"Elise…"
…
"Elise…"
…
"ELISE!"
Marie jolted awake, squinting against the harsh, blinding light overhead.
Instinctively, she raised her hand to shield her eyes, blinking rapidly as the room came into focus.
Every breath carried weight.
Marie frowned, trying to piece together why she felt so disoriented.
Gradually, her vision adjusted, and she realized she wasn't alone.
Middle-aged figures surrounded her, standing rigidly, their postures perfect, faces composed yet radiating a subtle intensity that made her stomach flutter nervously.
And… Elise?
That name, it meant something.
"Please, choose wisely between the six of us," a stern voice intoned.
Marie's eyes darted, and a man with sharp features spoke up. "Choose the Khalia Clan. We have pioneered the integration of Atom into modern Atomancy. Our knowledge ensures survival… dominance."
"Hah!" another man laughed from her right. He looked amused, almost smug. "Please. The Khalia Clan is beneath mine. Our lineage has commanded more power than your precious scholars could ever imagine. Among Atomancers, we set the rules."
They bickered endlessly, tossing technical terms and historical boasts around like a bizarre, high-stakes board game.
But Marie's mind struggled to catch up; every word sounded eerily familiar, as though pulled straight from some game or dream she had played before.
Elise… Khalia Clan… Atomancers…
Her hands went to her temples, rubbing at a sudden, eerie clarity. "I must be dreaming…" she muttered, voice barely above a whisper.
Then she froze as the throbbing headache dissipated and there was no longer a dull haze.
Her head felt clearer than it had in years, and the room, though foreign, seemed sharp, tangible, and real.
"No way…"
Marie's hands flew to her mouth.
She got transmigrated into the otome game?!
And judging by the crowd of perfectly composed, begging adults around her… this had to be the opening scene of the game itself.
Of course, Elise was the main character for a reason.
In this world, magic wasn't just magic. It was science.
By manipulating atoms through technology, people could bend reality, create energy, or perform dazzling feats.
And Elise was a natural resonator, a rare genetic miracle.
Every powerful family in the world didn't see her as a person. They saw her as… well, basically breeding stock for their sons.
"Ew…" Marie muttered, shivering at the thought.
╔══════════════════════╗
║ EVENT: The Six Claimants Await ║
║ Objective: Make your first impression ║╠══════════════════════╣
║ Dialogue Options: ║
║ [1] "I… appreciate your attention. Let's get along, shall we?" ║
║ [2] "I won't let anyone use me as a pawn. Remember that." ║
║ [3] "I hope we can… understand each other, in time." ║
║ [HARD MODE] Speak freely… say anything.║
╚══════════════════════╝
'I JUST WANTED TO GRADUATE COLLEGE!'
Her own life was already messy enough, thank you very much, and the last thing she wanted was to start fighting some psycho goddess for a guy who apparently defined her entire worth.
Female friendship? Yes, please. Male validation? Absolutely not.
Marie shuddered, tempted to collapse into tears right there.
She was now living inside a trope-heavy otome game where male leads had all the personality of a polished trophy shelf.
Because, apparently, in the rules of female romance, charm, wit, or actual character didn't matter. Only money, looks, and how much drama you could inspire.
And... oh joy. She was the heroine. The special girl. The one who had to outwit, outshine, and out-love every other female character in existence.
Every move revolved around the male leads attention, every thought constrained by the narrative's relentless obsession with romance.
Marie groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Great. My entire existence is now… literally dating simulator.exe."
She really, really wanted a refund.
╔══════════════════════════════╗
║ SYSTEM NOTICE: Scene Frozen ║
║ Reality has paused. All NPC actions, dialogue, and environmental effects are currently suspended. ║
╠══════════════════════════════╣
║ OBJECTIVE: Make a choice to move the narrative forward. ║
║ CONSEQUENCE: Your words and actions will shape relationships, influence outcomes, and may trigger hidden events.
╚══════════════════════════════╝
'No, no, NO! I have to choose now?!'
Her body felt like lead; she couldn't even step sideways without the invisible weight of the system pressing down.
The male leads stood stiffly beside the heads of the Atomancer clans, all waiting for her "decision."
Sure, there was the classic harem option, but honestly, she didn't even like that idea.
'The hard mode...'
If she chose hard mode, she could say what she wanted. Do what she wanted. Act freely in every event.
Who the hell cared if it was "hard"? Freedom had always been hard.
Her pulse spiked. "Hard mode… please…"
╔════════════════════════════╗
║ SYSTEM NOTICE: HARD MODE COMMENCED ║
║ All preset dialogue options are now disabled. ║
║ You may act freely in all events. Your words and actions will be interpreted literally by NPCs and the environment. ║
║ ⚠ WARNING: Consequences are unpredictable. You may offend, anger, or endanger characters. ║
╚════════════════════════════╝
The frozen scene snapped back to life. The families immediately resumed their bickering.
"Choose wisely! The Veyra Clan will rise or fall based on this decision!"
"Nonsense! Our lineage is unmatched in Atomancy and honor!"
"The Khalia Clan's genius resonators make all your claims meaningless!"
"Quiet! The Solenharts have maintained supremacy for centuries, your arrogance will be your downfall!"
Marie pinched her nose. Most likely, if she spoke her mind right now… she'd die on the spot.
But she couldn't. She just couldn't.
"Sorry, I've set my eyes on someone else."
The chances of being kidnapped and turned into some lab guinea pig? Sky-high.