"What is she doing?"
"Ever since that… incident, Lady Veronica's been acting strange."
"Do you think she's finally lost it?"
In the blooming garden of Ravenshire Manor, under the soft morning sun, Veronica was down on the ground, doing push-ups. Her arms trembled slightly as she pushed herself up, sweat glistening down her temples and collarbone, her hair messed up heavily.
She had cut the burnt edges and tried to make it fashionable.
"Twenty-one... twenty-two... twenty-three..." she muttered between gritted teeth, breath short but determined.
Behind a row of hedges, a few maids peeked at her, wide-eyed.
"She looks… kinda amazing like that," one whispered, her cheeks flushing.
The others gave her weird looks but secretly nodded. In a world where people relied on spells, enchantments, and inherited gifts, no one bothered with physical training. Especially not a frail lady.
But every morning, Veronica trained. Jogging. Stretching. Sit-ups. Sword forms she vaguely remembered from books. It wasn't just about proving she was serious about entering Draconveil Academy—it was survival prep. That place wasn't a magical fairy tale. It was ruthless. A den of elite supernatural creatures who saw humans as nothing more than toys. Without magic, Veronica would be their first target.
She wasn't going to become anyone's chew toy.
By the time the sun began to dip behind the manor walls, Veronica was soaked in sweat and covered in small bruises.
Her limbs screamed in protest after countless push-ups, sword swings, and arrow releases. She panted, dropping the training sword with a metallic clink on the stone tiles.
"One more set—nope. I'm dead," she muttered, collapsing under a tree.
[Daily Training Complete.]
[+2 Strength, +1 Accuracy, +3 Stamina.]
[Physical Endurance Skill unlocked: Rank F]
She smiled despite her aching muscles. These numbers were small, but they meant she was changing slowly, but surely. Her body, previously all grace and zero grit, was finally showing results. Every drop of sweat was a step toward surviving Draconveil Academy.
"Do you see that?"
Unaware of the eyes hidden in the shadows, Veronica focused on her sword swings, her breath steady despite the strain.
Two men watched from a distance, half-concealed behind the training ground's columns.
"Lady Veronica seems determined to enter the Academy, my lord," the butler murmured with quiet respect.
Leonard narrowed his eyes, silent. He drew in a slow breath, deep in thought.
***
After rinsing off the sweat and changing into a soft lavender dress, Veronica made her way toward the east wing. Her footsteps were light, but her mind was sharp.
It was time to visit the female lead.
Forming an alliance wasn't the worst idea. In fact, if things unfolded the way she remembered, Evangeline might just become her most valuable shield. Survival came first and this girl could be the key.
The atmosphere shifted the moment she crossed into the east wing. The halls here were hushed. The air hung heavier, colder, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath.
Ever since Evangeline had been confined to these rooms, the staff moved quietly, almost fearfully around the area. It was like they didn't want to disturb their mistress.
Veronica paused in front of the familiar white door, her hand hovering mid-air. For a brief second, she hesitated, then knocked, softly but firmly.
"Evangeline? It's me, Veronica. May I come in?"
A long pause followed. For a moment, she thought there would be no answer.
"…You may."
The door creaked open on old hinges. Veronica stepped inside and was greeted by the faint scent of lavender and aged parchment. The room was bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, spilling through half-drawn curtains.
Evangeline sat on the window bench, her posture too composed to be casual. Golden light traced the edges of her pale hair, giving her an almost ethereal air. A closed book rested in her lap, her fingers still lightly gripping the cover.
Her gaze slowly rose to meet Veronica's.
"Did you come to gloat?" she asked, voice quiet but sharp.
Veronica blinked. "What? No, I..." She stopped herself, let out a breath. "I came to check on you."
Evangeline tilted her head slightly and shut her book with a soft thud. "That's… new."
Veronica gave a dry chuckle. "Let's just say I'm trying something different. Character development, maybe."
Evangeline's eyes roamed over her, her braid slightly messy, sleeves rolled up, a few scrapes still visible on her arms. Not the polished noblewoman everyone was used to.
"…You look different," Evangeline said softly, her gaze flicking over Veronica with a hint of curiosity.
"Training," Veronica replied with a shrug. "Swordplay, archery, and the occasional emotional breakdown. It's a full routine now."
A small twitch pulled at Evangeline's lips, almost a smile.
"You're serious about Draconveil, then?"
Veronica's expression shifted, eyes distant for a moment. "I have to be." Her voice dropped a little. "That place… it's where everything really starts. Where things unravel."
Evangeline tilted her head. "Plot?"
Veronica froze, eyes widening just a little. "Nothing. I meant—life. Life begins there."
Evangeline didn't respond, but her gaze lingered, quiet and suspicious, like she was mentally bookmarking Veronica's slip for later.
A silence stretched between them. Uncomfortable. Heavy.
Why did I even come here? Veronica thought. It wasn't like her to drop in for casual chats. And it definitely wasn't like Evangeline to be open-armed about it.
Evangeline wasn't one of those too-good-for-this-world heroines. No, she was the type to repay kindness with sincerity, but if cornered, she bit back twice as hard. Veronica liked that about her. She was steady, honest, sharp where it mattered.
So why… why did she fall for those idiotic male leads? The ones who gaslit her, used her, tossed her aside and expected forgiveness.
Veronica sighed quietly. "You really have terrible taste, you know."
Evangeline blinked. "What?"
"Nothing," Veronica said, forcing a smile. "Just talking to myself."
A girl like Evangeline deserved better. Someone strong yes but also someone who truly cared. Someone who would protect her, not for pride or control, but because they genuinely loved her.
Unfortunately, the male leads in this world were anything but that.
They were arrogant, self-absorbed, and obsessed with their own pride. The more Veronica thought about it, the clearer it became: they didn't love Evangeline they wanted her. Like a trophy. Something to conquer and claim.
It was pathetic.
But as long as she was around, that wasn't going to happen. She'd make sure Evangeline was protected—from them, from the story, from everything. Honestly, Veronica was glad the system didn't demand she make those jerks fall in love with her. That would've been a nightmare.
She hated harems. Always had.
If she had to build one, she would much rather it be filled with kind, beautiful elf girls than a bunch of emotionally unstable yandere male leads.
Now that would at least be worth the chaos.
Veronica didn't consider herself someone interested in women exactly. She just appreciated beautiful things and Evangeline was undeniably one of them. Elegant, sharp, quietly radiant. A flower that had somehow managed to bloom in the middle of a battlefield.
And she wasn't about to let those walking ego-trips trample her.
The system had been clear: the world was destabilizing, and one of the main causes was the heroine's harem. Too many conflicting affections. Too much obsession, betrayal, and heartbreak. All of it created chaos that rippled across the timeline.
Dismantling the harem. That was one of Veronica's assigned missions. And, honestly? She had no complaints.
She looked at Evangeline, hesitated, then cleared her throat.
"You know… you could hate me. Honestly, you probably should. But I'd rather we weren't enemies."
Evangeline didn't smile. But she didn't look away either.
"Then don't give me a reason to be."
Veronica bowed her head slightly, accepting the reply with a quiet nod.
"Fair enough."
It wasn't forgiveness. Not yet.
But it wasn't rejection either.
There was still a chance. A narrow path forward, if she moved slowly—carefully. Baby steps. She couldn't expect Evangeline to open up so soon. Not after everything that had happened… especially the pain Veronica had played a part in.
Still, she was willing to wait. For however long it took.
As Veronica turned to leave, she paused with her hand on the doorknob.
"When you're out," she said, glancing over her shoulder, "Maybe you can teach me how to shoot properly. I think I accidentally hit a squirrel earlier. Poor thing never saw it coming."
Evangeline snorted. It was quiet, almost like she hadn't meant to let it slip.
"Maybe."
It wasn't a yes, but it wasn't a no either.
Veronica smiled and stepped into the hallway. Her muscles ached, her sleeves were still a little damp with sweat, but her chest felt strangely... light. Like, for once, she hadn't completely messed everything up.
For the first time in a long while, it felt like she'd done something right.
And then, the system pinged.
[System Alert]: Warning — Drastic OOC (Out of Character) Behavior Detected.
Reminder: Significant deviation from original Veronica may interfere with key plotlines
Penalty for 3 OOC Warnings: Level-3 Electric Shock.
Her smile faltered.
Veronica rolled her eyes. "Right. Because being a decent human apparently breaks the universe."
She shook her head and dismissed the message with a thought. "Too bad."
She wasn't going to walk on eggshells for the sake of a storyline that treated people like puppets. There were more important things than playing a role.
And right now, she had somewhere else to be.