I'm the Villainess?

Nagisa Minazuki was tired.

Not the kind of tired that came after a long day of work, but the deep, aching exhaustion that came from years of monotony, a life where every step forward seemed to drag her deeper into an abyss. The sound of the Tokyo rain pattered outside her small apartment window as she sat at her cluttered table, staring at the half-empty bottle of whiskey.

Her apartment was just as dismal as her life—piles of laundry in one corner, empty takeout containers scattered across the kitchen, and a small television where her favorite visual novel, Lustrous Hearts, played on mute.

Nagisa groaned, rubbing her temple. Aeris Garland, the antagonist of the game, was on screen again. The villainess, cold and calculating, slated to be executed for her crimes against the noble families of the kingdom. Lustrous Hearts had always been a guilty pleasure for Nagisa—a fictional escape from her dull reality.

But tonight, even Aeris’ tragic downfall couldn’t distract her from the empty feeling gnawing at her chest. She took another sip, feeling the burn of alcohol down her throat. Her vision blurred, and soon the world around her slipped into darkness.

“Where…?” Her voice trembled.

She wasn’t wearing her usual wrinkled office suit but a regal gown of deep crimson, embroidered with silver roses. Panic surged through her as she caught her reflection in the full-length mirror across the room. Her breath caught in her throat.

Aeris Garland stared back at her.

“No… this can’t be,” she muttered, backing away from the mirror. “This is a dream. It has to be.”

But the room remained, solid and real, as did her reflection—the infamous villainess from Lustrous Hearts.

Before she could make sense of it, the door to the chamber swung open with a deafening bang. Guards stormed in, grabbing her by the arms.

“Aeris Garland, by order of His Majesty, you are to be taken to the execution grounds.”

Nagisa’s mind raced. The memories of the game flooded back. She was at the final scene—where Aeris, after years of scheming and manipulating, was sentenced to death.

But this wasn’t how things were supposed to end! She couldn’t die. Not like this.

As the guards dragged her towards the gallows, time seemed to slow. The air grew thick, the world around her freezing in place. A soft, ethereal voice echoed in her mind.

“Is this how you want to die?”

Nagisa blinked. “What…?”

The voice, calm and melodic, repeated, “Is this how you want to meet your end?”

Her heart hammered in her chest. “No!” she screamed. “This isn’t fair. This whole world is cruel, and I’ve been dealt the worst hand!”

Silence followed her outburst, but then the voice returned, softer this time. “You have been given a choice, Aeris Garland. Will you seize it?”

“What choice?” Nagisa’s voice trembled.

“The Villainess System. Take it, and you will have the power to rewrite your fate. But beware, power comes potential consequences.”

Without hesitation, Nagisa’s mind latched onto the only thing that mattered—survival.

“I accept.”

The world unfroze. But as time resumed, the executioner’s blade did not fall. Instead, she found herself standing not on the gallows but back in her grand chamber, six months before her execution date.

Aeris stood still for a long moment, her breath ragged as the reality of the situation began to sink in. She wasn’t dreaming. She hadn’t woken up in her cramped Tokyo apartment. She was really Aeris Garland now, living inside the world of Lustrous Hearts. And the chilling memory of her near-execution lingered vividly in her mind.

Her fingers instinctively gripped the sides of her ornate gown, heart pounding. The voice, the system, everything—it was all real.

A familiar chime sounded in her head, followed by a cascade of words that appeared before her eyes.

Villainess System Activated
Current Perks: [Time Rewind (Used)]
System Points: 100
Attribute Categories:

Magic

Strength

Intelligence

Aeris stared at the glowing text floating in front of her, her mind racing. She had just rewound time six months. This was her second chance. Her opportunity to change everything. She wasn’t going to die like some helpless pawn.

Think, Nagisa. No, think Aeris, she reminded herself. She wasn’t the timid office lady anymore. In this world, she had power. She just had to use it.

She opened the System’s attribute menu. The choices were laid out plainly—Magic, Strength, and Intelligence. Aeris smirked bitterly. Each choice reflected aspects of her role in the game. In Lustrous Hearts, Aeris had always been a master manipulator, but she lacked raw power to protect herself from the consequences of her schemes. That was where she had fallen short.

Not this time.

System Points: 100
Allocate points?

Magic: [0/100]

Strength: [0/100]

Intelligence: [0/100]

She wasted no time. 40 points into Magic—power was essential in this world. She remembered the combat scenes from the game, the dazzling spells and destructive magic Aeris could wield. If she was going to survive, she’d need to tap into those.

30 points into Strength. She needed physical resilience. If someone tried to corner her like they had in the original timeline, she would fight back with more than just words.

Finally, 30 points into Intelligence. Aeris had always been smart, but now she would become even sharper. Her enemies would never see her coming.

A final chime confirmed her choices.

Attributes Updated:

Magic: [40/100]

Strength: [30/100]

Intelligence: [30/100]

A wave of energy coursed through her body, making her feel stronger, sharper. It was exhilarating, like nothing she had ever experienced before. Her mind buzzed with new possibilities, and her hands sparked with an unfamiliar magic she had only seen in the game.

"I will not die in this world," she whispered to herself, eyes gleaming with newfound determination.