Chapter 3: The Harsh Reality

"Lady Galatea. Wake up now."

Galatea heard a voice whisper above her. She was fast asleep, but even the slightest presence of someone was enough to jolt her awake.

She tried to shake off the events of the previous night, hoping that it was all just a dream. But deep down, she knew that the nightmare was far from over.

"Lady Galatea."

The voice called out to her again. Galatea sat up, rubbed her eyes, and looked around the room. It was empty, just like the last time she was awake.

She was the only one in the room, so the voice could only refer to her.

Galatea was still groggy from her restless sleep when she heard a rustling sound from behind her. She quickly turned around, ready to face whatever was there.

But what she saw made her scream in pain.

Her arm was covered in blue bruises, the result of multiple needle pricks. She couldn't help but gawk at the sight of her flesh covered in tiny wounds.

And then she noticed a drop of blood on her arm, and her eyes filled with tears.

"You're awake now."

A voice spoke beside her, making Galatea jump. She turned to see a maid, with brown hair and freckles, standing by her bed.

The maid was observing Galatea with a look of amusement on her face, and Galatea couldn't help but feel anger boil inside her.

"I've prepared the bathing water for you in the bathroom, so go wash first, lady." The maid spoke with a casual tone, as she began making the bed.

Galatea tried to speak, but her voice wouldn't cooperate. She sat there, biting her lower lip, before finally being pushed towards the bathroom by the maid.

The bathroom was empty, except for a bucket filled with ice-cold water. Galatea shuddered at the thought of having to wash in such freezing water.

She realized that this was just the beginning of her harsh treatment as the villainess in the game.

Galatea pulled up her sleeve to see the scars again, and this time she couldn't stop the tears from falling. She remembered the illustration of the villainess in an open-shoulder dress, and the small dots on her arm that she had thought were birthmarks.

She realized that the harsh reality of the game was far beyond what she could have ever imagined.