After being reincarnated into her favorite Otome game as the villainess, Erica is determined to rewrite her destiny. From a young age, she immerses herself in the study and practice of powerful magic, vowing to avoid the ominous fate that awaits her character. Her journey is fraught with treacherous alliances, forbidden romances, and the dark secrets of her past.
As she navigates a world filled with danger and intrigue, Erica realizes that her path is far more complex than she ever imagined. She encounters enigmatic allies and formidable adversaries, each with their own hidden agendas. Through cunning and resilience, Erica strives to alter the course of her story, seeking not only to survive but to thrive.
This captivating novel delves deep into themes of empowerment, redemption, and the transformative power of love. With every twist and turn, readers will be drawn into a richly woven narrative that promises to enchant and thrill. Will Erica have the strength to defy her fate and uncover a love that flourishes in the shadows? Join her on this unforgettable journey and discover the true essence of a heroine reborn.
After being reincarnated into her favorite Otome game as the villainess, Erica is determined to rewrite her destiny. From a young age, she immerses herself in the study and practice of powerful magic, vowing to avoid the ominous fate that awaits her character. Her journey is fraught with treacherous alliances, forbidden romances, and the dark secrets of her past.
As she navigates a world filled with danger and intrigue, Erica realizes that her path is far more complex than she ever imagined. She encounters enigmatic allies and formidable adversaries, each with their own hidden agendas. Through cunning and resilience, Erica strives to alter the course of her story, seeking not only to survive but to thrive.
This captivating novel delves deep into themes of empowerment, redemption, and the transformative power of love. With every twist and turn, readers will be drawn into a richly woven narrative that promises to enchant and thrill. Will Erica have the strength to defy her fate and uncover a love that flourishes in the shadows? Join her on this unforgettable journey and discover the true essence of a heroine reborn.
When I turned five years old, all the memories of my previous life came flooding back to me. With those memories, I learned that I was reborn into a new world. This world happened to be the setting of my favorite otome game called âThe Freedom to Loveâ. In most otome games, there is a heroine, four so-called handsome men, and a villainess. You might wonder why a lesbian would favor a game focused on courting men. The answer is simple.
At the start of the game, players are free to explore various areas of the school campus. This is the part of the game where you typically meet one of the four men. However, if you venture to the back of the library, you will discover a special research room. Inside this room, Ginlivia von Merstun awaitsâa beautiful genius known for her groundbreaking experiments. If you assist her with a research experiment, it unlocks a fifth romance path in the game.
This game was revolutionary as it was one of the first otome games to feature a hidden romance path with a lesbian love story. Once on this path, players have the option to avoid interactions with the men in the game, instead focusing on winning Ginlivia's heart. The thrill of talking smack to the male characters and pursuing a happy ending with Ginlivia made the game uniquely enjoyable. Moreover, on the lesbian romance path, the villainess doesnât pose as much of an obstacle to your progress.
Unfortunately for me, I was reincarnated into the body of the game's villainess, Erica von Caludia. It was quite a shock to find myself in this role, knowing the game's narrative and the less-than-ideal fate awaiting Erica. But with my knowledge of the gameâs storyline, I believed I could navigate my way to avoid such a grim ending.
Before regaining my past life memories, my body was frail and sickly. I was bedridden for most of my early years until the age of five. It seemed that reclaiming my memories was the key to overcoming my physical weaknesses. Within a month of awakening, my health dramatically improved, though to everyone around me, I was still perceived as fragile. This perception worked to my advantage.
I became intensely focused on mastering the art of magic. In the game, Erica is known for her strong aptitude for fire magic, though she never truly honed her skills. But I was determined to change that. From the moment I regained my past memories, I practiced diligently, both in combat and magic. Most of this training was done in secret.
Given my reputation for frailty, I used the excuse of needing rest during the day, allowing me to sneak out at night to train. Initially, my goal was to fight monsters and gain experience. After years of secret training, I began to publicly show signs of recovery and requested tutors for magic and swordsmanship. My rapid progress earned me praise as a prodigy, a result of my years of practice.
During my magic lessons, I discovered that magic in this world was quite different from what I knew. In the game, there were only a few spells for each of the four basic elemental magics. The heroine, for instance, was a water magic user, and she could learn up to eight spells. Other characters who used water magic had the same spells, and the same pattern applied to the other elements. However, the game was not very focused on combat.
In this new reality, my instructor informed me that there were many more spells than I had imagined. There are also combination spells for those who can use multiple types of magic, although this is considered rare. I was taught the fundamentals of how magic spells are cast, and even had a short lesson on how new magic spells are formulated. That was considered an advanced lesson and not something I was ready for, so my instructor dismissed it as too advanced for me at the time.
Either way, in that brief lesson, I learned something even more valuable: people who are born with magical affinities donât actually exist. The concept of a natural magic affinity is a myth. But how is that possible? It all boils down to the formulation of spells and the inherent nature of mana.
In my previous life, most fantasy media that contained magic talked about mana as a vital force. Every living thing contained mana, and mana was used to cast spells. However, in this world, no one seemed to know what mana was. Magic was cast either through intricate magic circles or through incantations. When I questioned my instructors, they dismissed the need for someone of my station to understand such complexities. It was obvious they didnât know either.
One fateful day, curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to try and cast a spell without using an incantation or a magic circle. To my astonishment, the spell succeeded. I repeated the casting over and over. From my knowledge of fantasy media in my past life, I knew that mana within a person was limited and overusing it could cause mana sickness. Determined to test this theory, I continued to cast the spell until I felt weak and lightheaded. Thatâs when I realized that mana is indeed stored within a person and is the true source of this worldâs magic.
Now, how does this revelation translate to my conclusion that affinities donât exist? I tested a theory with another magic user in my familyâmy older brother, who was proficient in water magic. He was a skilled magician, and I asked him if I could watch him use his water magic. Through diligent practice with mana exercises, I had learned how to sense the flow of mana both within myself and in others. There was a subtle but significant difference in the flow of mana when casting fire magic compared to when my brother cast water magic. This distinct variation indicated that magic was not bound by innate affinities but could be learned and mastered through understanding and manipulation of mana.
Inspired by this discovery, I attempted to learn water magic as well. I focused on replicating the specific flow of mana I observed in my brother. It was a painstaking process, but with perseverance, I successfully cast my first water spell. This breakthrough was pivotalâit confirmed my hypothesis that affinities were not a limiting factor.
After mastering the basics of both water and fire magic, I arrived at the groundbreaking conclusion that specific magical affinities do not exist. My ability to perform fire and water magic at the same high level indicated that affinities were not as fixed as people believed. This revelation led me to hypothesize that a child must either see or feel another magic user's mana to unlock the use of that type of mana within themselves. This would explain why noble families often have children with the same magical affinity.
My curiosity intensified when I discovered that my family was quite surprised to learn about my older brother's proficiency in water magic, as it was not a common trait in our lineage. After some inquiries, I found out that one of my fatherâs noble friends belonged to a family of water magic users. Shortly after my brother was born, he was shown some water magic, which supports my theory that exposing young children to certain types of magic may determine their magical affinity.
What puzzled me further was why people adhered to the belief that they could not learn more than one type of magic. My experiments demonstrated otherwise, and I became determined to uncover the true nature of mana and magic.
Through diligent practice and observation, I found that the process of learning a new type of magic involved replicating the specific flow of mana associated with that magic. It required patience, precision, and an acute sensitivity to the nuances of mana manipulation. This meticulous work confirmed my theory: the key to mastering any type of magic was understanding and controlling the flow of mana, rather than being limited by a so-called innate affinity.
This insight not only challenged the conventional wisdom of my world but also opened up new possibilities for magical study and practice. I realized that with the right knowledge and training, anyone could potentially learn and master multiple types of magic, breaking free from the constraints imposed by traditional beliefs.
Honestly, I think the people in this world are just dumb. Either that or someone is lying to everyone. I think both are highly likely, and it could even be a combination of both. Either way, I spent the next couple years learning all four of the elemental magics which unlocked two new types of magic for me. Light and dark.
I focused mostly on learning about light magic and did little experimenting with dark magic. I tried looking through the library to find out about these two types of magic, but there are no records of it existing. So, I had to learn the hard way and had to keep the knowledge of that a secret.
***
Today marks a significant dayâthe beginning of my new life at the academy. After the opening ceremony, my first destination is the library, where I hope to meet Ginlivia von Merstun, the woman of my dreams, and begin the journey Iâve been eagerly anticipating since I was five years old!
âToday is the start of your new life here at our prestigious academy. As you walk these halls, remember that each one of you has the potential to achieve greatness. Embrace the challenges ahead, and seize every opportunity to learn and grow. I look forward to embarking on this journey with all of you. Thank you, and welcome to our academy!â
The woman who scored top grades in the entrance exam finished her speech and walked off stage. I wasnât paying attention and only caught the end of it. People cheered and had more enthusiasm than I was expecting. Shortly after, we were let out. That took way too long.
I needed to get out of the assembly hall quickly. I couldn't afford to waste time running into any of those four prominent students, or worse, the heroine of the story. Their situation was always filled with drama, and I would much rather enjoy a quiet and peaceful time at the academy. The entrance exam was surprisingly easier than I had anticipated, so much so that I intentionally marked a few wrong answers just to avoid getting the top spot. No way was I going to give a speech to this enormous crowd.
As I began my journey around the school, searching for the library, I realized how unfamiliar I was with the layout. Despite playing the game multiple times, the transitions were mostly still images and jumps through the environment, leaving me clueless about the actual locations. I assumed the library would be on the first floor, as most libraries tend to be.
After wandering for about twenty minutes, I finally found it. The library was an impressive sight, with towering shelves packed with countless books, spanning two stories. The sheer volume of knowledge contained within these walls was both overwhelming and exhilarating.
I walked briskly towards the back of the library, where there were numerous empty rooms for students to use. As I made my way looking, I saw one of the rooms was lit up. This had to be the room I was seeking. Approaching the light, I felt a thrill of excitementâthis was the same room I remembered from the game.
âHello? Is anyone here?â I called out, my voice echoing slightly in the vast, book-filled room.
âHuh? Uh, yeah! Iâm here. I didnât expect anyone to come here.â A woman's voice responded, tinged with surprise. That must be her! My heart skipped a beat; I was already smitten just by hearing her voice.
âSorry to intrude, I saw a glow coming from this room and came to see what was going on,â I said, trying to sound as innocent and non-threatening as possible while I stepped further into the room, my eyes scanning the dimly lit interior.
The room was filled with various magical apparatuses and ingredients sprawled across the tables. The soft glow that had caught my eye emanated from a peculiar setup in the corner, where I could now see a young woman busily working.
âAmazing! Your setup here is incredible,â I said, genuinely impressed by the array of magical artifacts and tools assembled in the room.
âThanks,â she replied, her focus never wavering from the task at hand. My curiosity got the better of me as I wandered closer, trying to make sense of what she was doing. Among the organized chaos on her table, one object immediately caught my eye.
It was a notebook with English text on the cover.
I hadnât seen English writing since my previous life on Earth. The familiar script seemed entirely out of place in a world filled with magic and alchemy. I picked it up, turning it over in my hands before holding it out toward her. âDid you write this in English?â
She glanced up, her eyes widening in disbelief. âYou can read that?â
âI can! Itâs the same language as where I was from!â I exclaimed, a wave of nostalgia and astonishment washing over me.
Her expression shifted from surprise to understanding. âYouâre from Earth too?â
âYes!â I exclaimed, feeling a rush of excitement. âI canât believe it. This is incredible. Itâs like finding a piece of home in this strange new world.â
âSame here,â she said, her eyes bright with a mixture of relief and joy. âIâm Gina, by the way. Itâs such a relief to meet someone else who understands. Are you going by Erica, or are you still using your past life name?â she asked, her tone filled with curiosity.
I chuckled softly, feeling a strange sense of camaraderie with her. âSo, you played this game too, huh? And yeah, Erica is fine.â
"Oh, absolutely! I was hooked on it! I have to say, I was really stunned to see you here, but it all makes sense now since you also know how the game goes," she said, then paused as a thought struck her. "Wait, does that mean you came here because you knew Ginlivia was going to be here and you hoped to start down the romance path with me?" she asked, looking at me with a smug expression.
I could feel my cheeks heating up at her words. âWell, maybe that was part of it,â I admitted, feeling a bit awkward.
âSorry, I didnât mean to be too forward,â she said, her cheeks turning a bit pink. âIâm bi myself, which is why I was so drawn to this game. I got a little extra flirty because, well, I have a crush on the villainess. You.â
I blinked in surprise. âWait, really?â I asked, feeling a mix of shock and amusement.
Gina nodded, and we both burst into laughter, the tension between us dissipating. It was a strange mix of nervousness and relief, and the absurdity of our situation struck us both. Here we were, in a magical world, reincarnated into the bodies of characters from a game we both loved and apparently, we were each otherâs in-game crushes.
âI canât believe this,â I said, shaking my head with a smile. âThis whole situation is just... unbelievable.â
âTell me about it,â Gina agreed, her laughter ringing through the air. Her bubbly personality was infectious, and I found myself feeling more at ease with each passing moment. âI mean, who would have thought weâd end up meeting like this? Itâs pretty wild.â
âYeah, it really is,â I said, still grinning. âBut itâs kind of amazing too. I mean, what are the odds?â
âPretty slim, Iâd say,â Gina replied with a giggle. âBut Iâm glad it happened. Itâs nice to have someone here who gets it, you know? Someone who understands.â
âAbsolutely,â I agreed, feeling a warmth spread through me. âItâs a relief to not feel so alone in this world. And, well, itâs kind of exciting to think about what we might be able to do together.â
Ginaâs eyes sparkled with excitement. âYeah! We can explore this world, figure out its secrets, and maybe even change the story. Who knows what kind of adventures await us?â
âFor sure,â I said, my heart racing with anticipation. âI canât wait to see what happens next.â
We spent the next hour chatting in her lab, sharing stories and getting to know each other better. Gina mentioned that this was her second year at the school and that she often came to the lab to work on assignments or to find some quiet time alone. She told me about her childhood, her passion for fantasy games, and how she had always dreamed of being part of an adventure like the one we were now experiencing. In return, I shared my own journey, the highs and lows, and how I never expected to meet someone like her in this new world.
The conversation flowed effortlessly, and time seemed to fly by. Ginaâs enthusiasm and energy were contagious, and I found myself growing more and more fond of her. She had a way of making everything seem exciting and full of possibilities. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she spoke about the different quests and challenges we might face together.
Then she offered to give me a tour of the school since this was her second year here. As we walked through the grand halls and beautifully manicured gardens, she pointed out various landmarks and shared anecdotes about her time at the academy. We passed by the training grounds where students honed their combat skills, and the serene lake where many came to reflect and find peace.
Each place held its own charm and story, and Ginaâs vivid descriptions brought them to life. I felt a sense of belonging and anticipation for the adventures that awaited us. Her bubbly personality was infectious, and I found myself feeling more at ease with each passing moment.
Just as we were wrapping up the tour, we heard footsteps behind us.
Alright, letâs talk about this book because wow-itâs a ride. Imagine otome games, reincarnation drama, and breaking societal norms all tossed into a chaotic, spellbound blender. The result? A story that's equal parts intrigue, magic, and emotional evolution.
So, hereâs the setup: Erica von Caludia, our lead, discovers sheâs been reincarnated into the villainess of her favorite otome game, "The Freedom to Love." But rather than accepting her role as the doomed antagonist, she decides to rewrite her fate entirely. Cue a fierce journey of magical mastery, self-discovery, and the determination to avoid every pitfall of her predestined bad ending.
At the heart of the story is Gina-a vibrant, flirty, and utterly charming potion enthusiast who has her own connection to their shared past life. Their dynamic? Electric. Their chemistry? Off the charts. What starts as shared nostalgia quickly blossoms into something deeper as they navigate academy life, unravel hidden secrets, and confront Erica's traumatic past.
The magic system is intricate, the world-building immersive, and the pacing? Perfection. Just when you think you know where itâs heading-BAM! A twist. Erica's plot to fake her own death and shed her noble identity is a high-stakes move that leaves readers gripping the edges of their seats.
And the emotional depth? Chefâs kiss. Ericaâs confrontation with her past trauma is raw, real, and handled with such care that it adds a layer of relatability to the fantastical setting. Meanwhile, Gina's bubbly demeanor hides her own struggles, making her a perfectly flawed counterpart to Erica's calculated brilliance.
Bottom line: If you love reincarnation tales with a twist, LGBTQ+ representation that feels authentic, and characters who are delightfully human, this is the book for you. Grab it, dive in, and prepare for a wild, heartfelt, and utterly magical ride.
Tbh this is my first LGBTQ+ book and it was indeed a good one.