The moment Seraphina stepped out of her room, she immediately noticed the atmosphere. Every servant in the corridor lowered their heads. Not out of respect, but out of fear.
The maids standing near the walls trembled slightly as she passed. A few even looked pale.
Seraphina frowned.
Just how terrible was the original owner?
The memories she inherited were fragmented, but they painted a clear picture. Seraphina Ardent was notorious throughout the estate. She was arrogant, cruel, and short-tempered.
The kind of woman who would slap servants for making eye contact. The kind of woman who considered everyone beneath her. And worst of all, she despised Kael's son.
The realization made Seraphina sigh.
Wonderful.
Not only had she transmigrated into a villainess, but she had inherited one who had already dug her own grave.
The butler waiting outside the room stiffened when she approached. He was an elderly man with silver hair and a stern expression.
"Lady Seraphina." His voice was respectful, yet distant, almost cautious. As though he expected her to explode at any moment.
"Lead the way."
The butler blinked.
Apparently, she was supposed to know where the dining hall was.
Fortunately, he recovered quickly and bowed. "This way, my lady."
The estate was far larger than she expected.
As they walked, Seraphina observed everything. Towering crystal windows overlooked endless gardens. Golden pillars lined the hallways. Expensive paintings decorated the walls.
Outside, gigantic starships floated in the sky beyond the protective energy barrier surrounding the estate.
The sight nearly made her stop walking. Her memories had told her this was an interstellar civilization. Seeing it with her own eyes was entirely different.
A silver battleship the size of a city hovered among the clouds. Smaller escort vessels patrolled nearby.
This wasn't fantasy. This wasn't science fiction. It was both.
Magic and technology existed side by side. The Lycan Star Dominion ruled thousands of worlds across the galaxy. And the man she had married stood at the top of that empire.
A chill ran down her spine.
The original owner truly had a death wish.
Soon, they arrived before a pair of massive doors. The butler pushed them open. The dining hall came into view. A long table stretched across the room and dozens of seats. Yet only one was occupied.
A small boy sat quietly near the far end. Silver hair and golden eyes. Perfectly straight posture. His appearance resembled Kael's from the memories.
Almost identical.
The only difference was the loneliness visible in his eyes.
Aiden Lycanis.
The future ruler who would eventually order her execution.
The boy looked up. The moment their gazes met, his body visibly tensed. His small hands clenched beneath the table, fear. He was afraid of her.
Seraphina felt an uncomfortable sensation in her chest. Children weren't supposed to look at adults like that. Not unless something had gone very wrong.
The servants around the room exchanged nervous glances. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something. Waiting for an explosion. Or waiting for Lady Seraphina to lose her temper. The original owner apparently had a habit of ruining meals.
Seraphina walked toward the table. Each step made Aiden more nervous. When she finally sat down, the boy immediately lowered his head, and silence followed.
No one dared speak. The atmosphere was painfully awkward. Aiden stared at his plate. Seraphina stared at hers. Several seconds passed.
Then a memory surfaced. The original owner often forced the child to stand while she ate. Sometimes for hours.
Seraphina nearly cursed aloud.
No wonder he looked terrified. The poor kid was probably expecting punishment.
She picked up a fork.
"Eat."
The single word left her mouth.
Aiden froze.
The servants froze.
Even the butler froze.
Seraphina looked around.
Why was everyone staring? Did she say something strange?
Aiden slowly lifted his head. His golden eyes widened slightly. "You... want me to eat?"
The question sounded cautious. As though he genuinely couldn't believe it.
Seraphina almost laughed.
What kind of monster had the original owner been?
"Of course."
The boy remained motionless. His expression was filled with confusion. Eventually, he hesitantly picked up his utensils. Only then did the servants begin breathing again. The meal continued.
For several minutes, neither spoke. Seraphina secretly observed him. Aiden couldn't have been older than eight. Despite his noble status, he looked remarkably thin. The child ate carefully and slowly. Almost as if afraid of making mistakes.
The more she watched, the more uncomfortable she became. Back on Earth, she had killed countless people without hesitation. Yet somehow seeing a neglected child bothered her. Maybe because he reminded her of herself.
Long ago, before she became an assassin, before the bloodshed, and before everything. She had once been a lonely child too. Abandoned and forgotten. Forced to survive alone.
Aiden suddenly glanced toward a nearby tray. A small strawberry tart sat among the desserts. His gaze lingered for less than a second before shifting away.
But Seraphina noticed. Assassins survived by observing details.
Tiny details. The smallest movements. And the briefest expressions.
Without thinking, she reached toward the tray. The servants immediately panicked. Aiden's face turned pale. Everyone probably assumed she was about to throw it at him.
Instead, she placed the tart on his plate.
"Eat it."
Silence.
The boy stared at the dessert, then at her, then back at the dessert. His expression resembled someone witnessing a miracle.
"You don't like it?" Seraphina asked.
Aiden shook his head rapidly.
"No." Then he quickly corrected himself. "I mean yes."
His cheeks turned red. The servants looked as though they might faint. The butler himself appeared stunned. Aiden carefully picked up the tart. For the first time, a faint smile appeared on his face.
Something warm stirred inside Seraphina. It was an unfamiliar feeling. One she hadn't experienced in years.
The meal ended shortly afterward.
As the servants cleared the table, Aiden quietly stood.
He hesitated, then turned toward her.
"Thank you." His voice was soft, almost inaudible.
Before she could respond, the boy hurried away.
Seraphina watched him leave. A strange expression crossed her face. The future tyrant described in her memories looked nothing like that child, nothing at all.
The butler approached after the boy disappeared.
"Lady Seraphina."
She looked at him.
The elderly man's eyes were unusually complicated. He was suspicious, confused, and hopeful, all at once.
"Is something wrong?" He asked carefully.
Seraphina understood what he meant.
Why are you acting differently?
Why are you treating the young master kindly?
What happened to you?
Unfortunately, she couldn't exactly tell him she was a soul from another world. So she offered the safest answer possible.
"I've had time to think."
The butler studied her. Apparently, he wasn't convinced. Neither would she be. Still, he bowed respectfully.
"As you wish, my lady."
After he left, Seraphina moved toward one of the windows.
The estate gardens stretched endlessly below. Far beyond them lay cities illuminated by countless lights. Starships crossed the heavens. Entire worlds existed beyond those stars.
What a beautiful sight.
Yet the inherited memories reminded her of an ugly truth.
This peace wouldn't last, a war was coming.
One capable of consuming entire planets.
The original story began years before that conflict. And according to fate, Seraphina Ardent was never supposed to survive long enough to witness it. The villainess was meant to die.
Executed by the future emperor, the child she had tormented, and destiny itself. But Seraphina Voss had never been someone who accepted fate. Not on Earth, and definitely not here.
A faint smile appeared on her lips. For the first time since waking in this world, she felt hopeful. Perhaps changing the future wasn't impossible. Perhaps she could survive. And perhaps she could even protect that lonely child.
Unfortunately, fate seemed determined to challenge her immediately.
The door suddenly burst open.
A knight rushed inside.
His expression was grave.
"Lady Seraphina!"
She turned.
"What is it?"
The knight dropped to one knee.
"The Supreme Alpha has returned."
Seraphina froze.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Kael Draven Lycanis.
The most feared werewolf in the galaxy, her husband.
The man who would one day personally sign her execution order, had arrived.