***
Original P.O.V
The mont their lips t, ti stopped.
Not in the poetic, heart-fluttering way. It realistically stopped.
The air went still. The wind froze mid-whisper. The flowers, the leaves were suspended, unmoving. Even Evelyn herself didn’t move.
The silence was so deafening that she could hear her heart pounding in her ears.
What the fuck is happening?
Suddenly, reality cracked.
Thin, glowing lines like wirefras in a half-rendered world sliced through her surroundings, flickering, shifting, distorting.
The edges of her vision glitched, the colors splitting apart like a fractured prism.
Pixels stuttered.
DING!
A translucent blue screen snapped into existence in front of her.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
[Due to an unprecedented, drastic deviation in the plot, you have forcibly triggered the Most Dangerous Route.]
[Based on the system’s calculations, you will not survive with your remaining regressions.]
[New chanic added:
Affection → Regression
For every 100% Affection Points you gain, you will be granted 1 extra regression.]
[Good luck. You’ll need it.]
Evelyn’s stomach plumted.
This wasn’t a challenge.
This was a fucking death sentence.
[You have 1 minute until you co back to reality.]
This didn’t make sense.
The female leads were never supposed to act like this toward anyone, even to their destined male leads. Yet, here they were, drawn to her instead.
Was it because of her convictions?
The way she had rewritten the rules of this thrill-romance world?
Love was like a drug, after all. Addictive, consuming, capable of warping reality itself.
But even that didn’t explain everything.
Eight regressions weren’t enough for the original Verena. She should have been dood to fail. So why was the system giving her another chance?
Unless...
Unless Evelyn had changed so drastically that the story itself had shifted to accommodate her.
A more dangerous Evelyn.
The affection points kept rising, yet the girl still wanted to hurt her. To push her away. To break her.
And yet... it made sense, didn’t it?
If Verena truly loved her, she wouldn’t.
The realization clicked into place, slow and undeniable.
I see... If I reach 100% affection with soone, that ans they’re mine completely. It ans they love .
And in return, she had to love them.
Not in a way that fills so hollow, missing part of themselves.
No. Real love that ant making sure they’re whole, even on their own.
[Ti over]
The world snapped back all at once.
The wind howled, leaves rustled, and the frozen mont shattered like glass reforming in reverse. The colors bled back into place, the weight of ti slamming down onto her shoulders. Her breath hitched.
Had she even been breathing?
Reality had returned.
She felt stupid.
She couldn’t believe she was actually considering seducing the girl by playing with her emotions just to survive.
It was wrong.
Her lips pulled away from the kiss, and she forced a soft, reassuring smile.
"I’m sorry, I got carried away... I’m sure you really just wanted to spend ti with , right?"
Evelyn’s eyes sparkled.
"Y-Yes! I wanted to reach out to you because... you’re always the one reaching out!"
Verena chuckled, patting her gently on the head. "You’re brave for trying. I’m always here, okay? You don’t have to be afraid. You should practice—who knows? You might even make so friends."
"O-Oh, friends..." Evelyn’s voice wavered, lowering into sothing uncertain. "...But I already have you."
Verena’s stomach twisted.
What do you an, ?! You need to follow the damn plot and form your stupid reading society! No wonder the system calculated I’d be dood!
"But you know," Verena pressed, trying to keep her voice light, "that wouldn’t be very fair, would it? If you want to be healthy, you need more people who love you."
"But your love is enough."
"N-No!"
This wasn’t right.
Evelyn had been bullied, cast aside—of course, she’d latch onto any source of safety. Of course, she’d cling.
Verena took a steadying breath.
"Do you love ?"
"Yes!"
"Then we have to take it slow."
"But I already love you a lot!" Evelyn protested, eyes wide, desperate. "You’re my precious knight..."
Verena stilled.
So that’s how she saw her. In a world full of dragons, Evelyn must have felt like a damsel locked in a castle.
Verena exhaled. Slowly, deliberately.
"Then... what do you know about ?"
Evelyn blinked.
"I... Uh..."
Silence.
Verena smiled, though there was sothing unreadable in her expression.
"Exactly," She placed a finger under Evelyn’s chin, tilting her gaze upward. "If you truly love , then get to know . Slowly. Okay?"
[System Notification: Affection Update!]
[Target: Evelyn Ashbourne]
[ 2 Affection Points Earned!]
[Affection Points: 41]
***
Verena sighed as she wrung out the rag over the bucket, watching the murky water swirl.
Another day of the cleaning duty punishnt, another evening stuck cleaning with Sera.
It was still Wednesday, which ant they had a few more days of this misery left.
She let out a groan, scrubbing harder at the marble floors. "I swear, this world really was written by a lovesick teenager. No one knows a damn thing about love."
Sera, who had been half-heartedly wiping down a nearby statue, perked up. "Huh? What are you rambling about now?"
"You wouldn’t get it. It’s my love life."
The girl snorted. "Love life? Who on their right minds would dare to be romantically involved with you? Please..."
"Excuse you, my situation is very complicated."
"Yeah, complicated in the way a carriage crash is complicated," Sera muttered. "Face it, your love life is probably just made up."
"Oh, like you’d ever believe ," Verena smirked, crossing her arms. "I doubt you’ve ever worried about romance. Who on earth would even kiss you?"
"Excuse ?! I’ll have you know that plenty of people would want to kiss !"
Verena grinned, sensing an opportunity. "Oh? Then let’s test it out." She leaned in slightly, her voice teasing. "For research, of course."
Sera imdiately recoiled, swatting at her. "Get away from , you lunatic!"
Verena laughed, dodging the attack. "What, scared you’ll like it?"
"Oh, shut up!"
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