Villain Transmigration: Author Transformation

With all that had happened, it was all for naught, and at least Nathalie had never spent a dime from the charades, courtesy of the oh so great and benevolence of His Highness, Athan.

From the windows sheened a mixture of tangerine and golden hues that beamed on the suitcases and bags she had, what her eyes greeted akin to the end of the treasure map with prized treasures waiting to be taken.

Slow, light clacks echoed as Nathalie sashayed towards the luggage. So soon as she got nearer, she couldn't help but squint for a little scrutiny from the last words Athan uttered before he left.

'Useless garbage, eh?' she mused in silence, tapping her cheek. 'No one could open this? Even him? Even that Grand Duke? Something is wrong here.'

The genre had nothing to do with transmigration after all—anyone that came from an unknown era then bringing something to light as an epiphany in a snap. 

Nathalie, as far as she remembered the author that she was, all of these were foreign items, and she was the only person who knew them best. Thus, while few of them were introduced in the sequel, 'The Prince's Ascension,' it was still distinguishable.

'Aside from artifacts, of course.'

The culture rather had parallel mechanics of the world she came from. There might be no electricity with power plants in them to thoroughly distribute throughout the land occupied; she had replicated it using magical stones, ores, and other fantasy elements found in a genre she had to utilize.

Advanced modern technologies would be too odd enough, popping out of the blue for the sake of moving the plot forward. 

No one liked the ass-pull tropes, let alone deus-ex-machina.

But with her creative work in storytelling, there was no need for microphones when there were 'Hymnic Conches' to begin with, to put as an example.

Though it was a different scenario now, she took part in this plot—as a villainess no less with a clear timeline of death awaited her—and she would do anything to get away with it, safe and unscathed. While it wasn't a problem for her to replicate, it would take a lot of work to do.

She smiled to learn most of what she needed was here.

'Oh well, I shall take their advice with a grain of salt.'

Soon as she took a stop, her eyes scanned almost every single one of them; but she had yet to know what was the underlying cause of it. 

The only problem with these suitcases of hers was no ordinary locks. Arguably so, they contained biometrics. All of them were zipped and locked, which got somewhat hard for her to believe when anyone could take them off, even ripping wasn't an exception.

A sense of hesitation crept through her fingertips the closer she reached out to one of the luggage, trembling in subtlety. 

With a slight touch only creased on her forehead, nothing happened to her. Her fingers roamed on the surface—from the high-quality leathers to polyester materials—she wasn't hurt.

'Let me try.' Nathalie danced her fingers, and conjured a needle of ice, and then flew towards the lock as soon as she flicked. 

Yet her lips parted, unable to discern what happened before her eyes. 

It melted and vanished into thin mist before it reached the locks. But, strangely enough, it reminded her how Mystique went for the assault and left her unscathed.

'My, how the tables have turned.' Nathalie scratched her nape from the sudden nuisance. 'Is this what he meant?' 

Nathalie paced back and forth for a while now as she tried to think of a way and stopped when a round of knocks came through the door.

"Your Grace, this is Keith."

She flicked her hand immediately, and then he entered with swiftness. The door creaked and ended with a clink.

[Are they out of our sight?]

"Indeed, they moved out very quickly..." his voice toned down to a whisper when he noticed the peculiar gleam that was in front of her, and it was what she sought after, nonetheless. "H—How—what, why is that here—?!"

[Negotiation…] Afterwhich, she held her hand up with one shoulder hunched out of his shocking response. [Anyhow, I need to solve these first.]

"... Is there anything that I could help with…" Keith stole a glance at her and shuffled towards one of them. "This?"

[Perhaps, carry one of them, and slam it on the floor.]

Keith got taken aback by her absurd requests. "My Lady, pardon me, for I'm not sure if that's a good idea to destroy an item of millions worth."

[Apparently, it's indestructible.]

"A divine artifact from the Gods?!"

Nathalie blinked a few times with her lips slightly crooked; having to explain to a level he could understand would only be a burden.

[...I guess so?] Withal, she leaned and grinned suggestively. [Anyway, trust me.]

"Much obliged to do what you asked of me." He bowed and lifted the plastic-like suitcase with both hands, and at the same time, his eyes gleamed and gnashed his jaw from a roar.

A loud, crashing sound slammed her ears, covering herself out of instinct. Few seconds after she watched it, both of their eyes widened as large cracks on the ceramic floor made while the bag stumbled without any dents.

Nathalie rubbed her eyes.

'This isn't real…'

The major problem she had was biometrics; she had been living as Mystique for a few months. Only to complete this step would she move on to the next.

'Biometrics… Biometrics… Bio…' 

Nathalie's face brightened right away, then she picked up her clutch and rummaged fast and furious, which got Keith curious. 

"Your Grace?"

However, she had no time to reply as she kept the glimpse of hope to herself.

'I only wish this would work; please, please, please dear almighty…'

Nathalie nibbled her lip as she grabbed her smartphone.

Indeed, it was one thing that popped into her mind. She brought it close to her chest, scrolling through the gallery.

Nathalie saw tons of fashionable selfies, outfit-of-the-day gigs, and crazy notes through it, but she became too earnest than she ever was then. 

'Please be here, please be here….'

Alas, almost at the end of it, she had a locked folder with confidential information.

One of them happened to be her passport.

'Oh my gosh! Oh my! Oh my!' She snapped her head towards the direction of the closest leather suitcase. 

'This is all I have…'

Through the bright screen showed her face, and with a click on the lock, it released a beam.

'It's now or never—'

At that moment, her heart stopped.