Reborn as the Psycho Villainess Who Ate Her Slave Beasts' Contracts

Attwenty‑nine,shewastheyoungestCEOinthetechindustry—NetVaultSecurityhadgonefromsmallstartuptoFortune500injustsixyears.Themediacalledheraprodigy.Herboardcalledherunstoppable.Hertherapistcalledheralexithymic.Unabletounderstandordescribeherownemotions.Theelevatorchimed.Elaradidn’tlookup.Onlyonepersonhadafter‑hoursaccess.“You’relate,”shesaid.“Theinvestormeetingisintwelvehours.Didyoureviewthe—”“I’mnothereaboutthemeeting.”…“Ugh.”Elaralostherlifethatdayatthehandsofhermentorandadoptivefather.Bythenextmorning,thesamepeoplewhooncecalledherageniusandpraisedhertotheskywerecallingheracowardwhokilledherselftoescapescandal.ThenElarawokeup.Notinheroffice.Notinahospital.Inadifferentworld.Inadifferentbody.ShewasnowElara,theFourthPrincessofthisso‑calledgreatkingdom—onlytofindthatthisprincesswasanutterpushover,completelyuselessineveryone’seyes.Noonefearedher.Noonerespectedher.Evenherownpalacewasfullofotherpeople’sspies.HowisElarasupposedtosurvivethispalacebattle,whensevenprincessesfightintheshadowsandshe’sknownastheweakestone?Andcansheeverescapethisplace…orwillshedecidetowininstead?……“YourHighness,please…ugh…”TheleashoflightaroundMahir’sneck—theheadoftheknights—tightenedwithasoftpull.Hisfaceflushedred,andnotfrompain.“Princess,here.”Ken,thestrongestbeastknight,kneltcloserandheldoutasmallpillbetweenhisfingers,guidingitgentlytoElara’slips.“Swallowit,”hesaidquietly.“Youusedtoomuchpowertoday.”Onthefloorbelowthebed,threebeastmenkneltinarow,broadshoulderstense,earstwitching,theireyesfixedonherwithdazedfocus.Thin,glowingleashesofmagicranfromtheircollarstothebandsatElara’swrists.“Please…”Ken’svoicedropped,roughandalittlehoarse.“Putyourfoothere.”Hetouchedhisglovedhandtohischest.“Onme.”Elarasighed,halfannoyed,halfamused,andrestedherfootlightlyonhisarmoredchest.Allthreeofthemdrewinasharpbreathatthesametime,facesturningevenredderasthemagicbetweenthemflared.Theireyes—gold,amber,anddeepbrown—lookedupatherwiththesamelost,devotedgaze.