Chapter 1
It was another noisy morning, just like always.
“Kyaaa! Miss, blood again!”
“Ilina, aren’t you tired of being shocked every single time?”
I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and tried to sit up—but my legs gave out, and I collapsed back onto the bed.
The pristine white sheets were soaked with the blood I had coughed up.
Ugh, I’m dizzy. The room spun before my eyes.
“The interval between the blood coughing is getting shorter,” Ilina said as she wiped my mouth with a towel soaked in warm water.
I was the one who vomited blood and was dying every ten days, yet Ilina looked like she was about to cry instead.
I tried to reassure her.
“I’m still okay.”
“You’re not okay!”
Ilina suddenly screamed. Wow, her voice was loud.
“Ilina, don’t shout. My head’s ringing.”
She hurriedly apologized.
“I-I’m sorry.”
She skillfully cleaned my face, but my nightgown and hands were still stained with blood. I let out a sigh.
“I think I need to take a bath.”
“Before that, you need to take your medicine.”
“It doesn’t work anyway.”
When I tried to brush it off casually, Ilina glared at me.
“It still helps reduce the pain.”
She set down the towel and brought over the medicine and water. I stared resentfully at the horribly bitter medicine.
No matter how much of that damn powdered drug I swallowed until my stomach burst, I was doomed to die anyway. I knew the future of this body all too well.
One month ago, I became Anastasia Sinclair—one of the characters from a novel I’d been enjoying.
Despite her name meaning “resurrection,” Anastasia was a terminally ill patient.
When the novel began, Anastasia was already dead, appearing only occasionally in the male lead’s memories.
She wasn’t exactly his first love that made his chest ache just hearing her name, but Anastasia and the male lead, Adel, had been fairly close.
And on the day of Anastasia’s funeral, Adel met the female lead for the first time.
Connecting the male and female leads through death—wasn’t that extraordinary in its own way?
Anastasia was described as such a great beauty that people would freeze or be unable to look away when they passed her on the street.
Moonlike fragile eyes, cherry-colored lips, a sweet voice like blooming flowers. Her softly flowing hair shimmered like starlight.
It was written that most people felt as though all the blood drained from their bodies the moment they saw her.
Well, let’s set aside the fact that she’d collapse if she walked outside for more than an hour.
After becoming Anastasia, I’d been so intoxicated with myself that I couldn’t come to my senses.
So what if I was going to die soon! I got to live as a beauty like this!
No—this went beyond just being pretty. Once she came of age, it wouldn’t even be a dream for her to bring down an entire country…
I’d rarely been called pretty in my past life.
And… my real body was probably in far worse shape than Anastasia, who was coughing up blood and dying.
Yeah. I was definitely dead.
“Enough with these gloomy thoughts!”
I shoved the medicine into my mouth and swallowed it. It was a bold move—but the medicine was disgustingly bitter. Ugh. I’d rather throw up again than drink this!
“M-Miss?”
“Chocolate… candy… anything, hurry…”
At what sounded like my dying words, Ilina quickly pulled out chocolate and pressed it into my hand. The medicine tasted so nauseating that my hand—steady even when I vomited blood—started to spasm.
While the other maids dealt with the disaster in the bedroom, I chewed on the chocolate and, supported by Ilina, headed to the bathroom.
No matter how many times I suggested switching the bed covers and blankets to darker colors, Anastasia’s parents refused.
They seemed to think that being surrounded by bright colors might lift my spirits.
Even now, the family was running around desperately searching for a cure that didn’t exist. If I said it was pointless, I’d just get scolded.
I’d never experienced family affection before—never received it, never learned how to give it back. Yet even when I acted distant, they never questioned it.
The original Anastasia had always been quiet and indifferent, even before she fell ill.
That made it a little sad. The Sinclair family truly loved Anastasia.
So once I accepted reality, I made an effort to smile at them more, to speak gently whenever I could.
I thought that if someone—anyone—expressed emotion, maybe at least a fragment of Anastasia’s smile would remain in their memories.
The disease Anastasia had was so rare it didn’t even have a name. In other words, no matter what I did, I was destined to die before turning eighteen.
In front of Adel.
“Miss, the bedroom has been cleaned.”
Just as I finished bathing and started drying my hair, Marin—the maid in charge of cleaning—came to report. As I was about to thank her, she added,
“And Young Master Magnus is rushing here at full speed.”
“Ghk—”
I sucked in a breath. Adel had an uncanny ability to sense whenever I coughed up blood. Was it magic? Of course it was magic! I did not sign up for this kind of overpowered character!
“Tell him I’m asleep!”
I jumped up to head back to the bedroom, but Ilina hurried after me.
“Miss, your hair isn’t dry yet!”
“That doesn’t matter at all!”
I shook off Ilina’s hand and flopped onto the bed. I pulled the fresh, fluffy blankets up over my head and pretended hard to be asleep.
I heard Ilina reluctantly closing the door.
Even though I breathed steadily, my heart was pounding. I squeezed my eyes shut.
Adel Magnus was an ideal noble gentleman, as if all the goodwill in the world had been gathered into one person.
It was still a bit in the future, but in the novel he was called a pure and upright knight—a hero born to lead people down the righteous path.
He was kind, diligent, and noble.
Even toward his enemies, Adel never insulted or belittled them. He always maintained courtesy and was never arrogant, not even for a moment.
Though he was the heir to Duke Magnus—the real power behind the empire—he treated even passing commoners with warmth and respect. He spoke politely to everyone, regardless of status.
On the other hand, because he’d been raised too properly, he was rigid and inflexible, often making my chest feel like it was about to burst.
Just as I wished I’d actually fall asleep, a clear, refreshing voice came from beyond the blanket.
“Excuse me. Are you asleep?”
He’s here!
My heartbeat was so loud I thought Adel might hear it.
After the time I collapsed alone in my room and was found too late, Adel had taken to sneaking in—using magic he disliked showing others—to check on my condition. This was already the third time.
Hmm. The novel never said Adel enjoyed breaking and entering… I must have lost his trust.
“It seems you coughed up blood again. There are still faint traces.”
Listening to Adel’s voice was enough to make my eardrums melt. It was refreshing like lemon juice, red grapes, citrus. Truly worthy of a male lead.
“Anastasia, forgive my rudeness.”
I was grumbling internally when the blanket was suddenly yanked away.
“Wah!”
I opened my eyes in shock to see Adel staring at me calmly, completely unfazed. What is that insane level of handsomeness? He radiated pure nobility. I rubbed my eyes without thinking.
“As expected, you weren’t asleep.”
Still dazed by his looks, I was a beat late getting angry.
“H-How dare you lift a lady’s blanket like that!”
But my glare didn’t last long. His calm eyes somehow made me uncomfortable, and I slowly turned my head away.
As he set the blanket down, Adel spoke.
“You keep avoiding my gaze. Are you uncomfortable seeing me because of what happened yesterday?”
We had met last night as well.
My family was away searching for a cure, and there was a festival outside. I’d planned to go watch the fireworks—but somehow Adel found out and came looking for me.
Even when I said I’d be with maids, he blocked my way, and I was furious.
I’m fine! I said I’m fine, so why are you interfering? I’m going to die anyway, and nothing can stop that! If you understand, then just let me do what I want before I die!
With so little time left to enjoy this world, being told to stay locked in my room felt unbearably cruel.
“…You know I don’t have much time left. I appreciate your concern, but I don’t want to spend what little time I have trapped in a small room.”
“We might still find a cure.”
Adel tried to soothe me calmly. I rejected it outright.
“You won’t find one even if you search the whole world.”
“And why are you so certain?”
“Because I’m the only one who has this disease. Look, Adel—aside from coughing up blood and feeling dizzy, it’s manageable. So stop nagging—”
“Could you at least hold on to hope, for the Count and Countess… and for me?”
Relentlessly, Adel tried to fill me with dreams and hope. I’d only been Anastasia for a month, yet I was already sick of this conversation pattern.
An overly rigid and positive male lead had the power to drive those around him insane.
I shook my head, hoping he’d finally understand.
“No. I’m definitely going to die.”
“Anastasia.”
“I’m not being pessimistic—I’m facing reality. That’s the end of it, right?”
So hurry up and leave. I’ll see you out. Your face relieves all my stress, but your nagging sends my blood pressure through the roof. In the end, it’s a net zero!
I jumped out of bed, and Adel frowned.
“We’re not finished yet.”
He very carefully grabbed my wrist and guided me back to sit on the bed, then immediately let go.
“Please don’t try to go alone. The outside world is too dangerous for you.”
I lowered my voice.
“I’m not a child, Adel. And you’re not my guardian.”
“Even so, I can’t allow it.”
“You stubborn, pigheaded blockhead!”
I finally exploded. Adel didn’t even blink.
“It’s all because we’re worried about you.”
“I said I don’t need it! When someone talks, at least pretend to listen!”
“Anastasia, your language is getting rough.”
He replied in an utterly innocent, calm tone. I genuinely wanted to punch him.
Whose fault do you think this is?! At this rate, my remaining two years of life will shrink to one month from sheer stress-induced high blood pressure!
