KVZS 01

If I Had Known I’d Get Possessed, I Wouldn’t Have Bought a Car in Installments

To all the salaried workers of this world—don’t you agree?

6:00 PM. An artificial island near the capital.

An imperial villa.

A social gathering attended only by a very small number of people, including the Crown Prince.

Attendees: the Crown Prince, the female lead, the Southern Grand Duke, supporting characters 1, 2, 3, and the villainess.

Plus numerous attendants and knight escorts.

It was a gathering of people who wanted to escape the noisy high society and have a quiet conversation.

‘Yeah, fine. All good.’

But why am I here?

And on top of that, I’ve possessed the villainess!

‘I was just… just a passing office worker in Yeouido!’

Am I dead?

Did I die from a stress-induced heart attack because of that jerk Manager Kim, who always spat while blaming everyone else for everything?

No way. I had a health checkup just last month. Everything was fine.

I also exercised regularly.

So how did I end up here?

‘I definitely… skipped lunch because I was too tired and went to a movie theater during break…’

It was a weekday lunchtime art film screening, so I was the only audience member. The seat reclined comfortably, perfect for a nap.

Then my smartphone suddenly vibrated.

I checked it.

[Imperial Public Security Bureau]
12:07 PM Possession Warning Activated / Gate appeared 8.5km south of the capital / Protect yourself from zombies, evacuate indoors, beware of infection.

“Don’t be ridiculous… I’m exhausted…”

And at that moment, I opened my eyes here.

A high ceiling, elegant interior decorations, antique furniture.

This was the zombie survival + 19+ romance + whatever mashup novel my friend sent me this morning, saying, “Hey, the villainess looks exactly like you.”

And I had possessed the villainess who shared my name and face.

Q. How does it feel to wake up as a villainess?

A. What the f*** is this?

‘And not even a cool villainess either. I’m the annoying, petty, “why is everyone doing this to me!” type who constantly causes trouble.’

I looked around.

People were chatting or reading books in a spacious room.

I was alone, completely isolated.

A woman (probably Supporting Character 1) made eye contact with me, frowned openly, then turned away. She leaned toward another woman (Supporting Character 2) and whispered loudly enough for me to hear:

“Is she plotting something again? She looks so vicious…”

‘Hey, what did I even do?’

When I stared back in disbelief, she hesitated and quickly blocked the space between us with a servant.

“Here we go again? I thought she was quiet today.”

A man nearby (Supporting Character 3) sighed.

Just from this, I could already tell what kind of villainess I had possessed.

Probably a mean, stupid, universally hated girl.

Whatever.

Whether she’s a villainess or a saint, I don’t care—what happened to the real me?

Am I dead? Or is this a dream?

Either would be fine.

But if this is some dimensional transfer…

‘Then what about work?!’

What if I wake up and time has passed in reality and I’ve been marked missing? Fired?

Who’s going to pay my installment loans?!

[Assistant Manager Yu Sara]
Left workplace during break and did not return. Continuous unauthorized absence. Unable to contact—termination processed.

‘No, my credit card bills…!’

I could already see my termination process playing out in my head. I struggled, but it was already too late.

There was nothing I could do.

I buried my face in my hands.

‘If I knew this would happen, I would’ve just slept in the office nap room. Why did I go all the way to the theater?!’

But I couldn’t sleep in the nap room because of the guy snoring next to me!

And I didn’t want to sleep with my mouth open in front of coworkers!

“Haah…”

I even bought business class tickets for a trip to New York next month using my vacation days…

And it was all in installments…

If I miss my savings transfer next month, I’ll lose my interest benefits…

I’M GOING CRAZY!!!!!!!!!

‘No, calm down, Sara. This must be a dream. I’ll wake up soon.’

My smartwatch will wake me up in 50 minutes.

Or a theater employee will wake me up in 93 minutes.

If it’s dimensional travel… maybe my mom will report me missing.

I crossed my arms and closed my eyes.

No one would talk to a villainess like me anyway.

I needed to calm down and assess the situation.

Basic rule of a 3rd-year office worker.

If you don’t know what’s going on—shut up and observe.

One hour passed.

I was still possessed.

During that time, I tried to recall the contents of the novel with my eyes closed.

But honestly…

‘I read it on my way to work, so I barely remember anything.’

I only vaguely remembered who these people were and their relationships. The details were gone.

I didn’t even finish the novel.

I skimmed only the parts with the villainess Yu Sara, then stopped reading when she died miserably.

I figured watching French conversation shorts on YouTube would be more useful.

‘Who cares if that annoying villainess looks like me? Probably my junior wrote this.’

He was a guy the same age as me, who showed up 30 minutes late to a client meeting a few days ago and hasn’t spoken to me since after getting scolded. Idiot.

‘I’m definitely reporting him to the manager when I get back.’

I had to return to my body just to destroy him.

Anyway, I only read the beginning of this zombie survival + 19+ romance mess.

‘I can’t exactly enjoy a 19+ romance novel on a crowded subway train…’

The only reason I knew this was that group in front of me.

Those people.

The ones currently creating a sweet, fluttering love triangle atmosphere.

Supporting characters whispered:

“The Crown Prince seems especially interested in Lady Yoo Jein today…”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen him like this.”

“And the Grand Duke too…”

“What if one of them ends up with Lady Yoo Jein…”

“Do you think that’s possible? Lady Yoo Jein is…”

“Shh. She might hear you.”

‘You’re speaking loud enough that of course she can hear.’

Yes.

Those “people” were the main characters.

Male lead 1: cold, black-haired handsome Crown Prince Praga.

Male lead 2: smiling blond handsome Southern Grand Duke Kypros.

Female lead: adorable pink-haired Yoo Jein, the center of the world.

Their faces, names, and how others addressed me (Duchess Yu Sara) confirmed this was the novel.

I’ve never seen anyone with naturally pink hair in my life. Fantasy worlds are something else.

‘Still… they look better in person.’

As expected of a romance novel, the heroine sparkled, and the male leads were absurdly handsome and well-built.

Even at this early stage, their eyes were already full of interest toward Yoo Jein.

If I were the real villainess Yu Sara, I’d be burning with jealousy.

‘The reason the cold Crown Prince hosted this gathering was to meet Yoo Jein.’

That’s why the commoner Yoo Jein was attending a high-level aristocratic gathering.

Me?

I came here to bully the heroine.

‘As the duke’s daughter, I can attend wherever I want.’

In the story, the Crown Prince doesn’t like me. He just doesn’t show it openly.

He even rejects the engagement arrangement between us, despite me being the duke’s eldest daughter.

Humiliated, the villainess (me) clings harder because she wants to marry him despite the rejection.

That’s why she attended this gathering.

‘Even though it’s a place nothing good will come from.’

Seeing Yoo Jein with the Crown Prince and Grand Duke behind my back?

Unacceptable.

Even though the Crown Prince isn’t interested in me at all.

‘Your Highness, perhaps tomorrow…’

‘Apologies, Lady. I am unavailable.’

‘You haven’t even heard my request yet!’

Something like that.

Even the smiling Grand Duke beside him was the same.

He was my childhood friend, the only person who was kind to me when everyone else hated me.

But when I mistook that kindness for love and confessed, he rejected me cruelly.

‘You thought I liked you? Why would I?’

‘Because you—!’

‘I don’t like you. Don’t confuse manners with love, Lady.’

After that, it was obvious.

I hated him, and he didn’t care at all.

The heroine Yoo Jein feared me.

I bullied her out of jealousy because she had the attention of both male leads.

‘So cliché…’

Normally, I should’ve already gone up to her and started trouble.

‘Why would a commoner be here?’

‘Lady…’

‘Shut up. Don’t answer me. Do you not know basic etiquette?’

But I wasn’t doing that.

Why?

Because I have a brain.

‘Shut up and observe’ was still in progress.

Don’t act until you understand the situation.

Office worker survival rule #2.

Don’t stand out.

At that moment, the clock struck 7 PM.

Ding— ding— ding—

A chilling sound filled the room. Seven chimes echoed.

The imperial butler, who should have arrived earlier to announce dinner, was missing.

The outside was eerily quiet.

“Strange…”

“It’s unusually quiet today.”

“The butler is late too.”

“Come to think of it… where did all the servants go?”

Everyone looked around.

There were none. No servants.

Even those who had been serving drinks and refreshments had not returned.

Only seven guests and two knights remained in the room.

A suffocating silence.

One of the imperial knights stepped forward.

“I will go check outside.”

After receiving the Crown Prince’s approval, he walked toward the door.

We watched nervously as he pressed his ear to it.

He paused.

Then opened it.

At that exact moment—

Something lunged inside.

“Grrrrr!”

The knight barely managed to push it back.

Blood splattered.

A head rolled across the floor toward us.

“KYAAAH!”

Supporting Character 1 screamed.

Ah.

So it’s starting.

[Imperial Villa, 2nd Floor Hidden Room]

• Yu Sara, Yoo Jein, Crown Prince, Grand Duke, Supporting Characters 1–3, Imperial Knight 1, Imperial Knight 2 (alive)