Transmigrated as the villainess step-sister.

'I-I'm Esmeralda Elmstone?.'

Akari's soul was shocked. When she suddenly realized something, an unbearable pain assaulted her mind, causing her to gasp. She wanted to scream out a string of bird (bad) words, for it was too painful to bear. How can a four-year-old child bear this pain, which could probably take one's life? Akari's small body involuntarily shivered, alarming Clara, who was holding her. Akari squeezed her eyes shut in pain, her tiny hands forming a tight ball.

"Young miss, are you alright?." Clara anxiously asked her young miss, instantly gaining the attention of everyone present in the room. "What happened? Why is Emma shivering?," Nicole anxiously came and seized his little sister away from Clara, causing the young maid to hate him more.

"Emma, are you ok?." Nicole placed his little sister on the chair and anxiously checked her condition. His little sister's rosy face was now as pale as ghost, while droplets of sweat rolled down from her forehead to her chin. Her lips were uncontrollably quivering as she clutched her head in pain.

Nicole was filled with anxieties. He hurriedly grabbed his little sister's tiny hand and sent her a strand of his mana, trying his very best to ease his sister's unknown condition. While he was doing so, Felix, the purple mage walked over and placed his hand upon the little girl's head. His eyes beneath the hood were filled with sincere concern. Since her desired positions were already grabbed by her two rivals, Clara held a cup of water and stood beside her young Miss. Seeing the worrisome group, Ada had a black face.

"It hurts," Akari weakly mumbled and gripped Nicole's hand. Her round grape eyes were glistening with colorless tears, making her look extremely pitiful. Seeing his little sister in pain, Nicole's heart was distress. "It's ok, brother is here with you. Your pain will quickly go away."

Even if he said so, he was concerned about his sister's condition. What caused his little sister to suddenly turn into this state? She wasn't like this before. Is it because of Ad, he paused his thoughts. Throwing his thoughts away, he concentrated on transmitting his mana to his little sister Emma.

Akari slowly felt the unbearable pain in her head decreasing as seconds passed by. Her pale face and lips were now turning rosier as her body greedily sucked the mana from her brother and the mysterious man. After sometimes she opened her mouth and said in a hoarse voice, "water...." "Young miss..." Clara handed the cup of water to her young miss, who gratefully accepted it.

Seeing his sister's healthy face, Nicole was relieved, but his heart wasn't comforted. He kept on holding his little sister's hand as he gently transmitted the mana throughout her body. He had to make sure that his little sister was fine. Although it might cause his body to weaken due to the lack of energy, he simply didn't care. After making sure that his little sister was 100% fine, he stopped transferring the mana. Furrowing his brows, he seriously asked, "what happened?."

Akari suddenly felt her scalps turning numb. She raised her head and gazed at the mysterious man. Felix looked down, his eyes softening in process. He lightly smiled and softly patted the little girl's head, assuring that she's totally fine. Akari turned her attention to Nicole, "I'm fine brother. It seems that the sudden change of places caused my mind to trigger some unpleasant memories."

Nicole stiffened for a moment. Realizing her words, Akari anxiously patted the boy's hand and assured him, "don't worry, I'm totally okay. Just...did food arrive?" Nicole subconsciously twitched the corner of his lips. Before he could say something, Emma interrupted, "I'm starving." Looking at his hungry piglet, he wryly shook his head.

Akari inwardly sighed in relief. She glanced behind Nicole, seeing the handsome new boy, she encouraged her tired body to work harder. Looking at her brother, she curiously asked, "Is he our guest?." Nicole turned his head and looked at his friend.

Slightly knitting his brows, he nodded. "En." Akari then got down from her chair and shuffled toward prince Edward, who was curiously following her every movement. With sparkles in her eyes, Akari looked at him and cutely asked, "does this new brother have the candy which you gave me a while ago? If you do, can this gentleman give the candy to this lovely lady." Akari pointed to herself.

Nicole and Clara choked on their saliva. They just witnessed their little sister/young miss asking candies to crown prince Edward. Their piglet seems to be hungrier than expected. Before they could reprimand the small piglet, the person beside prince Edward spoke.

"Pah! How rude? Your highness, please forgive my step-sister, for she is young and unknowledgeable. I apologize on her behalf for showing such insolent behaviors in front of your presence. Please don't mind my younger sister's words." Ada looked at Emma and said with undisguised disdain. Nicole, Clara and Felix furrowed their brows in displeasure. They didn't like the way how Ada spoke.

Edward snapped out of his thoughts and confusedly turned to his fiancé. He didn't seem to understand his fiancé thoughts. Why was his fiancé angry with a little child, who barely reached five. Akari narrowed her eyes, 'as expected.' She turned around and pitter-pattered to Clara, totally ignoring the crown prince who had a wronged expression on his face. Akari raised her tiny hands and tucked the hem of her caretaker's skirt, requesting the caretaker to lift her up. Clara's emotionless expression soon softened by her young Miss's actions.

Before she could carry her young Miss, Felix appeared out of nowhere and took the small piglet in his arms. Stunned and shocked, Clara could only glare at Felix's back. Her rival stole her precious young Miss in front of her presence! Intolerable!

When Felix placed the stiff Akari on the seat, Nicole offered his friend and sister to join them for lunch. Edward and Ada didn't stand on ceremonies, they took their seats and began to start eating. Ignoring the remarks of her elder step-sister's words, Akari and her group enjoyed the lunch in content (except Ada of course).

Although Akari showed a nonchalant expression on her face, her head, brain, liver, stomach and pancreas were in great turmoil.

'Elle est notre vie' (She's our life), was a well known otome¹ game among middle school, high school and university female students. Basically, the r-18 otome game was famous among females below the age of 30.

[Otome: The word "otome" refers to girl or maiden.]

[An otome game is a video game which mainly focuses on females. Otome games usually involve a female protagonist attempting to form a romantic relationship with one of many men, who are available in the game through a series of mini-games, dates, and communication] (an: The otome game mention in the novel is not real, it's just this lazy author's imagination game name. Don't go search in playstore, you won't get it.)

The r-18 otome game 'Elle est notre vie' consisted of a heroine (commoner), a villainess (noble), a big boss (different race), three normal capture targets and two hidden capture targets (different Kingdoms).

The main story plot would begin in the Silver Ode Academy, where the heroine gets to attend the prestigious academy by her rare magic attribute. There she would 'accidentally' gain the attention of the capture targets (handsome/talented boys) and ignite the jealousy in other females. In order to play the routes of the hidden capture targets, the heroine had to travel around the kingdoms with her friends (or lovers).

Like every otome game, the villainess instantly fell in love with the crown prince of Lennox kingdom, who only disgusted her. Unsurprisingly, the crown prince likes the kind heroine. Filled with jealousy and anger, the villainess often bullied the heroine in the academy (with her lackeys), warning her to stay away from her prince charming. Whenever the heroine gets abused (bully) by the bad girls, the capture targets would erupt like volcanoes and accuse the villainess like high court judges.

In the end, the villainess would be either exiled from the kingdom (later assassinated) or publicly executed, while the heroine would get to live happily with her harem. The interesting part of the game was the plot twist. After completing the routes of the hidden capture targets, the heroine could choose to 'stay happily,' or 'play the big boss route.'

Of course, every girl would choose to play the big boss route. But unlike everyone's expectations, the big boss routes weren't easy to play. Each choice the heroine makes would decide the life of her lovers.

The normal capture targets routes were filled with rainbows and unicorns, while the hidden capture targets routes were filled with butterflies and fairy sparkles. But, the big boss routes were filled with blood and guts, giving great pressure to the players.

If the heroine chose the wrong words, then one of the men in her harem might die on the ongoing journey. If it weren't for it, then the heroine would die on the way.

No matter, the game was extremely popular for four reasons.

1. Great 3D graphics and designs.

2. Awesome world designs.

3. R-18 plots (s*x/torture/threesome/BDSM/gore/blood/etc...)

4. Mouth watering hot and handsome boys.

Akari didn't remember when, but she once accompanied her friend Nanami to play the game (well, it was because Nanami threatened to disturb her(ak) sleep). The story plot was too obvious, so Akari and Nanami didn't even take an hour to complete the normal capture targets routes (they usually skipped the r-18 scenes, for it was unnecessary to watch). After completing the hidden capture targets routes within two hours, they finally got to play the big boss route.

When Akari entered the big boss route, she was welcomed by a reaper, who actually tried to cut off the heroine's head. Nanami almost cursed the NPC reaper to death (sadly he isn't real, he isn't alive anyway). After dying continuously for five times, she(ak) gave up and went to sleep, whereas Nanami kept on playing. Too bad that Akari and Nanami didn't even get to know the big boss name.

Now, the thing which made Akari's stomach, liver, kidney, pancreas, intestine and head pain was her current identity.

Esmeralda Elmstone. She was one of the minor characters who was introduced twice in the game (in the villainess's backstory). Esmeralda was the wicked step-sister who traumatized the villainess. Because of her wicked deed, the villainess would faint if she saw a drop of blood (yes, fear of blood).

Now to the main point. Esmeralda Elmstone only lived till the age of five. And who was Akari? She was the wicked step-sister of the main villainess, who was going to die after a year.

To sum it up....Akari transmigrated as the villainess step-sister.

Her elder sister was a villainess, whereas her brother Nicole was the third normal capture target. The villainess's fiancé was the crown prince of Lennox kingdom. Moreover, the crown prince was the 2nd normal capture target, who is currently sitting across her and offering her food.

'Great, I'm going to die....again.' Akari lifelessly picked up the meat and chewed it. Her favorite dishes now tasted like sands. Ah, after one year she might not be able to eat the luxurious dishes anymore. Forget about eating, she wouldn't be able to feel any hunger!!

What about her precious sleep? If she's dead, doesn't it mean that her soul would follow the path of reincarnation? What if she reincarnates as a workaholic, or a non-stop researcher who stays in her laboratory for 24/7 without any sleep.... impossible.

Forget about reincarnating, who seriously wants to die.

She wants to sleep, not die.

"Emma, what's wrong?." Akari snapped out of her thoughts. She hurriedly swallowed her meat and turned to Nicole. Since she was the step-sister of the villainess, it meant that she was either a bastard child or adopted child of the Elmstone family.

When she looked at Nicole's soft emerald like eyes, she subconsciously twitched the corner of her lips. 'I really wish to not know my current identity.' Turning her attention to the fish on her plate, she looked at Nicole with grape like eyes and mumbled, "the fish's skeleton is too strong and dangerous, I'm afraid to eat it. What if my teeth breaks? or my tongue gets hurt?. I don't want to eat it."

Nicole coughed to replace the light laugh which threatened to come out from his throat. "Young miss, let me help you," Clara smiled and took the plate of fish from Akari. Seeing this, Felix, who was sitting across Nicole took his plate of fish and placed it in front of Akari, causing Clara and Nicole to look at him. Akari poked the fish with her fork, trying to know whether the bones were present in the flesh or not.

When she saw the pointy bones in the flesh, she confusedly looked at the mysterious man. Clara inwardly smirked. Felix smiled and placed his fork above the plate of fish. Akari warily looked at Felix's fork, which was placed upon the fish.

Just as she wanted to ask what he was doing, her grape eyes went wide as saucers. All the bones of the fish slowly came out of the flesh and stucked at the tip of the fork. Tiny, long and big bones combine and form a tiny ball made of fish bones. Clara stiffened. Nicole didn't know what his teacher was doing.

Felix took the tiny ball from the tip of the fork and burnt it with his finger. Akari was somewhat frightened. Would she be burnt like the bones?. She looked at Felix with sparkling eyes, "how did mysterious uncle do it? Is it mysterious uncle's magic? Can mysterious uncle teach me?."

The 'mysterious uncle,' Felix, coughed in embarrassment. He nodded, "come to me if you want to learn it." Akari happily nodded her head. Nicole slightly frowned. Clara 'accidentally' applied too much force, causing the plate to crack in half. Edward raised his brow in amusement. Ada shuddered in discomfort, she didn't like what was currently going on.

Well, Akari just made her plans to survive in this magical/otome world.

***

Akari's plans to survive as the step-sister of the villainess:

Plan A: Pretend to have a weak constitution body and sleep until you get old and die — Less work (can do)

Plan B: Act as a good sister and advise the villainess to stay away from the heroine and the capture targets — Too much work for the body (can't do)

Plan C: Run away from the kingdom- too much work for the brains, no assurance of safety and cannot sleep on rocks (can't do)

Plan D: Stay away from the story plot and watch the drama from sidelines — too much work for the eyes (can't do)

Plan E: Leave the kingdom and travel around while trying all the types of food - too much work, but can eat food(so can do)

If plan A doesn't work, initiate plan E.

Akari's plan to survive as the step-sister of the villainess:

❃.✮:▹Completed◃:✮.❃

***

Author: Is the chapter too long to read? Do the readers want the author to reduce it by 10%? (although I really don't know how much is -10%.)