Chapter 1

<The Villainess Turns Back Time Again Today>

Commonly known as <The Villainess Rewinds Time>.

When I first saw this novel, I thought it was just another typical romance fantasy.

A female protagonist from the modern world gets reincarnated as a villainess and tries to change the people around her to avoid the bad ending that’s coming for her—one of those overused villainess tropes.

However, there were two things that set this novel apart from the usual romance fantasy villainess stories.

First, the protagonist knows almost nothing about the original story.

At best, she knows from her friend who read the novel that the villainess she’s become was executed and a few other details about the setting.

Second, the protagonist has a cheat-like ability: infinite regression.

She can create random save points, and if she desires or dies, she returns to that moment.

At first glance, it might seem like one of those overpowered protagonists who just mess around, but...

‘It’s a bleak novel.’

Even before she was reincarnated into the story, she was already branded as a villainess, and she does everything she can to survive. Along the way, death or torture becomes a routine for her.

Thinking back now, I wonder what grudge the author had to make the protagonist suffer so much.

-Knock, knock.

As I was lost in my thoughts, a knock came from the door of my office.

"Come in."

The door slowly opened, revealing an old man in a butler's uniform.

White hair and a face full of wrinkles. He may look frail on the outside, but his eyes were as sharp as ever.

The butler’s name was Allen. He had served the House of Hardenberg since I was a child.

"What is it?"

"Well..."

"Whatever it is, you may speak freely."

At my words, Allen hesitated for a moment before slowly opening his mouth.

"The young lady of Count Este is here to see you."

"...Is that so?"

So, it’s already that part of the original story.

No, it’s been almost 20 years since I was reincarnated as the male lead of this novel, so I suppose it’s not so soon after all. As I got lost in thought again, Allen spoke up.

"What would you like to do?"

"Once I’ve finished my work, tell her she may come in."

"Understood, Duke Hardenberg."

Allen bowed his head, then left and closed the door behind him. I stared at his retreating figure before turning my gaze to the documents piled up on my desk.

‘There’s so much.’

Back in the day, it took me forever to finish even one document.

At that time, I was no more than a seven-year-old child, but my father used that as an excuse to lock me in a room without food for two days, just to teach me a lesson.

Thinking about it now, it’s a memory that still disgusts me. How could a man abuse his own child like that, even if my mother had died giving birth to me?

And it didn’t stop there. Under the guise of training, he’d beat me to within an inch of my life.

That feeling of impending death... I still can’t forget it.

‘Sigh…’

Without the memories of my past life, I probably would’ve gone insane by now. After all, the original Duke Hardenberg was practically a yandere with a broken mind.

To be honest, I’m not entirely sure I haven’t lost my mind myself. Most lunatics don’t realize they’re crazy, after all.

‘Is it just pointless worrying?’

Maybe I’m feeling unnecessarily sentimental because we’re getting closer to that part of the original story.

I pushed aside my stray thoughts and focused on finishing the documents in front of me. It wasn’t until I had dealt with all of them that I finally leaned back in my chair.

The backrest felt a little stiff, and I quickly stopped leaning. The chair I used in my previous life was more comfortable than this.

No matter how luxurious this chair is, it doesn’t meet my standards. As I was thinking that, I sensed someone at the door of my office.

-Knock, knock.

Right on cue, I heard the knock and couldn’t help but chuckle. Did they really calculate the exact time I’d finish my work? What an extraordinary butler.

"You may come in."

Allen opened the door and stepped inside.

“Have you finished your work, sir?”

“Yes. What about the young lady from Count Este’s family?”

“She is waiting in the reception room.”

“Tell her to come in.”

“Understood.”

With a respectful bow, Allen left the office.

‘So, it’s that part of the story now.’

This is the point in the novel where the protagonist, after experiencing countless bleak events, desperately visits the Duke of Hardenberg—the character known as the mastermind behind everything.

In the original story, Duke Hardenberg, intrigued by the fact that the infamous villainess of high society has come to his estate, agrees to meet her in private.

The protagonist, using the knowledge she gained from her many regressions and leveraging her family’s peculiarities, catches his interest and eventually secures a contract marriage with him.

A classic romance fantasy trope: the contract marriage.

From that point, the protagonist starts gaining her footing, and the novel’s satisfying and romantic developments begin to unfold.

But, of course, that didn’t last long. Soon enough, the story returned to its darker, more torturous themes, much to the readers’ frustration.

The sudden shift in tone had readers flooding the comments with complaints, but the author pressed on, dragging the story back into its grim plotlines.

‘...Relentless.’

Despite being a dark, depressing story, the author’s writing was surprisingly good, which is probably why I stuck it out until the end. Looking back now, enduring all the tragedy to reach the conclusion was probably the best decision I ever made.

Otherwise, I might have ended up suffering the same fate as the original Abel Hardenberg.

-Knock, knock.

“The young lady of Count Este is here to see you.”

‘...So it begins in earnest now.’

With that thought, I gave my command.

“Let her in.”

***

‘...How many times has it been now?’

I can hardly remember anymore. No matter how many times I’ve regressed and tried different approaches, my fate hasn’t changed.

Even if I grow close to the protagonist, I always end up being crushed in some way by either her followers or the crown prince.

And when I tried to approach other male leads from the original story, all I received were disdainful glares.

The noble society was far more unforgiving than I had anticipated. A villainess who had been cast out of high society was never truly given another chance to stand on her own.

Even if that villainess happened to be the daughter of a count.

After countless regressions, all I had left was the ability to protect myself through magic.

Assassination attempts, poisonings, and even kidnappings had become routine. My increasing magical abilities were merely a result of trying to fend off such dangers.

No matter how often I could return to a previous save point, if that point was saved at an inconvenient time, it could mean the end.

“The young lady of Count Este, the duke has asked that you wait until he finishes his work.”

“I understand.”

Under normal circumstances, such treatment would be considered rude even between nobles. But I was only the daughter of a mere count, while he was a duke.

Besides, I hadn’t even announced my visit ahead of time, so I had no grounds to demand better treatment.

‘Still, it’s quite luxurious.’

As expected of a ducal estate.

The silver chandelier, the elaborate wallpaper, and the plush chair—likely enhanced with magic—were impressive.

Of course, the chair was still less comfortable than any modern chair, but for me, it was more than enough.

My eyes wandered to the portraits of the heads of House Hardenberg hanging on the walls. One portrait, all the way to the right, caught my attention.

Ash-gray hair, gray eyes, a scar on his face, and luxurious clothing.

No mistake about it.

It was Abel Hardenberg, the character who masterminded the downfall of the protagonist, the only one who had ever successfully cornered her in the original story.

‘...And now, I’m here to make a deal with him.’

It felt like sticking my foot into a tiger’s mouth. No matter how much I had the ability to regress and held information he needed, he wasn’t someone I could take lightly.

As I swallowed hard, feeling the tension mount, the old butler spoke to me.

“Please follow me. The Duke will finish his work shortly.”

I took a deep breath and slowly stood up. The butler walked at my pace, guiding me toward the Duke’s office.

The opulent hallway stretched out before me, but I could hardly take in its splendor.

All I could think about was whether he might be the only key to changing my bad ending. The thought made my nerves even worse.

How long had we been walking? The butler finally stopped in front of an elegant wooden door and raised his hand, knocking softly.

-Knock, knock.

“The young lady of Count Este is here.”

Silence greeted us from the other side of the door.

Had he left the office just to mock me? Considering I was the villainess, it wouldn’t be out of the question for him to toy with me like this.

As I was about to be overwhelmed by these ominous thoughts, a voice from the office cut through the silence.

“Let her in.”

The door opened, and I slowly walked toward the office.

What came into view was a room filled with elegant wooden furniture, at the center of which sat a single man behind a large desk.

Ash-gray hair, cold gray eyes, and a sharp gaze that looked like it could cut. His aura was icy, and his face—so beautiful that it seemed almost unreal—made me freeze for a moment.

I stood there, dumbfounded, staring at him. He was far more handsome in person than the portrait had portrayed.

"...What are you doing?"

Abel’s irritated tone snapped me out of my daze, and I hurriedly apologized.

“I-I’m sorry for being rude. It’s an honor to meet you for the first time, Duke Hardenberg.”

“Well, it’s fine. I didn’t say it to scold you. Don’t worry about it.”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

“So, what’s your business?”

‘Now it begins.’

From this moment forward, I had to do everything in my power to win him over. If it took hundreds of regressions, I was ready for it.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

[TL: You can support the translation and read 3 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/OracleTls 

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