Chapter 2

✨ Chapter 2 - A Novel Inside a Novel Inside a Novel

Exhausted. I collapse onto a massive stone, gasping for air, my chest rising and falling like a trapped bird.

Am I even close to where Maribelle will appear? I hope so. She's my only hope right now.

I grab my phone. Battery's surprisingly okay. Probably because... I'm in a place that exists outside normal time and space.

Yeah, that makes sense.

I glance around.

Thank goodness Kaiden didn't follow me.

Still, if I'm honest, survival here is a dice roll. Even without Kaiden throttling me, this island could kill me just for fun.

I squint at the sun. Based on its height, it's almost midday.

Great.

Only a few hours before darkness falls-and then the monsters will come.

My throat dry, I pull my water bottle from my backpack and gulp it down like my life depends on it. Which, let's be honest, it probably does.

Okay, map time.

According to the novel illustrations: the island splits into South and North. Currently, I'm in the South.

Everyone else started out here, leaving the North... mysterious. Dangerous. Monster-central. Endgame territory.

If the author sticks to the plan, that's where characters go to die. Lovely.

I jot it down in my notebook-two maps: one with all the info, one with directions only.

A backup in case my phone dies.

I double-check everything then pack up to continue.

I keep my eyes peeled, scanning for clues from the novel's description.

Where would the ML and the MC be?

Cliffside, on the shore. Yep... that's vague, but it's something.

Scratching my head, I trudge onward.

When hunger pangs hit so I reach for my groceries... then remember I stored them in the system.

How do I open it again?

Swipe in the air.

Click imaginary buttons.

"System screen!"

Nothing.

I slump. I'm doomed.

Then, suddenly...

Ding!

The system screen appears.

Instructions float in the air:

[ Mind Communication activated. ]

Ohhh. Right. Thought, not touch. Got it.

I select "Goods Storage" and grab some slices of bread. Instantly, it appears in my hand.

Literally magic.

"Thanks, I needed this," I mutter, happily munching.

The sun climbs higher. I'm still trudging from the South to the West End.

Finally, a massive cliff looms in front of me. Towering, immense.

Back in my world, buildings were tall-but cliffs like this? Not even one in the countryside. It would be my first time seeing something like it.

But it's no time to admire. I skirt the water's edge to avoid the forest. Tide's low.

Lucky me, thanks the heavens.

Excitement mixes with dread. Soon, I'll face more characters from the novel.

I hope Landon the Main ML won't be as bad as he was in the first chapter of the novel, I beg.

After more walking, I spot a hut from afar.

And two people, busy with something. This must be the scene where Maribelle first showed off her skills.

✨✨~~~🦋

Maribelle POV

Salt clung to the wind like a whisper that refused to fade.

A few hours ago, I had tried to run.

A few hours ago, I had almost been strangled to death by none other than Landon François Marcellus, the main male lead of the cursed novel I foolishly picked up.

And now?

Now I was trapped inside the body of Maribelle Reverie Aristella.

The villainess.

The empire’s psychopath.

Daughter of Duke Aristella, one of the empire’s strongest pillars… and owner of the most spectacularly doomed fate in the entire story.

How unfortunate for me.

Because the original Maribelle had been utterly, catastrophically obsessed with Duke Landon François Marcellus, the emperor’s discarded bastard, born from a concubine and exiled to the frozen North.

He's a war hero, of course.

Cold-blooded monster, classic.

And, most importantly…The man who would eventually kill me.

A chill crawled slowly down my spine.

Apparently, the original Maribelle had treated him like a genuine lunatic, would  stalked him whenever he visited the capital, orchestrating humiliations just to isolate him, all under the delusional belief that if he were lonely enough…he would cling to her.

An absolutely psycho.

And now I was the one stuck cleaning up her mess.

I rubbed my throbbing temple.

To make matters worse, the novel had already begun. Every major character was stranded on this nameless, cursed island.

Monsters prowled after sunset. Death flags were practically growing like weeds.

And as if the universe had not suffered me enough already, it was an R19 BL novel.

Which meant:

Every male lead hated me, spectacular.

Especially Kaiden Sylvester Courtois the maddened Archmage and Khalid Dimitri Malcolm, the smiling butcher who treated bloodshed like fine art.

Either of them could kill me.

Actually, correction... all of them could.

How very reassuring.

I exhaled slowly and forced my attention back to the tide pools glittering under the lowering sun.

Starving came before existential dread.

With practiced care, I hurled the crude harpoon I had fashioned earlier. The water was low, retreating between the rocks  perfect for trapping fish.

Luck, at last.

The spear struck true.

I waded forward and retrieved the flailing fish with my bare hands, dropping it into the bamboo basket I had woven earlier as well.

Behind me, a faint rustle of wood.

I froze.

Slowly, I turned my head.

…Of course.

Landon stood several paces away, watching me.

His pale eyes that cold, crystalline blue  were fixed on me with unsettling intensity, as though he were peeling apart every thought I tried to hide.

What is he staring at?

Is this his first time seeing someone catch fish?

No…

Realization struck like a falling stone.

Right.

I wasn’t supposed to know how to do this.

Noble ladies did not spear fish.

Noble ladies did not weave baskets.

Noble ladies certainly did not survive like this.

My head began to throb.

Argh.

I couldn’t exactly starve to maintain character consistency.

Before I could spiral further. .. suddenly..

A scream tore through the air.

Sharp. Female and close.

My head snapped toward the direction of our crude hut.

Landon moved instantly.

In one smooth motion, he raised the second harpoon the one I had made his posture shifting into something quietly lethal.

Wait..who?

Without thinking, I grabbed the basket and ran.

Sand kicked behind my feet as I rushed toward the sound.

And then...I saw her.

My breath caught.

She was… wrong.

Not wrong in a bad way just… out of place. Like someone had dropped a fragment of another world into this cursed island.

Modern clothes. Soft and cute. Definitely Southeast Asian style if my memory wasn’t failing me.

Her hair fell in long, snowy curls. Her lashes were pale. And her eyes... were soft blush-pink like dawn reflected over glass water.

She's pretty, fragile yet almost unreal.

And.. my gaze dropped.

A backpack.

My heart skipped.

She came from my world.

But..

Why was she still in her original body?

Why wasn’t she a character?

What happened?

She looked at me then eyes wide and faintly pleading.

My chest tightened.

The sun was already sinking.

Night was coming and monsters would follow.

I stepped forward.. only to stop abruptly.

Landon’s arm blocked my path.

I looked up.

His eyes were colder up close, it was sharp, measuring and suspicious. Like a blade resting lightly against skin.

I swallowed the irritation rising in my throat.

“I would like to speak with her, Duke Marcellus.”

My voice stayed steady, though my spine prickled under his gaze.

He did not move.

“Do you know her?” he asked probing.

“I don’t,” I replied calmly. “That is precisely why I need to ask.”

For a long moment, we simply stared at each other.

The air between us tightened.

“Why,” he said at last, voice edged with quiet disdain, “would you concern yourself with this thing?”

“Ahm. I’m sorry — I’m not an object.”

The girl raised her hand weakly.

Despite everything, I almost laughed.

I forced my expression to remain composed.

“Because we are stranded on an unknown island,” I said firmly. “Information is survival. If she knows something useful, we need it.”

My head was really starting to hurt.

Landon’s eyes narrowed slightly then he leaned closer, too close.

His voice dropped near my ear, deep and chilling.

“So now you’re being logical.”

Goosebumps erupted across my skin.

“I thought your only talent was making spectacles to gain my attention.”

My jaw tightened.

That was the original Maribelle, you walking frostbite.

But unfortunately…I was the one taking the damage now.

“Or,” he murmured, voice turning dangerously soft, “is this simply a new method?”

Before I could snap back, his expression hardened.

“Aren’t you the one who abducted me here, you deranged woman?”

Ah.

His still stuck on that.

Wonderful.

Before the situation could escalate further..

He straightened abruptly.

“…Go.”

The word was clipped, almost dismissive but he stepped aside.

It's a permission granted.

I wasted no time.

I hurried toward the girl and gently guided her a short distance away. Not far that Landon still watched us like a hawk but enough for privacy.

The moment we stopped, she leaned closer.

“He’s terrifying,” she whispered.

Relief flickered faintly in my chest.

Finally, someone sane.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly.

I blinked then she sighed dramatically.

“No wonder he’s the main male lead. He scared me half to death — and that was before Kaiden could even appear properly.”

My heart skipped.

Slowly…I grabbed her shoulders.

“…Maribelle?” she said cautiously.

That was enough.

“You— you read it too?” I whispered.

Her face brightened.

“Yes,” she said. “But… not the exact version you did.”

My brain stalled.

“…What?”

“The one I read,” she continued, “was from your point of view.”

Silence crashed into my skull.

“…What?”

She sighed like this was perfectly normal.

“Apparently, you become the main character. You survive by helping those lunatic male leads stay alive — which makes everyone both suspicious and fascinated by you.”

She tilted her chin toward Landon.

“Especially him.”

My jaw dropped.

That was..

That was..

That was absolutely insane.

“Does that mean…” I swallowed. “You’re from another world too?”

“Yes,” she said easily, smiling.

Okay.

Okay.

I could work with this.

Maybe.

“How are you still in your original body?” I pressed.

She tapped her chin thoughtfully.

“Last thing I remember, I was staring at Kaiden’s illustration on my phone wallpaper. I was crossing the street… and when I blinked, I was here. Right where Kaiden was supposed to wake up.”

I stared at her.

“…You’re kidding.”

“I wish.”

My brain began to hurt.

“So we’re… in the novel I read,” I said slowly, “while also being inside the novel you read?”

She grinned.

“Yep. Novel inside a novel inside a novel.”

What a nightmare.

I rubbed my face.

In the distance, Landon had not moved an inch, still watching with such cold expression and suspicion.

“He’s such a pain,” the girl muttered.

I huffed a quiet laugh.

Relief..warm and fragile loosened something tight in my chest.

“I thought he was going to kill me earlier,” I admitted.

“Oh, that scene?” she waved lightly. “He’s just confused. He thinks you kidnapped him or that it’s rebellion-related. None of that is actually true.”

I froze.

“…You know why we’re here?”

She shrugged.

“Honestly? Probably for plot convenience. Survival tension. And… well… other R19 reasons.”

Well, that's disturbingly fair.

She leaned closer, studying me.

“You didn’t really grasp the situation earlier,” she said. “First time reading a novel?”

I flinched...then looked away.

“And not even a proper one,” she added sweetly. “A draft R19 at that.”

I stared very intently at the ocean as if looking at my own embarrassment.

“Well,” I said briskly, “you must be hungry. I’m roasting fish.”

Her eyes lit up.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

She smiled warmly.

Something fluttered oddly in my chest.

“I expected that,” she said. “You’re really a good person.”

I frowned.

“I’ll help you,” she added then pouted toward Landon. “But I think you need to leash that one first.”

I sighed deeply.

Grabbing her hand, I asked, “What should I call you?”

She beamed.

“Vianna. Vianna Bellerosé.”

Her smile bloomed like a flower under sunlight.

And for the first time since waking in this cursed novel, I felt something dangerously close to relief.

“…Let’s go then, Vianna.”

Hand in hand, we walked back toward the coldest man on the island.

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