episode_0001

Episode 1.

“Ah~ I just want to run away and leave for another world~!”

This is something I say while sitting down and stretching out on a cheap office chair. I sighed deeply as I looked at the amount of overtime that was still driving me crazy.

There is a mountain of completely consumed energy drinks on the desk. I want to clean it up, but I can’t bring myself to touch it.

My arms and legs are heavy and my chest feels tight. Just mechanically move your hands while looking at the monitor. It makes me wonder if it’s really right to live like this.

‘Should I rest for a bit…’

I’m going to have to stay up all night anyway. There won’t be any problem if you take a short break.

I headed to the bathroom, dragging heavy steps.

While the water was boiling in the coffee pot, I picked up my phone and opened the web novel I was reading recently.

Well, I’m enjoying it, but it’s not a very popular novel. Above all, I have to say that it doesn’t really fit today’s sensibilities.

The genre of this novel is what is commonly called a wasteland genre. The main character’s name is Sarah Lustier. She is the princess of the Lustier Kingdom.

The princess, who was respected by the people and deeply trusted by her father and vassals, one day her life falls into complete decline.

The reason was my father’s remarriage.

The name of the new queen was Carmel Dehezad. A noblewoman from a distant land, she was also a woman who lost her husband and lived alone.

Well, I don’t have to say anything after that, right?

She was a wicked woman with an extremely evil spirit, and her father suffered from an unknown disease. Of course, the evil woman’s magic reaches out to the princess and she goes through all kinds of hardships, well, that’s what it’s about.

No matter how much readers enjoy reading ruined stories, they lose interest if the main character is stupid. Plus, he doesn’t like it when his own stupidity is the cause of his endless suffering. That’s probably why this novel isn’t popular.

But perhaps that is precisely why I like this novel.

The person I truly empathize with is not the main character, but the villainess Carmel.

I feel an unbearable sense of catharsis when I see her foolishly pushing good people into the abyss of destruction, without any regard for morality or conscience.

Perhaps I am drawn to such evil because it contrasts with my current situation. It’s been three years since I joined a black company, and extreme overwork and abuse of power are tormenting me every day.

Perhaps I am feeling vicarious satisfaction from watching Carmel destroy everything without being restricted by anything. Well, of course, there are some whose basic tendencies are closer to sadism.

Anyway, I opened the latest episode of the novel. As I scrolled and read with concentration, a bitter smile formed on my lips.

Carmel makes an irresistible threat in exchange for her father’s life. Accordingly, Princess Sarah gets the word ‘prostitute’ tattooed on her back. Carmel’s taunt that she can no longer show herself to any man hurts Sarah’s heart.

“Wow… it’s delicious today too…”

The water in the coffee pot had already boiled a long time ago. The moment I put my arm up on the cupboard to take out the cup, the floor suddenly rose up in front of my eyes.

“Uh…?”

Quadang!

I feel a strong shock to my head. My whole body is consumed by a tingling sensation. No matter how hard I try, I can’t move a single finger.

‘My body, my body doesn’t move! Wait a minute, this can’t be…’

So I slowly lost my mind.

* * *

“Hot!”

Opening my eyes, I got up from my lying position.

The last memory, of course, is of collapsing at work. So, is this a hospital?

I looked around carefully.

Gorgeous and antique interior, like something you would see in medieval Europe. The bed I’m in is huge, like a luxury hotel.

‘…Where am I…?’

First of all, no one can tell that it is a hospital. There was even a maid by the bed.

“Good morning, Princess Sera.”

“Yes?”

A question mark appears in my mind at the maid’s words. Princess Sera? I suddenly noticed that my dazzling blonde hair reached down to my chest.

“Oh, mirror! Please bring me a hand mirror! Quickly!”

“I understand, princess.”

The maid calmly brought me a mirror. Inside, just as I had expected, Princess Sera, with a brilliant appearance, was looking at me with startled eyes.

“…Sera…”

Slightly wavy blonde hair. Eyes shining like rubies. And the features are so thin and thin that it’s scary to even touch them. If you put everything together, she is a dazzling beautiful girl herself.

‘Could this be… in a novel?’

Even if I pulled the cheek, it was just cute and didn’t break the illusion in front of me. The maid smiled slightly embarrassed and spoke to me.

“Me, princess. If anything happens…”

“What is today’s date? No, no. Tell me my schedule today!”

“Are you talking about the princess’s schedule today? A visit to an orphanage is scheduled in the morning, and a meal with His Majesty the King and Carmel is scheduled in the evening.”

“Carmel…? Not Her Royal Highness the Queen?”

“Yes? Ah, of course, since you are greatly favored by His Majesty, it will happen soon… but wouldn’t it be too early to give that title already?”

As I listened to the maid’s answer, my heart sank.

thank god.

The time period in which I entered this novel is the time when the king did not take Carmel as his queen. This is also the part at the beginning of the novel.

No matter how much I felt hurt watching Sarah suffer, I have no intention of experiencing it myself.

I read this novel several times.

How Carmel traps me.

What is the subject of the threat?

What mistake did the princess and the king make?

What tricks did she use to become queen?

Which of your vassals will betray you… and so on.

I know everything inside out.

In other words, Carmel can never defeat Serah. As long as I am inside Sarah.

No matter how evil or conspiratorial she is, she is just a woman. As long as she has the status of princess and the trust she has built up in this position, there is no way that Serah, who does not fall for deception, will be defeated by Carmel.

It would be possible to uncover her entire conspiracy and destroy her in reverse.

Well, it feels a bit strange to bury Carmel, whom I had cheered for while reading the novel.

no. Just kidding.

Actually, it is a really pleasant feeling. Just imagining it brings out the sadism inside me.

“Huhuhu, woohuhuhuhuhu.”

“Well, Princess Sera… That kind of smile is a little…”

In the hand mirror, Sarah’s elegant appearance was colored with bright red desire, and she was smiling like the height of passion.

* * *

Dinner time.

This is the moment when Sarah and Carmel meet for the first time in the novel.

Until this time, Carmel had a benevolent face befitting a queen. Hiding the fangs stained with terrible poison.

I was attended to by maids, passed by a table piled with all kinds of delicacies, and greeted the king.

“Sera Lustier, the first princess of the kingdom, greets you, Your Majesty. I’m really looking forward to it because it’s a special occasion, father!”

“Oh, Sarah. Well done. Now, say hello. This is Carmel. This body came from the far north.”

Carmel sitting next to the king.

Carmel smiled softly and greeted me.

“Nice to meet you. It’s called Carmel. I heard a lot from His Majesty the King. Please take care of me, Princess Sera.”

Carmel’s appearance is said to have captivated a nation. I have imagined it many times through descriptions in novels.

Long hair that looks like ebony spread out. Pure white skin, as if it had been carefully scooped up and applied with snow from a snowy mountain. Alluring eyes. A face that exudes a mysterious yet dangerous aura.

However, seeing her face in person was such that it was impossible to fully express it in words.

‘…You’re so fucking pretty…’

This is the limit of my pathetic vocabulary. But it was also an honest expression. Carmel’s appearance went beyond simply being beautiful and felt like it was rippling through the soul.

Of course, Sarah, whom I possessed, is also not impressed with her looks. However, Carmel, with its dangerous scent, was more to my taste than the typical princess-like beauty of Sarah.

If this is enough, the appearance is plausible, right? It can be said that this appearance alone secures about half of the probability that the king of a country would easily become infatuated and commit foolish acts. If you look like this, it’s acceptable to be flirtatious.

At the same time, I feel a dark desire stirring within me.

I want to eat it. I want to see this proud, noble woman begging for mercy from me in the midst of extreme shame and humiliation.

I answered her with a secret smile.

“Please take care of me in the future, Carmel.”

Carmel gently squeezed the hand I held out. My hands are a little cold.

Carmel and I are probably thinking the same thing at this moment.

‘Stupid bitch.’