The Former Saintess Heroine Who Keeps Getting Served: Fleeing the Story's Compulsion for a Slow Life! - Chapter 1

What’s your take on the heroines in those mega-popular stories where the villainess gets the happy ending?

Yeah, they’re the ones who get utterly crushed—the ones who receive their just desserts.

I mean, villainess is the real heroine, right? The original heroine is just the antagonist.

Well, guess who got reincarnated as the heroine in one of these “villainess takes all” stories? Me.

And this isn’t my first rodeo.

It’s not quite a death loop like the villains endure, where they keep restarting as the same character. For me, it’s been a constant cycle of reincarnation, reincarnation, reincarnation—every time as the heroine of a different tale.

The first few times, I was over the moon! “I’ve been reborn as an otome game heroine! Or a shōjo manga lead! Or the star of a light novel for women! Woohoo!”

I’ve done the adopted Baron’s daughter who walks into the academy and creates a reverse harem.

The unknown saintess from a small village who becomes the Crown Prince’s consort candidate.

The sickly younger sister who steals the heart of her older sister’s fiancé.

Oh, and my favorite: the true love of the guy who flat-out declares, “I will never love you.”

I’ve checked off every heroine archetype on the list!

But after living all those heroine’s lives…

I’m just done.

That’s the honest truth.

Sure, when I first reincarnated as a heroine, I was playing the part with gusto. When gorgeous, handsome gentlemen are fawning over you, you naturally follow the plot, aim for that heroine’s happy ending, and get a bit big-headed, don’t you? We’re only human.

But then came the inevitable bad ending, and I thought, “Hold on, something’s not right here.”

After the second, and then the third time, it became glaringly obvious.

The person who repeatedly gets condemned, suffers retribution, and meets a nasty end isn’t the villainess—it’s me, the heroine.

I’m supposed to be the lead, but I never, ever get a happy ending.

The heroine is the villain, constantly racking up hatred points.

The rival villainess is the actual protagonist.

I’ve been stuck in this endless cycle of reincarnating into worlds where villainess is the destined winner.

Lately, I’ve been trying desperately to break free from the whole narrative.

But no luck.

The story’s Compulsion Force is simply too ridiculously strong.

Even when I’m screaming no internally, the flags for the plot keep popping up left and right.

And then, utterly shallow, ridiculous, unbelievable lines come pouring out of my own mouth!

Like telling a legitimate noble lady, “That’s awful! Why must you, Lady Villainess, be so cruel to me?” or stealing credit while whimpering, “But the real saintess doesn’t have any power,” or—the classic for the Cinderella-type sisters—”Big sister is so mean, it’s not fair!”

My self-righteousness is terrifying.

With every single sentence, my need for attention and my inner viciousness doubles.

And I just can’t stop it.

—Aaaagh! I’m heading straight back down the condemnation path!

While my soul thrashes in despair, I’ve already collected the full set: execution by guillotine, jail time, forced exile, the entire family being executed, the brothel scenario, and even the one where the villainess married the prince of a rival nation, leading to a massive war and the kingdom’s collapse.

I have been condemned in every possible way!

Seriously, what terrible thing did I do in my original past life?

I doubt many souls have lived through this many ups and downs.

Honestly, I am burnt out…

Isn’t it time for a substitution?

Shouldn’t they put a tougher soul in the heroine role?

And seriously, shouldn’t getting condemned just once be enough for a system reset?

When I first started, I truly thought I’d find a sweet romance in a new world.

But after playing the heroine this many times, I was over it after the very first run.

To make matters worse, thanks to the Compulsion Force, the handsome guys who fawn over me all sound like generic RPG NPCs with super limited vocabulary. It’s so disheartening.

And yet, despite being utterly bored by the repetition, I still get swept up in the feeling—I fall into a state of emotional loss of control.

You know that archetypal villainess condemnation scene, don’t you?

“I’ve found my one true love! She is the woman of my destiny!”

That line that forces me, the heroine, to play the innocent shock card every single time.

That line that makes the villainess reel in disbelief.

I am absolutely convinced that’s the Compulsion Force kicking in!

I actually think that specific line is the definitive flag for the villainess happy end route.

Last time it happened, I swear I heard the Compulsion Force whisper, “Heroine’s condemnation route unlocked.”

Once that flag is up, there is no way to avoid the retribution. It’s the starting gun for the heroine’s immediate bad end.

I have this terrible feeling that if I get condemned and die this time, my soul will just disappear forever.

Why do I have to keep being reincarnated in this stupid two-dimensional fantasy world, gathering hatred, getting condemned, being judged, and dying repeatedly?!

Come on! Enough is enough!

This time, I absolutely have to break away from the story’s Compulsion Force.

And this time…

The enchantment is active, but no clumsy words, outrageous behaviour, or insults aimed at Lady Villainess are coming out of my mouth at all.

This has never happened before!

I haven’t died and been condemned countless times for nothing, you know.

I, who has looped back by death as many times as the villains do, can figure things out: when the Compulsion Force is this weak, the heroine’s post-story fate—while still a bad end—is usually milder.

That’s my chance!

With the weak Compulsion Force this time, I might actually be able to secure an escape route from the story!

Seriously, why is villainess the only one who gets to enjoy the other world? It’s so unfair! (Whoops, hold on, was that moment of jealousy the Compulsion Force acting up?)

Forget the handsome men. I don’t need them.

This soul, exhausted from being condemned non-stop, needs a calming slow life. Or maybe an exciting adventure!

I’m dedicating myself to escaping the condemnation route and the Compulsion Force!

So, while I’ve always been completely entangled by the story’s Compulsion Force, I finally see a ray of hope.

First, the villainess is a reincarnator, and she’s trying to suss me out.

Second, the Crown Prince, the heroine’s main conquest target, is reacting faintly (the enchantment is weak).

I succeeded in making contact with the story’s villainess—the Crown Prince’s official fiancée.

I sacrificed my body! I went for the classic school staircase fall! And I actually fell for real this time!

When the Compulsion Force was strong, I was forced to stage a fake fall that only caused minor scratches, but this time, I threw myself down with the conviction that I wouldn’t mind dying right there! And the result?

I got the payoff I needed! Successful contact with the Villainess (the Protagonist)!

The villainess, Lady Yurishia, was worryingly tending to me when I woke up. She’s genuinely nice.

“Are you awake, Lady Alice?”

Wow, Lady Yurishia, the Villainess (and Protagonist) of this story, is speaking to me. Black hair, deep green eyes—absolutely stunning! I always think it’s lovely how the villains are consistently the most beautiful characters. I’m jealous.

“Where am I?”

“You are at my family’s house.”

Apparently, I was unconscious for about three days.

I firmly grabbed Lady Yurishia’s hand and leaned closer.

“Are you a reincarnator, Lady Yurishia? I have a vital need to leave this country. If you answer truthfully, I can give you valuable information.”

“Leave this country… But you were adopted into the Duke Doria family specifically because you possess Holy Magic.”

“That’s precisely the part I didn’t want. So, are you a reincarnator?”

When I pleaded with a desperate look, she nodded.

Okay, this is going fast.

When I explained that I had been trapped in endless death loops as the heroine of various stories, she looked completely gobsmacked.

“Seriously, I just want to live a normal life away from this Compulsion Force!”

“Being subjected to death loops so many times, the Compulsion Force really does sound like a curse.”

“It is a curse. But this time, it’s weak. So, if I leave the country, maybe, just maybe, I can live this life until I reach its natural end.”

“But… wouldn’t it be too dangerous for a young woman to run away alone?”

That’s why I need one more accomplice.

Who?

Her fiancé: His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.

Character Profiles

Protagonist Alice: Pink-blonde hair, blue eyes.

Has repeatedly played the heroine in Villainess Happy End stories.

“Did I do something wrong in a past life? I need to break free from this story reincarnation (Compulsion Force) now.”

Lady Yurishia (Duke’s Daughter): Reincarnated Villainess.

Black hair, green eyes.

“I thought it was strange that the heroine was so quiet…”