The Darkened Second Male Lead Seeks to Rewrite the Original Storyline

Ria pushed the girl in front of her with a sharp, forceful motion.

“Ah…!”

The girl, Siklaen, let out a desperate cry as she stumbled backward and fell to the ground. Her knees scraped against the floor, blood beginning to seep through the fabric.

The students gathered around murmured among themselves, their voices a low hum of intrigue. Ria glanced around the growing crowd.

“Ria…?”

Siklaen looked up at Ria in disbelief, tears welling up in her dog-like eyes.

“Stop crying. Do you think everything will work out if you just cry?”

Ria’s voice was cutting, loud enough for everyone to hear. The crowd pressed closer, curiosity drawing them in.

Siklaen bit her lip as if trying to hold back her tears, while Ria stared down at her with an unfeeling expression—the perfect image of a villainess.

“We’re… we’re friends, Ria,” Siklaen whispered.

“Friends? How naive. You still…”

Ria started to say something but stopped herself. Instead, she strode toward Siklaen and grabbed her arm, roughly pulling her to her feet.

A flicker of hope appeared on Siklaen’s face for a brief moment, but it disappeared as soon as she noticed Ria’s raised right hand.

“R-Ria!”

Siklaen’s eyes widened, and tears spilled down her cheeks. Her pitiful expression made Ria hesitate. Her chest heaved as she struggled to steady her breath. Her hand rose higher, but before she could act, Siklaen shut her eyes tightly.

“Ria.”

A firm hand caught her wrist mid-air. Ria slowly turned her head to see who it was.

“Why are you here?”

She instantly recognized him—his silvery hair gleamed, and his pale blue eyes darkened with intensity. Unlike the other students in their standard uniforms, he stood out in his black attire.

He was Zen Widia, the sole heir to the throne of the Baissen Empire and someone who should not have been here.

Ria’s eyes trembled as Zen gently lowered her hand. She lacked the strength to resist him. With a sharp tug, Zen pulled her closer, causing Siklaen to stumble backward in confusion.

“Let’s go.”

Zen’s focus was solely on Ria as he strode forward, holding her wrist firmly. Siklaen, completely ignored, stood frozen in shock. It was Ria who glanced back at Siklaen with a trace of concern, a sight that left the onlookers murmuring amongst themselves.

“Wait! Hold on!”

Ria struggled against Zen’s grip, but it was futile.

“Zen!”

He finally stopped walking when they reached a secluded corner of the garden. The area was overgrown with tall trees and bushes, with not a single person in sight. Only after confirming their solitude did Zen release her wrist.

Ria rubbed her now-free wrist and looked around. Behind her was a tall wall, and in front of her stood Zen, blocking her path. Shadows from the trees cast an eerie gloom, making it hard to read his expression.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Her voice shook with a mix of anger and fear. Zen replied calmly, his tone almost leisurely.

“If you commit an act of violence, you’ll be expelled from the academy.”

His words struck a nerve. Ria’s frustration spilled over as she yelled, “What does that have to do with you?!”

Without warning, Zen dropped to one knee, as if proposing. Startled, Ria glanced around, unable to make sense of the situation.

Zen gently touched her hand. She flinched at the contact, but he seemed unfazed and brought her hand closer to him.

Then, he kissed it.

“It has everything to do with me.”

Ria’s eyes widened in shock, her pupils dilating as if they were about to fall out of their sockets. She stared at him, utterly speechless.

Just then, sunlight broke through the gaps in the trees, illuminating Zen. His silver hair caught the light, scattering it in all directions, and his pale blue eyes glowed with an ethereal radiance. The earlier shadows seemed like a distant illusion.

Before she realized it, Ria found herself captivated, her gaze fixed on his face. Zen’s lips curled into a slight smile as he spoke.

“I’ve decided to choose you in this life.”

His voice was sweet, dangerously so, and Ria couldn’t help but realize it instinctively.

Barely a week since she had been reincarnated as the villainess in this romance fantasy, the original story had already been shattered—by the man standing in front of her.

Ria sat in front of a mirror, tilting her head this way and that to examine her reflection. Her translucent skin looked almost like porcelain, and her jet-black hair shimmered as it cascaded just above her waist. Her vivid green eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, were framed by thick, dark lashes.

She ran her fingers over her unfamiliar face. It had already been a week since she arrived in this world, but she still wasn’t used to seeing this face in the mirror.

“Is something troubling you, my lady?”

Isabel, who was tending to Ria’s hair from behind, looked concerned.

“It’s nothing.”

Isabel had been serving the Keblick family since she was young and was unfailingly loyal, but even so, Ria couldn’t tell her the truth.

‘How could I possibly explain that I suddenly woke up in this world and that I’m not the lady she knows?’

Ria’s mind drifted back to that bizarre moment.

She had been walking home after finishing her part-time job. The alleyways at 4 a.m. were dark and deserted. Her thoughts were consumed by the exam she had the next day, so much so that she didn’t notice someone following her.

Heavy footsteps grew louder behind her. By the time she realized something was wrong, it was too late.

“Who…? Ah…!”

The moment she opened her mouth, a surge of searing pain overwhelmed her. Her pupils dilated, and her body trembled uncontrollably, as if she’d been thrown into a blazing inferno. The pain was so intense that she couldn’t even scream. She collapsed to the ground, her vision filling with a blinding light.

When she regained consciousness, she found herself here—in the world of a romance fantasy novel she had binge-read just days ago.

Ria stared into the mirror at her reflection. It was her face, and yet it didn’t feel like her own. A deep sigh escaped her lips, heavy with the weight of uncertainty.

“Shall I braid your hair, my lady?” Isabel’s face peeked in through the door.

“Hmm… no, just leave it loose.”

“As you wish, my lady.”

As Isabel carefully combed her hair, Ria’s expression hardened with determination. Today was an important day. The results of her week-long effort to endure and adapt would finally unfold.

‘I need to look as much like a villainess as possible.’

She furrowed her brows, glared into the mirror, and tilted the corners of her eyes into a sharp, malicious expression. She repeated the motion until her reflection radiated the malice she sought.

Once her hair was done, she headed to the dining hall alone. The massive chandelier and the long, opulent dining table, reminiscent of a drama scene, had become a familiar sight by now.

Ria carefully sat in the chair pulled out for her by the butler. What she still couldn’t get used to, however, was the weight of her title as a duke’s daughter—the web of relationships and expectations that came with it.

“My lady, I’ll bring you some soup and bread,” said one of the maids.

Ria gave a small nod, and the maids gingerly transferred the food from the tray to the table. They quickly withdrew as if afraid of provoking her, their hurried steps betraying their fear.

Ria let out a soft sigh. It was uncomfortable, but she understood why they acted that way—after all, the former Ria had earned that reputation.

Since her possession, she had done nothing but quietly bathe, eat, and dress, yet everyone stared at her in confusion.

In the original story, Ria was the epitome of a spoiled villainess. She’d throw a basin of water if it wasn’t warm enough, fire the head chef on a whim if her favorite dish wasn’t served, and spare no expense on her extravagant appearances.

Unlike other villains, Ria had no tragic backstory or sympathetic motives.

‘She was just blinded by petty jealousy.’

Ria sighed again.

There was no helping it. The romance fantasy novel, Royal Academy of Thrills, demanded a satisfying dose of catharsis every few chapters, and Ria served as the perfect, senseless antagonist for it.

[She loves the male lead, Derren, becomes jealous of the heroine, Siklaen, torments her, and ultimately meets her downfall.]

It was a typical, straightforward story.

Ria carefully sipped her soup, trying not to make a clinking sound with the spoon. The delicious flavor instantly brightened her expression. She almost smiled but quickly suppressed it.

Truthfully, she’d been thoroughly enjoying the luxurious meals in this world since her arrival. But she couldn’t let that show—she’d risk being deemed insane.

She was doing her best to live as the original Ria Keblick had—arrogant, extravagant, and cruel.

All for Siklaen’s sake.

Unlike most readers who fell for the male lead, Ria had always been drawn to Siklaen. She saw herself in the heroine, who shared a similar past. Siklaen’s journey of overcoming hardship and achieving happiness had even brought Ria to tears.

‘Siklaen must be happy, no matter what.’

Ria nodded firmly to herself.

If ensuring Siklaen’s happy ending meant playing the role of the villain, she was willing to do it.

‘That’s why today is so important.’

She would corner Siklaen, slap her in front of everyone, and have Derren witness the scene. That would lead to her expulsion, just like in the original story.

Expulsion wasn’t a death sentence. It merely meant being cast out of high society to live quietly in solitude. Compared to the crimes the original Ria had committed, it was a light punishment. Besides, Ria wasn’t fond of high society anyway.

Tearing a piece of bread, Ria’s gaze burned with resolve. She would do whatever it took to ensure Siklaen’s happiness.

It was more than just a promise for Siklaen’s sake—it was also a step toward her own redemption.