I Became the Absolute Hidden Villainess Princess of the Academy

Chapter 1: The Reason Why the 3rd Princess Had to Go to the Academy (1)

How to Survive as a Witch in a Noble Academy

This was the title of a romance-fantasy novel, commonly abbreviated as “Witch Survival.”

A free web novel that proudly boasted an average rating in the low 0s.

As you can tell from its rating, it wasn’t exactly a great novel.

The plot constantly forced ridiculous developments, endlessly tormenting the female protagonist.

The writing was dry and emotionless, filled with awkward sentences and frequent grammatical errors.

I only read it to the end because it was free… and because I wanted to see the protagonist finally get her happy ending.

But when the story abruptly concluded with “the female protagonist destroys the world and kills herself,” the view count for the latest chapter was just 1.

That meant every other reader had abandoned the story — and I was the only one left.

“…I should’ve escaped back then too.”

If I had known I’d get reincarnated into this infamous story, I would have run for the hills.

Instead, I wasted my time posting silly comments for the author.

“At least I left nice comments. If I had posted hate comments, I might have been reincarnated as the protagonist herself… Ugh, just thinking about it gives me chills.”

The only saving grace was that I was reincarnated as the 3rd princess, Esty, not the protagonist.

I possessed the body of a princess who was fated to die on her 10th birthday.

Thanks to that, life in this world wasn’t too difficult for me.

No, actually, it was much better than my life before.

After all, I used to be an orphan raised in a foster home, so of course, my quality of life had improved.

Not that it was all smooth sailing. Being reborn as a girl did come with its share of “flowering” troubles, but…

Complaining about that would just sound spoiled.

So I lived the last 10 years as Esty, the 3rd princess.

“Even as a princess, I couldn’t just sit around doing nothing.”

Of course, I didn’t live obediently as the 3rd princess.

Knowing that this world was doomed to split in two, how could I just lie around carefree?

I had to at least struggle to survive.

So, over the past decade, I worked hard.

If I made it too obvious that I knew the future, I’d be branded a “witch” and executed.

So I acted alone.

Using the knowledge of the original story that only I knew, I manipulated events.

To prevent the destruction that was fated to come, I decided to become…

A mastermind.

“In the end, I had no choice but to become a mastermind.”

For 10 years, I lived as both the 3rd princess and a mastermind.

I swayed key figures in the royal family to my will.

I manipulated events to avoid the disasters foretold in the original plot.

…Sometimes, I deceived and betrayed even the people closest to me.

For 10 long years.

And now, after all those years…

As I reached my 20th year of life, I decided it was time to reveal my hidden fangs.

To step out from behind the shield of the royal family and directly interfere in the “story.”

“I’ve been saving this trump card for this moment. The legendary ‘haircut threat.’ Fufu.”

To achieve this, there was something I needed to do:

Enroll in the academy.

With that conclusion in mind, I slowly opened the door before me.

—Creak…

“Elena, big sister.”

“Esty. What is it you want to say?”

When the door opened, I was greeted by the sight of a woman with silver hair sitting on the bed in her pajamas.

She was the 2nd princess of the Avrien Imperial Family and my older half-sister.

Her name was Elena.

I slowly approached her, my footsteps deliberate and ominous, like a snake slithering toward its prey.

—Thud. Thud. Smack.

“Hey, guess what? Father said that if I get permission from my older brother and sisters, he’ll let me enroll in the academy!”

“…You’re bringing that up again?”

I sat beside her, greeted by a husky, emotionless voice.

It was the voice of someone who seemed to find everything in the world tiresome.

Her tone even gave off the feeling that she wished I’d disappear.

But, as always, her actions were far kinder than her words.

—Shff.

“Here, eat this. It’s fresh from this evening.”

She handed me a jar of cookies she’d set aside just for me.

With a grin, I happily accepted and bit into a cookie.

As a mastermind, I needed to use my brain often.

And sugar was a necessity for brainwork.

“Whoa~ It smells so good!”

—Chomp, munch munch.

“…Cute.”

‘Fufu. Seeing me like this, who would ever suspect I’m a mastermind? My acting is flawless, as always.’

As a bonus, I was breaking down my sister’s guard.

I nibbled on the cookie while pulling her into a sense of ease.

This was the 2nd princess who, in the original story, would have been crowned the heir apparent.

—Munch, munch, gulp.

“There’s plenty, so eat as much as you want, Esty.”

“…Okay!”

‘Hehe. Poor Elena, you have no idea I snatched your crown from behind the scenes.’

She had no clue.

No idea that I’d manipulated the imperial succession from behind the curtains.

In the original story, she would have been the only heir left in the royal family.

But I said nothing.

If I made it obvious that I knew the future, I’d be branded a witch, just like the protagonist of “Witch Survival.”

Besides…

‘I’m totally a mastermind right now…!!!’

—Heh heh.

Feeling smug, I chewed my cookie with pride.

—Munch, munch… plop.

“…Huh?”

Suddenly, a gentle hand touched the top of my head.

It was Elena’s hand.

—Shff, shff.

‘This sister of mine really loves my hair, huh….’

She softly brushed my hair with her fingers, as if to console me.

As she did, she spoke softly about the academy, trying to change my mind.

“Listen while you eat. I understand why you’d want to go to the academy. I wanted to go too when I was little…”

Her explanation boiled down to this:

The Empire Academy was the pride of the Avrien Empire.

It was a prestigious educational institution and a gateway to success.

In the original story, it was also the main stage for the story’s events.

If you wanted to be a mage, alchemist, or knight, you had to graduate from the academy.

Adventurers and mercenaries also attended the academy to raise their worth.

However…

“If you were a commoner, I’d cheer you on, but… you were born with Avrien blood. You won’t gain anything from going there. It’ll just be hardship.”

In summary, the academy was a place for social climbing.

To someone like me, who was already at the top, it would be pointless.

“Esty, you don’t need to go to that kind of place. It’s not as clean as you think.”

Her words carried warmth, concern for her little sister.

I licked the crumbs off my fingers and leaned against Elena, hugging her back.

“Don’t say that, big sister.”

“…Esty.”

“Please? Please? I really, really want to go!”

Her husky voice faltered.

But I didn’t stop.

I leaned close and whispered softly into her ear.

“You’re the only one I can ask, big sister. You know that, right?”

“…I’m the only one…?”

“Of course! You’re my favorite sister in the whole world!”

Her hands, which had been hugging me tightly, began to lose strength.

“If you want it that much… I suppose I can grant my little sister’s request…”

“Thank you, big sis!♡”

‘I totally felt like a mastermind just now…!!!’

This world was mine to control.