The Villain's Kiss System

When Lucienna finally stirred from her slumber, the morning light streamed in through her window. Grateful for a reprieve from her usual early classes, she sat up and collected her thoughts, her brow furrowing with a sense of bewilderment.

"Thankfully, I don't have classes in the morning today," she mused, grateful for the chance to recover. But a nagging sense of doubt lingered. 'But that dream, was it even real? My soul occupied someone else's body and saved someone.'

Determined to put her strange experiences behind her for the time being, Lucienna changed into a comfortable pair of home clothes and sent a message to her homeroom teacher, notifying them of her need for a leave of absence. Her body still ached from the shock of yesterday's events, and she yearned for a moment of rest and reflection.

Lucienna settled into the living room, her plan to watch television shows momentarily set aside as her attention was captured by an interview featuring an elderly woman.

"Young lady, the dessert you requested..."

"Put them on the table."

Tears streamed down the woman's face as she recounted a harsh tale of survival, detailing how she and her granddaughter had narrowly escaped a horrifying fate at the hands of the notorious Faceless Gang.

The Faceless Gang was a sinister presence, a criminal organization known for spreading terror throughout the country, even reaching the Imperial Capital where Lucienna resided. Their ruthless activities were a constant source of unease, and their ruthlessness knew no bounds.

As the elderly woman continued to speak, the camera panned to reveal the face of her granddaughter. A gasp escaped Lucienna's lips as she recognized the young girl's features, causing her to drop the cup she had been holding. It shattered upon impact, creating a cacophony that summoned the concerned servants to her side.

The servants inquired about her well-being, their expressions filled with worry, and Lucienna, with a forced smile, assured them, "I'm fine, don't... worry." She needed a moment alone, her mind racing with the implications of what she had just seen.

Retreating to the solitude of her room, Lucienna wrestled with the enormity of her realization. 'I really saved someone's life by occupying someone else's body!'

[Congratulations, milady, for completing the task entry!]

"What was that?"

"What's up with this day? It doesn't feel so normal for me. I usually take care of my lifestyle, and developing migraines is almost impossible."

Lucienna's throbbing headache persisted. "Did I really save someone's life? Those faces on the news, they're not just a dream!"

[Milady, welcome to the Villain's Kiss System!]

She reclined on her bed, her hand gingerly massaging her temples, and pondered the unusual occurrences that had plagued her. "What's wrong with me? I heard something talk to me before, and now, my ears hurt more than my head. I won't be truly overworked, am I?"

[Milady, can you hear me?]

A sudden intrusion shattered her thoughts, making her jump to her feet. The disembodied voice echoed in the room, a presence that seemed to penetrate her mind well, and Lucienna's instinctive reaction was to defend herself.

"Damn! Who is so brave in attempting to scare a member of a Practitioner's Family!" Lucienna's hand shot toward a wall-mounted sword collection, selecting a Nodachi sword gleaming in the room's soft light.

[Milady, you look so scary! Please return the sword to the shelf... I won't hurt you. Please don't hurt me too. I feel extremely terrified.]

With her weapon in hand, she meticulously scanned the room for any signs of an intruder. But her efforts proved futile. There was no visible source for the voice that had spoken to her.

"I can't be hallucinating, and this is not just some kind of a headache aftereffect. I really heard someone speak."

[Milady, I am inside of you...]

Lucienna couldn't believe her ears. A child's tiny voice spoke once more, and she grappled with disbelief and anxiety. "I must be going crazy! Have I hit something dirty lately?"

[Milady, close your eyes.]

She hesitated for a moment, still clutching her weapon in readiness. "If something happens, I can still fight even with blindfolds!"

Lucienna complied, closing her eyes as instructed. Suddenly, she felt herself being transported into a different space. Her fingers gripped the sword tightly, and her eyes flew open in astonishment as she found herself face to face with a floating Koi fish suspended in mid-air before her.

"What kind of voodoo is this?" Lucienna whispered in disbelief, her gaze locked onto the mystical creature. The bizarre encounter had catapulted her into a realm of uncertainty, where her understanding of reality quickly unraveled.

"What kind of creature are you? What is this place? Why are we here?" Lucienna interrogated the floating Koi Guardian, her curiosity and anxiety intermingling.

The Koi Guardian, known as Lemolemo, responded in a calm and soothing tone, [Milady, I am a Koi Guardian, Lemolemo of the Villain's Kiss System. I am your new guardian and the manager of your space.]

The term "Koi Guardian" piqued her interest. "A Koi Guardian, that means you bring luck to the user? But I don't understand. How did I earn a guardian? And what is the Villain's Kiss System? What kind of evil magic am I getting myself into?"

Lucienna, her immediate threat assessment diminishing, returned her sword to its sheath and allowed herself to listen to the mysterious Koi fish. Though offered a tea ceremony, she remained cautious, refusing any offered refreshments.

The Koi Guardian went on to explain, [The Villain's Kiss System is a system that can be acquired by powerless people with heroic blood running in their veins.]

[People with heroic blood refer to those who earned merits in saving others or doing good things for the better good of all throughout their lives. The system would help the users activate their inborn powers and help them develop into powerful supernatural beings who are destined to save the world.]

This revelation sparked a barrage of questions from Lucienna. "But how did I activate the system? Why did you choose me?"

Lemolemo's response struck her with astonishment. [Milady, the Villain, has kissed you twice, which met the conditions of the system.]

Lucienna's eyes widened, and her mind raced. "What? How can that be? I…"

The mention of a villain's kiss left her dumbfounded, her thoughts momentarily in disarray.

She struggled to find the words, her thoughts connecting with a figure from her recent experiences. "Thanatos is…"

In an attempt to regain composure, she decided to partake in the tea offered to her. Her voice trembled slightly as she posed a question to herself, "Can I even call him that?"

"Can you tell me more about this Villain's Kiss System?"

Lucienna inquired, her curiosity getting the better of her apprehension.

Lemolemo nodded, responding, [The Villain's Kiss System allows the user to gain control of a spiritual space where the user could store things.]

An idea clicked in Lucienna's mind, and she eagerly inquired, "Similar to those novels where the heroine plants things and grows animals? With spring water and a cute house that has cultivation manuals?"