Chapter 1: Prologue

…The world of Kern.

A world of swords and magic, not particularly rare in this day and age.

It is said that I was born into this world, which in my previous life served as the setting of an otome game.

“Good day, my name is Iris Camellia.”

“I am the third child of the Marquis Camellia family.”

According to the memories of my previous life,

I am apparently a [villainess] in this world.

I regained my memories when I was five years old.

The girl I was in my previous life was a true otaku who dearly loved otome games.

She was slightly rotten, but otherwise an ordinary girl.

However, she lost her life in an unfortunate accident, and I was reincarnated as Iris Camellia.

Until I remembered my previous life, I, Iris Camellia, was an arrogant and selfish child, as if painted from a mold.

With golden hair and beautiful green eyes, I had the appearance of an angel… yet in truth, I was like a tyrant.

In the world of “Ewig Breme,” where Iris Camellia appears as a villain, a tangled web of romance unfolds centered around one girl.

The capture targets are five beautiful young men: four princes from a neighboring country who came as exchange students to the Stam Empire, and the Crown Prince of the Stam Empire.

In addition, there are nine total romance options, including my personal butler, a hidden character, my twin older brothers added in the fan disc, and three school doctors.

And I, Iris Camellia, appear as the fiancée of Crown Prince Julius von Rosen Stam.

Despite having the appearance of a saint, I was greedy and arrogant… and thoroughly bullied the heroine.

Furthermore, I clung obsessively to His Highness the Crown Prince like a stalking yandere girl.

The reason Iris developed such a personality… was due to discord between her parents.

My parents’ marriage had been a perfect political one, but by the time I was born, their relationship had already grown cold.

The Marquis Camellia family had, for generations, produced outstanding magicians, and thus desired equally talented spouses.

My father was the most talented magician in the country, but he was the third son of a poor baron, with no backing and low status, preventing him from advancing in society.

However, my grandfather, the previous Marquis Camellia, recognized my father’s talent and took him as his son-in-law, passing the title to him.

As a result, my father rose rapidly, obtaining both the status and honor befitting the head of the Camellia family.

However, the one most shocked by this marriage was my mother, who took great pride in her own abilities.

My mother had worked desperately to inherit my grandfather’s position directly, only to have it taken by my father, who came from a poor baron family, and she began to direct her frustration toward him.

After all, my grandfather’s decision had rendered all of her efforts meaningless… and she likely had nowhere else to vent her emotions.

Even so, they had three children together, so there must have been some affection… but due to their differences in status and constant misunderstandings, their relationship was at its worst at the time.

Iris, feeling lonely when her parents would not give her attention, became selfish in personality.

Deprived of parental love, and with her siblings indifferent toward her, Iris grew up in a cold household, unable to understand how to love others.

She sought affection from her fiancé, Prince Julius, becoming increasingly obsessed… eventually going so far as to attempt to kill the heroine who would fall in love with him.

And in the happy ending, she is captured by Prince Julius and imprisoned—an utterly classic outcome.

However, Prince Julius is the most difficult character to capture in “Ewig Breme.”

He is an expressionless, taciturn king-type character.

With silver hair and blue eyes, he resembles the Empress, who was said to be the most beautiful woman in the world, making him an ice-like handsome man… yet his personality is unreadable, and even if you choose the correct options, his affection does not increase.

Unless all stats are at 100%, he cannot be captured.

In other words, he is a cheat-level, impossible character.

As for whether the Prince Julius of this world is the same, I do not know, but his specifications are likely identical.

I remembered all of this knowledge and these memories when I was five years old.

That day, as usual, I approached my parents, seeking their attention.

“Why can you not understand me! This is work, it cannot be helped!”

“Work!? Even though it is a holiday!? You always say that, leaving the children to me alone—just which woman are you actually spending time with!?”

“Y-You… listen! If this matter is resolved, Iris can become the Crown Prince’s fiancée. I am doing this for Iris—”

“For Iris, you say!? And yet you hardly spend any time with her!”

“And what about you!? Always attending tea parties and evening gatherings, spending money like water on dresses, accessories, and beauty—if you are a mother, should you not refrain from going out so often to official events!?”

During their fierce argument, my much older brothers grew tired of it and quickly returned to their rooms, leaving only myself, my parents, and a waiting maid in the living room.

I had come to the living room to have Father read me a picture book, but the intensity of their argument left me unable to enter or leave.

At that moment, hearing their shouting voices, my head suddenly began to spin…

In truth, I had not been feeling well for several days, and the maids had given me medicine, saying it was probably a cold, and I had been resting.

However, I had felt better that day, so I came to have a picture book read to me.

It seemed my condition had worsened again, as my vision swayed, my body felt as heavy as if clad in armor, and a sudden wave of nausea struck me.

Sweat began pouring from my forehead like a waterfall, and at last, I dropped the picture book I had been holding so dearly onto the floor.

As something surged up from deep within my throat, and I could no longer endure the burning hot liquid—

The one who noticed my unusual state was the maid waiting quietly in the corner of the room.

“Y-Young lady!?”

“Uweh—”

With a wet sound, what spilled from my mouth was—

A vivid, bright red… blood.

…This was the first time in my life that I coughed up blood.

Bright red blood dripped onto my pure white apron dress, staining the luxurious crimson carpet as the scene before me seemed to move in slow motion.

…It was at that moment that the memories of my previous life flashed before my eyes like a lantern show.

As strength left my legs and I slowly saw the ceiling come into view, my consciousness faded.

“No, nooooo! Young lady!!”

“W-What!?”

“Iris!?”

Hearing the maid’s scream, my parents turned around, and upon seeing me collapsed with blood flowing from my mouth, they seemed to regain their senses and hurriedly carried me to my bedroom.

According to the maid, the two of them were extremely worried about me, staying by my side in tears without arguing until the court physician arrived.

Even my eldest brother, who was usually indifferent, and my second brother, who prioritized his friends over his sister, were said to be utterly shaken by the situation.

It seems there was at least some sibling affection after all.

Then, after hearing the circumstances, the court physician scolded them, saying, “What are you doing arguing in front of a child!”

…Well, that is only natural.

From that moment on, my father gave up on making me the Crown Prince’s fiancée and began spending as much time with me as possible.

My mother also stopped her stress-induced spending and began supporting my father, caring for me devotedly.

Perhaps by talking things through, they resolved their misunderstandings, and their relationship greatly improved, becoming more affectionate than before.

My brothers also began visiting me with picture books and toys so that I would not feel lonely, and I am very, very happy.

But please allow me to say just one thing…

…The original Iris Camellia was not sickly.

No, she was as tenacious as a cockroach.

She was certainly not a girl who could be described as fragile or delicate.

…Different from the original?

The moment I realized that, the bell signaling the beginning of my intense battle with illness rang out with a sharp clang.

…Along with my irregular illness, the gears of this world would begin to turn in an unexpected direction, but that is a story for another time.

We shall meet again in the first part of the next chapter.

Well then, farewell.