Commonly known as .
When I first saw this novel, I thought it was just another typical romance fantasy.
A female protagonist from the modern world gets reincarnated as a villainess and tries to change the people around her to avoid the bad ending that’s coming for her—one of those overused villainess tropes.
However, there were two things that set this novel apart from the usual romance fantasy villainess stories.
First, the protagonist knows almost nothing about the original story.
At best, she knows from her friend who read the novel that the villainess she’s beco was executed and a few other details about the setting.
Second, the protagonist has a cheat-like ability: infinite regression.
She can create random save points, and if she desires or dies, she returns to that mont.
At first glance, it might seem like one of those overpowered protagonists who just ss around, but...
‘It’s a bleak novel.’
Even before she was reincarnated into the story, she was already branded as a villainess, and she does everything she can to survive. Along the way, death or torture becos a routine for her.
Thinking back now, I wonder what grudge the author had to make the protagonist suffer so much.
-Knock, knock.
As I was lost in my thoughts, a knock ca from the door of my office.
"Co in."
The door slowly opened, revealing an old man in a butler's uniform.
White hair and a face full of wrinkles. He may look frail on the outside, but his eyes were as sharp as ever.
The butler’s na was Allen. He had served the House of Hardenberg since I was a child.
"What is it?"
"Well..."
"Whatever it is, you may speak freely."
At my words, Allen hesitated for a mont before slowly opening his mouth.
"The young lady of Count Este is here to see you."
"...Is that so?"
So, it’s already that part of the original story.
No, it’s been almost 20 years since I was reincarnated as the male lead of this novel, so I suppose it’s not so soon after all. As I got lost in thought again, Allen spoke up.
"What would you like to do?"
"Once I’ve finished my work, tell her she may co in."
"Understood, Duke Hardenberg."
Allen bowed his head, then left and closed the door behind him. I stared at his retreating figure before turning my gaze to the docunts piled up on my desk.
‘There’s so much.’
Back in the day, it took forever to finish even one docunt.
At that ti, I was no more than a seven-year-old child, but my father used that as an excuse to lock in a room without food for two days, just to teach a lesson.
Thinking about it now, it’s a mory that still disgusts . How could a man abuse his own child like that, even if my mother had died giving birth to ?
And it didn’t stop there. Under the guise of training, he’d beat to within an inch of my life.
That feeling of impending death... I still can’t forget it.
‘Sigh…’
Without the mories of my past life, I probably would’ve gone insane by now. After all, the original Duke Hardenberg was practically a yandere with a broken mind.
To be honest, I’m not entirely sure I haven’t lost my mind myself. Most lunatics don’t realize they’re crazy, after all.
‘Is it just pointless worrying?’
Maybe I’m feeling unnecessarily sentintal because we’re getting closer to that part of the original story.
I pushed aside my stray thoughts and focused on finishing the docunts in front of . It wasn’t until I had dealt with all of them that I finally leaned back in my chair.
The backrest felt a little stiff, and I quickly stopped leaning. The chair I used in my previous life was more comfortable than this.
No matter how luxurious this chair is, it doesn’t et my standards. As I was thinking that, I sensed soone at the door of my office.
-Knock, knock.
Right on cue, I heard the knock and couldn’t help but chuckle. Did they really calculate the exact ti I’d finish my work? What an extraordinary butler.
"You may co in."
Allen opened the door and stepped inside.
“Have you finished your work, sir?”
“Yes. What about the young lady from Count Este’s family?”
“She is waiting in the reception room.”
“Tell her to co in.”
“Understood.”
With a respectful bow, Allen left the office.
‘So, it’s that part of the story now.’
This is the point in the novel where the protagonist, after experiencing countless bleak events, desperately visits the Duke of Hardenberg—the character known as the mastermind behind everything.
In the original story, Duke Hardenberg, intrigued by the fact that the infamous villainess of high society has co to his estate, agrees to et her in private.
The protagonist, using the knowledge she gained from her many regressions and leveraging her family’s peculiarities, catches his interest and eventually secures a contract marriage with him.
A classic romance fantasy trope: the contract marriage.
From that point, the protagonist starts gaining her footing, and the novel’s satisfying and romantic developnts begin to unfold.
But, of course, that didn’t last long. Soon enough, the story returned to its darker, more torturous thes, much to the readers’ frustration.
The sudden shift in tone had readers flooding the comnts with complaints, but the author pressed on, dragging the story back into its grim plotlines.
‘...Relentless.’
Despite being a dark, depressing story, the author’s writing was surprisingly good, which is probably why I stuck it out until the end. Looking back now, enduring all the tragedy to reach the conclusion was probably the best decision I ever made.
Otherwise, I might have ended up suffering the sa fate as the original Abel Hardenberg.
-Knock, knock.
“The young lady of Count Este is here to see you.”
‘...So it begins in earnest now.’
With that thought, I gave my command.
“Let her in.”
***
‘...How many tis has it been now?’
I can hardly rember anymore. No matter how many tis I’ve regressed and tried different approaches, my fate hasn’t changed.
Even if I grow close to the protagonist, I always end up being crushed in so way by either her followers or the crown prince.
And when I tried to approach other male leads from the original story, all I received were disdainful glares.
The noble society was far more unforgiving than I had anticipated. A villainess who had been cast out of high society was never truly given another chance to stand on her own.
Even if that villainess happened to be the daughter of a count.
After countless regressions, all I had left was the ability to protect myself through magic.
Assassination attempts, poisonings, and even kidnappings had beco routine. My increasing magical abilities were rely a result of trying to fend off such dangers.
No matter how often I could return to a previous save point, if that point was saved at an inconvenient ti, it could an the end.
“The young lady of Count Este, the duke has asked that you wait until he finishes his work.”
“I understand.”
Under normal circumstances, such treatnt would be considered rude even between nobles. But I was only the daughter of a re count, while he was a duke.
Besides, I hadn’t even announced my visit ahead of ti, so I had no grounds to demand better treatnt.
‘Still, it’s quite luxurious.’
As expected of a ducal estate.
The silver chandelier, the elaborate wallpaper, and the plush chair—likely enhanced with magic—were impressive.
Of course, the chair was still less comfortable than any modern chair, but for , it was more than enough.
My eyes wandered to the portraits of the heads of House Hardenberg hanging on the walls. One portrait, all the way to the right, caught my attention.
Ash-gray hair, gray eyes, a scar on his face, and luxurious clothing.
No mistake about it.
It was Abel Hardenberg, the character who masterminded the downfall of the protagonist, the only one who had ever successfully cornered her in the original story.
‘...And now, I’m here to make a deal with him.’
It felt like sticking my foot into a tiger’s mouth. No matter how much I had the ability to regress and held information he needed, he wasn’t soone I could take lightly.
As I swallowed hard, feeling the tension mount, the old butler spoke to .
“Please follow . The Duke will finish his work shortly.”
I took a deep breath and slowly stood up. The butler walked at my pace, guiding toward the Duke’s office.
The opulent hallway stretched out before , but I could hardly take in its splendor.
All I could think about was whether he might be the only key to changing my bad ending. The thought made my nerves even worse.
How long had we been walking? The butler finally stopped in front of an elegant wooden door and raised his hand, knocking softly.
-Knock, knock.
“The young lady of Count Este is here.”
Silence greeted us from the other side of the door.
Had he left the office just to mock ? Considering I was the villainess, it wouldn’t be out of the question for him to toy with like this.
As I was about to be overwheld by these ominous thoughts, a voice from the office cut through the silence.
“Let her in.”
The door opened, and I slowly walked toward the office.
What ca into view was a room filled with elegant wooden furniture, at the center of which sat a single man behind a large desk.
Ash-gray hair, cold gray eyes, and a sharp gaze that looked like it could cut. His aura was icy, and his face—so beautiful that it seed almost unreal—made freeze for a mont.
I stood there, dumbfounded, staring at him. He was far more handso in person than the portrait had portrayed.
"...What are you doing?"
Abel’s irritated tone snapped out of my daze, and I hurriedly apologized.
“I-I’m sorry for being rude. It’s an honor to et you for the first ti, Duke Hardenberg.”
“Well, it’s fine. I didn’t say it to scold you. Don’t worry about it.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
“So, what’s your business?”
‘Now it begins.’
From this mont forward, I had to do everything in my power to win him over. If it took hundreds of regressions, I was ready for it.
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