Reincarnated As The Villainess's Best Friend
Chapter 33: Murder in Plain Sight

Chapter 33: Murder in Plain Sight

"Are you sure about that?"

Theo was skeptical, as I expected him to be.

To be fair, I wasn’t sure about it either. But the signs were too obvious to ignore now.

"Think about it... If you’re going to infiltrate an academy, what’s the best role?"

"A guard."

"But guards are stuck to assigned posts. That takes away your freedom to monitor your target. Same with tutors, maids, cooks... That leaves us with?"

"Students."

"Yes," I snapped my fingers. "A student has the freedom to roam around the entire academy without raising suspicion."

The more I said it, the more it made sense.

I recalled the moments when I felt I was being watched. I had always sensed her nearby, but my eyes never caught her visually.n

"But she’s a noble," Theo argued. "I’ve never heard of a noble who was allowed to become an assassin."

"Mages aren’t allowed to be assassins either, but here we are."

I didn’t want to judge by looks, but Si Ya’s height, posture, and gait all matched the doll-faced assassin. And that red lock of hair was the final clue that gave it all away.

"She’s smart," I admitted. "But her one mistake was failing to kill me when she had the chance."

However, Theo wasn’t convinced.

"If she’s a noble," he asked. "That means she’s been living in the same dorm with Lucy this entire time. Why hasn’t she killed her already?"

That was a good point. Why didn’t Si Ya end Lucy if they’ve been living together this whole time?

"You’re an assassin..." I replied.

"Was."

"I know that already. Just tell me what you think."

Theo shook his head. "I don’t think she’s the one."

I slapped my forehead. "Just imagine for a moment, that she’s the assassin... Why do you think she waited?"

He paused for a second, his face hardening. I hadn’t noticed his scar in a while.

"What makes a good assassin is patience - knowing the perfect time to strike without drawing any attention to yourself."

His words echoed in my mind; Knowing the perfect time to strike.

The best assassinations throughout history were the ones that were never recorded. It’s not an assassination if you can make it look like an accident.

Eventually, it dawned on me.

"She intends to do it here! She’s going to kill Lucy during the fight."

I turned my face to the arena.

"And everyone is going to applaud."

*****

"Good luck to the fighters!" Sasha announced cheerfully. "Let the fifth match.... Begin!"

Then she hovered away from the arena, her platform swaying rapidly to entertain the audience.

The entire arena fell deathly silent, as both opponents stood facing each other, their faces brimming with cold icy stares.

Lucy stood arms folded, her eyes calculating, waiting for her opponent to make the first move.

On the contrary, Si Ya stood tall and confident, her arms folded behind her back, and her long ponytail blowing in the wind.

I had not seen her fight, but if I was right, then it was only a matter of time before she made a move.

But then, Lucy took the initiative.

Swiftly, she raised her arm, aiming it towards Si Ya.

"Inferno," she whispered.

A blazing red flame emerged from her palm, headed directly toward her opponent.

Surprisingly, Si Ya remained unfazed. She raised her arm back at Lucy, her movements calm and deliberate.

"Wind Vortex."

A sudden gust of wind circled between the two, growing larger as it picked up speed. It quickly grew into a large dusty column, which collided with the flame, resulting in a large fiery tornado.

The audience gasped in wonder at the amazing display of magical power.

But I was more focused on what Si Ya would do next.

The flame vanished, leaving behind a thick cloud of dust and smoke.

I held onto the edge of my seat, fearing for the worst.

As the cloud slowly dissipated, I scanned the arena for both of them.

Si Ya was nowhere to be found.

She reappeared behind Lucy and delivered a forceful kick, sending her flying across the arena.

Lucy rolled across the ground, finally coming to a halt as she hit the arena wall. She quickly regained herself, rising back to her feet.

Si Ya was already approaching.

Not waiting to be caught off guard again, Lucy resorted to her bloodline affinity.

"Dark Affinity: Verspertilio Invoco."

A black mist appeared from her hands, descending into the ground. At the same time, the earth beneath her began to rumble violently.

This time two Hellspires emerged, flying straight toward Si Ya.

I heaved a sigh of relief. This match was over.

Or so I thought, until I heard the echo of another spell.

"Time Affinity: Rewind."

Suddenly, a bright orange mystic light filled the air, covering the entire battle arena like a glowing bubble.

Then, I saw it again; within the bubble, time began to move in reverse.

The Hellspires began to fly in reverse, returning to the hole from which they emerged. The crack sealed up after, and the dark shadows returned to Lucy.

All the while, Si Ya kept approaching Lucy.

It was a mesmerising sight, watching Si Ya walk forward while everything else moved in reverse.

But after a minute, the bubble disappeared.

Lucy rose to her feet for the second time, ready to cast a spell.

"Dark Affi..."

Whack!

Si Ya delivered a sharp blow to Lucy’s face, shutting her up. Simultaneously, she gave Lucy another powerful kick, forcing the latter into the arena wall.

Weak and unconscious, Lucy slumped to the floor.

"Just like that, this match is over!" Sasha screamed. "The winner is Si Ya Lin!"

The audience roared out loud, celebrating their favourite.

But amidst the loud noise and cheers, I noticed Si Ya pull out a small, sharp dagger.