1
Recently, among the young and hot-blooded men of Midtown, a rumor had been circulating.
They said that if you visited the terrace of Monteo Garden around sunset, you could meet a breathtaking beauty.
A seductive woman with fiery red eyes and hair like the blazing sun—
their excited fantasies of spending a night with her swelled like an enormous bubble.
As with most rumors, the story changed slightly depending on who told it.
Some said she was actually hideous. Others claimed she was a noble lady who enjoyed secret escapades. Many dismissed it as nothing more than an illusion born from youthful imagination.
And yet, the ending of the rumor was always the same:
After a dreamlike night with her, whatever you desired would come true.
That alone was enough to draw young men to Monteo Garden every single day.
“Lately, it’s been strangely quiet.”
At the man’s remark, I smiled as calmly as I could.
“When was it ever noisy to begin with?”
Across the round table sat a man with drooping eyes. Around his neck hung an excessive amount of jewelry that didn’t suit him at all—ornaments that only flaunted his wealth rather than complemented him.
No one dared comment on it, however.
He was the owner of Monteo Garden, the largest lodging establishment in Midtown, a city that welcomed tourists in every season.
With his thick business acumen came an inflated pride; unless they were high-ranking nobles, few ever saw him in person.
And yet, here he was, sitting straight-backed and carefully pouring tea into my cup.
Everyone seated on the terrace of Monteo Garden watched the scene in hushed silence.
“I apologize if I offended you. I meant nothing by it. Thanks to the Great Mage using our garden for so long, our revenue these past few months has reached record highs.”
At his flattery, I naturally lifted the teacup he had poured and replied,
“You’re making something obvious sound difficult.”
His brow twitched at my sharp response, but only for a moment. He quickly hid his expression.
“This is flower tea made from winter blossoms that grow only in the Mahoronto Mountains. Does it suit your taste?”
Following the mental simulation I had practiced, I crossed one leg and sipped the tea.
Despite my anxiety about looking awkward, I must have appeared convincing enough—because the man across from me broke into a foolish grin just watching me drink tea.
Setting the cup back onto its saucer, I delivered the line that had already been decided, like a cliché villainess in every novel I had ever read.
“The aroma is quite dreadful.”
I smiled as if it had been painted on.
“…Hey, Hokens! Bring another tea here!”
At my words, the manager shouted at a worker cleaning the next table. I simply watched, as if this entire situation were familiar.
Seeing this, I began to understand why people in novels always transmigrated into villainesses instead of heroines.
At first, acting like this pricked my conscience—it reminded me of the rude customers who used to come to my part-time job. But the more I did it, the more strangely relieving it felt.
Besides, I was not only beautiful but also a Great Mage.
If this was the body I woke up in after dying an absurd death, wasn’t this a complete life reversal?
Thinking that, I lifted the teacup for another sip of the surprisingly tasty flower tea. The manager, who had been scolding the worker, glanced at me and spoke cautiously.
“Great Mage. I hesitate to bring this up, but…”
“….”
He checked his surroundings, raised a hand to shield his mouth, and whispered,
“When might you be able to settle the three months of unpaid lodging fees?”
I nearly spat out the tea I was drinking.
The hot liquid slid straight down my throat before it could even cool, and I felt like coughing immediately.
But such an unrefined act would shatter the image I had carefully maintained.
I tightened the muscles between my brows to suppress the cough. Startled, the manager hurriedly added,
“I’m not saying this because I doubt the Great Mage. It’s just that the room you’re staying in is the finest in Monteo Garden…”
He pulled a small note from his pocket and began reading item by item.
“Not only three months of lodging, but also your daily meals, laundry, item rentals, and…”
Counting on his fingers, his voice grew smaller near the end as he finished with an awkward expression,
“I did not include the lodging fees of the men you brought into your room almost every day.”
“….”
“Even excluding that, the amount you owe already exceeds five million gold.”
He spread his fingers wide in front of my eyes.
In this place, five million gold was enough for a commoner to live comfortably for nearly a year.
I cleared my throat, scrambling for something to say.
Asking for another month didn’t suit her character, but shouting him down would only be a temporary fix.
“Great Mage?”
Startled by his urging voice, I blurted out,
“Yes—no, I mean… what is it?”
“Nothing, except that you’re shaking your leg quite badly. The tea is spilling.”
Apparently, I had been trembling with anxiety without realizing it. The table shook and the tea sloshed over. Seeing the panic on my face, he added gently,
“It may be pocket change for someone as noble as the Great Mage, but for people like us, five million gold is a huge sum.”
He clearly didn’t believe that himself, yet he lowered himself all the same.
“So please settle at least half within three days.”
So that was why he had brought such expensive flower tea—to talk about overdue payments.
I really should have run away somehow.
As I pressed my temple in thought, the manager’s eyes narrowed.
Soon, his gaze openly swept over me from head to toe.
A bad feeling crept in.
I had been so absorbed in playing the villainess that I had overlooked one crucial fact.
The novel I had transmigrated into was titled , and despite its name, it was an R-19 reverse-harem story.
Unlike the heroine Yuri, who was distant from desire, the villainess—Isabella—was utterly devoted to her own lust, sleeping with any man without discrimination.
The manager leaned closer and whispered,
“If your situation is difficult right now… I wouldn’t mind receiving something else.”
“….”
“I’ve heard the rumors spreading through Midtown these past three months.”
“I don’t know what you mean…”
“You don’t have to pretend. I’m quite confident in my abilities at night.”
His sticky gaze slid slowly downward.
My carefully maintained expression finally crumbled.
Yes. The villainess’s role in this story was obvious—
a woman ruled entirely by desire, indiscriminately sleeping around.
That was what this manager expected from me as well.
Only then did I fully remember:
I had transmigrated into this insane novel—into the body of the villainess Isabella.
, an R-19 reverse-harem novel.
Despite its adult rating, it contained an interesting fantasy element:
the source of a mage’s mana came from desire itself.
The great burning desire within one’s heart became the origin of mana.
Because of this, the color red and the blazing sun came to symbolize magical power. In such a world, Isabella—with her red hair and red eyes—was literally blessed by mana.
While hurriedly packing my belongings, I paused at the beautiful woman reflected in the mirror.
I should have been used to it by now, yet every time I saw that face, it still didn’t feel like mine.
I brushed the loose strands of hair behind my ear.
An alluring appearance and the title of being blessed by mana—there was nothing lacking.
Touching my face, I let out a deep sigh.
“Honestly, there couldn’t be a better set of specs… if only I weren’t destined to die.”
