In the days following the lavish ball, Annabelle found herself replaying the events over and over in her mind. The unsettling sight of Elvianne, the quiet girl she once considered the heroine, haunted her thoughts. Before her transmigration, she had always believed that the villains and villainesses were misunderstood, while the so-called heroes and heroines were nothing more than hypocrites—green-tea types, pretending to be innocent while hiding darker motives. She had thought the world was much simpler than it actually was. But now, everything had become blurry, and the lines between good and evil no longer seemed so clear-cut.
The situation with Elvianne had shaken her to the core. The heroine, whom she had once seen as a symbol of purity and goodness, now appeared entirely different. Annabelle's perception of her had changed drastically after discovering the shocking truths about Elvianne's past. The young woman, whom everyone had viewed as weak and tragic, was, in reality, the victim of cruel manipulation by those closest to her. Annabelle found herself questioning everything she once thought to be true, not just about Elvianne, but about the entire system she had found herself in.
What truly disturbed Annabelle, however, was the news that followed. The capital was abuzz with whispers of Elvianne's dark history—one she had never known. The truth was so much more horrifying than anyone could have imagined. Elvianne, at just six years old, had been kidnapped by none other than Victor Voss, Elara's father. It turned out that Elvianne wasn't just any ordinary girl—she possessed a rare and powerful magical ability. Size manipulation magic—a skill so potent that it was considered dangerous, especially for someone of her lowly status. This ability made her a prime target for exploitation, and Victor Voss had been aware of her potential from the very beginning.
The truth behind her abduction was more than just a story of power struggles or political ambitions—it was a story of cruelty and manipulation. Victor Voss had sought to control Elvianne, not only for her abilities but to suppress her very identity. To do so, he had erased her memories, taking away everything that made her who she was. After stripping her of her past, he had assigned her to Elara, where she became nothing more than a maid in the Voss household.
Under Elara's rule, Elvianne's life was nothing short of hellish. She had been subjected to abuse and torment, her potential locked away, and her very existence reduced to nothing more than a tool for the Voss family. The public, including Annabelle herself, had known Elvianne as the submissive and meek maid, a lowly servant who did as she was told without question. But now, it seemed that this image had been nothing more than a carefully constructed mask. Beneath it, Elvianne's true history was one of suffering, betrayal, and a hidden power that could have changed the course of her life if she had only been allowed to keep it.
As the truth spread throughout the capital, Annabelle couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. She had once dismissed Elvianne as a weak and irrelevant character in the grand scheme of things, but now, she saw her in an entirely new light. Elvianne was not the helpless figure she had once imagined. In fact, she had endured far more than Annabelle could have ever imagined, and the pain of her past was something that no one, not even Annabelle, could truly understand.
Despite her sympathy for Elvianne, Annabelle knew that she couldn't allow herself to get too emotionally invested. This world was dangerous, and emotions—especially pity—could easily become a weakness. In a place where power and influence ruled, weakness was something that could be exploited by anyone looking for an advantage. Annabelle had already learned that lesson the hard way. The moment she let her guard down, she knew she could lose everything.
As much as she wanted to help Elvianne, she couldn't afford to get involved in her personal struggles. The world was too chaotic, and the stakes were too high for Annabelle to allow herself to be distracted by another's pain. Survival was the only thing that mattered now, and in this world, survival meant staying ahead of the game—making sure that no one could use her own emotions against her.
Despite her resolve, Annabelle couldn't ignore the fact that Elvianne's fate had shaken her in a way she hadn't expected. The girl had once been nothing more than a background character in her mind, a pawn in a larger game. But now, Annabelle saw her as something much more significant. Elvianne wasn't just another tragic victim of circumstance; she was a powerful figure caught in a web of deceit and manipulation. Her story was far from over, and Annabelle knew that it would only continue to unfold in unexpected ways.
The more Annabelle thought about it, the more she realized how much the world had changed since her arrival. The very foundations of the power structure in Zyphera were beginning to crack, and those who had once been considered insignificant were now finding themselves at the center of the storm. Elvianne's story was just one piece of a much larger puzzle, and Annabelle wasn't sure if she was ready to confront the consequences of what might come next.
But one thing was certain: the world she had entered was no longer the same. It was a world of secrets, lies, and shifting alliances, and it was a world where survival depended on the ability to see through the masks people wore.
Annabelle knew she had to be careful. If she wasn't, she could easily become one of those who were left behind. And in a world like this, being left behind was the worst fate of all.