Where should I start?
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The mont I awoke in this unfamiliar world, it felt as though I had left my old life behind for good.
However, that transition wasn't a smooth one; it felt more like a plunge into darkness.
I found myself subrged beneath the murky waters of a deep, black lake near our mansion.
As I struggled to resurface, the realization hit like a ton of bricks-I was drowning, in every sense of the word.
My attempts to swim to the surface were futile.
My body felt weak and clumsy, my arms and muscles lacking the strength to propel upward.
It was as though I was trapped in a nightmare, unable to break free from the suffocating embrace of the water.
The following day brought with it a stark understanding of my new reality. Voices clamored around , urgent and alard.
"Oh my god, he's awake!" soone exclaid, their words mingling with calls for dical assistance.
The chaos around served as a jarring reminder of just how far I had strayed from the familiar comforts of my old life.
Amidst the confusion, an elderly man stood by my bedside, speaking in a language I didn't recognize. Despite my lack of comprehension, I could sense the excitent in the air.
"Ohh that's my grandson ya HAHAHA!"
The man's gestures were animated, his expressions filled with joy.
Even though his words were foreign to , I found myself understanding them on a deeper level—a small blessing in the midst of my disorientation.
I was six at that ti.
And it took a good four years, give or take, to truly co to terms with my new reality-a fresh start, a clean slate.
Over those past four years, I made a conscious effort to embrace the people around , from my newfound parents to the cozy walls of our new ho.
And then there was the new : Riley Hell. It was a na I both despised and accepted, a moniker that seed to define this strange existence I found myself in.
But really, what choice did I have? I woke up one day as Riley, without rhy or reason.
Might as well roll with it, right?
Ard with the knowledge of the future that awaited this young child, a future fraught with misery and pain, I resolved to steer clear of it as best I could.
'Blend into the background, live a quiet life-wasn't that the safest bet?'
Nestled in the outskirts of the empire lay a quaint county, humble in its origins despite its noble lineage.
Unlike the aristocrats near the capital, draped in opulence and riches, our little corner of the world found contentnt in simplicity, relying on our modest farms and fertile lands. Though our population was sparse, the warmth and endless smiles of the people here filled the air with a sense of belonging.
It was a place scarcely ntioned in the annals of the original ga, a hidden gem tucked away from the spotlight.
In this secluded haven, monsters and dungeons were re tales of legend, absent from our tranquil existence.
It was all thanks to the unwavering protection of the grand duke, Luther Heavens-a na that commanded both reverence and fear.
But it wasn't his authority alone that gave pause; rather, it was the surna he bore that sent shivers down my spine.
"Heavens"... a na I couldn't help but dread, for I knew all too well the significance it held.
In the depths of my mory, it carried the weight of a sinister counterpart as I knew the only other person who bears that na in this world Liyana Heavens the duke's one and only daughter, the villainess and final boss of this very world.
She was destined to bring about the end of the world, and tragically, she was also fated to be my future lover-a lover who would, without hesitation, snuff out my life the mont she fell for the main protagonist of this world.
The re thought of our intertwined destinies filled with unease, yet I chose to bury those concerns beneath a facade of indifference. Perhaps there was so rational explanation for our engagent, so hidden purpose that eluded my understanding.
The ga itself offered little insight into the complexities of Riley's and Liyana's
relationship.
To the very few players who played this ga, we practically have no background information the reasonings behind their engagent.
Riley was little more than a disposable character-an inconsequential figure thrown into the narrative to highlight Liyana's formidable nature and yandere tendencies.
I can still rember all the CG's my current self-went through because of that deranged
woman.
And now, here I stood, thrust into the role of that disposable character, grappling with the harsh reality of my existence in this new world.
That was why I spared no effort in ensuring that I never crossed paths with that accursed
woman.
Given our family's modest background, the likelihood of any interaction with a ducal family seed as slim as a hair's breadth, didn't it?
For the past four years, right up until I reached the tender age of ten, I diligently toiled to maintain the status quo in our county.
Our humble family found contentnt in our modest wealth and the simplicity of our dairy
farming.
Everything seed to be going according to plan-I had resolved to stay within the confines of our county, shielded from the tumultuous currents of the outside world.
But now, looking back, I realize just how foolish that plan was. The future was a fickle mistress, weaving its tapestry of fate with threads beyond my control.
Events that unfolded beyond the borders of our county remained elusive, whispers carried on
the wind, beyond my reach and comprehension.
There were certain forces at play that I could never hope to influence, try as I might.
And then ca the day of reckoning, my tenth birthday—a day that would shatter my
carefully constructed illusions.
On that fateful day, a radiant child, so ethereally beautiful that one could almost believe she was born of divine lineage, graced my celebration with her presence.
"Riley, this is Liyana," the words fell upon my ears like a death knell.
That was the first ti I t her.... And the one thing I regret till to this day.
Haha... I still couldn't believe it.
I was so preoccupied with preparing for the future that I didn't even bother to stay grounded
in the present or learn from the past.
Who would have thought that the duke and my own father were once military comrades all
this ti?
"Nice to et you, Riley,"
"Y-yeah..."
"Hohoho, you two look good together. What about it, Riley? Care to give this young lady
so love?" My grandfather's teasing tone grated on my nerves, his words twisting the already tense atmosphere.
The idea of being teased alongside this woman was bad enough, but the way he spoke made
my skin crawl.
"Shut up old man!!!"
"НАНАНА!"
"I'm sorry about that, young lady. My grandfather just likes to tease ," I apologized,
offering a polite bow.
Despite my fear and apprehension towards this woman, I couldn't help but maintain a facade
of civility.
After all, the woman standing before now was entirely innocent, right?
She simply nodded in response; her gaze unwavering as she continued to study intently.
"You're not afraid of ?" she questioned, her voice laced with curiosity as she tilted her
head.
"Why should I be?" I replied, attempting to mask my unease with casual indifference.
In truth, I was terrified of her, for reasons too nurous to count.
She chuckled, a lodic sound that sent shivers down my spine. Looking back, that day was likely the catalyst for both mine and Liyana's paths to intersect
and beco intertwined.
I can't quite recall what transpired after our initial eting, but from that day forward and in
the days to co, Liyana made frequent visits to our county-specifically, to spend ti with
.
At first, her visits seed innocent enough-just two children playing together. But as ti passed, I began to realize the gravity of the situation. Liyana's continued presence
in my life was like a dark cloud looming over , a constant reminder of the inevitable fate
that awaited us both.
With each passing day, I felt the weight of my circumstances pressing down on , suffocating with the knowledge of what was to co.
It was then that I fully understood the depth of my predicant, and the realization hit
like a ton of bricks-I was utterly fucked.
Before I knew it, three years had slipped by, and Liyana and I had beco the closest of
friends.
In her presence, I discovered nuances and complexities that differed from the version of Liyana I knew only through the confines of a video ga-a truth that transcended the boundaries of pixels on a screen.
Spending more ti with her, I found my heart softening, if only montarily. The idea of
changing her began to flicker in my mind.
After all, the Liyana I knew in reality seed vastly different from the character depicted in the ga. There had to be a reason for such a drastic shift in personality, didn't there? Despite my age-thirteen years old, with the accumulated knowledge of nineteen years from my previous life—I couldn't shake off the foolish notion that I could sohow alter the
course of her destiny.
It was a folly born from hope, a hope that perhaps I could save her from the darkness that
lood over her.
But then, on a dreary day shrouded in dark clouds and rain, reality struck like a lightning
bolt.
In the midst of the downpour, I witnessed a scene that shattered my illusions-a scene that revealed the true nature of the girl I had co to care for.
I saw her eat one of my friends.... She was but another innocent young girl the sa age as us.
Hearing the rustled noises of the leaves I stepped on, Liyana turned her attention behind her.
"Oh, Riley, you're here... did you see anything?"
Liyana's voice broke through the silence, pulling back to the present.
"No....."
My voice was barely above a whisper.
"Is that so? Let's go shall we"
"...Yeah"
The way she acted so nonchalantly made my stomach churn in disgust... and I knew from the
way she looked at that she was aware that I saw her.
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