Reborn As An Overpowered Villain

Eleena had decided to start training from the morning onward and had reached the training ground by four in the morning, just as she used to back home. It had been a habit she had built over years, though since entering the academy she had found it increasingly difficult to maintain.

But seeing Lucien regard her as nothing more than a pest to be crushed underfoot had humiliated her deeply, and that humiliation had lit something fierce inside her. Eleena had made up her mind to shed her laziness, to climb higher in the ranks, and one day become so formidable that Lucien would not possess even a shred of strength left to belittle her.

Eleena had decided to let go of her weaker self and forged a new mantra for herself: work hard, become strong, and never look back. And to honor that mantra, she had dragged herself out of bed and appeared at the training ground before the sun had even begun rising.

Eleena had expected a silent, empty ground where she could train in solitude, but she was thoroughly mistaken. Because Lucien was standing right in the middle of the training field, still and composed as a statue. Eleena had convinced herself it was a mirage at first and rubbed her eyes more than once, but the illusion refused to dissolve, and she was finally forced to accept the truth when his gaze found hers across the open field. There was no warmth in those eyes. They were cold as ice, utterly still, like the surface of a frozen lake that had not been touched in years.

Lucien looked at her the way one might look at a pest they had stumbled upon unexpectedly, something that needed to be avoided at any cost. So, he turned his head away almost immediately, as though holding her gaze any longer was more trouble than it was worth.

And, right then, something completely broke inside her. Eleena had hoped, even in the smallest, most embarrassing corner of her heart, that being alone with him on the training ground might cause something to shift in him. That perhaps, without an audience, he might let the coldness slip just slightly and walk toward her. That he might ask why she had been crying on the bench that night. That he might ask whether she was alright. But none of that happened. He did not take a single step in her direction. He did not ask. He did not care to have any of those thoughts. And, it only made her feel even more sad.

Even yesterday, during his class, Lucien had glanced at her for only the briefest second, and in that second she had felt her face burn. Because her eyes had been a disaster, red veins were popping through the whites, and dark circles were formed under her eyes that she had desperately tried to hide using makeup.

The dark circles she had managed to conceal somewhat, but the redness in her eyes was something that could not be hidden. And, she was certain that Lucien must have noticed it during that tiny pause before he moved his gaze elsewhere. Lucien must have seen how hard she had tried to cover her dark circles due to not having a proper sleep as she had spent the night crying over memories of him, over everything they once were.

And yet, even after noticing, Lucien had not flinched. He had not looked even slightly troubled. He had remained as impassive as he always was, and he had not approached her even once yesterday to ask for her wellbeing, so it was only natural that he would not approach her now either.

And yet she still hoped. She hopelessly hoped for him to approach her. And, that was the most pathetic part of it all. She hoped anyway, because if he so much as took one step toward her she knew she would dissolve every last wall she had built and throw her arms around him without thinking twice.

Eleena shook her head sharply, trying to scatter those thoughts before they could settle. She had chosen a new path. She had chosen her mantra. But damn it, it was unbearably difficult to hold onto it. Simply laying her eyes on him made her want to abandon every ounce of resentment she had ever gathered and beg for things to go back to the way they were.

Eleena clenched her fists until her knuckles ached, forcing the thoughts out. Since Lucien was not interested in talking to her, let alone gaze at her, she decided to do things for which she had appeared this early into the training ground. She quickly started doing light stretches.

After finishing her light stretches, she set off along the running track at a steady pace. She found herself stealing glances at Lucien between strides, unable to fully focus on her running.

Lucien stood in one spot, repeatedly checking the time, and every now and then he would tap the ground with his foot in visible irritation. Eleena found herself quietly puzzled. What is he doing here at this hour, and why does he look so irritated?

She did not have to wonder for long. The answer arrived in the form of Melissa, who stepped onto the training ground with her golden hair pinned into a neat bun at the back of her head, dressed in black leggings and a black jacket zipped all the way to her chin. Her eyes carried faint traces of redness in them, which struck Eleena with a familiarity, though Eleena's own eyes the day before had been far worse by any comparison.

Melissa came to a stop in front of Lucien, and Eleena nearly broke her stride but caught herself just in time. Slowing her pace instead, she kept them at the edge of her vision.

Lucien said something to Melissa, his voice too low to reach across the distance, and Melissa lowered her head in response. A short exchange passed between them before Lucien moved into position and began demonstrating a series of stretches. Melissa followed along with a surprising ease that made Eleena slow another fraction of a step, because Eleena knew that Melissa was a village girl, someone with no real fighting background, no formal training to speak of. And the ease with which she was doing light exercises was not something Eleena had expected from her.

And the surprises did not end there. Lucien remained standing beside Melissa, watching Melissa with attentive eyes and offering quiet corrections as she moved through each stretch. He was personally training her. He was there, at four in the morning, training Melissa with a patience and care that he had never once directed toward Eleena. Why? What reason could he possibly have? Had he developed feelings for her?

The questions mounted inside Eleena with no answers to steady them, and she found something rising inside her. Anger. She felt it climbing through her chest that she did not know what to do with, but knew it was directed at Lucien and Melissa. Eleena felt it was unfair. How could Lucien stand there so attentively for Melissa while he looked at Eleena as though she were something to stomped at?

Eleena bit down hard on her lower lip. She clenched her fists and kept running. Her lungs were tightening, and her breaths were growing shallow despite the fact that it had nothing to do with her running. She knew that better than anyone. She could feel it for exactly what it was, and knew it had everything to do with the two figures standing together in the centre of the field.

Eleena did not want to admit it but she did not like anyone getting close to Lucien. Not anyone except her. The thought was irrational and she knew it, but knowing it did absolutely nothing to loosen the tightening of her chest. Damn it! Damn it! You Ugly Bastard!! She muttered curses under her breath, low and fierce, trying to expel whatever this feeling she was having before it swallowed her whole.

She started repeating her mantra like a prayer.

Work hard. Become strong. Never look back.

***

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