Chapter 36
Lia had a dream.
It was similar to before, yet different.
It seemed like Rianna’s past, but somehow it didn’t feel the same.
The past she had seen of Rianna wasn’t like this. Even what she had read about Rianna’s past wasn’t like this. But now, the dream showed a kind and gentle Rianna with the Emperor.
Lia frowned at the contrast.
—This isn’t the past.
A voice spoke into Lia’s ear as she frowned.
—It’s your future that will change.
“Future… future?”
Lia made a bewildered expression.
Well, it was fortunate that Rianna and the Emperor were getting along.
It was what Rianna wanted, and the Emperor also wanted Rianna’s heart.
Of course, she couldn’t tell if it was Lia in this body he desired, or truly Rianna herself.
But the voice clearly said it was your future. If she guessed right, the owner of the voice seemed to know she wasn’t Rianna but Lia.
After all, the one who brought her into this body was probably that voice.
That was definitely not what she wanted. What she wanted was to return to her original world.
She didn’t want to wander in a strange place anymore, being pulled here against her will without any preparation.
And now it was saying she should give up everything and stay here, spending gentle days with the Emperor?
That was nonsense.
—I want to fix everything that’s gone wrong. For that, I need your help.
Everything that’s gone wrong…
It made sense to fix what was broken, but being used for it was out of the question. Especially if it was done without her permission.
—There’s no one else.
Before Lia could even react, she woke from the dream.
When she came to, she saw Kartian asleep, leaning over her bed.
Looking out the dark window, it seemed to be night.
When had he come? What had happened to her? And that dream… her head was a mess.
Piecing together the dream, it seemed the voice had been the one to make her possess this body. And it seemed to want something from her.
Probably… to improve the relationship between the Emperor and the Empress. That must have been the reason she was brought here.
After she possessed this body, the Emperor’s behavior did change.
Not suddenly, but after he lost his memory. Still, there had to be a reason. Losing memory alone wouldn’t explain such a drastic change.
Especially since he hadn’t changed gradually—he fell for her at first sight and started following her everywhere.
So everything she was experiencing had been created by the voice that brought her here.
Even bringing her into this body was a means to achieve something.
But why her?
The voice said she was the only one who could fix what was wrong.
Why? Who was she to do that? And suddenly, just like that?
Of course, the voice probably wouldn’t ask politely, “Can you help me like this or that?” expecting her to answer yes.
But still, doing things without considering her at all felt wrong.
She felt like a chess piece—moved and controlled freely to achieve someone else’s goal.
Whatever the voice intended, Lia felt strong resistance.
She quietly looked at Kartian.
Thinking about it, all of this had started with him. If he had handled things wisely, the original ending wouldn’t have happened. Then she wouldn’t have possessed this body.
At the same time, she realized it wasn’t really his fault. He hadn’t known she would possess this body.
Maybe even the way he treated the original Rianna was someone else’s manipulation.
But nothing was certain. The voice gave answers, but also raised new questions.
“Really… so frustrating.”
Nothing went as she wanted.
Annoyed, Lia briefly thought of grabbing the Emperor’s head, just to vent a little.
Or maybe hit him again, to make him regain his memory this time.
If he regained his memory, maybe she could find more clues.
But she wasn’t sure that hitting him again would make things go as she wanted, so she didn’t do it.
‘Still… he’s definitely the cause of this.’
For a moment, she glared at Kartian, biting back her anger, then remembered her current situation.
It was just a dream—no matter what she worried about now, it wouldn’t change anything or solve anything. She decided to let it go for the moment. She’d have to deal with it later.
‘But… what actually happened to me?’
After the marquis’s daughter’s tea time, she had no memory of what happened.
She must have fainted. Had something been poisoned in the cookie?
No, it didn’t seem like poison.
Recalling vaguely, her reaction after eating the cookie had been more like an allergy than poison.
Even her current itchiness confirmed it.
To find out, Lia decided to get up and call a maid.
But someone reacted sharply to her movement.
“…Lia?”
At the small rustle, Kartian woke up, looking groggy, and stared at her.
Seeing that she was awake, Kartian’s eyes softened.
“Lia.”
He breathed a sigh of relief and pulled her into a tight hug.
It was so tight that it was hard to breathe.
“Let go.”
Lia said sharply, her tone harsher than usual. Kartian flinched and let go, noticing the change.
Lia’s feelings toward him were strained due to the dream, but Kartian thought it was because she was upset at him for what had happened.
It wasn’t entirely wrong—she blamed him not just for fainting but for the whole situation.
“Sorry.”
Kartian lowered his head, shoulders slumped, apologizing with a pained expression.
But Lia was too upset to respond to his pity.
“Yes. I think you need to apologize right now.”
“I really messed up.”
Kartian looked at her desperately, fully acknowledging his fault.
“I… have a favor to ask.”
“A favor?”
Hearing her say “favor” for the first time, Kartian’s eyes widened.
“You don’t mind?”
“No, no. I’m fine. I’ll do anything.”
“Good. Then come closer.”
Lia told him to come closer from a distance. Kartian approached, curious.
In that moment, Lia pinched his cheek hard.
Even though she felt like she could tear his hair out or punch him, she restrained herself—he was the Emperor, after all.
She pinched him so hard that his face twisted in pain, but he soon smiled.
Kartian’s smile probably meant “It’s okay,” but to Lia, it was a bit creepy.
To pinch her genuinely, causing pain, and smile like that… it gave her chills.
She removed her hand, leaving a mark on his cheek.
“You can do the other one too.”
He offered his other cheek, but Lia seriously considered it. Pinching it probably wouldn’t make her feel better.
‘Should I pinch it again? Swell both cheeks?’
But she resisted. It wouldn’t help.
“Enough. But… what actually happened to me?”
“You fainted from an allergy.”
“Ah.”
‘I thought it might be an allergy… I was right.’
Even though it was her, she still didn’t know what caused the reaction.
She knew it was from the cookie, but not what in it caused it.
In the original story, it had never been mentioned that the Empress had allergies.
She had eaten other cookies before without problem. Why did these ones from the marquis’s daughter trigger it?
“What happened to the marquis’s daughter?”
To confirm exactly what was in the cookie, Lia thought it would be better to ask her directly.
“She’s detained.”
‘Hmm.’
Lia thought for a moment.
‘It’s late now… maybe I should go see her tomorrow.’
Kartian flinched at her thought.
“Sorry… the detention was too lenient. I should have just….”
He trailed off.
“That’s not what you meant?”
“…Yeah.”
Lia’s sharp remark made him slump again, looking gloomy.
“Don’t act pitiful.”
Because of his red cheeks, he looked especially pitiful, so Lia said it coldly on purpose.
“Mm.”
He hadn’t meant to act pitiful, so he wondered briefly how to avoid it.
‘Should I smile?’
Kartian awkwardly lifted the corners of his mouth.
He looked so ridiculous that Lia couldn’t help but laugh for a moment.
Kartian widened his eyes in surprise at her laughter, then quickly returned to his usual calm expression.
