🔊 TTS Settings
CHAPTER 001…………………………………
Inside a quiet café.
At a table by the window sat two women and one man. All three were strikingly attractive, drawing glances from people around them.
“Lady, please be honest with me.”
Among the two women, one with softly shimmering lavender hair and gem-like eyes that changed color depending on the light—Aria—spoke with a serious expression.
“Have you come to dislike me now?”
Haa.
At Aria’s words, the other woman with silver hair, Rubelia, sighed inwardly.
Perhaps taking that silence as confirmation, Aria’s face was filled with shock.
“Why don’t you bully me anymore? Have your feelings cooled off?”
Rubelia quietly closed her eyes.
Aria called it “bullying,” but it was far beyond simple teasing. It was the typical cruelty of a villainess.
So it was better for her sanity to just pretend she hadn’t heard that nonsense.
“Lady, please tell me as well. You used to come see me every single day, so why are you like this now? Weren’t you always wherever I went?”
At one point, she called him a stalker, asked why he kept showing up in front of her, and begged him to disappear.
Rubelia sighed again.
She couldn’t understand why they were acting like this toward her.
“Please bully me like you used to!”
Aria said boldly.
So you just want me, the heroine, to act like a villainess and meet a dead end like in the original story?
Of course, in the original story, her death wasn’t caused only by harassment; there were more complex circumstances. But the root cause was still that she had tormented the original heroine.
“Please follow me around!”
As if not to be outdone by Aria, the male lead, Hasedian, also spoke.
So you want me to follow you around and get insulted and ostracized by other nobles?
Rubelia thought this inwardly at Hasedian’s words.
How did things end up like this…?
All she had done was try to avoid her death flag in a novel.
So she kept her distance from them, striving for a quiet, happy life alone.
But despite Rubelia’s efforts, Aria and Hasedian—the original heroine and hero—were relentlessly chasing after her like mad people.
And all while begging her to bully and pursue them, just like in the story.
01
A bedroom in the Stein Marquis household.
Rubelia lay asleep in her bed.
Her silver hair, shimmering in the sunlight, looked as ethereal as a fairy’s wings, and her transparent golden eyes resembled amber gems.
Her slightly upturned eyes gave her a haughty look, but overall she had a cute and lovable impression.
A moment later, Rubelia woke leisurely and, still drowsy, glanced out the window—then froze in horror.
Because she saw two people she absolutely did not want to see.
…Ah, my eyes. I need new eyes. I need to unsee those people.
She shut her eyes tightly. But there was no time for that. She had to run before getting caught again and dragged into more bizarre experiences.
That was her only way to survive.
Even with the protection of the marquis who adored her, it wasn’t enough to completely stop them. The most it did was reduce their visits from daily to once every few days.
After three months of constantly running away, Rubelia had become so skilled that she now followed an escape route almost instinctively and slipped out of the marquis estate.
Once outside in the city, Rubelia fell into a sense of emptiness.
It felt strangely bitter that she had to wander outside despite having a large, comfortable home.
Aside from being labeled a villainess, the Rubelia she had possessed was, in every other way, a perfect golden spoon.
She was deeply loved by her father, the marquis, and lived a luxurious, refined life.
If only the original heroine and hero didn’t exist in her life, she could have dropped the “villainess” label and enjoyed her privileged life freely.
It’s really all because of that god. That god is the problem.
If not for that god, she would never have fainted after hitting a utility pole and ended up possessing a villainess in a novel.
But there was no taking it back. That god—who appeared unpredictably, here and there, spouting incomprehensible words—had already done it.
“When you feel bad or stressed, you’re supposed to eat something tasty. Since I’m already out, I might as well go on a food tour.”
Even though the marquis household served excellent food, eating street food outside had a different charm.
Like secretly buying junk food behind your parents’ back.
As she strolled leisurely with that thought, Rubelia suddenly spotted the original heroine and hero again.
Didn’t I shake them off?
She was devastated.
Her running skills had improved, and so had their pursuit techniques.
I need to hide.
Like a meerkat popping its head up, Rubelia anxiously scanned her surroundings.
Then she spotted a tall man nearby. He looked like he would make a good hiding spot.
If she just stuck to him tightly—so tightly that not a single strand of hair showed!
Without hesitation, Rubelia grabbed his clothes. The man tried to shake her off roughly, but stopped, as if blocked by something, and frowned.
“Sorry for the sudden request, but could you….”
Hide me?
No, no. That wasn’t urgent enough.
Instead—
“Please save me!”
Still clutching his clothes, Rubelia looked up at him desperately.
At that moment, she felt a sharp jolt in her chest.
What is this? Did my heart just get shocked because he’s too handsome?
And it wasn’t wrong—the man’s face was flawless.
Every feature was perfectly arranged, like a masterpiece carved by a genius sculptor who appears once in a thousand years.
His jet-black hair and eyes, dark as a night sky that could swallow even starlight, were eerie, even chilling—but they didn’t completely overshadow his beauty.
“…Why should I save you?”
The man asked calmly, without even a hint of confusion, though the situation was strange. His voice carried irritation and annoyance.
“Um….”
Rubelia seriously thought for a moment.
From his perspective, it made sense to be confused. A stranger was suddenly clinging to him, begging to be saved.
But for her, it was survival. His build made him the perfect place to hide behind.
As she tried to come up with a reasonable explanation, she noticed a small child nearby. And something glinting in the child’s arms.
Oh!
That shimmering object was clearly a blade reflecting sunlight. And the child’s target seemed to be the man she was holding onto.
She wasn’t entirely sure—but her instincts told her so.
Then I can’t just ignore it.
Rubelia grabbed something sturdy-looking from her pocket and threw it at the child.
Contrary to her worries, it hit perfectly. The dagger the child was holding fell with a clang.
“…Since I just saved you.”
She said calmly, trying to act composed while inwardly impressed by her unintended accuracy.
The man glanced backward.
“That wasn’t something you needed to intervene in.”
He had also noticed the child at the same time as Rubelia. He could have dealt with it himself easily.
“So what?”
“Don’t you know the saying: ‘what goes around comes around’?”
It wasn’t exactly the correct context for the proverb, but that didn’t matter.
It was from her world—he wouldn’t know it anyway.
The man looked at her silently.
She was quite an annoying woman. He felt the urge to push her away, yet for some reason, he couldn’t.
Something kept telling him not to.
Rarely, he decided to be somewhat accommodating.
“So, what do you want?”
From what she said earlier, she seemed to want something.
Her “save me” plea didn’t match the situation.
The man looked at her with cold eyes. Anyone else would have frozen under that gaze.
“Well….”
Just as she was about to ask him to hide her, familiar voices reached her ears.
She had heard them so often that she recognized them from a distance.
“Baby, I’m tired. Let’s go somewhere to rest.”
Not wanting them to recognize her voice, Rubelia spoke in an exaggerated, twisted tone.
Pretending to be lovers as a distraction.
The man looked momentarily confused. Her sudden change in tone and suspicious words made him wary.
Especially since she was pointing toward a deserted alley.
It felt like even the earlier incident might have been a lure to get closer to him.
If that’s the case…
It might be best to play along and figure out her intentions.
Even if she had bad intentions, it would be difficult to deal with her here where many people were watching.
A quieter place would be better.
“…Very well.”
The man said with a cold smile. Rubelia quickly pressed her face against his body so it wouldn’t be seen and moved with him.
He was startled by her action but didn’t push her away.
“We’ve arrived at the place you wanted.”
He looked at her with an icy gaze as they reached a secluded area.
“Hah, I’m safe now.”
Relieved, Rubelia sighed.
“Hm?”
Feeling his sharp gaze, she flinched.
Ah, he wants a thank-you.
“Thank you. You saved me.”
She smiled sincerely.
“Was there a reason you brought me here?”
The man asked, frowning.
“Um… I just wanted to hide from someone.”
“That’s all?”
“Yeah… but, if it’s okay, could you stay with me a little longer?”
“….”
He silently looked at her.
“I think I’ll get caught if I go out now… and I’m scared to stay here alone.”
She put on a pitiful expression.
“Why should I do that?”
He had followed her because she seemed suspicious.
He still couldn’t tell whether she was truly being chased or just pretending.
“Listen carefully.”
She gestured for him to come closer, looking serious. He didn’t.
“You, sir… are human, right?”
“…Just because people say I don’t seem human doesn’t mean I’m not.”
“You bleed if stabbed, right?”
“As long as I’m not made of steel.”
“Exactly.”
Rubelia nodded as if it were obvious.
“Humans have warmth. And that warmth means you can’t ignore a helpless woman trembling like this.”
“That’s not true for everyone.”
He replied coldly.
“Give me your hand.”
She held out her hand. After a long hesitation, he gave his.
“Aigoo, so light. Like a feather.”
It was barely a touch.
“Just so you know, that was a compliment.”
Seeing his stiff expression, she added quickly.
“Anyway, see? Your hand is warm.”
“Not at all.”
Compared to others, his body temperature was low.
“Of course it is. You’re human.”
“So?”
“Do you know why?”
“….”
“Irresistible warmth. Because you’re kind-hearted.”
Once again, she delivered a confident conclusion.
The man went slightly blank. He had met many people, but none as unpredictable as her.
“Or maybe you’re worried I’ll do something bad?”
Now that I think about it, that makes sense.
A strange woman suddenly dragging him to a secluded place and wanting to stay alone with him—it wasn’t unreasonable to be suspicious.
Then she decided to introduce herself to ease his concerns.
Clearing her throat, Rubelia spoke.
“I am Rubelia of the Stein Marquis family.”
