Reincarnated as the Villainess’s Unlucky Bodyguard

"Alright," I muttered, raising my sword again. "Let's try this one more time."

The Venomfang Reaper hissed, its serrated pincers snapping with renewed vigor despite its injuries. Its glowing green eyes narrowed, as if it recognized my determination or my desperation.

[You're outmatched, you know. Maybe you should run. Oh wait, you can't.]

"Not helping!" I growled, circling the beast cautiously. My grip on my sword was firm, but the weight of exhaustion was beginning to creep into my arms.

"I'm just saying," Ananara chimed in. "When the odds are this bad, sometimes surrender is the smart choice. Not that you'd know anything about being smart."

"Shut it, pineapple," I snapped, lunging forward.

The Reaper anticipated the move, swiping with its massive claw. I ducked under it, narrowly avoiding a venomous spray that splattered the stone wall behind me, sizzling as it corroded the surface.

"Great. It spits poison now," I muttered, sidestepping another swipe.

[Actually, that's acid. Slightly worse for you.]

"Could you not?"

The Reaper's tail whipped toward me. I dove to the side, rolling clumsily and coming up just in time to block its claw with my sword. The impact sent vibrations up my arm, nearly dislodging the weapon.

"You're not winning this," Ananara sang in a disturbingly cheerful tone.

"Why don't you help instead of offering commentary?" I snarled, taking another swing at the Reaper's tail.

Ananara laughed. "And deprive you of this learning experience? Never!"

I landed a glancing blow on the tail, but it was more of a scratch than a wound. The Reaper retaliated with a flurry of strikes, forcing me into a frantic retreat.

The chamber seemed to shrink as the beast pressed its advantage, relentless in its assault. My breath came in ragged gasps, my stamina draining faster than I could recover.

"Okay, system, any brilliant ideas?"

[Yes. Don't die.]

I nearly screamed. "That's the opposite of brilliant!"

The Reaper's pincers slammed down again, and this time, I wasn't fast enough. The shockwave threw me off balance, and I stumbled, landing hard on my side. My sword clattered to the ground just out of reach.

"Oh no," Ananara quipped. "Our valiant hero, brought low by her own hubris. What a shock."

"Not. The. Time!" I hissed, scrambling to retrieve my weapon.

The Reaper loomed over me, its pincers raised for a final strike. I grabbed my sword just in time to parry, but the sheer force of the blow sent me sprawling again.

[Health: 200/1900.]

"Fantastic," I wheezed, barely able to lift the blade.

The Reaper didn't relent. Its injured tail swept toward me, striking my side with enough force to send me skidding across the floor.

[Health: 0/1900.]

For a brief moment, everything seemed to freeze. The Reaper towered over me, victorious. My vision blurred, and the world went dark.

When I opened my eyes, I was in my bedroom at the castle. My lungs felt like they had just remembered how to breathe, dragging in air in sharp, panicked gasps. My hands clutched at the silken sheets beneath me, desperate for some tangible proof that I was still alive.

"I died," I whispered, the words feeling foreign and impossible in my mouth. "I actually died."

[You technically didn't die-die,] the system chimed in, far too casually. [It was more of a forced temporary respawn. Very standard. Nothing to freak out about.]

"Standard?" My voice cracked. "That was the most horrifying thing I've ever experienced! I felt everything! The pain, the fear, the—"

[Yes, yes, very dramatic. But look! You're back, safe and sound. No harm, no foul.]

I sat up, my hands trembling. The room was dark except for the faint moonlight .

My chest still heaved as I tried to calm down. "It felt so real," I muttered. "I thought… I thought I was gone for good."

[Well, you're not. So, let's focus on the positives. You learned a lot from that fight, didn't you?]

"I learned that I'm not cut out for this!" I snapped, my voice louder than intended.

The silence of the castle seemed to amplify my outburst, and I immediately regretted it. Swallowing hard, I glanced around as if someone might burst in and scold me for waking the entire household.

[Relax. Nobody's going to scold you for yelling at your imaginary friend.]n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"You're not imaginary," I hissed. "Unfortunately."

I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, planting my bare feet on the cold stone floor. The chill helped ground me, but my heart still raced.

"You didn't warn me it would feel like that," I muttered.

[Would it have made a difference?] the system asked innocently. [Besides, it's not like you actually died. You're fine. Mostly.]

I buried my face in my hands, groaning. "I need a drink. Or a therapist. Maybe both."

Ananara's muffled voice came from the satchel tossed on a nearby chair. "What's all the fuss? Did you finally realize how bad you are at this adventuring thing?"

"You weren't the one facing a giant death bug," I shot back, glaring at the pineapple.

"I wasn't the one losing to a giant death bug either," Ananara retorted smugly.

[Oh, good. Ananara's awake. This night just keeps getting better, doesn't it?]

I ignored them both, dragging myself to the window. The world outside was quiet, bathed in the eerie silver glow of the moon. For a brief, terrifying moment, I wondered if I was still in the dungeon, trapped in some cruel illusion.

"Where's the clock?" I muttered, scanning the room.

[There isn't one,] the system answered. [It's roughly midnight, though, if that helps.]

"It doesn't," I muttered.

The room felt suffocating, the walls too close, the air too still. I turned away from the window, pacing in tight circles. "I can't go back there for 24 hours?"

[Correct. The dungeon is on cooldown. Time to reflect on your choices.]

I threw my hands in the air. "I don't need reflection. I need to get stronger before that thing eats me alive again!"

[Technically, it didn't eat you. It smashed you. Very different.]

"You're impossible," I muttered, collapsing back onto the bed.

[And you're dramatic. Now get some rest. You'll need it for your next attempt.]

I stared at the ceiling, the shadows still twisting into nightmarish shapes. Sleep felt like an impossibility, but my body ached in ways that made staying awake just as unappealing.

"Fine," I whispered, closing my eyes. "But if I dream about that thing, I'm blaming you."

[Blame accepted,] the system replied cheerfully.

As exhaustion finally claimed me, I couldn't shake the lingering terror of the fight.