Chapter 1:
I'm still alive.
My aching, powerless body told me so.
And I was still inside Davina's body, trapped in this twisted reverse harem game.
I wanted to sit up, but I couldn't even lift a finger. When had Cassian let me go?
I didn't remember. I must have passed out.
I was still lying face down, completely naked. That bastard Cassian didn't even bother to throw a blanket over me. Ruthless to the very end.
I turned my gaze to the window. The sky outside was caught between day and night. I'd slept through an entire day.
Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I sifted through my memories for anything I could recall about Davina.
These kinds of messed-up otome games usually focused solely on the main cast, so whatever I knew about Davina came from their perspectives. And of course, none of them were flattering—or even complete.
Davina Emerson. A princess of the current empire. Her parents died young in an accident, leaving behind a fifteen-year-old brother, too young to take the throne. So Davina stepped up and took over the responsibilities of the court. She built her own faction from there.
At first, she was dedicated, serious. Until the ministers began stuffing male concubines into her bed, distracting her and sending her down a spiral of indulgence.
There had to be a political scheme at play.
An underaged crown prince. A fallen princess too deep in vice to care about the court. It was the perfect opening for a power shift.
Aurora, the heroine of this world, was originally a nameless servant. But thanks to her kind heart—and of course, that unstoppable main character halo—she effortlessly drew everyone's attention without even trying.
For someone like Davina, who could seemingly have everything, Aurora's presence was like a thorn in her side.
It began with Cassian, the man Davina truly loved and wanted to possess, doting on Aurora with tenderness and indulgence.
Blinded by jealousy and hatred, Davina destroyed Aurora's life at all costs—and in the process, destroyed herself.
Oh, Davina. Cassian treats you like dirt, and you still cling to him, desperate for his love. It's pathetic. And a little heartbreaking.
Maybe it's because I've never been in love, but I don't get it. Either way, I'm Davina now, and my only goal is to survive and return to my world. I'm not throwing myself into some dumb romance just to lose my head.
At the moment, I had a much bigger problem.
A blinking red quest window hovering before me.
[Quest Activated]
[Meet the male leads in the dining hall]
[Reward: +5 random affection points]
[Failure: -20 affection points]
[Warning: Affection below -50% may result in death]
If these quests were the only way for Davina to survive, then this world had already strayed far from the original storyline. So memorizing the plot was useless now.
My only hope now lay in this damn system.
I didn't want to get up. Or rather, I couldn't.
That bastard Cassian… I should stay far, far away from him.
"Is anyone out there?" I called weakly toward the door.
This body was way too fragile. Maybe I needed some strength training before I tried seducing any male leads. I wouldn't survive past the second one otherwise.
The heavy wooden door creaked open. I heard footsteps—firm, deliberate.
A man?
This princess… even her attendants were men? A little excessive, don't you think?
I turned my head slightly, pressing one cheek into the bed to see who entered.
A black royal uniform clung to a body packed with muscle. Tanned skin from training under the sun and rain. Long black hair tumbled over piercing crimson eyes, still and unreadable.
Ah, Drake. Davina's personal knight. One of her so-called pets. The one she never once summoned to serve her.
Why, though? Just look at that body, that air of strength. Even I could hardly resist.
Maybe Davina's taste ran more toward the noble type?
"You called, Your Highness?"
Drake stopped at the bedside, his dark gaze sweeping over my bare, prone body. Not a flicker of reaction.
I must look terrible. The marks of last night's pleasure—or should I say punishment—were still all over me.
"I…"
I hesitated, feeling awkward. In my previous life, only one man had ever seen my body.
"I can't sit up."
His thick brows drew together slightly, but I couldn't read him. He probably hated me. Davina had trampled all over his pride as a warrior.
He was once a commoner, worked his way up through brutal training to become a knight. And Davina? She dragged him back, made him her personal guard, erased all his hard-earned achievements, and turned him into a joke.
She didn't let him serve her—but didn't let him leave either. Like she enjoyed watching her prey writhe under her heel, slowly losing all dignity.
A textbook villainess.
"Hurry up, Drake." When he didn't move, I snapped. "I'm hungry."
Whatever thoughts he had vanished. He stepped forward, wrapped me in a blanket, and scooped me up… over his shoulder?
"Hey, Drake…" My head was still spinning, and being flipped upside down didn't help. "I'm a princess, you know."
Who carries a princess like this?
Drake didn't change position. He carried me toward the bathroom, steady as ever.
"Apologies, Your Highness. I'm more accustomed to hauling heavy loads and corpses."
Was that sarcasm?
Whatever. Just hurry.
I didn't protest, enduring the blood rushing to my head. After all, I was Davina—the one who deserved to be treated like garbage. What was I expecting?
Drake set me on a cushioned chair and turned away to prepare warm water. His movements were practiced, precise. Clearly not his first time doing this for her.
A knight meant to wield a sword and protect the weak… reduced to bathing a spoiled princess. What a cruel way to break someone.
Then I noticed something glowing above his head.
[-30%]
Affection level? That low?
Damn it. If I wasn't careful and it dropped below -50%, that sword at his waist might just find its way into my throat.
"You can… call a maid if you want. You don't have to do it yourself," I said cautiously.
Drake paused slightly. With his back turned, I couldn't see his face. His voice came out calm.
"It's fine. I'm used to it."
Well, I'm not.
I groaned inwardly but didn't let it show. I had to act like Davina. No one could find out who I really was—not if I wanted to live. For now, I'd follow her habits and figure things out as I went.
Once the water was ready, Drake returned and gently unwrapped the blanket from my body, showing no hesitation.
Even though I told myself to act like Davina, I couldn't stop my face from flushing as I sat there naked in front of a stranger. I turned my head away to hide my reaction.
That's when I caught my reflection in the mirror.
Black hair draped over pale shoulders, skin covered in marks from last night's battle. I called it a battle because all I saw were bruises. My wrists, shoulders, neck—evidence of Cassian's wrath.
Drake didn't seem to notice my discomfort. He carefully lifted me into the tub.
Warm water enveloped my sore body, soothing me slightly.
Drake gently washed me, moving with quiet efficiency. When he reached my bruised wrist, I flinched. He paused, gazing at me with unreadable eyes.
"Sorry. I'll be more gentle."
"It's fine. Keep going. You're used to handling swords anyway."
A flicker of surprise flashed in his red eyes, quickly buried. He continued, this time with softer movements.
I didn't dwell on it. My mission didn't lie with Drake.
After a while, he lifted me from the tub, dried me off and wrapped my hair in a towel.
Facing the full-length mirror, I watched his every move. He was meticulous, expressionless. Like a puppet running on a script.
But I remembered him differently in his route. A man with a fierce heart and unwavering conviction, ready to die for those he loved. And that person, of course, was none other than Aurora.
"What kind of outfit would Your Highness like to wear today?"
His calm voice pulled me from my thoughts. I looked at the bruises on my body and sighed inwardly.
"Something that covers everything."
Drake nodded. After rummaging through the closet, he pulled out a dress that covered me from neck to toe.
It looked hot. And totally not something Davina would wear.
But better this than exposing my wounds to the hawk-eyed courtiers.
Drake dressed me with care, lacing up the back of the gown. His fingers lingered briefly on my shoulder. I turned to look at him in confusion.
He quickly withdrew, stepping back as if nothing had happened. Back to the image of a dutiful servant.
"All done, Your Highness."
I couldn't help but smirk. Because I knew—behind that stoic mask lay a blade ready to strike my heart at any moment.
In this world, I couldn't trust anyone.
I straightened my spine, lifted my skirt, and walked forward.
Now then, time to meet the pets hiding their claws.
Behind me, I didn't see the icon flashing above Drake's head.
[-25%]
***