— I'm sorry… But we need to break up.

This phrase, thrown without any regret, literally turned my whole life upside down.

Before that, we had been dating for four years, and it sincerely seemed to me that everything was fine. Until one day… My best friend didn't accidentally catch my girlfriend cheating. It happened literally on the eve of our anniversary. As it turned out, all this time she was just lying to me.

To say that I was shocked is to say nothing.

She didn't even repent to me.

— …It's really not about you,» my ex—girlfriend was already reluctantly justifying herself, «We just don't suit each other.

After these words, she left, leaving me alone in the cafe in utter confusion. Not knowing what to do, I stared at one point, trying to comprehend what had happened.

Burning pain in the chest. The only feeling I had right now.

She invited me to a cafe to talk, and I was still hoping that we would make up… How stupid that is. I wanted to tear my hair out from my own naivety. How could I not notice all these signs for so many years?

I'm really a fool.

«At least you could have told me that directly instead of lying to my face!»

Sadness and resentment overwhelmed me, and to get rid of them, I decided to drown my pain in alcohol. Despite the fact that I knew that I was absolutely not allowed to drink. Due to my poor alcohol tolerance, I could easily pass out after the first drink.

But at that moment, I didn't care. I didn't care if I got drunk and died after that.

To hell with it! I will never date anyone else!

That's what I decided, finishing my second bottle of dry red. What is the point of this relationship if it leaves only emptiness and disappointment? I'd rather be alone for the rest of my life.

Never. I will never trust anyone again in my life!

I didn't know how many hours had passed since I drank my first glass, but it was already late. I put my head on the table and started to fall asleep. The waiter shook me by the shoulder and tried to wake me up, but all his attempts were in vain.

— Girl, our place is already closing…

Everything turned into a fog.

My last thought was that I would definitely take revenge on that bitch. I'll come to her place of work tomorrow and make a scene. Or even find her a new girlfriend… In any case, she won't get rid of me that easily!

I was so angry that I would do anything to regain my lost dignity. I'm not going to let you just wipe your feet on me like that.

I just didn't know that «tomorrow» wouldn't come for me anymore.

I got so drunk that I finally passed out. And when she came to her senses… The world around me has changed a lot. More precisely, this world has become completely different.

In the past, I was a person who liked to read web novels.

This was my main outlet in my daily life. Reading until the night sky was replaced by a bright morning was a common thing, and being locked in your room during the weekend was completely ordinary.

I was also fond of cooking and sometimes engaged in social activities, but if I had to name my favorite hobby, it would undoubtedly be web novels.

I've read novels of various genres, from romance to horror. «Darker than Black» was one of the novels I read in my previous life. First of all, I was interested in the concept of this novel. Although it was a fantasy novel with an emphasis on action, the main character in it was a girl. In addition, he had an age limit of R-19.

At first I didn't understand why. After all, the cover seemed quite harmless to me…

The action of the novel unfolded in the medieval empire — around the struggle of the heroine against the main villain. The story of the imperial family was at the center of the narrative. Politics, bloodshed, revenge and other things that will appeal to fans of palace intrigues.

The second princess, Jerica de Ronan, was the main character of the novel. The captain of the Imperial Army, who fought against injustice and sought to lead his country to a better future. In other words, everything is like a knight on a white horse, only in female form.

Kaena de Ronan, the crown princess and the main villain, was her exact opposite. She was the epitome of greed and stopped at nothing to achieve her goals.

Once the imperial family had driven her away and made her an outcast, and now the girl was ready to do anything to avenge her suffering. Kaena intended to bring the entire empire to ruin. Jerica, in turn, tried in every possible way to stop her.

A lot of innocent people suffered during this feud. Almost every chapter described scenes of violence and blackness.

Crown Princess Kaena was the most disgusting character I've ever known. She was completely crazy. Even through the screen, I felt creepy when I read the chapters written on her behalf.

However, that didn't change the fact that it was also one of the most fascinating stories I've ever read.

In just two days, I read all the chapters that were freely available.

Due to lack of money, I was unable to pay for my subscription and finish reading the novel to the end. Therefore, in order to find out the contents of the last chapters, I had to spend an evening on the Internet.

Fortunately, I was still able to find the long-awaited spoilers on one of the forums. It turned out that the main wish of most readers, including mine, came true. The villainess, Caena de Ronan, is dead!

It happened almost at the very end.

In the penultimate episode, the main character and the villain came together in their last duel. The Crown Princess, the sword master, was not an easy opponent. After a fierce battle, Jericho finally managed to defeat her older sister. The Crown Princess died in agony, and after that, peace finally reigned in the Empire.

Perhaps, for a novel of this genre, it was the best climax of all possible. I was glad that in the end, Kaena got retribution for all her actions. That's how she was supposed to die. Humiliated and completely helpless.

At least that was the original plot.

It just so happened that I was reincarnated in this novel.

I became Camille de Walt, an unnamed character who doesn't have any storyline and only flashes in the background a couple of times.

I was born into a duke's family, where my father and older brother hate me fiercely. And all because my mother died giving me life.

However, I didn't give a damn about it. After all, I was the only one who knew what would happen to this country in the future.

Soon, due to the actions of the main villain, the empire will plunge into chaos. Many commoners and aristocrats will easily die in this bloody massacre. And the duke's youngest daughter was just one of the corpses in this general pile.

Now that I was in this crazy world, I had only one goal — to live to the end of the plot, which, fortunately, should be completed in just a year. Once the main villain dies, peace and prosperity will come to the empire, and I will be able to live without fear for my future.

Fine. I only need to hold out for a year.