Chapter 3
The shock was so strong my head went blank. Did I really just cough up blood?
Before I could process it, another mouthful of blood burst out.
“Riela!”
Aria tried to rush over, but the maids held her back for safety’s sake and pushed her out of the bedroom.
The physician forced me to swallow a bitter medicine, and I struggled the whole time—it was unbearably bitter.
“Riela, no matter what, you must drink this. Hush now, it will all be alright,”
Veronica whispered kindly, but her trembling voice gave her away.
Suddenly, forgotten memories floated up. My head felt like it was being split in two.
When I finally finished the medicine, I slumped weakly, letting the maids change my blood-soaked clothes.
The bitter taste lingered in my mouth as one thought hit me—
Right… I’m terminally ill, aren’t I?
The lucky part: I was reborn as the childhood friend of my favorite character.
The unlucky part: I’m terminally ill in this body.
Not just that—this body is the weakest in the world, cursed with an allergy to holy power.
Shouldn’t I have been warned about this in advance?! I ended up showing such an ugly sight to everyone that I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.
Meanwhile, the poor physician was being scolded by the duchess outside the door. I actually felt bad for him—his notebook was full of trial-and-error treatments he had tried for me.
Of course, I already knew the real cause, but I couldn’t say it aloud.
“Actually, my disease is holy power allergy!” How could a ten-year-old child even explain such a thing? No one would believe me.
The maids exchanged worried looks as I sat there chuckling at nothing.
But my concern was something else entirely.
My favorite is supposed to awaken as a saint in a few years, and I’m allergic to holy power? This is insane…
If I wanted to make her happy, first I needed to survive.
I had to get healthy—for Aria, who stayed by my side instead of going out to play.
To cheer me up, Aria brought in a mountain of fairytales and read until I fell asleep, while Daniel massaged my hands to relax me.
What luxury in this world could compare to this?
After the painkillers and stomach medicine, I felt better and tried to get up, but the fiery glares from the Maynard twins forced me right back into bed.
“At this point, a side character should be making an entrance,” I muttered.
“How’d you know? The prince appears right after this!” Aria’s eyes sparkled.
I shrugged casually. “I’ve got my ways.”
Of course, she was talking about the prince in the fairytale, but I meant the supporting character in the actual novel I was stuck in.
“I don’t want to marry a prince, though. I’d rather marry a cool knight,” Aria declared.
“Why?” I asked.
“If I marry a prince, I’d have to be queen. I don’t want that. I just want to live freely and eat and play every day. So I’ll marry a knight.”
I was stunned. Already thinking like that at her age? Not that it was wrong, but…
Unaware of my shock, Aria launched into a serious lecture on “the proper attitude of a husband.”
Daniel’s expression soured as well, but watching my beloved chatter away so happily made me feel warm inside.
“Riela,” Aria suddenly called.
“Yes?” I answered, blinking at her beauty.
How could she look so radiant just by existing?
“Your face looks weird. You’re not in pain, are you?”
“Right. If you feel unwell, tell us right away,” Daniel added.
Ah, it wasn’t like that…
I glanced at the mirror beside the bed to check my face.
No wonder. My reflection showed me half-smiling, lips twitching oddly, almost leering.
…Yeah, that did look strange.
“No, no. I’m fine! The medicine must be working well.”
To prove my health, I flexed my thin arm like an athlete showing off.
It looked pathetic, but I tried.
“Riela…”
They stared at me as if I was forcing a smile despite my suffering.
At that moment, a knock came at the door. The butler’s voice followed:
“Young master, a guest has arrived.”
The elderly butler peeked inside and beamed fondly at the sight of the children gathered on my bed.
“Go on. If Norton came to fetch you, the guest must be important,” I whispered to Daniel.
But he didn’t budge.
“Daniel,” I urged, tugging his sleeve and nodding toward the door.
“Young master,” Norton added, glancing at me nervously.
“Then you come too,” Daniel suddenly said.
“…Huh?”
That felt ominous.
Daniel’s grin grew mischievous as he leapt off the bed. His smile was so suspicious that I mentally added a new rule to my survival guide:
Rule Four: Never casually meet characters from the original story, whether main or supporting.
Because even the smallest butterfly effect could spiral into disaster.
“Yeah! Riela should come too!” Aria chimed in, leaving me frozen.
“Judging by the sudden visit, it must be Leo,” she added. “He’s a bit rude and selfish, and his words aren’t very nice, but deep down he’s kind.”
…Was that supposed to be praise?
Daniel grabbed my hand. His palm was so warm it felt like it was burning.
“Want to meet him?”
Under Norton’s desperate gaze, I reluctantly nodded.
“Tell the guest to wait a little longer—Riela needs to prepare,” Daniel instructed.
Poor Norton looked ready to cry. Feeling guilty, I jumped up and shouted, “No, let’s go right now!”
Better to rip the band-aid off quickly.
Aria and Daniel looked up at me like curious puppies, their beautiful faces shining.
Seriously, what does it feel like to live with faces that perfect? …No, focus, this isn’t the time!
Shaking off the thought, I slipped on my shoes and grabbed the twins’ hands, letting Norton lead us.
He kept glancing back to make sure we followed, and I gave him a reassuring smile.
No matter the class system here, respecting elders was still basic courtesy.
***
“What’s with her?”
What’s with you?
I glared at the boy pointing at me, half hiding behind Aria. He flinched.
“She’s ill, so she’s staying with us for now,” Daniel explained.
“She’s sick? Doesn’t look it. Where exactly?” The boy’s eyes swept over me suspiciously.
“I don’t know the cause. But—” Daniel began.
“Hey! Do you think I came here to bully her? Speak casually, no one’s watching,” the boy snapped.
“Then why are you here?” Daniel asked flatly.
“Can’t I just come to hang out?”
“No. You can’t.”
“…Annoying brat.”
“You too.”
The tension eased a little, but I stayed behind Aria, watching the boy closely.
Silver hair, green eyes, close to Daniel… who was this again?
Oh, right—Aria had said Leo earlier.
Leonit! Leonit Vilter Adelinne!
The future villain who tormented Aria and couldn’t even die properly, doomed to pay for his sins.
“How dare you speak to me like that?” his eyebrows shot up.
“That’s right. I am the empire’s only prince, Leonit Vilter Adelinne!”
What a joke. Only twelve years old and already so arrogant.
I snorted dismissively, which only made him turn red and shout:
“Kneel before me! Right now! Swear your obedience!”
…Unbelievable. How spoiled could one child get?
