Nagisa Minazuki was tired.

Not the kind of tired that came after a long day of work, but the deep, aching exhaustion that came from years of monotony, a life where every step forward seemed to drag her deeper into an abyss. The sound of the Tokyo rain pattered outside her small apartment window as she sat at her cluttered table, staring at the half-empty bottle of whiskey.

Her apartment was just as dismal as her life—piles of laundry in one corner, empty takeout containers scattered across the kitchen, and a small television where her favorite visual novel, Lustrous Hearts, played on mute.

Nagisa groaned, rubbing her temple. Aeris Garland, the antagonist of the game, was on screen again. The villainess, cold and calculating, slated to be executed for her crimes against the noble families of the kingdom. Lustrous Hearts had always been a guilty pleasure for Nagisa—a fictional escape from her dull reality.

But tonight, even Aeris’ tragic downfall couldn’t distract her from the empty feeling gnawing at her chest. She took another sip, feeling the burn of alcohol down her throat. Her vision blurred, and soon the world around her slipped into darkness.

Nagisa stirred awake, her head pounding. Her eyes fluttered open, and she was immediately struck by the overwhelming brightness around her. This wasn’t her apartment. The walls were opulent, covered in gold filigree and tapestries depicting grand battles. She blinked again, sitting up in confusion.

“Where…?” Her voice trembled.

She wasn’t wearing her usual wrinkled office suit but a regal gown of deep crimson, embroidered with silver roses. Panic surged through her as she caught her reflection in the full-length mirror across the room. Her breath caught in her throat.

Aeris Garland stared back at her.

“No… this can’t be,” she muttered, backing away from the mirror. “This is a dream. It has to be.”

But the room remained, solid and real, as did her reflection—the infamous villainess from Lustrous Hearts.

Before she could make sense of it, the door to the chamber swung open with a deafening bang. Guards stormed in, grabbing her by the arms.

“Aeris Garland, by order of His Majesty, you are to be taken to the execution grounds.”