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“I’m Looking for the Backing of the Betrayed Villainess — “
The hardships of my past life—surviving graduate school and then working as a pharmaceutical researcher—finally bore fruit in this world.
The first ability I awakened was the power to manipulate energy. It was something I already had talent for, but during puberty it evolved exponentially through awakening.
The second ability manifested a little later. Thanks to it, I gained a status window and my own subspace.
By the way, I named that subspace “Farm.”
“If I had this ability back in my past life, I wouldn’t have been yelled at for not writing my lab notes properly. Seriously.”
I had once prayed desperately for a research notebook that never got damaged and automatically organized all necessary information—and in this life, that wish had finally come true.
I was a rare case: someone whose abilities awakened twice.
And the kingdom strongly disliked rare cases like me. It was because of a founding myth.
What was it again?
“A witch defeated by the first king once tried to dominate the world using the power gained from a third-stage awakening…”
Ridiculous. So ruling a country is fine, but ruling the world isn’t?
They blindly believed such self-contradictory myths. Pathetic.
Anyway—if something is disgusting, you avoid it because it’s disgusting, not because it’s scary.
So I hid my second ability from everyone. Even from Ligretto and the others. Looking back, that was the right decision.
I smirked and stared at the status window.
Effect: ???
“So what exactly is your effect? Isn’t it time you told me already?”
For unfamiliar materials, the status window wouldn’t fully display information until I figured out their effects.
That’s why I had been deeply immersed in researching the “byproducts of the Dragon Lord” since arriving here.
“Inventory.”
A world of magic and divinity.
Nature in this world was filled with countless forms of energy. When refined into a form humans could use, it became ether.
I was, without exaggeration, a genius at handling energy and ether. Everyone said so.
I didn’t just create potions by weaving energy—I could infuse energy into already-processed objects or refine the energy within them.
Weapons and armor that passed through my hands gained two or three times their original effectiveness.
Because of that, people called me an alchemist, not a potion maker.
Here, I had become the world’s first alchemist and begun sweeping up unimaginable wealth.
Or at least, that’s how it was supposed to go.
Of course, none of that mattered anymore. I was stuck in this hut for life—money meant nothing now.
After exile, I abandoned my dream of wealth and decided to live as a mad alchemist instead.
“Maybe I should mix it with dahlia today… If I mess this up, I’m really screwed.”
After carefully putting on protective gear, I tossed a portion of the Dragon Lord’s claw and two dahlia roots into boiling water.
Bubbling.
“Oh, this is… not normal.”
Grrrk… grrrk…
“…Is a potion supposed to make sounds like that?”
Rattle… rattle… GGRRRR!
Yeah. Definitely not normal.
“I’m screwed.”
BOOM!
As if it had developed a will of its own, the violently boiling mixture finally pierced through the roof of my hut and splattered into the yard.
Rain poured straight through the massive hole.
“…Fuck.”
How am I supposed to fix that now?
Just then—
BANG!
“Violeta.”
“What the hell—who the fuck is it?!”
“So you don’t even bother hiding your true nature anymore.”
An uninvited guest.
A massive man, around 190 cm tall, muscular with tanned skin.
He was one of the chosen warriors for the Dragon subjugation, the second son of House Scarlet.
And my childhood friend—Calix Scarlet—walked into my hut carrying supply goods.
“Can you leave?”
“These are supplies.”
“Leave the supplies and leave.”
Despite barging into my home without permission, he only laughed as if he found it amusing.
His dark eyes curved toward me.
“Today was supposed to be Ligretto’s turn.”
“So what.”
“But Ligretto is getting engaged, so I volunteered. Can’t let him meet you before something good like that. Besides, he’s never actually come on his turn anyway.”
“And?”
“She’s a much better woman than you. She suits Ligretto perfectly.”
My head throbbed.
Of all people, it had to be him.
Unlike Vanetta or Leonhardt, who at least dropped off supplies and left after small talk, Calix always came ready to pick a fight.
Just like now.
I ignored him as usual.
“Want a compliment? Should I give you a wedding gift? Too bad—I’m broke. Want a potion instead?”
“Violeta, what exactly do you have that makes you so confident?”
“My innocence. I’m confident in my innocence.”
BANG!
In an instant, I couldn’t breathe.
Calix grabbed me by the collar and slammed me against the wall.
I met his burning gaze and gasped.
“You betrayed us.”
“I… didn’t.”
“We all nearly died from the potion you made.”
I tried to shove his hand away, but I was just an ordinary human with no strength.
Calix didn’t care at all.
“Even when you were acting like a spoiled brat, even when no one sided with you—there was always us.”
What nonsense.
When no one sided with me, I was the only one on my side.
“Thought you finally came to your senses.”
“L-let go of… this first…”
“Does it hurt? My friends almost died because of you, and this little pain is too much?”
He laughed at me.
“Do you think Leonhardt or Vanetta forgave you? No way.”
“…What?”
“If it weren’t for that thing… I would’ve killed you already.”
“That thing?”
His voice, filled with hatred, echoed loudly in my mind.
My heart dropped.
For two years, Leonhardt and Vanetta had acted as if nothing had ever happened between us.
So I had foolishly held onto hope.
But that wasn’t it. There was just a reason I had to stay alive.
“Why don’t you repent and confess your crimes? Then someday—agh!”
The pressure disappeared, and I could finally breathe.
Gasping for air, I shook a specially prepared potion in front of Calix.
My mind was chaotic, but my heart was calm.
Now everything made sense.
“You ignorant bastard. I’ll explain this once, so listen carefully.”
“Violeta Cichlein!”
“First. I’m not a Cichlein anymore. Just Violeta. It’s been about two years since that changed. Too bad your tiny brain can’t remember.”
As I held up two fingers, I heard something crack between his teeth.
“Second. If I had truly tried to kill them, they wouldn’t be alive right now. My potion is perfect.”
“How dare you—!”
“Evidence is right here, Calix. Look at yourself, a grown man unable to move in front of a girl half your size.”
The paralysis potion was working perfectly.
Satisfied, I poured the remaining liquid onto his foot.
Not because I enjoyed watching him twitch—no, it was just to ensure he couldn’t threaten me.
The pain effect was just a bonus. I may have added that intentionally.
“Aaaagh! Violeta!”
“Quiet. I’m sensitive to noise. Want me to shut your mouth completely?”
“You—!”
“Idiot. You came into my house unguarded while thinking I poisoned you. Of course you end up like this.”
Watching him thrash on the floor was almost amusing.
“And remember this.”
“I will never forgive you.”
“Do whatever you want.”
My skirt flared like a flower as I turned.
“Third. I don’t mess around with the potions I make. I don’t deceive or hide them. That’s the only thing I have left.”
