It’s not every day that one finds out about their past life.
But that bizarre moment came during an ordinary time.
For example, while commuting to work as a low-level official at the Treasury.
I was dozing off in a shared carriage heading to the Imperial Palace when it hit me.
‘I’ve been reincarnated into the world of a book.’
As soon as I realized my previous existence, memories of my 2n years on Earth flashed through my mind like a panorama.
And then, the contents of the book world, the original story where I now lived, came to me in vivid detail. It felt like it was arranged by a divine hand.
But I didn’t feel much reaction.
‘The war-crazed tyrant Emperor falling in love with the sunshine heroine through a contract romance— that’s only a hot topic in social circles.’
I had no lingering attachments to my past life, no family or close friends.
It just felt like I had an additional 2n years of memories.
‘It’s a bit strange that my name is the same in both lives.’
My name on Earth was Kwon Rina, and here, it’s Carolina.
‘Maybe the name Rina is engraved on my soul.’
Another minor commonality is that in both lives, my job was a low-level official.
‘I just hope I don’t end up dying young from overwork after getting stuck with a crazy boss.’
As the panorama ended, I briefly prayed while looking at the almost municipal office.
I was even more worried because ‘getting stuck with a crazy boss’ had already happened.
‘I want to live a long life.’
In this life, I wanted to work normally and retire peacefully.
But the Emperor, who had been terrorizing the continent for nearly a decade, was soon to return.
The departments were on high alert due to the impending arrival of the top authority, known for his harsh personality.
‘The Emperor said he would receive reports immediately upon arrival, so the work is piling up. No way…?’
Fearing death from overwork, I realized the shared carriage had already arrived at the Treasury building.
I greeted the coachman weakly and reluctantly walked to the office.
“What time is it?”
As soon as I opened the door, my crazy boss’s harsh voice greeted me.
“It’s 8:10, Donovan.”
I checked the clock indifferently and replied.
Normally, he would have complained that I came much earlier than the start time but still late and how he used to come two hours early when he was new.
But today, Donovan’s trigger point seemed a bit different.
“What? Donovan?”
My boss, Donovan, was very proud that he could list his name at the end of the noble register as a Baronet.
Although titles took precedence over positions in the government, there was no need to use noble titles.
‘Well, it’s not like he’s asking me to call him Dad.’
“Yes, sir.”
I added the honorific indifferently.
Only then did Donovan’s face relax a bit.
“I’m not that authoritative, you know.”
It seemed there was a rule that authoritative people must start their sentences like that.
“No matter how much the Imperial Palace rules prioritize positions over titles, there is still a distinction between commoners and nobles.”
Donovan kept looking at me for agreement.
‘If you must know, I’m a commoner too.’
My father was a Baronet like Donovan, but the Baronet title was not hereditary.
So, I was a commoner with a noble father.
‘Thanks to my slight connection to noble society, my situation is better than other commoners.’
But it wasn’t the right time to mention that, so I responded indifferently.
“Yes, sure.”
Donovan seemed satisfied with my indifferent response and continued to complain.
“How could they promote Rachel instead of me? That commoner.”
I started to understand why Donovan’s trigger point was different today.
‘The promotion announcement must have come out.’
Rachel, the head of a neighboring department, didn’t get along well with Donovan.
‘Rachel is a self-made competent person, while Donovan barely holds on with his parents’ connections.’
It seemed I showed my admiration for the fairness of the Imperial Palace’s HR department too openly.
Or maybe Donovan was upset because I didn’t join him in badmouthing Rachel.
Maintaining a semblance of composure, Donovan turned red and yelled.
“What’s with that face? Do you think Rachel deserved the promotion?”
“Of course not. How could I?”
Workplace survival was tough, so I managed my expression and denied it.
“No way! You’re siding with that woman because you’re a commoner too. Tsk. I thought you’d have better sense, growing up in a noble family.”
Donovan ranted at me for a while, then stormed out as other employees started arriving.
Seeing Donovan leave in a huff, Connie cautiously approached me.
“What’s up with him again?”
“He’s upset about being passed over for promotion.”
I didn’t feel much about it, but handling irrational anger right after an identity crisis wasn’t pleasant.
I answered Connie briefly and said I’d start working.
Connie seemed to have more questions but didn’t press me.
Maybe because my day started badly, I couldn’t focus on work today.
Even tasks I usually completed easily didn’t go well.
‘Pull yourself together. If you get through today, it’s the weekend.’
I tried to collect myself, but it didn’t help much.
“Are you out of your mind? The calculation is wrong.”
Donovan yelled, finding a mistake in the document I submitted.
An abacus flew toward my desk.
Despite checking multiple times more carefully than usual, I missed it.
“Don’t you know how important the raw data from each territory’s tax collection is? It’s the foundation for the report to His Majesty!”
A minor error in copying a number was not the point.
Nor was it important that there was a final review process using magic tools to catch mistakes before they became problems.
The point was that Donovan found my mistake before that final review.
Since it was my mistake, I endured Donovan’s venting.
Returning to my desk, Connie handed me a note, avoiding Donovan’s eyes.
Half of the note was harsh criticism of Donovan in the Treasury staff’s code.
The other half was an invitation to the pub after work to cheer me up.
‘Sounds good.’
I made a circle sign to Connie.
Knowing a cold beer awaited made the remaining time more bearable.
A few hours later, the bell signaling the end of the Imperial Palace staff’s workday rang.
I quickly left the office, postponing all remaining work to next week.
Leaving the Treasury building felt like shedding a heavy burden from my shoulders.
“I’ll think about next week’s work next week.”
I stood under a tree in a corner where departing staff couldn’t easily see me, waiting for Connie.
It was our usual meeting spot to avoid unwanted company after work.
I felt like I waited for about ten minutes, but Connie didn’t show up.
‘I did come out early.’
Another ten minutes passed.
‘Is something wrong?’
I started to worry.
Just as I was about to return to the office, I saw someone approaching from a distance.
“Hey, Carolina?”
But it wasn’t Connie who approached.
“It’s been a while, Heather. How have you been?”
Heather, Connie’s friend from her hometown, worked in another department but we knew each other by face.
Heather smiled at my greeting.
“I’ve been good. Oh, here. Connie asked me to give you this.”
Heather handed me a crumpled note.
Opening it, I read the hurriedly scrawled message that said Connie couldn’t leave due to work and we’d have to go for a beer another time.
“Working late on a precious Friday evening.”
“Right?”
Heather agreed.
“Seems like she got caught by Donovan just as she was leaving. He tore her apart over nothing and demanded she redo it immediately.”
‘Poor thing.’
It seemed Connie was Donovan’s next target.
“Connie said she’s sorry.”
Heather faithfully delivered the message and left.
‘What should I do?’
Normally, I’d just go home since the plan was canceled…
But today, I was so stressed I desperately wanted that cold beer.
‘I’ll go alone.’
The pub Connie and I planned to visit was near the Imperial Palace and relatively safe.
The early summer evening weather was perfect for a walk.
I headed to Rigel Street at a leisurely pace.
There was a street market celebrating the victory, with merchants calling out to passersby.
Other pedestrians’ attention was drawn to the vendors loudly advertising their goods.
But my gaze went to a young girl selling flowers.
She seemed shy, hesitating several times before approaching potential customers.
‘It’s about time to replace the flowers in my vase.’
As I approached the flower stall, the girl’s face lit up.
I smiled back and bought a bunch of freesias.
“Freesias are hard to find this season.”
Admiring the petals, the girl skillfully wrapped the flowers and explained in a shy voice.
“They’re from the northern part of the capital. The blooming season is a bit later there. This is the last batch as it’s the end of spring in the north.”
The girl handed me the bouquet with a shy smile.
As I accepted the bouquet and inhaled the early summer freesia scent, a man in a deeply hooded cloak approached the flower stall quickly.
“Do you have any freesias?”
“I’m sorry. The last bunch was just sold.”
The girl looked at me apologetically.
Following her gaze, the man’s eyes met mine.
His face, barely visible under the hood, filled my view.
‘Wow, he’s handsome.’
