CH 2

love or deception (1)

Translated by Wook

Edited by Wook

I agree.

That Leah Prezis wasn’t just a pitiful character.

If I could list just a few of her atrocities that happened in the novel…

It was common for her to use insulting words to slander Ollina in front of people.

It was also common for her to try to take away the necklace Ollina had always cherished because it was her mother’s keepsake. And it was common for Leah to frame her.

Even at the end of her life, she tried to poison Ollina and ended up like that…

“Oh, my head.”

I stumbled against the wall.

Even though I only remembered part of it, the sound of groans leaking out of my mouth.

It was enough for readers to grit their teeth and hate her.

I agree, I truly agree!

“But that’s no reason to make me Leah Prezis!”

The pillow that I’ve been punching fell down.

The pillow was so soft that it didn’t feel like hitting anything.

Yeah, let’s say that’s the case with the pillow.

“But, what the heck is this outfit?”

I looked down at the soft fabric wrapped around me.

White negligee with lace and frills.

It was impossible for me, Oh Sujin, who always insisted on a black tee and black pants, also known as the style of shadow, to wear this kind of outfit.

“Hmm…”

I looked in the mirror again.

As expected, it was that face. The one I was familiar with.

‘Leah was really pretty.’

Her low-saturated pink hair was dazzling with natural vitality, and her eyes were as clear as amethyst.

It was a face that perfectly suited the expression “fresh and lovely”.

It’s definitely not worth dying for as a supporting villain.

“This face! This body! What the hell is wrong with you that you have to cling on to such trash?”

Leah was the precious, youngest daughter of Count Prezis family, which was full of men.

Although her mother, the countess, died early, she took the love of her father and brothers to fill in the vacancy.

Leah, who was shining brightly, changed when she met Davan.

“That’s why handsome trash is the most dangerous.”

Davan Khajans was literally a handsome trash.

According to the original author, if Davan had been a little more diligent, he could have already killed all his brothers and become the emperor.

In other words, he did not kill only because he was too lazy to kill.

In addition, Davan was the most handsome man in the world.

‘I think the author said that he was more handsome than the male lead, Cadel.’

No matter how handsome one is, if their personality is trash, they can only serve others! It must be the artist’s big picture to let the readers know that.

“Well… I wonder what the hell he looks like.”

Even Leah, who had nothing to be desired, was clinging to him pathetically like that, so how great would he be?

Of course, I haven’t met Davan yet.

It was because he had been confined in his room for a whole week under the pretext of being sick.

Davan was also not interested in Leah, so he didn’t want to meet her at all.

“Right, how much time do I have until I die?”

Oh my gosh, I forgot this important thing.

I suddenly became serious.

I couldn’t remember exactly when she died, but I remembered clearly it was sometime around the celebration of Leah’s 20th birthday.

The part where she slapped Ollina on the cheek and scratched her neck in front of everyone was really…

‘It was very messy.’

If so, it means that she died at least over the age of 20.

“Let’s see, I’m 18 now…”

I stretched out my fingers and counted them one by one.

‘3 years.’

2 to 3 years from now.

It was a very ambiguous time that was neither sufficient nor insufficient.

Uuuu. L-Let’s not be anxious!

I shook my head to shake the thought away. Right now, I need as much positivity as possible.

‘Right, this much time is good enough to hit and run.’

There was nothing good about having a lot of time left. I’d just get tangled up with the main characters for nothing.

It’s just perfect for living without presence and disappearing.

“Okay! We can start over from now on.”

I jumped up from my seat as if cheering myself on.

As I went out to the terrace, the magnificent view of Eirene Palace caught my eyes.

This palace, the palace of the imperial territory, was the residence of Duke Khajans where Davan stayed. In other words, it was also the place where Leah was staying together according to the imperial decree.

“Everything must have happened here.”

The water sparkled in the fountain in harmony with the greenery of summer.

On the one hand, I felt more frustrated even though my heart was wide open.

One day, Leah would have stood here and looked at the scenery…

‘What the hell were you thinking?’

What did she think about in this wide and lonely world?

At a time when my mind was getting complicated, I heard someone’s voice behind me.

“My lady!”

Oh my gosh. What did she mean “my lady”?

The words calling me suddenly gave me goosebumps. It suddenly began to feel real.

What should I do now? This is really happening.

***

“My lady!”

Over the past week, Lindy always came to my room around this time with a tray.

I’ve been trying to adapt, but I still feel awkward.

“These days, you just keep looking at the terrace. Are you going to skip breakfast today, too?”

Lindy’s face was sullen as she laid the food down on the tablecloth.

Today was a scone, a blueberry compote to accompany, and a warm milk tea.

“Mm. This is enough.”

“If you keep eating like this, you will lose weight. Then we will have to redo all the dresses.”

“Don’t you have cherries for this? Cherries are delicious.”

Lindy let out a sob at me, who chose only important questions and avoided the rest of them.

“You know how important breakfast with family is. His Excellency also ordered breakfast together.”

Instead of answering, I mumbled a scone covered in compote.

Lindy was the person I was most comfortable dealing with here.

She was familiar because she often appeared in the original work.

She grew up with Leah since she was young and was a maid who followed her to the duke’s house.

In other words, she was the only person Leah could rely on here.

“This is the only time you can see His Excellency.”

I didn’t know until a few days ago, but it seemed that Leah always had breakfast with Davan.

Breakfast time is especially important to foster a bond between family members.

You have to see each other’s faces every morning, even though there’s no love or affection anyway.

There is nothing more torturous than this.

“You have been waiting for this time every day, waking up since dawn.”

Lindy looked out the door with a pointed look.

“He’s such a cold-hearted person, but this is really too much. How many years have you been together, and you skipped meals for several days, but how come he hasn’t said a word?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! The butler, Hines, also just walks away. Well, His Excellency doesn’t really care, so that must be the reason the butler is like that too.”

Lindy got too worked up and snorted.

“Is it because the people of Eirene Palace resemble their master so much? Even so, we are a family that lives together.”

Come to think of it, I haven’t heard from Davan for the past week. Even if they are on different floors, he couldn’t not know Leah’s absence because they stay together in the main building.

‘Hmm.’

One will be worried if they suddenly don’t see the stray cat they used to feed for a week…

It seemed like Leah wasn’t even worth that much for Davan.

‘He treats her like she doesn’t exist at all.’

Well, it was unfortunate for Leah, but it was a good sign for me.

“Please don’t pay attention to me until the end. It’s better if you treat me like an invisible person! Please! Please!”

I put my hands together and prayed to any god. With the mindset that only one Creator will hear me.

“My lady, why are you like this these days?”

Lindy’s eyes widened.

“You used to wake up and look around just by hearing his name.”

“Ahh, what are you talking about? That’s probably sleepwalking.”

I waved my hand as if not to exaggerate.

I knew that Leah was head over heels for Davan, but it wouldn’t be to that extent… right?

At that moment, I was speechless because the content of the original work came to mind.

‘There was a time when she waited half a day in the rain to see Davan.’

Leah had done so many things. My head pounded.

“Hmm. When I see you waiting until dawn… Yes, you must be sleepwalking at that time.”

Lindy immediately laughed.

“I know it’s because my lady loves His Excellency so much.”

As expected, from Lindy’s expression, I realized it was to that extent!

“That’s not love, that’s madness.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing… What an idiot.”

She was so clingy, no wonder Davan hated her. I rubbed my forehead and shook my head.

The problem is that I have to be the one who fixes them all. Ugh.

“Who’s an idiot?”

“There’s someone. A crazy idiot in the matters of love.”

I said while looking at my face in the mirror opposite me.

A woman who was lovely enough to attract attention was reflected there.

It’s a waste of this face. Such a waste.

“Oh, by the way, my lady.”

Just then, Lindy bumped her palms as she recalled something important.

“Tomorrow, His Excellency will enter the palace in the afternoon. So if you eat breakfast together, you can share a few more words than usual!”

“It’s okay. I’m not going to eat tomorrow either. The day after tomorrow, and the next day too!”

I replied lying down on the bed. A soft blanket wrapped all over my body.

I don’t care.

It didn’t matter to me whether he entered the palace in the afternoon or returned at dawn.

“Oh my God, what if His Excellency completely forgets you?”

Lindy bit her nails like she was nervous.

“Even if he is not interested in you at all…”

As soon as I heard those words, I felt a little sick in my stomach.

Is the stomach fluid coming up because I didn’t eat properly?

“I don’t care. I’m not interested.”

I stretched out and closed my eyes again.

Lindy asked seriously as if it was strange for me to be so blunt.

“You really don’t want to see His Excellency?”

“I don’t want to see him at all.”

“Oh my gosh, what’s going on! My lady, you’re not sick, aren’t you?”

Lindy looked at me with a mixture of shock and horror in her eyes. She touched my head and found that I didn’t have a fever, “So what is wrong?” her expression said while she crouched before me.

‘Of course there’s no way I want to see him. I’m not that Leah.’

Even though we ended up sharing the same body, Leah was Leah and I was me anyway.

After falling into this world, I never met him, and now I have no interest in paying attention to the handsome trash.

I just pray that we will keep not seeing each other like this.

Knock— Knock—

Then a knock rang outside the door.

“Hmm? Who is it?”

“Oh my God, who could it be?”

My and Lindy’s eyes widened at the same time at the sudden popularity.

“There should be no one coming…”

For the past week, no one has come to this room, except for Lindy.

I stare at the door holding my breath.

“My lady, it’s me.”

“Oh my!”

A man’s voice came from outside the door.

Surprised, Lindy covered her mouth. It was a familiar voice.

“Why? W-Who is it…?”

It was, of course, my first time hearing the voice.

In addition, Lindy’s surprise made my spine cool.

“What do you mean who is it? It’s Butler Hines!”

Lindy whispered with an expression, “What’s going on here?”

…Wait a minute, if it’s Hines.

I worked my brain fast.

It was the person who had just been talked about by Lindy, the one who had no respect for Leah and did not recognize her as master.

The general butler of the duke’s family and a close associate of Davan Khajans!

But why is that person here all of a sudden?

“What should we do, my lady?!”

Lindy smiled brightly as she looked at my bewildered face.

“I think His Excellency is finally looking for you!”