We meet our protagonist in the real world. Ayoung Hazelnut skinned girl who was given the name Azuha Moephe.
From what I can remember my childhood wasn't so bad. I had plenty of friends, humble parents and I did well in school.
I was trying to navigate a life like a responsible person should and to not stray away from being too different from everyone and get boring, undercompensated jobs I guess...though, during my early teens I started to notice the shift at home.
Always coming home to constant fighting, bickering on every new thing...I could not see eye to eye with them...my parents.... And simply one day, as I was so sure everything was getting better.
I saw my father lay his hand on my mother. I never remembered much after that, me and my mother moved away to an old house in the countryside where you could hear the fresh sound of a running waterfall.
My self-esteem really tanked from that point on and I started to dig myself into all kinds of books. The kind where I can just go into my own little world and never come back out unless I wanted to.
That is when I found out about Otome games! One I fell in love with was called 'Velvet Court of Blooms' while the name is kind of corny...the story was breathtaking! I could do and build up my character how I wanted even if I was the heroine or not! I could explore and learn about every part of this fantasy world, and into my adult years it really became a secret obsession.
There was so much content that it took me ages to get through each of the crown storylines, lore, and still learn about their people and why their kingdoms were so important to the narrative of the story.
But tonight, after a long day of work at the restaurant...I cooked up a special meal as a way to celebrate the 21st year anniversary of my favorite Otome game.
and then, I remember booting up the game for the final time.But before the loading screen finishes, she dies in her apartment. The last thing she sees is Velvet's face on the screen.
"Lady Velvet..."
What is this sweet smell...? it reminds me of the cherry blossom tree I helped grow with my grandma... "Lady velvet...!"mmh...is someone calling me...? it sounds almost like-...
She awoke with a sparkling glint in her eyes, finding herself sitting upon a throne that glimmered with a soft, opulent light, as if sunlight itself had settled upon the polished marbled rose gold decorative pieces which aligned upon the throne's intricate designs twisted and curled in delicate patterns, intertwined with roses of the richest green.
Their petals were dewy and vibrant like they were given a light dose of water to make them shine so bright early morning, almost shimmering with life as they wove seamlessly into the ivory carvings. Each rose seemed placed with a care that surpassed mere common folk, curling around filigree and latticework to create an enchanted garden that was both regal and intimate.
Below her was a grand hall that stretched in vastness with marbled floors, which glistened beneath the multicolor, stained-glass ceilings. Dozens of her personal attendants and devoted servants knelt or stood in precise formation.
Each servant radiated quiet dignity, their attire, faces serene yet attuned to every detail, embodying a perfection of grace and devotion that left her breathless. She could sense the years of training and discipline in every bow, and gesture....yet each action was infused with genuine loyalty and care.
Among them, Briar stood out.
He was a figure she could almost remember like the back of her head. Velvets personal attendant. With professional discretion, his presence carried warmth and unwavering dedication.
Even now, as his gaze subtly ensured she remained awake and poised for her official audience, there was a quiet vigilance that her comfort and dignity were his first concern. He made not a single hesitation and every motion effortless yet conducted with the precision of one who had long anticipated every possible need or danger.
Her eyes swept over the scene, taking it in fully for the first time, and she felt the sheer weight of wonder. The throne, the roses, the ordered grace of her attendants, all converged into a tableau that felt suspended between memory and fantasy. She remembered this vision from before she died, a fleeting whisper of a world more beautiful than words could convey, yet now, in stunning immediacy, unbearably vivid and real.
Finally, her gaze returned to Briar. His posture was steady, his eyes attentive, yet warm, a silent anchor amidst perfection. And in a voice barely above a whisper, touched with awe and something deeper she scarcely understood...she lowly spoke his name. "Briar..."
He looked at her with almost confused, or puzzled stare as if her calling him by his name was unusual. However, he looked passed it as at this moment. She needed to look her best and she always looked beautifully powerful. "My lady." He spoke. "It is about time to give your speech. You are now officially Velvet Ophe Vandora, so you must establish yourself as the lord and make sure they know what their loyalty means to you.
Wait...did I hear that correctly!? ME? GIVE A SPEECH? You've got to be kidding me!!!!? No way! They can't make me do this! I don't want to do this!
Velvet took a deep breath, the sound barely a whisper against the sudden hush of the great hall. She rose gracefully from her throne with the long, tiered layers of her midnight blue gown swift against the polished marble, and the heavy train settled beside her. For a moment, she simply stood there, a statue carved from moonlight and authority, as her gaze sweeping over the sea of faces youthful and eager, aged and wise, all turned toward her.
"I welcome each and every one of you" she began, her voice clear and resonant, carrying to the far corners of the vaulted chamber. "For devoting your lives, and committing them, to the House of Andros."
She paused, letting the weight of the words settle.
"It brings me... a deep and solemn honor to see so many of you gathered here. The young, with your futures unwritten. The elders, with your stories to tell and your wisdom to educate those with less experience. You are the heart and sinew of this family."
Her tone shifted then, the warmth hardening into something colder, sharper. The soft glow of the candlelight seemed to glint like ice in her eyes. "As Velvet Ophe Vandora Androso, the eldest daughter, second in line for succession. I stand before you as a vessel of our legacy. And so, you must honor Vandora, our Goddess. You will pray for her blessings upon the peace and the privilege we are so graciously given."
The air grew tight. "And if I were to ever hear..." she said, her voice dropping to a low, dangerous cadence. "that you have dirtied our family's name... you will never know what it is like to live like decent people ever again. That is not a threat. It is a promise."
She lifted her chin, the command in her voice absolute. "I will expect nothing less than to see you all fulfill the purpose for which you were brought here."
A sharp, sudden movement broke the tension. Briar stood tall presenting himself as Velvet's absolute devoted, his posture rigid with fervor.
"To our Princess of Aurelia!" he proclaimed, his voice ringing like a struck bell. "We bless our fortunes to the Goddess!"
A beat of stunned silence, and then the hall erupted. A thunderous cheer rose from every throat, a wave of sound that crashed against the stone walls and echoed with forced, fervent loyalty.
That was my first moments becoming the Villainess of thorned roses and lots, and lots of velvet.