🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 3
I wasn’t originally from this world. I used to be a college student in South Korea.
My life had always been ordinary. I’d never been involved in any major incidents or accidents. Anyone could say I lived a smooth, uneventful life.
Maybe that’s why my family was so shocked when they saw me crying.
I don’t know exactly when it started, but in my family, I was always the one who suffered or felt left out. In a way, it was natural.
During my sister’s time abroad, when she returned exhausted and mentally worn out, and my younger brother struggled to adjust to school and became irritable, I was in the middle—but I had no real problems myself.
I didn’t have any sharp edges in my personality, so I was basically “the kid you don’t need to worry about.” My parents had never paid attention to me, yet they expected me to take care of my sister and brother.
“You’re responsible and mature, so take care of your sister and brother,” they said.
At first, I felt quietly proud. Among the three of us, I was the only one my parents could rely on. Feeling a sense of duty, I promised to take care of my siblings. But a few months later, I realized I had been deceived.
My sister would get angry at me over her studies, and my usually quiet brother became a tyrant at home, refusing to do even the simplest chores.
I became quieter and darker seeing them only call me when they needed something. My parents ignored me, enjoying their happy life free from the stress of raising children.
Whenever they went on dates to escape the noisy house, they naturally left all the housework to me.
“They can’t do it right anyway, so you do it.”
One day, after picking up laundry for my sister and buying tteokbokki for my brother, I looked at the cars on the road and thought:
“If I get hit by a car, I could rest at the hospital…”
At that moment, I realized how bad my situation had become. I cried and told my family I couldn’t do it anymore. But people don’t change easily.
“Why can’t you do this when we’re struggling so much?”
“I’m struggling too.”
“Well, not as much as we are.”
There’s a saying that every finger hurts when you bite all ten fingers—but that wasn’t true for me. No matter how much I tried, I was the finger that didn’t matter. That night, I couldn’t sleep. I was too sad.
My parents, who told my sister to focus on studying, complained endlessly to me. Normally treated as invisible, they seemed to find me whenever they needed something.
My sister took a luxury lipstick from me for her birthday, while giving me a cheap diffuser for mine. That lipstick cost thirty thousand won.
My younger brother, who often insulted me, would get angry if I even tried to give advice. Of course, I was the lowest-ranking in the family—why would he listen?
There was no outright violence. These were small, everyday things. But living through them almost my entire life was unbearable. So I made a decision:
I would escape from this house while I still had my sanity. I’d save money, move into a small studio, and leave.
Then, while working at a café, I died in a fire. I struggled to breathe, but part of me felt relieved. Finally, I thought I could rest.
But ironically, even then, my wish wasn’t fulfilled. I was reborn in a strange new world. I thought I would be unhappy again.
If I was unhappy even in my safe, original life, how much harder would this dangerous world be? Just imagining it made me shiver. But soon, I realized I was mistaken.
“Peek-a-boo! Look here, our pretty daughter.”
“Oh, she just fell asleep. Don’t wake her.”
God, as if comforting me for my past hardships, gave me a family in this life that was so kind and loving.
“Is this your younger sister?”
“Yes. She’s my only little sister, so I have to take care of her.”
“I’ll take good care of her. I’ll buy her candy, give her piggyback rides, and, um…”
The happiness I felt for the first time was incredibly sweet—almost dizzying.
“Did you really hear that Elder Namgung wants to see you?”
“Yes. Nothing is set in stone yet, but just being invited is a big deal. I’ll leave my mark with this opportunity.”
“No, I have a good feeling about this.”
The next morning, Nanhyang visited me at home. When she heard what had happened, she was thrilled.
“You might really become the Namgung family’s daughter-in-law.”
“Oh, that would be wonderful.”
I smiled brightly while sipping tea.
“Even marrying a branch family member will reduce people ignoring our merchant group. Lately, many rising merchant groups are making things unstable.”
“Oh, look at you! Even in this situation, you only think about your family.”
“Of course. What else should I think about?”
In this world, marriage was essential. If men or women of the right age didn’t marry, people whispered that something must be wrong. Divorce wasn’t an option either. Forming ties with other families required extreme caution.
Nanhyang should know this—but I didn’t understand why she looked at me strangely.
“In this case, you should dream of a fated love with the Namgung family’s young master.”
I looked confused. Nanhyang held her cheeks with her hands and twisted her body dramatically.
“The young master secretly came along when you were meeting the elder. As a skilled martial artist, he hid perfectly and fell in love with you at first sight!”
“That only happens in fantasies.”
“Even better—the young master is a direct descendant of the Namgung head! You’ll enjoy a marriage with a man who has power, beauty, and skill.”
“….”
“No worries about in-laws either! Unlike other husbands, yours will be on your side.”
Nanhyang’s eyes sparkled with dreams and hope. I, still without dreams or hope, spoke awkwardly.
“Almost impossible to have no trouble with in-laws in a powerful family.”
“But still!”
Nanhyang pouted.
“You should hope your husband protects you! You’ve seen his personality a bit, right? That’s why you liked Jikyun, isn’t it?”
“Nanhyang,” I said seriously, holding her shoulders.
“That person’s traits weren’t enough to protect you. But the Namgung young masters are different.”
“You’re so calculating!”
Of course, I wanted a good personality and a peaceful marriage. But in novels, female leads often suffer from arranged marriages and in-law troubles. In a martial arts world, it’s even less likely to be easy.
But no matter what, I couldn’t explain this to Nanhyang. She wouldn’t understand.
“What if you really get trouble with in-laws?”
“I’ll try to handle it gracefully.”
“How? Even if conditions are good, I couldn’t live like that. I wouldn’t love my husband either.”
“I can love anyone who helps my family.”
Nanhyang was speechless. After a long pause, she stammered:
“Wow… that’s crazy… you really…”
“But I’m not completely free of worries either.”
I stroked my chin.
“If my parents knew my thoughts, they’d overturn the whole marriage plan.”
“Of course. A daughter thinking she’s been through all kinds of storms… But how can you think like that? Your parents didn’t pressure you to marry only the best, and your older brother is a decent person.”
“…That’s true.”
My father always said: if my husband ignores me, I can come back anytime. People may point fingers, but failing to protect your child is worse.
Still, they said if I must experience in-law troubles, do it in a wealthy family. I wanted my family to have a strong support behind them.
“Ah, my head hurts.”
I can hide my feelings, but the world is unpredictable. If found out, it would be like driving a nail into my parents’ hearts forever. So…
“Actually, I don’t care about conditions at all.”
Tears welled up. Nanhyang was startled, but I couldn’t stop.
“If it means my family can live comfortably, I don’t care who it is. Really, anyone…”
“Sojin…”
“But that’s impossible. To be happy, you always have to check conditions, right?”
“Sojin…”
I was scared of others’ eyes. I was afraid that the people I love might get hurt because of me. I cried, saying:
“I know my life is tiring. But…”
The love they give me is so precious. I feel undeserving of this happiness. I can’t just stay still. Others may think I’m strange, but it doesn’t matter. The most important thing in the world is my family’s happiness.
I buried my face in Nanhyang’s arms.
