Chapter 10
Staring at Theodore, who was so hopeless I didn’t even know where to begin criticizing him, I pressed my forehead and firmly declared:
“If you don’t answer, I’m just leaving.”
“What if it’s a dangerous situation?”
As expected, Theodore never let even the smallest thing slide. He nitpicked my words.
“Just memorize this: If you don’t answer, I’m just leaving.”
“What if an assassin is targeting you?”
“……”
‘Okay, that sounds plausible.’
Theodore’s words made me serious, too.
According to the laws of romance fantasy novels, assassins were practically a welcome gift for someone who transmigrated. In other words, it wouldn’t be strange if an assassin burst into my room right this second.
I nodded in agreement with Theodore’s point.
“That’s… a reasonable assumption.”
“I knew you’d say that.”
Seeing me slightly swayed by his nonsense, Theodore’s eyes sparkled with confidence, as if ready to spout more drivel. So I cut him off with a firmer tone than before to eliminate any possibility.
“Even so, you can’t just barge into someone else’s room without permission.”
“Lasetia.”
He instantly dropped his previously kind tone, reverting back to the Theodore I knew.
Did I cross the line? Maybe I shouldn’t have spoken like that—acting like I was teaching him something—when I’m just an adopted child…
“Lasetia.”
“Y-yes?”
I froze at the unexpected tone.
“Why are we considered strangers?”
“Huh?”
I was stunned by the unexpected question.
“This isn’t someone else’s room. It’s my little sister’s room.”
“Uh… that’s true, but…”
He said such nonsense so seriously that I ended up getting dragged along without realizing it.
“So it’s perfectly fine for me to barge into your room.”
Theodore beamed, clearly pleased with his ridiculous conclusion.
‘No, just no. I need my privacy!’
I clutched my head in frustration, then glared at Theodore with wide eyes.
“Brother, even if we’re family, you have to respect personal space. Have you never heard of personal space?”
“Personal… what?”
“Anyway, that’s not the point. Why are you in my room?”
I ran a hand through my messy hair as I asked.
“You promised to go shopping with me today.”
“I did?”
I blinked at the absurdity of a plan made without my consent.
“Yes. You did.”
No, you just informed me without asking.
“If you start getting ready now, we’ll barely make it. I’ll call the maids to help prepare.”
“I haven’t even washed my face.”
“That’s fine.”
‘Easy for you to say. You’ve been ready since dawn.’
I ignored him and got up. It was my first outing, and there was no way I was going out looking like a mess. I figured I should at least wash up using the water the maids left earlier. I brushed my hair back and dipped my hand into the bowl. The water was icy cold.
‘…A cold morning face wash is the best way to wake up.’
Thinking of it as spiritual training, I splashed the water over my face. Finally, I felt more awake.
As soon as I was done, Theodore, as if waiting for the exact moment, handed me a towel.
“I’ll go summon the maids now.”
“Okay.”
The moment Theodore left the room, I immediately collapsed back into bed.
The thick mattress was soft enough that my back didn’t hurt even after lying on it for a while. The sheets didn’t cling to my skin and had just the right amount of weight. It was the perfect combo for a stay-at-home introvert.
‘If all bedding were like this, I’d never leave my bed again.’
I hugged Ttosoon and buried myself in the covers when a knock came at the door.
Knock knock.
“Young lady, we’re here to help you get ready for your outing.”
“Come in.”
Three maids entered. Unlike the earlier maids, these ones were polite and courteous.
As I sluggishly got out of bed and sat at the vanity, the maids busily prepared their tools and then began tending to me from either side.
I carefully examined myself in the mirror, trying to get used to my appearance in this world. My original face had been round and soft with black hair—but none of that remained. The eyes I now had, called ja-an, were the epitome of fantasy beauty, unlike my previous dark brown eyes.
My eyes tilted slightly upwards, giving a cat-like appearance, and the small mole under my right eye added a touch of elegance.
Though I could have looked cold and aloof, the easygoing soul inside seemed to soften the impression. In the mirror, I looked like a cute, pouty child.
My skin was porcelain-like, as if it had never been exposed to sunlight. Despite living like a beggar before, my complexion was flawless and clear.
In my previous life, no matter how much skincare I used, freckles always showed up. I guess good skin really is something you’re born with.
While I was quietly reeling from the transmigration glow-up, the preparations for the outing were nearly finished—and right on time, Theodore arrived.
Knock knock.
“Lasetia, it’s your eldest brother.”
“Come in.”
Theodore, already dressed for the outing, came inside and sat beside me while I was still having my hair styled.
Then he started giving instructions to the maids.
“Tie her hair into twin tails instead—that would look cuter.”
“Match the jewels to her eye color… No, wait. We’ll be buying new jewels today, so simpler is better.”
“It might get chilly this evening. Don’t forget an outer layer.”
This was only Day 1 of my adoption. Not a year. Just one day.
Theodore was unreasonably kind to me, treating me as if I were his real sister, without the slightest hesitation. There wasn’t even a trace of a grieving brother who’d lost his sibling.
‘Am I… in a child-raising genre now?’
A child picked up from the marketplace, suddenly taking the place of a lost sibling. A duke who dotes on her. Children who accept the situation without question.
I knew that in parenting-type fantasy novels, the families often showered the female protagonist with unrealistic affection. But this was so unreasonable it gave me chills.
My real-life family had been blunt, no-nonsense types from Gyeongsang Province. All this sweet affection felt foreign, overwhelming, and frankly suspicious.
I side-eyed the overly kind Theodore, mentally ranking him as the number one person to watch out for.
“If you’re ready, let’s head out.”
“Yes.”
I followed Theodore and climbed into the waiting carriage. He even offered his hand to help me up.
‘I’m only twelve, but he’s already got all the manners down. Did the Duke teach him?’
I gave a small nod of thanks and stepped inside. Theodore sat across from me, and I stole a glance at him.
Theodore treated me strangely well and seemed obsessed with the title “younger sister.” But at the same time, he didn’t really act affectionately. His attitude—kind, yet distant—felt unsettling for someone in my precarious position.
‘Is this some kind of final gift meant for his real sister…? Better not get emotionally attached. It’ll only hurt later.’
Feeling another wave of motion sickness, I leaned my head against the carriage wall and closed my eyes. For now, the best way to cope was to empty my mind.
The road was unpaved, and the bumpy ride made it impossible to sleep. The more my head and body shook, the worse the nausea became. My face twisted in discomfort.
As I sighed and cracked open one eye, Theodore glanced away from the window toward me and asked,
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I just feel a little queasy.”
Maybe it was because I wasn’t used to wearing dresses, but the high collar made me feel stuffy and constricted.
“Shall we take a short break?”
“No, it’s okay. Could I just open the window for a bit? Some fresh air might help.”
“Sure.”
He studied my face for a moment, then opened the window.
A cool breeze swept across my face. I inhaled deeply, and the fresh air filled my lungs, helping me feel a little more human again.
Originally, the carriage wasn’t designed to open its windows—it was built for scenery-viewing, not ventilation. But after learning about my motion sickness, the Duke had the carriage modified so I could open and close the window.
I was a bit surprised. I didn’t expect that level of consideration.
Still, we’d only just signed our contract—this was probably just part of keeping up appearances. I told myself not to get soft.
It was too early to let my guard down.
And so, after a dizzying ride, we finally arrived in the bustling city.
