Chapter 1
A puppy running around.
A raccoon rolling on the grass, belly exposed.
A dog enjoying a swim.
A cat circling around my feet, acting cute.
This place was nothing short of the paradise I had built.
And the one who had invaded my paradise—the destroyer of peace—was sitting across the table.
The teacup, precariously held in my hand, slipped and fell onto its saucer. I hadn’t even taken a sip.
Clink.
At the sound, the man’s gaze turned toward me. The peace destroyer hadn’t touched his tea either.
Our eyes met, and the man spoke in a cold voice.
“I heard my dog is here, Agatha.”
Heaven turned into hell in an instant. The peace destroyer’s expression twisted.
“Did you kidnap my dog just to get my attention?”
His voice was especially cold.
That the peace destroyer was a famous dog lover was common knowledge to anyone in the Empire—and to any reader of Don’t Obsess Over Saint Lucia.
Kidnap? Please. I’m such a law-abiding citizen I could live my whole life without ever breaking one.
“I received a report that my dog was seen here. You’d better not play dumb.”
“Cough!”
A report? What report?
The man frowned, turning his head away from me as if my choking cough was unpleasant to watch.
His name was Nael Milan Bruls.
“Why would your dog be here in the first place?”
I didn’t bring it.
At my words, Nael turned back and glared at me coldly. Even through his glasses, the killing intent in his gaze was overwhelming.
He was undeniably handsome—so much so that it felt like he had received every bit of the male lead buff straight to his face.
Good grief. He could probably kill with just his eyes.
I subtly averted my gaze and denied it.
“That’s impossible.”
I didn’t do it.
Ever since I came into this body, I hadn’t even stepped on Nael’s shadow. All my efforts had gone to waste the moment he came looking for me.
It seemed he suspected that I had kidnapped his dog just to meet him.
Ugh, how unfair. I really didn’t do it. This is such a baseless accusation.
“…Sigh. Let’s stop this pointless argument. Hisha is my dog. I’ll be taking him.”
The peace destroyer spoke as if granting me a favor.
Whatever. I quickly nodded. If finding his dog meant he’d leave, there was no reason to refuse.
“Then let’s go find it right away.”
As if he had been waiting for my permission, Nael immediately stood up and strode off.
Seriously, which dog dragged the male lead here? If this is real, I’m biting that cute little butt.
I had no idea how the original Agatha managed to chase after a man like that.
I’d suffocate just from that glare.
Muttering internally, I followed behind the peace destroyer.
If I said it out loud and he heard me, what then? I might get killed by that gaze. That would be a dog’s death, literally.
At this rate, I hoped this would be the last time we ever met in this life.
Nael was a massive obstacle to the paradise I dreamed of.
After a short while, Nael returned to where I was.
I had been certain his dog wasn’t here.
“Sigh. You really are impossible, Agatha.”
In his hand, a small puppy dangled.
Sorry, but come here—let me bite that butt.
Having unintentionally ended up looking like I kidnapped his dog, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut.
The puppy whimpered on my behalf, full of injustice.
“Whine…”
“Be quiet.”
Honestly, talking like that to something so cute. If you hurt its feelings, it’s your loss. Dogs sulk easily, you know?
“Don’t ever pull something like this again, Agatha. That’s your warning.”
Tch.
Instead of answering, I spat inwardly.
I could spit at a handsome face too—well, only in my mind.
If I made one wrong move, I could lose my head. Even in the original story, Agatha Lucy Stadion died at Nael’s hands.
Nael glanced at me as if he didn’t want to deal with me anymore, then left my paradise.
Yeah. Don’t ever come back. Please.
“My lady, are you alright?”
A maid asked with a worried expression. I definitely saw her run off earlier when Nael showed up.
I shot her an unimpressed look and said,
“Sprinkle salt.”
“Pardon?”
“Buy coarse salt and scatter it everywhere! So he never comes back.”
Salt instead of spitting.
“Yes, my lady!”
Watching the maid energetically scatter salt, I brushed my hands together.
Let’s cut ties. Completely.
You think you dislike me? I dislike you too.
The original Agatha Lucy Stadion devoted her life to Nael. Even when I read the novel, I couldn’t understand it. She was rich and beautiful—why cling to him and earn the title of a villainess?
Now that I’ve become Agatha… I understand it even less. I even have a decent personality now, so why would I obsess over a man?
Bourgeois Lady Agatha has no interest in someone like him.
Maybe the original Agatha would disagree, but if she handed over her body to me, she doesn’t get a say anymore.
It’s been six months since I, an ordinary nobody, became the bourgeois Agatha.
“Don’t go too far, Yuna!”
“Yes, teacher!”
The little girl answered cheerfully, glanced around, and slipped into the forest.
The teacher, busy with many children, wouldn’t go out of her way to look for Kim Yuna. She just had to return when playtime ended.
This wasn’t her first time. Yuna walked deeper into the forest with ease.
‘If you go in there, a wolf might eat you. You know wolves appear in that forest, right?’
“I don’t believe it.”
Yuna muttered sulkily. It was all just something the teachers said to scare the kids.
She had never once seen a wolf in the forest.
“Adults are all liars.”
Her mother, who promised to come back soon, hadn’t returned even after Yuna turned eight. As she trudged along, wondering if all adults became liars when they grew up—
“Ugh…”
A faint groan reached her ears.
Yuna perked up.
The orphanage she lived in was deep in the forest. There were no people nearby.
But that sound was definitely—
Lowering herself, Yuna carefully parted the bushes.
“Huh…?”
The fur of a massive dark-blue wolf shimmered in the sunlight filtering through the leaves. Its coat was glossy, exuding a mysterious aura. Its sharp violet eyes gleamed like amethysts as they stared at her.
There really is a wolf!
Yet it showed no hostility.
“Are you hurt?”
The wolf slowly lowered its head, then nudged something in its arms with its snout. The groan grew louder.
Yuna’s eyes widened.
“Is someone hurt?”
The wolf lifted its head and stared at her.
“…If I come closer, will you hurt me?”
The wolf shook its head. It clearly understood her.
Yuna carefully approached.
In the wolf’s arms was a boy about her age.
She crouched beside him, watching the wolf cautiously.
His hair shimmered in the light—like something out of a fairy tale.
“Where are you hurt?”
Yuna asked softly.
The boy slowly opened his eyes. His irises, revealed beneath heavy lids, were a beautiful green—like the forest itself, with a faint bluish tint.
“It hurts…”
A tear rolled down his cheek. Startled, Yuna jumped to her feet.
“If it hurts enough to cry, it must be really bad…! What do I do?!”
There was nothing she could do for him right now. She needed an adult who could actually help.
“I-I’ll go get the teacher! Wait here!”
“No… don’t…”
The boy burst into tears, clutching her clothes desperately. The wolf pulled him protectively closer.
Yuna swallowed.
“Don’t? Why?”
“People… who want to kill me… will come…”
