CH 1

“Hup!”

Ryleen groaned and stood up.

When his sight was restored, what he saw was an unfamiliar landscape.

'Where is this?'

I looked around with a confused mind for a while, and soon a headache came over me.

Unfamiliar memories were sucked into my head in an instant.

"Haha."

Ryleen, who was breathing hard, frowned.

'What is this memory... …?'

I think I just heard the word Duke Ergen.

If it's Duke Ergen... ….

Ryleen hurriedly got up and looked for a mirror.

Coincidentally, in the luxurious room, an expensive-looking full-length mirror was placed next to the dressing table.

Standing in front of the mirror, I saw an outstanding beauty with a delicate impression. But there was something more eye-catching than her looks.

Dark blue hair, blue eyes.

These were the external characteristics of the villain family in the <The Male Protagonist Has Been Darkened> that I recently read.

As she recalled some more, she realized that her name was Ryleen.

The unfamiliar memory that came in now belonged to Ryleen in the original work.

However, the memory did not fully return.

There were memories that were absorbed naturally, and there were memories that had to be recognized artificially, like having to take a book out of a bookshelf.

'Rather than that, was there a person like this in the family of Duke Ergen?!'

The only important person in the Duke of Ergen was Duke Ergen and his eldest son, Kaverion.

Lailene, who was contemplating her identity, immediately shook her head.

'No.'

Now that you're dead and alive, you're not able to decide whether you're a supporting role or an extra.

Come to think of it, it seems like it came out very briefly.

A villain who appears in a scene where male lead Aiden recalls the past.

'It's a villain, but since it's a rich girl, it can't be better than this...' ….'

Ryleen's face hardened.

Recalling the contents of the book, Lailenne realized that there was a big problem.

* * *

The empire of Hamnebu was supported by two dukes.

No, it was reigning.

Two families with more power than the imperial family.

They were the 'Duke of Ergen', the family of Ryleen, and the 'Duke of Bedsian', the family of the southern lord Aiden.

The Ergen dukes and Bedsian dukes had a long-standing relationship.

The two families, who had maintained an antagonistic relationship for centuries, came to hate each other.

However, neither of them acted hastily.

They hate each other but have long maintained a tight balance.

This is because they knew that if this balance was broken, great damage would be done to each other.

Then one day, something happens that upsets this balance.

[Among the sons of the Bedsian duchy, a first-class Awakener will be born.]

The two families' joys and sorrows were mixed due to an oracle that came down.

In this worldview, there were awakened people, but the awakened people have superior power than ordinary people.

In addition, the first-class awakening was a person with abilities that could only be born once in a few hundred years.

Duke Ergen became anxious.

A first-class Awakener appears in the Bedsian Duchy.

Duke Ergen, who was anxious, thought that now was an opportunity, before Prince Bedsian's ability manifested.

The Duke of Ergen declares a territory war against the Duke of Bedsian.

'The result is the victory of the Duke of Ergen.'

The victorious Duke of Ergen demands one of their two sons as a prisoner from the Duke of Bedsian.

The Bedsian Duke's family sends Aiden, the southern lord, prisoner without hesitation.

This is because the Awakener's powers manifest before the age of 20, and Aiden did not manifest his abilities even after turning 20.

As a result, a mishap occurs in which the Bedsian family naturally mistakes the main character of the oracle for Damian, the second son.

Aiden's coming here was the beginning of tragedy.

The Ergen family has long hated the Bedsian family, so they treat Aiden as less than human.

Aiden's anger gauge, which had been abused, gradually filled up.

Until then, no one knew. In fact, the protagonist of the oracle is Aiden.

In the end, Aiden goes berserk at the same time as he wakes up, annihilating the Ergen family in an instant.

'And my life is also at an end.'

Ryleen, who knew the outcome, seemed a little dizzy.

If that's the case, why did you save me!

Knock -

Then someone knocked on the door.

"I… … This is Helen.”

In my memory, the person named Helen was a lady-in-waiting for Ryleen.

Ryleen managed to speak out as she repelled her imaginings of a terrible future.

"Come in."

“My lady, you are awake.”

Helen approached with an awkward smile.

"If you're feeling well, it's lunch in an hour, so I thought you'd have to get ready."

lunch…?

Even now, I'm going crazy, but I can't believe I have to deal with Rylenne's schedule.

But who knows about this situation?

"Okay."

Helen hesitated at Ryleen's answer.

I looked up at Helen, her eyes wide open.

“… … why?"

“Oh, no. Come over here and sit down.”

Helen moved quickly and led Rylenne to the dressing table. Soon the maids entered the room and helped Helen.

However, the strange thing was that each of them treated themselves carefully like expensive porcelain.

As the maid combed Ryleen's tangled hair, her scalp pulled.

"Ah."

Ryleen instinctively frowned and groaned.

“I’m sorry!”

The maid who was combing her hair looked stunned and lowered her head.

At the maid's attitude of constantly lowering her head, Ryleen knew that the atmosphere had changed.

When I turned my head, Helen and the maids who were helping me get dressed were frozen like ice.

'What… …. As if I had made a big mistake.'

Overreacting to the overreaction of the employees, Rylenne rummaged again to find out what kind of person she really was.

[Are you ignoring me now? I don't want to look like that, so get out of here right away!]

In my memory, Ryleen mostly frowned or screamed.

I finally understood the attitude of Helen and other employees.

The original Ryleen was a very sensitive and hysterical person, so it seems that the employees were careful as if walking on thin ice.

For a moment, Ryleen was troubled.

Should I scream and slap the maid like Ryleen did in the original story?

'But my personality isn't like that at all... ….'

I wouldn't put her in the hospital because her personality suddenly changed.

Ryleen, who was worried, opened her mouth, trying to make her voice as cool as possible.

“Okay, go on.”

The frozen employees moved their hands again.

In their stiff behavior, yet they knew they were nervous.

However, if he had been more generous and kinder to him, he would have felt it even more strange.

Dressing up took longer than expected.

It took quite a bit of effort, not to mention the make-up, but also the hair trimming.

Ryleen suddenly realized that she was dressing up for lunch so extravagantly.

'What kind of family are you eating with? Decorating it so tightly.'

No matter how duke it is, it's only a meal.

Ryleen recalled and skimmed through the information about the luncheon.

According to my memory, the luncheon was a once-a-month meal, and on this day, the whole family gathered.

However, if there is something strange, it is that the facial expressions of the family members are not all good. The atmosphere was cold as if a cold wind was blowing.

'If this is the case, why are we having lunch together?'

While complaining, I heard Helen's voice.

"It's done, miss."

"Go… ….”

Ryleen subconsciously stopped trying to say thanks.

In my memory, Ryleen seldom talked to the employees.

'Except when I get angry.'

So, if I said thank you, I might think that I really screwed myself up.

Ryleen nodded proudly and rose from her seat.

Thinking that the hem of the long dress was uncomfortable, I moved to the dining room.

A large chandelier gave off a light as bright as the sun.

'No one has come yet.'

Lunch was supposed to be at 12 noon.

The hands of the clock pointing to 12 o'clock were colorless, and no one in the family showed up.

“Ah, the delicious smell.”

Then someone reacted loudly and approached.

When I looked up, I saw a cute looking man wearing a mischievous smile.

The man had the same dark blue hair and blue eyes as Rylenne.

Ryleen knew the man's identity.

The man was 'Helis Ergen'. He was the youngest of three siblings in the Duke of Ergen.

That is, he is his younger brother.

“Oh, sister, you are already here.”

'Already?'

In an instant, veins almost sprouted from Ryleen's beautiful forehead.

"It's already been 10 minutes since the appointment time passed."

“Unlike my sister, who is busy harassing the ladies-in-waiting, I am very busy.”

Helis replied with a smirk.

Inside that innocent smile, there was contempt.

'This child... …!'

Ryleen suppressed her anger and deliberately pulled the corners of her mouth into a smile.

I had a baby brother like this in my previous life, so I knew how to deal with it.

“Whether you are busy or idle, promises are meant to be kept. If you don’t even know the meaning of the promise at your age, I guess you should tell your father and educate him again.”

“What now… …!”

Helis, who had been laughing sarcastically, instantly became furious.

The hysterical older sister she usually knew had to scream in anger.

But this is not the reaction Helis wanted.

"Raising your voice at luncheon, Helis."

At just the right time, a middle-aged man walked in. Ryleen's eyes widened.

It was because he recognized the man's identity at once.

'Duke Ergen.'

Like the description in the novel, he was a handsome man with good features even in his middle age.

'But the only thing I'm proud of is my appearance.'

Duke Ergen was a truly ruthless person. For his future path, he did not choose any means and methods.

Betrayal, slander, assassination.

Anything.

Even the children were no exception.

To him, his children were like pins on a chess board. moving for yourself.

“I’m sorry, Father.”

Helis, who was so energetic, quickly lowered her tail in front of Duke Ergen.

Duke Ergen didn't care about Helis and took a seat.

“Is Kaverion still around?”

“My brother said he was a little late. The reorganization of the Knights seems to be taking longer than expected.”

Kaverion was the eldest son of this family.

He is the only member of this family who is not afraid of Duke Ergen.

'Oh, and I'm the only survivor to survive the runaway male lead.'

He was a Level 2 Awakener.

Although he is next to the first-class Awakener, he also had much stronger power than ordinary people, and thanks to that, he was able to win the Territory Battle against the Duke of Bedsian.

Duke Ergen ordered the maid to bring an appetizer.

Soon the grilled salmon dish was placed in front of each of them.

“ Ryleen, I heard you fell ill for three days. Is your body, okay?”

Duke Ergen asked as he picked up his fork and knife.

Ryleen was shocked for a moment.

'I've been unconscious for three days... …?'

However, what was more surprising than that fact was Duke Ergen's calm attitude.

As he asked how he was doing, his gaze was still on the salmon dish he was slicing.

Ryleen realized that this question did not contain any concern for her daughter.

Then Helis intervened again.

“Sister, isn’t it your job to fall down?”

Then he sarcastically made it so that only Ryleen could hear.

“Oh, there it is again. Bullying the ladies-in-waiting.”

Ryleen knew in her memory that her body was weak.

Originally, Ryleen would often collapse, and sometimes lay in bed for days.

Even so, I couldn't understand the family's attitude like this with common sense.

'A younger brother who is sarcastic to his older sister who wakes up after a few days with his father who asks how she is doing.'

Ryleen seemed to know why she had no choice but to become such a character-breaker in the original work.

But what can I do? I must pretend that I'm fine.

"I am okay."

“From now on, you will have to take good care of your body. Your body keeps getting dry, and your skin isn’t getting crumbly either.”

I couldn't say I was lucky, but I was worried about something strange.

It's like having a flaw in an ornament.

'Is there really no normal person in this family?'

While Ryleen was grumbling inwardly, the door opened.

Suddenly, a handsome man with wide eyes walked in.

And Ryleen realized.

"Forgive me for being late."

The last man to enter was Kaverion, the eldest son of Duke Ergen and the second male lead in the novel.

He was also her only brother.

Hope you liked this chapter!!

See you next time ~