She bowed stiffly, her expression professionally blank despite the obvious disdain in those crimson eyes.
"Good morning, Young Master Damien. I've prepared your breakfast and laid out your clothing for the day."
Damien stared at her, mouth slightly open. This couldn't be happening. And yet...
[She hates your guts, by the way,] Satana chimed in, floating beside him with a gleeful expression.
[The original Damien—the body you're in now—was quite the little shit to her. Among others.]
"Sabrina," Damien said, the name suddenly appearing in his mind like it had always been there.
The maid's eyebrows rose slightly, the only crack in her perfect servant facade. "Yes, Young Master? Do you require something specific this morning?"
Damien's mind raced. This was Sabrina Vael. Former minor noble. Enslaved after her family was slaughtered. Forced to serve the Valtor family—his family, apparently—as a maid. The details poured into his consciousness like he was remembering them rather than learning them for the first time.
And apparently, the original Damien had been a total asshole to her.
"No, I..." Damien struggled for words. "I just... wanted to make sure it was you."
Her red eyes narrowed slightly. "Who else would it be, Young Master? I am the only personal servant assigned to you during your... exile."
Exile. Right. The original Damien had been exiled to this frontier town after disgracing himself.
Another memory slotted into place—challenging a count's son to a duel while drunk, losing humiliatingly, being disowned by his fiancée, sent away in disgrace.
[She's waiting for you to say something terrible,] Satana commented, circling Sabrina with interest. [The old you would have made some crude comment about her body by now. Or reminded her of her place. She's bracing for it. Look at how tense her shoulders are\~]
Damien could see it. The slight rigidity in Sabrina's posture. The way her hands clasped too tightly in front of her. She expected him to be cruel.
Well, fuck that. He might be stuck in this bizarre situation, but he didn't have to be an asshole about it.
"Thank you, Sabrina," he said instead. "I'll be out shortly."
The maid blinked, genuine surprise flashing across her face before she controlled it. "Very well, Young Master. Your breakfast will get cold if you delay too long."
She bowed again and turned to leave, movements stiff and formal. As she reached the door, Damien called after her.
"Sabrina?"
She paused, not turning around. "Yes, Young Master?"
"I..." What could he say? Sorry the previous occupant of this body was a dick? "I'm not feeling quite myself today. If I do anything... unusual, don't be alarmed."
She half-turned, those red eyes studying him with cautious suspicion. "Unusual, Young Master?"
"Like being less of an asshole," he said before he could stop himself.
Her eyes widened fractionally. For a split second, he thought he saw the corner of her mouth twitch upward. Then her mask of servitude snapped back into place.
"I'll make note of any... anomalies in your behavior," she replied. "Will that be all?"
"Yes. Thank you."
She left, closing the door quietly behind her.
[Oh my\~] Satana clasped her hands together, looking delighted. [This is going to be so much fun! You've already thrown her off balance. Much more interesting than the original script.]
"Original script?" Damien turned to the demonic woman, feeling a headache forming. "What exactly is going on here? Am I really trapped in some shitty harem novel?"
[Not just any shitty harem novel,] Satana corrected, floating up to sit cross-legged in midair. [YOUR shitty harem novel. The one you're going to make better. And I'm going to help you\~]
"Out of the goodness of your heart?" Damien asked skeptically.
Satana laughed, the sound like silk sliding over skin. [Goodness? Oh Master, there's nothing good about my heart. But we have aligned interests.]
"Which are?"
[You want to prove you can write a better story than that whiny author. I want to see chaos and corruption.] Her smile widened, showing teeth that were just a bit too sharp.
[Together, we're going to turn this world upside down. Make you the villain everyone fears. Build you a harem of thoroughly corrupted women. Steal the hero's destiny right from under his nose.]
A holographic window suddenly appeared in front of Damien, glowing with blue light.
═══════════════════════════════════════
DEPRAVED SYSTEM - WELCOME
═══════════════════════════════════════
Name: Damien Valtor
Age: 18
Race: Human
Title: "The Exiled Disappointment"
OFFICIAL RANK: D-Rank
TRUE POWER RANK: D+ → C- (System Boosted)
INFAMY POINTS: 0
IP REPUTATION: "Disgraced Noble Brat"
NOTORIETY: Local (Harrow's End only)
[Let's get to work, shall we?]
Damien stared at the floating screen, then at Satana, then down at his unfamiliar hands. This was insane. Completely, utterly insane.
And yet...
A slow smile spread across his face. He was an editor who knew exactly why most isekai novels were garbage. He knew every trope, every cliché, every weak plot point.
And now he had the chance to do it right.
"Okay," he said finally, straightening his shoulders. "If this is real—and I'm still not convinced it is—then let's make this the best damn villain story ever written."
[That's the spirit, Master\~] Satana purred, floating close enough that he could feel the ghostly heat of her body. [First lesson: Infamy Points. You need them to grow stronger. And the quickest way to earn them...]
"Is to be a proper villain," Damien finished, his mind already racing with possibilities. "Starting with the red-eyed maid who hates my guts."
[Starting with Sabrina,] Satana agreed, licking her lips. [Who, by the way, is much more than just a pretty maid. That girl has secrets. Delicious ones\~]
Damien looked toward the door where Sabrina had exited. A plan was already forming in his mind. If this was his story now, he was going to make it a damn good one.
"Show me how this system works," he said. "I want to know everything."
Satana's smile was positively wicked.
[With pleasure, Master. Let's make you infamous\~]