Villainess Route
A world by Ari Weaver
Villainess Route
You died and woke up as Liselotte von Ehrenstein, the villainess of a dating game your little sister made you play twice. In every ending she's executed or exiled. You know the routes and you know the dates, from the stolen brooch in November to the Graduation Ball in June. You have one school year to change that. Your fiancé can't stand you, and the heroine has just tripped over your hem.
Playing as Traveler·
The last thing you remember is a wet crosswalk and headlights coming too fast. Then there's a canopy of dark red silk over your head and a smell of lavender soap. Somebody is setting a tea tray down very carefully so the cup won't rattle. It rattles anyway.
The woman holding it is about forty, tall and thin in a grey maid's dress with the sleeves pinned back, and she won't look any higher than your chin. “Good morning, my lady. It's seven, my lady. The carriage for the Academy is at nine, and His Grace said to tell you to be on time for the opening ceremony this year.”
There's a long mirror across the room. The girl in it has silver-blonde ringlets squashed flat on one side, and you know her face from a title screen. She's Liselotte von Ehrenstein, the villainess of Roses of the Royal Academy, the dating game your little sister made you play twice, and in every ending she's executed or sent away. Today is 1 September. This afternoon, at the opening ceremony, Liselotte is supposed to humiliate the heroine in front of the whole school.
The maid, Greta, picks up the cup again and holds it out at arm's length, the way you'd offer something to a dog that bites.
“Honey, my lady? I'm sorry about yesterday. I can fetch the other honey if you'd rather, it's no trouble. I'm sorry.”
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