I, The Villainess, Will Seduce All The Heroines Instead
Chapter 147: The Trial (6)

Chapter 147: The Trial (6)

[Being edited.]

Trial Three loomed ahead like a boss level that absolutely knew you hadn’t saved your progress.

The door slid open with an overly dramatic creak that definitely wasn’t necessary—Verena swore the Trials were just showing off at this point. On the other side was a sprawling maze, filled with shifting mirrors, kaleidoscopic walls, and an eerie violin playing in the distance like the soundtrack to a psychological horror film.

"This one’s called ’The Maze of Self,’" Isolde read aloud from the glowing inscription above. "Only those who truly know themselves may pass."

Verena squinted. "Oh no."

"Oh yes," Isolde said smugly. "Time for a round of forced introspection."

"I didn’t sign up for therapy," Verena muttered.

"You literally did. You clicked the ’accept all quests’ button, remember?"

Vivienne peeked inside the maze, tilting her head like a confused puppy. "It’s like... the mirrors are alive?"

And sure enough, the reflections were wrong—not mimicking their movements, but staring back with slightly delayed reactions and expressions just a little too warped. Vivienne’s mirror-self smiled like she knew all your secrets. Verena’s had a glare so sharp it could cut glass. And Isolde’s? It just looked bored.

"Okay," Verena said, trying to steady her nerves. "No big deal. Just a mirror maze. With creepy versions of ourselves watching us like we owe them rent. Totally normal."

"I think mine just winked at me," Vivienne whispered, waving awkwardly. "Oh gods, she’s waving back. Wait. That’s not the same wave."

"Vivienne, stop flirting with your mirror self!"

The three stepped inside, and instantly, the maze closed behind them with a snap. The floor shifted beneath their feet, and the air grew heavy with whispered thoughts—not their own, but eerily familiar.

Verena turned a corner, only to come face-to-face with her reflection again.

"You act strong, but you’re just playing leader to avoid being vulnerable," Mirror-Verena sneered.

Verena pointed. "Okay, rude."

Vivienne, in the next corridor over, was twirling, distracted by the sparkly lights. Her reflection stood still, eyes cold.

"You think being nice makes you useful. But they only keep you around because they pity you."

Vivienne froze, her smile faltering.

Isolde, meanwhile, had somehow made it halfway through the maze, unbothered and humming a tune. Her reflection didn’t even bother taunting her—it looked like it had given up.

"Nice try," Isolde said, patting her mirrored self’s shoulder. "But I’ve already been emotionally roasted by my grandmother. You’ve got nothing on her."

Verena finally reached Vivienne, who looked shaken.

"Hey." Verena placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ignore her. She’s just a warped version of you."

"But what if she’s right?"

"She’s not. She’s a drama queen. You are annoying, yes. But you’re real. And you’ve been helpful—somehow. So let’s finish this, alright?"

Vivienne blinked. Then nodded. "Alright."

Together, they walked forward, reflections fizzling behind them—unable to follow what was real.

The final mirror cracked as they passed.

TRIAL THREE: COMPLETEParticipants: 3Performance Grade: ABonus Unlocked: +20 Affection (Vivienne → Verena)

Vivienne beamed. Verena sighed.

This was going to be a long journey.

Trial Two had been passed. Barely. Emotionally, Verena felt like someone had taken her soul out, shaken it in a snow globe, and tossed it back in upside down.

The trio stepped onto a shimmering bridge made of stardust, stretching into the cosmic void between realms. Above them, dreamlike creatures swam in the sky—jellyfish with galaxies for bodies, koi-shaped comets weaving between constellations.

Vivienne pointed excitedly. "Look! Space goldfish!"

"Don’t get distracted," Verena said wearily. "Those space goldfish probably explode if you touch them."

"You’re just saying that to ruin my fun!"

"I’m saying that because I don’t want to die."

Isolde clicked her heels against the bridge as they walked. "Trial Three should be a combat gauntlet, if I remember the novel right. Fewer puzzles. More punching."

"Oh, good," Verena muttered. "Something I can actually do."

They reached the next platform—Trial Three’s entrance. The moment they stepped through the veil of swirling mist, a massive coliseum unfolded before them, surrounded by glowing statues of fallen heroes. The sky above was cracked with thunder, and weapons floated lazily in the air, waiting to be claimed.

TRIAL THREE: INITIATEDSURVIVE THE WAVESOBJECTIVE: PROTECT YOUR ALLIESHINT: EMOTIONAL STABILITY IS A BUFF.

Verena blinked. "I’m sorry, what was that last part?"

Vivienne raised her hand like a schoolgirl. "Oh! Oh! This is where my Natal Affinity kicks in again!"

"I swear if you throw more flower petals at me—"

"No, no!" Vivienne held out her hands, and a soft ripple of dreamlike magic flowed from her palms. The battlefield shimmered like a watercolor painting, softening the roar of the approaching monsters. Verena felt the tension in her shoulders begin to ease.

Then she realized—this wasn’t ordinary calming. This was Dreamtide at work again. The fear, the stress, the impending doom—it all felt... manageable.

Isolde tilted her head. "Huh. That’s actually useful."

"I am useful!" Vivienne beamed.

"You weren’t two trials ago!"

"Character development!"

Before Verena could argue, the first wave of monsters surged in—horned beasts made of shifting stardust and lightning. They howled as they charged, claws tearing through the ground.

Verena sprang into action. Sword in hand, she met the first creature head-on, her blade sparking as it collided with the beast’s body. Isolde moved beside her like liquid grace, cutting through the enemy ranks with sharp, clean movements.

Vivienne hovered behind them, weaving illusions into the field. One moment, a phantom version of Verena would appear to draw aggro; the next, the monsters would freeze mid-charge as calming waves dulled their instincts.

It wasn’t perfect. But it was working.

"I can’t believe I’m saying this," Verena huffed between swings, "but you’re actually pulling your weight."

Vivienne squealed from behind a dream bubble. "Does that mean I get affection points?!"

"No!"

A second later, she reconsidered.

"...Maybe."

And with that, the trio continued to fight—chaotic, disjointed, barely coordinated, but together.

Somehow, it was starting to feel like a team.

Trial Four was a nightmare before it even started.

The door didn’t creak open this time—it exploded into mist with the dramatics of a stage magician and zero concern for personal space. A wave of heat surged forward, and the trio stumbled back as if someone had just opened the door to a dragon’s sauna.

"Why is it hot?" Verena asked, squinting through the fog.

Isolde adjusted her collar like this was just another Tuesday. "Trial Four: The Crucible of Resolve. Classic. Probably fire traps. Maybe lava. A few flamethrowers if we’re lucky."

"Fantastic," Verena muttered. "We’ve gone from emotional trauma to barbecue simulator."

They stepped inside to a long bridge suspended over a bubbling lake of magma. Actual magma. It burbled ominously like it had something to say but was too angry to form coherent sentences.

Above them, molten rocks floated mid-air, spinning lazily like someone forgot to turn off the environmental hazards in a video game. The bridge was narrow—too narrow for comfort—and occasionally parts of it fell off with a sizzling plop.

"This seems safe," Verena deadpanned.

Vivienne whimpered. "What if we fall?"

"Then we burn to a crisp and become part of the scenic atmosphere," Isolde replied cheerfully.

"Can I get that on a shirt?" Verena sighed. "Let’s just move."

The bridge tested not just balance, but coordination. Every few steps, a segment shifted, twisted, or dropped entirely. Verena had to drag Vivienne by the hand more than once, especially after the girl tripped over her own feet—again—and nearly belly-flopped into a lava pit.

Isolde danced ahead like she was in a fire-themed fashion show. At one point, she even pirouetted over a collapsing tile.

"Is she okay?" Vivienne whispered.

"No," Verena replied flatly. "She’s built different."

Halfway across, the Trial finally added its ’challenge’: fire beasts made of embers and ash began to form on the bridge—four-legged monsters that sizzled when they moved, eyes glowing like molten gold.

"Oh, great," Verena gritted her teeth, summoning her blade.

"I-I can help!" Vivienne squeaked, eyes glowing faintly as Dreamtide rippled around her. The air shimmered, and suddenly, the beasts were stumbling, confused, snapping at mirages. One even lunged at a floating illusion of Isolde, missed, and promptly fell into the magma like a toasted marshmallow.

"Nice one," Verena said, genuinely impressed.

Vivienne beamed. "I did it!"

"You hallucinated a hotter version of Isolde to distract them, didn’t you?"

"I—uh—no comment."

Meanwhile, Isolde punched a flaming beast in the jaw with a gauntlet she just summoned from thin air.

"Isolde, how are you this stylish while sweating?!" Verena shouted as she slashed down another ember wolf.

"Talent," she replied smugly.

Eventually, with the last creature reduced to sizzling sparks, they made it to the other side.

TRIAL FOUR: COMPLETEParticipants: 3Performance Grade: SBonus Unlocked: "Heat-Resistant Hair Serum"Affection +10 (Isolde → Verena)

Verena blinked at the reward.

"What the hell kind of loot drop is this?"

"It’s Trial-branded conditioner," Isolde sniffed the bottle. "Smells like cinnamon. I’m keeping it."

Vivienne giggled. "At least we didn’t die!"

Verena sighed, staring at the next door. "One more Trial to go. Please let it be normal."

Spoiler alert: It wasn’t going to be.

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