"Whattttttt!"

I snapped my head to Veyra. He looked hurt, his expression had gone soft, almost pleading. In fact, all my beast-men stared at me in weird ways, like I was back to being the villainess they all hoped was gone.

"Nooo!" I called out hastily. "She was looking at me. I was just looking back," I said and watched as they nodded their heads, but clearly they didn’t believe me.

I walked closer to them. I looked like an ant standing next to them, they were all really tall. "Crouch lower, all of you?" I said. They exchanged looks, but only Veyra and Ryker lowered themselves. I tiptoed and my lips landed on their cheeks. "I promised never to leave you guys. You all are more than enough for me," I said, watching as their cheeks and ears turned rosy red. Blushing, they looked so cute, so vulnerable.

I turned to Azrael. He was as stubborn as always. I gestured at him to crouch lower, but he only looked away.

"I’ll pass," he said in an irritated tone, and I scoffed.

[It’s time to actually kiss one] the system notified, and I rolled my eyes. But I really didn’t want to force a kiss on any of my beast-men. I wanted it to happen naturally, just like with Thyrian.

So I ignored the hologram till it disappeared.

My room was spacious and at the very end of the hall. It was perfect...after all, I didn’t want anyone watching me while I was here. The original villainess had a lot of enemies, and since she never reached this stage, I had to be cautious with everyone and hope my beast-men don’t betray me.

I collapsed onto the bed, lying flat and staring at the ceiling. Each beast-man had their respective rooms, even Thyrian, with his pool being built just beside mine. But it was lonely here. All my beast-men had gone to their rooms. This was the first time I was alone, and the thought of it felt absurd and brought a sadness that felt all too familiar. It’s best not to dwell on the past. Let me get some sleep.

"At least I get to see them tomorrow," I said drowsily, gently closing my eyes and drifting into sleep.

But why was it chilly all of a sudden? A cold aura wrapped around me.

My eyes snapped open. I stared at the door, my gaze darkening.

"Come in, it’s open!" I said, and the knob slowly turned. The plain girl from earlier walked in and knelt, bowing her head to the ground.

"Forgive me for staring earlier and for standing outside your door this late at night. I wanted to say hi, as I am your neighbor," she said softly.

I stood up. I didn’t like her kneeling like that for me... I know what it feels like to be seen as inferior to someone else.

I took her hand. "Stand up," I said softly, but she shook her head.

"I insist," she pleaded, and I giggled. Her voice was so cute and babyish.

"Then I’ll bow too!" I said, adjusting my dress to get on my knees, but she stood up instantly, staring at the ground, trembling slightly.

"I won’t harm you!" I said, but her lips didn’t part. She only trembled more.

"Why don’t you tell me more about yourself? Let’s start with your name."

"I-I’m Liora. My beast-man is an eagle, and his name is Derek. My stepmother is Quin—she’s a tamer and works under the Empress!" she blurted softly, her voice stuttering.

"Hmm, a tamer."

A tamer was someone who controlled multiple beast-men. They could make even the most hot-headed beast-man kneel and submit. Hearing her stepmother had such high status, especially working at the castle, her clothes shouldn’t be this shabby... but coming from a similar household myself, I understood her situation.

"That’s nice, Liora. Let’s get to know each other!" I said...

"Huh?" she blurted out. "Uh... I could never. You have such a high status, I’d just bring you down..." She bowed her head, and I laughed.

"I won’t bite. Who says we can’t be friends..." I said, and she nodded, raising her head a little. Her doe eyes shimmered.

"Thank you," she said, a smile curving on her lips. She seemed very happy.

"Let’s meet tomorrow. It’s getting late, so we should probably get some sleep," I said, and she nodded, walking off—almost sprinting for the door. She looked like a cute rabbit running away.

I chuckled, thinking of how she ran out. "I’ll keep her," I said softly and walked to the door to lock it, but then...

Everything stilled and went silent that instance, I only...

"Raven..."

I heard my name. It sounded cold and hypnotic.

I froze for a second. My eyes suddenly felt drowsy, and I opened the door, stepping out.

The hallway was dark and cold. It seemed to shrink and expand as I stared into it. I walked further out, leaving my door open.

"Host, wake up!" I heard the distant voice of the cat, yet I kept walking, blocking out her words.

"One minute," I said.

The room suddenly felt like it was upside down... even my hair felt like it was rising as I walked... and then everything went black.

SPLASH!

Cold water landed on my face, and my eyes snapped open. I gasped, staring around... but froze as my eyes trailed downward.

"Ah!"

I was on top of the highest building in the academy, and far below was a huge ocean. I tried to move but realized I had been tied to a chair—my legs and arms restrained.

"Who’s there?" I called out, struggling against the restraints. I was deathly afraid of heights. I shut my eyes, trying not to look at the drop beneath me, reciting the words I used whenever I was afraid.

"Stop this! Come out, let’s negotiate, what do you want?!" I yelled, but nothing responded... only the wind whipping my hair across my face.

"This isn’t funny!" I yelled again, opening my eyes, but my breath hitched as I stared at the vast ocean beneath me, and dizziness overwhelmed me. Tears threatened to fall.

"Help me!" I cried in my mind, yet nothing came. Where are my beast-men? I thought, trembling... but then it hit me, they were probably asleep, exhausted because of the academy’s dark aura. No one was coming.

Does this mean I’m all alone?!

I opened my eyes when I felt a fleeting coldness. I saw hair whipping in the wind.

A girl.

Oh..."help m-"

She pushed the chair before I could see her face.

I stared as everything rushed closer to the water.

"Help!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, yet no one came... no one heard...

SPLASH!

I hit the water hard. The force filled my nostrils instantly, and I gasped. The chair dragged me downward, but my gaze remained fixed upward...

I managed to pull out the pin from my dress and used it to loosen the ropes around my arms and legs. I freed myself and tried to swim upward, but too much time had passed. I was too exhausted... my body refused to move, sinking deeper into the darkness below.

This doesn’t make sense! I can hold my breath underwater for a long time... whoever is doing this found a way to weaken me, but how?!

I saw a mermaid swimming toward me, but from the look of it, it wasn’t here to rescue me. Who would even know I was here?

Instead, it turned into a thick mass of water and forced itself into my nose and mouth. Whoever brought me here controls water.

I gasped....My lungs burned. The water flooded in, and everything felt hopeless.

My body slowly went limp...And I died, eyes wide open.

My soul floated out of my body, staring at Raven’s still form.

"What’s happening?" I thought.

Then, a massive void opened beneath the ocean, and I turned to look at it...

Why am I seeing my dead body (Rosette)?!

I panicked, trying to return to Raven’s body, but I felt my soul being pulled away.

"No, no, no! System, I don’t want to go back!" I screamed, but it didn’t answer.

...

I was being sucked back into my dead body.