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Chapter 3
When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on my bed in my room.
‘But how did I get home?’
The last thing I remembered was barely escaping the garden.
And even that—soaked completely in the pouring rain.
I pressed my throbbing head, trying to piece it together, but the memory remained hazy.
Like it was covered in thick fog.
“Water…”
Overcome with thirst, I reached toward the small table where a glass of water was placed.
But my body still wasn’t fully recovered.
Crash!
The glass fell to the floor, soaking the carpet.
As I stared at the spreading water stain, a sudden, violent pain shot through my head.
“Ugh!”
This wasn’t just a fever.
I was certain of it.
Pressing my temples tightly, I closed my eyes.
And then—fragments of unfamiliar memories began to surface.
“The title is ridiculous. ‘The Lovely Saintess’? I can already guess the story from that alone.”
A black-haired woman turned the pages of a book.
Who is she?
I focused harder, but her face remained blurred, like mist.
After reading for a while, she muttered to herself, laughed a little, then closed the book.
She had finished it.
“I should go buy something to eat.”
Then the scenery shifted.
A dark road appeared.
A car came speeding toward the woman at terrifying speed.
“What—?!”
Before she could even finish speaking, the car struck her.
Her body was flung far away, collapsing onto the ground.
A man rushed toward her.
Blood poured from her head, staining the road.
“Hey! Stay conscious!”
The man’s voice made my head ache even more.
The blood spread across the ground… until it reached my feet.
And then—
I looked down at the fallen woman.
Strangely familiar.
This scene… this voice…
Yes.
This was—
The fog lifted.
Everything returned.
I had been that woman.
The one who died after being hit by a car.
The book I had last read was The Lovely Saintess.
The male lead was Ian.
The heroine was Christine, the Saintess.
And the villain who tormented her…
Elisha Adrian.
“…No way.”
So this place… is inside The Lovely Saintess?
And I was the villain.
Before I could process it further—
Bang!
“Miss!”
The door burst open and Bell rushed in, pale-faced.
She quickly placed a basin and towel on the table and hurried to me.
“You shouldn’t push yourself! Your fever hasn’t gone down yet—oh my goodness, the glass broke! Are you hurt?”
Normally, I would have complained about her nagging.
But now, I couldn’t even do that.
Elisha Adrian’s ending was anything but good.
She would become jealous of Christine, cross the line, torment her, and eventually be exposed—
exiled from the capital, stripped of her title and wealth.
And that was going to be my fate.
“…Miss? Are you alright?”
Of course I wasn’t.
I had just realized I was going to be exiled and ruined.
“A-ah…”
“Miss?!”
Maybe it was the fever.
Or the shock of my miserable future.
Either way, I lost consciousness again.
The severe fever that came after my disastrous confession and rejection kept me bedridden for days.
I couldn’t even get out of bed.
Though, it did give me plenty of time to think.
Two days later, I finally came to my senses.
The fever had mostly subsided, and I could move again.
And with that clarity came dread.
I had already caused a major incident at the imperial banquet.
My future looked even more hopeless.
If only I had regained my memories earlier… I wouldn’t have done something so reckless.
Regret washed over me.
My past stupidity made my chest tighten.
Why did I act like that?
Why did I believe Ian had feelings for me?
Now that I thought about it, there had never been any real basis for it.
A glance here, a coincidence there.
That was all.
And I had built a five-year delusion on it.
“…Ha.”
Everyone has at least one embarrassing memory.
But did mine have to be this heavy?
I sighed deeply, brushing back my sweaty hair.
“Is something wrong, Miss?”
“…It’s nothing.”
“If you’re not feeling well, you must tell me immediately. Understood?”
“I know. Now go out, Bell.”
After she left, I finally stood up and sat at my desk.
I picked up a pen.
I needed to write everything I remembered about the novel.
The Lovely Saintess was a story where Ian, the Crown Prince, and Christine, the Saintess, defeated monsters threatening the Carter Empire and ended the long monster war—eventually falling in love.
In other words, for the Empire’s peace and survival, those two had to be together.
Which meant—
Elisha Adrian, the obstacle, had to be removed.
At that moment, I made a decision.
I would abandon my five-year crush on Ian.
I valued my life more than a hopeless romance.
And honestly… just thinking about Ian now only made me feel humiliated.
My conclusion was simple:
Survive safely.
That was all I wanted.
A long, stable life.
No more involvement with the imperial palace.
Just as I resolved this and closed the drawer—
“Elisha!”
The door burst open.
A man with a kind face rushed in.
My father—Viscount Adrian.
“Are you alright? You shouldn’t be moving! You need to rest!”
“Father, I’m really fine. Please don’t worry so much.”
“How can I not worry! Especially after what happened at the banquet—”
He stopped abruptly.
I didn’t need to ask why.
He had heard about my public confession and humiliating rejection.
That was why he looked so cautious.
After my mother’s death, he had raised Elisha alone, cherishing her more than anything.
Even spending his limited resources for her comfort.
Even the expensive dress I wore to the banquet had been his effort.
Looking at his worn clothes, I made a decision.
No more unnecessary luxuries.
No more burdening him.
After a deep breath, I spoke.
“I’ve decided to give up on His Highness.”
“…W-what did you say, Elisha?”
Even though he loved his daughter, he knew her stubborn personality well.
So hearing this sudden declaration must have shocked him.
“Elisha… don’t tell me—”
I quietly watched his trembling lips, waiting for him to continue.
