The morning sun filtered through silk curtains, casting soft, warm light across the room. Selina Verdia opened her eyes. A white ceiling. A chandelier adorned with gold filigree. Blue stained glass framing the window. Everything was a world of luxury she'd never seen in her past life. Yet now, it was her everyday reality. Selina had lived in Japan in her previous life. An ordinary female university student attending a prestigious school, she'd woken one morning to find herself reincarnated in the Grandveria Kingdom—an isekai. And she'd realized that this world was identical to the otome game she'd been obsessed with: *The Princess of Holy Light*. She rose from the bed. The soft silk sheets slipped away from her skin. She stood and walked toward the large mirror hanging on the wall. The reflection showed her: short black hair with bangs swept diagonally across her forehead. Deep amber eyes gleamed in the morning light. Fair skin, refined features. About 170 centimeters tall with a slender, graceful figure. She wore a white silk blouse. On her left wrist, a faintly glowing mark was inscribed—the crest of House Verdia, a magical seal passed down through generations, proof of magical power granted only to blood relatives. "…Same face again." She murmured, confirming. This face belonged to Selina Verdia. Seventeen years old. The daughter of House Verdia, one of the Six-Winged Council—the six great noble families that supported the empire beneath the emperor and governed the Grandveria Kingdom. A daughter bearing noble blood and the pride of her house. But the mind inside this body was someone else entirely. The ordinary Japanese university student from her past life had woken one morning to find herself reincarnated in another world. And she'd realized: this was the world of the otome game *The Princess of Holy Light* that she'd read in her previous life. And she was— A villainess. In the original story, this girl participated in bullying the crown prince's fiancée in the latter half of the narrative, became entangled in a conspiracy of treason, and was executed for high treason. She knew that fate from her memories of the previous world. In other words, to survive, she had to avoid the original plot. A cold light reflected in the amber eyes in the mirror. Selina took a deep breath. "Breakfast is prepared, Miss." A light knock on the door. A maid—a female servant in a noble household. Selina averted her gaze from the mirror and donned her cloak. A black cloak bearing House Verdia's crest fell over the silk blouse. The perfect appearance of a noble daughter. "Understood. I'll be right there." Her reply was modest, befitting a noblewoman. Emotionless, calculated tone. Selina exhaled softly. *(Today, I have no choice but to play the part.)* She walked down the corridor toward the dining hall. Portraits lined both sides—stern faces of her ancestors, watching over her, or rather, watching her. Her steps were slow, her posture perfectly straight. The flawless gait of a noble daughter. Not a hint of inner turmoil showed. In the Grandveria Kingdom, noble status was absolute. As the daughter of House Verdia, one of the Six-Winged Council, Selina had to be perfect in all things. That strictness wasn't merely etiquette—it was the very order of the state. A maid opened the large dining hall doors. A formal dining table. At the far end sat her father—Edward Verdia, Duke. A duke was the highest noble rank within the Six-Winged Council. Silver hair, sharp features, in his mid-forties yet radiating authority. His eyes were amber. Selina averted her gaze. Those eyes held a coldness that seemed to see through everything. "Let us take breakfast, Selina." Her father's words were a command. Selina took her seat. Before her lay fresh fruit, warm bread, egg dishes. Only the finest ingredients. Yet she felt nothing at their extravagance. *(Ah, breakfast. Thank you for the meal.)* She reached for her fork when— "Selina. I have decided to recommend you as a candidate for the crown prince's fiancée." Her father's voice was matter-of-fact. But those words— *(Ehhhhhhhhhhhhh!?)* Selina's heart leaped with earth-shaking force. Her fork clattered softly against the plate. Yet her expression didn't change. Noble training instinctively constructed the mask. A faint smile. A perfect response. "Is that so, Father?" Her voice sounded calm, filled with anticipation. But internally— *(That's a direct ticket to destruction!!!!)* Selina knew the original story well. The crown prince route was a guaranteed execution path. In the original, at the Grand Audience—the most formal ceremony in the kingdom where the emperor introduced new noble ladies—the heroine appeared, a girl called the "Maiden of Revelation" with special powers. And Selina bullied her, and for that crime, she was condemned. Completely cornered. Her father nodded with satisfaction. "The honor of House Verdia is at stake. Use your crest magic, 'Mirror Reflection'—the ability to perceive the distance between hearts and read the other's emotions—to seize the position of crown princess. That status will greatly elevate House Verdia's power." "I shall certainly meet your expectations, Father." A perfect response. But internally, calculations spun at high speed. *(Wait. In the original, the heroine who appears at the crown prince's side—the 'Maiden of Revelation'—is the main heroine. She's the protagonist. The crown prince is drawn to her. And me? I'm eliminated as an inconvenient fiancée candidate.)* Selina brought the soup to her lips. The warm liquid passed down her throat. In that moment, realization struck. *(In this household, the original story shows she was destroyed because she became obsessed with the crown prince. So what if I don't become obsessed?)* Her father continued. "The Grand Audience will be here soon. You must win the crown prince's favor there. Show a bearing that overwhelms the other ladies." "Um, Father... the crown prince is already receiving considerable attention from many noble ladies, I believe..." Selina tried to voice her opinion carefully. But her father raised his hand to stop her. "That is precisely why this is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate House Verdia's power. With your talent, you will surely succeed." "Talent, you say?" She murmured internally. *(If I have talent, it's the talent for avoiding destruction. The crown prince route is hell.)* She broke bread elegantly. Spread butter, brought it to her mouth. Every gesture was flawless. Yet her heartbeat quickened. According to her knowledge of the original, the Grand Audience was this coming weekend. That's when the heroine appears. Meaning, the destruction flag activates in three days. What could she accomplish in three days? "Father. Please have no concerns. I shall do my utmost to meet your expectations." Her answer was flawless. But her hand holding the soup trembled ever so slightly. Her father didn't notice. He never heard his daughter's internal screams. He saw only the glory of House Verdia. Breakfast proceeded in silence. Outside the window, the morning of the royal capital Fortina was beginning to stir. The Felice River flowed quietly in the light, and the bustle of the marketplace echoed from afar. The spire of the Holy Light Cathedral gleamed silver. Everything seemed unchanged. Yet for Selina Verdia, something had definitely shifted that morning. After breakfast, Selina returned to her room. The east corner room on the second floor. About twenty tatami mats in size. From the window, she could see the Verdia estate's gardens. Luxurious furniture, books lined on shelves. Everything maintained the perfect appearance of a noble daughter's chamber. Selina gently closed the door. In that instant— "What am I supposed to do about this!?!?!?" She collapsed onto the silk bed. The graceful mask of the noble daughter shattered in an instant. Her true face emerged. An ordinary university student from her past life. Panic. "The crown prince route is a guaranteed execution!!" She groaned at the ceiling, her heart pounding violently. "Father's orders are absolute. But the crown prince route means certain death. I'm cornered. Completely cornered..." Muttering, Selina desperately traced through her memories of the original story. The otome game *The Princess of Holy Light*. Five capture targets—five royals and nobles, including the crown prince. *(Crown prince route: Guaranteed execution. Heroine gets stolen away, I get condemned.)* *(The others?)* *(Hmm... honestly, Selina's a villainess in every route. More or less, destruction is my fate.)* On the bed, Selina rolled around. "What am I supposed to do? I was living normally in my past life. Why did this happen?" She murmured, staring at the ceiling decorations. Golden patterns gleamed. Beyond them, no one would ever see her fate. *(Ah, well. I can only laugh.)* Selina laughed at herself—silently, internally. Eventually, that smile faded. Her amber eyes reclaimed their cold light. "Destruction avoidance. I have no choice but to make it work." She rose from the bed. This time, preparing to don her mask. She sat before the mirror and gazed at her own face. Black short hair, amber eyes. The perfect noble daughter. Yet deep within those eyes lay the anxiety of an ordinary girl, the knowledge of her past life, and cold calculations for survival, all crammed together. "Avoid the destruction flag. Don't show obsession with the crown prince—maintain distance. Use the position of fiancée candidate, but don't let the engagement actually progress. Avoid conflict with the heroine. Don't accept invitations to treason. Divert the attention of all five capture targets." One by one, she laid out her plans. Her voice was quiet, composed. "It's complex, but not impossible. I know the original plot, so I can predict developments. If I turn that to my advantage..." Selina's amber eyes gleamed quietly. Lonely. Carrying a secret she could tell no one. As someone with memories of her past life. As a villainess. Yet that very loneliness was her weapon. "Alright. First, I'll gather information over these three days until the Grand Audience. There might be variables not in the original. And... the crown prince's character is described as 'obsessive and controlling' in the game, but what's he actually like?" She gazed out the window. The landscape of the royal capital Fortina spread before her. The Radiant Wing Palace towering at the center—the emperor's residence. Within it lay the emperor, the crown prince, and her own fate. "To avoid destruction, I'll give my all. That is my survival strategy." She whispered, closing her eyes. Her heartbeat gradually steadied. The panic faded. What remained was cold calculation, faint fear, and strong resolve to survive. From this morning, Selina Verdia's true battle had begun. A lonely girl's struggle against the fate of destruction. To the Grand Audience in three days. What would happen there, even Selina didn't yet know. Original knowledge or not, reality was unpredictable. Yet she was prepared. Survive. That was her only goal. Selina Verdia straightened her short hair, began planning her day—appearing as a perfect noble daughter, while internally waging a desperate battle to avoid destruction. It was the beginning of a long day. And merely the first page of an even longer, far more complex story.