~Chapter 02~
Seven years ago, after Gloria’s mother suddenly passed away, her father, Count McCain, remarried Lady Curtis.
Lady Curtis was a cold and emotionless woman. Gloria tried hard to get close to her new stepmother, but the woman never opened her heart.
Lady Curtis had a son five years older than Gloria. Unlike his strict mother, Jonathan Curtis was kind and gentle.
“Gloria, I’m the only one on your side in this world.”
The following year, Gloria’s father also passed away. Left under the strict care of her stepmother, Gloria found comfort in her stepbrother’s warmth.
But that kindness slowly turned into a nightmare.
“Who did you meet without my permission?”
His concern turned into control and surveillance. Jonathan began to interfere in everything—where Gloria went, who she met.
If she ever went out without telling him, she would be met with harsh verbal abuse.
Gloria always tried to respond calmly, but Jonathan’s control became more obsessive and relentless.
Unable to endure it any longer, Gloria told her stepmother everything. But the response she received was completely unexpected.
“You ungrateful girl! After everything we’ve done to raise you, how dare you accuse Jon of such things?”
“It’s not a lie, Mother. Please, just listen to me!”
“It’s all lies! Why would he ever do something like that?”
“I’m telling the truth! It’s not a lie!”
“You’re still not coming to your senses…! That’s it. You need to be properly disciplined. Jon, go get the whip!”
“Mother! Please, Mother!”
Gloria was beaten and locked up in the attic. Her wounds infected, and she developed a fever, but no one came to check on her.
Half-conscious and hovering between life and death, Gloria suddenly saw her late mother appear before her.
“…Gloria, my dear daughter. I hope your future will be peaceful.”
With a sad expression, her mother held her tightly in her arms, then vanished in an instant.
When Gloria came to, all the pain and fever that had tormented her were completely gone.
“Was that a dream?”
Still feeling empty inside, she looked around the spot where her mother had appeared—and found an old, hidden diary under the floorboards. It was her mother’s diary.
[25 days since I came here. Who am I, really?]
[103 days. There’s a lot that feels strange, but I’m starting to get used to it. I still don’t know which novel this world is from.]
[365 days. A whole year has passed, and I haven’t accomplished anything. Maybe this isn’t the story I read?]
[544 days. I miss Mom and Dad so much. How can I return home?]
Gloria read the diary carefully. Most of it described daily life, but some entries had strange, hard-to-understand notes.
[841 days. My marriage to Count McCain has been decided. I hoped for a passionate romance, but it’s a political match. I must really be just a side character.]
The diary entries, written every few weeks or months, ended after the note about the arranged marriage.
Feeling disappointed, Gloria flipped through the pages again—and noticed one of the blank pages looked wrinkled, like it had been wet.
“Could this be…?”
With a hunch, she held the blank page over a candle flame. As the paper darkened, hidden writing began to appear.
[2,625 days. I finally understand. I was completely mistaken. This is the world before the story begins.]
[4,380 days. Gloria, my dear daughter. I write this hoping you never find it. But if you do, you must follow what it says.]
The entries were no longer neat—they were scribbled in a hurry. They described Gloria’s past, present, and tragic future in exact detail.
It was less a diary and more of a prophecy.
“I’m going to be killed by Jonathan the year I turn twenty? And the empire will fall into chaos?”
It was hard to believe but also impossible to ignore. The diary mentioned events that happened after her mother died—things she couldn’t have possibly known.
“No way… It just doesn’t make sense. But still…”
Whether the diary was true or not, one thing was clear: if Gloria stayed here, she’d eventually be killed by Jonathan and her stepmother.
The only way to avoid that fate was to run away—far enough that they could never reach her.
So, Gloria decided to follow the instructions written in the diary.
.
.
.
“I should be safe for now. Jon won’t be able to follow me all the way here.”
Gloria touched a bruise on her arm and violently shook her head as Jonathan’s demonic face popped into her mind again.
“Mother will protect me.”
Gloria pulled herself together, pushing away her growing doubts.
Knock knock.
There was a knock at the door.
“Young Lady, your bath is ready.”
“Yes! I’ll be out soon!”
“Still not going to bed?”
Logan, sitting across from Asthan in the study, grinned as he spoke.
“What about you?”
“I’m tired, but I’m holding out. I have a feeling something interesting’s about to happen.”
Astan imagined throwing his liquor in Logan’s smirking face but gave up the thought.
“What’s that woman doing now?”
“She’s taking a bath.”
As he slowly swirled the heated liquor in his glass, Asthan shot Logan a sharp look.
“Everyone’s too relaxed. I’ve said it over and over—never let your guard down, no matter the situation.”
“We are staying alert.”
“And giving a room to a woman whose identity we don’t even know is your idea of being alert?”
“You were the one who allowed that mysterious woman into the castle, sir.”
Logan shrugged as he replied, clearly amused by Asthan’s scowling face.
With a bit of satisfaction, he asked,
“You really don’t know her?”
“No.”
“Come on, just tell me. There’s no way a stranger came all this way through a snowstorm just to see you.”
“I guess strange things happen when you live long enough.”
Asthan downed the strong liquor in one gulp and fell into thought.
Gloria McCain… the name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t clearly remember where he’d heard it.
The Duchy of Schulzmeier was so remote and disconnected from high society that they barely interacted with other nobles.
Besides, there was no proof that the woman was even a noble.
McCain, McCain, Mc…
Knock knock.
Lost in thought, Asthan looked up at the knock.
“Excuse me. May I come in?”
At the sound of a sweet voice, Asthan, almost as if under a spell, opened the door.
There stood Gloria, fresh from her bath, her damp face softly glowing.
Her cheeks, still red from the cold, made her look like a shy young girl. Maybe she really was just a girl.
“Wow.”
Logan, peeking from behind the door, let out a gasp of admiration.
She was wearing a large, sack-like handmaid’s dress instead of her original clothes. It was too big on her, but even that couldn’t hide her beauty.
Asthan looked away, resisting the urge to close the loosely hanging collar of her dress.
Just as he was about to suggest they talk tomorrow since it was so late, Logan jumped in first.
“It’s cold. Please come in. I even warmed up the seat for—”
“Logan. Get out. Now.”
Asthan kicked Logan out of the room before he could finish his sentence.
Meanwhile, Gloria walked in without hesitation.
Now unable to kick her out, Asthan sighed and gestured toward the sofa.
“Have a seat.”
As if she’d been waiting, Gloria sat down right away.
Asthan sat across from her and studied her quietly.
She looked determined, but her clean face was filled with sleepiness.
Earlier, she’d looked like she might collapse any minute.
Thinking it’d be best to send her away before she did something, Asthan spoke coldly.
“We could’ve talked in the morning. Why come now?”
“I didn’t feel comfortable accepting your hospitality without first explaining why I came.”
Impressed by her bold reply, Asthan gave a small smirk and asked,
“So, what is that reason?”
“I’ve come to accept your marriage proposal, Duke.”
Very fast 😅