Echo 4 – Ashen Crown. [12.0. Scarlet Requiem]
On November 26, 2024 By Fang Dokja In Arc 12. Scarlet Requiem
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This story contains mature themes and situations that some readers may find uncomfortable or distressing. Please read with care. Below is a list of content and trigger warnings to guide you:
1. Psychological Manipulation and Emotional Abuse: Certain characters engage in manipulative and abusive behaviors, including gaslighting and coercion. These actions are explored as part of character dynamics and conflict.
2. Toxic Relationships: The narrative includes interactions that highlight power imbalances and unhealthy dynamics, such as controlling and possessive behavior. These situations are depicted to showcase character flaws and to critique such toxic tropes.
3. Violence and Death: References are made to violence involving side characters and larger conflicts in the story’s world. There are mentions of assassination attempts and tragic losses, which add to the stakes of the protagonist’s journey.
4. Dark Themes: The story delves into themes of betrayal, war, and survival in a hostile and politically charged setting. There is also a focus on the psychological toll these situations take on the protagonist.
5. Mature Language and Humor: The protagonist uses sarcastic and occasionally sharp humor, with mild profanity to express frustration. This is part of the narrative style and does not dominate the tone but may not suit all audiences.
6. Coping with Trauma: The protagonist reflects on emotionally taxing moments and personal regrets. These moments serve to build the narrative but may resonate with sensitive readers.
7. Violent Imagery and Depictions of Gore: There are detailed descriptions of violent scenarios, including scenes of character deaths (e.g. characters being torn apart, blood splattering, graphic injuries).
8. Mental Health Strain: The narrative contains frequent references to emotional turmoil, existential crises, and intense internal debates, portraying the character’s distress and confusion throughout their decision-making process.
9. Themes of Power and Control: There are recurring themes of manipulation, control, and coercion, particularly regarding the relationships between characters and the political dynamics in the story.
10. Isolation and Loneliness: Several passages describe characters experiencing isolation, emotional disconnect, and feelings of being trapped within their circumstances.
11. Conflict between Personal Happiness and Greater Good: The story frequently explores dilemmas between choosing personal happiness and the greater good, resulting in internal conflict and tension.
12. Strong Language and Profanity: The narrative contains instances of foul language, strong, explicit language, and frequent use of dark humor.
13. Political Intrigue and Power Struggles: The story deals with themes of political manipulation, strategic alliances, and conflicts of interest.
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Status: Draft #1
Last Edited: November 26, 2024
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Bella closed the heavy oak door to her personal room with a soft click, sighing as she leaned against it. The room was, of course, as over-the-top as the rest of the Crimson Church—plush carpets that probably cost more than her pre-isekai rent, intricate chandeliers dripping with crystals, and a four-poster bed that looked like it could swallow her whole. She’d customized it a bit, though; a giant corkboard dominated one wall, currently pinned with various notes, maps, and what she generously referred to as “important stuff.” (Translation: doodles of Velion’s ridiculously perfect hair and a very detailed pros-and-cons list for chocolate biscuits.)
She kicked off her heels—whoever decided saints needed to wear stilettos deserved to be smote—and flopped onto her bed. After a moment of existential staring at the canopy, she rolled over, reached for the drawer in her bedside table, and pulled out the two most important items in her current life: her notebook and her fanciest pen. Both were gifts from the Church, complete with intricate locks to protect her saintly thoughts and, more importantly, the unholy chaos she was about to unleash.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, she unlocked the notebook and flipped to a fresh page.
“Alright,” she muttered, tapping the pen against her chin. “If I’m going to survive this otome hellscape, I need a battle plan. And for that, I need to figure out which poor bastard I’m dragging to the end credits.”
She scrawled the title across the top of the page: Operation: Not Dying.
First up, obviously, was Velion Eleazar. Bella didn’t even need to think about it. If love interests were coffee orders, Velion was a vanilla latte—sweet, dependable, and exactly what you needed after too much drama.
“Velion Eleazar,” she murmured as she wrote his name. “Pros: flawless manners, literal golden retriever energy, and the only guy who doesn’t seem actively interested in getting me killed.” She paused, then added, “Cons: possibly too perfect? Makes me suspicious. Also, I’m like ninety percent sure the devs designed him specifically to make me feel guilty for flirting with anyone else.”
Next up was Crown Prince—no, sorry—Emperor Caesar Charlemagne. His name alone sounded like it belonged on an overpriced cologne bottle. Bella chewed on the end of her pen as she considered him. Caesar’s route wasn’t bad, per se, but it was the kind of route that came with ten-pound history textbooks and a lot of scheming.
“Caesar Charlemagne,” she wrote. “Pros: he’s hot, rich, and comes with a built-in empire. Cons: imperial harem route, which means concubines, scheming courtiers, and probably fifty assassination attempts before breakfast. Also, I’m not into being wife number forty-two. Pass.”
She tapped her pen against the notebook for a moment, then wrote: “Extra con: his name is Caesar. I can’t not think about salad every time someone says it. What were the devs thinking?”
Next was Silas Alejandro, the Archmage Scholar of the Frostspire Magic Tower. This route was basically the lore dump DLC, complete with mandatory side quests that involved translating ancient texts and figuring out how to use magic runes without accidentally blowing yourself up.
“Silas Alejandro,” Bella muttered, jotting it down. “Pros: literal genius, knows magic, probably the most useful ally in a life-or-death situation. Cons: spends ninety percent of the route locked in his study, and you have to be a certified brainiac to survive. Oh, and the ‘good ending’ still makes you his unpaid research assistant for life. Hard pass.”
Then came Jade Ohara, the War Hero of the Azure Empire. Bella groaned just thinking about it. This route was peak angst, the kind of thing teenage Bella would’ve swooned over but adult Bella just found exhausting.
“Jade Ohara,” she wrote, underlining his name for emphasis. “Pros: ultimate bad-boy vibes, has a tragic backstory, and looks great in uniform. Cons: his empire and my empire have been at war for, like, forever, and I’d probably get executed for treason just for holding his hand. Also, angst. So much angst. I am not emotionally equipped for this.”
She underlined “angst” three more times.
And then there was Captain Knox Kingston. Bella pinched the bridge of her nose before writing his name. She already knew where this was going.
“Knox Kingston,” she said aloud. “Pros: pirate captain, which is cool. Cons: everything else. Blackmail, kidnapping, Stockholm Syndrome—like, come on, devs, could you be more obvious? Also, he’s besties with Archduke Light Valor, which is just—no.”
Her pen hovered over the page as she considered adding “sexy” to the pros list. After a moment of soul-searching, she wrote, “Pros: fine, okay, he’s sexy. But that doesn’t make up for the kidnapping.”
And finally—Bella grimaced as she wrote the last name. Archduke Light Valor. Just seeing it on paper made her want to throw her notebook out the window.
“Archduke Light Valor,” she hissed, stabbing her pen against the page. “Pros: absolutely none. Cons: everything. Psychopath, abuser, worst route ever, and somehow still manages to look like he walked out of a Calvin Klein ad. WHY is he this hot? It’s criminal. It’s evil. The devs were on something, and I hate them for it.”
She scrawled a giant X over his name for good measure.
Sitting back, Bella surveyed her work.
“So,” she muttered, “it’s Velion or bust, huh? Great. At least the fandom agrees with me. Except for the psychos who think they can fix Light Valor. Ugh, people are the worst.”
She slammed the notebook shut, locked it, and threw it back in the drawer. For now, she’d let future Bella worry about the grand ball and whatever fresh hell awaited her there. Right now, she had priorities.
Like finding more biscuits.
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Bella sprawled on her velvet chaise lounge, scrolling through the latest comments from the StarStream chat. The Church might provide her with every luxury imaginable, but her one true indulgence was watching the peanut gallery argue over her fictional love life. These people really cared, like a little too much, about who she should end up with. It was both entertaining and deeply concerning.
She opened the stream on her crystal device—a gift from the Church to keep up her divine connection with the people, aka a high-tech tablet—and dove right into the chaos.
Chat Stream:
FluffDragon112: “Guys, I’m telling you, Velion is the only choice. Did you see the way he refilled her tea earlier? Husband material.”
DemonicSushi44: “You’re such a simp. Caesar is literally an emperor. Like, HELLO? Power, prestige, hotness? Check, check, check.”
ScarletSaint45: “But have you considered Knox Kingston? Pirate. Captain. Tattoos. I don’t care if he’s a walking red flag, I would die for him.”
LoreGeek9000: “Silas Alejandro is clearly the superior intellectual choice. You peasants wouldn’t understand.”
LilithFanatic91: “Let’s be honest, the real spicy drama starts when she meets the Archduke. Have you guys even seen his route? It’s wild.”
Bella snorted. The stream chat was nothing if not predictable.
She switched to voice mode and let her amusement spill over. “Alright, folks, let’s unpack this,” she said, propping the device on a pillow. “Velion’s the obvious choice if you’re into polite, tea-pouring perfection. Sure, he’s a total cinnamon roll, but am I the only one who feels like I’m being manipulated by guilt into loving him? Like, dude probably rescues stray kittens in his spare time. It’s almost too much.”
The chat lit up.
FluffDragon112: “BLASPHEMY. TAKE THAT BACK.”
Sunflower_Starlight: “Bella, noooo! He’s pure! He’s good!”
Knightly_Cutie7: “…Okay, but I kinda see it. It’s like they programmed him to guilt-trip you into not looking at the other guys.”
“Exactly,” Bella said, nodding like she was addressing a room full of scholars. “And then we’ve got Caesar. Hot, yes. Powerful, definitely. But imperial harem drama? No thank you. I can already feel the backstabbing courtiers and the twenty concubines plotting my downfall. You know the trope: I’d wake up one morning with my tea poisoned, and Caesar would be like, ‘Oh, don’t worry, darling. I executed the chef. Problem solved.’”
More chaos erupted.
DemonicSushi44: “THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT HOT, THOUGH.”
Velvet_Rose77: “Bella, please. We’d love to see you as empress. Think of the gowns!”
ScarletSaint45: “You just need to play the politics game better, girl. Out-scheme the schemers.”
Bella groaned. “Guys, I can barely scheme my way into getting an extra croissant at breakfast. Next.”
She took a sip of her drink and waved dramatically at the screen. “Now, Silas. Oh, Silas. Look, I respect him, but do you know how exhausting it is to hang out with someone who speaks exclusively in cryptic metaphors and ancient runes? Like, bro, just say ‘good morning’ instead of quoting some dead frost mage from 800 years ago.”
LoreGeek9000: “IT’S CALLED DEPTH, BELLA.”
Ethereal_Mage32: “He’s misunderstood! He just needs someone to bring out his softer side.”
Bella raised an eyebrow. “His softer side? His softer side is probably just him quoting something depressing slightly quieter. Pass.”
The mention of Knox sent the chat into overdrive.
ScarletSaint45: “YES. TALK ABOUT THE PIRATE.”
DarkWave666: “Knox supremacy. Kidnap me, Daddy.”
Bella choked on her drink and coughed for a good ten seconds. “You people need therapy. Kidnap me, Daddy? REALLY?”
Sunflower_Starlight: “Bella, you can’t deny he’s hot.”
Bella leaned closer to the screen, lowering her voice like she was about to tell a dark secret. “I’ll give you this: he’s hot in a pirate bad-boy way. But—and this is a big but—Stockholm Syndrome isn’t romantic. Kidnapping isn’t cute. I don’t care how good his abs look while he’s tying you to the mast.”
ScarletSaint45: “…Okay, but hypothetically, if he was reformed—”
Bella cut her off with a wave. “Hypothetically, if he reformed, he’d still be besties with Archduke Light Valor, which is the biggest red flag in this entire game. Speaking of which—”
The chat exploded.
LilithFanatic91: “FINALLY. TALK ABOUT THE ARCHDUKE.”
FluffDragon112: “We don’t need to. He’s TRASH.”
LoreGeek9000: “Trash with the best face in the game, though. Just saying.”
Bella rolled her eyes so hard she thought they might get stuck. “Guys, no. I’m vetoing Light Valor right now. Have you seen his route? It’s a glorified torture simulator. Even the so-called happy ending is just slightly less miserable than the bad ones.”
LilithFanatic91: “But what if you fixed him?”
Bella slammed her palm against the bed. “No! NO ONE CAN FIX HIM. He’s irredeemable. The devs wrote him to be irredeemable, and you know it. He’s like if someone took every toxic trope from every dark romance ever and shoved it into one ridiculously hot body.”
Velvet_Rose77: “You sound bitter, Bella.”
Bella pointed at the screen. “You’re damn right I’m bitter! Do you know how many hours I wasted unlocking his route, only to get emotionally destroyed at the end? Never again.”
She flopped back on the chaise with a groan, watching the chat devolve into arguments.
ScarletSaint45: “Velion is too boring.”
DemonicSushi44: “Caesar all the way.”
LilithFanatic91: “Light Valor stans rise up!”
FluffDragon112: “THERAPY. GET IT.”
Bella smiled faintly, letting the chaos wash over her. At least someone was enjoying this mess of a game.
Now if only she could figure out how to survive it.
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Bella sighed, rubbing her temples as she stared at the chat’s growing demand for an explanation about why she wouldn’t even entertain the idea of Archduke Light Valor as a love interest.
“Y’all really want to talk about him?” she asked, incredulous. “Fine. Let’s unpack this walking trauma factory, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. If you thought Knox was bad, strap in. This is a rollercoaster straight to hell.”
Chat Stream:
LilithFanatic91: “YESSS, SPILL THE TEA.”
DemonicSushi44: “Bet she secretly loves him. 👀”
ScarletSaint45: “You’re just scared of his power, Bella.”
FluffDragon112: “Y’all are sick. She’s clearly traumatized.”
Bella rolled her eyes. “Scared of his power? Try disgusted. No, horrified. Let me paint you a picture of this paragon of toxicity.” She grabbed a pillow and hugged it to her chest like it could shield her from the memories.
“First off, Light Valor’s not just your regular, garden-variety yandere. Oh no. He’s the whole damn horror show. In every single route except his own, he’s the main antagonist. You know how most otome games have a big, bad villain who lurks in the background and occasionally twirls their evil mustache? Well, Light Valor isn’t lurking. He’s front and center, blowing up kingdoms and killing your friends just because he can.”
Chat Stream:
Velvet_Rose77: “Okay, but he’s so hot while doing it.”
Bella glared at the screen. “I’ll get to his stupid face in a minute. Focus. You wanna know why I hate him? In Caesar’s route, he kills Silas and Knox like they’re NPCs in his murder simulator. Just—bam! Dead. And in Velion’s route? Oh, he doesn’t kill Velion outright. No, he breaks him. Turns him into this hollow shell of a person. It’s like watching your golden retriever best boy get kicked into a volcano.”
The chat erupted with gasps and angry emojis.
FluffDragon112: “MONSTER.”
DemonicSushi44: “Wait, he kills Silas?!”
LoreGeek9000: “Actually, in Silas’s route, Light Valor kills Caesar and Velion. Silas only survives if you play perfectly and avoid every death flag. It’s ridiculous.”
Bella nodded grimly. “Exactly. He doesn’t just kill love interests. He kills beloved side characters. You know Sister Mariel, the sweet old nun who bakes you cookies in Velion’s route? She dies because of him. Captain Greaves, the mentor figure in Knox’s route? Dead. And don’t even get me started on Jade’s route. Let’s just say Light Valor doesn’t care about your angsty war hero and his dreams of peace.”
She paused for effect, letting the weight of her words settle in.
“But you know what makes his route the worst? He’s not just evil. He’s personal about it. He doesn’t see the MC as a person. Oh no. To him, you’re a toy. Something to play with, to break, to mold into whatever sick fantasy he has that week. He’s a cheater, an abuser, a manipulator, and a gaslighter so good he could teach a masterclass. And don’t think for a second he’s above kidnapping and torturing you just because he’s bored.”
Chat Stream:
LilithFanatic91: “OKAY BUT HIS FACE—”
Bella threw her hands up. “Oh, his face? Yeah, sure, he’s hot. He’s got that ‘sex-on-legs, alpha-male psychopath’ look that makes you question your moral compass. But let me tell you, a six-pack does not make up for him being the human equivalent of a black hole where happiness goes to die.”
The chat blew up in hysterics.
ScarletSaint45: “I CAN FIX HIM.”
Bella pointed at the screen, eyes wild. “NO, YOU CAN’T! That’s the point! The devs wrote him specifically so you can’t fix him. I mean, do you know what his so-called happy ending is? Spoiler alert: it’s not happy. At all.”
Chat Stream:
FluffDragon112: “Oh God, do we want to know?”
DemonicSushi44: “I NEED TO KNOW.”
Bella sighed deeply, clutching the pillow tighter. “Okay, so here’s the deal. In his happy ending—if you can even call it that—he forces you to choose between killing him or killing yourself. Like, literally, those are your options. And guess what? If you try to kill him, you get a bad ending where he murders you instead. So your only real option for the ‘happy ending’ is to kill yourself. And he wins. He gets everything he wants, and you’re just…gone.”
The chat went absolutely ballistic.
LilithFanatic91: “NO WAY. WTF.”
Velvet_Rose77: “That’s not a happy ending, that’s a crime scene.”
LoreGeek9000: “I told you his route was cursed.”
Bella leaned back, exhausted from recounting the horrors of Light Valor’s route. “So yeah, that’s why he’s a big fat NO for me. Walking black flag, irredeemable psychopath, and the literal embodiment of ‘just because he’s hot doesn’t mean he’s worth it.’ Seriously, guys. Therapy. For all of us.”
She watched the chat spiral into debates, some defending him as the ultimate villain, others swearing him off forever.
Bella smirked. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go find a healthy love interest. Like Velion. Or maybe I’ll just adopt a cat and call it a day. Later, nerds.”
She closed the stream, tossed the pillow aside, and stared at the ornate ceiling. “God, I miss the days when my biggest problem was forgetting to water my houseplants.”
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Bella stared at the ceiling of her luxurious room, the crystal chandelier casting soft, shifting rainbows across the walls. For a room designed to be a haven for the Saint of the Crimson Church, it was doing a poor job of calming her nerves. Her thoughts were a tangled mess of suitors, politics, and the ever-looming threat of Archduke Light Valor ruining literally everything.
“Velion is the obvious choice,” she muttered aloud, tapping her pen against the open notebook on her lap. The page was already littered with scribbles and arrows connecting phrases like ‘romance = survival’ and ‘greater good < personal happiness?’ “But is it the smart choice?”
She stared at Velion’s name, underlined three times for emphasis. He was the safest bet. Sweet, dependable, and an emotional support cinnamon roll with cheekbones that could cut glass. But the problem wasn’t him—it was his sphere of influence. Sure, he was the Archbishop, one of the most revered figures in the Church. But when it came to the broader political landscape? He wasn’t exactly someone who could stop wars or reshape empires.
Bella sighed and leaned back, throwing her pen onto the desk. “Goddammit, Velion, why couldn’t you be a scheming politician and the perfect boyfriend? Is that too much to ask?”
Her grumbling was interrupted by a soft knock at the door. One of the maids poked her head in, looking sheepish. “Saint Bella, is everything all right? We heard… um, muttering.”
Bella waved her off. “I’m fine, just debating the merits of marrying the green flag of the century versus saving the world. No biggie.”
The maid blinked, clearly used to Bella’s peculiarities, and retreated without another word. Bella rolled her eyes and returned to her notebook.
“Okay,” she muttered, crossing Velion’s name off temporarily and moving on to the next contender: Emperor Caesar Charlemagne. His name sat in the middle of a chaotic web of pros and cons, the most prominent con being ‘imperial harem.’
“Caesar is a walking political bomb,” she said to herself, doodling a stick figure with a crown and tiny explosions around it. “Sure, he can shape the empire and bring stability, but at what cost? I’d have to deal with his concubines, his scheming advisors, and every noblewoman with delusions of grandeur trying to stab me in the back at royal tea parties.”
And then there was the issue of actually liking him. Caesar wasn’t a bad guy—he was charming, intelligent, and devastatingly handsome. But he was also the kind of person who’d casually manipulate you into doing his bidding with a smile and a glass of wine. Did she want to marry him? Or did she just want to not die in his route?
She scribbled a quick note next to his name: ‘Great for empire, bad for sanity.’
Moving on, she hesitated at Silas Alejandro. “Oh, Silas,” she said, tapping her pen against his name. The Archmage Scholar of the Frostspire Magic Tower was a massive lore dump of a route, full of ancient secrets, magical disasters, and enough technobabble to make her brain hurt. He also came with a hefty dose of isolation—he didn’t give two shits about politics or the empire unless it affected his tower.
“Silas is great if I want to unlock the mysteries of the universe,” she said with a dramatic flourish of her hand, “but I’m not sure I can handle being the magical equivalent of a trophy wife.” She added a note: ‘Cool powers, loneliest route.’
Then there was Jade Ohara. She groaned just thinking about him. The war hero of the Azure Empire had angst written all over him. His route was all about forbidden love, tense political negotiations, and choosing between her own empire and her feelings for him. Not to mention the constant threat of assassination attempts. Romantic, right?
“Jade is the guy you want to write sad poetry about, not marry,” Bella muttered, underlining ‘angst magnet’ three times.
And finally, there was Captain Knox Kingston. She didn’t even bother pretending to think too hard about him. His route was a wild ride of kidnappings, blackmail, and morally gray decisions that made her feel like she needed a shower afterward. Sure, he was roguishly charming, but he also kept company with that guy.
“Knox,” she said, drawing a dramatic skull and crossbones next to his name, “is basically Light Valor’s drinking buddy. Which makes him a nope by association.”
Speaking of Light Valor…
Bella glanced at the empty spot where his name should have been. She refused to dignify him with a place on the list. Instead, she’d scrawled a massive ‘HELL NO’ across the bottom of the page with several arrows pointing to notes like ‘walking genocide’ and ‘how does he even HAVE fans???’
The thought of his Chaos Level mechanic made her stomach turn. It was the biggest middle finger the game had ever given her—an invisible meter of doom that dictated whether or not the world around her would fall apart, regardless of her personal success. And the kicker? The Chaos Level didn’t exist in his route because he was the source of all the chaos.
“Why even make him a love interest?” she grumbled. “That’s like putting a landmine in a field of daisies and saying, ‘Go ahead, step on it. It’ll be fun.’”
She sat back and stared at the messy list. Velion was the safe choice, but the world wouldn’t save itself. Caesar had the influence to bring stability, but at the cost of her peace of mind. Silas was fascinating but isolating. Jade was heartbreaking. Knox was, well, Knox.
And Light Valor? Light Valor was proof the developers hated her.
Bella sighed and closed the notebook. “I’m gonna die no matter what, aren’t I?”
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Bella leaned back in her chair, the soft rustle of her notebook the only sound in the room. She had just finished going over the labyrinthine mess of love interests, but now her stream chat was blowing up with questions about the Chaos Level. She smirked, a little amused at the wave of curiosity from the newbies.
“Oh, great, you guys wanna know about that,” she said, tapping her pen against the desk. “Well, buckle up. It’s the game mechanic that really sets this whole nightmare apart. The Chaos Level is—how do I put this—like a giant meter that tracks how much the world around you is falling apart. And when it gets too high? It’s like setting off a chain reaction of disaster. Like someone opens a door to a hurricane and says, ‘You can’t leave, by the way.’”
The chat flooded with question marks, exclamation points, and someone had the audacity to ask, “Is it like a moral alignment thing?” Bella stared at the screen, deadpan.
“No, it’s not some ‘choose good or evil’ garbage,” she deadpanned. “It’s a chaos meter, not a morality compass. If it were a morality thing, that’d make it too easy. Like, oh, just be a good person and everything will be fine. Nah, not in this hellhole.”
She rubbed her temples, feeling the familiar, looming weight of the Chaos Level. “Basically, the more chaotic the world gets—thanks to a certain someone—the more everything spirals into complete and utter disaster. Think of it as a snowball, only it’s made of broken dreams, blood, and screaming children.” She paused for effect. “And trust me, the screaming kids are the least of your worries.”
The stream was practically on fire with everyone scrambling to understand. Bella leaned forward, her fingers tapping the desk, her voice laced with sarcasm and bitterness.
“So, here’s the deal,” she said, as though explaining a complex math problem to a bunch of kindergarteners. “As the Chaos Level increases, it doesn’t just affect your romance options—it affects everything. The political landscape starts crumbling, wars break out, and major characters are marked for death. And the worst part? The death scenes get progressively more brutal.”
Someone in the chat typed, “Wait, but how brutal? Like, does it really get worse?” Bella smirked, rolling her eyes.
“Oh, it really gets worse,” she replied. “Remember Velion? The saint of the Church, Mr. ‘Everything is calm and peaceful’?” She paused dramatically, staring into the camera for effect. “In Knox’s route, if the Chaos Level is too high, you get this charming scene where Velion is literally torn apart into several pieces. In front of children, no less. He’s trying to protect them and the heroine during a battle, and the Archduke—that asshole—decides, ‘You know what? Let’s make this really fucking tragic.’ And guess what? It works.”
She leaned back in her chair, rubbing her hands over her face like she was trying to scrub away the memory. “The kids survive, but they watch Velion die in the most horrific, gory way possible. Like, we’re talking pieces of him flying everywhere, blood splattering, the whole works. And let me tell you, it’s a lot worse than the main antagonist just stabbing someone. The devs really went all out for that scene.”
Her lips curled into a twisted, grim smile. “So, yeah. That’s what happens when you let the Chaos Level get too high. You get these beautifully heart-wrenching scenes where the good guys die, the world burns, and everyone gets a front-row seat to the tragedy. But that’s not even the worst part.”
The chat was quiet for a second, as if the realization of how horrible this game could get was sinking in. Then came the next question: “Wait, so the Chaos Level only affects the bad guys, right? Like, the Archduke?” Bella snorted.
“Oh, sweet summer child, you really don’t get it, do you?” she said, shaking her head. “The more chaotic the world gets, the stronger the Archduke gets. It’s not just about him making everyone’s lives miserable—it’s about him becoming unstoppable. The higher the Chaos Level, the more powerful, more psychotic, and more shameless he becomes.”
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She snapped her fingers, the metaphorical lightbulb turning on in her head. “It’s like adding fuel to a fire that was already burning. You think you’ve got him figured out in the early game, but by the time the Chaos Level spikes, he’s practically an immortal god of destruction who can ruin everything with just a snap of his fingers. And when that happens, it’s game over for pretty much everyone.”
Someone in the chat asked, “So, is there any way to stop the Chaos Level from getting too high?”
Bella let out a bitter laugh. “Oh, sure, you can try. But the problem is, Archduke Light Valor isn’t just the cause of the Chaos Level—he’s the damn mastermind behind it. He’s the guy who’s making sure the world goes to hell. And when you’re stuck dealing with someone who literally doesn’t care about anything—even if you’re trying to fix things—he’s always three steps ahead. The real kicker is that there’s no real ‘fixing’ him. You can’t stop him from pulling the strings, because he’s already tied everything up in his twisted little web of destruction.”
She paused, her face contorting in frustration. “And even in his own damn route, the Chaos Level doesn’t matter. It’s not like it’s some fun little mechanic you get to tinker with. Nope. He’s the source of it all, and while you’re busy dealing with him, you’re just along for the ride to the worst possible ending. So, yeah, don’t even think about trying to save the world in his route. You’re doomed from the start.”
The chat exploded with confusion, frustration, and a few people begging for a spoiler-free explanation of anything. Bella just shrugged.
“Well, that’s the game,” she said, leaning back and crossing her arms, her expression a mixture of resignation and exhaustion. “It’s all about balancing love, survival, and trying not to get your heart ripped out while the world around you collapses into chaos. And no matter what, you’ll never have a happy ending unless you somehow figure out how to stop Light Valor from being the biggest ass in the universe.”
She stared at the screen for a moment, feeling a little lighter as she let the ridiculousness of it all settle in.
“Fun, right?” she said, deadpan. “It’s the perfect recipe for a mental breakdown.”
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Bella stared at the notebook, her fingers hovering over her pen, tapping her lip thoughtfully. The Royal Ball was just around the corner, and she was supposed to be excited about it—an extravagant event where she could meet all the love interests in the game and maybe, just maybe, make her choice. But right now, it felt like she was standing at a crossroads with a dozen different roads, each more terrifying than the last. She scrolled through the options in her mind, the pros and cons of each route clashing together in a chaotic jumble.
“Okay, okay, let’s break this down,” she muttered aloud to herself, clearing her throat. “I need to be strategic about this. The fate of the world is literally at stake. Can’t let my emotions make me pick something dumb.”
Her eyes shifted back to the first option: Archbishop Velion Eleazar. The green flag route. The safe one. The least angst-ridden. The one where you get to heal from all the trauma and live your life in peace. There were no death routes for the heroine, only for Velion, and honestly, that was kind of a dealbreaker for her.
“Look, Velion’s a good guy,” she said, eyes narrowed in thought. “He’s the epitome of wholesome, no-strings-attached romance. You get to heal, you don’t have to worry about any crazy shit like, I don’t know, being tortured in a dungeon or chased by bloodthirsty enemies. But like… he can’t help with the Chaos Level. You know who can help with the Chaos Level? Literally everyone else.”
She groaned, running a hand through her hair. “And let’s face it, it’s not just about surviving the romance, right? I mean, who cares if you’re in a safe relationship if the entire world’s burning around you? I can’t just ignore the big bad.” She stared at the next option on the list.
Emperor Caesar Charlemagne, the political mastermind, the man with the biggest harem in the game.
“Oh, Caesar,” Bella sighed, shaking her head. “Yeah, he’s got influence. He’s the second most influential person when it comes to lowering the Chaos Level, which means, theoretically, he could help save the world. But he’s got, like, twelve concubines, and half the time I’m just trying to figure out who’s trying to kill who in his empire. He’s a manipulator, and that’s just… exhausting. Plus, the romance? It’s one of the hardest to get. Third hardest, if I’m being technical.” She winced. “So, basically, if I go for him, it’s all politics, manipulation, and slowly climbing the ladder of imperial court backstabbing. No thanks.”
Her eyes flicked to the next option: Silas Alejandro, the brooding Archmage.
“Silas,” she whispered with a touch of fondness, “You’re the second safest option, and I do like the idea of learning more about magic and potentially gaining enough power to, I don’t know, fight the Archduke?” She paused. “But that requires strategy. And by ‘strategy,’ I mean I need to be a bookworm with business acumen. The entire game is, like, an economics lesson in a fantasy world. I’m sorry, but no one’s got time for that. I can barely keep up with my own life, let alone run a magic empire.”
She rubbed her face. “And even though he’s a good bet for strength and leveling up, Silas is still isolated. And trust me, I’m not exactly a solitary kind of girl. The guy’s a walking encyclopedia, and I don’t know if I can handle the emotional whiplash of, ‘Oh, you’ve read every book in existence about magic? Here, have a rose.’ Like, really? I’d rather be burned at the stake.”
The next name on the list made her grimace.
Jade Ohara, the brooding war hero. Ohara. The angsty option.
“God, Jade… Jade, Jade, Jade. You’re like a walking drama bomb, but a really hot walking drama bomb,” Bella muttered, staring at his picture. “He’s got the third most influence when it comes to lowering the Chaos Level, but that’s not exactly a good thing when his entire life is just… wars and empire drama. And let’s be real, Jade is way too conflicted. His whole thing with the other empire is like… constant war and misunderstandings. That’s an entire relationship built on tension, and I’m just not ready to be caught up in that. I need to not be emotionally destroyed every five seconds.”
She shook her head. “At least with Velion, I don’t have to deal with constant wars where I’m screaming, ‘Jade, please don’t die!’ every time he gets on a battlefield. No thanks.”
Next up was Captain Knox Kingston, the pirate captain who was somehow both the hardest to romance and the most chaotic, capable of the most influence on the Chaos Level.
“Oh, great. A pirate captain,” she muttered sarcastically, staring at the screen like it had personally offended her. “Knox… Knox is a pirate. A pirate. He has a lot of baggage, and not in the fun, ‘I’m going to sweep you off your feet’ kind of way. No, it’s more like, ‘Oh, I’ll kidnap you, blackmail you, and maybe torture you for fun’ kind of baggage. So, uh, yeah. No. He’s got the most power to help with the Chaos Level, but the price for that is too high. And he’s in cahoots with Light Valor, which, yeah, no thanks. I’m not about to throw myself into a relationship that’s more toxic than a barrel of radioactive waste.”
And finally, the one route she refused to even consider: Archduke Light Valor.
Bella didn’t even need to look at the screen. “Zero romance level. ZERO. There’s nothing good about his route. Literally nothing. It’s a hellscape of torture porn, manipulation, gaslighting, and death flags. He literally has the highest Chaos Level possible, and I just… I just can’t do it. I can’t. It’s like dating the literal embodiment of all your worst nightmares, but with a side of ‘Let’s see how much I can ruin your life for fun.’”
She shook her head, feeling like she was on the verge of a breakdown. “So here we are. Velion’s safe, but he’s useless in terms of saving the world. Caesar’s political and manipulative. Silas is isolated and too intelligent for me to keep up. Jade’s a walking emotional wreck. Knox is a freaking pirate who’s buddy-buddy with Light Valor. And Archduke—well, we don’t even need to talk about that one. What the hell do I do?”
She stared at the screen with a heavy sigh. “I guess… maybe I’ll just go with Velion. The safest route. At least I’ll live.” She rolled her eyes. “I just hope the entire world doesn’t burn down while I’m busy having a peaceful romance. Because that’s how this game works, isn’t it? No good deed goes unpunished.”
Her fingers hovered over the decision again, but this time, her hand remained steady.
“God, I really hope I don’t regret this.”
═════════════════
Bella sat at her desk, notebook open in front of her, scribbling furiously as the chat scrolled by on her second monitor. The Royal Ball was just around the corner, and although she was still in the common route, the pressure to make the right decision was already starting to settle into her chest like a heavy weight. She’d been through this game once already in her last life, and while she loved it, it didn’t mean she wasn’t acutely aware of the risks.
“Right,” she muttered under her breath, scanning her notes. She had so many notes. A whole damn notebook full of potential routes, character traits, pros, cons, and random advice from random NPCs. “I’ve got to survive this. I’m not going to die again, thanks to truck-kun or some other nonsense.” She rubbed her temple. “Let’s just be rational here, okay?”
The chat had already exploded into a frenzy, each person passionately advocating for their favorite route. People were emotionally invested, yes, but there was also a fair share of very logical arguments coming through.
“I vote for Velion! He’s the only one who’s not a walking disaster, guys!” came one comment, followed by “Silas all the way. Power and magic are the way to go!” The debate over who Bella should choose raged on, but Bella could only manage a tired sigh.
“Why are they all so… emotional?” she grumbled. “Look, I get it, everyone loves a good ship, but I need facts.” She flicked her pen over her notebook, tapping it rhythmically against her desk. “Do people not understand the implications of some of these choices? It’s not just about love, it’s about surviving, people!”
A poll suddenly popped up on the side of the screen, and Bella squinted at it. Of course, the chat would be voting on her choice. Of course.
“Okay, okay, let’s just see how bad this gets,” she muttered as she clicked on it. The options were right there, the same list of love interests staring her down, each with their own glowing chance for romance or doom.
Poll: Who should Bella choose?
1. Archbishop Velion Eleazar [High Cardinal of the Crimson Church]
2. Emperor Caesar Charlemagne [Emperor of the Crimson Empire]
3. Silas Alejandro [Archmage Scholar of the Frostspire Magic Tower]
4. Jade Ohara [War Hero of the Azure Empire]
5. Captain Knox Kingston [Pirate Captain of the Blood Pearl]
6. Archduke Light Valor [Archduke of the Crimson Empire]
Bella glanced at the poll, her lips curling into a wry grin. “I already know where this is going. They’re probably going to vote for Light Valor, because… you know, they all want the drama.” She could already see the votes flying in, some votes scattered, some heavily leaning in one direction.
But as she looked over her notes again, her mind quickly cut through the noise. She had to choose wisely. She already knew what could happen in each route. The problem was, the outcomes weren’t just about getting the right ending with a love interest; it was about the entire game.
Flipping open to the first page of her notes, Bella sighed.
Archbishop Velion Eleazar [High Cardinal of the Crimson Church]
* Romance Level: Safest green flag route. Safe romance. No death routes for the heroine.
* Chaos Level: Doesn’t influence the Chaos much.
* Pros: The only truly safe option. Peaceful romance with minimal drama. Most emotionally stable route. No deaths.
* Cons: He’s not very influential in the grand scheme of the game. He can’t help with the Chaos Level, which means he’s really more of a placeholder for a good time—if you just want to chill and get a happy ending. But the game’s called Scarlet Requiem, not Scarlet Peaceful Romance, so… yeah.
Bella huffed. “He’s the safest choice, no doubt. But no help with the Chaos Level, and I can’t ignore that. Ugh, everyone loves him because he’s the non-toxic one. But honestly, where’s the fun in that if everything’s falling apart outside of our little love bubble?”
She scribbled a few notes in the margins. Could go for him if I want a safe, calm life… but that’s not really the point of the game, is it?
Next, she turned to the second page.
Emperor Caesar Charlemagne [Emperor of the Crimson Empire]
* Romance Level: Hard to romance. Political, manipulative, heavy on the harem drama.
* Chaos Level: Can influence Chaos in a major way, but it’s a political mess to get there.
* Pros: Strong political influence. Helps lower the Chaos Level significantly. Once in his route, you’re set to be in the heart of the empire’s power.
* Cons: Manipulative, heavy on court politics. Does the whole “imperial harem” thing. Very much a power player.
* Additional Perks: He’s a huge power boost politically. But romantically? You’re basically stuck in an ongoing drama. Is it worth it?
Bella tapped her pen to her lips. “He’s great if I want to play the long game with political intrigue, but do I really want to get stuck in that mess? I’m just trying to survive, not be stuck in some power struggle.”
She sighed. “Maybe later, but not now.”
Then there was Silas Alejandro.
Silas Alejandro [Archmage Scholar of the Frostspire Magic Tower]
* Romance Level: Safe, but the route requires heavy book smarts.
* Chaos Level: Influential in Chaos, but needs a lot of time and dedication.
* Pros: Gives you magical power, helps you fight back against threats like Light Valor. Also, magic.
* Cons: Requires a lot of strategy, intelligence, and research. A route that demands you be a bookworm with business skills. Plus, Silas is a little isolated… You’re on your own a lot.
* Additional Perks: Silas is one of the few who can help you fight off the Archduke. But… do you have the time and patience for it?
Bella groaned. “The problem with Silas is… I love the perks. Magic is like, my dream, but I’d be isolated and stuck in a bunch of paperwork. I mean, no one warned me this game was going to be like a business degree.”
She flipped to the next page.
Jade Ohara [War Hero of the Azure Empire]
* Romance Level: Very angsty, tense, and emotionally charged.
* Chaos Level: Strong influence, helps a lot with Chaos.
* Pros: Strong protector. Can help lower the Chaos Level with a lot of influence.
* Cons: Too many war politics and emotional baggage. His empire is constantly at war, and romance is complicated.
* Additional Perks: Jade can protect you without dying, but can your heart survive the war?
Bella laughed darkly. “Jade’s probably the best bet for protection but seriously? Who wants to get stuck in a war drama where every kiss could be followed by the sound of a cannon going off?”
Finally, there was Captain Knox Kingston.
Captain Knox Kingston [Pirate Captain of the Blood Pearl]
* Romance Level: Hard, but dangerously fun.
* Chaos Level: Very influential in lowering Chaos.
* Pros: Strong, charismatic, can ally with Light Valor (not necessarily a good thing).
* Cons: Kidnapping, Stockholm Syndrome, pirate life.
* Additional Perks: Most capable of helping the Chaos Level, but do you want to be stuck in a ship with that?
Bella stared at his entry and sighed. “Knox is so dangerous, but… he’s got power. But he’s also… just too chaotic. I can’t deal with that.”
She finally turned the page to Light Valor.
Archduke Light Valor [Archduke of the Crimson Empire]
* Romance Level: Zero. Torture. Pain. Death.
* Chaos Level: Does not apply.
Bella chuckled bitterly. “Yeah, no. No.”
With a deep breath, Bella sat back in her chair. She glanced at the poll results streaming in.
The chat was going wild, but deep down, Bella knew what she had to do.
“Alright, here’s the plan,” she muttered, scribbling her final notes. “I’ll survive the ball. And I’ll make my choice. But for now… we play the long game.”
She circled a name on her notebook with a sharp, decisive motion.
“Let’s go with Velion. For now.”
Then she glanced at the stream.
“Don’t get too attached, guys. Things are about to get messy.”
═════════════════
Bella leaned back in her chair, staring at the screen as the poll results flashed in front of her. She slowly blinked, her finger hovering over her notebook, ready to jot down notes as the stream chat erupted in a chaotic frenzy. But what she saw made her mouth go dry.
25%…
Her eyes narrowed as she processed the results.
Poll Results:
1. Archbishop Velion Eleazar [High Cardinal of the Crimson Church] — 25%
2. Archduke Light Valor [Archduke of the Crimson Empire] — 25%
3. Jade Ohara [War Hero of the Azure Empire] — 20%
4. Emperor Caesar Charlemagne [Emperor of the Crimson Empire] — 15%
5. Captain Knox Kingston [Pirate Captain of the Blood Pearl] — 10%
6. Archmage Silas Alejandro [Archmage Scholar of the Frostspire Magic Tower] — 5%
Bella froze. Wait. What?
“No,” she muttered, her eyes twitching. “No, no, NO. This can’t be right.”
She scrolled up to read the chat comments in disbelief.
“I voted for the Archduke, just to watch Bella suffer,” someone wrote. Bella’s eye twitched as she read it. She could practically hear the sinister chuckle coming from the other side of the screen.
“I know it’s a trainwreck, but imagine Bella having to endure that psycho,” another user commented.
And then, of course: “Light Valor’s route is basically a horror show, but that’s why we’re all here, right?”
Bella let out a groan, dragging her hands down her face. “Why… WHY are you people like this? You’re literally voting for the worst possible option! What kind of twisted… I just—” she stopped herself, visibly exasperated. “I’m going to lose my mind.”
She scribbled furiously in her notebook, drawing a big, red circle around Light Valor and then crossing it out repeatedly until the paper started to look like it was in a state of complete disrepair.
Light Valor? I WILL NEVER CHOOSE HIM.
“No. No. NO. What part of torture porn route do you all not understand?” she muttered, her pen clicking rapidly as she wrote down all the flaws of Archduke Light Valor’s route—cheater, abuser, manipulator, gaslighter, kidnapper, torturer. Horror show. Psychopath. Her pen stabbed the page like she was trying to banish the very idea of him from existence.
She sighed dramatically and slumped back in her chair. The chat was still going strong, with more comments popping up in support of the Archduke. She rubbed her temples, feeling a headache starting to form. “You guys are like kids with a match… and Light Valor’s route is the fire. Why would you wish that on me? I mean, seriously, you people are the actual chaos level in this game.”
More comments popped up, as if in mockery of her frustration.
“I’m just saying, Bella, Light Valor might have a bit of a dark side, but think of the drama!”
“Can’t wait for you to get tortured, Bella. It’ll be legendary!”
“You’re probably safe with Velion, but we all want the trainwreck, let’s be real.”
Bella slammed her notebook shut, gritting her teeth. “I’m getting real sick of this ‘trainwreck’ talk. Do you think I want to die again? You people don’t get it. I’ve already been truck-kunned once! I do not need this level of chaos.”
She took a deep breath, trying to calm down. But the poll results still burned in her mind. How had it come to this?
Archduke Light Valor. A literal nightmare.
“Okay,” she said to herself, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Maybe I will consider it. Maybe I’ll choose Light Valor because, you know, I’m really just so excited about getting my heart crushed, tortured, and emotionally destroyed. After all, who wouldn’t want to spend their time with a guy who is literally a walking crime scene?”
She clicked on the game’s interface and moved her cursor decisively toward Velion’s name. “Yeah. No. I’d rather deal with no chaos and peaceful romance, thanks.”
And as if to punctuate the dramatic turn of her thoughts, Bella added another note to her page. Velion all the way. She underlined it with an extra flourish. Screw everything else. I want safety, peace, and a nice life, not some crazy psychopath trying to play ‘torture the heroine’ for fun.
With a sigh of relief, she clicked on the poll to finalize her vote, marking Velion’s name with a definitive, victorious click.
Meanwhile, the chat exploded with backlash.
“You’re really going for the ‘safe’ option? How boring!” one commenter sneered.
“You know, we could’ve had some fun with Light Valor…” someone else chimed in.
Bella rolled her eyes so hard, she was worried they’d get stuck at the back of her skull. “Oh, trust me,” she muttered, her tone low and full of mockery, “the real fun is going to be when you all realize I’m getting the good ending with Velion and you’re stuck watching your tragic, soul-crushing choices fall apart.”
She leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath, feeling a bit lighter. “I’ve made my decision, and nothing’s going to change it. Velion’s the only one who doesn’t make me want to vomit just thinking about it.”
As the poll results flashed one last time, Bella leaned in closer to the screen, staring at the numbers with a smug smile. “Archduke Light Valor? You’re not even in my league. Go find some other masochist to ruin.”
The chat was still a war zone, but Bella felt a quiet satisfaction bubbling inside her. “I’ll survive. And honestly, so will everyone else… except for the people who voted for him.”
She clicked to close the game window, leaving the poll results behind as the chat descended further into madness. With one final, exaggerated sigh, Bella mumbled to herself, “Famous last words: I’m never going to make this mistake again.”
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
Bella barely had time to shove her notebook under a stack of random papers and slam her laptop shut before the knock came again, soft yet firm. “Come in!” she called, trying to sound casual and not like someone who’d just been furiously ranting to an invisible audience about a literal psychopath.
The door creaked open, revealing Archbishop Velion Eleazar, High Cardinal of the Crimson Church and, inexplicably, her main pillar of sanity in this chaotic game. His tall, refined figure filled the doorway, blond hair practically glowing under the afternoon light streaming in from her window. The man looked like he had just stepped out of a painting, his crimson eyes as gentle as ever.
What caught Bella off guard wasn’t the sheer perfection of his entrance—it was the tray of food in his hands. The adorably prepared, painstakingly arranged food.
There were little sandwiches cut into shapes of stars, hearts, and moons, alongside a bowl of fruit where each piece had been carefully carved into intricate flowers. The drinks were just as impressive: a clear glass of pink lemonade garnished with tiny edible flower petals, the ice cubes shaped like roses. The whole setup looked like something out of a whimsical café menu, not something she’d expect from the High Cardinal of the Crimson Church.
“Ah, I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” Velion said, his voice soft and soothing. He stepped inside gracefully, setting the tray down on the small table by her couch. “I thought you might be hungry. I made these for you.”
Bella stared at the tray, then at him, then back at the tray. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it, her brain short-circuiting. Finally, she managed to sputter, “Wait, you made this?”
Velion’s smile widened just a fraction, a touch of pride glimmering in his expression. “Of course. I wanted to make sure you were comfortable. You’ve been through a lot, and it’s important to eat properly.” He paused, his crimson eyes studying her with gentle concern. “Are you… comfortable here, Bella? If there’s anything you need, anything at all, please let me know.”
Why is he like this? Bella thought, her face heating up. How is he real? It wasn’t fair. She was used to calculating stats, dodging death flags, and preparing for chaos—she wasn’t equipped to handle pure, wholesome domestic energy from a man who ruled the Church and advised the Emperor.
“I’m fine,” she finally managed, sinking into her chair to avoid his overly attentive gaze. “Really. You don’t have to—” She gestured vaguely at the tray, words failing her. “You’re literally the leader of the Church. Don’t you have, I don’t know, Holy Things™ to do?”
Velion chuckled softly, a sound that could probably make flowers bloom. “I do, but taking care of you is just as important. You’ve been appointed as the Saint of the Crimson Church, after all. It’s my responsibility to ensure you’re happy and well.” He tilted his head slightly, still smiling. “Besides, I enjoy cooking.”
Bella bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from melting into a puddle. Instead, she picked up one of the star-shaped sandwiches and took a bite, mainly so she wouldn’t have to respond. It was perfect, of course. Light, flavorful, and stupidly cute. She hated how good it was.
Velion watched her with quiet satisfaction, his hands clasped neatly in front of him. After a moment, he hesitated, his expression growing a touch more serious. “Forgive me if this is rude, but… I was wondering if you’d made a decision about attending the Royal Ball.”
Bella froze mid-chew, then swallowed quickly, wiping her mouth with a napkin to buy herself a few seconds. “The Royal Ball?” she echoed, as if she didn’t know exactly what he was talking about. “Uh, yeah. I’m still deciding.”
Velion nodded, his tone careful. “I understand if you’re unsure. I know your life has undergone significant changes recently, and I don’t want to pressure you. But if you do choose to attend, the Church would need to make some preparations, especially given our close ties to the Imperial Family.” He paused, then added gently, “If you decide not to go, I’ll handle everything on your behalf. Please don’t feel obligated.”
Bella felt a twinge of guilt at how considerate he was being. Of course Velion would be like this. If it were one of the other love interests, they’d probably be demanding, scheming, or outright dragging her to the event whether she wanted to go or not. But not Velion. No, he had to be perfect.
She sighed, setting the sandwich down and leaning back in her chair. “I’ll go,” she said finally, watching the slight flicker of relief cross his face. “It’s not that I want to, but… it’s important for me to gauge the situation. Meet people. Figure out what I’m dealing with.”
Velion’s smile returned, soft and understanding. “That’s very wise of you. I’ll make sure everything is prepared. If you need anything—a dress, transportation, or even just moral support—please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Bella nodded, feeling a small pang of warmth in her chest. “Thanks, Velion. I appreciate it.”
As he turned to leave, she glanced at the tray of food again, her resolve firming. Velion all the way, she thought. No chaos, no drama, just this. I don’t care about stats anymore. This is what I want.
The chat stream on her still-minimized laptop, however, was a different story entirely.
“VELION SUPREMACY! We love a domestic king!”
“She’s gonna regret not choosing the Archduke at the ball, I’m calling it now.”
“This food looks so good, I’d marry him for the sandwiches alone.”
Bella groaned inwardly, knowing the chaos was far from over.
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃
Archbishop Velion Eleazar’s office was pristine, the epitome of elegance and divine authority. Golden light filtered through the stained-glass windows, casting soft patterns on his polished mahogany desk. The grandiose setting didn’t match the real-life chaos of the man currently sitting in the chair: Nagy, the Player.
With a smug grin, Nagy pulled up the hidden Player Lobby Chat window, hidden beneath layers of holy texts and divine stat sheets. The chat log loaded, revealing a recent string of insults, arguments, and memes. Perfect.
He cracked his knuckles dramatically and started typing:
Nagy: “Guess who just delivered Bella homemade food like the doting perfect husband material I am? She ate every bite. My route is locked. Game over for you losers.”
A string of ellipses appeared on the screen. Then a response.
Reine: “Oh, wow. You made sandwiches? Are we back in kindergarten, Nagy? Should I send you a gold star and a juice box?”
Nagy rolled his eyes, fingers flying over the keyboard.
Nagy: “Says the guy who hasn’t even met her yet because your precious library tower is too far from the capital. How’s that solitude working for you, Reine? Enjoying the company of your frostbite?”
The typing indicator popped up almost immediately.
Reine: “You’re acting cocky for someone who dies in every other route. Oh wait, let me rephrase that: someone I kill in my route. You’re basically a warm-up boss, Nagy. Don’t get comfortable.”
Nagy cackled, leaning back in his chair.
Nagy: “You’re just salty because I’ve got charm, brains, AND the protagonist eating out of my saintly hand. Meanwhile, you’re still lurking in some ice cave, hoarding lore like a nerdy dragon. Get wrecked.”
A new message popped into the chat, this one blunt and eerily precise.
Deon: “I killed you a million times last playthrough.”
Nagy flinched, the memory of each painstaking game reset flashing through his mind like post-traumatic stress.
Nagy: “Thanks for the reminder, Deon. I’m sure that sadistic streak is really endearing to your therapist.”
No typing indicator followed. Typical Deon. She rarely responded unless it was to drop a verbal nuke and then leave the metaphorical battlefield scorched.
Reine: “Don’t drag Deon into this. She’s better than both of us combined. I’d trust her over you any day, Saint Sandwiches.”
Nagy: “Oh, please. Deon couldn’t charm Bella even if she held her hostage. Actually, scratch that—she probably WOULD hold her hostage. Not exactly romantic, is it?”
Another message appeared, this one short and unsettling.
Deon: “I don’t need romance to win.”
Nagy shuddered. He knew Deon was competitive to a fault, and when it came to strategy games, she was an absolute menace. But still.
Nagy: “Cool story, Deon. Tell it again when Bella picks me at the Royal Ball and your Chaos Level hits MAX trying to sabotage me. I’ll be sipping tea with her in the chapel while you’re busy committing war crimes.”
Reine chimed in again, this time with his trademark swagger:
Reine: “Enjoy your tea while it lasts, holy boy. Once I hit Bella with my patented charm bomb, you’re finished. Face it, I’ve got the looks, the brains, and the magic. She won’t be able to resist.”
Nagy: “Sure, buddy. Because nothing screams romantic hero like a guy who talks to books all day. You’re basically a glorified librarian.”
Reine: “Glorified librarian with abs. When’s the last time you saw the inside of a gym, Nagy? Oh, right—you’re too busy dying in every other route.”
Nagy opened his mouth to retort, but another message from Deon shut him down entirely.
Deon: “You’re all delusional. Bella isn’t choosing anyone. She’s strategizing to survive. This is a joke to her.”
The room fell silent, the weight of her words lingering in the chat like a cold wind.
Nagy: “Wow, thanks for the pep talk, Deon. Always a ray of sunshine.”
Reine: “Seriously, Deon, let us have our fun. You’re already terrifying enough without killing the mood. Go plot your dystopian dictatorship or whatever it is you do when you’re not committing virtual genocide.”
The chat fell quiet for a moment, save for a blinking cursor. Then, in typical Deon fashion, she delivered one last parting shot:
Deon: “You’re both irrelevant. I win.”
And just like that, she logged off.
Reine typed a string of expletives in response, but Nagy ignored him, grinning to himself.
“Let her win?” he muttered to the empty office. “Not a chance.”
With a satisfied sigh, Nagy returned to his paperwork. Bella’s sandwiches weren’t going to make themselves, after all.
═════════════════
Nagy, sitting in his office as Archbishop Velion Eleazar, stretched his arms behind his head, a smug grin creeping across his face. The game world felt like his personal sandbox—his personal playground, where he could manipulate the rules, exploit every advantage, and leave his best friends, Reine and Deon, floundering in his wake.
As he reviewed his notes for the Royal Ball, he couldn’t help but reflect on why he picked Velion as his character. Unlike the others, Velion was a smooth operator. Sure, he was supposed to be the noble, pure-hearted high cardinal, the wise and gentle leader of the Church. But Nagy wasn’t so naive. He knew how to bend the system, make the connections work for him, and exploit the political game to its fullest.
His eyes skimmed over the in-game mechanics, particularly the Chaos Level. The higher it got, the more the Archduke’s influence would spread. But with the right moves, with the right alliances, he could lower it—or at least prevent it from completely spiraling out of control. He was smart enough to know that this wasn’t a game where pure romance would get him anywhere. He needed power. And the best way to get that? Leverage his position.
He smirked as he thought about his best friends. Reine, you fool. He could practically hear the suave playboy’s voice in his head, all smooth and self-assured, talking about how irresistible he was. But Nagy knew the truth. Reine had been assigned a character that was the opposite of everything his real-life persona was. A lean, nerdy Archmage? Was he serious? He might have the charisma to pull off being a womanizer in real life, but in the game, that wasn’t going to cut it. And let’s not forget that Reine’s character was isolated—a bookish, antisocial wizard who spent more time with magical artifacts than with people. Perfect. It was like giving a man a chainsaw and telling him to build a house. Sure, he might look good doing it, but it’s all a mess under the surface.
Nagy chuckled darkly. Reine thinks he can charm his way through anything. Well, good luck with that when your character is too busy talking to textbooks to even notice the heroine standing right in front of him. He shook his head in mock pity. That’s going to be one hell of a redemption arc… if he even makes it that far. Not that I’m going to let him. Who needs charm when you have the entire Church at your fingertips?
And then there was Deon. Deon… Nagy’s lips curled into a smirk, but it wasn’t a kind one. Deon was, by far, the most overpowered character in the game. She was deadly, calculating, and efficient—but socially? She might as well be a brick wall. She had zero romantic experience. Not that it mattered, of course. In-game, she was a killing machine, but out of it? She couldn’t even hold a conversation without sounding like she was plotting someone’s demise.
You can’t even be human for five minutes, Deon, Nagy thought with a chuckle. All that power, and you still can’t talk to a woman without making her want to call the guards. And let’s not forget you’re hated by every other character in the game. Good luck charming anyone when they all think you’re a walking disaster.
In a twisted way, he kind of enjoyed it. There was a certain satisfaction in knowing that while Deon could wipe the floor with him in combat, she was so emotionally stunted that it would be impossible for her to win the affection of anyone—especially Bella. And with her being the most hated character, well, Nagy could already predict how that was going to play out. He would laugh when she failed. That was part of the fun of playing against Deon.
But he wasn’t concerned about his own victory—not really. Sure, he wanted to win, but the thrill of manipulating the world, watching the Chaos Level rise and fall, controlling who got what outcome—that was what he craved.
His fingers hovered over the game controls, and he adjusted the political alliance maps. The Church, the Crimson Empire, the Magic Tower—all of these were his pawns. Bella was just the final piece, the perfect blend of power and emotion. She might not even realize it yet, but the game has already been won.
He leaned back in his chair, popping open another bottle of overpriced wine he didn’t need. It was a part of the image, after all—Archbishop Velion wouldn’t drink anything cheap. Nagy chuckled again. This was just too easy.
As he prepared his strategy for the Royal Ball, he couldn’t resist sending another message to the lobby chat. It was time to taunt his best friends, especially Deon.
Nagy: “Alright, kiddos, it’s almost time. Bella’s practically in the bag. Can’t wait to see how you guys screw this up. Maybe Reine will charm her with his magical charm and wit—oh wait, my bad. You don’t have any.”
He sent it, sitting back with a satisfied grin as he awaited the inevitable, most likely sarcastic, responses from his friends.
But in the end, he knew they were just playing catch-up. Because when it came to Bella, he wasn’t going to just win. He was going to destroy. And they had no idea what was coming for them.
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Velion leaned back in his chair, an unholy smirk creeping across his face as he opened the letter from Emperor William Charlemagne. His eyes scanned the parchment with an almost gleeful sense of malice. The letter was elegantly written, the words meticulously inked, but Velion knew that beneath the formal tone, this was anything but polite correspondence.
“To His Eminence, Archbishop Velion Eleazar, High Cardinal of the Crimson Church and Royal Advisor,”
The familiar opening made him snort softly. “Royal Advisor,” he mused under his breath. A title that sounds so much more important than it really is. But what am I kidding? I am the real power here.
The letter continued:
“It has come to my attention with great concern that your life was recently threatened by the insidious machinations of Archduke Light Valor, along with his vile attempts on the life of Sir Deus Cecil, your royal guard. As you well know, my family has long sought to curtail the growing influence of the Archduke, but his power continues to fester like an open wound in our kingdom. His wealth, his influence, and his dangerous political maneuvers have made him nearly untouchable, a thorn that cannot be easily removed.”
Velion chuckled under his breath, his finger tapping lightly on the desk. Oh, how cute. The Emperor’s all formal, all worried about the Empire’s reputation. Too bad the real work falls to me—again.
The letter continued:
“I must assure you, High Cardinal, that the Imperial Family remains committed to ensuring the safety and stability of the Empire, especially as it pertains to the Church. We have long known that Archduke Valor’s actions have caused irreparable damage to both the noble houses and the common folk. His threats, his rumors, and his ill-gotten wealth cannot be allowed to continue unchecked. His power, while impressive, threatens to undermine the very foundation of the Empire itself.”
Velion raised an eyebrow, leaning forward to read more carefully. The Emperor was hinting at something big—something huge. The subtle insinuation was clear: it wasn’t just the Church or his personal safety that was at risk. No, this was about the Empire itself.
“Therefore, it is with a heavy heart but firm resolve that we hereby request your counsel, and that of the Crimson Church, to aid in diminishing the power of the Archduke. His standing amongst the nobility is of significant concern, and we must use whatever means necessary to weaken his influence. Our spies have reported several key movements within his Dukedom, and we believe it is time to strike before he consolidates any further power.”
Velion’s lips curled into a twisted grin. Ah, so this is how the game is played, then. A little bit of politics, a dash of subterfuge… and then—
His mind raced ahead, calculating the possibilities. The letter’s next part only fueled his wicked thoughts:
“You will be given the full authority to oversee operations to lower the influence of the Archduke, along with full support from the Imperial Family in matters of politics, coin, and military action. However, I urge you to move carefully. His connections are deep, and his enemies are many. Your efforts may provoke retaliation from the other Dukes, and their loyalties remain a fragile matter.”
He stopped reading for a moment, rubbing his temples. Ah, yes. The always lovely threat of retaliation from other nobles. It’s funny, really. The Empire’s fragile state… it’s almost like a metaphor for their pathetic attempts to maintain control. If only they knew the real threat wasn’t Valor. It was me.
But then again, Valor’s blatant arrogance was a perfect opportunity. He had become such a monstrous figure that the Emperor and the Church were ready to use him as the scapegoat, while subtly making sure that his fall would still benefit their political objectives.
The letter ended with:
“I trust you will proceed with the utmost care, Cardinal. We await your decision. May the Divine guide your actions as you undertake this most critical task.”
Velion couldn’t help himself; he laughed, a low, dark chuckle that reverberated in the quiet of his office. ‘May the Divine guide your actions,’ huh? Divine, my ass. The Emperor doesn’t want a divine intervention—he wants a clean way to eliminate Valor without facing the consequences of his own inaction. And who better than me to handle that?
He folded the letter carefully and set it down on his desk, staring at it as if it were just another trivial document in a long line of tedious political paperwork. But the truth was far more delicious. He had everything he needed to move forward.
Valor, huh? Velion’s grin widened. You think you’re untouchable because of your wealth and your power? You think your connections will protect you? Think again, you overcompensating fool. You’re about to become the Empire’s biggest problem… and I’m going to be the one to fix it.
As his thoughts swirled, his fingers hovered over the communication device on his desk. A message was due to go out soon—to Deus, to the Emperor, and to the hidden allies in the Church. The stage is set, and it’s time to make some noise.
He exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing with a mix of amusement and calculation. Let’s see how long you last, Valor. I’ve played this game long enough to know that power is nothing without control. And when I’m done, you’ll learn that the only thing more dangerous than the Empire is a man who knows how to wield it against you.
And so, with a flick of his wrist, Velion began drafting his response, ready to pull the strings that would send the Empire into chaos—and claim the final victory in this game of thrones.