A small hand gripped a white one. The bed sheets were pristine, and the scent of roses drifted through the room. But that only made it more frightening. Young Vanessa felt the coldness of her mother's hand. "Vanessa... be strong." It was a faint voice. Her lips moved slightly, and then it was over. Silence. Vanessa made no sound. She didn't cry. She simply held that hand, remaining perfectly still. Footsteps echoed in the hallway. Her father—Gilbert De Croire. Vanessa looked up. *He'll come*, she thought. But his footsteps passed by the door and faded away. Toward the administrative chamber. A servant's voice drifted from somewhere distant. "Poor thing..." No one came. No one held her. Sitting alone on the cold hallway floor, Vanessa wiped away her tears. (*Don't cry. Show no weakness. I must be strong.*) From that moment on, something changed. Her smile vanished. In its place, a perfect mask took hold. That memory scattered like mist. 　　　＊ "...Mmm." She woke up. An unfamiliar ceiling. A white canopy, a plush pillow, heavy sheets draped over her body. Wait—was her room ever this luxurious? Kisaragi Hina sat up in bed. The room was vast. Incredibly vast. Paintings hung on the walls, golden curtains framed the windows, a silver candelabra sat on the desk. The hem of a dress spread across the floor, and it was oddly heavy. (*...Huh?*) Her eyes drifted to the mirror on the wall. Reflected there was a beautiful girl with silver hair. Jade-green eyes, delicate features, the very image of a noble lady. *Who is this? She's so pretty*, she thought for a moment— (*...Wait, that's me!!*) She screamed internally. Her face didn't move. For some reason, her instincts made her maintain composure. The beautiful girl in the mirror had a dumbfounded expression. It took three seconds to realize that was her own face. (*Stay calm. Calm down, Kisaragi Hina. Assess the situation.*) Her brain went into overdrive. There was an otome game Hina had obsessed over all last year. The title was "Roselia ☆ The Love Songs of Princes." Five chapters, four capture targets. Prince Alphonse, the genius mage Leon, the knight Claude, and a mysterious hidden route character. The game's heroine was Kanon, a scholarship student from a baron's family. And— The villainess's name was Vanessa De Croire. (*Ahhhhh...*) Everything clicked into place. This was the game world. This silver hair belonged to Vanessa. Which meant Kisaragi Hina had been reincarnated as the game's villainess. (*Wait, wait, wait. Isn't this a dead end?*) She knew how the game ended. All routes cleared. No matter which path you took, in the final chapter's ball, Vanessa was condemned by everyone and permanently exiled from high society. No execution. But all her noble rights were stripped away, and she was cast out from her territory. Social death. (*...I hate this.*) But she realized something quickly. If today was the first day of the new term—if this was the timing right before the game started—then she hadn't done anything yet. Vanessa's villainy hadn't begun. (*Which means there's still time!*) Hina pumped her fist under the blankets. In a place no one could see, with all her might. The strategy was simple. Just avoid all the villainous actions Vanessa performs in the game. Don't get close to Kanon. Avoid the capture targets entirely. Live a quiet school life. Perfect. (*Alright. I can do this. I can absolutely do this.*) The door was knocked. "Miss Vanessa, it's time to prepare." A clear voice. The door opened to reveal a petite maid with chestnut hair neatly tied back and a white apron. The name Marie surfaced in Hina's mind. A mob character from the game. "Yes, good morning." The words came out more naturally than expected. Marie's eyes widened for a moment. But she quickly smiled and bowed deeply. "Good morning, miss." The dressing began. (*...What is this process?*) First a chemise, then a corset, then petticoats, then the dress itself, finishing with tying the ribbons and arranging the lace sleeves—Hina grumbled internally while watching Marie's hands move. "Shall I tighten the corset a bit more?" "No, this is sufficient." (*Absolutely not. It's suffocating. Why did people in the old days wear such uncomfortable clothes?*) She stood before the mirror. Silver hair swayed at her shoulders. Jade-green eyes looked back at her. The dress was deep navy with gold thread embroidery. By any measure, she was a high-ranking noblewoman. (*So this is Vanessa's face...*) Hina had learned through the game just how significant the De Croire Duchy was. The nobility of Primiera Kingdom made up about three percent of the population, and the De Croire family stood at the very top—one of the Five Great Duchies. They were the foremost among them. A prestigious family that had continued for four hundred years since the kingdom's founding, with annual income ranking third among all kingdom nobility. And social exile meant losing all of that. (*...It's not funny. Not funny at all.*) She boarded the carriage and looked out the window. The carriage moved along cobblestone streets. White limestone buildings lined the way. Noble carriages and common crowds mingled together. The royal capital, Blancheur—"the city of white radiance"—was indeed all white and beautiful. But before the beauty came the smells. (*Huh, there are actual smells. Roasted chestnuts...?*) An old woman was selling roasted chestnuts from a stall. The smoke drifted across the cobblestone street. In the distance, the glimmering surface of the Lumière River was visible. It felt far more real than the game's graphics. (*I really did come here.*) She tried to cross her legs, but the dress hem got in the way. Failed twice. On the third try, she managed something resembling a proper position and let out a small sigh. 　　　＊ The carriage stopped at the top of a hill. The Royal Academy Lycée de Roselia. A stone school building surrounded by roses, perched on a hill northeast of the capital. The moment Hina passed through the main gate, the game's opening cinematic played in her mind. (*It's exactly like the game's opening...!*) The main building's entrance was fitted with colorful stained glass. The Oath Rose Window, as it was called—an important location in the game. White roses bloomed across the green lawn, and white benches lined the courtyard known as the Jardin Blanc. (*This is right before the game starts. Which means Kanon arrives today!*) She felt a presence behind her. Turning around, three young ladies stood in a line behind Vanessa. The "entourage" characters from the game. In the original, these ladies would join in bullying Kanon. (*This is bad. I can't let these girls do anything weird.*) She thought for a second and forced an awkward smile. "Ladies, I hope we can get along today..." The young ladies froze. "Huh?" "Miss Vanessa is...?" "Why would she...?" The three whispered among themselves. Their confusion was obvious. Of course it was. In the game, Vanessa commanded these ladies, not smiled at them. (*Oops. Was that weird? But as long as I don't bully anyone...*) She began walking down the corridor. Her heels clicked against the stone. The courtyard was visible through the windows, white roses gleaming in the morning sun. Then she heard pattering footsteps from ahead. Small, light, hurried footsteps. (*...I know those sounds.*) Brown hair bounced as it approached. The girl was slightly shorter than Hina. Round eyes looked straight ahead, though her footing seemed a bit unsteady— (*Oh, that's Kanon.*) The moment she thought it, Kanon stumbled on a step. Her body lurched forward. Her balance broke. She was going to fall. Hina's body moved first. "Oh!" She reached out and firmly grabbed Kanon's arm. Balance restored. She didn't fall. A moment of silence. (*I messed up.*) Alarms blared in her mind. I wasn't supposed to help Kanon. I wasn't supposed to get close. I definitely wasn't supposed to say "Oh!" Kanon looked up. Round eyes met Hina's. She blinked, then her eyes sparkled. "Are you... Miss Vanessa of the De Croire Duchy?" "...Yes." "How kind you are...!" (*No! I wasn't supposed to help! This is definitely raising her affection! This is the first step toward a destruction flag!!!*) Hina screamed internally while keeping her expression perfectly still. She maintained Vanessa's face, completely expressionless. "...Be careful not to fall." She said it coldly and walked away. Kanon's voice followed her. "You really are kind...!" (*No! That's not it! Why is this happening?!!*) After turning the corner, Hina held her head in her hands. The young ladies were staring at her in shock, but that was the least of her concerns. 　　　＊ After school. Back in her room at the De Croire mansion, Hina collapsed onto the bed. (*Kanon has come to admire me...*) She stared at the ceiling. Gold filigree decorations reflected the light. She reviewed today's actions. In the game, Vanessa antagonizes Kanon, bullies her, and reveals her ugly nature in front of the capture targets. That's the path to destruction. But Hina had done the opposite. She'd helped. She'd been kind. (*But if I don't directly bully her, the destruction ending shouldn't happen.*) She revised her strategy. From now on, she'd ignore Kanon. She'd never get close to the capture targets. Never. She sat up and moved to her desk, opening her bag to prepare for tomorrow's lessons— An envelope caught her eye. (*...What's this?*) An unfamiliar envelope. Not sealed with the De Croire family wax. No sender's name. Just a white envelope, placed on the desk. (*Did this appear in the game...?*) Hina had cleared all routes. Kanon's route, Alphonse's route, Leon's route, Claude's route, the hidden route—all of them. So she knew nearly every item that appeared in the game. This envelope wasn't in it. (*...I'll open it.*) Her hands felt slightly tense. Breaking the seal, she pulled out a single sheet of paper. Written in careful handwriting was just one line. 　——You, the villainess, have a role you don't yet know about. Hina went still. The air in the room seemed to shift slightly. (*...What does that mean?*) She stared at that single line, holding the letter. There was no sender. No explanation for why it was sent. "A role"—what did that mean? Was there something beyond the destruction ending? Something the game didn't show? (*Who sent this...? Is a development that wasn't in the game already beginning...?*) Her fingers trembled slightly as she gripped the letter. Outside the window, the sunset was turning Blancheur's white stone buildings gold. The Lumière River's surface sparkled with light. From somewhere, the sweet smell of roasted chestnuts drifted on the wind. It was a beautiful evening. But Hina couldn't put that letter down for a long time.