Chapter 1 - Reborn into a Villainess

Act 0. The Demise of a Villainess

In her tender years, the girl suffered the tragic loss of her mother. Her sole remaining family member was her father, who perpetually remained absent from their home. For as long as she could recollect, the girl was left to fend for herself.

One day, an ardent longing to reunite with her only kin welled up within her. "I must see my father," she resolved.

Yearning for the companionship of her sole family member, the girl clandestinely sought to meet him. However, she was met with a frigid reception.

"Why have you come here?"

"I-I..."

With a resounding voice, the man scolded the girl, pushing her to the brink of tears.

"Do not return here again," he commanded.

While the girl didn't anticipate a warm welcome, accustomed as she was to his cold indifference, this piercing memory left an indelible scar.

“My father does not hold love for me,” she concluded.

With a wounded heart, the girl matured and made her debut in high society.

He did not attend today either.

Her grand debutante ball unfolded without the presence of her father. Eventually, she withdrew from the banquet hall, consumed by misery.

Did he abstain from attending due to shame for my existence?

As she wept in solitude, a man materialized before her.

"Why do tears grace your countenance, my lady?"

His words emanated warmth, and his gaze remained attentive. For the man, it may have been a gesture of kindness he would extend to anyone. Yet, for the girl, starved of affection for countless years, it felt as if he were her savior.

From that day forth, she began to shadow him, beseeching his love until she succeeded in becoming his paramour.

"I shall grant your every desire. All you must do is love me."

However, reality diverged from her yearnings.

"I no longer require your love. Truth be told, I have fallen in love with the princess."

He bid farewell to the girl, whose sole dream had been to marry him. The culmination of their three-year relationship left her devastated.

"Even you... abandoned me. I shall never forgive you."

After some time elapsed, the princess, who had ensnared her lover, imbibed poison at a banquet, plunging into a comatose state. This predicament posed a quandary, for many had witnessed the person who presented the poisoned cup to the princess.

"You! Did you attempt to harm her?"

The girl, now transformed into a woman, vehemently shook her head. Although she harbored animosity towards the princess for stealing the man she loved, she had no intention of inflicting harm. She had merely handed the cup to the princess in response to her request for a refreshing beverage.

"No, it was not I!"

Yet, no one believed her. The circumstances surrounding the incident, coupled with her typical conduct, cast her as the perpetrator.

Once the truth became apparent, the emperor, incensed with fury, issued a stern command. "Escort that wicked girl to the subterranean dungeon. Immediately!"

However, no one heeded his orders. Perhaps it was because an even more fearsome figure than the emperor himself stood in support of the woman.

Father.

Despite his perpetual indifference, they were still connected by blood. The woman clung to his hand, shedding tears. Though advanced in years, he retained the visage of youth.

"Father, I swear I am innocent!"

He brushed her off, his action causing her eyes to widen in astonishment.

Duke Floyen regarded the emperor with an unwavering gaze. "I shall personally apprehend her."

The emperor, wary of the extraordinary man before him, heaved a sigh. "How can I trust you? I know you will only stir up trouble!"

Duke Floyen endeavored to placate the emperor's anger. "You will be left with no choice but to trust me once I confine her within the Room of Shadows."

The Room of Shadows, an infamous cell that incarcerated the most irredeemable sinners, was impervious to both magic and weaponry. Its notoriety stemmed from its impenetrability, ensuring no escape once an inmate was locked inside.

Only immediate members of the royal family held the power to unseal its doors, and by imprisoning her there, the duke was essentially forsaking his own daughter.

How could you betray me in such a manner?

Engulfed by despair, the woman was led underground by her callous father. A pungent odor tainted the cold, musty air. Entering a prison for the first time proved more terrifying than she had ever imagined. Yet, the most dreadful part awaited her in the Room of Shadows, cloaked in darkness.

Before stepping into the cell, the woman resolved to make one last appeal.

"Father, I implore you, I..."

"Enter."

Although she beseeched him in distress, she received a frigid response. An icy voice pierced her soul, causing her tears to trickle down her cheeks, splattering onto the ground.

I have truly been forsaken.

In that moment, her father reached into his coat, surreptitiously passing something to her before forcibly shoving her into the cell.

"Endure."

As the door closed, shutting out his heartless voice, a radiant light coalesced into a circle, revealing a complex pattern. It served as a potent enchantment, sealing the entrance. After verifying the object her father had bestowed upon her, a wave of despair and hopelessness washed over the woman.

Why did he give me this? Does he desire me to take my own life?

As the frigid air within the cell settled upon her skin, so too did the harsh reality of his abandonment. Clutching the dagger her father had bequeathed her, she silently wept.

After a span of time elapsed, a stranger approached the woman, now wearied by frustration and misery. As a direct descendant of the royal family, he possessed free access to the cell. The prince, donned in obsidian armor, bore a reputation as a bloodthirsty warmonger.

"I have come to interrogate the sinner who harmed my sister. Stand aside," he commanded the guards.

Though he maintained a turbulent relationship with his half-sister, it was doubtful that his presence aimed to rescue her. It was more likely that he sought to subject her to torment, for he was known to revel in the suffering of others.

The appearance of the prince, shrouded in black armor as the rumors depicted, only heightened the woman's fear.

Trembling with trepidation, the guards spoke with caution. "Y-Your Highness, we apologize, but His Majesty the emperor has yet to grant permission for interrogations."

The prince emitted a sudden, chilling laugh, causing even the guards to quake in fear.

"Do you assume that I intend to kill her?"

A momentary silence ensued. It served as tacit affirmation.

Eventually, the prince spoke once more. "Shall I sever your heads before commencing the interrogation?" As the guards pressed their lips into a taut line, he chuckled. "Only when the prisoner teeters on the precipice of death, wracked by excruciating pain, shall she divulge the truth."

He then turned to the woman.

"Fear not. I shall spare your life."

The calmness with which he uttered such sadistic words deepened the woman's terror.

Will he subject me to unspeakable torment until my demise?

Rumors abounded of the prince's ruthless nature, not only on the battlefield, where he felled countless enemy soldiers, but also in the execution of enemy retainers. Truly, he was an unhinged despot in the making. The prospect of enduring his torments proved utterly terrifying.

Maybe death would be preferable to enduring the torments of someone like him.

As rationality succumbed to frustration and fear, her final memory with her father came to the forefront of her mind. She longed for love, yet he had placed a dagger in her hands.

It is rather fortuitous that this has transpired. An individual such as myself…

The woman picked up the dagger, her laughter hollow.

It is best if I simply vanish.

The prince, sensing something amiss, reached out urgently.

"Cease!"

Yet, it was too late; she had already thrust the dagger into her chest. Thus, the woman ended her own life.

At this point, the online novel ceased updating.

Ah, how I yearn for a conclusive ending to this tale...

After all, the true culprit remained unidentified.

With a frustrated sigh, I pondered the situation.

"Jubelian."

Jubelian Eloy Floyen, the name of the villainess in the novel—a character that had always vexed me.

"Why have you summoned me here?"

It was audacious of him to speak without a shred of remorse.

I can't believe he has the audacity to keep someone waiting for three hours and offer such a lackluster response.

A voice admonished the man. "I see that you are three hours late."

His face reddened in embarrassment before regaining composure.

"Jubelian," he repeated, his tone lowered.

This reaction was expected, for it was likely the first time she had ever defied him.

"Did I say something amiss?"

Having been an avid reader of the novel, I somehow became Jubelian, the villainess who perished after being forsaken by the male lead.

Act 1. A Successful Estrangement?

In my previous life, I was an ordinary college student plagued by a dearth of job prospects.

I must confess, I frequently immersed myself in novels during my spare moments. Nonetheless, I led a diligent existence: working a part-time job, amassing pertinent experience for my desired career, and attaining various certifications, be they in programming or seemingly unrelated fields like tea sommeliership or bakery craftsmanship.

Alas, all my efforts proved in vain. Had I foreseen that I would be struck by a car on my way to work, I would have allocated more time for personal pursuits.

I often indulged in fantasies of reincarnating into a character of noble lineage. However, never in my wildest imaginings did I envision becoming a villainess, especially one fated to meet a premature demise like Jubelian.

Typically, the reincarnated individuals I read about strive to avert their untimely demise. Yet, thus far, my actions have remained faithful to the original narrative.

If only I had realized sooner that I was trapped within this novel.

This is because I only recollected the intricate details of Jubelian's life later on. It was only three days ago, on the anniversary of my second year with Mikhail, that I suddenly recalled her incessant harassment of him. I also remembered that my future demise was fueled by accusations corroborated by her malevolent conduct.

I used to persistently torment anyone who approached Mikhail.

In the past, Jubelian would throw tantrums and curse at anyone who dared to engage him in conversation. On numerous occasions, she resorted to threats bearing her family's name.

This behavior was far from ordinary.

As a result, Jubelian, now inhabiting my being, acquired many adversaries.

Thankfully, I find myself at a juncture in the novel where I have yet to encounter other significant characters, such as the princess and the crown prince.

The necessity to amend my conduct is clear and pressing.

I sighed, gazing upon my grim future.

At that moment, I heard a deep voice laced with annoyance. "Are you vexed because I am tardy?"