The game’s description tells that the jade necklace given to Zathrian was from a lady in a black dress and violet eyes, a noble high enough to attend the ball of Duke Van der Horst’s daughter.

No playable characters in Evermore had violet eyes. I flipped through the pages of the guest list and started crossing out the names of male attendees.

“Elise, perhaps you know a lady with violet eyes?”

Elise, who had gone to prepare my bed the following night, started thinking. “The ladies of the Beckett family, I’m sure. They are pretty much known for the colour of their eyes. Why is that, my lady?”

The Beckett family. I checked through the guest lists once again and found two names. Ayana Beckett and Susanna Beckett. That Ayana, the original Lilivienne was poisoned with wild berries when she attended her tea party.

I want to make sure that I have my eye on the right people.

“Elise, I want to hold my own tea party. Invite all of my friends including the Beckett sisters.” Elise made a surprised expression.

“Right away, my lady? B-But you just got back from recovery! Besides, the Becketts went abroad two days ago and won’t be back until the first week of August. What if you invite the sisters and get poisoned again?” She exclaimed hysterically.

This was harder than I thought. I might die if I have to wait for that long and end up being wrong!

“I won’t let that happen, Elise.”

“I’m just concerned, my lady. I don’t want to take offence, but the way you get treated by your friends, especially Lady Ayana Beckett, makes all of us think that you’re the only one with good intentions.”

“Can you tell me more about how Lady Ayana treats me? W-What did you see?” What did this lady do to the original Lilivienne?

“Wasn’t it obvious, my lady? She’s jealous of you. She would degrade you with every chance she gets! I heard from the older maids that when you were children, she intentionally splattered juice on your dress at Lord Alasdair’s party because you were getting attention! I heard that she also threw a huge tantrum when you got a pet and begged her father for a bigger puppy! So when you got poisoned at her tea party, the rumours that it was her doing immediately spread to the inner circles like wildfire!”

“A-Alright, you can calm down…”

“M-My apologies for talking too much, my lady! I just feel so bad about how they treat you!” Elise bowed her head in front of me repeatedly.

What kind of friends did Lilivienne keep on her side all this time? I can only have my answers once I meet her so-called friends in person.

“Don’t worry too much about me. I’ll be more careful.” I don’t know anything about the original Lilivienne except the surface details, but I want to understand her. In my previous life, I forced myself to people who didn’t want me because they were the only ones I had. Did she feel the same? Lilivienne was briefly mentioned as a kind, soft-spoken, elegant beauty in Zathrian and Percival’s profiles. Those attributes were enough to earn her the friends she deserves, yet she earned closer enemies instead. People are just the same no matter the world they are in. When a person is genuinely kind, people think they are pretentious, and then they spite bad people doing bad things.

I have more power in this life than the life I had in the past. With Lilivienne’s status in society, I will use her position to survive and save not just Zathrian from the dark path, but the people that will get affected if I fail to stop him. I know it’s easy to just give it up and let this part of the story write itself in its original form, but I’m already part of it. I refuse to let my second life end tragically just because that’s how it was written.

I can’t help but wonder though, what happened to the soul of the original Lilivienne when I entered her body?

The spirit garden. The original Lilivienne might be in the spirit garden. That place was the afterlife of this world. The game hinted it to be explored in the sequels as Zathrian was said to be staying there after his death.

To communicate with her, I need the help of a shaman. But for now, I don’t have enough time.

I looked up at the sky from the window of my room. If she’s ever there…

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

I left the Anorithil Dukedom for the first time early in the morning and travelled to the kingdom’s capital by the afternoon, Regalopolis. Since the Becketts won’t return for the next two weeks, I thought it was better to go out than lock myself in my room and think about the future until I go crazy. Elise and my bodyguard Sir Sebastian—went with me to the shopping district to look for a dress for my upcoming tea party. Even though it’s normal for elites to have their dresses delivered at home by the dressmakers themselves, I used it as an excuse to go. I wore a light blue tightly laced corset over a white bodice that went with another long light blue skirt, paired with Mary Jane's shoes and aquamarine jewellery, while my pink hair was simply flowing at the back.

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It was cute but uncomfortably tight around the waist!

I know I have to adjust to this world’s lifestyle yet I still want to have control of my own freedom despite the responsibility that’ll be thrown at me once I make my debut to society. If I survive the Cataclysm, I will step up as the future president of D’auvillere. Alasdair was supposed to take the role, but he stated that he wasn’t a bit interested in the family business. So it was passed to me.

The game was exactly the same as it was on my computer screen before, and now I’m experiencing it as my reality. I saw familiar faces during my stroll, like those NPCs who would give me short quests in exchange for rewards and those who would only walk past me. In this world, they have their own lives. It’ll be tragic to see it gone.

I got so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t notice my companions weren’t behind me anymore. I looked around and found myself wandering in a completely unfamiliar street. The sun was starting to set and started panicking inside. But then I recognized the sign of the tavern in front of me.

How can I get lost in the game I used to play a lot?

My stomach grumbled by chance. It was past dinner time, I hoped they get to eat while they looked for me.

If I remember well, this tavern is known for its signature dish, the Stewed Salmon Radish soup, which heals the player up to 1000 HP. The stats are great and the ingredients are easy to farm, so it became popular with the players.

One of the early SR characters, Evangeline, rewards this dish to the player after they complete her short quest while staying in Yuria, claiming it’s her favourite dish.

“Evangeline must still be in Yuria around this time.”

I went inside the Ye Olde Tavern and roamed my eyes for a tall man with tan skin and a large sword. Percival Colt stays at this place. If I’m lucky enough, he’ll be the first playable hero I’ll see since coming to this world and an SSR type at that!

Excitement filled my heart, completely ignoring the curious stares of middle-aged men trying to enjoy their meal, wondering how an obvious lady of nobility reached that part of the capital.

I ignored their stares and sat by the bar. Since I was there already, I decided to have a quick bite before I searched for my companions. No Percival in sight. There goes my luck for the day.

Or not…

“Are you sure you’re not meeting with Lady Augustine tonight? She was mad that you didn’t write her a letter when you returned.”

“I don’t see any reason why I should.”

“Didn’t she confess her feelings to you?”

“I already told her what I feel. I see her as a friend. Nothing more.”

Sudden chills run down my spine. Right beside me sat the person I didn’t expect to meet early in the scenario.

“So back at the party… you were just leading her on? Everyone thought you were getting along so well!”

“You think so? I was simply accompanying the lady you introduced me to.”

“Man, quit playing already. And here I thought you'd change your ways back in Valencourt.”

“Nothing’s changed about me, you know? I’m still the same guy you met three years ago.”

“Zathrian Lestrange...” I muttered unconsciously. Our eyes met by chance as I turned my face to the left.

How is he here? He just arrived the other day!

“How’d you know my name?” The red-haired man stirred the glass of whiskey in his hand without taking his greyish-blue eyes off me. He was truly blessed with a devilishly handsome face—with his slick-back hair highlighting his perfectly sculpted features very well. He was wearing his signature game costume—the long dark coat with silvery weave patterns, underneath was a white cotton shirt and a cravat to his chest, paired with black trousers with the same weave patterns and black leather boots. The heating of my cheeks had me turning away in the opposite direction. No doubt, this is him! The so-called “Hot n’ Cold Prince!”

I never expected anything when it came to everyone’s visuals as they were originally just 3D characters, so I find it enchanting to see his face as a breathing human person.

“Uhm, well… you’re a pretty well-known figure…”

I’m pretty sure the brown-haired guy beside him was Claude Holland, another NPC and one of Zathrian’s friends in Evermore. He was looking at me with curiosity, probably not knowing who I was.

“Hey, Claude.”

“What?”

“You’re not setting me up with another girl again, aren’t you?”

“What do you mean? I-I don’t know the lady either!”

“Good to hear.” Zathrian eyed me from head to toe. “She’s not my type.” He whispered, a smirk forming on his lips behind the glass.

Did I hear that right?

“Pardon me?” I interrupted. “H-Hey, you’re not my type either. I’d be damned if I had such shameful taste in men.”

I wouldn’t mind it at all, but he didn’t have to let me hear that!

“Plenty of women have been saying the same thing, only to be proven otherwise.” He stirred his drink. “So please don’t have any hopeful thoughts. I’m not comfortable when it comes to the rejection part.”

I didn’t know he was this insufferable. Maybe this side of him was the huge factor why his character never appealed to me back then.

Claude shook Zathrian by the shoulders. “H-Haha! He didn’t mean it like that, miss! He was saying you’re not the “type” to be messed with! R-Right, Zath?” But Zathrian only ignored him.

“H-ha,” I cannot believe this. I stood up to face him but he was just tall. We were looking eye to eye even when he remained sitting. “Do you seriously think that I came here to grab your attention?”

He smirked. “There could be no other reason why a lady like yourself should be here. Unless someone informed you where I am. Or did you look for me on your own?”

I tried to compose myself. I felt my hunger subsiding from this ridiculous interaction. “I don’t know what kind of ladies you’re attracting, but you shouldn’t accuse someone so lightly. Think for a minute, maybe your attitude is what’s making your loved one get away from you.”

His eyes turned dark. “What do you know?”

Wrong move. He’ll think I know something. Well, I do know something about him but I’m supposed to act like I don’t!

I faked an evil laugh. “I-I see that’s the case based on your reaction, huh? So you better start behaving if you want them back!”

Flames were burning in those cold hues. I guess he wasn’t convinced enough. Despite the arrogant persona he was showing earlier, I still could see how he didn’t expect the outcome of this exchange.

The cook came back with my take-out. I grabbed the paper bag and made my way to the exit doors without looking back. I couldn’t keep my heart calm.

The last thing I wanted to happen was for him to remember me.