Chapter 1

Why is it that people are not advised against speaking recklessly? They say not to boast with words, not to give with words and receive with actions.

Furthermore, there’s also this saying. It’s good to have a well-developed hobby. If you have one musical instrument you can play, the quality-of-life changes. They say a good hobby enriches life.

However, I didn’t have such things in my life.

I don’t have those kinds of things.

The company I joined at nineteen was a fairly large family business. Oh, as you might expect, that company was a prime example of an unscrupulous enterprise, a fitting place to be a model of wicked corporations.

It was a distribution company run by siblings as co-CEOs, or so they were called. But there was no proper executive hierarchy; instead, the people who needed approvals were relatives of the CEO lining up one after another.

Wow. Can’t you just see my shattered company life unfolding from here?

Anyway, after various circumstances, I decided to quit the company I had been at for about three years, claiming I would make a career change, and I started attending an academy. But, um, somehow my soul was suddenly moved to a different world view.

Wait, usually there should be some context, right? Like an accident happened, or I was overly immersed in a certain novel or something!

However, however unjustly, I don’t even know what novel this is.

Because I haven’t read the content in the first place!

***

I could tell in an instant.

The moment I opened my eyes, I realized.

This is inside a novel. And a Western-style romance fantasy at that.

It might not be a novel, but what should we call this place where inventions from the Middle Ages, modern times, and the present are mixed together?

The territory ‘Winter’ where Adriana stays truly felt like a fairytale world “for modern people.”

The castle walls are high and sturdy, and its interior is adorned with elegant tapestries and bronze sculptures, creating a fantastic fairy tale atmosphere.

Moreover, they possessed modern items I know of, resembling science and magic.

Flush toilets, trains traversing continents, strict social classes, dresses defying eras.

Not to mention this unrealistic appearance of mine.

Even spending the whole day in front of a mirror, my enjoyable beauty and slender body have made me one of the owners of this spacious castle.

I entered a different body, and before long, I realized I had been granted tremendous wealth, honor, and even beauty.

But what’s the use of knowing?

Whether it’s a dream or possession, I used every method possible to escape from this baffling phenomenon.

Because I had a cat that needed to be fed and taken care of!

But not a single thing worked out.

Damn it.

I’m craving for makgeolli.

***

At first, I was completely surprised.

No matter how much the current trend in romance novels is summed up as “rebirth,” “possession,” or “reincarnation,” how many people would actually react like, “Oh my! Finally, my chance has come!” and face it bravely? Well, that’s because they’re the protagonists.

I’ve never been satisfied with my life, but I’ve had times when I thought it would be nice to live lavishly in another world… However, that doesn’t mean I wanted to become part of the upper echelons of a world far removed from democracy!

Besides, in the first place, this is the kind of place where if you seem disdainful to someone important, you could lose more than just your life!

Anyway, until I opened my eyes looking at an unfamiliar ceiling, I never expected things to go this way.

I didn’t even hesitate to say, “What’s my name, then? I don’t even remember” without trying to find a way out while acting all nonchalant.

To wake up from a dream—or rather, it wasn’t a dream at all—I explained desperately to the people looking at me with fear.

“No, you probably won’t believe it, but I’m not a person from this world! I don’t even know my own name! Neither do any of you!”

So, hasn’t the rumor spread that the Grand Duchess has gone crazy?

“Sigh… What kind of scheme is this one?”

She was already known for her wicked antics, so the rumors didn’t even spread further!

I explained with tears, but no one believed me, and I almost went crazy.

I wasn’t quite sure of the genre until now, but as soon as I looked in the mirror, I was certain.

Ah, I’m the villainess.

There was only one role for a woman with such a glamorous and delicate impression.

A troublemaker who comes between the female lead and the male lead, a woman full of ambition!

With long silver hair flowing down to her waist and slender, violet eyes that seem far from kind even in silence—a scene painted a vivid future for Adriana. Maybe she won’t really face execution, will she?

Isn’t that right? Nowadays, isn’t it okay for the heroine in a regrettable story to have a certain charm?

“No! Really! It’s not me!”

No, it’s not okay.

Only after a flamboyant confrontation did I see Adriana’s husband. I had guessed he was married from the title of “lord,” but from his glamorous appearance, I couldn’t help but wonder!

“What’s going on this time—”

A man who looked every bit like a Northern Grand Duke appeared in the room.

With hair blacker than the night sky and ominous red eyes, whether from the front or the back, the man was the epitome of a Northern Grand Duke.

It was only then that I began to understand the situation to some extent.

Oh my, I’m truly doomed! I’ve always lived hearing that I seem to mess things up, but now I’m facing a real disaster!

Of course, just because I’ve grasped the situation doesn’t mean I’m going to filter my words.

No matter how popular the trend of transmigration is these days, who among the readers would actually be researching methods to deal with it if they were to experience it?

“Um, excuse me— Are you my husband over there?”

“Sigh… What is it this time—”

Even his sigh seemed so grandiose. It was as if frost descended with each of his breaths, and his cold eyes lacked any warmth—such was the sensation.

“By any chance, is this the Northern region? Are you the Northern Grand Duke? The foremost hero who leads the charge against demons? Ruthless, without a trace of blood or tears, something like that? In reality, distant and cold to people, but opening your heart to the warm-hearted heroine, something like that, well, you know—anyway.”

He stopped there and sealed his lips. Given that the nearby attendants were nearly on the verge of fainting, his stony expression was quite apparent. Even though he had a stone face, it was clear that others were mentally shouting ‘Enough!’

“So, what’s your name? Something like Callian or Arnen, right?”

Not that my conscience was pricked by that.

“Is it amnesia this time? In that case, it seems your sincerity in forgetting names is quite evident.”

No, who would have known that he was Callian out of Callian and Arnen?

Are you saying that based on years of reading romance novels, big data has grown so powerful that it can predict even the names of men right in front of us?

Whatever the case, then tell me the lottery numbers.

“My goodness. My goooooodness. Well then, do I have a father and an older brother?”

Did my mother pass away right after giving birth to me or shortly after, leaving me so similar to her that my father, who resembled me too much, rejected me and my older brother hated me, saying that I killed our mother or something like that?

And so, living like that, suddenly talking about strategies and exchanges, marrying someone from a distant and faraway place instead of our hometown?

“Am I something like the daughter of a duke?”

Even though the Northern Grand Duke looked at me so pitifully that I couldn’t hear the answer, that was also real. Oh, this world.

Yeah, in typical romance novels, whether it’s the heroine or the villainess, there are only cold-hearted fathers and older brothers, and there’s no mother. Mother, mother…

Anyway, Adriana is living with a father with no affection and an older brother with no luck, just like anyone else, and now she’s living with a husband with no affection and no luck in the Northern Territory!

Was the time before marriage like a trial version and after marriage an extended version? Why is Adriana’s personal life like this?

If my previous life was considered blessed, my current situation is even more pitiable, yet I can’t summon any sympathy. While it’s fortunate that I was transmigrated as a noble in a class-based society…

“Excuse me, what’s your name—”

“I’m Katherine, Madam. Please speak informally.”

“Um, well…”

I can’t do things like that!

As a citizen in a democratic society taught to treat everyone equally regardless of age, it wasn’t easy for me to adapt to the noble’s position.

Ah.

I really want to have makgeolli.

Mix it with some cider.

***

There’s really nothing much to do in this world.

There might be more to discover, but I don’t really want to live that actively.

My dream was to enjoy life without worries about money, and now that it’s come true, shouldn’t I be happy about it?

Just thinking about the cat I left at home brings tears to my eyes, disrupting my sleep at night.

Our Minsu, our adorable Minsu… I need to provide food for Minsu…

As a bonus of transmigration to this world, I can speak and write in this world’s language without having to learn it.

Does that mean I can’t speak Korean anymore? Well, that’s not the case…

But still, these bonuses are quite good, so I really want to go back home.

If I go back, this time I’ll really study hard for the TOEIC exam.

“Madam,”

“Yes, I’m awake.”

“Please speak,”

“It’s my heart.”

The most enjoyable thing during work is seeing Adriana’s face. Exciting! Fresh!

I haven’t done anything strenuous, and though I’ve heard you can care for delicate skin and good hair, the meticulously crafted features, perhaps the work of a creator—probably the author—looked beautiful no matter what.

A surprised face!

A sad face!

An angry face!

A face that had its anger released, but pretending to still be somewhat angry, so a face acting like the anger isn’t fully gone!

“How can someone be this beautiful…?”

“Excuse me?”

“Isn’t she really, really pretty? Oh my, oh my, oh my. Wow, even her fingers are pretty. Wow, incredible. Oh my, oh my.”

Using her fingers, she brushed up her hair, then gathered it into one and spread it out, making all kinds of expressions while looking at herself in the mirror.

“Ah, of course… Madam, you’re always more beautiful than a May rose and even more noble than a pure white pearl.”

It was so much, so much to my taste. Is this not crazy? It felt like having a video fan meeting without paying. Should I dance while I’m at it?

“Madam?”

“Ah, no, it’s nothing. I got lost in her beauty, got carried away. Sorry, Katherine.”

Adriana’s dedicated maid, Katherine, just brushes past even if I do the most absurd things.

Is this what they call the vibe of a professional employee?

Despite that, in this harsh work-life balance with neither coming to the office nor leaving it, tears welled up.

“Um, Katherine. Do you perhaps not need a vacation?”

“Excuse me?”

“No, it’s just that I haven’t seen you taking a break so far… You work day and night and give your all. I was thinking, what if you and the others took a rest together?”

“Thank you for your kindness, Madam. But we’re okay.”

“Why, why?”

Why! Take a break! I’m telling you to take a break!

It’s like my former boss who made me work overnight shifts without overtime pay is now 80% visible to me!

“Well, it wasn’t that overwhelming, and besides, Madam—”

“Yes?”

“Last time, I’m sure, when I briefly left my seat…”

Katherine cut her words short, but I understood what this pro businessman was trying to say. But there really was a situation where I had no choice!

“Well, that’s Katherine—”

“Of course, Madam, I don’t think you intentionally, intentionally did that.”

It was intentionally done.

“Naturally, I think Madam was surprised by the situation.”

I was indeed surprised. By the situation itself at that time.

“At that time, how fortunate it was that the master was present.”

That seems a bit off.

Anyway, taking Katherine’s brief but stern advice, I subtly slipped in the suggestion for a vacation.

Well, if it were me and my boss, who’s always causing trouble, suddenly offered me a vacation—wait, what’s going on? I’d think I’m being set up for something…

Is it really the class system that’s the issue, or was it about throwing that at that time…

It’s not surprising that Katherine was startled. It was when I had just accepted the truth of being newly transmigrated and my combat power was at its peak.

Why is it said that people change when they are about to die? It’s also a way of saying that if they don’t die, they won’t change. What nonsense, right?

“…You want me to wear this?”

“Yes, Madam.”

Whether it’s transmigration, dreams, or reincarnation, people still need to eat the same food and do the same things they were doing.

No matter how much of a heavy reader of romance novels I am, could I possibly follow all sorts of rituals and duties and wield power from the first day of transmigration?!

Isn’t that right?

No!

But there was something even this innocent and pitiable world couldn’t bear.

“You could probably hit someone with this.”

“Excuse me?”

“Isn’t it almost like a weapon?”

The maid brought a light and delicate corset. Naturally, it was for binding.

The corset brought along to adjust the body shape with the dress almost looked like a weapon. I wondered if it was made of whalebone or some other bone. Just in case, I tried hitting it with my fist, but only my hand hurt. Seriously.

Well, I admit that I wasn’t in my right mind at that time.

But you wake up and realize you have to live in a different world with a different body, and you immediately have to get a grip and think, “Oh my, for heaven’s sake—” Let’s give it a try! How many people can actually do that? Isn’t it not about having a strong mentality but just being a bit crazy?

“This, for me?”

“Yes, Madam.”

Of course, one can’t live just wearing pajamas, but compared to living in such clothes, it seemed better to just wear pajamas. At least for one’s mental health.

I didn’t even wear a bra in Korea, and now here, out of nowhere? Suddenly? Here? This? Are all the people here doing this and living like this? If that’s the case, everyone would go crazy.

In a place where potions to change appearances are sold, why should I voluntarily wear this around my waist!

“At this rate, even the window might break.”

“Yes, yes?”

Well, honestly, I was a bit already in a crazy state at that time. And besides, that was a transitional phase, an adolescence.

“Ma, Madam?”

It was a transitional phase where I was testing whether this was a dream or not.

“Madam?”

The white corset drew a beautiful curve as it flew toward the glass window.

There was no one near the window, so it was a bit of a reckless act, but I was surprised at how easily it shattered and how refreshing it felt.

“Wow, holy cow!”

Just like in the sentence, the glass window turned to dust and fell. It was only then that I realized there might be someone outside.

Along with that, it’s a corset that can be lifted with one hand, but even if it’s a corset of a weight that can be held with one hand, the impact it would receive from a vertical fall from the 5th floor.

It wouldn’t matter if it were a dream, but if it’s not a dream? As the ruler of a territory, I probably won’t face punishment, but wouldn’t that be a tyranny of power! Above all, even if it’s a dream, I didn’t want to kill anyone.

“…Phew.”

“What is this?”

Fortunately, someone received it. Our proud Northern Grand Duke.

“Ouch, alright! Can you just leave it as it is?”

“What?”

“If you want to wear it, you can take it.”

Callian, who was walking to gather donations, waited for my response with a displeased expression after being hit by the unexpected remark. Well, I didn’t have anything else to say.

“And also, fix the glass window here a bit!”

When I narrowed one eye, the Grand Duke’s face became even more menacing.