Chapter 3: Chapter 2

In the past three years, there have been two instances that shocked me.

The first was the day I returned to Earth.

It was surprising enough that defeating the hidden boss suddenly brought me back to Earth, but discovering that my entire history had been rewritten under the name “Aurora” was even more shocking.

The second was when I heard about the current state of Labyrinthos, the game that caused all this.

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[General] Looking for VR Game Recommendations

What's popular these days?

[Comments]

Labyrinthos is the best, hands down.

Yeah, Labyrinthos is the top choice.

ㄴ What do you mean “the best,” you idiot?

Just go play Labyrinthos.

===

…Who would have thought Labyrinthos would get a sequel? And a VR game at that.

Apparently, Labyrinthos is now the most popular VR game in the world.

Up until now, I’ve avoided it, fearing I might get dragged back into “that world,” but it seems it’s finally time to face it.

Perhaps this is fate.

Just as it’s natural for people to feel hunger or the need to sleep, it’s only natural for someone like me, born to be a villainess, to feel an insatiable “desire for victory.”

This “desire” is something I can’t get rid of.

If I can’t avoid it, I might as well enjoy it.

If any game can satisfy this desire, it’s Labyrinthos, which was practically my life game.

But first things first,

“How do I even buy a VR device?”

To play Labyrinthos, I obviously need a VR device.

So, I searched for “VR device” online, but I had no idea what I was looking at… Why is it so complicated?

There were so many different types, shapes, and prices to choose from.

The descriptions were filled with jargon I’d never heard before, so I couldn’t even tell which one had the best specs.

I realized I’d have to study up on this.

But then I thought,

“Do I really need to bother with that?”

I crossed my arms and leaned back in my chair.

I am Laura Iris, a jewel of the ducal family, and a noble lady of the highest honor.

I’ve never once cooked in the ducal household, and I’ve never cleaned or even sewn anything.

And why would I? I am a noble lady.

I’ve never boiled my own bathwater, nor have I ever needed to know how to. As a noble lady, all I need is hot water to bathe in.

Knowing how to boil water is the servant’s job. A noble lady like me would never do such a thing herself.

So, I picked up my phone and made a call.

-♪♩♬♪♪♩

-♪

[What is it?]

“Come to my room.”

[What, am I your servant? Ugh, seriously…]

Click.

I hung up and tossed my phone onto the table. It wasn’t long before I heard the door open.

Without even looking, I spoke.

“You’re here, Leon.”

“…What’s with that tone? Why are you suddenly talking so formally?”

“Oh, I must have slipped up without realizing. Back at the duke’s estate, I used to speak like this to show my authority.”

“Every time, I swear… your obsession with this concept is out of control.”

“I’ve told you many times, it’s not an obsession.”

I glanced over, and Leon let out a sigh.

“So, what do you need this time? Do you want me to do your hair for going out? Or makeup?”

“Neither. Why don’t you sit down instead of just standing there?”

“……”

Leon pouted but sat down.

Orion Wu.

As you can guess from the name, we’re family. Specifically, Leon is my younger cousin, the daughter of my father’s younger brother.

She’s also my only roommate.@@novelbin@@

-“Remember Leon? She said she has to move out of her apartment. The landlord is raising the rent because of rising house prices.” -“So, let her live with you. Her university is close to your place.” -“Leon’s really well-mannered. Don’t you remember how close you two were when you were kids?” -“You’re probably just going to mess up the house if you live alone, but if Leon moves in, things might be better.”

Three years ago, my parents called me with that news.

I certainly needed someone to help around the house.

As someone who grew up as a noble lady, it’s unthinkable for me to get my hands dirty.

I was even considering hiring a maid, so Leon moving in was a great opportunity for me.

That’s how Leon ended up freeloading in my apartment, taking care of all the household chores as part of the deal.

“How much longer do I have to take care of you? So, what do you need this time?”

“I’m going to buy a VR device.”

“A VR device?”

“Yes. You’re good with tech, right?”

“…And whose fault do you think that is? Do you ever vacuum, do laundry, or even load the dishwasher?”

Leon said, exasperated.

“You even make me change the light bulbs… So why are you suddenly buying a VR device?”

“Have you heard of Labyrinthos? I’m thinking of playing it.”

“Labyrinthos…? What’s gotten into you? I thought you only played PC games.”

Leon tilted her head in confusion. I paused for a moment, considering how to respond.

How could I explain this desire etched into my being? I’ve never told Leon about the “ten years in that world.”

“I got bored.”

The answer came quickly.

If it’s hard to explain, there’s no need to.

“So, I need a new toy. Does that answer your question?”

“…That tone of yours. If that’s the case, renting one is your best option.”

“Renting?”

“Yeah.”

Leon nodded.

“You know how people rent massage chairs and pay a monthly fee? It’s like that.”

“For these kinds of products, if you apply, technicians come and set it up for you. Then you just pay the monthly rental fee, and it’s not that expensive.”

“I personally recommend this one. Labyrinthos is a game that requires quick reactions, so you need something with good specs. This one’s a capsule type, so the signal reception is really fast.”

Leon enthusiastically explained all sorts of things to me. It seemed like this was her area of expertise. She sure knows a lot about it.

It was like watching an otaku excitedly recommend their favorite anime. In other words, Leon was very reliable.

Thanks to her, I quickly decided on a product.

“But isn’t renting kind of unseemly?”

“…What are you saying?”

I paid for it in full.

“Wait… did you just pay for that in full?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Do you even know how expensive that is…? I’ve always thought this, but aren’t you a bit too reckless with your spending? Is your bank account even okay?”

“But Leon, have you ever seen a noble lady paying in installments?”

A noble lady and renting. Could there be a more mismatched combination of words?

A noble lady should only see and wear the finest things.

I heard that repeatedly at the duke’s estate: associating with anything vulgar would lower my dignity.

Me, renting a product?

Not a chance.

“…Ugh, you and your obsession. Don’t expect me to help if you go bankrupt.”

By evening, the installation technicians had arrived. I didn’t expect them to come the same day I ordered it.

“So, this is a VR device? It’s bigger than I imagined.”

“Oh, you’re just in time. The setup is finished.”

As I approached the capsule, Leon, who had been adjusting some settings, stepped aside.

To put it simply, it looked like a cryosleep capsule from a sci-fi movie. The design was round and quite cute, but at a glance, it also looked like a coffin.

It wasn’t far off. After all, it was a capsule designed for a person to enter.

“What’s your plan? Are you going to go in right away?”

“Of course. Let’s get started.”

I opened the capsule door and stepped inside.

【Confirming user’s biometric information.】

【Biometric information confirmed. Checking real-time health status.】

【Health status confirmed. Registering new user information.】

【Registration complete.】

【Connecting to the virtual reality world.】

“Hm, looks like it’s working well.”

Leon looked at Laura, who was now inside the capsule.

She was lying there with her eyes closed as if she were asleep, and Leon couldn’t help but sigh at the sight.

She didn’t look like the arrogant, over-the-top concept-obsessed person from earlier.

With hair like the night sky, slightly exotic features, and pure white skin, if Sleeping Beauty existed, she would surely look like this.

Of course, being a princess was only an outward appearance.

Which is why it was all the more frustrating.

“If I looked like that, I’d be living a much better life… Ugh.”

Leon slumped into a chair, staring blankly at the monitor.

On the screen was the VR space and an avatar that looked just like Laura.

The technicians who came earlier had connected the VR capsule to the monitor, so Leon could watch the virtual reality that Laura was experiencing.

“Will she be as good at VR games?”

Having lived with Laura for three years, Leon knew she was a gaming fanatic and that she was exceptionally good at games.

Leon envied that. How many times had she wished she could play games as well as Laura?

Fate could be so unfair. It wasn’t enough that Laura was beautiful; she was talented too, making the world seem all the more unjust.

But what could she do?

People have to live with what they’re given.

“Sigh.”

Leon sighed again and crossed her arms.

She had nothing to do at the moment, wanted to make sure the VR setup was working well, and most of all, wanted to see if Laura would dominate VR games too.

So, Leon kept her eyes on the monitor.