Chapter 2

Amanda was born the daughter of Viscount Venta, the vassage of Count Vietrika. She was the youngest, with three older brothers, and famously loved by her family. She had enough to hire a maid to dress her year-round, follow her every move, and do chores and small errands. It was unfortunate that her childhood friend was the only child of Count Vietrika.

Marilyn, who has beautiful blonde eyes and eyes like a spring star, was also a Young Lady of the Count's family, so kissed up to her in hopes to get into contact with her father. And many people could not stand up to others without degrading them. They raised Marilyn by cutting down Amanda, right next to Marilyn.

Blonde hair that is finer and shinier than common dull brown hair, and green eyes that are like sprouts rather than yellow eyes like some animal. From physical traits to body shape to culture and, finally, gait; they analyzed them on a molecular basis to reduce Amanda and raise Marilyn. Marilyn, who was soft-hearted, apologized to Amanda, but she couldn't say anything to them because she couldn't make it. Instead, she smiled embarrassedly, and when they left, she would give Amanda gifts of her favorite ribbon, necklace, or dress. It also used to be a story of the good and generous Marilyn and Amanda who didn't know anything and took her gifts.

Anyway, Amanda had been compared to Marilyn since childhood, concealing twisted inferiority towards her, and since Marilyn became the Duchess, she has been looking for a husband, if not a duchess, to become a high-ranking lady. Delaying marriage because of this, she began troubling the Viscount and Viscountess with her vanity but they didn't force her into a marriage. Two years later, Amanda replaced Marilyn as the Duchess.

Amanda, who felt only inferiority rather than friendship to Marilyn, secretly tormented Marilyn's young son and began to openly torment Carlos when she realized that the Duke was not interested in family affairs or his only son. After she gives birth to her son, she also tries to kill Carlos, but only manages to kick the child out of the castle. Amanda's misdeeds come to an end when the adult Carlos takes control of the Duke's forces and returns to the castle with the dragon as his lover, and accuses her of being a wicked woman who disturbed the North with tyranny. Instead of saving her son, Amanda decides to drink her poison.

'Huh, that's my destiny.'

Amanda's life, which I read as a novel, was monotonous that the recollection was over while I walked through a relatively short corridor to Count Vietrika and Viscount Venta, my father. The maid opened the door, and in the heated drawing-room, two gentlemen were waiting for me on a very tiring day.

"Oh, Amanda. Long time no see."

"Long time no see, Count. Have you been all?"

"It's him. Well, I guess he's my grandson."

Count Vietrika, who I hadn't seen in a long time, looked very old and tired but his eyes lit up at the sight of the baby in my arms. Unlike the Count, my father frowned and looked displeased.

"Where is the nanny and how long have you been holding her?"

A father wouldst like his daughter holding a baby that wasn't even here for a long time. At that, the Count raised his arm, saying that he would hug his grandson. The baby did not cry but was gently held in the arms of his grandfather. After removing the child, my arms and shoulders were throbbing and sore.

It's not common to hold children.

Born as a noblewoman, the heaviest thing I've ever held was the needle used for needlework. My father kept his head bowed in front of the Count in case he showed a displeased expression. When I was young, they would be so scared that I couldn't even get a pain in my arm and shoulder. Even in the book, Viscount Venta opposed Amanda becoming the Duchess. He didn't want her daughter to live caring for other people's children, the wife of an overly high-ranking man, and his second wife at that.

However, since Amanda wanted to become the Duchess and Count Vietrika strongly wanted Amanda as the Duchess, Viscount Venta allowed the marriage. The Duke, who couldn't be bothered by trivial matters, allowed the Count to choose his new wife, who was nothing but empty. So, in the midst of everyone working together for their interests, Amanda becomes the Duchess and is a very weak Duchess...but that was 'Amanda'.

The character of the book I read in my previous life. I didn't know until now that I was reborn as a person in the world in the book and the character 'Amanda' at that. And although not intended, I was able to proudly say that I have lived quite differently from 'Amanda' so far.

"Oh, you're so cute. He has Marilyn's eyes. How about his little lips?"

“It looks like Marilyn's rose-like lips.”

The Count's eyes were wet with emotion looking at the child's face. The Count looked at me with a smile, but my father pulled my hand slightly with hooded eyes. It was a sign that I should not step forward anymore.

Unlike 'Amanda', I loved Marilyn. Her pretty blonde hair, green eyes, and a soft heart. I used to be hurt by the pretty child, but I liked Marilyn to the point where I stayed with her even through the pain. No matter how old my mind was, it was more fun to play with a girl my physical age than to help my mother with work. Most of all, because I was mentally more mature than Marilyn, she followed me like an older sister, and I liked to take care of her as a doll.

Oh, what would you do? I've been like this since my previous life and I liked to take care of others.

In any event, I was with Marilyn until she became the Duchess and left the Count. I couldn't go to see her in person after marriage, but I often sent her letters to keep in touch, and I managed to choose a man who was fit for me while helping my mother with her work. It was Oscar, a friend, and colleague of my second brother, who is a knight.

He is a good-looking and well-rounded knight with a promising future in the knighthood belonging to Count Vietrika. I've been near the knights a few times as a friend of Marilyn and a knight's younger sister, and recently I've caught Oscar's eye and received a proposal. The reason I am here when I should be getting ready for a wedding, was because Marilyn, while in poor health and about to give birth, said she wanted to see me.

I came running worried, but I thought it was a good thing I came. Marilyn's big belly, which caused her to struggle with her breathing, went flat after the labor that lasted all day, but Marilyn, laid on the bed as if she had poured out her soul.

The mother will die. Everyone was expecting it. Marilyn's father, the Count, had to fill his daughter's seat as soon as possible for this only grandson.

I was his number one choice. I was a childhood friend who grew up with Marilyn and it was nice that her baby was pretty and gentle. However, I had no intention of becoming a stepmother. Besides, a very handsome and well-built knight fiance was waiting for me. Oscar wasn't good enough to pass all my strict standards of men, but he was the perfect match for the girl of a not wealthy Viscount family to marry.

"Amanda, be the Duchess, at least for Marilyn's sake."

My father and my prediction were correct. The Count holding a baby and asking for a favor seemed very pathetic, and I was confident that I would not become a villainous stepmother like 'Amanda', but I did not want to give up my happiness and take care of Marilyn's child. The Duke did not care for his son, Carlos, but neither did his new wife, Amanda. I don't think a husband's love is a wife's only happiness, but his hot love certainly contributes to his wife's happiness. Especially love in the bedroom.

"My engagement has already been decided in my hometown, I have already promised to get married."

"I'll take care of the breakup without any problems."

My father stepped forward and began opposing it, and I watched blankly as the two fathers stood up for their daughters without backing down. Since father was the Count's vassage, this was the first time he had confronted him with such strong conviction.

The baby, who was quietly in the Count's arms, burst into tears. The Count, who was the father of two children including Marilyn, had never taken care of the child, struggled and pushed the child back into my arms.

"Oh, my Carlos, are you surprised? Are you surprised?"

Carlos in my arms listened to my voice and began to stop crying, little by little.

"Oh, you're so gentle. Aren't you hungry? Should we just leave the grown-ups alone?"

I naturally slipped out of the parlor, talking to the child who couldn't understand me. Seeing the child who stopped crying as soon as he was in my arms made me feel depressed and proud. Behind the door, the two fathers were still confronting each other.

After that, the Count continued to ask my father and me, but I had no intention of becoming the Duke's second wife, and my father also opposed the idea, so the story of me becoming a new Duchess fell through.

My father told me to go back home and prepare for the wedding now that I have seen Marilyn and Carl, but I decided to stay a little longer knowing that Marilyn would die soon. It's in the book, regardless, Marilyn and I were close childhood friends and I wanted to stay with her for as long as possible. Fortunately, Oscar, my fiance, respected my decision. The Count remained close to Marilyn, so my father alone returned.

I took care of Marilyn and her child by her side. Since it was confirmed that Marilyn was not infected by the epidemic, the Count would take Carlos and sit next to Marilyn whenever he had time.