After just a few days in the Elenhardt estate, she began to understand something very clearly—her parents utterly adored her.
To the point of ridiculousness.
They didn't pressure her to attend etiquette lessons.
They never brought up noble studies or court politics.
She wasn't even expected to read, write properly, or attend public functions.
> "No wonder the original Lyra turned out like that…"
While not knowing etiquette wasn't a fatal flaw, it could help her if she ever wanted to use her reputation as a spoiled, uneducated noble girl as an excuse to break off the engagement.
But for now, her focus wasn't social standing—it was survival.
She needed strength.
And to get stronger, she had to learn how to fight.
More importantly, she had to understand the darkness inside her.
She requested a private tutor for combat training. Her father, always eager to please her, spared no expense and quickly hired a skilled mage to help her. Though the man was an expert in fire magic, he had experience in general mana manipulation—and that was enough for now.
> "Darkness is just another element," the tutor had said. "The flow may differ, but the core principle is the same: will it, shape it, control it."
For an entire day, she practiced under his guidance—learning how to pull mana from her core, how to shape it, how to breathe with it.
By sunset, she did it.
A small orb of flickering darkness hovered in her palm, swirling like smoke trapped in a glass bubble.
Her tutor nodded, visibly impressed.
> "Good. Now, let's test it."
He stepped back and flicked a ball of fire at a training dummy made of straw and cloth. It burst into flames immediately.
Then it was her turn.
She took a breath and threw the orb of darkness at the second dummy.
The moment the sphere touched it, the dummy collapsed inward—as if devoured from the inside. In a heartbeat, half the figure had turned into fine ash, disintegrating like sand blown away by wind.
The darkness faded soon after, vanishing as if it had never been there.
She stared at her hand, pale and trembling slightly.
> "That… was terrifying."
Even her tutor looked unsettled.
> "Darkness doesn't burn. It erodes. It devours. It's not about destruction—it's about erasure," he explained.
"Most elements can be broken down by darkness. The only natural counter is Light—and that's extremely rare."
But darkness wasn't unstoppable.
Certain advanced elements—like Holy Flame, Divine Wind, or Ether—could counter it.
However, those only awakened at Level 3 and beyond.
That meant…
> "Among Level 1 and 2 Awakeners, I'm practically untouchable."
A slow smile crept onto her lips.
For the first time since she arrived in this world, she felt something other than fear.
She felt power.
"If you master darkness well enough," her tutor said as they rested after the training session, "then yes—you're virtually undefeated when it comes to elemental matchups."
Lyra looked up from her notes, wiping sweat from her brow. "But… are all Awakenings elemental?"
Her tutor chuckled. "Ah, no. That's the thing. Not every Awakening grants you an element."
She blinked. "Then… what else is there?"
"A wide range," he replied, crossing his arms. "Some awaken unique skills. Others gain the ability to transform. There are summoners, contractors, soul weapon wielders... and many more that aren't even properly documented. The world's full of unregistered awakenings. Rare, strange, and sometimes terrifying."
That answer hit her like lightning.
Lyra froze, wide-eyed, as if a curtain had been pulled back and she could finally see the stage beyond the stage.
> "This… this isn't just the narrow story from the novel I read."
"This world… is massive."
In the novel, everything had been so focused—so centered on the academy, the prince, and a few flashy battles. But now, living here, she could feel the depth. This was a living, breathing world, not confined to a few pages.
She began studying the geography of the continent and quickly discovered something else—this wasn't the only continent.
There were other continents across the seas, far beyond the known lands.
Unfortunately, due to the limitations of magic and transportation technology, crossing continents was nearly impossible, reserved only for the strongest or most well-connected Awakeners.
Still, she learned all she could.
And in that search, she discovered something valuable.
A place.
> The Arbejan Forbidden Forest—a vast, dark zone to the south.
According to records, it was one of the few known natural sources of Dark Mana Crystals.
But there was a catch.
"Even a Level 3 Awakener could die in there," the tutor had warned. "The creatures aren't just strong—they're relentless. It's one of the last uncontrolled zones on this continent."
Lyra didn't even consider going there right now.
> "If I step into that forest as I am now… I'll die in seconds."
Still, it gave her direction. A goal.
She stared out her window later that night, watching the stars above the quiet estate.
> "I need to reach my second Awakening before I'm fifteen."
"That's when I enter the academy. That's when the story officially begins."
If she could achieve that…
If she could become stronger before the plot started,
Then she could change everything.
She wouldn't be the pathetic villainess doomed to die in the opening act.
With a clear goal in her heart and death constantly looming in the back of her mind, Lyra threw herself into training.
For two full years, she pushed herself past her limits—brutal, relentless, and obsessed.
And strangely… she found joy in it.
Her parents, still doting and supportive, backed her completely. Tutors, training equipment, magical resources—whatever she requested, they provided without question.
> "If only the original Lyra had even half this drive…" she often thought.
Her command over the Dark element advanced at an astonishing pace. No longer limited to crude spheres, she now molded darkness like clay:
A whip that lashed with snapping void-energy.
Shadow arrows fired from an elegant longbow of black mist.
Shuriken, blades, shields, and a shimmering armor of darkness that wrapped her body like a second skin.
Even in sparring matches, attacks thrown at her would vanish into dust upon contact with her aura. The devouring nature of her element made her nearly untouchable.
She had become a force—a walking shadow laced with raw, elegant power.
And now, at 14 years old, she was preparing for her next step:
> The Arbejan Forbidden Forest.
A cursed woodland said to devour seasoned warriors and mercenaries alike. No Level 1 Awakener would dare enter it.
But Lyra wasn't ordinary anymore.
However, one problem still lingered.
Clothing.
"Ugh… not again," she muttered, yanking down the hem of yet another too-small tunic.
Due to her intense training regimen—and this absurd world's logic—her body had developed far beyond what a typical 14-year-old should look like.
She had grown taller, sharper, and yes… curvier.
Her chest had filled out far too quickly, her hips had widened with terrifying enthusiasm, and her toned legs refused to fit any standard pants.
> "Seriously. I'm fourteen! This is borderline criminal."
Standard gear no longer worked. Armor pinched. Shirts strained. And the pants? Don't ask.
Eventually, she resorted to commissioning a custom outfit—combat-ready, reinforced with enchantments, and more importantly: tailored to her… very unique proportions.
> "At least now I can move—and breathe."
Now fully equipped, she stood before the estate's private teleportation circle, cloaked and hooded, her black-blade of condensed darkness resting at her hip.
She stared south, toward the edge of the map—the place most nobles only whispered about.
With a full escort of elite knights behind her, Lyra stood at the edge of the Arbejan Forbidden Forest.
Thick mist drifted between the twisted trees. The air was heavy—stagnant with ancient mana. Even the bravest soldiers looked uneasy.
But Lyra?
She was calm.
This wasn't a suicide mission. It was her Awakening Trial.
To advance to Level 2, she had to complete her mission alone.
No help.
No party.
No shortcuts.
> [Collect 1,000 Dark Mana Stones]
That meant hunting down 1,000 dark-type monsters—and hoping each dropped what she needed.
With a steady breath, she stepped past the warded barrier and into the cursed forest, her escorts watching silently from behind.
Lyra pressed deeper into the forest, the light behind her vanishing beneath the thick canopy. Each step felt heavier, the air thicker with wild, unstable mana.
Then—movement.
A low rattle echoed from behind a cluster of dead trees.
A humanoid figure shambled forward—a skeleton, animated by corrupted energy. Its bones clattered as it walked, empty sockets glowing faintly with cursed light.
Lyra tilted her head slightly and casually waved one hand.
A dark sphere materialized in her palm—then, with a flick, she launched it.
The shadow orb struck the skeleton dead center.
In an instant, its brittle form crumbled, consumed by the swirling darkness. By the time the magic faded, only ash remained.
She stepped forward and crouched beside the remains.
Among the dust, something gleamed—cold, black, and pulsing faintly.
> [Dark Mana Stone +1]
She smiled. "Lucky."
With no time to waste, she continued.
---
Over the course of the day, she hunted relentlessly—dozens of undead emerged from the underbrush, skeletons wielding rusted weapons or simply clawing at her with bare hands.
None of them survived more than a few seconds.
Her magic was efficient. Sharp. Merciless.
By sundown, she had gathered seventy-five Dark Mana Stones—a solid start for day one.
As the forest dimmed further, she found a relatively clear spot beneath a crooked, half-dead tree. With a tap on her ring, a magical barrier shimmered to life around her.
Then she reached into her dimensional ring, pulling out a sealed meal prepared months ago.
> She had been preparing for this expedition for nine full months.
Food, water, potions, clothing, emergency scrolls—everything was accounted for, stored in the ring's time-frozen space. Enough rations to last almost a full year.
And that meant one thing:
> "I have to collect all 1,000 Dark Mana Stones before my supplies run out."
She ate quietly, eyes scanning the trees.
This forest was only beginning to reveal its dangers. She knew tomorrow would be harder.
But she welcomed it.
With one final glance at the mana stones glowing faintly inside her pouch, she whispered:
> "Seventy-five down… nine hundred twenty-five to go."