Launch!
1: Arknights Villainess Raising Simulator!
Launch!
Terra.
Inside an ‘ordinary’ villa in Laterano.
A young girl with long silver hair as smooth as white silk bathed in the gentle morning sunlight.
The soft light cast a sacred halo upon her pale golden eyes, draping her cheeks in a hazy, gilded glow.
It made her already extraordinary beauty feel almost holy—like an angel from beyond this world, like a masterpiece painting one couldn’t bear to defile with their touch.
The girl appeared to be only around sixteen, yet the soft curves wrapped within her white nightgown were things many a mother who’d borne children could not rival.
Her bare, smooth calves gleamed with a milky-white luster; her toes, round as grapes, curled slightly.
Her pale pink toenails shimmered like crystalline jewels, enough to set any gentleman’s index finger twitching.
However, the one lingering regret was probably her height.
Though the girl was certainly beautiful enough, and her figure was near flawless…
Her height was a bit pitiful, barely scraping past 1.6 meters.
If you counted the cute ahoge atop her head and the lifts in her shoes, she could just about manage 1.65 meters—but that was it.
It placed her firmly in the “preserved value” category among beautiful girls.
But the girl before the mirror was in no mood to admire her own beauty.
Her name was Ecaros Yahweh.
A degen from Yan—or more accurately, formerly from Yan.
In this life, she was a Lateran.
At this moment, Ecaros was sitting somewhat dazed before her vanity, looking at herself in the mirror, digesting the memories of her past life and the established fact that she had awakened a system.
Outside, the birds sang their lilting tunes in the treetops, just as they always did.
Barring any surprises, in about half an hour, her childhood friend from this life would, as always, use her key to open the door and drag her out to perform music on the streets…
In all honesty, Ecaros didn’t dislike spending time with her childhood friend, nor did she dislike street performances.
She just didn’t quite know how to face that childhood friend now.
Especially given the fact that in her previous life, she seemed to have been a lesbian.
Every time Ecaros recalled how she and her childhood friend had practically been conjoined twins in the past, the girl couldn’t help but sigh, a wave of sorrow filling her heart…
After all, her feelings toward her childhood friend had always been strange.
Now, with her past-life memories awakened, they had become even stranger—twisted, even.
“E=(′o｀*)))…
Sigh, forget it.
No use dwelling on it.
Might as well check out this so-called ‘system’ on me first.” “Just hope it’s not some CWM-produced trash and not some BL-wrapped junk either.
Otherwise, I’m screwed.” When in doubt, let it rot.
The moment Ecaros thought about the problem she was facing and couldn’t come up with an answer, the ahoge on her head instinctively drooped soft and limp.
Yep, definitely check the system first.
As she thought this, a clear voice began ringing out in Ecaros’ mind.
[Ding—The Villainess Raising System is at your service.] [The core mission of this system is to contribute a force of even greater chaos to the mess that is Terra.
It will utilize a simulator format to connect the host with this world’s promising female figures and conduct life simulations.] [Within the simulator, the host is encouraged to use various identities and methods to earn the trust and affection of the heroines, and to guide them into becoming, in the broad sense, ‘villains’—steering them onto paths entirely different from their original fates.
In doing so, the host will acquire ‘Distortion Points’ and post-simulation rewards.] [On a side note, this system is a bona fide graduate intern from Feilu and a student exchange talent from Qidian’s top class.
Not some Cat’s trash or Bun’s small fry.] [If the host dares to slander this system again, I will dock your rewards.
That is all.] The system’s functions were straightforward and easy to understand.
Although the final remark made Ecaros feel something was a little off, considering the system’s claim that it wasn’t from Cat or Bun, the girl figured there was no major issue.
Hmm…
probably.
Overall, Ecaros’ acceptance of this system on her person was fairly high.
It was just that the moment she saw the word “simulator,” Ecaros inexplicably felt that these simulations would probably end up becoming reality and then hit her with something devastating.
And honestly, as a beautiful girl who had possessed a normal set of values in her last life and held values that even leaned slightly toward self-sacrificing in this life…
If she had the choice, Ecaros really didn’t want to, for the sake of so-called “rewards,” choose to push the formation of so-called “villains” through simulations.
She didn’t want to hurt anyone, even if the so-called simulations were truly just simulations.
As the saying goes: “To create a villain, the best method is to craft a tragedy carved into the very bones.” The word ‘villain’ has never been a positive term.
Behind the rise of every villain lies a story that is destined to be no beautiful fairy tale.
That was not something Ecaros wanted to witness.
And those “Distortion Points”—one glance and it was obvious: identified as something very, very bad.
Ecaros didn’t like it.
Terra was already awful enough.
It was already hard enough for people just to survive.
Ecaros absolutely did not want to raise a bunch of bad seeds who would further stab this already fragile world in the back.
Besides, even considering the worst-case scenario, Ecaros’ life was pretty good, and she wasn’t lacking in power either.
Why go out of her way to borrow the system’s strength?
[Huh?
Host, is that really the extent of your ambition?] [Fine, fine.
Seeing as you genuinely don’t want to do bad things from the bottom of your heart, let me be a bit more clear.] [This system of mine—absolutely, simulations are simulations and reality is reality.
Two entirely separate matters.
The simulation format has been completely reconstructed into a mode guided by your Originium memories as the foundation.] [So you don’t have to worry at all about the simulations affecting reality.
It’s impossible.
After all, there’s no way that your ‘dream’-related Originium Arts could affect the real world…
right?] Clearly sensing Ecaros’ inner resistance, the system, after a moment of surprise, also realized what exactly Ecaros was so resistant about.
Inwardly clicking its tongue in dissatisfaction while quickly clarifying exactly what these simulations were all about, the system spoke.
“Oh?
Is that so…
Then what about the Distortion Points?
Don’t tell me that kind of thing can also be extracted from my Originium Arts?” Ecaros raised a delicate eyebrow, her snow-white lotus arms folding across her chest, pressing her modest but ample bosom into a tight shape.
Her face was a mask of seriousness and suspicion.
Clearly, although Ecaros knew her Originium Arts couldn’t affect reality, she still held a degree of distrust toward the system’s assurances.
She had read plenty of simulator-genre novels in her past life.
In the end, which protagonist hadn’t been stabbed in the back?
So Ecaros had no choice but to be cautious—to guard against future betrayals.
[Ugh…
You could understand it that way.
After all, that’s what my system manual tells me.
Host, just treat the simulation as a text-based sim game with partial VR sensory feedback and play it like that.] [Or, if that really doesn’t work for you, Host, just give it a try.
There’s nothing to lose, right?] [Besides…
Host, it’s true that you may be living well now and have decent strength.
But don’t forget, this is Terra.
Your power isn’t enough to protect the people you care about.
Think about your childhood friend’s future fate.
Do you really…
not intend to do anything?] Sensing the rejection emanating from Ecaros, the system looked at the silver-haired girl, whose expression was growing more and more guarded.
To avoid being completely refused in the end, it played its trump card.
And that trump card did, indeed, move Ecaros.
At least Ecaros, who originally had no intention whatsoever and had been wary of the simulation, fell silent the moment she heard the topic of her childhood friend.
That wariness, too, sank into silence.
After all, although her presence in this world had placed some restrictions, preventing certain original tragedies from occurring…
Ecaros was also well aware that she couldn’t maintain her Originium Arts activation forever, nor could she follow her childhood friend around for eternity.
And in the future, once this childhood friend—whom she regarded as her most important family and friend—was expelled…
Could she truly accept such an ending?
Would she really still be willing to remain alone in Laterano?
…
The answer was obviously impossible.
Therefore, whether it was to protect her childhood friend from expulsion or to secure the safety of herself and her childhood friend as wanderers in the outside world in the future…
She needed more power.
And the system just so happened to be the single best avenue to obtain it.
Furthermore…
she truly did want to spend a longer time accompanying that rather self-centered ‘childhood friend’ of hers.
“Fine…
You’ve convinced me, system.” “Let’s just hope your simulations truly won’t affect reality.
Or else, don’t expect me to go clean up those ‘villains’ from the simulations!” Her fingertips gently caressed the hard, cold fragments on her thigh, beneath the nightgown.
Ecaros sighed in resignation, but in the end, she puffed out her cheeks, her ahoge bristling straight up, doing her best to put on a fierce-moe look and issuing a ‘terrifying’ threat.
In any case, looking at the adorable silver-haired loli baring her teeth like an angry Feline, the system knew full well that Ecaros was trying very hard to act fierce.
But as expected, she was just a little too adorably cute~ Still, in the end, suppressing a slightly warm sensation at its nose, the system gave its assurance: […Mn!
It’s a promise, Host.] [So, Host, do you wish to commence the first simulation now?] [Simulations will refresh once a week from now on.
Cherish your first one, okay~ (∠?w<)⌒☆] Probably to avoid bursting into laughter right in front of the dignity-oozing Ecaros, the system employed a bit of playful language and brought out the first simulation.
However, Ecaros didn’t mock the system’s behavior, nor did she immediately start the simulation.
Instead, she looked at her beautiful self in the mirror, stroked her milk-smooth, fair cheek, sighed, and after confirming the reality that she had truly awakened her past life’s memories, reluctantly accepted the truth.
Then, seeing that there were still over twenty minutes before her childhood friend’s arrival, she returned to her big bed.
And while waiting for her childhood friend, she began her first simulation.
[Simulation Start.]