I, the Female Lead, Ruined the Original

* * *

“Doli?”

“

,

, yeah.”

It was in Doloret’s office. Doloret, who had been staring blankly, was startled by Michi’s hand waving in front of her eyes. The coffee in the cup she was holding almost spilled.

“…What were we talking about?”

“About telling the tower master our past life stories.”

“

, right… Since he learned Hangeul and we remembered our past lives, there could be a connection…”

“Yes. But I’m worried it might reveal Nesia’s secret too… But why are you so distracted?”

“Are you very tired? You look pale.”

“It’s just that…” Doloret put down her tea cup and pressed the corners of her eyes. Leaning back onto the sofa, her usually impeccable posture seemed far away. “I think I’m experiencing burnout.”

“Now?”

“

?”

“I don’t find work enjoyable like before.”

“People don’t usually find work enjoyable…”

“Doli, you’re human after all…”

“Before, no matter how tired I was, I found looking at sales figures exciting, but now, even looking at financial statements year over year doesn’t excite me. I keep wondering what the point of all this is…”

Once Doli started talking, it was like a dam broke. She lamented while tapping her shoulders.

“Remember I told you I was summoned to the imperial palace a few days ago? Considering my business could rock the empire’s economy if I pulled out, why should I heed the imperial family’s whims? It makes me feel so disheartened… Nowadays, I just want to go somewhere and take a break for a few months.”

“After ten years of being the protagonist in a childcare story, it’s understandable.”

“Right. It’s not like I walked the flower path in the original story, and it’s even more so since I pioneered this childcare story myself.”

Selleana and Michi nodded in agreement with Doloret.

“Once things settle down, shall we all go on a trip together? It could be fun to accompany Rosi to Laten to look for a house.”

“

, that sounds good. Even though you’re the boss, you can just use your accumulated leave, right?”

“If you’re really worried, use the guild network to work remotely. A workcation or something.”

Maybe it was because the fatigue on Doloret’s face was so evident that Selleana and Michi chattered cheerfully to lighten the mood.

“Or we could visit Gotenfrid territory after Nesia gets married. It’s not like she’d turn us away, even if she said she wanted to cut ties.”

“Yeah, Doli took measures to ensure that childhood friend’s husband wouldn’t go bankrupt, so there shouldn’t be any issues. If Nesia ends up in tears, we’ll go there and play the role of the avenging sister-in-law.”

“Right. Nesia… I hope she’s okay…”

“

…”

When the conversation turned to Agnesia, their mood inevitably dampened.

“But, why hasn’t Rosi come?”

“Right. It would have been fun to plan together today.”

Trying to escape the awkwardness, the two brought up Rosalli.

The playful banter of her friends seemed to lift Doloret’s spirits slightly as she smiled softly and pressed her temples again.

“That’s another problem… The atmosphere in Glen is unsettling.”

Doloret pulled out a letter from the drawer of the side table. It was a letter from Rosalli written in Korean.

“

, what’s with the length?”

“This is from Rosi?”

Rosalli’s letters were usually brief, with one or two sentences at most, the rest filled with colorful, cute drawings. But the letter Doloret handed over was three pages long, filled with endless lines of black text. The content was mostly filled with gloom.

[(…) They told me not to go out for a while because they don’t know what kind of trouble I might cause. Despite everything I’ve done as Lady Glen, how can they suddenly change their attitude towards me? (…)]

“

, I didn’t expect that from Duke Glen.”

“Then she should just leave immediately…!

Right. She can’t leave because of our lady…”

“She should at least run away to her own building, really.”

“Just keep reading.” As her friends vented their frustration, Doloret motioned toward the next page.

[(…) What’s harder is that I feel hurt by it. I thought I really wouldn’t care, but it seems I was relying on them emotionally. The betrayal and disappointment are too great, and I keep thinking about how I can be as important to them as… (…)]

“

? It comes to this?”

“What did they do to her to make her feel like this…?”

The more they read, the more agitated Selleana and Michi became.

“Seriously, should we threaten them to start the selection process sooner…?”

“

didn’t the imperial family invite you this time?”

“Guild members are always quick on the uptake.”

Selleana shook her head in exasperation. “My father sent back all of Pavellian’s gifts until the celebration of my recovery, pretending me in a critical condition.

“

, that’s right.”                                                      

“So, they said it’s to express regret for my matter and to strengthen the ties between the imperial family and Elard… It’s not even a formal meeting, really.”

Selleana crunched the ice in her glass. Despite it being mid-October, the ice maker at the Benichi Salon had no rest, with so many things causing her frustration lately.

“And there’s another reason, right?”

“Of course there is.”

Selleana’s eyes rolled towards Michi.

, Michi laughed awkwardly.

“Pavellian never properly acknowledged my greetings. And then they say, ‘Let’s work together harmoniously’ as if I’d believe that.”

Michi eagerly jumped in to mock the future ruler. Michi had held a grudge ever since Pavellian scolded her for saying Selleana, with her pigtails, looked like a puppy when they were younger.

“I mean, he talks about not discriminating against nobles staying in the same ducal residence, blah blah. Just all talk, really.”

, Selleana clicked her tongue and crunched the ice again. But maybe this was for the best.

“Both emperor and empress will be there, so let’s settle this once and for all.”

For Rosalli’s swift emigration.

Selleana’s eyes shone crimson.

* * *

“Greetings to Your Highness the Crown Prince. May the small sun of Nepelsian be blessed by Orot.”

“May Orot’s blessing be with you. You’ve become even more beautiful, Lady. How have you been?”

“Thanks for your concern.”

A few days later, in the late afternoon, at the summer palace of Enet located on the outskirts of the imperial city. When the carriage carrying Selleana and Duke Elard couple arrived, members of the imperial family were already waiting at the entrance of the garden. Pavellian was the first to approach and offered his hand to Selleana.

Glancing around, everyone, from the Emperor and Empress to her parents, had only pleasant expressions.

…

Today was the day of the decisive battle. Thinking there was no harm in playing along, Selleana plastered a guilty smile on her face as she took his hand.

“I heard Your Highness took great care of me while I was bedridden.”

“

, yes, that’s right.”

Pavellian’s forehead, which had been tense all this time, relaxed slightly. It seemed he was pleased that Selleana was paying attention to him.

With that thought, Selleana’s smile deepened.

“By the way, didn’t Lady Branto come with you?’

“

, Michi is coming in the next carriage with my brothers. She’s being escorted by Sir Peredo.”

“Sir Peredo?”

“Since it’s Michi’s first time being formally invited by the imperial family, I thought she’d need an escort, so I asked him.”

Of course, it was all an excuse, preempting Prince Erenst from making a move on Michi as Pavellian was doing now.

Imagining Prince Erenst, anxious and waiting for Michi, Selleana swallowed her triumphant laughter.

“I see… Understood. Then, shall we go in?”

Today’s banquet was set up inside the orangery, deep within the garden. To reach the entrance, one had to navigate through a maze outlined by rectangularly pruned hedge rows.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Enet summer palace. I still consider the imperial family hosting my twelfth birthday party here a great honor.”

“

, right. That was also a celebration of your recovery. It seems Lady is rather delicate, making me want to protect you.

.”

No, I’ve only been sick twice. I’m usually too healthy, that’s the problem.

Selleana, with a smile, ignored Pavellian’s nonsense and got lost in her thoughts.

That time. 8 years ago, the day Rosalli murmured about ‘Chicken and Beer.’

Knowing there was someone else in this world as disillusioned as she was felt like a blessing. That’s why the members of the transmigration club became so close. Although it was sad to think of Agnesia, Selleana knew she had to perform well today to save Rosalli. That determination made her notice something odd. Not so much odd, but…

Far away, a well-built attendant with brown hair tied up, just like someone she knew, had just disappeared around a corner.

If there had been such an attractive servant, how had she not noticed him until now?