From the horizon, a carriage could be seen approaching.
Clack...
Clock...
Clack...
Clock...
Inside the carriage sat a young lady.
Ruby-like red eyes.
Hair as dark as the night sky.
Leaning against the window, she quietly muttered,
"It's been a month since I reincarnated into this novel."
There was no one else inside the carriage.
Her personal knights rode behind it on horseback while the butler sat beside the coachman.
She was alone with her thoughts.
"I-I was just a regular college student trying to get a good job and live a good life..."
"But one day..."
"Everything collapsed."
"It was like any other normal day."
"I went to a convenience store to buy some food and snacks when a man with a long black beard and messy hair entered."
"At first, I was scared of him."
"But soon after, another man wearing a hood approached him."
"They talked for a bit..."
"And then..."
"To remove the witnesses, he killed everyone in the store."
"And before I even understood what was happening..."
"I-I died."
She lowered her head.
"But somehow..."
"I reincarnated into a typical romance fantasy novel."
"Love in Exchange for Life."
"It was your usual story about a tyrannical prince who became gentle because of a saint-like heroine."
"Bleh."
"Your average third-rate romance fantasy."
"But..."
"There was one character I truly loved."
"Duke Gujarastra."
"Why?"
"It's simple."
"He was my favorite character."
"He did everything in his power to support the villainess, Navya."
"He even died for her."
"And I hated Navya because, indirectly, she was the reason Duke Gujarastra died."
She clenched her fists.
"But now..."
"I..."
"I became that very villainess."
"Navya von Everguard."
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
[One Month Earlier]
Inside a small room, a girl sat at her desk finishing her assignments.
However, her attention was elsewhere.
She was eagerly waiting for the newest chapter of her favorite novel.
"Love in Exchange for Life."
She sat in front of her laptop, staring impatiently at the screen.
Ding~
A notification appeared on her phone.
"Finallyyyyy!!!!"
"I've been waiting for this!!!"
She immediately opened her laptop and rushed to the final chapter.
Her eyes quickly moved across the screen.
This was the chapter where Navya would finally be executed.
For most readers, it was a satisfying conclusion.
But for her...
This chapter became her favorite for an entirely different reason.
When Navya's head separated from her body...
Her final thoughts were not about herself.
They were about Duke Gujarastra.
The man she had used.
The man who had loved her.
The man who had died for her.
And for the first time in her life...
Navya regretted never loving him back.
The girl slammed her desk.
"YES!!!"
"You deserve it, you bitch!!"
"After all the devotion and worship he gave you, you used him as a pawn?!"
"A scapegoat?!"
"You deserved to die!!"
After Navya's execution, the story entered its epilogue.
The new Emperor abandoned his tyrannical ways.
The Empire prospered.
Peace spread across the land.
He eventually became known as the greatest ruler in the Empire's history.
"Sigh..."
"It's over."
"It was a good experience."
"But seriously..."
"The villainess was unbelievably stupid."
"How do you not fall in love with someone who's willing to die for you?"
"Haaaah..."
"I've got exams tomorrow."
"I should sleep."
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
The next day, after getting ready, she visited a convenience store.
"This should be enough for breakfast."
Then she noticed him.
A man with a long beard and messy hair.
"Ugh..."
"Who's that guy?"
"He looks barbaric."
"Whatever."
"Not my problem."
She walked toward the counter.
"How much for all of this?"
"It'll be 200 rupees, ma'am."
Then—
Bang!!
She turned around.
A hooded man stood beside the bearded man.
He was holding a gun.
Bang!!
Pain exploded through her chest.
Before she even understood what had happened...
She died.
Alone.
Cold.
And confused.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
When she opened her eyes again...
She found herself in a luxurious room.
The bed alone looked expensive enough to buy a house.
Her room sparkled with decorations and jewels.
"Huh...?"
Then—
A splitting headache assaulted her.
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!"
It felt as though hundreds of needles were piercing her brain simultaneously.
Soon memories flooded into her mind.
Memories that were not hers.
When the pain finally stopped, she slowly looked toward the mirror.
Pitch-black hair.
Ruby-red eyes.
Eyes as deep as an abyss.
"HUUUUHHHHHHHHH?!"
"I-I BECAME A REINCARNATOR?!"
"B-But I died!!"
"Didn't I die?!"
"So why am I alive?!"
"Wait..."
"Is this one of those stories where I become the villainess and conquer the male lead's heart?"
She froze.
Black hair.
Red eyes.
Those memories.
"...Navya?"
"I became Navya?!"
"The villainess Navya?!"
"WHY?!"
Then another realization struck her.
"Wait..."
"If I'm Navya..."
"Then Duke Gujarastra will devote himself to me?!"
"My favorite fictional character will love me?!"
Countless thoughts exploded inside her mind.
But suddenly—
"What if he doesn't?"
"What if he gives up on me?"
"Navya never treated him properly."
"If he no longer loves Navya..."
"I'm finished."
"If I follow the Crown Prince's route, I'll die."
"And I have nowhere to go except Duke Gujarastra."
Suddenly her eyes widened.
"Wait..."
"I studied business and startups."
"I can help him."
"I can help him win against the Merchant Guild."
"I'll use my knowledge from Earth."
"And this time..."
"I'll live happily."
She jumped onto her bed and clenched her fists.
Confidence overflowed from her expression.
SMACK!!
The door burst open.
An older maid entered the room.
Dark patches covered parts of her skin and her expression twisted with anger.
"You ungrateful little pest!!"
"What do you think you're doing standing on the bed?!"
"Who's going to clean that?!"
"Even commoners know how to behave properly!!"
"But you?!"
As the maid shouted, memories suddenly became clearer.
Navya saw it all.
The abuse.
The insults.
The loneliness.
The neglect.
Everything the original Navya had endured.
"But..."
"I'm not the Navya who will tolerate this."
After venting her anger, the maid turned to leave.
"Wait."
Navya's voice stopped her.
The maid turned around.
"What?!"
"You want a beating too?!"
"What is your name?"
The maid froze.
Navya repeated herself.
"What is your name?"
This time her voice carried anger.
"I am Siyara."
"So what?"
"What are you going to do?"
"Complain to the Duke?"
"The Duke who isn't even your father?"
"Or are you going to cry in front of your mother's portrait again?!"
"Huh?!"
"Speak, you little bitch!!"
Navya smiled.
"And your last name?"
"Oh right..."
"You're a commoner."
"You probably don't have one."
Outwardly, she looked confident.
Internally, however—
"Huh?!"
"I'm the villainess, right?!"
"So I'll act like one!!"
"What are they gonna do?!"
The maid exploded in rage.
Slap!!
Navya's face turned to the side.
Yet...
The smile remained.
Then Navya walked toward the door.
"Carl!!"
"Get in here immediately!!"
Moments later, a knight rushed inside.
Blonde hair.
White eyes.
Black armor carrying the symbol of House Everguard.
He immediately kneeled.
"My lady, what are your orders?"
Navya pointed at the maid.
"Kill this bitch."
Silence.
No one moved.
Navya slowly turned around.
Both the knight and the maid were smiling.
It was terrifying.
The knight stood up.
"My lady."
"I cannot kill an innocent person."
"What crime has she committed?"
"My~~ lady~~."
As he spoke, he casually walked over and stood beside the maid.
The smile disappeared from Navya's face.
He continued.
"My lady, do you know that sentencing someone to death without evidence is a grave sin?"
"And if His Grace learns about this matter, he'll whip you with a hunter."
"So I suggest letting this poor, innocent maid go."
He smiled while standing with his hands behind his back.
Navya understood immediately.
They had been working together from the start.
At that moment, she realized something.
There was only one person who could save her.
Vihir de Gujarastra.
She had to meet him.
As soon as possible.
While the maid and knight continued smiling at her misery, she quietly walked toward the bath.
"I..."
"I have to meet Vihir de Gujarastra."
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
The memories and emotions of the original Navya were engraved into this body.
Even a little scolding was enough to make her cry.
She had always been timid.
So timid that it was hard to imagine how she would one day become the feared villainess of the Empire.
After entering the cold bath, she quietly whispered,
"Please..."
"Just let me survive."