Chapter 1: The First Mission

I remember the day the news that my brother died. I was just sixteen, and he was only seventeen. There was an earthquake that day which was powerful enough to shake skyscrapers to their knees. My brother had gone running that day, his body was returned home by the officials, lifeless and mangled so badly, I could barely tell it was him. I recalled the stench of blood being so putrid, my mother vomited onto the ground, while my father just buried his face into his hands, staying very still and silent with tears dripping off his fingers. Me? I just stood there. A few seconds later, I begun to laugh. I doubled over with laughter, hysterical snorts coming out of my mouth. My brother, the gifted, lonely nerd at school was… dead? I regretted that day. If only I smiled more, and I did not tease him that day. Maybe if I hadn't annoyed him, he would've stayed at home and survived.

After laughing for a few minutes, reality stabbed me in the back. I started making unhuman wails and my sloppy tears collided against the floor. My face was a mess after crying for so long.

I remember going to my brother's funeral. Bleakness sat like a rock in my mind. Everyone dressed in black. No one said a word to me. All I received was pitying glances from onlookers.

After half a year, I happened to stumble across a specific otome game. I had finished an otome game which I had happened to be playing the day my brother died, turns out, the creator had made another otome game, in the same world as the last one, but in a different country.

It was called, 'The Lies and Betrayal of The Snakes.' It was truly amazing, it was so in depth, it kept my mind off my brother's death. So, I continued to play it during the night.

It was about the Heroine, Emilia, who went to the academy, the first thing she did was offer some random students; as well as Prince Kyle, some cookies. Ivory, the villainess who was also the Prince's fiancée was insanely jealous.

Ivory was an evil person, she bullied her half-brother mercilessly, and her butler torturously. Ivory was the precious, most favourite child of her duke household. She was a complete brat to her older brother and twin brother, and so, in some routes, they killed her. Let's cut it short- she was a complete brat, an attractive little monster. She had a 'best friend' since childhood, called Sardonna. In all of the endings, Sardonna backstabbed her.

I stayed up all night, playing the otome game, until my alarm warned me it was time to get ready for school. I jumped out of bed, bleary eyed, and groggy. I slapped on my uniform and rushed out of home with a single toast slice in my mouth. I walked on the side pavement with the rest of my friends walking beside me. Suddenly, I felt dizzy and my vision blurred. I felt my body weight tip to one side as I fell… onto the road.

*SCKRRRRRRRRREEEEEE*

A large truck slammed on the brakes but too late… I felt an intense pain hit my whole body.

"CALL AN AMBULANCE!"

"There's so much blood...!"

"DON'T DIE!"

My friend's frantic voices erupted into the air.

"I'm sorry…" I whispered to anyone who heard me.

***

"Rise and shine, Lady Ivory!" A merry voice knocked a door, their footsteps finally fading away.

Huh?

I looked at the room around me, crumpled silk, scarlet curtains, a spacious room, a king size bed draped with jewels and silk. This definitely was too grand to be my room back in Japan, and I doubted this was the hospital. Wasn't I dead? Where was Brother?! Brother… I covered my face with my hands, the wave a pain crashing into me. Wait! Why were my hands so small? I jumped out of the bed and fell on my face. Why was my body so small and weak?! I ran as fast as I could with my stubby legs towards the closest mirror.

A stunning, little girl with chubby cheeks stared back at me. Her short golden curls, drifted above my shoulders and her big, round, vivid blue eyes widened at shock. (To get a visual idea of what she looks like, look at the little girl on the front cover) This little girl was way more pretty than I was in my last life! But why was I such a little girl?

I tentatively stepped out of my room in my nightdress, when a maid stopped me,

"Why are you still dressed in your nightdress, Lady Ivory?" She asked, guiding me back to the room, "You should've called a maid to help you."

Wait… Did she say Lady Ivory?! Was that why this little girl seemed so familiar?! Wasn't Lady Ivory the villainess?

***

I sat at the dining table, eating my breakfast with a forlorn expression on my face. I understood what was going on after digging vital information about Lady Ivory from the concerned maid.

Of all the people I had to be, I just had to be the villainess, Lady Ivory. Luckily, I was only five years old, I had time to change my fate! First, I would win over my twin brother.

Luke, my twin brother, lived in a sperate mansion from the rest of the family, Ivory's father wanted Luke to be a prodigy sword master, and so, put him in the manor to do nothing except train all day. Since the mansion was two hours away, the family didn't bother to visit him, and only occasionally visited once every two months. In result of that, Luke was extremely lonely, and hated his family, it didn't help that Ivory constantly mocked him.

But I wasn't doing that, this time! I decided I, Ivory, was going to Luke, and befriend him!

"Where are you going Young Miss?" The head maid cautiously asked,

"Take me to Brother Luke's mansion please~!" I chirped, internally laughing at their shocked faces.

***

The wind swept my hair, and rain dribbled I surveyed the mansion before my eyes.

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· Mission One: Earn Lord Luke's favour

· Penalty for Failure: Possible death in near future, no support from Luke Luke

· Reward for Success: Mysterious weapon

Time Limit will be limited to the end of the day. Goodluck!

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Brother, I'm coming.

*Knock knock*

"Who's there?" a monotone voice requested, "The Young Master will not accept any visitors, he is currently training."

My blood rose, they were making a five-year-old child train outside, in the rain? Did they honestly care whether he lived up to adulthood?

"I am the Young Miss." I announced coldly, shooting my iconic death glare that was to be said to be able to freeze the sun. "I demand you allow me to visit my brother."

I stood there, arms crossed, back straight and glowering straight at the servant.

"Forgive me Young Miss…" The servant's tone changed immediately once he was properly chastised, "I was not made aware that you would be visiting."

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· Butler: (Mark) Rank D: 48/100

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Hmm…? Could I analyse people now?

As I was guiding to the sitting room, I waited for Luke to arrive. I glanced around the room, noticing the moth bitten curtains and brown stained carpet rug. Clearly, this place was not being cared for.

*Knock knock*

"Come in." I replied courteously, drinking tea elegantly while keeping my posture straight.

Luke entered, his golden ruffled curls and violet eyes just as I remembered it.

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· Swordsman: (Lord Luke) Rank E: level 31/100

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I suddenly remembered I was here to win over my twin brother and swiftly relaxed my posture. Luke caught sight of me and stiffened, mentally shielding himself from any verbal abuse I may throw at him. I strode up to him, and he took a step back, as though he was preparing himself to run.

'Well, there goes my dignity' I thought melancholily, as I threw myself at him,

"Brother!" I squealed, "Let's go out and play, hehe!"

I grabbed hold of his hand, and his mauve eyes widened with shock.

"H-huh?" Luke stuttered, his confusion apparent, "Where are we going?"

"Hmm… Where's the kitchen?" I asked, turning my head to beam at him.

"To your left." Luke answered back, still perplexed.

As we entered the kitchen, I let go of his hand and threw my arms into the air.

"We're making cookieeeees!" I cheered, jumping up and down, "Brother likes cookies, too right??"

Luke nodded, a slightly pleased look spread over his face, after all, he was just a child.

"I like cookies too…" Luke a red hue spreading on his cheeks.

"Hup!" I reached up the shelve, standing on my toes. This body was annoyingly short, "Huh?"

The heavy bag of flour started to tip.

"Careful!" Luke shouted.

I jammed my eyes shut, waiting for the bag of flour to crush me. I waited.

And nothing happened. Huh?

My eyes fluttered open and I saw, Luke, holding a large baking tray, over our heads like an umbrella. Although the tray was quite small, it protected us from the heavy impact of the full bag of flour, instead, white flour rained on top of us, like the first snowflakes in winter.

"Hehe! Your hair's white, Brother!" I giggled, "You're an old man now!"

"Your hair and clothes are white too!" Luke sniggered back, patting the top of my head, "You don't have to worry about a thing now! When Brother Luke's with you, you'll be safe, 'kay?"

"What's all this racket?!" A boisterous woman's voice thundered, "What are you doing here little brat?"

She snatched Luke's arm and held on tightly, not showing even the slightest of respect for him.

"And who is this girl? Is the vermin possibly dilly-dallying with a maid?" The woman continued grabbing my arm harshly as well, "Are did you dirty the precious kitchen?!"

"Don't touch her!" Luke argued, trying to throw her hand off my arm.

"SHUT UP! DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" The woman barked and I watched in horror as she slapped Luke with a vibrating 'crack'.

"When I came to this manor, I thought I would have an easy job, with your parents being a duke and a duchess." She continued to rant, portraying herself the victim, "But instead, I find out that I have to work twice as hard because the brat's parents abandoned him!"

How dare this lowly maid, slap the young master?

"Are you done?" I asked, my eyes boring a hole at her face.

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· Maid: (Susan) Rank F: level 2/100

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Hmm… not only was she insolent, she was incompetent at her job as well.

"Aren't you going to ask who I am?" I demanded, rolling my eyes at her.

Try to be the victim all you want, Susan. But you earned twice as much as the normal average wage for maids each year, and you still fail at your job.

"You little-!" Susan's hand lifted in the air to strike me.

Luke grabbed her hand from behind, holding it so she could not struggle.

"Unhand me this instant!"

"A pleasure to meet you." I smiled thinly, eyeing her hand that was still gripping my arm, "I am Lady Ivory, the prized daughter of the Duke and Duchess.