Cannon Fodder To Villainess

🏮2. Ancient Artifact

After crying in a somewhat pathetic fashion,  Amber rose to her feet and brushed herself off—quite literally. The amount of dust and grime in this room was astonishing. She realized she needed to transform her new living space into something more welcoming, but first, she had to take stock of her belongings.

The room was quite bare, containing only a bed, a vanity, and a battered wooden chest tucked away in the corner. Amber approached the chest, its surface marred with scratches, bent down and opened the lid. Inside, she found ten wrap dresses in various colors, all looking rather plain and worn, clearly hand-me-downs. This didn't come as a shock to her; she recalled that in the story, Arabella had been despised by her parents. 

They couldn't bear to look at her due to the persistent bumpy red marks on her face, which they viewed as a blemish on their pride. This resonated deeply with Amber, who had also been striving for her parents' affection. 

The animosity from her parents was how Arabella first crossed paths with the protagonist. Arabella had learned that the daughter of the Silver family, known for her medical genius, would be present at the royal tea party. It was common knowledge that she had been fervently searching for a cultivation manual to aid her in mastering lightning magic. It was also an open secret that Cray Silver's magical abilities were notably weak and disconnected from her exceptional talent in medicine.

Wherever talent and success thrive, envy often lurks nearby. Cray was no stranger to this, as whispers about her supposed lack of magical ability circulated among those around her. Many claimed that her magic was akin to delivering a mere static shock, something anyone could achieve. This perception drove Cray to a point of desperation, as she harbored an almost irrational need to attain what she viewed as perfection.

Amidst the gossip surrounding Cray, Arabella devised a plan. Having spent much of her childhood left to her own devices, boredom led her to explore her family's storehouse. This pastime was made possible by her father's gambling addiction, which resulted in the dismissal of the guards who once watched over the place.

When Arabella first ventured into the storehouse, she had low expectations, and her instincts proved correct. The space comprised two large rooms, with a door at the back of the first room leading to the second. Both rooms featured vast empty shelves and wide aisles. She wasn't searching for hidden treasures; rather, she sought refuge from her father's drunken outbursts.

The catalyst for her escape was her mother's confrontation with a maid who had boasted about an affair with the Baron. After her mother dismissed the maid, her father's fury erupted upon discovering her absence. Arabella, caught in the crossfire, fled the main house and dashed into the storehouse. She hurried to the back room and squeezed herself behind a bottom shelf, having learned that it was wise to keep her distance when her father was in a rage.

Curling her knees to her chin, she focused on steadying her breath. She could hear her father's furious voice calling her name, but she remained silent, hoping he would tire and eventually pass out. As the hours dragged on and fatigue began to set in, she noticed a small, unassuming brown book beside her. Its cover read, "Know Your Heart."

As she picked it up and brushed the dust off the cover, it transformed into her beloved bedtime story. She nestled herself on the bottom shelf, immersed in the pages of her cherished book, and soon drifted off to sleep. For the first time in ages, she felt a sense of security, and in the weeks that followed, she found herself returning to that spot again and again. Each time she opened the book, it morphed into the story she longed to read the most. 

A few weeks into her visits to the storehouse, her father discovered her secret hideaway. Just as he bent down to reach for her, she quickly tucked the little book into her dress and wrapped her small arms around herself. Memories of a different life surged through Amber, overwhelming her, and tears streamed down her cheeks. 

Beneath the dresses, she spotted the familiar brown book from her memories, its cover reading 'Know Your Heart.' Biting her lip, she reached out with trembling hands and carefully lifted the ancient tome. As she blew on the cover, the words danced as if caught in a whirlwind. They straightened and rearranged themselves into the title 'Duchess Dash.' Amber's eyes widened in surprise, and she gasped. Flipping it open, she began to read.

The story revealed that she was to meet the main character at a royal tea party in two weeks. There, she intended to present the magical book to Cray, hoping to lend it to her for cultivation. In exchange, she wished for Cray to heal her face, so her parents would no longer look at her with disdain. This would allow her to make friends and perhaps earn a more favorable glance from her fiancé. At seventeen, with her debut ceremony approaching, it was crucial for her to present her best self, despite being engaged since birth.

Amber let out a derisive snort, a mischievous glint in her eye as she snapped the ancient relic shut and tucked it away beneath her garments. No chance she'd relinquish this magnificent prize to that pampered little diva who treats her like a mere footrest! Oh, they would cross paths, alright. Maybe she'd seize the moment to plant her foot right on that brat's head instead!

A colossal transformation erupted within her soul at that instant when the echoes of two lives collided into a singular existence. The agony and yearning had shattered her, but from the fragments, she rose anew, a phoenix of resilience.

"Ha! Let's watch them attempt to toy with me now. Let's see them think they can manipulate or eliminate me. I'll twist this reality until it screams, and everyone will either adapt or be obliterated into nothingness." Her gaze sparkled with fierce resolve, and a wicked grin danced across her stunning features.