Chapter 1: I Woke Up As the Final Boss Prince?!
...
I died doing what I loved.
Not in a blaze of glory. Not in a dramatic accident. Not even from some weird isekai truck.
No, I died with a keyboard under my fingers and a half-eaten cup of instant noodles on my lap, slumped over in my gaming chair after a seventy-two-hour, no-sleep, no-break binge of Celestial Hearts: Sword & Seduction—a fantasy dating sim RPG hybrid so difficult and complex that entire forums were dedicated just to mapping out its branching story routes.
It was my magnum opus. My Everest.
And ironically, I never even finished the damn thing.
One moment I was trying to speedrun the hidden fourth ending for the main heroine, Elara, while avoiding all of Prince Lucien's "bad end" flags. The next, everything went black.
I remember muttering something stupid like, "I'll beat you next time, Lucien, you smug bastard..." before the world faded.
And when I opened my eyes...
Golden sunlight spilled through a high-arched window, warming my face.
Silk sheets. A four-poster bed. Velvet curtains. Polished marble floors. Everything screamed "royalty." At first, I figured I was dreaming—or worse, I'd accidentally clicked some deluxe fantasy ad and gotten a virus that took over my brain.
Then the doors burst open, and a maid—no, a literal anime-style fantasy maid—rushed in, nearly dropping a silver tray.
"Your Highness! You're awake! Thank the stars!"
I stared at her. Blonde twin-tails. Blue uniform. Elven ears.
Her name bubbled up in my memory like a cursed thought.
Clarissa. Personal attendant to Prince Lucien. One of the first NPCs you meet in his palace during Chapter 3.
No. No way.
I practically leapt from the bed and sprinted to the full-length mirror.
Staring back at me was a young man—tall, noble, with sharp violet eyes, a cascade of silver-blond hair, and a haughty aura that practically screamed "punch me in the face."
I didn't need to check the crest on my chest or the arrogant smirk twitching at the edge of my lips.
I was Prince Lucien Eldegrande.
The final boss of Celestial Hearts.
The main antagonist in every heroine's story route. The one whose downfall was necessary for the true love endings to occur.
The one destined to die—violently, dramatically, and without redemption.
I sat frozen on the edge of the bed for what felt like hours. Clarissa brought me breakfast, tea, and even a fluffy robe, but I barely registered it.
This wasn't just a "dream." The longer I stayed, the more my senses adjusted—my body felt real. My muscles, my heartbeat, the taste of buttery croissants and sweet raspberry jam. I even stubbed my toe on a gilded chair leg, and it hurt like hell.
"This is... impossible," I muttered.
[You have awakened: Lucien Eldegrande – Royal Scion of the Empire. Alignment: Villainous Noble. Fate: Scripted Destruction.]
A sudden translucent screen appeared in front of me, floating in midair like a heads-up display. I nearly jumped out of my skin.
[Welcome to the World of Celestial Hearts: Sword & Seduction. You have assumed the role of a key narrative entity.]
[Objective: Fulfill your role as the Final Boss and oppose the Hero of Light.]
"Yeah, no thanks," I snapped.
I waved my hand, expecting the interface to disappear like in the game menu. Instead, another prompt appeared.
[Warning: Deviating from your narrative role may cause storyline instability.]
[Deviations Detected: 0]
[Penalty: Narrative Correction Events may trigger.]
Narrative correction? Penalties? Screw that.
There was no way I was going to play along with Lucien's fate. I knew how his routes ended—betrayed, humiliated, and struck down in a dramatic battle after the Hero wins the hearts of all five heroines.
I was not about to be some handsome, tragic stepping stone.
Not this time.
I grabbed a nearby quill and parchment from the desk and started scribbling notes—plot flags, heroine timelines, trigger events, death scenes, romance routes, secret events. Everything I could remember from the game.
If I was going to survive this world, I needed a new strategy.
Not just survival. Victory.
I'd romance the heroines first.
Steal their hearts before the protagonist even showed up. Trigger the good ends—with me as the love interest, not the villain.
And maybe, if I played my cards right, avoid the whole "stabbed-through-the-heart" thing entirely.
Clarissa returned mid-morning with news.
"The Empire is preparing a welcome feast, Your Highness," she said with a bright smile. "It will be your first public appearance since your... fever."
"Right," I said, remembering that Lucien was supposed to fall ill shortly before the game's plot began. "Perfect timing."
I glanced at the window, watching the city bustle below. In just a few days, the Hero of Light would arrive in the capital—a blank slate character meant to be the player's avatar. He'd enter the Royal Academy, meet the heroines, and start triggering romance routes.
But not if I beat him to it.
I needed to move fast.
"Elara Wintersong," I murmured.
Clarissa tilted her head. "The foreign priestess? She arrived in the capital yesterday."
Bingo. That meant the prologue events had already passed. The moment Elara healed the dying emperor and earned the church's favor, she'd begin her journey at the Academy.
I needed to intercept her before that.
"I'll be visiting the Temple District today," I said.
Clarissa's eyes widened. "Alone? But Your Highness hasn't—"
"No guards. Just a carriage. And my best coat."
She hesitated. "Should I prepare a gift for the priestess?"
I smirked. "Just bring the tea set. I'm going to confess... my newfound devotion."
She blinked. "To the gods?"
"To something, certainly."
By noon, I was riding through the cobblestone streets of the capital, hidden behind velvet curtains in a royal carriage. I still wasn't used to being royalty—people bowed as we passed, even though I hadn't done a damn thing for them.
The Temple of Radiance stood tall in the heart of the district, its spires gleaming with gold and white crystal. Inside, acolytes bustled about, and the scent of incense hung in the air.
I didn't have to look far.
There she was. Elara Wintersong.
Exactly as I remembered her from the game—soft silver hair braided neatly, gentle blue eyes that radiated compassion, and the aura of someone who would absolutely forgive you for stepping on her dress.
But beneath that soft priestess facade... she was a literal goddess in disguise. A war deity with amnesia. The most powerful of all five heroines. And also the most loyal—if you won her heart.
This was it. The moment her route usually started with the protagonist.
Time to derail the game.
I approached calmly, hands folded, trying not to look too villainous.
"Elara Wintersong," I said warmly.
She turned, surprised. "Yes? I'm sorry, do I—?"
"Lucien Eldegrande. Prince of the Empire." I bowed with perfect noble grace, drawing on every ounce of knowledge I'd absorbed from my 300-hour playthrough.
"I wished to personally thank you for healing my father."
"Oh, it was nothing," she said modestly.
"And yet, I've brought tea. Will you share a cup with me?"
Elara blinked. "...Tea?"
"In the garden. Just a moment of your time. As thanks."
This was it. The first flag.
A tea scene meant for Chapter 2. If I triggered it early—here and now—I could start her affection meter before the hero even laid eyes on her.
After a pause, Elara gave a small smile.
"I suppose... one cup wouldn't hurt."
As I led her toward the garden, a new screen flickered into view.
[You have deviated from the intended script.]
[Heroine Affection +2 – Elara Wintersong]
[WARNING: Narrative Correction Probability Increased]
I grinned to myself.
Let it try.
Because this time, the villain plays to win.
...
Author's Note
Heyy~~ Author here!
This is my new book "Reincarnated Into a Dating Sim... As the Final Boss"
I'm just a novice writer, so don't expect too much hehe ^_^
Hope you enjoy and support me~!