The First thing I felt was silk.
Not the cheap polyester sheets I'd fallen asleep in after binge-playinh "Eternal Bonds of Aetheria" until 4 a.m, but actual, cool, heavy silk sliding against my skin like water.
My eyes snapped open to a canopy bed draped in midnight-blue velvet, embroidered with silver constellations that glittered in the morning light streaming through tall arched windows.
For a solid three seconds, I thought I was dreaming. Then memories slammed into me like a truck.
Truck? No.
It's a damn heart attack from too much caffeine and zero sleep, more likely.
Either way, I was dead. And now I was...here.
I bolted upright, heart hammering. The body moved smoothly—too smoothly. No creaky joints, no leftover ache from hunching over my laptop. Just lithe, youthful limbs wrapped in a nightgown that probably cast more than my entire old apartment.
A mirror stood across the room. I stumbled toward it, bare feet sinking into plush carpet, and starred.
Porcelain skin, long raven hair with a slight wave, sharp violet eyes framed by lashes I'd have skilled for in my last life. Pretty... stunning, even—but the expression was all wrong.
Cold. Arrogant.
The face of a girl who'd sneer at you for breathing too loudly.
Liriel Noctry
Side Villain. Cousin to the actual villainess. Professional mean girl and professional corpse-to-be once the heroine's reverse harem finished mopping the floor with House Noctry.
"Sh*t"I whispered. My voice came out soft, melodic—nothing like the raspy croak I was used to after nights of yelling at NPCs. "Of all the bodies, why this one?"
A knock sounded at the door, timid but insistent.
"My lady?" A small voice. "It's Mira. May I enter?"
Mira. The maid. Canoon fodder who'd testify against Lieriel at the trial arc before quietly disappearing. Great.
"Come in," I called, trying to sound normal. Whatever normal was for a duke's niece who bullied maids for fun.
The door opened and a girl no older than seventeen slipped inside, brown curls peeking from under her cap, eyes fixed firmly on the floor. She carried a silver tray with tea and breakfast.
"Good morning, Lady Liriel," she murmured, setting the tray on the vanity with practiced care. "Lord Dairus request your presence at breakfast. Lady Valeria has already gone down."
Valeria. The real villainess. My cousin. The one who actually deserved the guillotine ending.
I nodded, forcing my face into what I hoped was neutral noble indifference. "Thank you, Mira."
She froze. Actually froze, like i'd slapped her.
Did Liriel never say thank you? Probably not.
I cleared my throat. "The tea smells nice."
Mira's eyes darted up, wide and confusion, then back down. "Y-yes, my lady. I..I'll prepare your dress for the day."
She scurried to the wardrobe like a frightened rabbit.
I sat at the vanity, staring at my reflection while she worked behind me.
First rule fo survival: don't act so out of character that people notice.
Second rule: find Cassian Veldt before the plot kicks into gear and he starts pining over the heroine.
Seraphina Lumiere. The saintly commoner with hair like sunlight and a smile that could disarm armies. Everyone's darling. The girl who'd have three of the most powerful men in the kingdom wrapped around her finger while somehow remaining pure and humble.
I didn't hate her. But I knew her type. I'd been her type—back when I thought being kind and quiet would earn me loyalty. It hadn't. It had earned me two cheating boyfriend's and a lifetime of being walked over.
This time, I wasn't playing the saint.
Mira finished lacing me into a deep indigo gown that hugged my waist and flared dramatically. Beautiful. Intimidating. Perfect for a villainess.
"Will that be all, my lady?" She asked, voice barely above a whisper.
I caught her eyes in the mirror. "Mira."
She flinched.
"I'm going to be... different from now on," I said slowly. "Not in a'I'm going to poison the tea' way. Just... less awful. Okay?"
Her mouth parted. No sound came out.
I sighed. "Forget I said anything. Let's go."
The halls of Noctyra Mano were exactly as I'd imagined from the game art: dark stone, soaring ceilings, portraits of stern ancestors glaring down. Servants bowed as I passed, but their eyes flickered with fear.
Great reputation you left me, original Liriel.
The dining hall doors opened to reveal a long ebony table. At the head sat Dairus Noctyra—my Father in this life. Tall, silver-streaked black hair, face carved from granite. The kind of man who didn't need to raise his voice to make a room obey.
To his right: Valeria. Platinum blonde, ice-blue eyes, beauty sharp enough to cut. She glanced up as I entered, Express unreadable.
And to Dairus's left—
My breath caught.
Kael Noctrya. My brother.
Broad shoulders under the black knight's uniform, same violet eyes as mine but colder. The game had called him the Ice Blade of Noctyra. Zero interest in romance, 100% lethal efficiency.
He looked at me, once brow lifting slightly. Acknowledgment. Barely.
I took my seat opposite Valeria.
"Morning," I said. Casual. Too casual?
Darius's gaze flicked to me. "Liriel."
Just my name. But it carried weight.
Valeria smiled thinly. "You're late."
"Traffic," I muttered before I could stop myself.
Three pairs of eyes turned to me.
Sh*r. To traffic in Aetheria.
"I mean—the corridors were crowded," I recovered, reaching for tea. My hand didn't shake. Progress.
Silence stretched. Then Dairus spoke again.
"The Lumiere girl arrives at court next week," he said. "The king has granted her a minor title. House Noctyra will show appropriate courtesy."
Valeria's fork paused halfway to her mouth.
I felt it—the shift in the air. The plot beginning to turn.
Seraphina was coming.
And somewhere in the capital, Cassian Veldt was waiting—quiet, kind, and completely unaware that a former office worker turned villainess had just decided his tragic ending was no longer an option.
I had my smile behind my teacup.
Game on.
~🫶