The days remaining until my academy entrance pass very slowly, too slowly. Bianca's friend, Caroline, visits me again. That, along with the disappointment of not being able to return to the dungeon, is all that breaks my new and boring routine of sitting my butt down to study. Yes, study. It's not that I think I can pass the written exam, not at all, it's just that I want to know more about this world, not be so ignorant. As for the dungeon, when I gathered enough courage I went back with provisions to clear it again, though at minimum difficulty, to continue leveling up and, by the way, see if I could do it alone without the shadow wolf's help. However, when I got there, I found it had disappeared: there wasn't a trace of it, as if it had never existed. Maybe these special dungeons only let you enter once or until you cleared them. Or maybe it was still there but I no longer met the requirements to see it.

Anyway, I raised the point I had in intelligence to make my magic more powerful. It was a difficult decision, because wisdom would have given me one more mana point. Since the seed of darkness could give me its lick once a day, I ended up choosing the former. With this, I trust I can pass the practical test with good grades.

Finally, the day arrived and my mother came to get me. I'm with her in the family's official carriage, with my father the count's seal as decoration on the sides, sitting inside while my maid and the coachman are on the front bench. A couple of county guards escort us on horseback.

We must not be far from arriving. In fact, when I notice the pace slowing, I move the curtain covering the right window and peek out a bit to look. There's a carriage ahead, it bears one of the dukes' seals and is larger than the one I'm using. Its exterior appearance is also more luxurious. We're approaching the entrance to the gate surrounding the academy's extensive grounds and, when they stop, we do so behind them.

I can hear how the gate guard greets them and asks their reason for being there. They request the student and her maid to get down from the carriage to enter on foot. I remember this from the otome, they don't allow vehicles through except in very rare cases.

"We are two maids," says one of them, the one carrying the dialogue with the guard.

"No, only one is allowed."

At that moment I hear a disdainful and irritated snort. One of the servants hurries to open the carriage door and a young woman gets down. Long, straight, dark hair. Deep green eyes. Tall and curvy. On Earth they might call her plump, but I think not an ounce is extra on her. The creature stepping down from the carriage possesses such confidence and beauty that no one would dare say her figure isn't simply perfect. The dress she wears, undoubtedly made by the queen's own dressmaker, enhances her waist and generous low neckline. For a moment the image of Faith, the quintessential villainess of the video game, stands out in my mind. But it's not her, rather her younger sister. They're so alike and so close in age that it's easy to confuse them. In any case, I'm like hypnotized watching her. Her movements are elegant and refined, overflowing with the ego of knowing herself a duke's daughter and having always been treated as such. She is, without doubt, a villainess worthy of her name. Powerful, intelligent, beautiful... capable of saying whatever she wants to whoever she wants without hesitation.

It's not that my heart is resonating with this body's, sighing to someday be like her and accepting my place as her dull friend who says yes to everything. No... it's just that when I played, Mary seemed very plain and Sol and Faith were the goddesses of the place. Destined to burn for being evil, sure, but they shined with style, consuming their lives in a whirlwind of balls and intrigues until then. I don't realize it, but a sigh escapes me and my mother notices. As for Sol, determined, she has addressed the guard.

"I am Sol, the second daughter of the Duke of Vassilea. My sister is a graduate of this academy and during her stay here had two maids. I expect no less than the same treatment and don't understand why a gate guard presumes to deny me something I'm entitled to."

I'm far away, I don't know if the addressed one pales, but I do hear his voice trembling. He hurries to look at a list and soon apologizes and allows them to pass. Maybe he's a rookie, because the rule of maximum one servant per student doesn't apply to the children of the kingdom's most important nobles. Without doubt her father, who isn't just a duke but also the minister of war, belongs to that select group. In any case, they unload the luggage and several academy porters hurry to collect it and guide Sol and her maids inside. Before entering she turns and looks at my carriage. She seems to recognize it. She sees me peeking out the window and greets me with a gesture of her face. She's beautiful, very beautiful. With those green eyes and such white skin, she's the living image of an otome game villainess, rich, intelligent and malicious. Without doubt, she's much more interesting than the four protagonists. I incline my head to return her greeting. She looks at me with a slightly furrowed brow and turns around. I'm left thinking, perhaps a count's daughter shouldn't be sticking her head out the window...

"You should become friends with Sol," I hear my mother comment in a soft voice. "She's from one of the most influential houses at court."

"Of course," I answer because I don't want to argue.

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I have no intention of sucking up to the villainess. My mother seems about to say something, not very convinced by my response's sincerity, but our carriage resumes its advance and she keeps quiet. Soon we arrive at the academy gate.

"Name and house," the guard tells the coachman.

I'm just a count's daughter. My entrance isn't even half as glamorous as Sol's. My maid and I get down and follow the academy porter who has taken my luggage and guides us to my room. Here, unless you're high nobility, double rooms are normal. Your servant resides in another building along with academy staff. But Caroline had told me she'd gotten a triple room for us, her, Ashe and me. Puzzled, I enter.

My new room is quite bright and spacious. It has two beds, two wardrobes and matching study desks. From what I can see by the books scattered on one of them, my roommate has arrived before me and chosen her side. Since I don't actually know anything about Caroline, not having Bianca's memories, I don't know if those are her things. I shrug and tell the porter to put my suitcases inside the wardrobe. I leave my maid unpacking them and go to the common area whose location I already know from the video game. I leave her taking care of the puppy, who has fallen asleep and whom I settle on my bed. Honestly, I'd prefer to be the one arranging my clothes, but I would rather not draw attention by doing tasks unsuitable for my rank. Here there were four protagonists and you chose one; the rest were either filler characters or villains. These last ones could make my life impossible if I start behaving like an Earth girl would.

So, I go down the stairs I came up a few minutes ago and head to the first floor, where there are large rooms with upholstered seats and small tables, a place designed for students to gather and socialize. As soon as I enter, two girls having tea with cookies greet and call me over.

"Bianca! Hello. Come sit with us."

I easily recognize one of them, it's Caroline. The other, without doubt, must be Ashe. The two were, in the otome, Bianca's best friends and along with her formed the trio of Sol's followers and flatterers. I wrinkle my brow remembering again that I'm supposed to be the follower of a villainess trying to follow the trail her older sister left at the academy. Luckily, they don't seem to notice my gesture and greet me effusively.

"Oh, Bianca, I'm so sorry," Caroline apologizes taking both my hands. "My father assured me they could put the three of us together, but in the end there weren't any triple rooms left."

"And I'm with her, they must have done it by lottery since the three of us asked to be together. I feel bad. Do you want to switch?" Ashe tells me, worried.

"No, no, it's fine, don't worry," I answer feeling very relieved.

Yes! I won't have to live in the same room as them. From the two times Caroline came to see me at the country house, her conversation is exhausting. And Ashe also seems a little overwhelming.

"You're so good, Bianca. Do you know who they put you with?" they ask.

I'm about to shake my head but then I remember. In the game, if you started with Judith as protagonist, a shy and studious girl, also a count's daughter, you ended up sick of all the gratuitous harassment from your roommate Bianca and her two inseparable friends.

"Judith Illén."

"That dull girl?" Ashe snorts. "Look, let's go right now to complain and get them to give us a triple room."

"No." I tell her while grabbing her wrist, as she was already starting to stand up. "Sit down, there's no need. Really, I'll just ignore her and that's it."

"And your reputation? If you mix with someone so boring people might think you're like her."

"I'm not going to mix with her, I'll be with you and Sol."

"Sol? You think she'll let us hang out with her? Her father is a duke and very powerful," Caroline doubts.

Oops... I think I've put my foot in it. Maybe they weren't so close before the academy.

"I'm sure she will," I answer confidently. "You'll see."

Bianca's friends start chatting faster and faster, clearly excited by the idea. My head is starting to hurt. I'll have to do something because I won't last even a week here if I have to listen to them all the time. Then Sol enters the room, looking for a place to sit, and Ashe, who seems to have gained confidence, goes to her and starts flattering her. Soon both come to our table. We stand to greet her. Caroline doesn't hold back either in confessing to Sol the great opinion she has of her. I just look at her. I'm not going to suck up to her. No matter how beautiful and elegant she is. If only I could have reincarnated into her...

"What?" Sol looks at me confused.

I think I might have just said that out loud.

"That you're so elegant any girl from a good family would kill to be in your shoes," I smile.

It's not my intention to join the flattery game, but it's the first thing that comes to mind. I'm not going to tell anyone I come from another world.

"Thank you. Sometimes you express yourself a bit oddly. Anyway, being one of only two duke's daughters in this year could be a bit lonely, so you can keep me company."

"Oh, you're so kind and generous," Caroline dissolves in gratitude.

"Who's the other high-born girl?" I ask.

"There are two of high birth. One of the princesses and Katrina."

Katrina. Another of the protagonists. A girl so obsessed with fire magic that she neglected her noble manners and sometimes dressed like a boy, something Sol criticized whenever she had the chance. I understand why she wouldn't want to associate with her. As for the princess... another protagonist and incompatible by character with someone like Sol.

I listen bored as my two supposed best friends trash-talk Katrina, who curiously was the protagonist I was most comfortable with. I think more and more about getting up and leaving, but I don't since it's something the Bianca from the otome would never do.

My patience, I don't know how long it will last. I sigh with relief when dinner time finally arrives.