The day of the decisive battle arrived quickly.
Finally, a month.
Seraphie paced around the room, her body healthier than it had been a month ago. Her steps, though calm, carried a subtle nervousness, yet they were undeniably livelier than before. After obtaining a plan for the forced succession trial from the central library, she had done everything she could for the past month.
Still, how fortunate. She looked at the items on her desk. This wretched situation…
Ten lottery tickets and two horse betting slips from the racetrack. Deeds proving ownership of various lands, including barren wastelands where not even a single blade of grass grew. Evidence tightly hidden in the drawer proves the atrocities committed by the count.
Who would have thought this could become an opportunity for a comeback… Seraphie sneered.
The reality of still being in a world from a novel was horrifying, but it also offered her a chance to start over.
“…That spring,” Seraphie murmured. “That spring was a lucky time.”
A series of lottery numbers, which seemed ominous, set a record for the highest winnings, and a horse everyone expected to lose, one about to retire, took first place.
“Meanwhile, it was an unlucky time for Peonia Felicia, the duke’s daughter.”
A fire broke out in the Magic Tower due to a failed experiment.
“Because Lillie Albeolus, the viscount’s daughter, came to the capital.”
Reciting the introduction of the original work, Seraphie leaned against the desk and closed her eyes.
The few remaining employees of the mansion were now Seraphie’s people. They had agreed to her plan and were waiting for the right moment to act today. Seraphie was no different.
The mansion was unusually peaceful. However, Seraphie knew this calm was the calm before the storm. The coming storm would be enormous, and she was prepared to face it with all her might. Taking advantage of the silent tension, Seraphie reviewed everything she had prepared.
Knowing the future was more incredible than she had imagined. On the day she returned from the Central Library, Seraphie had stayed up all night trying to recall the contents of the original story. Though it was a moment filled with all kinds of curses, she had managed to extract information that would be immensely helpful to her. And indeed, it has been of great help.
Especially the introduction of the original work.
Seraphie remembered this introduction more clearly than any other part because it contrasted the good fortune happening in the empire’s capital with the downfall of the villainess, Peonia. Thanks to this, she had managed to secure a large sum of money.
The financial situation has improved.
The Vallidus family was so poor that they were on the verge of running out of money for food. Every bit of income was squandered on the count’s drinking and gambling. In such a situation, the money Seraphie earned was like rain during a drought.
Seraphie deposited all the money from the lottery winnings and horse betting into the bank. The amount was too large to bring to the mansion. Of course, she set aside money for living expenses and the overdue wages of the employees. She also quickly purchased several plots of barren land.
Their expressions were priceless.
When buying lottery tickets, betting slips, opening an account, and purchasing land, Seraphie had almost died laughing at the looks on the faces of those watching her. They clearly knew who she was, yet they looked at her like an animal on display at the zoo, filling their eyes with ridiculous amusement. They treated her like a madwoman. And they had every reason to do so.
I’m doing the same thing as that person.
Outwardly, it seemed that Seraphie was gambling and buying worthless land.
Carl was a gentleman.
The kind expression of Carl, who had helped her at the Central Library, came to mind. Seraphie felt that even if Carl didn’t come to help today, she could forgive him.
No…. But please, come. Seraphie prayed earnestly.
“Ouch…!” As she shifted her body slightly, Seraphie winced in pain. Her arm throbbed from the beating she had received from Count Vallidus last night. I underestimated the Count.
What had been hardest for Seraphie over the past month wasn’t the stares from others. Those could be ignored. The most challenging part was living under the same roof as Count Vallidus. The senseless violence and harsh words from her degenerate father were maddening, even with a strong spirit.
That vile b*stard. Seraphie shuddered.
Count Vallidus would curse her even if their eyes met, and even when they didn’t, he would seek her out just to hurl insults. The only relief was that the count hadn’t directly attacked her recently. It seemed he was somewhat shocked that his usually docile daughter had suddenly started rebelling with fierce determination.
But as a result, the shift made life harder for the countess. The new bruise on Seraphie’s arm was from trying to protect her.
Unable to stand it, Seraphie had written directly to her maternal family, asking them to help her mother, who was struggling, and to allow her to stay there for a while. However, the response she received contained only the infuriating words, ‘A married daughter is no longer family.’
I’ll deal with you later…! Seraphie growled as she touched her throbbing arm, vowing to succeed and destroy her maternal family.
After calming down, Seraphie relaxed her shoulders. Everything was leading up to today.
If Carl comes… If he arrived and witnessed the events that were about to unfold, the forced succession trial would have been a victory for Seraphie.
Carl was a good knight and the heir to the Marquisate Iris, one of the two great military families. If he came, he would be a powerful witness in Seraphie’s favor during the trial.
A knight could never lie in front of the emperor. This was a phrase often repeated in the novel. In an empire that revered martial strength, knights had to uphold their honor at all costs.
Of course, there’s a chance he won’t come…. But she desperately hoped he would. However, she couldn’t place too much hope in nobles who had ignored the plight of the Vallidus family for so long. She even worried about whether she would get back the necklace she had given away.
Really, I can’t trust anyone.
How could she believe in a world so bleak? But she had to trust it, at least for now.
How contradictory this was. She had considered other options just in case, but for now, trusting the noble who had ignored her until now was the best course of action.
Really…! Seraphie squeezed her eyes shut. How did it come to this! The composure she had barely maintained was shattered by the growing anxiety and fear.
I want to return. She wanted to go home. As soon as this desperate wish she had tried so hard to suppress resurfaced, tears welled up.
Why did she have to suffer here like this? She couldn’t understand. Had she been such a terrible person? While she wasn’t perfect, she hadn’t done anything bad enough to deserve this torment. It was an overwhelmingly harsh ordeal.
Every time Count Vallidus tormented her, Seraphie thought of her real family.
Dad, Mom….
Her real father, no matter how angry, would always speak softly and kindly to her. Even when her mother tried to discipline her with a switch, he would defend her, asking how such a small child could be hit.
Her mother was gentle, but when she was strict, she was terrifying. Yet, in the end, she always took her side. On weekends, they would go to the city to watch movies and shop together, a close-knit mother and daughter.
She had such wonderful parents still alive. While she hadn’t been the most devoted daughter, she had bought them carnations every Parents’ Day and even started giving them an allowance once she began earning money.
“Hic…”
The thin walls of her strong front broke, and longing poured out. Seraphie sank to the floor, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. The flimsy hope that she might one day return home had worn thinner as time passed. The skinny body she now touched was proof of that. This warmth felt so real.
“Milady.”
At that moment, she heard the butler’s voice from outside the door.
“…What is it?” Seraphie wiped her face roughly with her sleeve and struggled to steady her sniffling voice.
“Master has returned.”
Seraphie soon opened the door and stepped out. Seeing her tear-streaked face, the butler’s expression darkened. But he didn’t ask why she had been crying. He simply bowed his head and quietly stood by her side.
I didn’t cry because I was afraid of the Count. Seraphie felt a bit grateful to the butler for misunderstanding on her behalf.
“Where is mother?”
“She is with the head maid and the other maids, as you instructed.”
The butler had followed Seraphie’s instructions precisely. He had hidden the countess and had the servants waiting in their assigned positions.
As she descended the stairs, the count’s angry shouts grew louder. He must have gone out and gotten drunk somewhere again.
“Butler.”
“Yes.”
“Proceed with the plan.”
“Milady…”
“It’s okay.” Seraphie gave him a bright smile, showing off the body she had trained for a month.
The wrinkles around the butler’s eyes deepened with concern. No matter how much effort she had put in over the month, Seraphie’s body was still thin. But the butler didn’t try to stop her any further. He no longer dismissed her words as mere bravado.
“Please stay safe.” He draped a shawl over her shoulders. They exchanged a brief nod.
Clutching the shawl, Seraphie slowly descended the stairs. The noise grew louder as she got closer to the bottom. The stench of alcohol filled the air. She had to pause for a moment at the bottom of the stairs.
The floor was a mess of broken glass from a bottle the count had thrown. Drunk, with a face flushed a deep red, Count Vallidus was shouting wildly. The air was filled with disgusting curses.
“Master, you’ll hurt yourself!”
“Please, calm down!”
The two largest servants in the mansion were holding the count by the arms, trying to restrain him. The bottle in the count’s hand narrowly missed the servants’ heads.
I was hit by that bottle.
Seraphie frowned. Just looking at Count Vallidus made the scar on her forehead ache.
And I died.
The real Seraphie had died, and somehow, she had ended up in this body. She didn’t know why she had entered the world of a novel, but she was sure that Count Vallidus was the cause of Seraphie’s death. If he hadn’t killed Seraphie, she wouldn’t have come here. Even if it wasn’t directly his fault, the count had already committed too many unforgivable acts. He had inflicted wounds on everyone that could never heal.
“Milady!”
At that moment, one of the servants noticed Seraphie.
Seraphie bit the inside of her lip lightly.
It was about to begin.
