2. Welcome

The angel laughed at her remarks, "What an interesting breed you are!"

"What a waste of such talent," he said making a tsking sound, shaking his head.

Sici kept feeling dumbfounded by him. "Well what a waste of your beauty," she thought, offended by him.

"Returning to your questions."

"Finally," she thought.

"Ask the host," he grinned and flicked his fingers for the last time.

"Wait what?" Sici slowly lost her consciousness again.

Sici's eyes fluttered open, finding herself in a luxurious bedroom. The room was adorned in warm colors but in a dark tone. She sat up, looking around in confusion, "An illusion or a dream? This place does seem familiar.."

She started to feel overwhelmed by the random turn of events one after another since she took steps out of the house.

A sudden sound rang in her mind, making her look up straight to find a familiar screen.

[ Welcome! ]

[ Save File Initialization Failed ]

"What do you mean?" She felt dumbfounded.

She had guessed by now that she's in the game called "Illusion of Flames", the one she had been playing recently.

She had seen that same system format so many times now that it would be an insult to her if she hadn't guessed that much.

[ New User Found ]

[ Host Is Requesting An Audience With The User ]

[ <Accept> or <Accept> ]

"I'm not even given an illusion of choice. Just wow," regardless of her silent complaints, she tapped the left option on the screen. She had no other choice but to see how things turn out since this so called host is supposed to have answers to her questions.

In an instant, the place changes into the same void like space she had experienced. She felt like herself again, back in her own body.

Subconsciously she again began checking her body for that stab wound. Her mind sure wasn't going to forget about it soon.

"Are you going to keep sitting inelegantly like that?" The host said using a condescending tone, "Bumpkin."

Sici was on the ground with her legs split open and palms pressed against it. The host's arrogance made her not do anything about it, staring with a blank face.

The host Sici was staring at was a female lead from the very game. Also the reason why she kept dying at the same scene in the game.

The host was Melina Noirey, the villainess and rose of high society in the game called Illusion of Flames.

Melina rubbed her forehead a bit, deciding whether to repeat what she said or not. She lets out a sigh, deciding to ignore it, "I believe you know who I am?"

"Yea..... It seems I do."

"I would be so better off not knowing," she thought as she remembered the scenes she saw on repeat, god knows how many times. Sweat starts to drip from her forehead.

"Do I have to demand respect from you?"

Startled by her tone, Sici stands up and bows to her, giving up her stubborn act, "No, m'lady.."

"I know what she's capable of, I don't wanna end up dead in her hands like the protagonist I chose did," she thought, silently crying on the inside.

"Stand straight," she demands, "I heard you had a lot of questions."

Sici's eyes twinkle a little, "Uh yes, I did."

Taking a deep breath, she continued, "What's going on? Why am I here? Is this a test to see if I go to hell or heaven? Is that why an angel asked me sbout revenge? Am I seeing you because you were in my last memories of the day I got killed?"

Melina squints her eyes in annoyance, eventually closing them, "Now I know why he said that."

She opens her eyes, finalizing on the response, "You already agreed. Basically signing an agreement for revenge."

"No, I didn't," Sici interrupts her.

"Yes, you did," she sighs, "Check your wrist. There should be a mark there."

Melina stretches her arm to show a heart shaped mark on her wrist, "Similar to this."

Sici checks her own to find a mark same as hers, "When did this..."

"Like I said, when you agreed."

"I don't even know what I agreed to!"

"You agreed to getting revenge."

"Then what the hell was that system screen and strange room? I definitely wasn't in my own body starting the day over or being reborn or whatever!"

"What nonsense are you speaking?" Melina scoffs, "What has your world been up to for you to make such assumptions?"

Sici now felt like she had made a fool out of herself, thinking, "Why am I talking..."

"Am I even getting revenge for myself?" She muttered feeling nothing made sense.

Every words being told to her just had a different meaning which she wasn't able to comprehend. The world she had now entered unbeknownst to her wishes, didn't care if she understood or not.

Though, the faster she realized how unfairly the system of this world worked would be better for her to survive.

Melina replied, "Maybe yes. Maybe no. That's for you to find out."

"Why am I even asking questions when nobody seems to be answering them correctly for me," Sici gave up.

"What do I have to do?" She asked her.

"Oh it's a simple task," Melina turned around, making her long red hair wave along with her movements, "Long story short, you will be me."

Seeing her confused face, Melina continued, "Or at least, in my body. Find my killer and grant them a punishment worse than death."

She smiled, "I know you're at least capable of that."

"I think I have the gist of what you're trying to say," Sici said still feeling a little unsure.

"Good. You will receive further instructions if needed."

"The system thingy?" She asked and got no reply, "I'm taking that as a yes," she continued talking awkwardly.

"I believe that's it then."

"No wait, I can't just act like you!"

Melina stared at her for awhile, "I will see to it that you do."

Before Sici could make more objections, her vision starts to get blurry, her consciousness fading away again.

"Anyway, welcome aboard. Sleep tight now," Melina says, not surprised by the situation.