CMLMF 01

Chapter 1

“I’ll be coming home late tonight.”

Baron Brian spoke while adjusting his clothes in front of the mirror.

“…….”

Standing behind him, Elledine quietly watched him.

“I’ll be coming back with Sarah, so don’t come out of your room.”

Elledine, who sat in a wheelchair, gave a weak nod as she listened silently.

The reflection in the mirror looked utterly pitiful.

The baron clicked his tongue and strode over to her.

“What could our dear wife possibly be so dissatisfied about, hmm?”

“…….”

Seeing her tightly shut mouth, the baron smirked and bent down.

Elledine turned her head away, avoiding his gaze.

Sensing what was about to happen, she gripped the wheelchair handles tightly.

The baron’s lips stiffened, and he looked down at her with a cold expression.

“……So now you won’t even answer me, huh?”

Elledine’s pale fingertips trembled.

“Useless thing. Can’t even smile at your hardworking husband, and instead you dare show dissatisfaction?”

He kicked her wheelchair hard. It tipped over, and Elledine, thrown to the floor, curled up quickly.

With a distorted expression, the baron shouted.

“You’re not even worth being treated like a person! If I had known you were this broken, I wouldn’t have bought you. What can you even do?”

He huffed, glaring at her.

Her clothes were torn in several places. She was humiliated and in terrible pain, but she endured it.

Clicking his tongue again, the baron gestured to a servant waiting near the door.

“Don’t feed this pitiful trash today and lock her in the room.”

“Yes, sir.”

The servant hesitated as he approached Elledine.

Though she was the baroness, in this household, even the servants found her too repulsive to touch.

Seeing the servant move sluggishly, the baron stopped him.

“Wait. On second thought, there’s no need for us to carry her ourselves, is there?”

He crouched down next to the still-curled-up Elledine.

Gently, he stroked the back of her head.

His fingers tangled in her hair gave her chills.

As her shoulders began to tremble slightly, the baron smiled.

“Maybe you’ve become so spoiled because I always help you up. Isn’t it time you walked on your own, my dear wife?”

“…….”

“If you get up now, I might even let you have a meal.”

The surrounding servants clapped, praising the baron’s ‘kindness.’

‘I have to get up… so I can escape this place even a little sooner.’

But her broken body refused to obey.

Only when the clapping died down did she manage to lift her upper body with difficulty.

As she staggered to her feet, the baron laughed and gave her emaciated shoulder a light kick.

“Of course, food would get you moving. You have such a big appetite—guess I’ll have to help you control it. Let’s call this exercise—crawl yourself back to your room today.”

As usual, the humiliation continued. Unconsciously, Elledine let out a dry laugh.

Her empty eyes scanned the room.

Everyone was looking at her and laughing.

Their laughter echoed endlessly in her dizzy head.

With a shaking gaze, she slowly reached out and began crawling across the floor.

“Yeah, this kind of entertainment makes it worth keeping you around.”

The baron chuckled as he watched her.

Born a count’s daughter, Elledine had been sold to Baron Brian to pay off her father’s gambling debts. Now, she was a laughingstock to all.

Her legs had been fine originally, but after being sold, the baron had broken her ankles simply because he didn’t like how tall she was.

Once back in her room, she barely managed to grab a chair and sit down.

Gasping for breath, she had no time to rest. If she didn’t finish the documents before the baron returned, she knew she’d be beaten again.

Treated worse than a maid in her own house, the baron still tried to make use of her intelligence.

As she signed papers, a slight dizziness struck, and she pressed her fingers against her brows.

‘There’s still so much paperwork…’

Her body had reached its limit.

As her consciousness flickered, Elledine wished desperately that he would come home late tonight.

***

“You worthless thing!”

A shout jolted Elledine awake with a dull pain.

It was already dark. She didn’t know how long she’d passed out, but the furious baron was standing before her.

She had fallen to the floor and blinked slowly.

Everything felt detached, floating.

“You’re out of your mind. Can’t even do what I told you!”

Her head snapped to the side, and her lip split open, blood dripping down. Still furious, the baron started throwing things.

‘Maybe… today I’ll finally die.’

As her consciousness flickered again, Elledine smiled faintly.

But to her disappointment, the next time she opened her eyes, it was to the familiar sight of her room.

The baron must have just left her unconscious. Broken furniture surrounded her, and the floor was stained with blood.

Her head throbbed like it would crack open.

Groaning, she forced herself up and leaned against the wall.

She glanced at the clock through blurry vision—11:59 PM.

One minute away from the anniversary of her mother’s death.

“Mm…”

From the next room, a woman’s moan rang out.

‘Right… he said he’d come home with Sarah.’

Sarah, the baron’s mistress, often came to stay with him.

Of all the rooms, he always took her to the one next to Elledine’s.

No tears came, just an empty, aching heart. She couldn’t recall a single happy memory.

At first, she just wanted love. Then, she hoped not to disappoint them.

But years of abuse and despair had worn her down. At just twenty-four, she was utterly exhausted.

The only thing that kept her alive was atonement.

She turned again to the clock. Midnight.

Elledine opened the drawer and took out a hidden knife.

She had caressed it countless times, so its handle gleamed smooth and polished.

“It’s been fourteen years since Mother died. Because of me, she suffered all those years. I tried to live in pain, to make up for it. But… I can’t take it anymore. I’ve held on long enough. Can I die now?”

She muttered bitterly, with a sad smile.

Listening to the ticking of the second hand, she raised the knife to her neck without hesitation.

She meant to plunge it deep.

But the blade missed and only grazed her skin.

The knife clattered to the floor.

“Hah…”

Elledine sank down and let out a hollow laugh.

‘Why am I suddenly afraid now that I’m about to die?’

She had neither the will to live nor the courage to die.

The worst kind of human.

Closing her eyes tightly, she opened them again.

Her vision remained blurry.

‘……I should work.’

Doing nothing wouldn’t change anything.

She tried to stand—but her strength gave out and she collapsed to the floor.

‘What…?’

Blinking in confusion, a chill ran down her spine.

Her body was freezing and stiffening.

‘Why is this happening…?’

Was it the knife wound?

She touched the cut on her neck, but there was hardly any blood.

Then, a warm trickle ran down the side of her head.

From the wound the baron had inflicted earlier—blood was leaking again.

Elledine opened her mouth wordlessly.

‘My consciousness…’

She could feel death approaching.

Staring into space with vacant eyes, she wondered,

‘If I had escaped from them… would my life have been better?’

As her awareness faded, Elledine slowly closed her eyes.

***

Shivering, Elledine furrowed her brows.

‘Cold…’

The chill pierced her skin, making her body curl up and her toes clench.

Wrapped in a thin blanket, she suddenly felt something strange and opened her eyes wide.

She tossed off the blanket and stared at her legs.

‘I can feel them?’

With trembling anticipation, she carefully wiggled her toes.

The definite sensation made her gasp.

“What… is this…?”

As she panicked, someone knocked on the door.

Startled, she looked up.

A maid came in carrying a bowl of soup.

“Oh, you’re awake. The count has stepped out for a bit.”

Her face was familiar—but it wasn’t the maid from yesterday.

‘This girl worked at my family’s house, before I was sold… What is happening?’

Elledine stared at her, wide-eyed.

The maid casually placed the soup on the table.

‘…And this is my old bedroom… ah.’

Looking around, Elledine came to a conclusion and sighed.

“This must be the afterlife?”

“Excuse me?”

The maid frowned, confused.

“Even in death, I have to see this room? That’s just cruel.”

“…Miss, please pull yourself together. The count will scold you for talking nonsense like that.”

Shaking her head, the maid left.

Alone again, Elledine looked around.

It was clearly summer outside, but she could see her breath. This chill—it really was her old room.

‘But… it feels too real to be the afterlife.’

She needed to test something.

Could she walk?

Heart pounding, Elledine placed her feet on the ground.

She felt the floor beneath them and stood up—on her own.

She was standing without a wheelchair.

A surge of emotion welled up inside her.

Elledine got up and reached for the doorknob.

She heard the maids whispering outside.

“So they’re arriving tomorrow?”

“Who knows who he is—but taking her away like that? Wow.”

“Still, it’s lucky she’s getting married. The count can’t take care of her forever.”

Elledine’s skin prickled with goosebumps.

‘That’s what I heard the day before Baron Brian came for me. Don’t tell me… I didn’t die. I came back? Is that… even possible?’

Her face stiffened with seriousness.

It was too soon to be sure. Time travel—was that really happening?

Just then, voices outside again.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Wait a second—I need to drop something off.”

“What is it?”

“Nothing important. I forgot to give the young lady a rag. Her room was a bit messy yesterday.”

Footsteps approached.

Panicked, Elledine leapt into bed and sat as she had when she first awoke.

The maid burst in.

Without even glancing at her, she walked in briskly.

“Excuse me…”

“Yes, what is it?”

The maid replied bluntly.

“What year of the empire is it today?”

“Huh? What… Ugh… It’s the 20th of October, Imperial Year 376. Please memorize the date already.”

The maid shook her head, annoyed, and tossed the rag next to the soup before leaving.

Elledine sat stunned.

‘376…? My last memory was from Year 380. Did I really… go back in time?’

If it were true…

If it really was…

She had been given a new life.

Excitement surged through her body.

‘No, that’s not what matters now. If I’ve really returned… I have to escape. I can’t go back there. Ever.’