Chapter 4
“Happiness? Do you think marrying a wealthy nobleman makes you happy?”
But Jayna immediately spoke out against Helene’s words.
In this world, a woman’s life was largely dictated by marriage. For extras rather than main characters, it was a harsh reality.
Despite this, Jayna speaking like a modern, independent woman was fascinating to Helene.
Before her memories of her past life returned, she had the impression that Jayna was a brash and tomboyish girl, but now she seemed sharp and confident.
“You can be happy without money. But maintaining happiness? That takes money. Isn’t it time you realized that?”
Jayna was frustrated but couldn’t argue.
Until they ended up like this, the three daughters of House Emeldia had lived a life of wealth. So poverty must have felt even more painful.
The three sisters, who were very close, could laugh while sharing a single small potato, but in the end, they still had to worry about food for tomorrow.
“And money is optional. Wouldn’t it be perfect if the person you love is also rich?”
Considering the character and upbringing of the Emeldia sisters as nobles, Helene didn’t think they would jump into marriage just because someone was wealthy.
That’s why the perfect male leads of The Perfect Lady Angelina were needed.
“L-Love…?”
Unlike the ten-year-old April who tilted her head, Lilliana and Jayna’s eyes widened slightly.
Love, huh. Thanks to their stepmother, they never even dared to dream of such a thing. But Lilliana at twenty-two and Jayna at seventeen were at the age where dreaming of love was natural.
“How can you be so sure we’ll love him?”
But Lilliana wasn’t so naive.
Now, she went out to the market every day in place of the servants and knew all too well that nothing cheap came without a reason.
And their stepmother was Helene. Even if it were a stone bridge—or one made of steel—they had to knock on it a hundred times before stepping on it.
“If you don’t like him, we’ll find someone else. Of course, your opinion will be respected.”
Helene spoke with confidence.
It was hard not to like the male leads from The Perfect Lady Angelina. It was known for its reverse harem of charming male characters.
Still, if Lilliana didn’t like one, Helene was ready to move on to the next candidate.
The most important thing was Lilliana’s feelings.
Love, huh.
In her past life, Han Yena didn’t believe in such things.
She thought love was something that only existed in movies or novels.
Ironically, this world was inside a novel. Maybe the male leads of The Perfect Lady Angelina could become true loves for them.
Helene had already excluded the too-young April and Jayna, who hated her, from consideration. She planned to match Lilliana with one of the male leads.
With her neat and refined features, gentle yet delicate expression, and strong will shining in her emerald green eyes, Lilliana looked every bit like a romance fantasy heroine.
Before her mother passed away, she had grown up in the happiest of homes—and she still cherished those memories.
Helene wanted to find the perfect male lead to match her.
“…Do you think a man who’s not only a wealthy noble but also someone I could genuinely like… would really fall for someone like me?”
Lilliana eventually bit the bait.
Sister, don’t tell me you’re serious?
Jayna and April stared at her in disbelief.
“I’ll help you. You know me, don’t you? You’ve seen with your own eyes how I married a handsome, rich, and kind man.”
Raoul, the former Count of Emeldia, had been far too good for Helene.
Because of meeting such a terrible stepmother at the end, the girls might have shattered illusions about their father. But the man had raised his daughters alone for five years after his wife died.
If he hadn’t met me, he would have been the most perfect father in the world…
Lilliana’s green eyes wavered like crashing waves. She was clearly torn.
But with all that had happened with Helene as her stepmother, trusting her wouldn’t come easily.
Now that she’d offered a carrot, it was time for the stick.
“And you saw today, didn’t you? If we can’t repay the debt, the mansion will be taken by creditors. We’ll have to find a new place to live. Houses are expensive… You might not even be able to live together.”
Losing their home had been the start of all this misfortune. This time, Helene couldn’t allow the sisters to be separated.
“…I’m sorry. But this is all I can do for you.”
Helene was genuinely sorry.
She couldn’t let Lilliana die like in the original novel.
She had to make the three sisters happy.
There wasn’t much an incompetent villainess stepmother like her could do.
Except use the plot of the original story to find them perfect matches.
Lilliana realized that as the eldest, if she didn’t do something, they would lose everything—including each other.
It was a poisoned chalice, but if she didn’t drink, she would die of thirst.
“I’ll do it.”
“Sister!”
Jayna shouted in surprise, but couldn’t think of a reason to stop her.
Once Lilliana made a decision, she never looked back. And to Jayna, Lilliana was the wisest person she knew.
She must have a plan…
Jayna decided to wait and see.
She wrapped an arm around April’s small shoulders, who surely shared her thoughts.
“Great. So, do you have any conditions?”
Even in her past life, Helene hadn’t had luck with her own relationships, but she’d successfully arranged a few blind dates.
The key is to identify the client’s needs precisely!
To show she wasn’t the same old Helene, she pulled out a dusty notebook from the table, picked up a quill, and prepared to take notes.
“Like you said, financial stability is important. And someone kindhearted who would let me continue caring for my sisters after I marry.”
Lilliana didn’t have high expectations of Helene. She was ready to sacrifice herself for her sisters.
So her conditions were simple.
It was almost embarrassing that she’d prepared to take notes for such a short list.
All the more reason to find a male lead who truly matched her. Helene closed the notebook with determination.
“Lilliana, there are a few things I’ll ask you to do. Do you still pray to the Sun God at night?”
The Herthen Empire’s Sun Religion was the only religion. And Lilliana was a devout believer.
Since she was little, she had visited the temple with her parents, and after her mother passed, she continued to go alone.
She stopped going after her father died.
The temple worshippers would gossip about her misfortune like it was some spectacle, and young Lilliana couldn’t bear their stares and whispers. Instead, she prayed alone at night.
“Why do you ask…?”
Lilliana was stunned that Helene even knew that.
“From now on, I want you to go back to the temple and pray like before.”
Lilliana quickly understood the real reason behind Helene’s words.
The temple was not only a religious place but also the most convenient way for nobles to socialize. It was practically a second social circle.
She didn’t want to return to the place she had fled from in fear, but she had no choice now.
“You don’t need to talk to anyone. Just have faith in the Sun God.”
Was that all?
Lilliana had thought Helene would tell her to cozy up to powerful nobles.
But instead, she was simply told to hold her faith proudly—and that unexpectedly made Lilliana happy.
Every time she passed by the temple without going in, she’d always felt guilty for not properly praying.
“…Understood, Stepmother.”
Lilliana calmed her emotions and nodded.
✧✧✧
When Lilliana came out of the bath, Jayna and April were waiting for her, sitting on the bed.
As Lilliana sat at the vanity to dry her hair, the girls burst out their thoughts.
“Sis, you don’t actually believe what Helene said, do you?”
“Helene… No, like she said today, we should probably call her Stepmother from now on.”
Lilliana was firm.
Just as Helene had said—whether she liked it or not—being a count’s daughter and calling her stepmother by name would ruin her reputation.
“She’s a con artist! I’m sure she’s trying to use us again!”
Their three years with Helene had been miserable.
After marrying their sick father, she’d wasted money and gone out constantly.
After their father’s death, she squandered the family fortune and even racked up debts.
She was a stepmother who had ruined everything in just three years. A witch.
“I don’t trust her either. But if we keep going like this…”
Lilliana trailed off.
The Emeldia family’s finances were now so dire that they couldn’t even buy bread freely. But she didn’t want to share even this pain with her sisters.
April had matured too early, and that always hurt Lilliana’s heart.
“Just this once, follow my lead.”
Her eyes were more resolute than ever.
Lilliana placed a hand on Jayna’s shoulder.
“Take good care of April for me.”
Jayna tried to argue again but felt April’s small hand tug on her sleeve.
April slowly shook her head. The Emeldia sisters always decided by majority vote. It was 2-to-1.
Jayna bit her lip to hold back all the scolding she wanted to shout.
“We haven’t been together like this in a while. Should we sleep together?”
Last winter, all the servants had left.
After paying them severance, the count’s family was bankrupt—even unable to afford lamp oil for the stove.
Helene hadn’t come home for a week, and the three sisters, unable to endure the bitter cold, had huddled together in Lilliana’s room to sleep.
“Sis, it’s way too hot for that now.”
April scolded playfully.
The window was open.
The Emeldia garden, untended for years, had grown wild with weeds and unknown flowers. Their sweet scent wafted into the room.
Spring was already in full bloom.
What is that God father doing??