Chapter 6: The Duke's Dilemma

Galatea Arcano stood nervously in front of Thomas Arcano, the Duke of Arcano. Her heart raced as she remembered the scene from the game, where the Duke treated Galatea, the protagonist, coldly.

Galatea approached the Duke's desk, trying to hide her quivering hands, and bowed in greeting. The Duke finally looked up, his face impassive, like the high-status nobles in the game's illustrations.

"You've come," the Duke said, his voice cold and emotionless.

Galatea felt a box appear in her vision, with three choices of dialogue.

1. Why have you called?

2. Can you please be more direct and get to the point? I'm quite busy.

3. I'm giving you a stern look without uttering a word.

She chose the first one, "Why have you called?"

The Duke responded, "I heard there was a fuss today morning." The box shifted to new choices,

1. Your grace has nothing to do with it.

2. It's clear you're enjoying the drama you've caused.

3. The blame lies solely on the incompetence of that idiotic maid.

but Galatea found herself unable to choose any of them. The choices were all insane, reminding her of when she played the game as Penelope and chose the second option to make her a "Sassy Chic Femme Fatale".

Galatea felt overwhelmed by the situation, wondering how she could still be considered a villainess despite not being blood-related to the Duke. She took a deep breath and chose the first option, "Your grace has nothing to do with it," though her voice came out shaky and weird.

The Duke asked, "Has it already been 6 years since you came to this house?" Galatea struggled to remember the game's setting, trying to piece together the right information. She knew that the Duke's treatment of Galatea worsened as time passed, but she couldn't allow that to happen.

She had to find a way to change the story's flow. Galatea took a deep breath and decided to be honest with the Duke.

"Your Grace, I understand that in the game, you treated Galatea harshly, but I want to assure you that I am not her. I may be playing the same role, but I am not the same person. I am Galatea Arcano, and I am not here to cause any trouble. I want to help, to be a part of this family."

The Duke's expression softened slightly, and he said, "I see. And what is it that you want to do?"

Galatea replied, "I want to be a valuable asset to the family, to prove my worth and earn your trust."

The Duke nodded and said, "Very well. I will give you the chance to prove yourself. But I must warn you, my expectations are high. I will be watching your every move."

Galatea left the Duke's office feeling determined. She was going to show the Duke that she was not the villainess from the game, but a valuable member of the family.

As she walked down the hallway, she was approached by Thrainn and Drake Arcano, the Duke's youngest sons. Thrainn asked, "What did father want with you?"

Galatea smiled and said, "He just wanted to talk."

Drake snorted, "Don't let father fool you. He's always up to something."

Galatea shrugged and continued on her way, determined to prove her worth to the Duke and the rest of the family.

She was not going to let the game dictate her actions anymore.

She was going to write her own story.