5.

As if he had already captured the victory, his attitude was relaxed.

And it was reasonable for him to act that way.

After all, Dante was the only one who could control the mad dog of Rose Cross.

<Please, don’t do that. I was the one who did everything wrong…>

In the original work, Elze feared Dante’s rejection intensely.

<So, don’t say it to Dante, at least.>

It was understandable since, to Elze, Dante was like a god-like existence.

He saved her from being sold off as a strategic marriage, giving her the status of “Dante’s lover,” which provided a foundation for her not to be manipulated by others.

Although Dante only acted towards Elze as if giving a cheap toy to a crying child due to her bothersome begging for affection.

Even those trivial things were precious to Elze.

‘And Victor took advantage of Elze’s obsession with Dante for his own benefit.’

For example, he would use it to manipulate her like now, threatening with statements like, “I’ll tell Dante.”

But I was not the “original Elze,” who passionately loved Dante.

“Do as you please.”

“….Yes?”

Victor, feeling stabbed, widened his eyes.

Towards him, I drove the nail in again.

“Do as you please.”

Well, it’s not like I didn’t expect Victor to report to Dante at all.

Dante had complete control over Rose Cross Boarding School.

So, the current situation was bound to reach Dante’s ears.

Moreover, it was a well-known fact that Elze was incompetent.

‘Besides, Dante doesn’t have any expectations of me anyway.’

Thus, before orchestrating this incident, I had already weighed my options.

Instead of being seen as a foolish woman by Dante, who had no expectations of me whatsoever, I decided to stomp on Lucian’s hopes of escaping.

By doing so, I would prevent any potential disaster that might occur later.

It was a much more advantageous decision for me.

“Oh, Marquis Offenheir will be disappointed in Miss Elze!”

“Disappointed?”

I smiled brightly.

“Why would he be disappointed now?”

“… Miss Elze?”

“Marquis Offenheir never had any expectations of me from the beginning.”

At my nonchalant response, Victor looked greatly confused.

Anyway, I glanced briefly at Lucian, whether he spoke up or not.

“Then, should we just put that student back in solitary confinement?”

“There’s no need for Miss Elze to personally intervene. I can take care of it.”

“No, it was my mistake.”

I shrugged lightly.

“I made the mistake, so I should handle the aftermath too.”

Then, I covered my mouth and exaggerated a yawn.

“I was just about to fall asleep, and now I’m being called out. I’m tired. Can’t I just put the student away and go to bed?”

Without waiting for an answer, I turned around.

“Move aside.”

I gestured with my eyes to the two guards pinning down Lucian.

“….”

As the guards hesitated and stepped back, Lucian lying face down on the floor came into view.

His proud face was filled with humiliation.

I spoke calmly, “However, before going to bed.”

“….”

“We should give some punishment to the child who made the mistake, right?”

Lucian clenched his teeth tightly.

And then, *smack!*

A sharp slapping sound reverberated through the air.

It was because I had slapped Lucian’s cheek fiercely.

His once pale cheek turned bright red in an instant.

“Huff.”

At the same time, Victor gasped.

‘Even though he is a member of the Kalleid family, can she really slap someone in front of everyone like that?’

He might be thinking something like that.

Lucian, who received my slap, just hung his head in silence.

His cheek was probably throbbing with pain; perhaps he couldn’t even speak.

I grabbed Lucian by the collar, getting right in front of his face, and squeezed it tightly.

“I feel really bad because of you, disturbing my nap.”

It seemed like Lucian thought I had taken advantage of him.

His blue eyes were filled with despair, and he looked like he was sinking into darkness.

Feeling somewhat sorry, I turned away from Lucian, pretending to look at the guards.

“You and you.”

I immediately handed Lucian over to the guards.

“Take this ill-mannered child with you.”

Then I swiftly turned around.

Clack, clack, my steps moved on, passing by Victor.

His naive face was etched into my eyes.

It seemed like he had taken a hit.

Well, I quite liked that dumbfounded expression of his.

* * *

After putting Lucian back into the solitary cell again.

“Everybody, get out.”

With just one irritated command, I dismissed the guards.

Though the guards hesitated for a moment, it seemed they didn’t want to deal with the hysterics of the villainess.

They politely nodded to me and left.

“….”

Lucian sat crumpled in a corner of the cell, his head buried deeply.

It seemed like he was feeling quite guilty.

‘Hmm, is this still my fault after all?’

Even though it was true that I planned all this to make him realize he couldn’t escape without me, seeing him in such a pitiful state didn’t make me feel particularly good.

‘His cheek is quite swollen.’

I gazed at the cheek I had slapped with a bitter feeling.

The once bright red cheek was now turning a bluish hue from the forming bruise.

‘At least he doesn’t seem to be seriously hurt or have trouble moving.’

Perhaps, unlike the first time I dragged him here, the guards handled Lucian with more caution this time.

They must have calculated that if he got hurt again, it would be difficult to treat him.

“I’m sorry for hitting you.”

I offered an apology first.

Though it might sound insincere, I truly meant it.

“Shall we start by treating your cheek? There’s some ointment for bruises in the first aid box I gave you earlier.”

Then, Lucian quickly raised his head.

He bared his fangs and growled.

“Don’t pretend to care, it’s disgusting.”

“…I understand your anger. I may have overreacted a bit to prevent suspicion from the people at the dormitory.”

“Overreacted a bit?”

Lucian retorted as if listening to nonsense.

“Can this be dismissed as just overreacting a bit?”

“My Lord.”

“In this trashy school, I should be hearing your dog-like excuses while being stuck here.”

Lucian shot me a sharp gaze.

“Overreacting, you say. Just move on?”

A blue flame flickered deep in his eyes.

I could easily read what emotions Lucian was feeling right now.

Self-loathing, frustration, betrayal, despair.

And even fear of being trapped in an unfamiliar place and confined.

… For the barely adult Lucian, it was an overwhelmingly heavy burden of emotions to handle.

But…

‘Now is not the time to pity Lucian.’

Without a word, I faced Lucian and spoke.

“It must be miserable for you.”

“What?”

Lucian’s expression was instantly flabbergasted.

I smiled arrogantly.

“No matter how much you struggle, you’ll never be able to escape from this school on your own, my Lord.”

I bent down and looked directly into his trembling blue eyes.

Then I calmly asked, “You must have realized that by now, right?”

“What did you say just now…!”

Clank!

Unable to contain his anger, Lucian hastily stood up, but the chains tightened around his body.

As I faced his miserable state, I twisted my expression with satisfaction.

“Look, even now, my Lord, you are trapped in this cell like a tied-up dog.”

“You…!”

Lucian growled, baring his fangs like a beast.

But I didn’t even raise an eyebrow.

“Do you want to break free from being treated like a leashed pup? Then make a decision.”

Snapping.

Lucian couldn’t contain his anger and ground his teeth.

I looked at such Lucian with an affectionate gaze.

“Do you want to firmly grasp a certain way to escape from here, or…”

My smile became even deeper.

It was a villainous smile, akin to a venomous rose.

“…do you want to waver weakly and end up being trampled?”

With that last remark,

I stood up.

As I bid farewell to Lucian for the last time, I elegantly concluded,

“The decision is up to you, my Lord.”

Click!

The door closed.

Lucian’s face, filled with despair, disappeared through the gap in the door.

 

---

7.

Facing that gaze, the secretary felt a shiver down his spine.

The man’s curiosity resembled the cruelty of a young child.

As if playfully holding a butterfly and tearing its wings apart, twisted without malice.

‘…How can Lady Elze love a man like that?’

Unbeknownst to himself, the secretary entertained such impious thoughts.

Dante Dessaby Offenheir.

Born as a royal bastard, he subdued the dark forces of the kingdom.

A figure who achieved the position of a marquis solely through his strength.

Sometimes, when facing his master, the secretary felt an eerie sensation as if encountering something non-human.

His appearance was as beautiful as a god-sculpted masterpiece, but his inner self was empty.

While yearning for absolute love from others, he loved no one.

“Well, anyway, I’m busy catching and killing some rats right now.”

On the other hand, his faint curiosity towards Elze quickly faded.

Dante returned to his usual uninterested expression.

“We’ll visit her soon, so until then, tell Elze to enjoy her time at the boarding school.”

“Yes, I will convey your message, Your Excellency.”

“Still…”

Suddenly, Dante let out a wry smile.

“It’s fascinating how undisturbed Elze is.”

With those words, Dante swiftly left the basement.

The cautious secretary closed the basement door and quietly watched Dante’s receding figure.

Step by step.

Footprints were imprinted on the smooth stone stairs.

Footprints stained with red blood.

* * *

The next morning.

With breakfast in hand, I headed back to Lucian.

“Good morning, Your Grace.”

Inside the dark room, where the sun hadn’t risen yet.

Lucian, lying on the bed, briefly turned his gaze in my direction.

At least he didn’t seem as fierce as yesterday, which was somewhat relieving.

‘It seems Lucian… didn’t get a proper night’s sleep.’

Not only did he look tired, but there were also dark shadows under his eyes.

After all, he was suddenly dragged into this wretched boarding school and even failed to escape.

It must be difficult to sleep comfortably.

“Did you sleep well last night?”

“Being dragged to this trashy boarding school and trapped here, how could I sleep well?”

As expected, I received such a reply.

I anticipated a reaction like that.

I just responded by lifting the tray I had in my hands slightly.

“I brought breakfast.”

Warm soup, soft white bread, jam and bacon, omelet, some fruits, and juice–a typical noble breakfast.

“I prepared all the food safely, but I understand it’s still hard for Your Grace to trust and eat just because I say so.”

“….”

“So, I’ll taste each dish first. How about you have them after that?”

“No need.”

What?

I blinked my eyes dumbfoundedly.

Lucian stared at me with a dry gaze.

And then…

“I don’t need it.”

The voice rejecting the offer echoed like desert sand blowing in the wind.

“Why…”

“I’m not going to eat it.”

I reflexively held back the question, “Why don’t you want to eat?” that was about to burst out of my mouth. I forced down the argument that rose to my throat.

‘…Yes, maybe his feelings are complicated right now.’

After all the turmoil yesterday, it would be strange if he had an appetite right away today.

I obediently picked up the tray and stood up.

“Then, I’ll leave for now.”

“….”

“I’ll bring lunch later, so please make sure to eat then.”

I pleaded earnestly, but it seemed like Lucian didn’t hear a word I said, even with his ears.

Suppressing a sigh that was about to burst out, I bid farewell.

“Well then, rest well.”

“….”

Lucian didn’t respond.

He just gazed beyond the iron bars, seemingly searching for something outside the window.

His desperate gaze felt like he wanted to escape outside immediately.

…Perhaps he’s like a bird with broken wings, unable to fly for the rest of his life.

I turned away from Lucian and left the room, trying not to pay any more attention to him.

* * *

My relationship with Lucian was deteriorating rapidly.

It was no wonder, considering Lucian had been refusing meals for a whole week.

‘What should I do? Lucian’s condition seems bad.’

I anxiously observed Lucian’s state.

The once rosy cheeks had lost their vitality, and his eyes were sunken due to weight loss.

Now, Lucian didn’t even bother getting angry at me. He just glanced weakly in my direction, and if he found it too bothersome, he simply closed his eyes to shut me out.

Of course, I didn’t just sit idly by either.

At first, I tried everything to lift Lucian’s mood.

“Hello, good evening.”

“….”

“How are you feeling today?”

“….”

“I brought some food. Would you like to have at least a little bit today?”

I persistently tried to talk to Lucian, but he either tightly sealed his lips or ignored me completely if he found it too bothersome.

Such Lucian was like a noble flower wilting away without water and sunlight.

He didn’t even rebel.

It seemed like even expressing emotions drained him, and he might have thought it was better to just wither away quietly.

Facing Lucian, who showed no will to survive…

I felt my heart tighten with fear, and in reaction to that fear, anger began to build up inside me.

“How long are you going to keep refusing meals?”

To be honest, I understood that Lucian might hate me.

After all, fundamentally, I was here to monitor him.

It was okay for him not to trust me, and I could comprehend his animosity towards me.

But still.

Still, I thought.

‘Do you need to torment yourself like this?’

I would have preferred it if he resented me or got angry at me instead.

If, by any chance, Lucian were to continue like this and end up dying…

‘My escape plan would be completely ruined.’

I chewed on my lips anxiously.

Even if someone accused me of being selfish, I couldn’t help it.

My life was the most precious thing to me.

Whether the female protagonist and three male protagonists killed or saved each other in their obsessive love, was none of my concern.

All I wanted was simply to escape from this damn trashy harem romance fantasy world.

And for Lucian to awaken his powers and demolish the Rose Cross Academy.

Escaping from this dreadful boarding school was entirely impossible.

Even if I were lucky enough to succeed in escaping, I knew the secret that Duke Kalleid was imprisoned in this school.

And Dante would do anything to permanently silence me.

And the most efficient way he favored was…

‘Killing me off.’

…A shiver ran down my entire body.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

I bit my lips and stared at Lucian lying on the bed like a broken puppet.

A difficult-to-express anger surged up from the depths of my heart.

I knew it was irrational anger.

But still.

‘You were born as the male protagonist of this world.’

Awakening brilliant powers and reclaiming the family stolen by your cousin.

Even if you stumble and break in the process, there will be a female protagonist to heal your wounds and take care of you.

…As long as you are safe and your life is guaranteed until the end.

But me?

I, the villainess sacrificed to enhance the female protagonist, suffering here and there under the walking death flags, along with the three male protagonists, and brutally murdered.

I, who is consumed sacrificially for the sake of the novel’s cider?

“Why do you keep refusing to eat? Can I ask you the reason?”

When I came to my senses, I found myself coldly questioning Lucian.

“….”

Lucian responded as if he didn’t even want to answer, closing his eyes tightly.

“Do you plan to starve yourself to death?”

“…It’s not like a cat cares about a mouse. Why bother asking such pointless questions?”

I thought he would completely ignore what I said this time too.

Surprisingly, a heavily locked voice flowed out.

Lucian sneered.

“No, you should be in a position to keep me alive.”

“Your Grace.”

“To avoid being discarded by the Marquis of Offenheir. Isn’t that right?”

…What am I supposed to say right now?

---

8.

I took a deep breath.

If I didn’t calm myself down like this, I felt like I might really lose my temper.

“That’s right, I’m in a position where I have to save Your Grace by any means necessary.”

After a moment.

I opened my mouth as calmly as possible.

Lucian is my only lifeline.

So I must not let our relationship completely fall apart.

Don’t forget that I have to rely on him somehow.

“But the reason I want to save Your Grace is not solely to be loved by Marquis Offenheir.”

While desperately comforting himself like that.

I calmly questioned Lucian.

“I’m more curious about something else. Why do you think you have to live for only one reason, to be loved by someone?”

“….”

Lucian looked somewhat surprised as he met my gaze.

I bit my lips slightly.

In truth, I know.

‘Elze’ is nothing more than a villainess brought in for the sake of the novel’s plot, to enhance the kind and affectionate female protagonist.

However, no matter how much of a villainess I am.

Still.

…I can have hope to live the way I want to.

“I want to live.”

I spat out the words.

“I don’t want to live as a crazy woman obsessed with Marquis Offenheir or an arrogant villainess who commits all sorts of mischief in this boarding school.”

To suppress the emotions welling up inside me, I clenched my fist.

My well-groomed nails pierced into my palm, causing a slight pain.

“I just want to… live as Elze Lepherian.”

“….”

His blue pupils trembled intensely.

Facing his piercing gaze, not knowing what to do.

I stumbled through my words with a suppressed voice.

“And, to live as Elze Lepherian, to achieve my dreams.”

“…You.”

“You have to be alive for now.”

I bit my lip until it bled.

“Not worrying about seeing the sunrise tomorrow, not being tied to anyone, just… living day by day.”

I took a deep breath.

“…Is that such a big desire?”

It felt like my insides were turning upside down.

I couldn’t bear to look at Lucian’s face any longer.

I swiftly turned around and left the solitary cell.

* * *

Bang!

The door to the solitary cell closed as if it would break.

Clang, clang.

The rough sound of locking the door echoed.

Tok, tok, tok.

Beyond the thick door, the sound of footsteps in heels walked roughly, faintly audible.

Lucian gazed at the closed door with a complicated expression.

[I don’t want to live as a crazy woman obsessed with Marquis Offenheir or an arrogant villainess who commits all sorts of mischief in this boarding school.]

[I just want to… live as Elze Lepherian.]

Lucian recalled the image of Elze he had seen just now.

It was the first time.

Elze, who always seemed calm and composed, had shown her emotions so openly.

Her pumpkin-colored eyes, which were always filled with a sweet smile, looked deeply disturbed.

Her restrained speech was the same, yet it felt as if her nerves were visibly tense.

The Elze at that moment was like a sandcastle that would collapse with just a touch of a finger.

Strangely fragile…

‘But so what?’

Lucian sneered briefly.

No matter what pain Elze might be going through.

Even if she wants to live not as a villainess, but as an individual named ‘Elze Lepherian…

Honesty, Lucian knew that all along.

‘Why should I care about other people?’

Lucian’s sarcasm was directed more at himself than Elze.

The current situation, where he was dragged to this dreadful boarding school and trapped here, unable to do anything, was unbearable.

Nausea welled up inside him.

[Are you really willing to starve to death?]

Elze’s cold question stung him again.

Lucian lay on the bed, clutching his head with both hands.

His head was throbbing with pain.

‘…I don’t know anything.’

In truth, Lucian didn’t feel like dying right away.

Refusing to eat was simply because he didn’t want to.

Of course, he didn’t have any desire to feed the people in this wretched boarding school either…

‘I feel like vomiting.’

More accurately, every time food was placed in front of him, he felt a surge of revulsion.

He felt like a beast forced to put on his own leash, being fed at regular intervals like an animal…

The incoming food felt like animal feed…

‘How long do I have to be trapped in this boarding school?’

‘Is escape really impossible?’

‘Can’t I ask anyone for help, no matter who?’

Beneath the surface of his anger, numerous questions began to intertwine.

Those questions grew larger and eventually overwhelmed even his anger.

Now, Lucian was simply bewildered.

Among those questions, the one that tormented him the most was…

‘…Did my brother really abandon me?’

His kind and trustworthy brother.

His smiling face was always gentle.

Ever since they lost their parents, Lucian had trusted and followed his brother like a parent.

‘…Was the kindness I saw from him all a lie?’

At first, I thought all of Elze’s explanations were lies.

I wanted to believe that my brother had betrayed me, and I was ready to retaliate for what I had endured.

However, deep down, I considered my presence in the boarding school to be some kind of mistake.

I believed that my brother would come to find me soon enough, so I didn’t doubt it.

But what is the reality now?

Lucian is still…

Isn’t he still stuck alone in this dreadful cell?

“Whatever, I’m just tired now.”

The pounding headache seemed to spread throughout his entire body.

Lucian curled up his body and closed his eyes.

He slipped into what felt like a faint and deep sleep.

* * *

Some time passed.

As I returned to my room, I felt an overwhelming sense of self-reproach and wanted to bang my head against something.

‘What should I do about this?’

I had spoken too much in front of Lucian, saying things that didn’t need to be said.

[I don’t worry about whether I can see the sunrise tomorrow, not being tied to anyone, just living each day.]

[..Is that such a big ambition?]

Even though I tried my best to suppress my anger, I must have been quite agitated back then.

To have blurted out such embarrassing words so casually.

‘Really, if I could, I would just disappear from this world…’

But it was already spilt milk, and I was the one who had to resolve this situation.

I had to somehow pull myself together.

I needed to find a way to alleviate the current situation where Lucian had lost all his motivation and was refusing to eat.

In the short term, I could forcibly feed him food through his throat, but there were limits to that as well.

In that case.

‘I need to find a way to reignite Lucian’s will to survive…’

As I was thinking about it, my pupils slightly dilated.

There it was.

The most effective way to revive Lucian’s will to survive.

The method was…

* * *

Thud.

The door opened.

Inside the dimly lit cell.

Lucian, who seemed even drier than when I saw him earlier, turned to look in my direction with a pale face.

I hadn’t cared whether I entered the cell or not yesterday.

I should consider it fortunate that he reacted even a little.

“Hello, Your Grace.”

After placing the tray of food I had prepared on the table,

I approached Lucian cautiously.

“I apologize for the rudeness earlier.”

“…”

“You seemed upset and showed a distressing sight. I’m truly sorry.”

“…”

No matter what I said, Lucian just stared back at me with empty eyes.

He didn’t say anything in response.

However…

“Can he remain so quiet even after seeing this letter?”

From my embrace, I took out a letter and placed it in front of Lucian.

On the luxurious envelope, the sender’s name was written in elegant handwriting.

Arthur Craig, Viscount Craig.

Lucian’s cousin and elder brother.

“…What is this?”

In an instant, a flickering flame ignited in Lucian’s blue eyes that had previously shown no sign of life.

I pointed at the letter envelope with a slight gesture of my chin.

“Viscount Craig… In other words, a letter from Your Grace’s cousin.”

Veins rose on Lucian’s clenched fist, gripping the letter.

I spoke in a calm voice, “Please check the recipient.”

“…”

His blue eyes seemed to devour the letter envelope with intensity.

Then, Lucian’s dry lips trembled.

“Dante…”

His voice squeezed out from his throat as if it were crawling out from the deepest depths of hell.

“Dessaby Offenheir.”

The person Elze, the original protagonist, was obsessively attached to.

The owner of the Rose Cross Academy.

And currently, the man with the highest probability of trying to kill me.

Hearing that name, I smiled brightly.

“That’s right.”

To revive Lucian’s will to survive, I had chosen a method.

And that method was none other than the desire for revenge.

---

9.

It seems my strategy had quite an effect.

Just by looking at Lucian’s livelier expression, it’s evident.

‘Good.’

I smiled inwardly, satisfied with the outcome, and urged him once more.

“Perhaps it would be better to thoroughly confirm the contents of the letter?”

“…”

“Give it a read.”

Lucian grumbled and pulled out the letter from the envelope.

His blue eyes quickly scanned the letter with a fierce intensity that made them tremble.

Afterward, Lucian’s expression began to change rapidly.

Anger, despair, frustration, and enmity.

Numerous negative emotions flickered across his beautiful face.

I calmly observed his reactions.

Of course, I had anticipated such responses from Lucian from the beginning.

So, that letter was evidence.

Evidence proving that Lucian’s untrustworthy cousin had betrayed him.

Moreover, I had a rough idea of what the letter contained.

‘Roughly, it must have been a request to keep Lucian’s presence at the academy a secret.’

And in return, Marquis Craig would send money to the academy once a month.

Thus, Lucian was currently the most expensive student at Rose Cross Academy…

Anyway.

Crunch!

Having read the letter to the end, Lucian crumpled it in frustration, unable to contain his anger.

Even then, Lucian was clearly furious as he tore the letter to shreds.

“You bastard!”

Lucian ground his teeth in anger.

As I looked at the pieces of the torn letter fluttering down like dead butterflies, my vision blurred…

That letter… I had secretly stolen it from Victor’s study.

Moreover, the letter was given to Victor directly by Dante, or rather, it was intentionally left as bait to provoke Victor.

The incident where “Original Elze” received a severe scolding from Victor and was heavily criticized by Dante was also related to that letter.

So, after showing the letter to Lucian, I had intended to return it to the study before Victor came back…

Oh, life.

But well, it didn’t matter much.

I hadn’t been careless enough to get caught by Victor.

“Did you perhaps forge this letter?”

But then, Lucian fiercely questioned me.

Facing his anger-shining blue eyes, I tilted my head playfully.

“Do you really think I forged it?”

“…”

He seemed to be deeply shaken.

Seeing Lucian biting his lips so hard that they bled, I assumed he might have already known.

Until the moment Lucian was brought to this academy, he had a very close relationship with his cousin.

I heard they often exchanged letters to check on each other.

‘So, you must have figured it out.’

The style of writing, the habits of using the pen, and even the way he concluded the letter…

Everything about this letter must have resembled the familiar features of the letters Lucian had received from his cousin many times.

“Yeah… You’re right.”

As evidence, Lucian muttered in a voice filled with anger, “If this letter wasn’t written by my brother, it would feel even stranger.”

“…”

“How could my brother do this to me? How?”

Lucian shouted as if he were vomiting blood.

Silently watching the furious Lucian, I stood up from my seat.

Then I brought the food tray that was placed on the table.

Cream soup with finely chopped meat and various vegetables, fresh milk, and a sweet pudding for dessert.

Considering that Lucian had been hungry for a long time, all the dishes were prepared with a soft texture that would be easy for him to digest.

I picked up a spoon and took a spoonful of soup.

Well, it had cooled down a bit, but it seemed edible.

“What the hell are you doing?”

In that moment, Lucian’s anger, which had risen to the top of his head, was momentarily forgotten, replaced by an incredulous expression.

That must be natural.

While Lucian was frantically betrayed before his eyes, I was calmly observing the food.

I casually replied, “I’m just tasting the food one by one.”

“Why on earth?”

“Well, I have to prove to the Duke that the food is not poisoned.”

At my strange answer, Lucian’s pupils slightly widened.

Regardless, I elegantly lifted the glass of milk and took a sip.

“Clank.”

As I put the milk glass back down, the sound of the tray and glass colliding rang sharply.

Lastly, I touched the custard pudding.

After taking a bite of the pudding, I glanced up and met Lucian’s gaze.

“What will you do?”

“…”

Lucian met my unwavering gaze with a stiff expression.

I shrugged lightly and spoke.

“The Kalleid Duchy is one of the most prestigious families in the Empire.”

“…I don’t need you to tell me such obvious things.”

Lucian said, gritting his teeth.

“The honor of the Kalleid Duchy is something I, as the head of the family, know best.”

“That’s right. You are the rightful and sole owner of the Kalleid Duchy.”

I nodded.

Then, in a calm voice, I asked, “But now, that precious Kalleid Duchy has been taken away by Marquis Craig.”

“What?”

“Do you plan to stay like this, helplessly, without taking any action?”

Lucian froze in place.

At the same time, my smile grew slightly deeper.

“Or do you plan to escape from this dreadful boarding school and reclaim the family that was taken from you?”

Inside the cell, it was now so quiet that even the sound of a falling needle could be heard.

Only the stirring in my heart continued, tempting me.

“To Marquis Craig, who greedily coveted what belonged to you without even knowing the subject….”

Before the young man with a face as cold as ice in front of me, it seemed like he had forgotten how to breathe.

To him, I calmly concluded my words.

“Will you choose revenge?”

With that, I pushed the food tray, which I had taken small bites from, in front of Lucian.

“The choice is yours, Your Grace.”

Perhaps my whisper sounded devilish.

But, you see, that’s how a demon operates.

When dealing with someone I’ve targeted for corruption, it’s best to use their most desperate desire as bait.

To dangle that bait right under their nose, enticingly, seducing them…

Lucian’s eyes blazed with intensity.

“Fine, I admit it. Your words make sense.”

As he retorted, Lucian clenched the utensils in his rough grip.

“Kalleid is mine.”

His icy voice lowered.

“…It can’t be taken away from me by anyone.”

Yes, that’s right.

I responded with a satisfied smile.

* * *

After that, Lucian quickly recovered.

It seemed that the motive of revenge gave him the strength to bounce back.

Anyway, from my perspective, it was a satisfactory outcome.

Then, one day, Lucian, who reluctantly emptied his plate under my watchful eye, put down his spoon and opened his mouth with a bored expression.

“I have something I’m curious about.”

“What is it?”

“On the first day we met, you said that you were on my side.”

…Yes, I had said that.

Afterward, Lucian never mentioned it again, and I had completely forgotten about it as well.

Lucian asked again, “Why did you say such a thing?”

“Um, well…”

I couldn’t bring myself to say that it was to manipulate you and use you as a stepping stone for my escape.

…So I searched for an excuse.

Fortunately, Lucian’s words were not yet finished.

“I understand that you want to live a life of your own, to be free. Being by Marquis Offenheir’s side… is indeed dangerous in many ways.”

After all, Dante is surrounded by numerous criminal suspicions and his notorious reputation with women.

And most of those suspicions are true.

“But despite knowing all of that, you still decided to become Marquis Offenheir’s lover, right?”

As Lucian hesitated, I filled in the words for him.

“You said you are passionately in love with him.”

Unable to continue his words, Lucian remained silent for a moment.

“I head it the story, you… I mean…”

“I am passionately in love with him.”

I finished the sentence on behalf of Lucian.

However, what couldn’t be helped was the fact that my heart was trembling and throbbing.

‘Is this… the emotion of the original Elze?’

In the original story, Elze was described to harbor a fanatical affection for Viscount Offenheir.

Why is it that just hearing the name of the person you love can sway and stir you so much?

Elze’s feelings for Dante were a twisted kind of emotion, so putrid and foul-smelling that it couldn’t be sweetly labeled as love…

On the other hand, Lucian wore a somewhat perplexed expression.

“Well… There are rumors like that.”

“Well, it’s not entirely baseless gossip.”

I shrugged my shoulders, nonchalantly maintaining my attitude despite hearing rumors about myself.

Lucian’s expression became rather peculiar as he observed my demeanor.

Meanwhile, in my mind, I was frantically calculating.

‘Is it the right time now?’

It was the right moment to offer Lucian a new bait.

I reconsidered Lucian’s behavior up to this point.

His willingness to entrust his treatment to me, his tone of speech becoming much milder compared to the first encounter, the trust he gained by bringing Lord Craig’s letter.

Moreover, he is now showing interest in me, or rather, Elze, and her situation.

In other words, Lucian is treating me not as a ‘villainess’ but as a ‘human being.’

If that’s the case…

‘Should I think of it… somewhat positively?’

To take advantage of Lucian’s somewhat accommodating attitude and lead him into a more favorable position…

I subtly opened my mouth.

“Shall I tell you a secret?”

“A secret?”

Lucian responded with a doubtful tone.

Still, he couldn’t hide his curiosity, pretending not to be interested.

After all, at the age of eighteen, one is naturally curious about the word ‘secret.’

I calmly continued.

“I want to escape from this place.”

In an instant, Lucian’s pupils widened.

A bait I threw to Lucian.

And that bait’s true identity was nothing but ‘my sincerity.’

---

10.

“Upon careful consideration, I realized that there’s nothing more pathetic than clinging to a man who doesn’t love me.”

I replied nonchalantly.

Upon hearing those words, Lucian displayed a slightly surprised expression.

Well, it’s possible to be surprised.

The original Elze acted as if he would die without the Marquis of Offenheir.

But I wasn’t that Elze.

“I am, for all intents and purposes, the lover of the Marquis of Offenheir. However.”

I declared firmly.

“It doesn’t mean that the Marquis loves me.”

A pang.

Once again, a sharp pain pierced through my chest.

Perhaps this emotion belonged to the passionate ‘Elze’ who loved the Marquis of Offenheir.

Therefore, I didn’t need to concern myself with it.

Ignoring the pain that felt like a knife to the heart, I continued speaking.

“The Marquis doesn’t love any woman. He simply keeps them by his side out of necessity.”

It was the truth.

The setting of the original work, Dante, was ‘a handsome, mentally unstable scoundrel.’

In the original work, until Dante meets the female protagonist, he constantly discarded women.

<Hello, my dear.>

Due to past traumas, afflicted by severe lack of affection, he didn’t even know how to love others.

Due to his deep loneliness, he frequently engaged in fleeting relationships with women.

<Don’t, please don’t go!>

<If we’ve had fun all this time, isn’t that enough?>

If he got tired of it, he would announce the breakup without blinking an eye.

In the midst of that, there were also women who couldn’t forget Dante and clung onto him.

Dante summarized such women in just one phrase.

<Persistently clingy.>

…that’s what he said.

‘For now, he’s meeting Elze, so he’s not meeting any other women…’

If I accidentally upset his feelings, a powerless woman like me might disappear without anyone noticing.

I no longer wanted to take such a risk.

“Above all, the Duke’s presence here is highly confidential. I’m one of the very few who knows about this secrecy.”

“…”

“So if you were to escape from here…”

I continued speaking evenly.

“The Marquis would do whatever it takes to silence me, even if it means killing me.”

When it came to imprisoning illegitimate children of noble families or losers of succession battles, people turned a blind eye and pretended not to see.

But the rightful owner of the prestigious house of Kalleid is different.

If it became known that Lucian was confined here, the whole world would surely become as noisy as a disturbed beehive.

Dante, who had a keen sense of money, wouldn’t want to miss out on this efficient business called the ‘Rose Cross Boarding School.’

“…Besides, there are personal reasons why he operates this boarding school.”

I stopped my thoughts around that point.

Now was the time to focus on Lucian.

“So, I hope the Duke will escape from this boarding school.”

“Me?”

Lucian’s face was a mixture of surprise and pain.

I nodded my head.

“If the Duke were to escape from here and reveal the fact that the owner of the Kalleid Duchy had been imprisoned here…”

I shrugged lightly.

“The secrets I know won’t remain secrets anymore.”

“Well, there’s some logic to it.”

“However, in that case, the Duke could hold me accountable for not properly managing him.”

I calmly added.

“Or he might pin the whole situation of this boarding school on me and withdraw.”

Upon hearing that, Lucian looked at me with a grim expression.

“Wouldn’t that make things dangerous for you?”

“That’s right. That’s why I want to propose something to the Duke.”

I stared straight into Lucian’s eyes.

His blue and transparent pupils met mine quietly.

Just on the threshold of adulthood, not yet knowing what falsehood even means…

It was a gaze that was purely innocent.

But I, who had already worn away and decayed, was using this young man for my own purposes.

…Perhaps I’ve already set traps within traps.

I hid my bitterness behind a smile.

“I’ll become the Duke’s accomplice.”

“What?”

“In exchange, if the Duke escapes from this school, please protect me with the power of Kalleid.”

Of course, this was a lie.

The moment Lucian escaped the boarding school, I planned to cut ties with all the male protagonists and flee.

But without presenting some reasonable basis, it seemed that Lucian wouldn’t believe me.

“Of course, the Duke might be so indifferent to everything that he’d just leave someone like me behind out of annoyance… But still, you never know, right?”

Honestly, I said that without much thought.

Lucian shot me a puzzled look in an instant.

“What on earth are you saying?”

“What?”

I tilted my head in feigned innocence.

Lucian, who had been staring at me with a disapproving gaze, closed his mouth and looked away.

“…It’s nothing.”

Well, that’s that.

There was no need to make things awkward with Lucian over something I wasn’t even curious about.

“I see. Shall we have some celery now?”

I smoothly changed the topic.

…Lucian, who had been sneakily trying to leave some celery, gave me a resentful glare.

* * *

Afterward.

Elze bid farewell with a “See you again” and took the dishes, heading outside.

‘…I never knew she had such thoughts.’

Lucian gazed at the closed door with complex emotions.

A woman blinded by love, a woman who would stoop to being the henchman of a dreadful criminal.

That was the prejudice Lucian held against the previous Elze.

But.

The words Elze whispered softly, her eyes lowered earlier, lingered oddly deeply in my ears.

[Upon careful consideration, I realized that there’s nothing more pathetic than clinging to a man who doesn’t love me.]

A man she loved obsessively, but in reality, he regarded her as even less than a worthless speck beneath his feet.

I wonder what her feelings were like when she acknowledged that fact.

Perhaps that was why.

[Of course, the Duke might be so indifferent to everything that he’d just leave someone like me behind out of annoyance… But still, you never know, right?]

The reason those words she said so casually sounded so poignant.

Naturally, I knew that I wasn’t in a position to worry about Elze, so I quickly swallowed my words.

“Sigh.”

Feeling strangely turned upside down, Lucian sighed repeatedly.

* * *

‘I never thought I’d successfully persuade Lucian to this extent.’

Having emerged from the isolation cell, I was in an unusually good mood.

And rightfully so.

Lately, Lucian had been approaching everything with fervor.

Indeed, nothing stoked a person’s motivation quite like touching their emotions.

Moreover, if those emotions were driven by a desire for revenge, it would be even more intense.

Now, Lucian would strive as if he were mad to reclaim the stolen Calraide and execute Marquis Craig.

In the process, his innocence would be worn away by rough storms.

Stumbling and cynical, he would become one of the male protagonists in this world, with only Duke Kalleid remaining…

‘Well, that’s not something I can do anything about.’

I shrugged casually.

Perhaps the original female protagonist would be adept at soothing Lucian’s wounded heart.

As the original villainess, all I could do for Lucian was to prevent the disruption of the love between the female protagonist and Lucian.

Rather than becoming jealous to the point of scheming due to the sight of the female protagonist receiving Dante’s love.

Wouldn’t it be better to disappear quietly without causing any problems?

And I had confidence that I could do that very well.

But then, at that moment.

“Elze!”

Someone called out to me in a booming voice.

‘Could it be, that voice?’

I squinted my eyes and turned towards the direction the voice came from.

And the moment I confirmed the person, a reflexive weariness washed over me, causing my brows to furrow.

“Victor.”

I met Victor’s gaze with a displeased expression.

“How extraordinary must the situation be for you to holler and summon people like that?”

Then I added as if to prompt him to speak.

“That’s impolite.”

With heavy steps, Victor approached me.

Blinding me with his intense stare, he blurted out.

“Are you Elze?!”

“What’s the matter?”

“The letter Marquis sent has disappeared!”

Victor accused me with a fierce manner.

“The one who took that letter, isn’t it you, Elze?!”

Oh, damn it.

 

TL/N: hii guys I couldn’t think of anything else other then doing this I’m sorry idk what to do so so sorry