ᴠɪʟʟᴀɪɴᴇss ɪɴ ʏᴀɴᴅᴇʀᴇ ᴅᴀᴛɪɴɢ sɪᴍ

1 | Apology

She awoke as someone else.

Someone with beautiful jet black hair and dazzling eyes akin to amethyst.

She was frightened at first and didn't know what to do because she appeared to have awoken in a completely different world.

She did, however, recognize that she had acquired the memories of the body's previous owner.

Graciella Clarence.

*Note :
Graciella / she - Current Graciella
Graciella / she - Original Graciella

A villainess in the otome game 'Slave to Your Love', which was an otome game she never finished, as she only read one chapter of the prologue and realized it wasn't her cup of tea.

It's a game where the capture targets are yandere, which are an unhealthy affection.

She noticed she didn't enjoy it, so she stopped playing the game a long time ago.

But to think she reached that world mysteriously and became Graciella, the game's villainess.

A violent lady who often abused her close servants, the spoiled Duke's daughter.

(How come this is happening to me?!)

Graciella pinched her nose, let out a long sigh, and frowned, which became even more obvious as a peculiar screen appeared in front of her.

[Complete the tasks that will be assigned to you. Only then you'll be able to return to your world.]

[Survive until the epilogue of the game.]

(What is happening?)

(How did I become Graciella in the first place?!)

(How am I meant to know the epilogue if I don't even know the game?!)

Transmigration and reincarnation are common in novels she reads back in her world.

But after experiencing it first-hand, she felt creepy, and chills ran down her spine.

(Doing tasks? Really?)

She scoffed at the thought.

Despite the fact that Graciella never finished the game, she was able to guess a lot of bad things that could happen to the heroine because it was a yandere game.

Yet, she suddenly recalled something.

(But-)

(-that otome game was actually for players who are over 12 years old. According to the reviewers, it didn't feature any thriller or gruesome scenes.)

(... Since the reward is also returning me back home, I guess it'll be worth to give it a try.)

Suddenly, she heard a knock on the door and turned her gaze toward it, asking whoever it was to enter.

Someone with gorgeous brown hair and sparkling jade eyes dressed in a butler uniform entered.

Graciella's eyes widened in surprise as he entered the room and respectfully bowed to her.

(It's-)

(It's Louis Grandet!)

Graciella recognized Louis the instant he walked into the room since she inherited the memories of Graciella.

He is her butler, someone who Graciella saved a long time ago on a whim.

Graciella, on the other hand, does not take her responsibility seriously and harms him whenever she was in a foul mood.

He was also one of the capture targets in the game she played, but she has no recollection of it because she stopped playing early on.

"Your breakfast is served, my lady!"

He cheered politely, a bright smile visible on his face.

"Oh..."

Suddenly, another screen appeared in front of her.

[Thanked Louis Grandet and apologize to him.]

(... What? Is this the task?)

Graciella asked in wonder, looking at the screen in front of her.

(I was going to thank him anyways.)

"Thank you, Louis."

Graciella gave him a sweet smile, which surprised Louis because his lady had never thanked him or smiled at him before.

(She's thanking me? Is she sick?)

With questioning, skeptical eyes, he thought to himself.

Graciella looked at him in the eyes and gulped. Then she walked toward him.

"Louis, I remember throwing a... pocket watch at you, and you bled as a result-"

Graciella looked at Louis in the eyes, waiting for his response, yet Louis smiled in return.

"It's not a problem, my lady!"

Louis appeared unbothered by her words, but she is well aware of how much he despises her because she remembers the game.

"I'd like to apologize."

Graciella bent her head in an apologetic manner, and Louis' jaw dropped in surprise.

"M-my lady, you don't have to do that!"

He panicked as he gripped her shoulders to straighten her up, only to be met by Graciella's remorseful expression.

[Give Louis Grandet the things he'd like.]

She gazed in wonder as another screen flashed in front of her.

(Something he'd like?)

She then returned her attention to Louis and gave a small, timid smile.

"I've... done a lot of horrible things to you, and I know that you might not forgive me but.. I'd like to make it up to you."

Of course, Louis was taken aback by Graciella's unexpected change of attitude, but he returned the smile.

"No need to, my lady. I'm just your lowly servant!"

(She probably wants to play a trick on me or something.)

Louis mused bitterly, his cheerful smile masking his unpleasant thoughts.

"But I'm serious, Louis. Is there something you'd like?"

She gave a sincere apologetic look whilst she pointed at herself.

"I really want to make it up to you."

Louis was bewildered, because he actually felt she was being sincere, but he didn't want to believe that.

(Someone can't change over a night. I wonder what happened to her all of a sudden.)

He paused for a moment before shaking his head in response to Graciella's words.

"There really isn't anything I need, lady Graciella."

(Ugh, what can I do for him?!)

Graciella dug deep into her memories of Louis, and she finally found something he'd like.

(Oh, that's right!)

"Alright Louis, I already found something that you'd like for sure!"

Louis only grinned and looked at her with a curious gaze.

"Well, if it's from my lady, anything would be nice!"

Graciella, on the other hand, shook her head and smiled as brightly as he did.

"I'll call you when it's ready!"

"... Of course, my lady."

***

"Perfect!"

Graciella squealed with delight as she examined the gift she had prepared.

Graciella then instructed a maid to find Louis.

Above all, she also felt sorry for him because of how Graciella had treated him.

"Louis has arrived, lady Graciella."

The maid bowed and gestured her hand to Louis, who had just arrived at the room after finishing his work.

Despite his calm demeanor, Louis is troubled by the traps she might play on him.

He's even prepared to get hurt because that's how things have always gone for him.

"Great! I hope... you'll be pleased with this, Louis."

Graciella then motioned with her hand to the exquisite painting supplies and canvas she had bought just for him.

Louis' eyes widened in bewilderment, because he hadn't expected her to offer him such a gift.

"... This is... for me?"

"Yes."

Louis recalled how Graciella had ruined his painting tools and thrown away all of his canvas because she thought it was unsuitable for a butler.

He thought he should've just given up painting again that day because she was furious.

"I would also like to apologize for... breaking your prized possession. That was a terrible thing for me to do, well- everything I did was terrible."

Louis just stood there, speechless, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

(Oh-)

He narrowed his eyes, recalling the day Graciella saved him from the slums and brought him into the mansion.

Even though it was on the spur of the moment, he was grateful to her since he would no longer have to suffer the cold of winter or struggle to obtain food.

He regretted to even think about that.

He felt he had made a huge mistake when he reached for her hand that day.

He had the urge to kill her because of all the horrible things she's done to him, but he's still hesitant.

Something warm sparked inside of him now that she had sincerely repented and was actually being sweet to him.

(It was supposed to be like this.)

As his jade eyes gazed at her sincere amethyst eyes, he tightened his hands into fists.

(My hesitation... all gone in an instant.)

(As if it was never there in the first place.)

He thought then smiled brightly at her for the first time since she had saved him, and it was pure joy from his heart.

"Thank you, my lady!"

Graciella breathed a sense of relief that it worked. Then she approached him and extended her hand.

"I hope we can start over, Louis."

Louis looked at her hand, the same hand that he had reached years ago, which he had always considered a mistake.

But her hand now appeared to be as warm as it had been the first time she reached out to him, and he wasn't afraid to make the same mistake again.

".. Of course!"

He extended his hand, and they exchanged a friendly smile.

(This time, I hope I won't regret it.)

He thought to himself genuinely whilst they shook hands.

(... He seems normal so far. I think they're yandere because the capture targets was affected by their love for the heroine.)

Graciella thought, and shrugged.

(As long as I do the tasks, there won't be any problems for me.)

"I would like you to paint me sometimes. Your artwork is beautiful."

"You think so my lady?! I'd be delighted to!"

(This is a great start!)

She grinned to herself happily and convinced herself there won't be any troubles.

After apologizing to Louis and gave him his gift, Graciella narrowed her eyes as she lay on her bed lazily.

(Wow, that was quick.)

(But I'm glad it worked out just fine. I can return to my world if I keep completing tasks and make it until the epilogue.)

(Now that I'm done doing the tasks, I need to figure out why I'm here in the first place.)

***

• Graciella Clarence
Status : Duke's Daughter
Hair : Black
Eyes : Amethyst
Description :
A woman who was mysteriously pulled into the world of the otome game she never completed and became Graciella Clarence. She barely remembers what the game was about since she lost interest in it.