A villain living life in hard mode... whose every path leads to death." Playing Daughter of the Duke Love Project as the easy mode heroine, Ivonne, makes charming the male characters a breeze. But once you switch to hard mode and step into the shoes of Penelope, the misunderstood villain, it’s nearly impossible to even stay alive! So imagine the shock of suddenly waking up in Penelope’s body―you know right away that your life is on the line. With love interests who will kill you if their affection meters drop too low and the inability to speak without choosing from pre-selected dialogue, it quickly becomes clear that Penelope’s chances have been rigged from the start―and this villain might just be destined to die!

Penelope’s fate is looking grim, but she’s got a plan: sneak out, rescue Eckles, and secure herself a one-way ticket out of death. The problem with making the seemingly docile boy her “all-in” love interest? He’s a lot more dangerous than she expected! A single bad hand means she’ll go bust, and Penelope quickly realizes she needs a backup plan―that is, a backup man! Winter appears to be the obvious choice, but there’s more to the enigmatic sorcerer than meets the eye…With the odds stacked against her, will Penelope be able to play her cards right?

“I don’t want to live like this either, only ever being despised.” | Life in hard mode for “villain” Penelope Eckhart means with every step forward, she’s shoved five steps back. Just when things seem to be stabilizing between her and the brothers, she finds herself coming to blows with Reynold, who insists on dredging up the past―an affront Penelope refuses to take lying down. To make matters worse, she’s forced to attend the hunting tournament hosted by the crown prince…and Callisto + weapons = a recipe for DANGER!

“When I’m with you, there’s truly never a dull moment.” The Hunt is on! Penelope heads off to the small-game area in hopes of finding a present for Eckles…only to run into a hostile bear! Armed with desperation and a crossbow, Penelope holds it off, until Callisto unexpectedly comes to her rescue. Despite his heroism, Penelope wants nothing but to get away from the seemingly obsessed, definitely dangerous crown prince. Fate has other plans, though―someone has sent assassins after Callisto, and Penelope is now caught in the cross fire, tasked by the game system to protect him. Still, this might just be a chance to raise his affection… if they can make it out with their lives, that is!

“Your eyes, my lady, are only filled with sorrow, never joy.” Penelope and Callisto safely escaped the assassins, but the danger is far from over. The crown prince has been left in mortal peril, and Penelope…is standing trial for attempted murder?! Accused of attacking seven nobles during the Hunt, she faces a court proceeding that, in actuality, is nothing more than an elaborate sham to frame her. With false testimonies filling the courtroom, Derrick proving himself untrustworthy, and Callisto being unfit to take the stand, will Penelope rise against all odds and prevail…?

Following the conditions of a contract between herself and Winter, Penelope is once again leaving the duchy! She joins the marquis for volunteer work in a war-stricken nation, and while their time there is hectic, the two are able to grab a moment alone at the seaside. But the couple’s peace is shattered when they learn sorcerer children have been kidnapped! In the face of Penelope’s desperation to save them, Winter’s calm approach to the situation has the duke’s daughter suspecting that everything is not as it seems...

드디어 99%에 도달한 이클리스의 호감도. 하드 모드의 끝인 성인식이 코앞으로 다가오자, 페넬로페는 드디어 게임에서 벗어날 수 있다는 희망을 품게 된다. 그러나 그 기대가 무색하게도 검술 수업을 마친 이클리스의 귀환 소식이 들리지 않자, 페넬로페의 마음 속 깊은 곳에서 불안감이 서서히 피어나기 시작한다.

“왜일까, 두려울 것 하나 없던 넌데… 이번엔 내가 무서워?” 독을 마시고 쓰러진 페넬로페. 죽임이 코앞까지 다가온 순간, 뷘터가 지니고 있던 해독제를 마시고 기적처럼 살아난다. 한편, 공작저 전체를 세뇌하려던 이본의 계획은 깨진 거울로 인해 균열이 생기기 시작하고, 마지막 거울 조각을 찾던 이본은 페넬로페의 방에서 그녀와 마주치는데…! 마침내 드러나는 이본의 본모습─ 친절한 미소 뒤에 숨겨진 섬뜩한 진실! 과연 페넬로페는 죽음의 그림자에서 벗어날 수 있을 것인가?