It all started a year ago.
“My fate…”
It began when Seraphie Vallidus awoke after spending a week on the brink of death, her head shattered by a bottle wielded by her father, Count Vallidus.
“Seriously, my cursed fate…!”
Outside the window, the day was bright and sunny, a beautiful spring day. Seraphie, staring out the window with a distant look, gritted her teeth. Her light blue hair fluttered sadly in the breeze.
If this keeps up, I’ll be beaten to death.
Though hidden under her clothes now, Seraphie’s body was covered in colorful bruises, each marking a different time she had been struck. The person who caused these bruises was the same one responsible for the bandages wrapped around her head.
Count Vallidus. He was the reason Seraphie was forced to stay confined to her room even after she had woken up.
What should I do? What on earth should I do? Even after a week had passed since she opened her eyes in this unfamiliar world, Seraphie was still stuck in the same thought pattern day after day.
At first, she believed it was just a horrible nightmare. The next day, she was overwhelmed by fear and confusion, leading to a slight fever. By the third or fourth day, she had to acknowledge the fact that this was a completely different world from where she had originally lived and that it wasn’t a dream but a harsh reality.
A world that felt somewhat medieval but definitely wasn’t. Her clothes were not quite Rococo-style dresses but instead felt more like simple one-piece outfits, in a world that was neither here nor there. Even civilizations seemed to be developed by strange technology, which was too odd to be called science. Since she had come to grips with this strange yet oddly familiar world, every day had been the same as today.
How do I get home? What should I do?
Anxiety gripped Seraphie by the throat, and a rotten root of fear, as if from hell, clung tightly to her limbs. She felt like she was being sucked into a hopeless despair with no way out.
Growing more anxious, Seraphie rifled through the newspapers and books in her room, seeking some escape from her fear. Her only comfort was that she could read the text without much difficulty.
Come to think of it, I can also understand the language. She recalled the insults from Count Vallidus.
The count, who couldn’t stand the sight of her light blue hair, which was just like his own, had cursed at her while striking her. In a fit of anger, Seraphie had punched the count in the face. Since then, the count had not touched her.
Anyway, being able to read, Seraphie finally understood why this world seemed strange yet familiar after reading the newspaper.
Inside a novel…
The name of a character she had liked was written in the newspaper.
“As if that changes anything…”
It was still shocking and unbelievable. But knowing the truth didn’t change anything for her.
Crash! Clatter! Seraphie flinched. The chilling sound made her hair stand on end. She could never get used to the shattering noise that echoed through the house at random intervals.
Whether it was a plate or a vase, Count Vallidus probably didn’t care what he threw. Regardless, it seemed another household item had been broken today.
“Those damn fools! Go get more booze!” Beyond the closed door, Count Vallidus’ drunken demand echoed through the house. His rampage, fueled by alcohol even in the middle of the day, would likely continue for a while
.
Unfortunately, Count Vallidus was Seraphie’s biological father. His skin was always flushed red from excessive drinking, and his large, bullish frame was intimidating. He was also a worthless human being.
“You damn b*tch!”
She heard the sound of fists striking someone, followed by the hurried voices of the servants trying to intervene.
Seraphie, who had stepped out of her room, stopped in her tracks and held her breath. She’s getting hit again… It was obvious without even looking.
Downstairs, Count Vallidus was likely hitting his wife, the countess, who would be enduring the abuse without even a groan. Seraphie knew this because she had once tried to step in and protect the countess. The scars from that glorious encounter still marked her left forearm.
I’m really not going to survive this.
Hell wasn’t some distant place. Everything surrounding Seraphie was hell. This house was like a ticking time bomb.
The Count had achieved a trifecta of vices: alcohol, gambling, and womanizing, while the countess had grown so accustomed to violence that she didn’t even resist anymore. Her lifeless eyes held no spark of vitality.
The original owner of this body probably too… Slipping out of the mansion unnoticed, Seraphie pitied her own frail wrist.
Today, she felt sorry for the countess, but there was no time to help her. She needed to carry out the plan she had set in motion while the count and the servants were distracted.
What will happen?
What would happen if she couldn’t escape this situation?
Will I end up like the countess? Unable to resist, even when beaten, and eventually accepting it as normal.
Seraphie had a hunch. I must have died… The original Seraphie Vallidus, who had inhabited this body before her, likely died after being struck by her father’s bottle just before she possessed it. She didn’t dare to imagine what the original Seraphie must have felt at that moment.
* * *
The Ortus Empire was a nation that deeply loved flowers and plants. From the count’s mansion to the carriage rental station, beautiful flowers and trees lined the way. Every time the wind gently blew, the subtle scent of flowers and grass tickled Seraphie’s nose.
“Gasp…”
But Seraphie had no time to enjoy it.
“Gasp, gasp…”
Regrettably, her stamina was already hitting rock bottom. As much as she had dreaded it, Seraphie hadn’t realized her body was this frail. She hadn’t walked for even 20 minutes, yet she could already taste blood in her mouth.
Barely managing to make it to the carriage rental station, Seraphie, exhausted to the point of struggling to breathe, handed over the money and called out her destination.
“…Get in.” The coachman gave Seraphie a brief glance before opening the carriage door for her.
He won’t think I’m a noble, will he?
What kind of noble lady would be so frail and dressed in such shabby clothes? Well, here I am, though.
As the carriage began to move, Seraphie pushed aside her gloomy thoughts. Finally able to catch her breath, she gently massaged her aching calves and patted her thighs.
Seraphie quickly organized the tasks she needed to accomplish in her mind. I want to go home.
That was her only goal: to return to the place where she originally lived.
But… Could she actually make it back? Her thoughts spiraled into negativity. The sudden change in environment and the horrifying situation weighed heavily on her.
No, I can do it. Seraphie forced herself to be optimistic.
She didn’t know how or why, but she had ended up in this place. If she could come here, then surely, she could find a way back out. Seraphie kept repeating this to herself. That’s why she had to survive first.
I need to get rid of the count…
She needed to find a way to return home from a place where she could be safe, healthy, and even have access to money if needed. To do that, she had to get rid of Count Vallidus. This was Seraphie’s top priority.
I’m not afraid of the count.
Yes, it hurt when he hit her. She had tried to help the countess once and received several blows, and the sheer force of the count’s blows had made her see stars. But that wasn’t enough to make Seraphie afraid of him. She was a completely different person now. After all, she had punched him in the face once, and he hadn’t dared to touch her since.
If only I were a bit stronger… She could have beaten him more.
In any case, the count was a coward. He was weak before the strong and strong before the weak, the lowest of the low.
The only reason the family hadn’t crumbled was because of a few servants, including the butler, who took pride in the long history of the count’s lineage. Without them, the Vallidus family would have turned to dust long ago.
There must be a way.
Seraphie rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a necklace. The wooden necklace, engraved with a flower pattern like a print, was very old. According to a book she had read, it was the symbol of a religion believed in this country.
Oh, God. She didn’t really believe in god, but… Still clutching the necklace tightly in both hands, Seraphie prayed earnestly.
Seraphie had decided to face reality. She had become the daughter of that damned Count Vallidus. Now, this daughter planned to kick her father out in order to survive. To get her back to her ‘real home.’
Please forgive me for becoming a scoundrel.
And scoundrel is the standard term.
By the time she finished her added prayer, Seraphie had reached her destination. It was the Central Library.
* * *
Seraphie nearly staggered backward as she tilted her head up to take in the sight of the Central Library. It’s enormous…!
The National Central Library was one of the prides of the Ortus Empire. It was said to have been constructed by moving the main castle of a kingdom the empire had conquered.
The vast castle housed not only books from across the continent but also from foreign lands across the sea. Moreover, the famous paintings and treasures that had been in the castle were still on display there.
Seraphie pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders and took a deep breath. There has to be a way here.
The place Seraphie had chosen for survival was the National Central Library. Although she remembered parts of the original story, it didn’t teach her all the rules and laws of this world.
The original novel had been centered on the protagonist’s narrative. Of course, that’s important too, but…
What Seraphie needed immediately was a way to legally and safely remove the count from the mansion. The storylines where the protagonist couple exchanged kisses and blushed over their ears and necks were of no use to her. Therefore, it was highly likely that the solution Seraphie desperately needed—to remove the count—could be found in this library, the repository of knowledge.
Murder is out of the question. Although she would love to kill him, Seraphie’s conscience and physical condition made it impossible.
As she entered the library, Seraphie continued to think about how to get rid of the count. The first method that came to mind was the divorce of the count and countess.
That won’t work…
But that seemed hopeless. Divorce was a matter to be decided by the couple involved.
Seraphie thought of Countess Vallidus. The image of the countess enduring the count’s violence without resistance, as if she had given up on everything, broke Seraphie’s heart and confirmed that divorce was out of the question. Besides, if divorce had been possible for the countess, none of this would have happened in the first place.
After entering the library, Seraphie decided to seek help from a librarian. “I’m looking for books related to trials and laws.”
The librarian, wearing thin-rimmed glasses, gave Seraphie a quick once-over. Just as Seraphie started to feel uncomfortable under that gaze, the librarian pointed toward the west annex. Hearing it would take 30 minutes to walk there, Seraphie was horrified inside.
What kind of library is this…! But she quickly recalled that this grand and vast library was once the main castle of a kingdom and had to swallow her frustration. She didn’t forget to remind herself that with its size and scope, she might find what she was looking for. However,
“Gasp, gasp…”
Even her optimism was no match for her lack of stamina.
A sunfish would be even stronger than me…! No joke, it hadn’t even been five minutes!
Seraphie, having taken refuge in the shade under the nearby castle wall, was alarmed by her ragged breathing and the cold sweat on her forehead. Her trembling legs were weaker than those of a newborn fawn.
Seraphie closed her eyes tightly. It was at that moment that she resolved to become a healthy scoundrel.
“Are you alright?”
A shadow fell over Seraphie’s head.
Hi, this series will be updated with one chapter every Thursday.
