When I opened my eyes, I was immediately hit with two things — first, the smell of lavender, and second… way too much softness.
The bed I was lying in felt like it was made from angel feathers. My college dorm mattress used to scream in pain whenever I moved; this one whispered sweet nothings into my back. For a second, I thought maybe I'd finally made it big. Maybe I'd won the lottery, got rich, and forgot about it.
Then I moved my hand.
It was small. Dainty. Pale. Like it had never touched a controller in its life.
And when I raised it to my face, the nails were painted a faint pink.
"…Huh?"
I sat up, and that's when it hit me. The weight on my chest, the length of my hair brushing against my shoulders, and the very distinct feeling of something missing between my legs.
"…Wait. Waitwaitwait—no way."
I scrambled out of bed, tripping over the hem of a ridiculously frilly nightgown, and bolted toward the mirror across the room. My reflection stared back at me — soft silver hair, deep amethyst eyes, porcelain skin that looked way too flawless to be mine.
That face was beautiful.
That face was not mine.
My brain short-circuited. I grabbed at my cheeks. The reflection did the same. I turned. She turned. I spoke—
"What the hell is going o—"
My voice.
It was light. Feminine. Kinda pretty, actually.
That's when the dread hit me like a truck-kun.
No… no, it couldn't be.
I looked around the room again — the obsidian furniture, the glowing red crystal chandelier, the faint scent of brimstone. I'd seen this place before.
In the game.
"The Genesis of a New Era," or as the fandom called it, GOANE.
The Ruby Kingdom.
The Demon Castle.
The villainess's bedroom.
"Oh, no freaking way…"
The memories started hitting like lag spikes — hours, days, weeks of gameplay, grinding stats, saving screenshots, and eventually, my brilliant idea to sneak into the dev building for leaks. I remembered breaking into their system, trying to mod the game to include cultivation mechanics.
And then…
Darkness.
Did I seriously die playing my own modded version of a VR otome game?
I looked down at myself again.
Yup. The curvy, elegant body of Isabel Von Thornheart, the infamous villainess of GOANE.
Daughter of the Demon King.
Future destroyer of the world if left unchecked.
And, unfortunately… me.
I did what any reasonable person would do in this situation.
I screamed.
When my lungs finally gave up, a glowing blue screen flickered into existence before me, its text glitching like someone tried to merge two separate games.
[Initializing System…]
[Welcome, Yuki Otokonoko]
[Synchronization complete. Body: Isabel Von Thornheart]
[Magisterial Interface: Online]
[ERROR: System parameters exceed world capacity]
[Warning: Cultivation function temporarily sealed]
"Oh great," I muttered. "Even in another world, I can't escape bugs."
I flicked through the menus, and sure enough — stats, skills, elemental affinities, even a cultivation tab marked Locked Until Further Notice.
This wasn't just a game anymore.
This was real.
Which meant if I messed up like Isabel did in the original story…
I'd die.
Fantastic.
Just as I was about to panic again, the massive door to my room opened with a thunderous crack. My first instinct was to grab a weapon, but all I found nearby was a hairbrush.
And then he stepped in.
Tall. Muscular. Horns like curved obsidian, eyes glowing gold, voice deep enough to shake the room.
"Isabel," he rumbled, "you're awake."
The Demon King.
My stepfather.
The original game portrayed him as both terrifying and weirdly affectionate toward his adopted daughter. The devs were huge fans of him, so they kept buffing him until they had to nerf him three times.
But now, standing before me in person, he was even more intimidating — and somehow, more human.
"I have a favor to ask of you, my daughter."
"Uh—yes, Father?"
The words slipped out automatically. My voice sounded calm, but my mind was screaming.
"You will attend the Royal Academy in the Holy Empire," he said, tone steady but regal. "As the representative of our people. A symbol of peace."
I blinked. "The academy?"
In the game, that was where the story really began.
The male leads.
The heroine.
The betrayal.
And eventually, Isabel's downfall.
My instincts screamed to refuse. To hide. To just live a quiet life far away from the main cast.
But then…
What was the point of being reborn if I was just going to cower?
This wasn't a game anymore. I wasn't some NPC.
I looked him straight in the eyes and said,
"…Alright. I'll do it."
The Demon King smiled faintly, pride glinting in his eyes. "Good. Make me proud, Isabel."
A week later, I stood at the gates of the Royal Academy of Magnorix.
The place was enormous — towers floating midair, magic seals glowing across stone paths, students wearing robes that cost more than my old tuition. Humans, elves, beastmen, and even a few demons walked together under the bright sun.
For a brief moment, I actually felt… excited.
A new world. A new life.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.
Then someone bumped into me.
"Watch where you're—" I started, but the words froze in my throat.
Golden hair. Sky-blue eyes. That elegant uniform with the royal crest.
I knew that face anywhere.
Leonhardt von Regalus.
The First Prince.
My fiancé in the game.
His expression shifted the moment our eyes met. "…Lady Thornheart?"
I smiled weakly.
Internally, I was screaming.
"Oh no," I whispered under my breath. "I'm so screwed."