Everything is white and dull. Nothing shines in the midst of it all except the useless woman in the corner.

A strange humanoid squats in front of her, its face hidden by an onyx hood.

“M-My child…where?”

The woman gasps as realization catches up.

“You ask for the whereabouts of a child rather than your own.”

“I-It doesn’t matter! W-Where is my child?!”

It wags its mercurial finger.

“You have other priorities, woman. Namely, that you’ve fallen through the crack.”

It sighs when she refuses to respond.

“Fine. I can bring you back to your precious world, and therefore child if you can survive the next world.”

“Really? Then hurry up and drop me there.”

“Not even a question as to the dangers you’ll be thrust into. I’ve never seen such a singleminded mortal such as you. It may save you.”

It places a clawed hand on her forehead.

“Know this, mortal woman, that this world may be your undoing. Or perhaps you will consume the horror.”

Everything goes black.

…

She awakes among a bed of bloody roses. Charred grass tickles her unfamiliar fingers, and a sudden realization strikes her.

This is not her body. This one is too perfect, without all the edges and unfurling pain familiar to one such as her. Yet, how did she look before? She cannot recall.

All memory is lost, even the name of her child, yet there remains secrecy etched into the fiber of her brain. She cannot locate it.

Suddenly, a jagged mirror materializes in the dark and upon its surface words manifest.

“Dear mortal, your consciousness is trapped within Princess Rex, a villainess.”

What?

“You’re trapped in an otome rpg called Tomorrow. Your goal is to become queen by any means necessary.”

It doesn’t make any sense.

However, one memory becomes clear. Vaguely, she recalls the Tomorrow game being banned in her country for its extreme violence, but the fact remains that Rex the Villainess dies in every route. Even the heroine isn’t safe from the love interests because they’re all yanderes.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

She quickly accepts the situation since panicking is not an option. It lingers but she pushes it down.

If she wishes to return home there is no point in lingering on the circumstances.

Past the trees she sees strange humanoids patrolling the forest. They look human enough, but their faces are adorned with crystals while their hands resemble black claws dripped in ink. Their beauty almost distracts her from the fact they’re wearing bloody clothing.

“Adghj.”

“Rhijjkjc.”

Their language is indecipherable. Cautious, she climbs up a nearby tree and notices a corset like gown adorns her figure, which in turn hinders her climbing process.

The moment she sits upon a branch the creature is at the base of the tree. He places a palm against the trunk and a crystal like substance crawls from his fingertips and spiderwebs up the tree. A burning sensation blooms in her legs as it draws near and her first instinct is to jump before it gets any closer. So she does.

Laughs echo in the forest; pain sears along her back and a rattling sound echoes within her bones. Clear amber breaks through her skin until it’s painted red.

Through the searing pain words appear in her mind.

“Your veins are bathed in amber; use it wisely.”

An instinctive urge forces her to dig deeper into her skin and grab a fistful of the disturbance. The fragments form a shattered shield that float in front of her.

“Rhjkk.”

The creatures laugh, but one surprises her by speaking her language.

“The slave doth not err with caution.”

“Amber encroaches her vulnerability!”

When she pulls her hand from her wound, amber claws protrude from her nails.

It is only darkness and gnarled trees here. The quiet echoes against the wood. Her blood decorates the white roses, and this is when they strike.

Pain erupts in her nose when a metallic boot strikes it. Tears spill down her face until, somehow, she digs her claw into its neck.

“Artnml!”

The other monster pulls her hair until her neck almost snaps. She lets out an inhumane scream and reaches back to claw its face.

Such a waste of beauty.

Once free, she sprints like a deranged woman into the woods when suddenly she slams into something hard.

“Your highness! Calm down!”

A man with messy red hair and pink eyes stares down at her. Words appear above his head.

‘Diamond Cal, Knight of Hvítrdögun, Love Target.’

Holding her close, his jaw unhinges like a serpent and rubies shoot from his mouth, though it resembles red mist more than tangible rubies.

It pierces the monsters glimmering skin until life flees from their eyes. She hadn’t realized they’d found her.

“T-Thank you.”

Even her voice is strange. It’s airy and soft like a twinkling bell. Diamond gives her a look of confusion.

“It’s proper procedure for a knight to protect the royal family. Apologies for letting your highnesses carriage be attacked.”

His flat tone says otherwise. His breath isn’t ragged and his skin isn’t drenched like hers. He reminds her of an intense cat.

He leads her to a carriage made of diamonds and golden feathers. Other knights bow as she approaches and she has the sudden realization that the thought of her child is slowly fading from her mind.

Instead her new thoughts stray towards the urge to yell at the knights, but she swallows away such a thoughtless action.

…

They arrive at a castle made of glass and flowers a few hours later. A woman runs towards her when she descends from the carriage and chilling words appear.

‘Queen Axel of Hvítrdögun.’

“Sister! I heard you were attacked! Come with me to the infirmary right away!”

In the glass she gets a good look for the first time. Princess Rex has black hair with blonde peeking through while Queen Axel has the opposite. Their eyes have the same sea like color though hers tend to look sharper. Queen Axel looks like the true princess in this situation.

A sudden bout of jealousy stirs within but she cannot pinpoint the origin. She shoves it back into the darkness where it belongs.

“There is no need your majesty, I would just like to rest now.”

She bows and practically runs into the castle but immediately her body recoils in paranoia.

“What is this feeling?”

The inside of the castle is much the same with glass walls overpowering the room, yet she cannot see outside. However, her reflections are a bit suspicious.

They move in harmony, yes, but there’s a distinct swell of suspicion within her.