The Villainess Imposter

Introduction

In the enormous Ignis Dukedom, there are lots of rooms, offices, halls, and gardens. They are of immense sizes which flaunts exactly the riches of this grim household. Upon the Duchess' death, everything slowly turned black and white... and red.

"Three days... Everything will be over in three days..." Persephone whispered. Her crimson eyes glinting under the moon's shadows.

"Why must I suffer from this? That should be mine."  In her eyes, it was rightfully hers. The princess is coveting all that is rightfully hers.

"He promised me... but! b-but..." She stabbed her wrists with the broken mirror violently, disregarding the pain and all the blood she had and is losing.

"I can't wait."

The magic circle is drenched with her blood. It is barely visible now that she seemed to be incapable of stopping herself.

Her nightgown was dyed red, her mattress got splattered with blood like the sky decorated by stars, her soft long wavy hair turned frizzy, and is sticking proudly at her face due to sweat and... blood.

There's no sign of decency and etiquette with that state. Gone is the woman who always shines boldly beyond compare. She was the symbol of class, the epitome of bravery, and an image of wealth within the nobility... yet that mask is gone. At present, she's but another woman. Ordinary yet strange.

"Ahh. It hurts," she muttered absentmindedly.  Her orbs glared from the pool of blood in front of her to the shard of the mirror which almost plucked her life out.

She then chuckled. The whispers: she chanted as what the whispers told her.

She always cared about her body but what's the point now that it won't be hers before long? She bled, blood was gushing through her cuts. She kept chanting and cutting herself. Her legs. Her fac-- Oh, then she recalled how she loves her face more than anything else.

She threw the shard and the murmured chanting turned to screams. "I can't wait," she laughed. If someone saw her, they won't believe that she is the Persephone Ignis from one of the two dukedoms of the Arcov Empire.

"Finally... finally... f-finally..." her voice is hoarse, maids are probably on their way to her room. Her weakened body is declining and yet she didn't stop.

With half-closed eyes, a glimpse of someone's shadow was seen and she heard whispers yet again. She thought that it is probably the maids. All the dizziness makes it difficult to comprehend what they were saying but she knew that her body is heavy and someone is shaking her, softly.

Softly? That is such a strange approach for someone like her. Even hallucinating like that occurs to be absurd.

With all the strength she has, she opened her eyes. She blinked upon seeing the person who drove her mad.

"J-josiah?" she asked. His worried face was replaced with a gentle and relaxed expression as he slammed her body into her.

Persephone gaped. Her voice sounds strange. And Josiah? How did he even appear in her room? It's supposed to be the maids... It's more like she isn't even her real self. And why is she naked?

"Lunaine..." Josiah whispered in her ear with a low tone and cupped her face.

Lunaine. That was the missing piece that makes everything make sense.

"Finally..." she uttered. Finally, she succeeded.

"My betrothed, Luna, what's wrong?" He pecked her lips softly and gazed at her with such loving eyes.

She never did receive this kind of treatment from him no matter the effort she put in her plans... yet with Lunaine! She gets to obtain his love and attention without even attempting.