"What's that you're playing?" I ask Da-young, approaching the restaurant table where she was waiting for me. At the sound of my voice, she looks up from her game console.
"Oh, you're here."
I take my seat on the other side of the table. "Did you really bring that thing here when we're supposed to have lunch together? Rude."
"Come on, it's no big deal. Besides, you were late." She sets the game console aside on the table, but the brightly colored game logo still catches my eye for some reason.
"Love Conquers?" I read aloud. "What kind of game is that?"
Da-young's amber eyes shine brightly, sensing the opportunity to ramble about her newest hyperfixation. She immediately picks the game console back up to show me the screen.
"It's this new dating game that's been trending lately. I only started it because Min-ji's been bothering me about playing, but it's actually really addictive. I haven't been able to stop playing it. The graphics are amazing, and the story just sucks you in. Here, want to see?"
Romance games have never really been to my taste, but the excitement in Da-young's voice entices me to take the console. "What's it about?"
Afterwards, all through lunch, Da-young goes on a huge tirade, going through every detail about the playthrough, explaining the game features, characters, story, etc. She's so enthusiastic about it, urging me to try it myself, that same day, I decide to purchase the game and attempt it in the evening.
"Is this really the sort of thing that's popular lately…?" I mumble to myself in bed as I begin my first playthrough. "What's fun about romancing people who don't even exist…?"
I wouldn't get any sleep that night. By the next morning, I was still playing Love Conquers even as my bloodshot eyes threatened to burst from my skull and the light of the sun warned me that it was about time I started getting ready for work.
"Crap! Another bad ending."
Goddammit, why was this game so addicting? There were so many twists and turns in the plot that you get invested right away. And there was just something so satisfying about successfully pursuing the male leads that you can't put the console down. I've already tried out all the routes, but could only manage to get the good ending for about two out of four male leads.
"This villainess character keeps getting in my way…" I mutter, looking at the screen. Ophelia Nymphalis stares back, with her wavy, Prussian blue hair melting against the dark backdrop and her silvery eyes peering into my soul. She holds up a closed fan to her mouth, concealing what I assume to be a victorious smirk, gleeful about successfully thwarting my attempt at romance once again. "Every time I think I'm about to get a happy ending, she comes in and ruins everything. Isn't she too difficult even for a boss?"
I groan and put the console aside, instead opting to rub my eyes to ease some of the tension behind them. I hear a text notification on my phone and reach to check it out.
Ji-hoon - Good morning :) Did you sleep well?
So-hee - No… >.< I was up all night gaming
Ji-hoon - Oh no…
Ji-hoon - Your eye bags must be super dark lol. Like a panda
So-hee - :((( I don't want to go to work >^<
Ji-hoon - lol. How cute.
Ji-hoon - I have the afternoon off today. How about we have lunch together?
So-hee - Yes!! >w<
Ji-hoon - lol. It's a date. I'll drop by your work around noon, then
Ji-hoon - And we can continue our talk about that thing I brought up the other day.
So-hee - Roger! Can't wait!
I'm smiling at my phone screen without even realizing it. My mood instantly lifts despite the rest of my body screaming for sleep. That's right. I shouldn't get so worked up over some game when I have my real life to occupy myself with. I stretch for a couple of seconds before finally pulling myself out of bed, ready to begin the day.
Besides, I can play the game all I want when I'm free. Maybe I should call Da-young for some tips later.
…
The day after I woke up, people have been coming in and out of my room to serve me hand and foot. Antonia even spent nearly two hours that morning massaging my arms and legs, and helping me stretch as physical therapy in order for me to regain the strength in my body. Throughout this, I tried to be as discreet as possible about inquiring about the tattoo on my wrist, but no matter whom I tried to ask, nobody seemed to know anything about it. At one point, I outright showed my wrist to one of the servants, only for them to give me a blank stare, and at which I realized: the tattoo seemed only visible to me and no one else.
Just as if it were being concealed by magic.
Maybe I was hallucinating. Maybe no one else could see the tattoo because it was all in my head. But regardless, it gave me a sliver of hope. Hope that the life I had built for myself over the past 37 years wasn't just a fleeting dream that was over now that I was awake. Hope that the connections I made weren't just a result of my crippling isolation. Hope that someday, I could possibly…
"My lady?" Antonia's voice snaps me out of my thoughts. We're outside in the estate gardens, taking a walk to help me get some exercise. Well, Antonia was walking, and I was mostly leaning on her while doing my best to maintain my balance and not fall over. It was a struggle just to stay on my own two feet. "Are you tired? Shall we take a moment to rest on the bench?"
Her eyes are flooded with worry, and I feel guilty. Here I am reminiscing about a world that may not even be real, while Antonia is here with thoughts full of me, focused entirely on getting me settled back into this life. "... Yes, that sounds good."
She carries me over to the bench and we both sit down, enjoying the view. Despite it being nearly mid-autumn, where the cold air lightly bites at my exposed cheeks, the garden is in full bloom, vibrant and full of color. I can even feel my nose being tickled by the pollen in the air.
"I don't remember the gardens being this extravagant," I note, staring at a bed of glowing hydrangeas, still glistening from the morning dew. Most things at the estate were either old-fashioned or dreary, the duke not being one to indulge in lavishness, despite his title. A notorious recluse, he only ever hired help to do the bare minimum of maintenance, and care for the garden was generally sparse and kept neat. "Everything else has stayed overall the same, but this is the only place I can hardly recognize."
"Goodness, from the way you speak, I never would have guessed you were in a coma at all, my lady," Antonia expressed, staring at me in wonder. Shoot, I guess I had better work on sounding more like an eight-year-old. Or is it five years old? Gah, it's too confusing.
"But you're right, miss. The gardens certainly have gone through many changes since you've been asleep. Shortly after you were gone, the former gardener, Wes, injured his leg while on a ladder and, given his old age, had no choice but to retire early. After that, Abraxas was hired to take over."
"Abraxas?"
"Yes, my lady. And as you can see, he took to his duties quite swimmingly. Have you noticed how the gardens somehow manage to be in bloom despite the weather? That was Abraxas's doing. He uses magic in order to protect the plants from the cold and keep them fresh all year long. Quite impressive, is it not?"
"I see… then it's no wonder I felt a strange shift in the air." I watch as a butterfly flutters around near the flowers, eventually making home on one of the petals. Now that I think of it, wasn't there a story about a man who dreamt he was a butterfly? Or was it of a butterfly who dreamt it was a man? "How peculiar. You don't often hear about magicians who choose laborious professions."
"Yes, quite true," Antonia agreed. "But Abraxas is an odd duck like that. He really only cares about gardening. I'm sure you'll run into him soon at some point. He's always lingering around here."
"I look forward to it," I tell her, watching as the butterfly flies away. Indeed, there was a lot to look forward to. I had my entire life ahead of me. Ten more years, at least, if that dream held any truth to it. And if this tattoo was any sign…
A strange thought enters my mind: if I make it the full eighteen years, will life continue on? Or will this reality reveal itself as another dream? Then would my dream life continue on like it was reality?
"The gardens are so lovely, I want to thank the man responsible. Maybe we should hold a tea party out here sometime."
"Oh, what a wonderful idea, my lady!"
…
After another half hour outside, I was returned to my room for more rest. But honestly, after three years in bed, the last thing I felt was tired. Instead, I sat at my desk, taking notes and writing down everything I could remember about Love Conquers.
According to the game, I'm destined to die at a mere eighteen years old if the original storyline is followed. Yet, as long as I behave myself, it seems all the easier to avoid such a fate just by making a few different choices. But if I chose to diverge from the original storyline, the future from then on would be unmarked territory, dangerous even. That so-called "butterfly effect" or something.
If my dream about that other world really was some kind of alternate reality I managed to enter while under a coma, where, for some reason, my life in this world takes the form of a dating game, what happens to this world when it reaches the end of the game? Which is the true reality?
There is already evidence pointing to my dream not coming true at all—in the game, Ophelia wakes up from her coma after ten years; I only needed three. Why the change?
But then there was the matter of my tattoo. I draw a quick sketch of it in my notes. If this tattoo really is a sign that the other reality exists, then maybe the reason I woke up earlier was because my life over there was unfinished. It's not like I died of old age after all; it was an accident no one could see coming. Does that mean the future's already changed?
It'll still be another ten years before the events of this supposed game would begin to unfold, but I needed some kind of a plan in the meantime, moving forward. And it all depended on which theory I chose to believe in:
1. This current reality was the true one, and everything I dreamed about was nothing more than a fantasy. In which case, I should just forget about it all and continue living life as if nothing happened.
2. The other reality also exists, and I was somehow transported there while in a coma. And if the game truly depicts events that will eventually come true, I must do my utmost to avoid my fate of dying at eighteen.
And lastly,
3. The other world is the true reality, and this one is nothing more than some game that my brain is remembering while I'm currently in a coma after the accident. If this is true, letting the storyline play out and letting the game come to its natural end may be the key to bringing me back to my life as Moon So-hee.
Of course, the current evidence could suggest numerous other possibilities, but these seemed like the most basic scenarios that could be expanded on later. But whichever of these theories turned out to be true, I still needed more information.
To be perfectly honest, #3 is more wish fulfillment than anything. As it stands, I've spent longer as Moon So-hee than I have Ophelia Nymphalis, and considering the idea of possibly dying at age 18 wasn't particularly appealing, if there was any way to get my life as So-hee back, I would choose to in a heartbeat.
After all, what does life here have to offer me? If Love Conquers is anything to go off, Ophelia Nymphalis's life is fated to be nothing but a fruitless struggle for status, where, in all her efforts, she ends up alone and broken. At least as Moon So-hee, I had loved ones to return to.
But it isn't as if I want to blindly follow the storyline either. The Ophelia Nymphalis of Love Conquers was capable of all sorts of cruel things: backstabbing, manipulation, scheming, but I wasn't the same Ophelia anymore. I had no reason to resort to such lowly tactics just to get ahead.
Was there any other way to go about it?
That's when it hits me.
In the original game, the story comes to a conclusion when Lucinda manages to defeat the evil spirit that had been attempting to corrupt the royal family throughout the game. Left behind as a curse by an ancient magician who had been sentenced to death for dealing in unethical magical practices, the spirit is the source of most of the conflict in the story, which is only resolved once it's been properly vanquished.
So what if I just vanquish it myself?
It's certainly a possibility. As far as I know, I'm currently the person who holds the most knowledge against the spirit, and therefore know its next move before it even makes it. If I play my cards right, I could manipulate the storyline to reach its happy ending by dealing with the evil spirit before it causes any real trouble, and dodge being killed in a painful death. Best-case scenario, it might be what triggers me to be sent right back to Moon So-hee's reality.
I take out another sheet of parchment and begin writing furiously. It wouldn't be easy. This required a long-term plan that could take years to play out. My current time limit is ten years. I would have to meticulously prepare for any scenario, thoroughly covering all of my bases so nothing is left unchecked.
Defeating an evil spirit is no joke. There was no way I could do something like that alone. I had nothing in terms of physical prowess or magical ability, but even if I took the time to hone those skills, there were countless other factors I can't account for. What was most important was connections. In the game, the spirit would possess different people among the nobility to fester negative energy and ignite hostility to harness the negative energy for itself — this is what fueled the social political subplots in the story. It's also why the game strongly emphasized the importance of making alliances and networking as the best way to navigate all of the discord. The pivotal relationships being, of course, the main love interests.
I start writing individual profiles. If I had any chances of going head-to-head with this force of nature, I'd have to join with all of the key figures of Love Conquers. Their attributes and reputations were essential in the final battle against the possessed Ophelia. So without them, this entire plan is practically useless.
Applying all my knowledge from the game, I can compile some extensive notes on the best way to appeal to them based on their routes and make them strong allies. Some may be more difficult to befriend than others, but I'm sure that with some time, I'll be able to make contact with all of them. Ophelia Nymphalis didn't become an elite socialite through sheer luck, after all.
In summary, there were four total love interests in Love Conquers whom Lucinda comes across after being introduced into society as a lady:
Atlas Lorquin: An orphan, like Lucinda, Atlas's nobleman father abandoned his mother after giving birth to a bastard. She died when Atals was just a child, and he learned how to survive on the streets on his own, becoming skilled at fighting and resorting to pickpocketing just to get by, all while harboring a deep resentment towards the nobility, vowing revenge on his father. As a result, he's the type to feel intensely and has a rather jaded view of the world. When he was eight years old, the commander of the royal guards, General Marpesia, happened to come across him on the street while visiting family. Atlas, who happened to bear a striking resemblance to the general's late son, a soldier who passed away in battle, gained his sympathy to the point where he decided to take him in as his ward and train him to become a brilliant soldier and personal guard to the crowned prince, and eventually, take over his duty as general. The cheeky and standoffish type, Atlas, had a tendency for violence due to the harsh conditions he once grew up in, but gradually learns to soften and open up with Lucinda's influence, who eventually persuades him to give up on his goal for vengeance.
Hugo Libythea: As the second son of the Marquis, the Libythea family is widely known as a family of scholars and academics, and Hugo is no exception. Considered one of the most brilliant and studious among his peers, he's made a name for himself among society, remaining at the top of his class right up till graduation. His achievements, which do not go unnoticed by the royal family, are what eventually grant him the highly coveted position of the Royal Tutor at age 21, in charge of educating those of the royal family, despite his being barely older than the crowned prince himself. However, within his own family, Hugo is still considered to fall short of his older brother, a revered scholar whose name would go down in history books for his groundbreaking research on the notoriously difficult subject that is magical properties. Constantly being overshadowed and compared to his older sibling over the years makes him reserved and callous until his love for Lucinda brings him out of his shell and reveals what is actually quite a gentle soul.
Lars Caligo: By far the character with the highest proficiency in magic, Lars is introduced in the game as the current Imperial Sorcerer, having apprenticed under his predecessor since he was ten years old. Despite being the youngest ever to hold one of the most esteemed positions in the royal court, Lars has yet to quite grasp the weight of his duties. While unmatched when it comes to being competent at magic, he often shirks his responsibilities in favor of frolicking around the kingdom, amusing himself by indulging in his extravagant taste for fashion and flirting with the young girls of the nobility, contributing to a rather infamous public image. However, after his encounter with Lucinda, eventually leading to love, Lars begins to clean up in act and start taking his role more seriously, having been influenced to change for the better.
Leviathan Danaus: Like most dating games, Love Conquers tends to choose a particular love interest to treat as the primary route, while all other routes act as different branches from the same overall story. In this case, that role goes to Leviathan. Warm and down-to-earth, Leviathan is beloved throughout the empire as its crowned prince and future king, as he puts his country above all else as the ideal diplomatic leader. But it's only upon meeting Lucinda that he learns to embrace life outside his royal duties, and around whom he doesn't have to keep up appearances. His character is unique for the fact that he actually falls in love with Lucinda at first sight, and continues to have feelings for her in every route, regardless of who the player ends up pursuing. This is supposed to be a nod to the fact that his route is what the game developers would consider "the canon" plot of Love Conquers, and why his story is generally the most popular.
It also happens to be my favorite route in the game. Which was it's own form of dramatic irony. In an almost cruel twist of fate —
I hear a commotion going on outside my room, interrupting my thoughts. It's coming from down the hall, where the front door is, and sounds like multiple people trying to speak over each other all at once, so I can't make out what's being said. When the sound of heavy footsteps starts making their way to my door, I hasten to clean up my desk so that my notes wouldn't be spotted. I barely make it before the door is swinging open and someone steps inside, not bothering to knock.
It isn't one of the staff — they stand outside, trying to get a peek inside the room — the man standing in my room at the moment was clearly of nobility, in his luxurious clothes and neatly styled, Prussian blue hair, similar to my own. He stands at my doorway, the doorknob still in his hand, staring at me with his honey-soaked eyes like I'm the most fascinating thing in the world. I don't know what else to do, so I freeze up in my desk chair and stare back.
It had only been three years since my father had last seen his daughter, but for me, it had been the equivalent of 37 years. Nearly four decades as an orphan, I was no longer familiar with being seen as someone to be cared for and doted on.
But feeling my father's gaze on me ignited a certain warmth from within that I thought I had long forgotten about. For the first time since waking up, I really did feel like an eight-year-old. Despite myself, I felt tears begin to well up behind my eyes.
In the end, he was still my father, after all.
"F-father…!" I manage to sputter out, much more nervous than I anticipated.
He blinks, as though surprised to hear me speak. "It's true then," he said, eyeing me curiously. "You've really woken up."
Antonia, who was among the servants crowding behind him, suddenly speaks up. "My lord, while I'm sure you're eager to see the young mistress, I'm sure both of you could use some rest, especially since you've just come back from a long trip. Why not freshen up in your quarters for now?"
He doesn't reply right away, keeping his gaze on me. I squirm in my seat, wanting desperately to know what was going through his mind right now. Did he miss me? Was he worried about my health? How had he fared these past few years while I was asleep? Those sorts of useless thoughts filled my head.
But eventually, he answers Antonia. "I suppose you're right."
And before I had the chance to say anything, he was closing the door, leaving me alone in my room once more. But why was the silence so defeaning all of a sudden?