Chapter 1

"What's going on...?"

I, Erika, the daughter of Duke Aurelia, stood frozen, staring at my reflection in the mirror.

My hair, a deep golden color like honey, was elegantly rolled.

My skin was as white as milk, and my cheeks were rosy.

Despite my young face, still that of an eight-year-old, I had haughty eyebrows and arrogant emerald eyes.

– Is this me?

No! This isn't me! This is –

I started to feel a sense of wrongness about the color of my hair, skin, and eyes.

Most of all, these distinctive vertical curls –!!

This is Erika Aurelia, the villainess from the legendary fantasy dating game "Riber Monstorum ~Phantom Beast and the Winter Princess~"!

I leaned against the mirror, feeling as if the ground beneath me was shaking.

I was almost overwhelmed by the wellspring of past memories that kept surfacing.

Is this what it means to be reincarnated and to awaken to the memories of my previous life?

I thought it was ridiculous, but the memories of living as Erika told me that this is the world of "Riber Monstorum."

And because of that, no matter how perfect my current face is, I had a foreboding feeling.

Especially since I ended up as that villainess, Erika Aurelia.

The Erika I know is the one who bullies the heroine when she enters the magic academy and is the first to die when the serial event begins.

The variations of her death include being turned into a golden statue, being devoured by beasts, or being found as a drowned body.

If I continue to grow up, I'll end up dying to kick off the murder plot that enhances the love drama between the heroine and her love interests!

I want to avoid that.

I don't want to be suddenly attacked and die.

– Already?

Then, the memories I didn't want to recall flooded my mind.

The last moment of what I believe to be my previous life.

I saw a glint of light and felt a shock.

I felt heat around my side and reached out, only to find my hand covered in bright red blood.

I tried to run and call for help, but I was stabbed multiple times –.

So, I died back then...

She was a colleague, but we didn't talk much.

One day, after work, she suddenly said, "You betrayed me" and stabbed me multiple times.

I could only remember lending her a folding umbrella when it rained, but what was the problem?

Or was it something else?

I had a similar experience in high school.

Back then, as a member of the Earth Science Club (all other members were male), I was misunderstood to be in love with everyone, and rumors spread that I had physical relationships with all of them.

It was hell.

Being shy and poor at speaking, I couldn't clear my name.

One of the members, who believed the rumors, attacked me from behind on a night street...

By the time I was discharged from the hospital, the Earth Science Club had been disbanded, and I was given terrible nicknames like "Club Crasher," "Small Carnivorous Plant," and "Plain Bitch"...

It was painful.

Even in college and in the workplace, similar things happened, though not as severe.

I tried to navigate real-life relationships as smoothly as possible but failed.

Because of this, I became tired of involving myself with others outside of work and got deeply into games.

Fiction doesn't come out of the screen to attack you!

How wonderful!

The memories that come to mind are mainly real-life tragic experiences and game strategies.

How biased is my life experience?

The more I trace the threads of my memories, the more I realize that my actual life has been nothing but bad experiences.

That's why I don't dislike this Erika.

Her strong will.

Her arrogance.

Her proactivity.

She is the kind of strong girl I admired in my previous life.

Except for the bullying part, she is close to my ideal.

A girl like her wouldn't be harassed or stabbed by a delusional yandere guy.

She could probably even escape from normal guys, but that's a trivial matter.

That's it!

I should turn this legendary fantasy dating game into a lighthearted fantasy dating game!

But is it really possible?

As long as I don't die a mysterious death, it will be fine.

I feel like I can live much more freely than in my previous life.

It's not bad.

The clues must be in the memories of my previous life.

Why does Erika die?

It's because Erika trampled on the lives of other characters.

If I can avoid that, I might be able to find life in death.

The dark pasts of the love interests.

They were the death flags that Erika herself set up.

If so, I just need to break all the death flags with all my might.

However, there's something I need to confirm first.

The possibility that these memories are just my delusion.

It's also possible that I'm not reincarnated but have gone mad.

The young Erika was playing in her brother's room, who is twelve years older.

She had taken out some illustrated books from his collection and was reading them, but she fell asleep.

After a short nap on the chaise lounge, she came to the mirror to fix her messy hair.

To determine whether my memories are a delusion, I need to confirm if a certain event is happening.

"Are you okay, Erika?"

My brother, worried about me leaning against the mirror, approached.

The timing is perfect.

"You don't look well."

My brother's name is Edelbert Aurelia.

The first son of Duke Aurelia and one of the love interests for the heroine.

He has hair and eyes similar to Erika's, but his gaze is very gentle and sweet.

"Thank you, brother. I'm just a bit tired."

"I see, you were reading a lot of books just now. How about having something sweet?"

Edelbert took a small package from a box on the table and unwrapped it.

"Open your mouth."

When I opened my mouth, a piece of chocolate was dropped in.

My brother is always so kind to me.

"Is it delicious?"

"Yes."

"You're a good girl, Erika."

He gently stroked my hair.

If I had a brother like this, no one would blame me for being a "brother complex."

Now, I need to get the information I want from this kind brother.

"Hey, brother."

"Hmm, what is it, Erika? Do you want more chocolate?"

"I'll get fat if I eat too much before dinner."

I didn't want to cloud his smile.

But I need to ask about the beginning event of this game right away.

"Can I ask you about the events in the icy Lucanlant territory in the north?"

"What do you mean?"

"Last year, something happened in the north."

"…The tragedy of the Lucanlant ducal family…"

Brother Edelbert said with a sad expression.

"I'll tell you when you're a bit older… For now, I hope you can understand and forgive me."

"…I understand, brother. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I'm the one who should apologize for being so sensitive, Erika."

I just needed to confirm that the "werewolf massacre" tragedy in the north happened, so I'll stop here.

I don't think a twenty-year-old brother would explain such a gruesome event in detail to an eight-year-old sister.

"I'll return to my room now."

This confirms that this world is "Riber Monstorum."

The beginning of a strange world where numerous monsters, werewolves, and vampires lurk in the shadows of the night.