Reincarnated as the Villainess’s Unlucky Bodyguard

Liria sprawled across her bed, exhaustion etched into every fiber of her being. Ananara perched on the bedside table, glaring at the both of them as if their mere existence offended him. Enara, sitting cross-legged at the foot of the bed, tapped her chin thoughtfully as she stared at Liria.

"What?" Liria asked, her voice muffled by the pillow.

"Your teeth," Enara said, her midnight eyes narrowing.

"My teeth?" Liria sat up, frowning. "What about them?"

"They're… sharper."

"Sharper?" Liria rubbed at her jaw absently.

"Not just sharper. They're fangs," Enara added, leaning forward. "When did this happen?"

Liria blinked, her confusion turning to alarm as she darted over to the mirror. Peering at her reflection, she bared her teeth. Sure enough, her canines looked longer, almost predatory.

"Oh, great," she groaned, poking at one of them. "First uncontrollable black fire, now vampire cosplay. What's next? Wings? A tail?"

"Wings could be cool," Enara quipped, smirking.

"Not helping."

"I wasn't trying to," Enara shot back, standing and approaching Liria. "But seriously, this isn't normal. Even for you."

Enara folded her arms. "I'm just saying, people don't randomly grow fangs overnight, Liria. It's not exactly subtle, either. What if someone notices?"

Liria groaned again, flopping back onto her bed dramatically. "As if I didn't have enough problems. Do you think I can file them down or something?"

Enara snorted. "Sure, if you want to look like a discount butcher job. No, you're stuck with them. Might as well lean into it."

Ananara, who had been silent for most of the exchange, finally interjected. "As fascinating as your dental drama is, perhaps you should focus on the bigger picture. Like the fact that you're clearly becoming something other than human."

Liria shot him a glare. "You don't think I know that, you overripe thornball?"

"I'm just saying, your transformation might not stop at teeth," Ananara said smugly.

"Thanks for the nightmare fuel," Liria muttered.

Enara smirked, clearly enjoying her friend's misery. "Well, if you grow claws, let me know. That could be useful."

Liria threw a pillow at her.

The conversation eventually quieted, and Enara stood to leave. "Get some rest, Liria. You look like you need it. And… try not to burn the castle down in your sleep."

"Ha ha," Liria deadpanned, watching her friend leave with a wave.

Once alone, she sighed heavily and flopped back on her bed. Stay updated with empire

[Want to talk about it?]

The system's voice echoed in her head, startling her slightly.

"Great timing, as usual," she thought sarcastically.

[That's what I'm here for.]

Liria rolled her eyes. "Okay, System. What's the deal with my teeth? And the fire? And the whole… freak show I've become?"

[Analyzing…]

She waited, tapping her fingers impatiently against the mattress.

[Sorry, I've got nothing.]

"Nothing? You're a system! Aren't you supposed to have all the answers?"

[Not when the data is restricted. Whatever is happening to you, it's beyond my access.]

Liria groaned, running her hands through her hair. "So what you're saying is, I'm flying blind. Fantastic."

[Not completely blind. You still have me.]

"Comforting," she muttered sarcastically.

[You're welcome.]

She sighed, staring up at the ceiling. "Guess I'll just have to figure this out the hard way."

[That's the spirit.]

Liria stretched out on her bed with a heavy sigh, her mind swirling with frustration and unanswered questions. The system's lack of answers, her black flames, the growing fangs everything was becoming too much to process.

"You know what?" she muttered to herself. "I'll just sleep on it. Maybe I'll wake up and everything will be back to normal. Or at least less weird."

Ananara scoffed from the corner of the room. "Sleep won't fix your incompetence, but by all means, nap away. Perhaps unconsciousness will do you some good."

"Thanks, Ananara. Truly inspiring," Liria deadpanned as she pulled the blankets over her head.

The pineapple familiar made a noise somewhere between a huff and a snicker but didn't reply. Moments later, Liria drifted into uneasy sleep.

When she opened her eyes, the world around her was stark white, stretching infinitely in every direction. The emptiness pressed against her senses, making her feel unsteady.

"Where…?" she muttered, turning in place.

Her gaze landed on a figure chained to an ornate obsidian throne in the middle of the void. The woman radiated power and malice, her crimson skin glistening like polished rubies. Her horns twisted upward in sharp spirals, black as night, and her glowing golden eyes burned with intensity. Her hair, flowing like liquid fire, cascaded down her back, and her black dress shimmered with an otherworldly sheen.

Despite being shackled, she exuded dominance, her lips curled into a snarl until her gaze met Liria's.

The snarl transformed into a grin that sent chills down Liria's spine. "Well, well," the woman purred, her voice rich and commanding. "Finally, you've come."

"Uh…" Liria took a step back, her instincts screaming at her to run, but her legs felt like lead.

"My daughter," the woman said, her smile widening.

Liria froze, her blood turning cold. "What?"

"You heard me," the woman continued, her chains clinking as she shifted forward. "My blood runs through your veins, little one. And oh, how I've waited for this moment."

"You've got the wrong person," Liria stammered, shaking her head. "I'm not your daughter. I don't even know you!"

The woman laughed, a dark, resonant sound that echoed through the void. "Oh, but you will. Soon enough."

"What are you talking about? Who are you?"

The woman tilted her head, studying Liria as though savoring the sight of her. "Names are for mortals to fear and revere. But for you, my precious child, you may call me… Mother."

Liria's heart pounded in her chest. "This… this has to be a dream," she muttered, clutching her head.

"Dream or not," the woman said, her grin turning sinister, "you cannot escape what you are. And I… am the part of you that you've been running from."

Liria took another step back, trembling. "No. This isn't real. This can't be real."

"Oh, it's very real," the woman said, her voice dripping with dark amusement. "And soon, you'll understand. When the chains are broken, we'll be reunited. And then, my darling, the world will tremble before us."

Before Liria could respond, the ground beneath her cracked, and she was plunged into darkness.