Chapter 1

(Come at me, doom flags!) 

Long golden ringlets? Check. Rosebud dress? Check. And not to forget… that royal choker. I tugged at the delicate ribbon around my neck — elegant to everyone else, but to me, it felt like a leash. It was the symbol of my engagement to the Crown Prince. A pretty little reminder of my doom. Not that I was given much choice in wearing it. The real Iris had loved it, but I wasn’t her. 

As I walked down the grand staircase, the servants on either side bowed deeply, their faces tense and frightened. The way their eyes flicked away from mine made my stomach tighten. It had only been a day since I’d woken up in Iris’s body, and I already felt the weight of everything she’d done. Even when I hadn’t said a word, people around me flinched. I let out a sigh. So much for avoiding my fate. 

I sat down at the table with little enthusiasm and greeted my parents without energy. My father, the Duke, calmly cut into his roast duck as if nothing in the world could faze him. My mother smiled faintly, though there was something careful in the way she watched me. Then, after a few bites, my father cleared his throat. “Iris dear,” he began, “don’t you think you’ve been neglecting your magic training lately? You really should practice a little, you know. After all, you’re due for the Academy in just five days.” 

I almost dropped my fork. Five… days? My heart jumped into my throat. How could I forget? In the game, Iris had canceled all her magic training just before leaving for the Academy — the first step toward every single doom flag she triggered. 

“Not to worry, Father!” I said quickly, forcing my voice to sound calm. “I’ll catch up soon. In fact, please call Dionysius to the practice ground. I’ll have my lesson right now.” 

I stood up so fast my chair nearly toppled over. My mother called after me, “IRIS! Your breakfast!” but I was already hurrying out of the hall. 

—— ✨ —— 

I crept into the garden after changing clothes, feeling a knot of unease twisting inside me. I had put on a short-shouldered mini dress to move more freely while practicing. I didn’t like showing this much skin, but long skirts would only get in the way. To be honest, my hands were a little shaky. This would be my first time ever trying magic. 

In my original world, magic didn’t even exist. And now I was expected to perform it flawlessly. The thought alone made my stomach feel heavy. 

As I walked toward the part of the garden where my lesson was supposed to be, I suddenly heard a man’s voice grumbling from behind a large fern. I froze and slowly leaned closer, peeking through a small gap in the leaves. Dionysius — Iris’s magic tutor — stood there in his usual red cloak, complaining to the gardener, who held a rake loosely in his hands. 

“I can absolutely not imagine why the Duke ordered me to teach her,” Dionysius muttered. “I have not the slightest idea why an idiot like her would try to learn magic when clearly she has no aptitude for it. She cannot even summon a single flame! What a shame to the prestigious Dukedom of the Flares.” 

“Never mind that,” the gardener said with a low laugh. “She’s a completely rotten brat who should’ve died at my hands a long time ago! Honest to goodness, I tell ya, that little menace has the makings of a fine villainess!” 

“No wonder, with the way she behaves,” Dionysius replied grimly. “I would not be surprised if a terrible fate was to await her...” 

Their words sank in like ice water pouring down my spine. They didn’t even hesitate. They hated her. They hated me. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t Iris. To them, I was still the villainess they despised. Tears stung at the corners of my eyes before I even realized it. I stepped back, desperate to run, to escape those cruel voices that seemed to echo the game’s fate itself. But the moment I moved, a twig cracked under my foot. 

The sound was sharp. The men stopped talking instantly. I froze. Oops. 

Before I could run, the two men dashed out, the gardener pointing his rake at me. I froze again in terror. 

OH GOD, DON’T KILL MEEEEEEE! 

The two men’s eyes widened as they recognized me. The gardener slowly lowered his rake, and both of them visibly trembled, all their earlier bravado melting away. I visibly let out a sigh of relief. 

“My lady… may I ask what you were doing here…?” Dionysis asked hesitantly. I could tell he was scared out of his wits, probably imagining me throwing him in prison. I almost laughed in my head. He was… oddly cute. Hehe. Well, they don’t need to be that scared. It’s not like I’m the real Iris. 

“Uhhh… well… I was just coming for my lesson…” I stammered awkwardly, completely at a loss for what to say. I mean, I was eavesdropping on them. 

The two froze, realizing I had definitely heard their little “talk.” I scrambled to dissuade them. 

“No! I… really didn’t hear you say anything! Of course I didn’t… I mean… not anything about me, that’s for sure!” 

I visibly cringed as their ears turned bright red, their faces twisting as if Judgment Day had just descended upon them. I sighed. 

“I didn’t hear anything at all, okay? Now let’s just get to my lesson already!” 

As I walked toward the training area, the gardener hesitantly asked, “My lady… are you not going to punish us?” 

I whipped around. “Well, of course not!” I said brightly. “What reason is there to do so anyway? Now off you go, gardener. Come along, Dionysus! I’m eager to get started.” 

I marched on, ignoring the shocked faces of the two, their mouths hanging open. A light grin crept onto my face. 

I, the villainess? Ha. It’s all a matter of rewriting the plot!