Edited

Episode 7

My death was conveyed through Igon’s lines.

Igon, in a chilling voice, revealed the story to the female protagonist who sneaked into the bedroom in the middle of the night to avenge her father.

“My pitiful sister endured four days like a dog. After that, your father threw her to the knights. He said he couldn’t stand the piercing screams and cut off her tongue. Then, he warned her not to run away, cutting both her legs. My pitiful sister called my name until the moment she died, begging for mercy.”

Initially, when I read this dialogue, it seemed like I had no particular thoughts. However, thinking back now, I couldn’t help but wonder how the Count treated Young Lady so horribly.

Noble conflicts and intrigues were expected, but handling a Lady in such a gruesome and cruel manner was beyond comprehension.

But now that I’m the one involved, the reasons became painfully clear.

Because of my origin.

Because I’m not the Duke’s biological daughter.

Looking at it that way, it made sense.

I considered pushing aside my status as the adopted daughter and running away.

Maybe if I weren’t his real daughter, I could avoid this fate.

However, another thought quickly followed. Perhaps my future self, who managed to protect me, was the Duke’s adopted daughter. Running away might lead to my death.

Thinking about it that way, it became too frightening.

I would be dying because of actions I didn’t know I would take.

I couldn’t do anything.

Since the book didn’t reveal how I died, I had to restrict myself in every action.

Even knowing that this situation might lead to my death, I didn’t want to escape from Igon.

As terrifying as he was, no one in this world was as generous and forgiving to me as Igon.

Alone, I was nothing, and Igon was an absolute presence in my life.

He saved me, helped me, and shed blood for me, although he seemed to hide it.

I knew what happened to the servants who tormented me before Igon and the honorable Duke arrived.

There was no mercy in his punishment.

After learning about that incident, I became convinced that Igon had more than just affection for me.

However, I couldn’t reveal everything.

Though I warned Igon several times about the danger from Count Durant.

I never explicitly said that the Count would kidnap and kill me.

No, I couldn’t say it.

This place is a world in a novel, and if I follow the logic of the novel I read, I would come out as a dead person even before the novel begins. So, I felt like I would die soon.

Even thinking about it made me sound like a crazy woman. I, who had already been treated poorly by someone I had once believed in, would likely die if Igon, whom I trust and rely on even more, saw me in that way.

If Igon hated me, pitied me, and eventually withdrew his affection from me.

If that happened, I felt like I would die of withering before the Count could kill me.

Of course, I knew and Igon probably knew that I still didn’t have a normal mental state. But at least, I wouldn’t be treated like a lunatic, unable to distinguish between dreams and reality.

Moreover, I didn’t want to talk to Igon about Unis Durant, the female protagonist.

Why?

Even if a knife were placed at my throat, I didn’t want to explain to Igon about their future.

I knew the name of my fear towards him.

At first, it was clear terror, but later it turned into something completely different.

I found it chilling.

That night, I couldn’t sleep.

Since I couldn’t sleep, there were naturally no nightmares.

Igon approached me as usual while I sat with open eyes and silently sat down next to me.

He looked at me with affectionate eyes, brought a comb, and combed my hair.

His skillful touch made my body relax.

Before drowsiness set in, I spoke.

“Igon.”

I called him suddenly.

His hand stopped, and Igon looked down at me.

“Yeah? Why?”

His gaze touching me was infinitely gentle.

Silently, I took the comb from his hand and combed Igon’s hair.

His well-behaved hair easily slipped through the comb.

After playing with his hair like a child for a while, I placed my hand on Igon’s face, lifting it.

His blue eyes, the light sky blue with a hint of gray, resembled the dark sky on a cloudy day.

My heart fluttered.

It felt like rain and thunder, and the wind would rise inside me.

“Do you love me?”

At my question, Igon just looked into my eyes silently, as if he could see through my intentions and read the emotions beneath.

Igon said he spent his youth on the battlefield. The position of the heir to the duke robbed him of the time he should have spent as a child. A young man who became an adult without ever being a child had eyes more akin to a beast than a human.

“Igon, do you love me?”

As I asked the question again, Igon tilted his head to the side as if something was strange but nodded obediently.

“Of course.”

Igon answered so naturally.

“Or not. My lovely Eve.”

Igon lowered his head with a soft laugh. He embraced me tightly, as if imprisoning me in his arms, and kissed my forehead and cheeks.

“You’re the best thing I have.”

Upon hearing his answer, I buried my head in Igon’s embrace.

He paused for a moment, as if surprised, and then the slow heartbeat gradually accelerated. Hearing that sound, I became sure.

“Then promise me.”

I opened my mouth in sync with the heartbeat.

“What?”

Lifting my head, I locked eyes with Igon.

His large hand slowly stroked my head and the back of my neck.

Between hesitation and impulse, we did nothing.

Only our fluctuating gazes caused a disturbance.

“Promise me that you’ll love only me forever.”

Igon smiled.

Following his mischievous upturned lips, I raised the corners of my mouth.

I had decided. I would do my best to struggle and resist death. But if the day still came when I would die, I would never give Igon to fate without a fight. I would ruin the original story. No one would be happy in this chaos. Only I would have eternal happiness.

“I promise. I’ll say that promise forever if you want.”

A satisfied smile involuntarily appeared.

Oh, truly.

It felt like my head was in a whirlwind of emotions.

“Hug me.”

Before the words were even finished, Igon hugged me tightly.

In his embrace, I repeated to myself.

I must engrave a stronger stamp on this child’s head than in the original. I will mess up the story. Surely, no one will be happy in this chaos.

* * *

It was a damned spring at the age of nineteen.

I closed my eyes against the spring sun shining through the swaying leaves.

It was when I sighed, feeling the wind that hadn’t fully shed its winter chill.

Crunch.

A cautious footstep echoed nearby.

Instead of turning my head, I opened my eyes and straightened my posture.

I didn’t step forward until the other person greeted me.

I raised the teacup on the small tea table to my lips and took a sip.

“Young Lady.”

Turning slowly at the call, Youngest daughter of Count Bolton, the hostess of today’s tea party, stood before me.

I sent her a small smile, a polite gesture to the lovely unexpected guest.

“Would it be alright if I sit with you for a moment?”

At her shy question, I lightly nodded.

I had a feeling she had something to say, as she had been glancing at me since a while ago.

What could this young lady be curious about regarding me?

“I heard you’re resting, but I thought I might not have another chance to chat with Young Lady alone.”

“That’s fine. I also wanted to talk with Young Lady.”

I said, smiling softly but insincerely.

Bolton’s innocent Young Lady listened happily, smiling, under the warm spring sunshine.

Despite her ladylike appearance, Young Lady from Bolton House was quite talkative.

As the ladies chatted away, occasionally responding with light laughter, I couldn’t help but think she was quite adorable.

After a while, Young Lady of Bolton, as if determined, spoke with a determined look on her face.

“I have something to say, Young Lady…”

Her soft cheeks blushed.

I looked down at her with an expectant expression, wondering what bomb this young girl was about to drop.

“You really… look like a doll.”

A doll?

The girl who said that blushed, shyly lowered her head, and smiled.

It was clear that it wasn’t a sarcastic remark but rather a compliment.

Deciding whether to point out her rudeness, I decided to let it slide.

“Thank you. But Young Lady is lovelier than I am.”

I said with a light smile.

At my words, the girl’s head jerked up in surprise.

She looked at me with eyes that seemed to question how I could say such a thing.

Feeling awkward, I leaned back.

“Oh, no way! I couldn’t take my eyes off you when you entered!!”

I unintentionally laughed at her enthusiastic reaction.

The Young Ladies continued to blush, seemingly embarrassed by my laughter.

She received quite a lot of compliments to the point that even the person receiving them got tired of it.

“Young Lady.”

Calmly soothing the youngest daughter of the Count, who was like a girl in puppy love, I stood up from my seat.

Regretful gazes lingered.

“Let’s return to our seats now. It seems everyone is waiting.”

Lady Bolton, who had been glancing in our direction since earlier, seemed concerned.

It seemed she was worried that I might do something foolish to her precious daughter.

However, unfortunately, I didn’t know many foolish things to do.

Taking the slightly disappointed Young Lady’s hand, I stood up and returned to my seat.

The conversation continued, dull and nutritionless.

I joined in, recalling why I was sitting here in the first place.