I wrap a towel around myself and make my way over to the small unused bath to wash my face. I saw Aria do this in her memory, although it seemed strange the way she knelt down like that. This position, right? It feels uncomfortable, but the towel isn't on the ground, and neither are my knees.

"Haha, you always look so ridiculous like that." Poppy says as she laughs at me. "I don't know why you are so picky about the way you wash your face."

I look over at Poppy. She had a few bumps on her face, otherwise it was relatively clear. However, my face was perfectly clear, no make-up needed, although being the villainess I must wear make-up. And it must be dramatic too.

I scoop the water into my hands and dip my face into it. I felt like I should splash my face with it, but that isn't how Aria does it. So, I take my time. Scoop, dip, scoop and dip. I then rub the face scrub into my face. It wasn't a bottle that she had passed me along with the rest. She hands it to me as I wash my face.

"Are you almost done?" Poppy asks me. "I want to do your hair. It is just so pretty, and I just love to play with it!" she says, gushing over my hair. Did Aria like that? Did she enjoy being told how attractive she is and all of her best features? It actually makes me a little bit uncomfortable, but I suppose that I need to pretend to enjoy it.

"Yes Poppy, I am almost done." I tell her and finish rinsing off my face. I don't want the sticky feeling of any residue being left behind.

"Oh good!" she says and practically bounces from foot to foot. How is someone so murderous able to pretend to be cute? Doesn't she have a deep-rooted hatred of Aria to be able to murder her so violently? I unconsciously touch my neck. I take my hand away quickly so as not to seem suspicious. I don't know what manner Poppy would kill me in this time, but I do not want to find out.

We walk into the changing room, and I make sure that I dry off thoroughly.

"Why are you scrubbing so hard with the towel today? Did you have bad dreams that you are trying to rub away?" she asks.

"I suppose I did." I tell her and follow Poppy deeper into the changing room. In a small section of the changing room there are a set of wooden benches and what looks like a switch? I sit down on the bench and Poppy flips the switch. I feel a burst of hot air surrounding us. Oh, was this timed magics? I was never really able to figure out how the magic system worked in the game, and I felt that the author had just thrown in magic whenever they wanted to add an interesting scene or feature.

I shake my head and decide to think on it later, or possibly not at all. Alias made it sound like this is a glitchy and broken world right now. Maybe once the corruption is gone, he can put in place rules that make sense. A hard magic system tends to be more well thought out and make more sense than a soft one. I shake my head slightly and feel the heat lift my hair a bit before it gently drifts back down to my shoulders. What an interesting feeling.

"You are being quieter than usually lately. Is this because of your nightmare, or is it because your birthday is this week, which of course means interacting with your family and the eligible men of the kingdom?"

I feel my stomach dropping to my feet. What did Poppy just say? I have to be introduced to all of the OG male leads as well as other eligible young men? Or wait, Poppy did not say young men did she. She said eligible men. Does my stepfather, the king, wish to sell me off to better relations?

"Both." I say simply and stare at the wall. I need to look through that diary and see if I can figure out what Aria's birthday is. It is helpful to know that it is this week, but that doesn't help me know what day I am supposed to act more like a spoiled young lady than usual. Although I am also beginning to question how spoiled Aria actually is.

I want to ask Poppy what day it is, and what day my birthday event will be held on, but that will make her suspicion leap up immediately, or so I assume. That doesn't sound like something Aria would ever need to ask. Not something that I would be asking. I had started thinking of myself as Aria, but not completely. I am still doing too many things that Elia would do, the me outside of this world.

"Well let's make you look extra pretty today then. You are turning 24 this week, over marriageable age by far." Poppy says.

Poppy isn't too far off. It is normal for girls from non-affluent families to be married off when they are between the ages of 18-20. People in "higher society" usually wait until they have more education before they settle down and get married. Potential partners want a better understanding of what their match can bring to the table, and what kind of life they want to build together. Also, it was mentioned in passing that people in this world live longer than back on earth. No idea why though. Just one more thing that doesn't make sense.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"I do believe that I would like that Poppy, thank you." I say. I decide that I had basked in the warmth long enough. I was already fully dried and wanted to go get dressed. "Shall we go do so now?"

Poppy pops to her feet. "Yes!" she says brightly, making me question my sanity. How is someone so bright and bubby so evil. I also have a sneaking suspicion that Poppy might be the truly bad one between her and Aria. Is that why I have lies written into my diary? Something that might be something to ponder when I have time alone. Whenever that happens.

"Let's do your hair in your room." Poppy says once we have our gowns on. I easily agree with her, and we make our way to our rooms. We pass a few servants on our way back. Poppy greets them and I give them all smiles. I don't know how openly affectionate I am yet. It will take a bit to feel things out.

It doesn't take long before we get back to my room, passing by the torn tapestries that had caused Aria's memory to flood my mind. In the game it seemed that part of the reason that Irick hates Aria is because of the affection that the king lavishes on her. Aside from the dresses I am not seeing much evidence of his favor.

"Alright, sit here and face forward." Poppy says, seating me at my vanity. It is a comfortable seat, and I am facing a mirror so I can watch what she is doing, which I appreciate. I know a lot of people don't let people watch when they are styling hair so that it will be a surprise. I actually prefer being able to watch the process.

Poppy begins by brushing my long hair out with her fingers, the silver glistening in the light. My hair is truly lovely, as if someone took moonbeams and turned them into hair. I know that is a vain thing to say, but it is also an accurate way to say it. After she loosens any knots that have gotten into my hair, she runs a comb through it. Poppy must be skilled at this as it doesn't hurt at any point.

"I don't understand why you aren't vainer. I think that you are the most beautiful woman in the kingdom." Poppy tells me.

"Simple. I am constantly compared to Iris. People seem to like blond, dainty little porcelain dolls like her."

"Do you have something against blond hair?" Poppy asks, pausing in her combing.

"Of course, I don't Poppy. You have the most beautiful blond hair. It is as though someone took the gold of wheat and the shine of the sun and made them into hair and gifted that hair to you."

"As poetic as always, aren't we?" she asks. I want to see if her affection rating raised at all, but it seems that I won't be able to find out until she is done.

As we are talking, Poppy's hands don't pause again. She takes a small section from each side of my hair and braids it, then twists them together in the back of my head. Making sure that they are secure, Poppy then takes my hair and loops it through the braids and carefully lays it over my right shoulder. Next, she takes a blue and white crescent blue moon clip and clips it in my hair, also on the right side. The clip has delicate chains attached to it and at the bottom of the silver chains are small sapphires.

"There, something to make your hair shine even more." Poppy says, satisfied.

"You know Poppy, when I am married off, if you no longer wish to serve me, I shall set you up with your own hair styling business." I tell her as I admire my hair.

"Hmm, I might hold you to that." she smiles at me, and I catch the affection bar.

It had filled up a bit more. I would say it is a little less than a sixth full. That is better than nothing. Hmm, I wonder if people are less likely to murder me if I have built up some of their affection bar. It seems only reasonable.

"I know you said that I could do your hair, but can I do your makeup as well? I know between us, doing hair also means doing makeup but I wanted to check." Poppy asks.

After killing me twice it seems that Poppy has decided to throw me a bone and help me out a bit. I saw a bit in the games how Aria wore her hair, and I saw her make-up a bit as well. That being said, seeing it in a game is different than seeing it in person. I also need to make sure to carefully watch how she does my makeup so I can mimic it.

"Of course, you can do my makeup Poppy. That nightmare has me a bit shook up still. And I desire to be even more beautiful today than usual. It is my birthday week after all. I wish to make an early good impression on those that I will have to play nice with."

Poppy laughs before replying. "I like the way you put that. Play nice. Emphasis on the play. I on the other hand will be keeping a tally of all of those that wrong you. After the celebrating is over, we can pay them back in kind. Of course, by then they may also have to pay a bit extra."

I laugh with her, but also feel unnerved. Will I have to be cruel to be able to survive? Is there a route I can do where I improve people's feelings on Aria? I suppose I will die a few times finding it. It will make this life easier to live in the future. However, Poppy will stand in my way of doing this I assume. Murdering me any time I start to become too nice. Or that's my current running theory at least.

Is a possible way around that to continue to increase her affection for me? I mean, how many people really want to murder people that they feel affection for? Or, well, I guess more people than I want to know in some cases. People can be mean and cruel over the smallest things.

"Okay I am going to start in on your makeup now." she says as she crouches in front of me. She rubs some primer over my face. It felt a little nice to be pampered like this, especially if I forget that the person pampering me can turn on a dime and murder me.

After the primer was on, she works on my eyes. I love the way the cat eye really brings out the almond shape of my eyes. My eyes are large and almond shaped, making the cat eye look perfect on me. She did the eye liner in black. She then tops it with blue and silver eye shadow and mascara. She finishes with my face and dusts blush across my cheeks. I have to say, I am gorgeous.

As I stare at myself in the mirror I think back to my old body and my old looks. Back home I had long light brown hair that I kept long intentionally. Long hair makes for some fun styles when cosplaying. I had bright blue eyes that people loved but I also wore colored contacts often to completely change my looks. It was a joke on my stream that people could never truly know what I looked like. And I like that just fine.

However, even with all the changes I could make to my appearance I have never looked this good. I suppose it is a trope for people who transmigrate to end up in very attractive bodies. Also, this is an otome world, so I suppose it was a given.

"Thank you, Poppy. You did a great job. I feel drop dead gorgeous." The pun was intended although I am thinking that only to myself. I suppose only Alias can appreciate my humor here.

"Well, it was a given that I would make you look good. You are just naturally pretty. Which is so unfair. I suppose it does mean that you should find a husband rather easily. Unless you scare them all away with your personality."

"At least I know how to get away from someone if I can't stand the thought of being married to them. Just open my mouth and talk." I say then let out a laugh. Such a musical laugh.

"I suppose I will be headed out now and shall see you later Poppy. I do not know what time I will be returning though." I inform her.

"That's okay. I will assume that you will be back for dinner. And if not, I will just take some time to myself. While I love your company, I don't mind having some time to read trashy novels and plot our misdeeds."

"Sounds like you also have a fun day planned. I shall see you then Poppy." I tell her and head to the door.

I see a screen pop up in front me again that say "Checkpoint".