Reincarnated as the Villainess’s Unlucky Bodyguard

Liria sat cross-legged on her bed, staring at the shimmering moonlight that filtered through her window. The castle was eerily quiet, its usual bustle replaced by an unsettling stillness. Daena had been gone for a week now, and without her or Nyssara, the place felt... empty.

Ananara, as always, was absent, likely judging the universe from some high shelf. The pineapple never explained where it disappeared to at night, but at this point, Liria didn't care enough to ask.

"I'm bored," she muttered to herself, running her fingers through her dual-colored hair.

[Then do something about it,] came the system's familiar voice in her mind.

Liria groaned. "Like what? Organize my sock drawer? Summon a meteor? Bake a pie?"

[The Shifting Labyrinth is ready again,] the system replied, ignoring her sarcasm.

That got her attention. Her mismatched eyes widened slightly as she recalled the last time she'd entered one of the system's dungeons. She'd barely survived. In fact, technically, she hadn't—dying in the labyrinth wasn't exactly a memory she wanted to relive.

"I don't know…"

[You've grown since then,] the system insisted. [Your level, skills, and experience have improved significantly. This time, the challenge will match your current strength.]

A shimmering blue screen appeared in front of her.

[Status Update:]

Name: Liria Silverthorn

Race: Half-Human, Half-Demon

Level: 15

Experience: 500/6000

Health: 2500/2500

Magic: 1800/1800

Attributes:

Strength: 43Agility: 42Endurance: 42Intelligence: 30Magic: 51

Abilities:

Swordsmanship (Level 4)Endurance Training (Level 4)Fireball (Level 4)Ember Swipe (Level 3)Blade Mastery (Level 3)Inferno Burst (Level 2)Hellstorm (Level 1)Water Ribbon (Level 1)Earth Sense (Level 1)Stone Shot (Level 1)Earth Wall (Level 1)Spectral Binding (Level 1)

Liria sighed, tapping the screen with her finger. "Fine. Let's do it. But if I die again, I'm blaming you."

[As if that would change anything.]

The room dissolved around her in a cascade of blue sparks, replaced by a sprawling stone chamber bathed in eerie, flickering blue-green flames. The air was thick with an oppressive aura, and the distant sounds of growls and skittering sent a chill down her spine.

"Okay, creepy dungeon vibes, check," Liria muttered, drawing her black-bladed sword. The dark steel shimmered faintly, the weapon almost humming with anticipation.

Encounter: Shadow Imps

Level: 15

Health: 500

Strength: 20

Agility: 60

Abilities: Shadow Step, Claw Swipe

Three Shadow Imps emerged from the corners of the chamber, their wiry frames cloaked in darkness. Their glowing red eyes locked onto her, and they moved with unsettling speed, darting from shadow to shadow.

The first imp lunged at her, its claws slashing toward her throat. Liria sidestepped and countered with a quick upward slash of her sword. The blade ignited with black flames as it cleaved through the imp, reducing it to ash in an instant.

The second imp wasn't so reckless. It used Shadow Step, disappearing into the darkness and reappearing behind her. Its claws grazed her shoulder before she spun around, casting Ember Swipe. A crescent of black fire lit up the chamber, but the imp vanished again before the flames could reach it.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

"Annoying little—"

The third imp lunged while she was distracted, forcing her to raise her sword in a defensive block. Its claws raked against the steel, the force pushing her back a step. With a growl, she planted her feet and unleashed Inferno Burst, an explosion of flames erupting around her. Both remaining imps screeched as the fire consumed them.

+600 EXP

Items Obtained:

Shadow FragmentImp Claw

Breathing heavily, Liria wiped soot off her armor. "Not bad for a warm-up."

The chamber began to shift, its walls grinding and rearranging themselves. The floor beneath her feet rippled like liquid stone, guiding her toward a narrow corridor glowing with bioluminescent moss. She advanced cautiously, her sword raised.

Encounter: Moss Hounds

Level: 18

Health: 800

Strength: 35

Agility: 40

Abilities: Pack Hunt, Vine Snare

A low growl echoed through the corridor as four Moss Hounds emerged from the shadows. Their plant-like bodies glistened with dew, and their glowing green eyes locked onto her. They moved in eerie coordination, fanning out to surround her.

"Great. Wolves made of salad," Liria muttered, gripping her sword tightly.

The first hound lunged, its tendrils whipping toward her legs in an attempt to trip her. She jumped back, slashing downward with her sword. The blade cut through the tendrils, but the hound retaliated with a swipe of its claw, nicking her side.

She gritted her teeth and activated Earth Wall, a jagged barrier erupting from the ground to block the next hound's charge. Using the wall as leverage, she vaulted over it and brought her blade down on another hound, black flames erupting on impact. The creature howled as it crumbled to ash.

The remaining three hounds didn't give her a moment to breathe. They moved as a unit, their tendrils weaving together to form a thick net. The Vine Snare whipped toward her, wrapping around her sword arm and pulling tight.

"Not today," Liria growled, activating Fireball. The spell erupted from her free hand, severing the vines and blasting one of the hounds backward. She followed up with a quick Blade Mastery combo, her strikes precise and devastating.

The last hound lunged at her throat, but she ducked under its leap, spinning and driving her sword into its side. The black flames consumed it before it could even yelp.

+1200 EXP

Items Obtained:

Moss CoreVine Extract

Panting, Liria leaned against her sword for support. The moss on the walls dimmed slightly, as if the dungeon itself was reacting to her progress.

[Good work,] the system said. [But don't get cocky. The Labyrinth is far from over.]

Liria groaned. "Why do I let you talk me into these things?"

[Because you're bored.]

"Touché."

Liria trudged through the ever-shifting corridors of the labyrinth, her mismatched eyes scanning every shadow and corner for signs of movement. The air grew heavier, almost suffocating, as the flames lighting the pathway dimmed to an ominous flicker.

[Alert: New hostile entity detected.]

The system's voice cut through her thoughts, and a new blue screen materialized before her.

Encounter: Crystal Wasp Swarm

Level: 20

Health: 200 (each)

Strength: 10

Agility: 70

Abilities: Paralytic Sting, Swarm Frenzy

A sharp, grating buzz filled the air, growing louder with each passing second. Liria's grip tightened on her black-flamed sword as dozens of translucent, glittering wasps swirled into view, their crystalline wings refracting the faint light into a dazzling but disorienting display.

"Of course. Bugs. Why did it have to be bugs?" Liria muttered, shaking her head.

The swarm wasted no time. They surged forward as one, a shimmering wave of wings and stingers. Liria rolled to the side just as the front line of wasps dove at her, their stingers striking the stone floor and leaving faint scorch marks.

"Fast," she muttered, spinning to her feet. She swung her sword in a wide arc, igniting the blade with Ember Swipe. The black flames lashed out, incinerating a handful of the wasps.

The swarm adapted quickly. Half of them buzzed away from the flames, circling her like vultures, while the rest dived at her from multiple angles. Liria threw up an Earth Wall behind her, blocking an attack from her blind side, and leapt forward, slicing another group of wasps mid-flight.

One wasp managed to dart past her defenses, its stinger grazing her exposed arm. She felt a sharp jolt of pain followed by a cold numbness creeping up her limb.

"Paralysis?" she growled, shaking her arm to keep it moving.

[The paralysis effect is mild and temporary. Stay focused.]

"Yeah, thanks for the pep talk," she muttered, her movements slowing as the numbness spread.

The wasps regrouped, their buzzing harmonizing into an almost hypnotic rhythm. They spiraled around her, their movements chaotic yet coordinated, forcing her to divide her attention.

"Enough of this," Liria snarled, slamming her sword into the ground. Black flames erupted outward in a devastating Inferno Burst, engulfing a significant portion of the swarm. The intense heat shattered their crystalline bodies, leaving a glittering, ashen residue in the air.

The remaining wasps hesitated, their formation faltering. Liria took advantage of their hesitation, activating Blade Mastery to enhance her strikes. She dashed forward with inhuman speed, her sword carving through the swarm with precision. Each slash was accompanied by a burst of black flames, turning her enemies into sparkling dust.

Two wasps managed to flank her during her assault, one aiming for her neck and the other for her leg. She pivoted sharply, catching the first one with a quick upward slash while ducking to avoid the second. The wasp missed her leg but left a trail of jagged crystals where its stinger struck the ground.

Liria pressed her attack, using Hellstorm for the first time. Dark fire rained down from above, obliterating the remaining wasps in a fiery explosion. The chamber grew silent once more, save for her heavy breathing.

+1600 EXP

Items Obtained:

Crystal Shard x4Paralysis Serum

"That... was unpleasant," Liria muttered, inspecting her arm where the wasp had stung her. The numbness was fading, but the lingering ache reminded her not to underestimate these monsters.

[Well done,] the system chimed. [But remember, the further you go, the stronger the challenges will become.]

Liria snorted, rolling her shoulders. "Yeah, yeah. What's next? A dragon? A lava pit? Giant undead hamsters?"

[...You'll find out soon enough.]

Enjoy new chapters from empire

She scowled at the cryptic response but adjusted her grip on her sword and continued forward