Mystica: Reincarnated Into A Novel As A Villain

Astrea was exhausted by the time she arrived in the Azmaris Academy region.

Abruptly, she noticed Arvian coming from the front, his head lowered, his steps slow, and his expression full of despair and annoyance.

As they got closer, Astrea asked with concern, "Master, why do you look like this? What exactly happened?"

"I... I killed... innocent people... innocent children," Arvian stammered, his voice trembling as tears streamed down his face. "I can't hold this anymore."

Body trembling with pain, he fell against Astrea's chest.

Astrea's eyes widened in shock. "Master, what... what do you mean? What happened to you?"

She held him steady, her voice trembling with concern.

Astrea carefully supported Arvian, guiding him to a small riverbank nearby. She gently laid him down, letting his head rest on her shoulder for support. His unconscious form appeared drained, his breathing uneven.

The sound of the flowing water filled the silence, a stark contrast to the weight of the moment.

As Arvian regained consciousness an hour later, the soft hues of evening painted the sky. He slowly stood, glancing around. Noticing it was just him and Astrea, he immediately asked, "Where is Darius? Did he not come?"

Before Astrea could respond, the system screen suddenly flickered to life before them, breaking the silence.

◇_______________◇

[System Notification: Connection Error]

[SYSTEM]:

Alert: Team Member Disconnected.

---

[User]: Darius Kain

[Status]: Out of Range

---

[SYSTEM Warning]:

Darius Kain has moved beyond the world and system's range.

If the user does not return to range within the specified time limit, they will be permanently banned from the system.

[Time Until Banishment]: Unknown — depends on the system's detection range.

---

[System Note]:

A disconnected user cannot receive or send system notifications, nor can they interact with teammates. If Darius Kain does not return, his existence within this trial world will be erased.

◇_______________◇

Both their eyes widened as the system notification appeared.

"What?" Astrea exclaimed, startled.

"Why is the system saying Darius is out of range? Wasn't he in range when we saw the map?" Arvian questioned, his voice filled with confusion and concern.

His gaze fixed intensely on the floating screen as he muttered, "System, show us the map."

◇_______________◇

[System Map]

[SYSTEM]:

Map Location Update:

Current Location of Arvian and Astrea:

Location: Azmaris Region — By the Bank of the River

Map Details:

Arvian: [Marked by a glowing symbol near the riverbank]

Astrea: [Marked beside arvian ]

◇_______________◇

Arvian zoomed in on the map, his heart sinking. There were only two marks now—his own and Astrea's.

He attempted to update the map by swiping his hand across the screen, but Darius was nowhere to be seen. He stared at the empty spot where Darius should have been, his fingers shaking.

"Where did he go?" Arvian whispered, a chill crawling up his spine. "What's happening?"

"Wasn't he in range when we met through the system?" Astrea asked, her voice laced with confusion.

"He was, but what could have actually happened? If he died, then the system would notify us."

As the hours passed, Astrea broke the silence

"Hey, master, why don't we look for shelter and food? My stomach is about to die."

"That's a good idea actually," Arvian replied, nodding. "

Arvian and Astrea wandered the streets in search of food and a place to sleep.

"Hey, mister," Arvian called to a shopkeeper, "We're travellers, and we haven't eaten in days. Could you help us with some food?"

The shopkeeper looked them over and smiled. "Welcome, travellers. There's a guesthouse near the Academy, just a short walk from here. It's run by the Academy itself."

"Could you point us in the right direction?" Arvian asked, his voice filled with gratitude.

"Of course, just follow this road straight ahead, then turn right onto a clean, well-maintained road. Keep going straight, and you'll find an entrance gate. You'll need to speak with the security there."

Following the trail, Arvian and Astrea arrived at the spotlessly clean road with lovely walls enclosing the neighbourhood.

One of the guards moved forward as they got closer to the gate.

The guard, in a black suit with a cloak bearing the Azmaris Academy insignia, eyed them warily as the gate was closed.

"Hey! We're travellers, and we need shelter for the night. We haven't eaten, either. A shopkeeper directed us here, saying there's a guest house for travellers."

The guard regarded them for a moment before replying, "The guest house is indeed for travellers. However, you'll need to speak with the Academy's gatekeeper and give us your information before I can allow you entry. Wait here."

Both Arvian and Astrea stepped inside the guest house, their eyes wide with awe.

The interior was nothing like they had ever seen before—royal, yet strange in its design.

The walls were adorned with intricate patterns, glowing faintly with an otherworldly light.

The furniture was beautifully designed, combining style and functionality, and the atmosphere was elegant yet mysterious.

"It's completely different from Earth," Astrea whispered in wonder.

All of a sudden, the screen appeared, disturbing the vibe.

◇_______________◇

[System Notification: Banishment Confirmed]

[SYSTEM]:

Alert: User Darius Kain Banned.

[SYSTEM]:

Darius Kain has been permanently banned from the system.

His soul has been erased from the trial world. There is no trace left of his existence.

◇_______________◇

Darius walked carefully and confidently through the streets. There was an unnerving calm in place of his usual hesitations and doubts, and his manner had completely changed.

The once familiar warmth of his personality now seemed distant, replaced by a cold, calculating presence that radiated from him.

It seemed as though someone else had taken over his body and changed him into a completely different person.

The air around him seemed heavier, charged with an ominous energy as he neared the Academy.

Despite his concentrated thoughts, there was no sign of the Darius that Arvian and Astrea had known. Instead, all that was visible was the shadow of a person moving in the direction of an unknowable future.

As Darius entered the guest house, Arvian and Astrea's gazes immediately locked onto him.

Astrea and Arvian both acknowledged the change in silence, and the tension in the hall was evident.