1.

0. The Villainess of the Rose Cross Mansion.

Knock, knock, knock.

With a short knock, a maid revealed herself.

“Miss Elze.”

The maid called me cautiously.

I lifted my gaze from the documents I had been focused on.

“A new student has just arrived.”

“Okay.”

I raised my head and stood up.

As if she didn’t expect me to move myself, the maid widened her eyes.

“Um, then about this student…”

“I plan to meet them in person.”

I firmly replied and walked out of the room.

An incredibly magnificent view greeted my eyes, almost unbelievable for a boarding school.

Crystal chandeliers sparkling like jewels, reflecting light.

Wallpapers intricately woven with gold thread into vine patterns.

The furniture placed throughout the building was also of the highest quality.

One could say it was an interior designed to cater to the tastes of the upper class.

“Where is the student right now?”

“We haven’t been able to bring them inside the school yet. They’re resisting quite strongly…”

“I see.”

I headed straight for the mansion’s exit.

Amidst the pouring rain that seemed to poke holes in the sky, a young man was shouting loudly.

“Let go of this! Put it down!”

The young man struggled frantically in the hands of the guards holding him.

Under the dim light of a flickering gas lamp, a wet, vibrant blond hair shimmered brightly.

With azure blue eyes like an icy sea, they scanned their surroundings sharply.

“Who the hell are you all?! Why are you…!”

Though he appeared youthful with an immature appearance, his fierceness matched that of a fierce beast baring its fangs.

Observing his demeanor from a distance, I gave a slight nod.

“Render him unconscious.”

One of the guards nodded and swiftly struck the back of the young man’s neck with his palm.

Thump!

As if he had briefly opened his eyes, the young man slowly collapsed to the ground.

I issued another command.

“Close the door.”

Creak! Clang!

The ornate wrought-iron door, adorned with blooming rose vines, made a noisy sound as it closed.

I gazed down at the young man sprawled before me, wearing a desolate expression.

Now, this man would not be able to leave Rose cross Boarding School for several years.

At least, that was how the events unfolded in the ‘original’ story.

“For now, keep him in solitary confinement.”

“Understood.”

Finally, I turned my body away from the young man.

Rose cross Boarding School is a peculiar place in many ways.

That’s because it is not truly a boarding school.

Here, people with intriguing backgrounds are forcibly confined, and as an excuse, they are admitted to a prestigious school under the pretext of education.

They even claim that there are no age restrictions for studying, accepting even those pursuing lifelong learning.

In other words,

It means that adults of any age can be drawn here.

Succession competition, inheritance battles, illegitimate children, and more…

The stories that bring people here are diverse and varied.

And among those brought here, no one has ever escaped the boarding school.

They are meticulously monitored to ensure they never leave.

In other words, this place is…

A kind of trash can that conceals the flaws of the upper class.

Rose Cross Boarding School.

Also known as the Rose Cross Mansion.

One day, when I opened my eyes, I found myself becoming the wicked woman in charge of Rose Cross Mansion.

And the young man who has been brought to this Rose Cross Mansion…

He is one of the male protagonists in this world, a man who will brutally tear me apart and kill me in the future.

Lucian von Kalleid.

* * *

<<Trampled flowers are the most fragrant.>>

It was a decadent romance fantasy novel I had read in my past life.

The three handsome and impressive male protagonists become obsessed with the heroine, eventually succumbing to a maddening love.

Thus, their intertwined story unfolds, filled with love and hatred, struggle and obsession.

So, what role did I take on in this world?

‘I’m the typical antagonist who causes conflict in a romance fantasy novel.’

The recognized antagonist from the original work, Elze Lefarian.

To summarize her life in a single line,

She is the lover of Male Protagonist 3, the owner of Rose cross Boarding School, who becomes obsessed to a devastating extent and eventually meets her downfall.

Elze’s actions in the novel can be roughly described as follows:

Acting on behalf of Male Protagonist 3, who frequently absents himself, Elze reigns as a tyrannical antagonist in the boarding school.

Naturally, she subjects Lucian, Male Protagonist 1, to all sorts of abuse as well.

Building up a pile of death flags, Elze eventually meets a tragic fate as the heroine appears, leading to her cruel abandonment by Male Protagonist 3.

Driven by jealousy towards the heroine, she inflicts harm but is ruthlessly crushed by the enraged three male protagonists.

Of course, I don’t want to live like that.

I have only one goal.

To safely leave this decadent romance fantasy world and live a good life on my own.

If the heroine appears anyway, the three male protagonists will naturally be captivated by her, and I can easily forget about them.

So, it would be best to slip away at an opportune time, keeping an eye out for the right moment.

‘It would be best to crush any death flags involving the male protagonists in advance.’

Therefore, the survival strategy I have devised is:

‘To establish good relationships with the male protagonists before fleeing.’

I have no intention of tormenting the heroine or obsessively pursuing Male Protagonist 3.

But you never know, right?

Things might get terribly twisted despite my intentions.

Among the vocabulary I learned while devouring dozens of romance fantasy novels, there is a term called “the power of the original work.”

It means that the story will somehow follow the original plot.

If, by any chance, that power or whatever it is comes into play and the male protagonists suddenly turn against me, attempting to kill me…

‘In such a dire situation, it would be best to appeal to their conscience by maintaining good relations with the male protagonists.’

So, for now…

‘Let’s focus on the male lead closest to me.’

I swallowed my dry saliva and stared at the ornate door with a tense gaze.

It was the solitary confinement cell where Lucian was being held.

Click.

As I inserted the key I had brought into the cell door and turned it, the sound of the lock clicking in place sent a chilling echo.

And finally…

The door was opened.