Viviana as Elyza's POV
The moment I collapsed or maybe it was when my heart stopped, everything just went black. Or maybe not even black. Just... nothingness.
It's like falling into a suffocating abyss, but without pain. Without fear. Just...nothing.
I never imagined this is what death really feels like.
It doesn't hurt. It's not scary.
It just feels like I'm sleeping, but the dream is empty.
And the worst part?
I never even got the chance to say goodbye to Elyza.
But just then, the [System] appeared, even in the middle of my pure nothingness.
I was confused, but I couldn't speak. This wasn't my body anymore. It was just… my soul.
[SYSTEM]
[Would you like to live again and meet ####?]
[Yes] [No]
What? What do you mean?
But… he was dead, wasn't he?
Does heaven have systems like this?
I mean, what does the system mean by meeting him again?
Why am I still floating?
This is so strange. But if this is just a dream, an experiment won't hurt, right?
So I pressed [Yes], and everything changed.
It was like… you're dreaming of holding a watermelon inside your house, and then suddenly you're holding a cake, and there's a ghost right in front of you.
Yes. That kind of randomness.
[SYSTEM]
[Then... we shall meet again, Vivi. Find me.]
And just like that, the system disappeared.
But why does it… know me?
It felt so familiar, like I should know it, too, but I freaking don't.
What does "Find me" even mean?
Who are you, System?
Then suddenly, I woke up.
And it was noisy. Too noisy.
I was dressed in a fancy gown, and someone was gripping my arm tightly.
I groaned… and looked around.
Everything was too familiar.
The place…
The people…
The situation I was in, especially the fact that I was holding a knife.
And right at that moment, the system popped up again.
[[LOADING...]]
[SYSTEM]
[You are currently in possession of Elyza Archiz's body. You will live as Elyza.
AFFECTION SCORE REQUIREMENT: 100%
FAILURE PENALTY: DEATH.
Good luck, Player.
Welcome to your worst nightmare.]
And that's when it hit me.
I was inside the game.
I possessed the body of Elyza Archiz, the one who was supposed to die because the game was hacked.
And I was holding the very knife meant to kill the female lead.
Out of pure reflex, I dropped the knife. I didn't even think.
I just knew I didn't want to die. Not again.
I was terrified.
Honestly?
I was really hoping this was all just a dream.
Then I noticed everyone inside the ballroom—the guests, the female lead, the male leads, and this body's father, Xavier Archiz, who was barely mentioned in both the novel and the game.
This was too much. Too intense. I was panicking.
I tried my best to calm down.
Breathe. Inhale. Exhale.
Do it without making it obvious or I might die again just from breathing wrong.
Again. And again. Just slowly.
The world I was in… was the same mode I had just played before I died.
And now I'm going to die again?!
Heck no!
I had failed countless times and died multiple times in this exact setting.
And now… this was my reality?
Really?
Am I going to die again at the hands of people I barely know, people I only recognized from what was written in the novel or coded into the Otome game?
I'm too old for this kind of stuff.
And yet… I still played that game.
A game clearly meant for kids.
Kinda immature of me, huh?
Especially for someone who's the chairwoman of five subsidiaries and sixty years old.
But you know what pissed me off?
The person gripping my arm way too tightly. It freaking hurt.
So I looked up to see who it was, and of course, I recognized him from head to toe.
It was Devin Eldonne.
The novel described his appearance perfectly, and the Otome game brought it to life with its art. But this? This was definitely real.
And you know what's really real?
The way he was looking at me like he wanted to strangle me on the spot. You could see the anger etched into the wrinkle between his eyebrows.
And right above his head?
Affection Score: -85%.
Yep.
He definitely hated me. A lot.
And it wasn't just like that in the game. No, this mode I'm in now? It was hacked to begin with.
Freaking hacker!
Look what you did to me. You turned it into a living, breathing nightmare!
The system interface had disappeared, yeah, but the consequences?
Heck no. They were very much still here.
All I could do now was survive.
I looked around the ballroom again. It was magnificent. Beautiful.
Stunning. Definitely my taste.
So lavish. So elegant.
Seems like Elyza and I might've gotten along. We could've been friends if we ever met.
But that didn't help me now. Not even a little.
This was terrifying.
Because all eyes were still on me.
Like, could you please stop staring at me like I'm some celebrity on a scandal headline?
Haha! just kidding.
They weren't looking at me like that.
They were looking at me like I just committed murder.
Especially the male leads. They all looked like furious gorillas glaring at me like I was lunch.
Oh. Right.
I remembered.
The novel said that attempting to murder the Saintess, Aurelia, was the highest offense in the Empire.
And she wasn't just any holy figure.
She was protected by the Seven Chosen Ones.
Those very same male leads who were now standing between me and what felt like an inevitable death.
I'm so. Freaking. Doomed.
Why am I even here in the first place?!
Whyyyyy...
This is what I get for accepting that system's offer just to meet ####.
That made my inner self sigh so hard I could've popped a lung.
I scanned their gorilla-looking faces one by one.
Caelus Clivus.
Yeah, I definitely recognized him, from both the novel and the Otome game.
He's the Crown Prince, the one destined to marry Aurelia someday.
Probably right after this body I'm in gets executed.
Nice. Great. Love that for me.
I love my life. I love you, fate.
And what's that above his head?
Affection Score: -82%.
Ahh… wow.
Truly a blessing in disguise.
I'm so doomed.
Next up: Reuben Alden.
The fallen patriarch of one of the lost Empires.
This body I'm possessing?
Yeah, she's the reason behind his downfall.
Affection Score: -80%.
Dead meat, am I.
Then there's Leonard Laurier.
Loyal baron, future advisor to Caelus when he becomes Emperor.
Kind-hearted, noble, a true gentleman in the game.
Affection Score: -81%.
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
I'm so screwed.
Jamin Whitlock.
The Royal Councilor.
Smart, cunning, and holds grudges.
Guess what his affection score is?
-87%.
Yeah, no. Just… no.
Standing next to him was William Berlowe.
My personal Grim Reaper.
This guy?
One of the top knights in the Empire.
And he's the one scheduled to execute me in the original storyline.
Affection Score: -88%.
Absolutely, definitely, a BIG NO.
And finally—drumroll, please.
Zeuz Venozoir.
The male lead whose entire life was ruined by this body's actions in the game's storyline.
Affection Score: -86%.
Yep.
There's nowhere to run.
Even if I wanted to run.
I don't even know where to begin.
Ugh…
I am so.
So.
SCREWED.
Help me.
Please.
Then another notification popped up, just floating there in front of me like some steady, smug little bug.
Get out, now.
I'm so done with this whole "Getting Reincarnated Just to Die Again" nonsense.
Seriously, shut up.
[SYSTEM]
[You cannot reset the game until all affection scores reach at least -50%.
If you die...
You will die forever.]
That made my heart drop.
Wait, what?
WHY???
Why must you do this to me, System?
Maybe it'd be better to just die forever at this point.
Honestly, that might be less stressful than this mess.
I mean, how the heck am I supposed to talk to these people, let alone raise their affection scores?
They're impossible!
Stubborn, scary, grudge-holding kids… with the power to ruin me.
I sighed internally and cleared my throat, trying to compose myself.
The situation I was in?
Yeah.
Beyond intense.
"Ah... umm... Devin, right?"
I forced a smile at the man, Devin Eldonne, who, in this ridiculous historical fantasy world, was the Saintess's most loyal bodyguard.
This kid, Devin, narrowed his eyes at me, staring like I was some suspicious creep. And honestly? He probably thought I was one. Never mind the fact that he's the one gripping my arm like I owe him money and stole his puppy. "Why did you faint earlier?" he asked, blunt as a rock to the face.
I fainted?
Well… technically, I guess I did. I mean, I woke up like this. So maybe I did change the storyline a little. I don't even know if that's a good thing or a bigger disaster.
Then he added, sharp and straight to the point, "And why did you try to murder the Saintess?"
Wow.
No sugarcoating, huh?
The nerve of this kid, who hasn't even reached his mid-20s—interrogating me like I'm on trial. May your hair turn gray faster than mine did at sixty, Devin. Ugh.
But no, arguing would be a death sentence. And I really didn't feel like dying again. So for the sake of survival, I was ready to do anything. Anything. ANY. THING.
Still, this kid makes me want to scream into a pillow.
Control yourself, Viviana. Control.
You're in the body of a dainty villainess now, not a sixty-year-old chairwoman. Be nice. Be calm. Be poised.
You don't even have back pain anymore, that's a blessing. So smile. Be grateful. And try not to die.
Good girl, Vivi.
I turned to look at the female lead, Saintess Aurelia.
Damn. She's pretty.
And look at her, actually looking genuinely worried about me? With that natural beauty—no makeup, no cosmetic tweaks, no surgery? Ugh. Flawless. Must be nice. Meanwhile, I haven't even seen my own reflection yet. Please let me be pretty. Please let this body at least have decent cheekbones.
But then… an idea hit me. A very risky idea.
Desperate times call for desperate survival tactics.
I had to act, no, perform. Channel my inner Oscar winner. I'm the debutante here, right? It's my party, technically. And she's a guest. So I should welcome her… enthusiastically. With sugar. And sprinkles.
Good to be young again, Vivi.
"Greetings, Your Holiness, Saintess Aurelia! Welcome to my debutante!"
I smiled—no, beamed. Probably too much. Okay, way too much. I could feel the corners of my mouth trembling. That smile was so obviously fake it could be sold as a plastic doll.
And just like that, the entire ballroom fell silent. Dead silent.
Everyone stared, thoroughly confused by my sudden transformation. I mean… yeah, fair. The real Elyza would never do this. Even I—Viviana Carsten, sixty-year-old chairwoman of five subsidiaries—wouldn't pull something this dramatic.
But hey! This isn't about pride. This is about survival.
Devin, this kid still holding my arm like he's guarding national secrets, blinked at me like I'd grown another head. "What's your hidden intention?" he asked, his voice sharper now, soaked with suspicion and restrained fury.
Oh. My. Gosh.
Did I just make everything worse?
I'm dying. Literally. This is it. What the actual fudge.
I gulped, already traumatized by the memory of being beheaded countless times in the game. Especially by the executioner who was now standing ominously close to the Saintess—William Berlowe, one of the Chosen Ones. Yep. The same guy who always swung the axe.
"Would you like some tea, Saintess?" I asked, my voice an octave too high, my smile definitely strained. "Sorry about the whole… knife thingy. I was just about to…"
I frantically darted my eyes around the ballroom, searching for an excuse. Any excuse. Divine intervention, a sudden earthquake, a poorly timed fireworks explosion—anything.
And then—like a gift from the gods themselves—I saw it.
The cake.
My savior. My angel. My holy grail.
"I was just about to cut the cake!" I announced with a suspiciously cheerful grin. "Thought I'd share a slice with you. Would you like some, Saintess?"
Lies.
But I smiled warmly, like this was all totally normal, while screaming internally:
WHY WASN'T THIS SCENE IN THE GAME OR EVEN THE NOVEL?!
I wanted to facepalm. Really. Deep down. But definitely not in front of these NPCs from hell with executioner-tier energy.
Aurelia blinked at me. She was confused, yeah—but not hostile. Thank the heavens.
Don't worry, kid, I'd be confused too if a known villainess suddenly turned into your neighborhood cake fairy.
But before she could answer, of course—of freaking course—Caelus had to ruin the moment. He stepped between us like a royal wall of ice and bad vibes. "Be careful, Saintess," he said coldly. "It might be poison."
I nearly choked.
Okay, fair. From his perspective, it made sense. Why would he trust a villainess who randomly offered cake with sparkly eyes and suspiciously sweet energy?
I wouldn't trust me either.
But then, then he shot me a look.
A sharp, calculating, soul-piercing glare.
Eyes cold as death.
My heart skipped. Not in a fluttery way. No. In a "here comes my funeral" kind of way.
I could feel it.
He was going to arrest me. Again. Just like in the game.
And honestly? I wanted to strangle him.
Just a little.
Just enough to hiss, "MAYBE YOU SHOULD DIE RIGHT NOW INSTEAD!"
I had to act fast, convincing and sweet, right?
I turned to Devin, who was still gripping my arms like I might spontaneously explode. "Would you please let me go? I'm going to slice the cake," I said as sweetly as I could manage. Then quickly added, "And I promise I'll share a piece with you too."
Yeah, sorry, but I kinda treated him like a kid. Just in case he started crying or something if I didn't give him a slice. Gotta cover all emotional landmines.
I even winked playfully. Which was... kinda gross, honestly. But for survival's sake, I had to sell it.
Devin narrowed his eyes, clearly suspicious, but I saw the hesitation. Finally, finally, he let go of my arms.
Victory.
I bent down and picked up the knife I had dropped earlier. Don't worry, everyone, it looked clean, so let's just agree it's clean. I cut a generous slice of cake, trying my best to look gentle and elegant like the refined villainess I was supposed to be.
I placed the slice on a small plate and presented it to the Saintess with a shaky smile.
Please work. Please work.
My beloved cake, please be my shield. May you protect me from death once more.
Then I remembered Devin. I did promise him a slice, didn't I? Just in case he throws a tantrum or accuses me of betrayal-by-dessert.
I cut another slice and handed it to him. "See? I kept my promise," I said with a grin, trying my best to sound innocent.
Honestly, my tone resembled that of a grandma giving cake to her grandkids. A little too wholesome for a suspected criminal.
Still gripping the knife, I sliced the cake and began distributing the pieces one by one, offering them to these gorilla-looking faces. Zeuz, William, Jamin, Caelus, Leonard, and Reuben.
Each of them looked down at their plates like I had just served them arsenic glazed with strawberries.
Seriously? You don't have to be so rude to your grandma, you know?
"Elyza..." Aurelia muttered cautiously, eyeing the cake with deep suspicion.
The nerve of this kid. You don't trust your grandma?! How dare you.
That made me snap a little—yeah, just a little.
I narrowed my eyes, absolutely done with their judgmental stares and silent accusations like I'd laced the cake with cyanide. You're really not going to believe me, huh? Not going to trust me, huh? Is that it?
Fine. Watch me.
With zero hesitation, I grabbed the last remaining slice of cake with my bare hands and shoved it straight into my mouth like a starving goat who hadn't seen food in weeks.
Crumbs smeared all over my face and lips as I chewed aggressively, my cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk mid-heist.
I didn't care how feral I looked.
At least trust your grandma, for crying out loud!
"Shee? Ich nop poishon," I mumbled through a full mouth, sounding like a wild animal.
Translation: See? It's not poison.
The entire ballroom went dead silent.
Everyone was stunned—not just by my blatant lack of manners, but because the body I now inhabited was Elyza Archiz, the notoriously elegant noble lady... who was currently chewing cake like a barn animal in front of the Saintess.
Yeah. I'd be disgusted too, honestly, if this weren't about survival.
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand, my fingers still covered in frosting. Of course, this wasn't Elyza. This wasn't Viviana from my past life either. Honestly, I didn't even recognize myself anymore. But this—this was me in full-blown survival mode, trapped in the villainess's body and doing whatever it took to stay alive.
It's complicated.
"Now, please don't be rude," I said with the sweetest smile I could muster. "Let's all eat the cake fairly."
…Okay, maybe it wasn't fair, since I'd just eaten my piece with my bare hands, but what I meant was—
JUST TRUST YOUR GRANDMA AND LET ME FIX THAT AFFECTION SCORE OF YOURS FOR THE SAKE OF SURVIVAL AND MY BELOVED RESET!!!
I seized the opportunity.
There was no way I was getting handcuffed again. Not like in the game. Never.
Right now, I had only one goal burned into my mind: SURVIVE.
Step one? Act friendly. Charming. Sweet.
Even though this wasn't me—not the me I used to be—it was now my greatest weapon.
In my past life, I'd never once played the role of the graceful, charming noble lady.
But right now?
It was all I had.
Aurelia was still holding the small plate I had offered. Slowly, she picked up the spoon and took a bite of the cake.
The seven Chosen Ones, her fiercely loyal protectors, gasped in horror.
These kids seriously didn't trust their grandma, huh?
"Saintess Aurelia! What if it's drugged?!" Devin shouted, eyes wide as he stepped forward in panic.
To be honest, I wanted to kick his balls until he was medically infertile. Yep. That felt just about right.
Then suddenly—
"Mmm! Yum!"
Aurelia's eyes lit up, a delighted smile blooming on her face. "Where did you get this cake, Elyza? It's delicious!"
I blinked. That was... unexpected. Caught off guard, but I quickly recovered with a grin. Turning toward the chefs and bakers standing silently by the wall of the ballroom like background props, I called out brightly:
"Well, let's give credit where credit's due—to the chefs and bakers of House Archiz! They're the ones who made it, after all!"
The chefs, who had just been leaning casually against the wall waiting for the debutante to end, suddenly looked stunned. One of the bakers even started crying into a napkin. Weirdos.
One by one, the rest of the suspiciously hesitant Chosen Ones finally gave in and took a bite of their cake slices.
Aigoo... You've finally made your abuela proud, my little grandkids.
And then... something changed.
[SYSTEM UPDATE!]
[The Seven Male Leads Have Updated Their Affection Scores!]
The freaking bastard notification appeared out of nowhere, glowing bright like someone had cranked the saturation up to 200%.
Too much brightness, help.
Luckily, no one else could see it.
But the moment I read the message, my instincts kicked in, I glanced above their heads, and there it was:
Their affection scores were changing. In real time.
I immediately looked up at Devin Eldonne, who was still innocently eating his cake.
-85% → -79%
A six percent jump?! My eyes widened.
For a piece of cake?! Seriously??
Zeuz Venozoir: -86% → -81%
This was incredible. Thank you, chefs. Thank you, bakers. Thank you...everyone.
Jamin Whitlock: -87% → -76%
Whoa. Just for cake?! Was this the cheat code all along?
I should thank the knife too—the true hero who helped me slice the cake.
William Berlowe: -88% → -80%!
This is incredible. I don't even know what to say.
My beloved cake... you're doing God's work.
Leonard Laurier: -81% → -74%
Wow. Cake, my beloved cake.
Reuben Alden: -80% → -72%
And—
Caelus Clivus: -82% → -74%
This cake wasn't just a dessert.
It was a blessing in disguise.
I had no idea, literally, that sweets could save lives.
Specifically... my life.
But then, after that bastard finished the cake I gave him…
He handed me a warrant of arrest.
Specifically—the crown prince, Caelus Clivus.
WHAT THE FUDGE?!
What was the point of my cake then?!
But anyway... I still haven't reached -50%, so... I really can't reset the game yet, right?
Anyway.
He was still munching the cake, casually, as he finally swallowed it, then shoved the warrant paper at me.
"Elyza Archiz, you are under arrest and will be immediately sent to the dungeon. Guards, send her to the dungeon. Make sure to torture her until she deserves it."
WHAT??? WHY??
I thought I finally avoided being arrested because of the cake!! I was so wrong...
Wait... is it because of the attempted murder?!
"Why... Your Imperial Highness?" I asked, eyes pleading, genuinely pleading.
Please don't kill me again...
The crown prince looked at me coldly, narrowing his eyes.
"Not only did you attempt to murder the Saintess, but you also destroyed empires, seduced the Emperor, incited wars against peace treaty alliances, and so on and so forth. Everything is listed, proven with evidence we've gathered.
That is why we came to your debutante...
Not as your guests.
You are ours."
You bastard.
After all that drama I gave you.
After that cake.
Man... history really repeats itself.
This took things to a whole new level.
The guards obeyed immediately.
And so…
They handcuffed me and dragged me to the dungeon.
Do you know what it looked like?
It was horrible.
Guess what? Just from the smell alone, I wanted to throw up on one of the guards and I actually did.
It smelled like something had died. Or maybe someone. Who knows?
Rats were everywhere, crawling in the corners like they owned the place.
Ew.
Mold crept across the damp stone walls like it paid rent.
Mushrooms were growing in the cracks.
Cockroaches scuttled around like they were having a party.
I literally screamed my lungs out.
THIS IS A NIGHTMARE.
The air was thick and wet—like soup.
Cobwebs hung down like depressing little curtains.
And don't even get me started on the darkness. It was the kind of dark that makes you feel like a ghost is going to whisper in your ear at any moment.
TEN guards surrounded me like I was some wild monster!
Then they shoved me in.
Every single nerve in my body shivered.
It icked me out. Like, a lot.
This is horrible.
I swear. I'm going to sue someone. Somehow.
How could Elyza suffer these things in both the novel and the game?!
I mean... I'm starting to pity you, Elyza.
You should be pitied instead. Seriously.
Then it hit me.
I remembered the torture schedule.
Since it was "free time" now (as if this place had anything remotely free), the actual torture would start tomorrow.
In the daytime, they'd feed me nothing but moldy bread and water filled with mosquito larvae.
This is a nightmare.
Like, where am I supposed to shit in this dungeon if I get diarrhea?!
Ugh… what do you expect me to do here?!
I just arrived in this reality and I'm already locked up in some medieval health hazard.
Then by noon, they'd drag me out for public humiliation.
What is this, a medieval circus?
Please, not the rotten eggs. I can't even bear the smell of this dungeon already.
And at night?
They'll whip my back until it bleeds… then spit on it.
This is hell.
Damn it. This is a nightmare.
Help me... someone... anyone... please...
And I'm supposed to suffer this for twelve whole days before they execute me?!
No.
Just the thought of it sent a shiver down my spine.
Then suddenly, my dear friend, the system, came back and gave me some news.
[NOTIFICATION: SYSTEM]
[MAIN QUEST: HOW TO NOT DIE]
➢ Find a way to escape the dungeon
➢ Befriend the female lead
➢ Avoid execution
➢ Burn the evidence and the warrant
➢ Learn magic
[Reward: All male leads' affection scores will increase by up to 30% ↑
Time Limit: 14 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 52 seconds]
What the actual fudge?!
[NOTIFICATION: SYSTEM]
[If you want to live, then live. Do it yourself. Survive. Do these things, because I am only helping you.]
Eh???
TO BE CONTINUED...