CHAPTER 03…………………………..
There was something strange about the Kereis family — they had no daughters.
A long time ago, there had been girl children born into the family, but at some point, the line was cut off.
That’s why in the original novel, only Duke Kereis and his three sons appeared.
The author often described them as “a family of men so handsome it’s blinding.”
“I was wondering since they weren’t even on the cover, but seeing them in person… total nosebleed material.”
While a maid poured tea, I stole a glance at the Duke of Kereis.
He was carefully aligning a glass to match the exact angle of the table.
“Right, a perfectionist!”
Cruel and villainous, yet unable to tolerate the slightest imperfection — that was the Duke.
Well, with looks as flawlessly balanced as his, I guess everything around him had to match, or it would bother him.
“How long do you plan on staring at my face?”
“……!”
Startled, I jerked my eyes away.
The Duke leaned lazily back into the sofa and spoke.
“I don’t like complicated things.”
I looked at him again — that deep, commanding voice. I already knew what he was about to say.
“There’s only one reason I brought you here.”
“……”
The Duke of Kereis was an ambitious man.
Though his house was already one of the empire’s most powerful, he seemed to desire influence that reached even the emperor himself.
And to achieve that, he would need a mage with exceptional talent — someone of pure, gifted blood.
My uncle had lied to him, selling me off as a girl from the Delvey family’s bloodline, born with magical talent.
He must have pocketed a fortune in exchange.
“I intend to make you my eldest son’s fiancée.”
“……!”
Clang. My mind went blank for a second.
It was finally happening.
I swallowed hard.
Engaged… to the eldest, Shevert.
“No. I… I can’t…”
“It’s already decided.”
“Your Grace!!”
I raised my voice, and the Duke’s hand suddenly moved toward me.
Thump, thump — my heart began to pound.
Then, with a calm gesture, he brushed a strand of hair away from my face.
It must have been tangled in the wind, something that his perfectionist eye couldn’t tolerate.
Even in this situation, he noticed that kind of thing… unbelievable.
Trying to steady my trembling heart, I pleaded again — I was too young to be engaged!
But it was useless.
My uncle had already signed away every right to me when he sold me to the Kereis family.
“That damned uncle…”
The original story was unfolding exactly as written.
Maryanne, engaged to the eldest son, Shevert.
When he became an adult, Shevert would fall in love with the heroine — and I, helping him, would become the novel’s villainess.
I could already picture the future villain couple, Shevert and Maryanne.
My uneasy gaze met the Duke’s sharp, amused smile.
The Duke assigned me a rather luxurious room.
“Wow… look how perfectly everything’s arranged.”
I let out an awed sigh, momentarily forgetting what had just happened.
Wealth really was everything.
Compared to the crumbling Delvey estate, this room — the bed, the table, even the wardrobe — radiated money and elegance.
Everything was so tidy and harmonious. So very him.
I ran my fingers over the smooth surface of the table before flopping onto the bed.
My mind was a jumble.
So much had happened in just one day.
“Ugh… seriously, does this kind of thing make sense for a thirteen-year-old?”
I absentmindedly pulled a small twig from my pocket.
It had dried out over the past few days — brittle, lifeless.
And somehow, that made my heart ache too.
My eyelids grew heavy, and before I knew it, I drifted off.
In my dream, I wandered through a world shrouded in thick fog.
Nothing was visible, so I waved my hands through the mist.
Then suddenly, the fog parted — and I saw a small lion cub.
“A lion cub? Out of nowhere?”
The cub ran up to me and rubbed against my leg, big round eyes pleading to be held.
It was so adorable that I crouched down and gathered it in my arms, stroking its soft fur.
“…!”
But then — the cub vanished.
And in its place was a boy, resting in my arms.
The hair beneath my fingers was a deep blue.
Wait — that hair color — a Kereis!
Startled, I pushed him away—
“—Hah!”
I shot up in bed like a spring.
“Kereis again!”
It was him — another Kereis in my dream.
“Haa…”
I hadn’t seen his face, but I was sure he belonged to that family.
Maybe I’d been thinking about the novel too much, and my dreams were starting to twist it around.
I took a deep breath to calm myself.
I needed to stay composed.
And then—
“…Waaah.”
A faint cry reached my ears — the sound of a child sobbing.
“What was that?”
At first, I thought I imagined it, but then I heard it again — soft, pitiful sobs.
I stepped into the hallway and looked around.
A door was open down the corridor.
Was someone in there?
I started walking toward it, curiosity getting the better of me — when suddenly, a small child burst out of the room.
“Whoa! You scared me—!”
A boy, maybe four or five years old, froze when he saw me, tears still clinging to his lashes.
“Young Master! Young Master Crimu!”
A woman — probably his nanny — hurried out after him.
Her frown eased when she noticed me.
And at that moment, everything clicked.
“Crimu!”
That crying child was the Duke’s youngest son, Crimu Kereis!
His hair was a pale, ocean-blue — unmistakable.
In the novel, after the Duchess died, no one cared for Crimu properly.
He grew up wild, and later, when his powers became uncontrollable, he turned even more reckless.
But right now, he was still just a little boy.
“Lady Maryanne, your room is that way,” the nanny told me politely.
Then she quickly ushered Crimu back inside, closing the door between us.
I returned to my room.
“So the kid stopped crying, huh?”
The hallway was quiet again.
I’d now met both the Duke and the youngest son, Crimu.
And since this was the Kereis household, there was no escaping the story now.
So when would I meet the eldest, my supposed fiancé?
Ugh. I didn’t want to.
I needed a new plan.
Staying with my uncle was no longer an option — so there was only one thing left.
I’d save up money until I was old enough to run away.
I wasn’t going to die a villainess.
I had the right to be happy.
If my past life was miserable, then this time — I’d find happiness, no matter what.
I pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper from the small pouch I’d brought from home.
It contained notes I’d written down from memory.
“So, the current timeline is before I come of age — before I turn into a full-fledged villainess.”
In the future, I would officially marry Shevert Kereis, my fiancé.
But Shevert loved the heroine, the saint Bianca.
He kidnapped her — and I, as the villainess, helped him do it.
Later, the second son, Ron Kereis, known as the seed of calamity, would rise up and plunge the empire into flames.
That was as far as I remembered from the original story.
“I think thousands of people died after that… maybe.”
I’d never finished reading the novel, so I didn’t know how it ended.
Probably with the crown prince — the male lead — winning, since it was a happy ending.
Either way, I pitied my future self.
So I decided to rewrite my story — just a little.
I’d simply… step out of it.
If all those web novel heroines could do it, why couldn’t I?
I’d make money, disappear, and live quietly somewhere far away.
But first, I needed to earn the Duke’s trust.
“To do that… I have to get along with these crazy people!”
So I decided to “strategically befriend” each member of the Kereis family, one by one.
The next day, the first person I met was the youngest, Crimu.
I’d been walking through the garden, lost in thought, when I felt a tug on my skirt.
“Huh? What the— oh?”
Looking down, I found little Crimu staring up at me.
Oh my, was that a frown?
His tiny brows were scrunched up in the cutest little scowl.
He was small and chubby-cheeked — adorable enough to destroy the world — but the pout made him look like an angry chick.
Was this kid… picking a fight?
I forced a warm smile. I couldn’t afford to make enemies here.
“Your name’s Crimu, right?”
“Pff.”
I asked sweetly, but he just puffed his lips and went, “Pff,” making a strange sound.
“Pff? Oh, that must mean you’re happy to meet me? My name’s Maryanne. Nice to meet you, Crimu.”
“Pff-pff-pff!”
“Ah—!”
Turns out, he wasn’t saying “pff.”
He was spitting at me.
“Y-you little brat! What are you doing?!”
I brushed the wet spots off my skirt.
This tiny creature was already getting on my nerves!
I wanted to flick his forehead so badly, but there were maids nearby, so I held it in.
“Crimu, that’s not nice,” I said gently.
I decided to “train” him — just like I’d read in countless web novels.
He was only four. The easiest one to win over.
“Okay, no more spitting, right? Good boy.”
I slowly reached out and patted his soft blue hair.
It was silky under my palm.
And his scowl began to relax.
Oh? He liked it?
Of course! This was exactly why web novel heroines did this kind of thing!
I smiled inside. Winning Crimu over would be easy.
Growing up with only brothers, he’d never had an older sister’s gentle touch before.
Sure, it might feel strange at first — but soon, I’d become an irreplaceable “big sister” figure to him.
Mwahaha.
But then—
“Hey, you! What do you think you’re doing to my brother?!”
A furious voice cut through the air.
Crimu’s little nose flared, trembling.
He looked ready to cry — and sure enough, he did.
“Waaaah! Heeeelp!”
Why are you crying?!
Ah… I’m doomed.
