While playing dating sims, when do you feel the greatest thrill?
It’s when you finally see the true ending of the game!

I don’t know about other players, but for me—someone who’s played only visual novels for years—that’s always been the best moment.
But right now…

“Ah, damn it!”

I still hadn’t experienced that thrill in the game I was currently playing.

“Another bad ending? Seriously…?”

It had already been a month since my university summer break began.
And for that entire month, aside from eating and sleeping, I’d devoted all my time to this one game:

As the title suggests, the goal was to raise the protagonist, Livia Yukauri Phelleora, to become an empress—that was the true ending.
Although it was based on a visual novel, it uniquely mixed RPG and puzzle elements throughout the story.

But the path to making Livia an empress was brutal.
One wrong choice early on, and you’d get instantly killed.
Midway through, you’d face endless trials and crises—and of course, more death if you chose poorly.

Finally, after a hundred playthroughs, I did manage to make Livia the Empress!

But then, in the ending CG, Livia led the knights into war, and the empire was destroyed.
In short, she became a tyrant—the bad ending.

“What kind of twisted writing is that?”

I sighed deeply and rubbed my face.
To think what I believed was the true ending turned out to be just another bad one—it was infuriating.

“Damn sadistic developers…”

The studio already had a reputation for making insanely difficult visual novels, but this time, they’d gone way too far.
No normal endings. Just countless bad ones.

It was maddening—but at the same time, my gamer pride was burning.
I had to see the true happy ending of .

After all, a game only feels truly complete when the characters reach their happy ending.

That’s why I’ve always had a personal rule: never abandon a game midway.
It’s one of the few joys in my life.

Besides, I felt an obligation to write a walkthrough for the community.
Even if I was a nobody in real life, online I was a respected veteran—known by my nickname, “J-Gosu.”

Still, my head was starting to throb, so I decided to take a break and log into the gaming forum I frequented.
Maybe someone else was suffering—uh, enjoying—this game like me.

And right at the top, a new post caught my eye:

[This Raising the Empress game is absolute garbage]

I clicked it instantly, feeling a sense of camaraderie.

[What were they even thinking making this?
Every single route is a bad ending.
I’ve died 30 times already.
Is there even a true ending in this damn game?]

“Only 30 times? Seriously?”

I’d gone through a hundred runs trying to write a walkthrough.
The comments below were equally defeated:

30 times? I quit after dying 10 times lol

Couldn’t stand the early-game insta-deaths

Who even plays this crap?

The real winner is the person who never started this game

The devs clearly hate their players

Livia = Pufferfish lol (dies so easily)

Pufferfish Livia, huh? I couldn’t help but agree.
After all, she died so easily that some CGs bordered on horror.

I scrolled for a while, but most posts were from people who quit early.
A few cursed the developers, and then I saw:

[Where’s J-Gosu? Weren’t they writing a walkthrough?]

That was me.
Some comments were even asking when I’d update.

“Yeah, I can’t quit now. I’ve got my pride.”

No way was I giving up.
I’d get the happy ending and finish that guide—no matter what.

Interestingly, no one else in the community had ever seen the “Tyrant Livia” ending that I got.

I closed the forum and reopened the game.

“Alright…”

Even though replaying the early chapters for the 101st time felt daunting,
I’d memorized nearly every bad route by now.

I can do this.

Just as I steadied my resolve and pressed “Start,” a message popped up:

[Congratulations! You are the only player to have seen all 100 bad endings in !]

“Huh?”

I blinked, confused.

“Wait… there were really 100 bad endings?”

Then another message appeared:

[As a reward, we’ll grant you a special chance to clear the true ending.]

“A… chance?”

What was this?
A cheat code? A secret route?
If so, I was disappointed—true endings are supposed to be earned, not handed out.

[If you clear the true ending, we’ll grant you one wish. Would you like to accept the challenge?]
[YES / NO]

“Nope. Screw that.”

I clicked NO without hesitation—
and then the message changed.

[Refusal denied.]

“What—?”

Suddenly, a blinding light burst from my monitor.
I shielded my eyes—

—and lost consciousness.

When I came to, I was standing in a strange room.
It was decorated in a medieval style—no computer, no phone, nothing modern.

“Where… am I?”

Looking around, I spotted a full-length mirror and walked up to it.
And froze.

Staring back at me was a young boy—silver hair, green eyes.

“Who the hell…?”

Then—

Ding!

A message window appeared in front of me.

[You have become a character who never appeared in :
Iscal Levantine (Age 8).
You must now personally play through the game 10 years later.
Will you accept?]
[YES / NO]

“Wait… I got isekai’d?!”

It felt like something straight out of a web novel.

“Ha… unbelievable.”

So this was the “special chance” they mentioned?

“Unreal. I said NO, damn it.”

But the next message left no room for choice:

[Failure to clear the true ending = Death]
[Selecting NO = Death]

“What kind of sadistic system is this?!”

So either I play—or I die.

Still… maybe this was actually the best opportunity I could ever get.

In the month I’d spent playing, I never once made Livia happy.
I’d seen her die a hundred times.
I wanted to give her a happy ending.

That was my real reason for never quitting.

So even if I hadn’t been forced, my choice would be the same.

“This time… I’ll make Livia Empress for real.”

I had every bad ending memorized.
It was like having a cheat sheet.

Since the game would start ten years later, that meant Livia hadn’t even been born yet.
In the story, she was eight when things began.

“So, I have ten years to prepare as her future tutor.”

Perfect. Plenty of time.

I selected YES, and memories flooded my head—those of Iscal Levantine.
His family background, his environment, everything.

Then another message popped up:

[Finally, choose your trait.]
[1. Swordsmanship] / [2. Magic]
[Warning: The Levantine family is known for swordsmanship. Choose carefully.]

“Heh.”

If I chose swordsmanship, I’d raise Livia as a warrior—
which avoided early deaths but always led to the tyrant ending.
Magic was much harder early on but had potential for a better outcome.

So, the answer was obvious.

[Magic trait selected. Power granted.]

As the message disappeared, I felt energy flow through me—mana.

The foundation for the true ending was set.
All that was left was to prepare to become Livia’s tutor.

“Alright. This time, I’ll see the true ending.”

I clenched my fists with determination.

That evening, the Levantine family dining room was tense.

“Iscal. Is it true you skipped sword training today?”

Apparently, my brother had tattled to Father.
I looked around the table—Father’s eyes sharp, Mother disbelieving, Brother smug.

Through Iscal’s memories, I already knew this family was strict and cold.

“Not much different from my past life,” I thought.

Did I need to keep good relations with them? No.
None of this mattered compared to making Livia happy.

“Yes,” I replied simply.

Father’s eyebrows shot up.

“I’ve told you time and again—a Levantine must never neglect sword training!”

His voice roared like a beast’s growl.
But I didn’t flinch.

Trying to juggle both swordsmanship and magic? Waste of time.
If I was going to do this, I’d go all in.

“I’ve awakened to magic. From now on, I’ll walk the path of a mage.”
“What did you just say?”
“I’ll become a magician!”

The entire family froze.

“Are you saying you’ll disgrace our family’s name?”
“I’ll walk my own path.”

Father sighed in rage, my brother shook his head, and Mother rubbed her temples.

I could handle it. I’d dealt with worse.

Then Father suddenly stood up, grabbed his steak, and shouted—

“You insolent brat!”

He threw it straight at my face!

I reflexively raised my hand—

Whoosh!

The steak burst into flames mid-air and vanished.

“W-What the…?”

Even I was stunned.

But I realized it was my chance to escape.

“Anyway! I’m going to be a magician, so just accept it!”

Shouting that, I bolted to my room.

Later that night, I confirmed what I’d suspected—

I had outstanding magical talent.