My previous life was always marked by poverty and loneliness.
One day, I suddenly lost my parents in an accident and had to live alone. I hated all the debts left by my father, and all the relatives who offered their hands then changed their minds once they heard the amount of debt.
For once, I’d like to live in a normal, harmonious family like everyone else.
One day, when I was not particularly lucky to have fulfilled my wish, I died in an accident.
‘Hey, did you drop your wallet earlier?’
Even after showing that I had good intentions, he was suspicious of my hard work.
‘Hey. Do you even have money in your wallet?’
I claimed my innocence by showing the CCTV. The sky was already dark when I managed to get out of the police station.
I was fired from my job because I wasted his time denying theft, and was suffocated by the living expenses for next month.
While crossing the crosswalk and saying, ‘It’s not like you’re getting hit by a car just because everything is going bad,’ I smiled bitterly, but my thoughts became reality.
‘Oh, damn it… How did I live my life?’
I was dying. I conceded that it would be better to just die, and I ended my life like
that.
Then, I opened my eyes in a strange and unfamiliar place.
“It’s your daughter!”
While I didn’t understand the situation, I was familiar with the names exchanged by the strangers.
‘I’ve heard these names a lot from somewhere…’
As soon as I realized where this place was, I couldn’t help but be shocked.
‘No way!’
Ismeralda, Genuart, and Lancaster… It was impossible not to know. It was a book that I always kept in my drawer.
When I shouted in doubt of reality, the sound of a baby bursting into tears came out.
If only the name wasn’t the same as the character I knew, I wouldn’t have known. As my eyes slowly cleared, their appearance became clearer.
“Baby…”
A woman who smiles with a tired face after childbirth. A man with a stern expression held her hand.
It was obvious. That was also…
“Imel, how’s your body? Are you alright?”
(T/n: Imel nickname for Ismeralda)
“Look, Genuart. She looks exactly like me.”
Those two, the heroine and the daughter of the male lead, Genuart, seemed to be me.
‘This is more ridiculous than winning the lotto…’
Is it because I was born again?
Surprisingly, I adapted quickly to this body and world. After getting used to it,
everything was rather good.
That’s what it would be like, a heroine and a male lead. The house I was born in was beyond the reach of ordinary people as expected.
‘The reason I’m dazzling isn’t because of the halo behind your back…’
Their wealth was one of the greatest within the Empire.
They also gained supporters by stopping the villainess Rovelin.
Mom and dad had everything, even their looks went beyond human beauty.
At first, I was scared that all of this would be focused on me, the daughter of the two.
“This is my daughter’s room, isn’t it too small?”
“Why don’t you tear down the walls between the two rooms and merge them into one, rather than expanding them?”
“I’ll do that.”
“Genuart, look! Belle grabbed my finger!”
“That’s crazy.”
“Isn’t she cute?”
“That’s right. She’s cute.”
It was a perfect home.
So did my mom or dad neglect me?
“Ismeralda, Belle…”
“Belle? Why, Genuart?”
“My eyes cleared after seeing you two.”
It was too much to wonder if there was such another joke.
‘I became a billionaire overnight.’
I don’t know what it was made of, but even the rattle that my father put in the cradle was more expensive than my previous life’s salary.
I couldn’t even imagine that I would get in trouble if I touched something and
broke it.
“Hyuk, no! I threw it by mistake but it got crushed!”
Rather than being scolded by the two of them no matter how many times I make a mistake…
“Belle, if you don’t like it, how about this?”
“Is this hard to hold?”
“Oh, wouldn’t it be okay? Belle, do you want to throw it?”
On the contrary, they brought a pile of new toys.
In such an environment, I gradually adapted myself to a new life where even a bulk of jewels is considered ordinary.
How many years has it been since I enjoyed such a stable life?
“Hello, Prince Calliste?”
The son of the villainess.
Emil Laclan Ronsysteme Calliste.
I was just ten years old when I met Emil.
Emil was an unexpectedly ordinary child —- except for his face, of course.
Even if Rovelin originally had a cruel side, there was no sign of him being one as
well, and he completely tried to avoid it.
Emil was not cold-blooded, resembling his father, Duke Calliste.
He was just a quiet child.
“Do you prefer to be alone?”
Emil’s close appearance was nothing but admirable.
Even though he was still a child, his distinct features drew attention at a glance.
The beautiful silver-gray hair created an elegant atmosphere, however, a strange shadow was also seen. Like a wounded young beast.
In addition, he also had splendid eyes.
The golden iris’ inherited from the villainess Rovelin shone beautifully.
“No… That’s right.”
“Then let’s hang out!”
Perhaps Emil, who was alone at the same time fascinated by the splendid appearance, was more attentive.
Children should not be blamed for their parent’s crimes.
Therefore, I wanted to build a friendship with Emil. So I didn’t know it was all going to fall apart.
As time went by, Emil seemed to slowly become more comfortable around people.
However, in exchange for this, it started to become more frequent that he
went into hiding or was lost and his whereabouts were unknown.
“Emil, what’s wrong with you these days?”
A formal smile lingered around Emil’s mouth and disappeared.
“No, everything’s fine.”
When I noticed that things were going weird, it was already too late.
I was nineteen when Emil suddenly disappeared.
Even if the Duke of Calliste wrote to me directly, he only sent the unbelievable answer that Emil had gone to the northeastern territory.
That’s nonsense.
During the weeks of investigating the capital while avoiding the Duke’s eyes, everything from absurd social rumors to requests from information guilds was used to find Emil.
And as expected, the suspicion that Emil would be in the capital was clearly proven. By none other than Emil himself.
“…Emil?”
Emil, who disappeared one day, showed up in my room in the middle of the night.
It was the night before my wedding which was delayed due to finding about his whereabouts.
The person was dressed in black with a smell of metallic, and visible stain of dark blood.
“Belle.”
A strange feeling of uneasiness swept over me. The mansion was so quiet that I
was also confused by the blood dripping on the carpet.
“I’m the one who… I ruined everything.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The Marquis is dead.”
I didn’t understand what he said. When I asked again like a fool, Emil repeated the same thing.
“I killed the Marquis. I killed them.”
No, I don’t want to believe that.
I ran out of the room barefoot and stepped on a muddy liquid on my foot in the hallway. The bloodstains that Emil had probably left behind were extended to the front of my room.
Where are those footprints continuing?
As soon as I understood Emil’s words that he killed my mom and dad, my resentment and anger soared.
“Why…!”
It was the moment I turned around to jump at him.
I saw a sword had stabbed me in my stomach.
“Why on earth…?”
“…I’m sorry.”
Unlike the first, the second death was difficult to accept.
Emil acted as if it was not of his own will.
When I finally met my death with Emil’s blade, I succumbed to a black darkness.
How long has it been since I’ve watched the original story in this darkness?
“Lady, are you awake?”
When I opened my eyes again, I was ten years old.