Chapter 01
A bedroom in the Stein Marquis household.
Rubelia lay asleep on the bed.
Her silver hair glimmered in the sunlight, mystical like a fairy’s wings, and her transparent golden eyes looked as if amber had been embedded into them.
Her sharply upturned eyes gave a slightly aloof impression, yet she looked overall adorable and charming.
After a while, Rubelia awoke leisurely and, absentmindedly, looked out the window—only to be horrified.
Two people she absolutely did not want to see appeared in her line of sight.
…Ah, my eyes. I’ll buy new eyes. I didn’t see them, I swear.
Rubelia squeezed her eyes shut. But there was no time to linger. She had to escape before they caught her and subjected her to more bizarre experiences.
That was the only way to survive.
Even though she had the protection of the marquis, who cared for her deeply, it wasn’t enough to completely stop them. At best, it reduced the frequency of their visits from daily to once every few days.
After three months of diligent escaping, Rubelia was now familiar with the route and swiftly left the Marquis’ estate.
Once she reached the city, Rubelia felt a sense of futility.
Leaving her spacious, comfortable home to wander outside felt pitiful.
Aside from being a villainess, the Rubelia she had possessed was the epitome of a golden spoon life.
Loved unconditionally by her father, the marquis, she lived a luxurious and refined life.
If only the original heroine and male lead were out of her life, she could shake off the villainess title and enjoy her golden-spoon life to the fullest.
Truly, it’s the gods’ fault, the gods’ fault.
If not for the gods, she wouldn’t have lost consciousness by hitting a telephone pole and possessed the villainess from the novel.
But there was no undoing it. The god appeared unpredictably, speaking words she couldn’t comprehend.
“When you’re in a bad mood or feeling down, you’re supposed to eat something delicious. So while we’re out, let’s go on a little gourmet adventure.”
Though the marquis’ household offered excellent food, eating outside held its own charm—like secretly indulging in forbidden treats.
As she walked leisurely, Rubelia caught a glimpse of the original heroine and male lead.
I thought I lost them?
She felt despair. Despite her increasing speed and agility in running away, their pursuit skills had grown even more advanced.
I need to hide.
She scanned her surroundings like a meerkat and thought desperately.
Then she noticed a tall man—someone who could serve as a hiding spot.
If she clung tightly, no hair would be exposed!
Seizing the thought, Rubelia grabbed the man’s sleeve. The man tried to shake off her hand roughly but stopped, frowning, as if something blocked him.
“Sorry for the sudden introduction, but could you…?”
Hide me?
No, that wouldn’t convey the urgency. Instead, she shouted:
“Save me!”
She clung desperately to his sleeve, looking up at him.
In that moment, she felt her chest throb.
Is it because he’s too handsome and my heart just skipped a beat?
Indeed, the man was perfect. Every feature—eyes, nose, mouth—was flawless, as if a genius sculptor had painstakingly created him once in a millennium.
His black hair and dark eyes were almost unnerving, but they didn’t overshadow his beauty.
“…Why should I save you?”
Though it was a sudden question, the man’s expression showed no hesitation, only mild annoyance.
“Um…”
Rubelia considered her options. To her, hiding behind him was the optimal choice for survival.
Just as she tried to justify it, a small child appeared, holding something shiny.
Whoa!
It looked like a dagger reflecting the sunlight, aimed at the man she clung to.
I can’t ignore this.
Rubelia grabbed the sturdiest object she had and threw it at the child. Her throw struck perfectly, knocking the dagger from the child’s hands.
“…I just saved you, didn’t I?”
She muttered to herself, feigning casualness. The man glanced back.
“You didn’t need to get involved.”
He noticed the child as soon as Rubelia did. He could have dealt with the child himself.
“Still, I helped, right?”
“Yeah?”
“There’s a saying: ‘What goes around, comes around.’”
Though technically not the right situation for it, Rubelia didn’t care.
The man looked at her coldly. She was annoying, yet for some reason, he couldn’t push her away.
He decided, unusually, to show her some favor.
“So, what do you want?”
Rubelia was about to ask him to hide her when she heard familiar voices nearby, probably the original heroine and male lead.
She twisted her voice to sound like a lover, creating a diversion.
The man looked briefly taken aback at her sudden change in tone. He had doubts about her motives.
Then…
He decided to play along for now.
“…Fine.”
The man led her to a secluded spot. Rubelia pressed herself against him, walking carefully but quickly.
“Here we are.”
Rubelia let out a sigh of relief, certain that no one would find her here.
“Thanks… I survived because of you.”
“Why did you bring me here?”
“Uh… I just wanted to hide from someone.”
The man expected a more elaborate answer, but Rubelia simply wanted to stay hidden.
“Is that all?”
“Pretty much, but… if you don’t mind, could we stay a little longer?”
The man studied her quietly.
“I’m scared to be alone in the dark until we leave.”
“Why should I?”
He had followed her out of suspicion and concern. She seemed to be fleeing, but it wasn’t clear if it was real or pretended.
“Listen carefully.”
Rubelia gestured seriously but the man didn’t move closer.
“You’re human, right?”
“Being called inhuman doesn’t make me one.”
“People bleed if stabbed, right?”
“If my body isn’t made of steel.”
“Exactly.”
Rubelia concluded confidently. The man looked confused.
“Humans have compassion, and it teaches you not to ignore a trembling, pitiful woman.”
“Not all humans have compassion.”
He said coldly.
“Give me your hand.”
Rubelia extended her hand. He hesitated, then reached out.
“So light… like a feather.”
Rubelia smiled.
“Of course, I meant that as a compliment.”
“Anyway, feel it. Your hand is warm.”
“Not at all.”
She insisted it was warm, despite his naturally low body temperature.
“Come on, humans are supposed to be warm.”
“And?”
Rubelia explained: “It’s because I have compassion.”
The man was stunned. He had met many people but never someone like her.
“Or maybe I’m just worried you’ll do something bad?”
That makes sense.
She had lured him to a secluded place and wanted to stay alone with him—reasonable cause for concern.
To alleviate his worry, she needed to reveal her identity.
Clearing her throat, Rubelia introduced herself:
“I am Rubelia of the Stein Marquis family.”
