Chapter 2 - Villain Point System

“Welcome v.0429. You have been found guilty of patricide and have been sentenced to the Isekai Punishment Project. Your role is that of Leanan Viermont, Villainess of the Kaedania Magic Academy. Let the simulation begin.”

I can only stare at my reflection as I try to process the words. Just then, my reflection melts away, replaced by what appears to be grainy security footage. The place looks familiar. This is the hall just outside my apartment. And then I appear. School uniform rumpled, backpack sliding off one shoulder.

I watch myself shuffle down the hall and stop in front of one door, my door. I press a finger against the glowing scanner pad. The lock clicks before the door hisses open, and I step in.

The camera switches to inside the house, showing me looking around, confused. The lights hadn’t come on when I entered, and it took me a moment to process the state of the mess inside. Furniture overturned, cushions gutted, paper scattered like someone tore through the place in a hurry.

I see myself drop my bag and stumble forward, breaking into a run as I see my father lying crumpled on the ground at the far wall, a dark pool seeping from beneath him.

“No,” I whisper as I stare at the me in the footage as she drops to her knees beside him.

The me in the footage screams, “Dad,” as she shakes him frantically as if trying to rouse him from a deep sleep. But he doesn’t react, doesn’t move.

“No, no, no… dad!” the me from the footage screams, but then a visible tremble washes through me as my head jerks up and darts around in a panic. “Mira!”

I watch myself stagger to my feet, legs trembling, tearing through the wrecked apartment room by room. Kicking doors open. Calling her name again and again. “Mira! Mira!”

No answer. Only silence greets me.

Then the silence is broken as the door bursts open and armoured men flood in, their visors black glass, dressed all in black. Heavy boots thunder across the floor. The me in the mirror spins to face them, but they don’t give me the time to explain as hands grab me and slam me against the wall, the wood splintering from the impact.

“Riley Silvers, you are under arrest for the murder of Dr. Trevor Silvers,” one bellows, his voice booming right into my face.

The me in the mirror thrashes. “I didn’t—wait! Mira!” The words come out as ragged gasps. “Where’s Mira?”

The only reply I get is the sound of a stun gun crackling to life. White lightning flashes as the gun fires, and the shot strikes my body. I can only watch myself collapse, twitching, as the enforcers roughly drag me from the apartment.

“I didn’t do it!” The words rip from my throat as I slam a fist into the mirror. Glass explodes, shards raining down onto the table.

“Lady Leanan!” The maid’s squeak cuts through the ringing in my ears.

I can only stare at the fractured reflection in the mirror. The security footage is gone, and I’m now looking at the many me’s that the shattered reflection shows.

My hand is grabbed as the maid starts to pull the glass from my skin. My first instinct is to yank away, but the pain pulls me back to reality. This was supposed to be a freaking simulation, so why does it feel so real? I start to feel a sense of hopelessness, but no. I won’t let them defeat me like this. They want to stick me in this body and expect me to die like the villainess they have made me out to be, but I won’t go down the way they want.

I give in and let the girl pluck shards of glass from my skin. “Thanks,” I mumble before I can stop myself.

The girl freezes. Her hands tremble, harder than they already were, causing one shard to bite deeper into my skin.

I hiss. Pain shooting up my arm.

“S… sorry,” she blurts in a panic. “It’s just… You don’t—” she cuts herself off as if she doesn’t know if she should continue her sentence. “You don’t need to thank me. This is my job.”

But I already know what she was about to say. Villainesses don’t say thank you. This body probably had never uttered any words of thanks before. But that was the Leanan from before. I don’t care what the system wants; I’ll do whatever I want in this fake world.

“What’s your name?”

She freezes. Looks at me like I’ve just broken another rule. Finally, she swallows and whispers, “Emily.” Then softer, so soft I have to strain to hear her, she says, “Lady Leanan, let me run you a bath. You need to clean up or you’ll get sick.”

She sets my hand down gently, then bolts through the door at the far end of the room. A moment later, the hiss of running water sounds.

Emily returns, cheeks flushed, and tries to tug me to my feet. Before I know it, she’s fumbling with the zipper of my dress.

I jerk back, eyes widening. “I can undress myself. You don’t have to go out of your way to do this.”

Emily’s eyes widen for a second, but then she lowers her head and steps back. “As you wish, my Lady.”

I move towards the bathroom, pausing at the door as I look back at Emily. “Prepare a fresh dress for me.”

“My Lady… you’re not going back, are you?” Her voice quivers with worry.

I laugh, sharp and humourless. “I can’t very well let them think they’ve won, now, can I?”

I step into the bathroom and almost stumble as I take in the excessively large bathroom. Seriously, was this even needed? Black and white tiles checker the floor like a giant chess board. A marble counter stretches the length of the wall, two golden sinks catching the glow from a chandelier overhead. But it’s the marble tub that draws the most attention. It is massive, deep, rimmed in gold. Steam curls from the surface, the water scattered with dried petals and fruit. Seriously, is this a bath or a giant punchbowl?

It might be a tad excessive, but I’m not going to deny that I actually need it right now. My dress crunches with every step as the fruity concoction that psycho girl doused me with has now dried.

I peel off my boots and ruined dress, then slide into the water. Heat rolls over me in waves, seeping into my cool skin until my muscles relax. The floral scent fills my nose, almost making me want to close my eyes and try to forget I’d been dumped into a nightmare. But I can’t do that. I need to figure out what the hell I’m expected to do here.

“Okay,” I mutter as I lean back against the cool marble. “What do you expect me to do?”

Pain detonates my skull, and I slip, plunging under the water, choking on the scalding floral brew. When I shove myself up, sputtering, words blaze across my vision in glowing text:

[VILLAINESS PROFILE ACTIVATED]

Designation: v.0429 – Leanan Viermont

Crime: Patricide

Sentence: Isekai Punishment Project – Villainess Role

Objective: Survive until termination or redemption

Survival Rate: 2%

I jolt upright, water sloshing over the sides. “Geez, thanks, good to know someone believes in me,” I choke out, my words echoing off the marble tiles.

A knock bangs against the door, and Emily’s nervous voice leaks through. “My Lady, are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” I call back. Then mutter under my breath, so she doesn’t think I’ve already lost it, “So, what am I supposed to do with this?”

The screen flickers as it dissolves, revealing new text:

[VILLAIN POINT SYSTEM]

Name: Leanan Viermont

Title: –

Level: 1

Villain Points (VP): 0

HP: 120/120  MP: 80/80

STR: 9  DEF: 7  AGI: 10

INT: 1  CHA: 15

I stare at the screen, feeling a tad disappointed. These numbers aren’t impressive. Honestly, they look like the kind of stats you’d expect for a beginner character who’d get killed by a slime on their first quest.

I turned my attention to the bottom of the screen, where three icons pulsed faintly—a flaming sword, a pouch, and a sealed envelope. Only the flaming sword was lit up.

Another knock on the door and Emily says, “I have your dress ready, my Lady.”

“I’ll be there in a second,” I reply as a smile spreads across my face. So, I don’t know what these numbers mean or how strong I am. The only way I can find out is to test them out, and I know the perfect porcelain doll to act as my guinea pig.

My inner-gamer bubbles with excitement. Life-or-death situation? Sure. But I can’t help it. I really want to know what I can do with this trash build.

I reach towards the glowing sword icon, feeling foolish but not knowing how else to check if I have any skills. But then my finger finds a hard, smooth surface as if the stats have physically manifested in front of me. The stat sheet dissolves, replaced instantly by another list:

[Dagger Mastery I] – Increases accuracy and speed when using daggers.

[Mana Manipulation I] – Basic control of raw mana. Unstable, but allows channelling into attacks or defences.

[Wicked Tongue] – Enhances cutting remarks, insults, and manipulation. Can briefly lower an opponent’s focus or morale.

[Tea Party Etiquette] – +1 Charm when holding a teacup.

I blink. Then blink again.

“What the actual hell?”

This is what they give me? A sarcastic tongue and a tea party perk? Unless monsters are secretly terrified of porcelain teacups, I’m screwed.

I sit there until the water cools, staring at the glowing words. Waiting for more guidance. Waiting for a voice. Anything.

Nothing comes. Just silence.

“Fine,” I mutter, swiping the screen away. “If that’s how you want to play it, I’ll shove your little game right back down your throat.”

I push myself upright, water streaming down my skin, pooling on the tiles. My fists clench, and my heart is pounding. First, I need to prepare. Then I’ll show them all exactly what a villainess can do.