PMEVBO 1

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

This means one can only achieve the most satisfying vengeance after cooling a resentment so hot it might otherwise leave a burn.

The revenge of Isabelle, the heroine of the 19-rated romance fantasy novel <The Happy End> was cold.

Her scheme, designed over the course of six years, consisted of four distinct acts.

The first act: approach the enemy under the guise of a fated encounter.

The second act: seduce him by any means necessary.

The third act: ruin the man who has become a prisoner of love.

And finally, the grand finale: lead him to take his own life.

There was a time when I felt a sense of catharsis at the thought of a villain, one who had brutally murdered the heroine’s family, falling so deeply for her that he would embrace death.

“I never imagined I would actually become that villain.”

Indeed, I had possessed someone.

I was now in the body of Lucariel, the villainous second male lead destined for a tragic end at the hands of the heroine.

Furthermore, this was no ordinary book possession.

A system window accompanied my new life.

Ping!

────【 Sub Quest 】────

Give ‘???’ a compliment!

(0/?)

D-?

Reward: Skill Draw Ticket (x1)

────────────────

This absurd thing could barely be called a system window if it only handed out tasks like “giving compliments.”

“Ha.”

In reality, I had already cleared a similar compliment quest once before. That was six years ago.

Surprisingly, this world possessed a system window so rude it would drop a person into a new body and then abruptly vanish.

“Where have you been all this time? You ignored me for six years, and only now do you crawl back out?”

At that moment, the question marks on the insolent system window disappeared.

────【 Sub Quest 】────

Give ‘XXX Hayut’ a compliment!

(0/1)

D-1 (24h)

Reward: Skill Draw Ticket (x1)

────────────────

“Is this thing insane…?”

The state of this quest, my first in six years, was mind-boggling.

“XXX Hayut?”

Was there a person with the name ‘XXX’?

I had never met anyone with such a name in my life. However, I knew of only one person with the surname ‘Hayut’ at this point in time.

Isabelle Hayut.

I was the one who murdered Isabelle’s entire family and made her the sole survivor of the Hayut household.

I could not understand why her name appeared as ‘XXX,’ but it was obvious that ‘XXX Hayut’ referred to Isabelle.

“In the end, it wants me, the perpetrator, to offer a compliment to the victim…”

There is a limit to madness. This was nothing short of mockery.

Moreover, the system did not accept just any hollow words. The counter would only trigger if the recipient felt genuine joy because of my words or actions.

Was there any way for me to make Isabelle happy? Her only joy would likely be my death, just as it was in the original story.

I laughed weakly, thinking a quest to commit suicide would have been easier than one to offer praise.

The attempt itself was an insult to Isabelle, and it was certain that I would fail. But I could not abandon this task.

The reason was simple.

“This is the only way to cancel this crazy possession!”

From the moment I entered Lucariel’s body until now, six years later, I held only one wish. I wanted to leave this miserable world and return to my original one as soon as possible.

The only path to that goal lay in completing the quests this rude system gave me from time to time.

I had already cleared every quest before the system went silent six years ago.

As a result of those actions, countless people, including Isabelle’s family, had lost their lives.

“I have come too far to hesitate out of a meager sense of guilt now.”

I wanted to clear this quest by any means necessary.

First, I had to leave this place. I apathetically looked at the cold, dark cell and made up my mind to escape.

In the original novel, the fated meeting between Lucariel and Isabelle took place in prison. Lucariel, imprisoned for the slaughter of her family, eventually attempted an escape. During that flight, he received help from a certain guard.

Naturally, that guard was Isabelle.

My current situation mirrored Lucariel’s. The same crime. The same prison. Even the six-year duration of my imprisonment matched.

Therefore, the most efficient way to meet Isabelle was to reenact the events of the original work.

It felt as though six hours had passed since I began my escape in imitation of the original Lucariel.

“Cough!”

A thick glob of red blood splattered out with a dry cough. I leaned my weak body against the railing of the prison corridor.

To be honest, I had pushed myself too hard to break out of that cell. My physical condition was a disaster after wandering without rest.

My hands and feet soon began to tremble, and my vision grew blurry. I was at my limit just trying to remain standing.

Perhaps that was why I failed to notice a guard approaching from behind.

“…!”

An arm wound around my waist like a snake. I tried to immediately pull away, but it was impossible.

How is he this strong?

Even for a second male lead, I had never encountered anyone stronger than Lucariel. Being held so tightly that I could not budge left me bewildered.

However, the real shock came from elsewhere.

Ping!

────【 Sub Quest 】────

‘XXX Hayut’ has appeared!

Complete the mission by complimenting ‘XXX Hayut.’

────────────────

Wait, does this mean the person behind me is the heroine, Isabelle?

…Her physical build is much more impressive than I imagined.

The arm supporting my weight seemed sturdier than my own.

Well, at least she looks healthy.

I did not have much time to admire Isabelle’s sturdy forearm, however. A large, cold hand suddenly reached out and covered my eyes.

A low bass voice filtered through the darkness and into my ear.

“Guess who?”

That was unmistakably the voice of a man. Only then did I realize something had gone horribly wrong.

“You don’t know?”

“…”

“Or are you just pretending not to know?”

A low laugh brushed against my ear, making my shoulders tremble. The hand covering my eyes slid down to my chin and forced my head up.

I could not avoid locking eyes with the man hugging me from behind. Between strands of light pink hair that shimmered like petals, eyes as blue as a cloudless afternoon sky shone.

“Who am I? Hmm?”

“…”

That gaze, identical to the one in my memories, took my breath away.

“Ding. Time’s up.”

The man, who looked as if he were fashioned from every beautiful and lovely thing in the world, smiled right in front of my face.

A moment later, he leaned down and kissed me without warning.

“Mph…!”

I froze the moment I felt the soft texture of his lips against mine. A cold, moist tongue licked my dry lips.

The hand holding my chin forced my mouth open. Simultaneously, his tongue invaded, ravaging the sensitive interior of my mouth.

I finally came back to my senses and struggled with all my might. Yet, the more I resisted, the harder he pressed down, continuing the kiss.

“Ah…”

A groan escaped my throat. Then his tongue turned gentle and began to stroke the sensitive spots. He acted almost as if he were being coquettish.

Our lips finally parted. A thick thread of saliva stretched between us as he pulled away.

“See, things would have been better if you had answered when I asked nicely,” he replied poutily. He remained in the same position, hugging me from behind while rubbing his face against my neck. There was not a hint of remorse in his attitude.

Six years ago, he was a small boy who looked as though he might vanish from the world at any moment. Now, he had grown so much that he had to lean down just to embrace me.

“So, when are you going to call my name?”

“…Iser Hayut. You… how are you…”

How are you alive?

I could not bring myself to ask the question aloud. It simply drifted through my mind, forcing me to remain silent.

Iser, who watched me attentively with his chin resting on my shoulder, smiled as his fine eyes curved into crescents. The beauty mark on his right cheek shifted enticingly along his red, smiling lips.

But something happened.

Ping!

────【 Sub Quest 】────

Give ‘XXX Hayut’ a compliment!

(1/1)

D-0 (16h 42m 19s)

Success!

────────────────

It was now certain that ‘XXX Hayut’ referred to Iser Hayut. If I had done anything just now to please him, it was simply saying his name.

“Ha.”

All I did was say his name… I laughed because the situation was so absurd.

However, I soon had to bite my lip to keep myself from crying.

“I missed you, Lucariel.”

The heroine’s younger brother, the one I thought I had killed, sweetly whispered.