Re: The Villainess Does It With Class

"Of course. I am, after all, the greatest magician alive, Lyra."

"!!!"

He even know my name?! 

Wait… What is going on?

'Lyra…'

Having being called Lyra seemed weird to my ears now. It has been way too long since someone called me by that name and it doesn't seem to sit right with me. It's as if I had already embraced my identity as Nadia Eleanor Herman when I'm really just an impostor.

How shameless of me, am I right? Pretending to be someone I'm not and basically robbing someone else's identity…

But how strange. I should feel embarrassed… or be guilty because of it. But I'm not.. Further proving how bad of a woman I truly am.

Maybe, I am the real villainess after all?

'And what's with him sounding arrogant though?'

Sheepishly, I started fidgeting in my seat. My hands could not also sit still and had started making a mess with the frills of my dress, wringing it tightly as if I am absorbing strength from it.

I felt so out of my element that I was feeling rather sick to my stomach. I want to puke. I want to faint. I want to just disappear out of here… Seriously…

Rather than not feeling fine, it's more likely that I'm just scared. Scared of the consequences… Scared of the punishment if there's any… Scared of what Janus will do in general…

I was losing it.

"I… I… How long have you known?" I meekly questioned as I nervously began to chew on my lip.

How did this happen…

"From the start, obviously," Janus replied in a breeze.

"I… w-wha…"

From the start? What does he mean by that?

Was it from the first time he met me or from the very beginning when I got soul-transferred here?

Janus chuckled. It was meant to sound carefree but it sounded more like a threat to me. It sounds scary. 

"I know a lot of things. Nothing in this world can escape my attention…" He then halted and pursed his lips as his golden eyes narrowed into slits, "... but with a few exceptions…"

I still can't find myself opening my mouth and saying something. Anything at all. On the other hand, Janus seemed to enjoy seeing how flustered I was being.

"How did you know?" I followed up.

He then shrugged, "I just know. Plus magicians don't reveal their tricks so I won't tell you."

"Ughh…"

As always. I am not even surprised anymore...

Silence pervaded between us because no one wanted to speak. Janus was casually drinking his tea, unperturbed with the current awkward situation. I, however, was still trying to settle my heart down after being doused with hot boiling water. 

I just can't believe that he knew everything from the start. The feeling is more like I have been walking around in public with my skirt all hiked up from the back. 

I feel exposed.

Slowly, I peeked at him through my lashes.

"Are you not curious about my circumstances?"

He wasn't saying anything regarding it and I am starting to get distressed over it.

"Not really…" He replied, "I do know that you came from Earth and more."

Another gasp went out of my mouth.

Even that? Just how did he learn all that? Magic? Mind reading? Divination? What is it?

"Wait… if you do, then can you explain how I ended up here?" I cried out at him, brimming with curiosity.

Janus smiled and said nothing. Meaning, he won't tell me anything despite him being knowledgeable about the mysteries surrounding my transmigration.

Dejectedly, I lowered myself back to the backrest of the couch and pouted, staring at him with albeit accusing eyes.

"Why are you being so secretive when it's about me…" I grumbled my sentiments.

"I'm not being secretive. I am merely following orders," Janus responded. "Also, it doesn't mean that I know everything about you. I don't have to," he added in indifference.

My brows furrowed at that.

"Following orders? Is this about your master again? Then does your master knows something--" I immediately cut myself off before I could finish my sentence. 

It's because the attitude of the magician in front of me is growing more and more distant and he's starting to look like a villain with that dark smile on his handsome face.

It made me bite my lip to keep my mouth shut upon seeing his displeased expression.

I forgot that he doesn't like talking about his master… But I'm so curious! Who the hell is his master? And what does his master know about me? I have a lot of questions but… Agh!

Why is he so sensitive when it comes to that person?

After a while, Janus tilted his head to the side and regarded me with scrutinizing eyes.

"Is that all you're going to ask?"

'No. I have a lot. Like a lot lot lot lot lot! But you won't answer most of them anyway. Geez…' I ranted inside my mind.

"Uhmm… then… How am I able to use magic since that was the case? I mean… you know… the thing about being a transmigrator..." I muttered.

"Because you can," he flat-out replied. 

"Huh?"

Janus stared at me blankly.

"Magic comes from the soul…"

Nodding my head, I agreed to his words.

"Yes, yes, I know that. But how?"

Janus then raised his left brow, his face a blank canvas. He looked like he's telling me that the answer is too obvious and I'm too stupid to realize that.

A gasp then suddenly escaped my lips.

"It's… it's from my soul?"

"... Master, seriously… this is too much..." Janus whispered.

I heard Janus sighed but I wasn't paying attention to him anymore. He was also mumbling something too low that I didn't catch just in time.

That's right. Even though Earth doesn't have a lot of magic particles, it is still possible for people because everyone has mana inside them. And now… because I got transported here where magic particles are abundant, my sealed potential for magic is being undone…

So that's it! I understand now!

"Oh wow…" I muttered in wonder as I gazed at my hands as if I could see magical things in there. 

The endless possibilities... 

It's like a new world has opened right in front of my face and now I am gazing upon it. It was surreal...

This has never even crossed my mind before. 

"That's… awesome… I really can use it..." I whispered to myself, transfixed to the newly acquired knowledge.

Who knew that I have that in me?