VDBO 01

Chapter  01

**Prologue

Putting the Male Lead’s Son Beneath My Feet**

“Bella.”

A noble man, as though his hair had been brushed with gold, rested his face against my thigh.

“Your Highness, please get up.”

“Call my name.”

When I tried to push him away, he pressed himself closer and sweetly demanded it. I let out a small laugh in disbelief.

“Valerie.”

“Yes, call me that. I like it when you stroke me.”

His face was peaceful, without even a speck of doubt—an expression like someone drifting through a dream.

Pretending not to hear, I eventually gave in and carefully ran my fingers through his hair. Fine. Just for today, I’d give him whatever he wanted.

He let out a satisfied sigh, languid with pleasure. Perhaps because of his massive build, it felt as if a huge puppy were clinging to me.

But the more he did so, the clearer the ticking of the clock became in my ears.

“Bella, if I could stay like this with you forever, I’d sell my soul to the devil.”

How childish.

Still, I knew he meant it. In fact, judging by everything he’d done so far, he might do something even worse.

He lifted his head and pulled my hand to his lips, pressing a kiss onto the soft flesh of my palm. His jewel‑like violet eyes and sculpted features were dazzling enough to make one dizzy.

A man who should have stood at the highest position, with everyone beneath his feet—yet here he was, looking up at me from the lowest place.

That sight filled me with an overwhelming sense of fulfillment and conquest.

But it was something I was never meant to have.

“If you sold your soul, you wouldn’t be yourself anymore.”

“Then you’ll have to take care of me for the rest of my life so that doesn’t happen. Right, Bella?”

“……”

I pressed my lips together. I had no intention of making such a ridiculous promise before leaving.

And yet—

“You’re not answering. Were you planning to leave me behind? After putting me to sleep?”

My fingers, which had been gently stroking his hair, trembled without my realizing it. I curled them in, as if hiding it, and exhaled softly.

“H‑Huh? What are you talking about?”

Did he notice?

I masked my anxiety with a smile, but cold sweat ran down my back. Since when had he known?

Yet his voice remained utterly calm.

“I knew, but I still drank it. You were the one who gave it to me, after all. Still, I wish you wouldn’t think about abandoning me. Because then… I’d want to lock you up.”

At the word lock you up, my shoulders flinched instinctively.

I remembered how often our eyes had met while drinking tea. Even when I deliberately looked away and stared at his throat instead—

So that’s why.

“……”
“I’ll let it slide today. Because it’s you, Bella.”

Still stroking his soft hair, I squeezed my eyes shut.

It seemed today was a failure. The sleeping tea had been completely useless.

All I wanted was to stop my stepmother’s evil deeds, escape, and live a long, quiet life.

I only wanted to prevent you from being corrupted.

I didn’t even imprint on him—

So how did it end up like this?

Chapter 1. The Bad Guy

A dry winter wind howled fiercely. Once again, only my mother and I sat at the dining table.

“Just eat it. This is the best we can do today.”
“…I know.”
“If you know, then hurry up and eat.”
“Yes.”

Despite her harsh, clipped tone, the table was surprisingly full. Fresh vegetables despite the winter, soft white bread, and even fairly high‑quality meat—items that were difficult to obtain in this region.

Compared to three winters ago, when we had survived for days on nothing but boiled beans after arriving in the North, this was practically a feast. Even now, when things worsened, we sometimes had nothing but bread or thin vegetable soup.

Of course, in the past, this would have been unimaginable. We used to spend nearly the price of a small house on a single dinner, so my mother’s words weren’t strange at all.

“The new cook is quite good.”
“Seems so.”
“They have three children. Maybe that’s why.”

According to Mr. Schwaldt—my mother’s only ally and acquaintance, who occasionally checked in on us—our situation would soon improve.

But judging by the fact that we were still trapped in the North years later, I doubted it ever would.

At my mother’s urging, I lowered my gaze, speared a piece of meat with my fork, and put it into my mouth.

Only after confirming I was eating did she cut herself a piece of meat no larger than her pinky nail.

After taking a bite, I looked at her again. Why did such a beautiful woman commit nothing but evil deeds?

“Stop staring and eat.”
“…Yes.”

At her sharp remark, I bowed my head again and cut my meat.

The reason I pondered such things was because this quiet family carried an enormous problem.

That problem was—

This world was the setting of a romance fantasy novel titled My Fragile Fiancé.

My mother was not the heroine, but the infamous villainess, Lucellai Ludwig.

And I had possessed—no, been reborn as—her adopted daughter, Carbella.

Lucellai Ludwig was destined to die a brutal death as an irredeemable villain.

So was I, her daughter.

That fact alone was enough to show how desperate my situation was.

By the time Lucellai’s countless atrocities crossed the line and she was expelled from her family to this impoverished, ruined northern land, the novel was already well past its midpoint. This was when she would begin her revenge—by sending the daughter she had raised straight to her death.

That daughter was me.

But I didn’t want to live dangerously like that. I didn’t want to die! I just wanted to live a long, quiet life with small, simple happiness.

“Ah.”
“What is it?”

As if she’d ever allow that.

Lucellai Ludwig was the type to destroy noble families simply because they displeased her—and she never hesitated to use poison.

There were even descriptions of people taking their own lives because they couldn’t endure her torment and pressure. Most of it remained suspicion, but it was widely believed she was responsible.

That was why her family had blocked her again and again, until they finally couldn’t anymore—and exiled her here. The most ridiculous part was that more than half of her crimes had been ordered by the family itself.

Knowing that, I humbled myself as much as possible, waiting only for a chance to escape before she decided to dispose of me.

So far, my life had been relatively peaceful—but still.

I only realized this was a novel last winter, after being struck on the head by some unknown object falling from a tree. If I’d known sooner, I might have stopped more of my mother’s crimes.

“Your coming‑of‑age ceremony is soon.”
“Yes.”
“Your ability will awaken soon as well.”

I set down my fork and smiled awkwardly. I’d suddenly lost my appetite.

“I don’t know. I’m only half… no, a quarter.”
“It will awaken. I’m sure of it.”

Her certainty left a bitter taste in my mouth. She still intended to use me as a tool.

I met my mother at an orphanage. I had been abandoned there by an unnamed gypsy—someone from the Perenya bloodline, who possessed a special ability.

The Perenya clan could imprint others.

Even against the other person’s will.

A reverse imprint.

With that ability alone, I could bring heaven—or drag someone straight into hell.

To some, it was power.

To me, it was a curse.

An ability that prevented true love and could ruin an innocent person—if that wasn’t a curse, what was?

Somehow, Lucellai learned the rumor and deliberately sought out the orphanage, which was on the verge of bankruptcy, to obtain me.

She intended to use me to inflict irreversible despair upon the novel’s protagonists—the Emperor and Empress.

The reason was simple.

She couldn’t have the Emperor.

She couldn’t stand at the highest position.

It wasn’t love—it was ambition.

And so, to destroy them, she needed me.

Specifically, she needed me to put a leash on their son—
Valerie Ahivara Kashinev—and utterly ruin him.

Because Lucellai Ludwig’s life motto was simple:

If you want something, take it.
And if you can’t have it—destroy it completely.