you."

"Alright," I said, pacing closer to him.

The king went on ahead of me, moving into another hallway beside the throne . We walked for a while, until we arrived in another wide chamber, a bit smaller than the throne room, but equally spacious, filled with varying sculptures.

"How is your magic faring?" he began.

"Very well. I've been improving rapidly."

"Have you acquired more spells?"

I nodded, "Yes, your grace. I've been studying and..."

I paused, sensing a faint release of mana in the air, accompanied by a low humming sound.

Suddenly, the king spun around, wielding a long sword born out of pure light. He swung it at me, aiming directly for my neck.

His movements were so fast, I barely had the time to react. Without thinking, I ducked, the sharp sword passing over my head.

I took a step back, pulling out the dagger beneath my cloak to parry, but before I could lift my head, the King's sword was already pointed at me, it's tip resting on the crevice above my chest.

"Aldrin Stormborn had good talent for spellcasting," the king said, narrowing his eyes, "but he could have never dodged that swing. Not in a million years."

He pressed his sword deeper into my skin until I felt a little prick.

"Who are you?!"

I swallowed. "I am Aldrin Stormborn."

"Lies!"

The King thrust his sword forward, but not before I took another step back. Then I gathered my mana in my fingertips, until a purple lightning orb appeared on my hand.

I raised my right hand, aiming the orb at him. He hesitated, a flicker of fear gleaming in his eyes. Then, he raised his sword again, pointing it directly at me.

"You may have his spells, but I can sense it; you are not him. Reveal yourself, shapeshifter!"

Shape shifter?

The King moved in closer, ready to make another swing.

"Wait... In four years time, a blue dragon appears and attacks the town of Genia, here in Erentha."

The King paused in his tracks, his eyes locked onto mine.

"King Jirel dies battling it," I whispered, "but not before striking the beast in the abdomen with a Light Affinity spell. Sadly, the injury fails to weaken the beast, and it carries on with it's rampage."

I ceased my mana flow, and the lightning orb in my hand promptly faded.

"Your son, Rellis Elowen, together with the help of the Grand Mage, defeats the dragon. After he buried his father, he is deemed hero of Erentha, and ascends the throne of his father."

The king lowered his sword, his gaze softening.

"Your story is almost believable, but Blue Dragons have not been seen in Erentha in a thousand years..."

He raised his sword.

"...and there is no Grand Mage!"

The King swung again, his sword scraping, but I parried his sword with my dagger.

"There isn't yet," I said, raising my voice, "but there will be one in two years!"

"Liar."

The king thrust a foot forward, kicking my right knee. I fell on my hands and knees, groaning in pain. Before I could recover, the King's sword was already headed to my neck.

"Te luminare, ita mil rena!"

King Jirel froze. His eyes met mine, slowly widening.

"Let the light, lead me home," I repeated in the common tongue. "Those were your last words, before you died."

A cold silence ensued in the room, the tension between us lingering. The King's gaze dropped to the floor.

"Those were the last words Queen Xiora said to me, before she died." He raised his head. "Are you a seer?"

"No," I replied. "But I was there, when you died."

The king furrowed his eyes, confusion written all over his face. The sword in his hand faded in a white flash of light.

I moved closer to him, returning my dagger to its sheathe.

"I am Drey Belford, Grand Mage of Westumberland... in a few years to come."

The king blinked, his eyes locked onto me like he couldn't understand the words leaping out of my mouth.

"Your words are hard to decipher," he said.

I sighed, searching my mind for a way to explain it all to him.

"Fourteen years from now... I died trying to save the world from an evil villainess. But when I woke up, I found myself in this body.

"Reincarnation is a myth."

"I am living proof..." I placed my hand to my chest. "I do not know how it happened. The only thing I am certain of is that I was sent here to change the future. I may not be the same person, but his memories, his desires, his goals, they haven't changed. I am, Rin Stormborn."

King Jirel paused for a moment, his eyes darting off to the walls. I was afraid he'd attack me again, but he folded his arms behind his back.

"The Villianess you fought..." he muttered. "Is it who I think it is?"

I gave a slight nod.

"It is as I feared," he said. "The prophecy is coming to pass."

"Not if I can stop it," I took a step forward. "But to do that, I need your help."

The King's eyes narrowed again. He studied me for a moment, while caressing his short white beard. Then he turned to me, closing the gap between us.

"I know why you're here... Stormborn. I summoned you for the same reason."

He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"The darkness within her has awakened, and you want to know how to stop it. "

My assumptions was right. The elves knew what was happening, and they were the only ones who could help us.

"I need to know everything about her. Everything."

The King walked past me, heading into another hallway. "I already intended to explain everything to... Rin, but I'm guessing you already know most of it."

"Not really," I cut in. "I don't."

"What do you know?"

"Well... I know she's from House Daevalia. I know she uses the Dark Affinity, and I know there's something else within her. Something ancient. Something powerful."

"The Shadow Queen," The king said. "It dwells in her."

I swallowed, dryly. The name still sent shivers down my spine.

"I need to know what it is. I need to know why it's in Lucy, and I need to know how to get it out of her."

The king paused. "You can't take it out of her."

"I know I can. If I understand what she is, I'm sure there's a spell to take it out of her."

"No, you can't!" His voice rose, echoing throughout the hallway.

An uneasy silence fell upon the hall.

"Why?" I asked, breaking it.

The king turned to me, worry written all over his face. Then, he let out a short sigh.

"Because the Shadow Queen... is the only thing keeping Lucy alive."