Chapter 2: The Villainess’s Awakening

The air in the dungeon was thick and damp, pressing down on Aria as she huddled against the cold stone wall.

Her thoughts spiraled wildly, each one more panicked than the last. She stared at her trembling hands, her breath coming in short gasps.

"Where am I?" she whispered, her voice breaking the oppressive silence.

Her heart raced as she tried to piece together the events leading up to this moment.

The last thing she remembered was collapsing into bed after her exhausting shift at the café.

But now… she was here, in this place that reeked of despair and mildew.

The heavy sound of boots echoed down the corridor, growing louder with each step.

Aria froze, her eyes darting toward the iron door. It creaked open, revealing a man whose face radiated authority and anger.

His clothing was opulent—velvet robes with intricate gold embroidery—but his expression was a mixture of fury and disbelief.

"You," he spat, his voice laced with venom. "Seraphina Evercrest."

Aria blinked, her mind struggling to process his words. Seraphina? Who's that?

The man stormed closer, his gaze narrowing. "Answer me! Did you do it?"

"D-Do what?" Aria stammered, pressing herself against the wall.

"Don't play dumb with me!" His voice rose, echoing off the dungeon walls. "You've always despised Rosalind Hargrave. Was this your way of getting back at her? Poisoning the Crown Prince to spite her?"

"Rosalind… Hargrave?" Aria echoed, confusion etched across her face.

The man's glare deepened. "Yes! You hated her from the moment she stepped into the palace. An innocent commoner with noble blood—a true contender for the prince's heart! You couldn't bear to see her outshine you, could you?"

Aria's mind reeled. This can't be real. Who is Rosalind? And why is this man acting like he knows me?

"I—I didn't do anything!" she insisted, shaking her head.

"Lies!" He slammed his hand against the wall, making her flinch. "You poisoned him, didn't you? Admit it!"

"I don't even know who you are!" Aria shouted, desperation creeping into her voice.

For a moment, the man faltered, his anger giving way to confusion. "You… What nonsense are you spouting? I am your father!"

His words hit her like a punch to the gut. Aria's breath caught, and her vision blurred as pieces of an impossible puzzle began to fall into place.

"No," she murmured, her voice trembling. "This… this can't be happening."

She turned to the man, her voice shaking. "What… What's my name?"

He frowned, his suspicion clear, but he answered nonetheless. "Seraphina Evercrest."

The name sent a jolt through her, and suddenly, everything clicked. The dungeon, the accusations, this man calling himself her father—it all aligned with a story she knew too well.

Her knees gave out, and she sank to the floor. "Oh my God," she whispered. "I'm in the book. The book I read last night…"

Aria's blood ran cold. Her breath hitched as the pieces clicked together. I'm in the novel. I've become Seraphina Evercrest—the villainess.

Her mind raced, recalling every detail of the novel. Seraphina Evercrest, the spiteful villainess. The woman who poisoned the Crown Prince out of jealousy. The woman who…

"Dies," Aria breathed, her hand flying to her throat. "She's executed… beheaded."

Her panic grew as the room seemed to spin. Why? Why am I here? Why am I Seraphina?

As her thoughts spiraled, glowing text materialized before her eyes, hovering in midair.

[Welcome to The Crown's Dreaded Fantasy Novel.]

Aria froze, staring at the words in disbelief.

The text continued:

[You are a new player. Your execution is imminent. Choose your path:]

1. Defend yourself and fight for the truth.

2. Accept your fate and die.

She gaped at the options, her heart pounding. "What kind of sick joke is this?"

The words remained, unmoving. Her gaze darted between the two choices, her hands trembling.

"I don't want to die!" she shouted, slamming her finger against the first option.

The text flickered before settling into a new message:

[Option accepted. Your task: Gain access to the Crown Prince's room and clear your name. Time is running out.]

Before she could react, the door burst open again. Guards stormed in, their armor clinking.

"Seraphina Evercrest," one of them intoned, unrolling a scroll. His voice was cold and unyielding. "By royal decree, you are charged with treason for poisoning the Crown Prince. Your sentence: execution by beheading, effective immediately."

"No!" Aria screamed, scrambling to her feet. "Wait! You've got it all wrong! I didn't do it!"

The guards grabbed her arms, dragging her out of the cell. The man—her supposed father—stood in the doorway, his face a mixture of despair and helplessness.

The guards' iron grip on Seraphina's arms felt like shackles as they dragged her through the winding stone corridors.

Her father, Lord Evercrest, followed closely behind, his voice strained and desperate as he tried to reason with them.

"This is a mistake!" he yelled, his voice bouncing off the cold, unfeeling walls. "You cannot execute her without thorough investigation!"

"Silence, Lord Evercrest," one of the guards barked, his tone clipped. "The decree has been issued. The evidence is irrefutable."

Seraphina stumbled, her knees scraping against the rough stone floor, but the guards pulled her upright without care. "Let me go!" she shouted, her voice hoarse from panic. "I didn't do it! I didn't poison the Crown Prince!"

"Enough of your lies, Seraphina," an authoritative voice cut through the air as they stepped out into the blinding sunlight of the courtyard. The official who had accused her earlier was mounted on a horse, his expression as stern and unyielding as stone.

Her father rushed forward, trying to block the path. "You have no right to execute my daughter! This is—"

"Move aside, Lord Evercrest, or you will face the consequences of defying the Crown," the official interrupted coldly.

"Father!" Seraphina screamed, tears streaking down her face. "Please, you have to believe me!"

Lord Evercrest's eyes wavered, a mixture of anger, sorrow, and helplessness swirling in them. "I… I'm trying, my dear. Just hold on—"

"There is no holding on," the official snapped, gesturing for the guards to keep moving. "The evidence is damning. Her hands bear the mark of the Engardnia flower poison. That alone is enough proof."

Seraphina thrashed against the guards' hold as they dragged her forward, toward the marble execution platform. "I told you, I don't even know what Engardnia flower poison is!" she cried. "If I poisoned him, why would I still be here? Why wouldn't I run?"

The official scoffed, dismounting his horse with a practiced ease. He walked toward her, each step deliberate. "You expect us to believe that, Lady Evercrest? You had no time to escape. Witnesses reported seeing you near the stream, attempting to wash the evidence from your hands. The stains are still there."

Seraphina's eyes darted to her hands, which indeed bore faint, dark smudges that she hadn't noticed before. "This… This doesn't make sense!" she stammered. "I didn't even—"

"And the wine cup," the official continued, his voice like a hammer striking an anvil. "The one laced with poison was found in your chambers. Do you deny that as well?"

"I don't know how it got there!" she shouted. "Why would I poison the prince and then stay by his side, knowing I would be caught? If I wanted to escape, I would've done it long before now!"

The official frowned slightly, as if considering her words. "You likely underestimated the time it would take to wash away the evidence. Or perhaps you were too confident that no one would suspect you."

"Too confident?" she repeated incredulously. "The Engardnia flower poison takes an hour to react in the body. By the time his veins darkened, I would've been long gone if I was guilty!"

The courtyard fell silent as her words sank in. The official's lips thinned, but he recovered quickly. "Even if that is true, it does not absolve you of suspicion. You could have been lingering to ensure the poison took effect."

"That's ridiculous!" Seraphina yelled. "Why would I risk being caught instead of running away? Give me one reason that makes sense!"

The official hesitated, glancing toward the guards. One of them, clearly uneasy, shifted his weight.

Her father took the opportunity to interject. "You see? Even your men doubt this! At least give her the chance to prove her innocence!"

"And how would she do that?" the official snapped, his patience wearing thin.

"Let me see the prince," Seraphina said firmly, her voice steady despite the terror clawing at her insides. "If I can save him, then it proves I'm innocent. Isn't the goal to save his life anyway? What harm is there in giving me a chance?"

The official's jaw clenched, but her words seemed to strike a chord. The guards exchanged uncertain glances, and the murmurs of the crowd began to grow louder.

"She makes a point," one guard muttered.

"Fine," the official said at last, his tone begrudging. "You have five minutes with the prince. If you fail, the execution will proceed without delay."

Seraphina exhaled shakily, her resolve hardening. "That's all I need."