Chapter 22: Shadows in the Midnight Corridor

The sound of the toxic vapor hissing away on the wooden window frame of my dorm room was gradually replaced by the ragged rhythm of my still-uneven breathing. I stood frozen before the wide-open window, my fingers still clenched tightly with lingering sparks of weak ice mana flickering against my skin. The room that had felt so comfortable and warm for rest moments prior now abruptly turned into the most terrifying place on earth, as if every corner harbored a lethal threat ready to pounce without warning.

*What did he say again...? Their master knows I'm not the same Alicia as before?*

The final sentence from the fanged man in the gray cloak looped endlessly inside my head, triggering minor tremors in every corner of my consciousness. My overworked brain—which used to worry only about monthly sales targets at a convenience store—now had to operate a hundred times faster to analyze a life-or-death situation in this fantasy world. If that mysterious organization realized an ordinary part-time worker's soul from Earth had hijacked this arrogant noble body, my fate on the black witch's gallows or an experimental magic dissection table was only a matter of days away!

With stiff movements, I stepped closer to the window frame, pulling out the purplish poisoned dagger embedded deep within the wood. I studied the hidden circular serpent crest carved into the base of its hilt. No official symbol from any royal noble house matched this from Alicia's original memories. This was the emblem of the Shadow Faction—a dark group operating outside the laws of the academy and the crown, turning young noble heirs into easy prey for their corrupt political agendas.

"Damn it..." I muttered softly with a suppressed, shaky voice, venting frustration that had reached a boiling point. "I just wanted a quiet life as a background extra, so why am I getting dragged into the lead role of a slasher horror movie?!"

That night, forget about sleeping soundly in a massive, soft bed; closing my eyes even for a second felt like an impossible luxury. Throughout the rest of the night until dawn painted the eastern horizon in orange hues, I spent my time reinforcing layer upon layer of ice barrier seals around my bedroom door and windows. Every snap of a twig or gust of wind outside the dormitory made my entire body tense up with caution, ready to unleash a blizzard should another intruder dare to appear.

The next morning, as sunlight streamed through the gaps in the window curtains, I stepped out toward the academy's main hall with dark circles beneath my eyes hidden flawlessly by a cold, villainess-style makeup routine. In the main corridor bustling with noble students, my eyes accidentally caught sight of Prince Leonhardt and Raven standing somewhat apart near a pillar. Both stared at me with intensely probing gazes, as if they knew something monumental had transpired behind the dormitory walls last night.

I lifted my chin, assumed an arrogant expression scaling the heavens, and ignored my heart pounding wildly all over again. If they wanted to play games, I would see this through to the very end.