Chapter 3

"Saedi……!"

As soon as I returned to the hall, my parents immediately hugged me tightly. Mother's eyes were red from crying.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize how much you were suffering..."

"Saedi, I'm really sorry."

"Don't apologize...!"

The warmth of my parents' embrace after ten years was overwhelming, and my vision blurred again. They were not to blame. The one at fault was the person who had taken over our bodies, including mine and Gerald's.

I eventually stepped away from them and turned to face Gerald. Upon closer inspection, he was stunningly handsome. Seeing him stand up, I was relieved that he didn't seem to be in pain.

"Well, I think I'll head back home now."

"Gerald, thank you so much. I want to go with you, but I'd probably just be a burden right now..."

"It's okay. By the way, you're really beautiful."

"Hehe, you too."

We laughed, feeling the awkwardness of the conversation.

Without a doubt, the Marquess and Marchioness, Gerald's parents, must have heard the bad things about me. To avoid any misunderstandings, it was better for me not to be there when they first learned everything.

"I'll definitely support Gerald in some other way."

"Thank you. You're always reliable, Saedi."

Still, the only things I had been good at were sewing and farming. Now that I was back as a noble lady, what could I possibly do with no knowledge or skills?

As I walked with him to the front door to see him off, I couldn't shake the feeling of strangeness. Just a short while ago, we had been at eye level. Now, he was a head taller than me.

"Apparently, I was a terrible villain before I got my body back. What about you, Gerald?"

"According to the Earl and Countess, I was a terrible womanizer."

"Really?"

Gerald, who had hardly spoken to any women other than Eliza and me, and who was rather uncomfortable around women, being a womanizer? We had both been through a lot.

"The moment I got my body back, two different women were clinging to my arms. I got goosebumps all over and thought I was going to die."

"Really...?"

I thought he would have a tough time ahead. Ten years must have been much longer than we thought. It would be difficult to shake off a bad reputation once it was established.

"By the way, why did we suddenly get our bodies back?"

"I have no idea. I'm also curious if everyone else got their bodies back. Let's investigate together once we've settled down."

"Sure."

We promised to stay in touch and I saw Gerald off. His presence has always been a source of comfort to me, both now and in the past.

I couldn't help but pray that his parents would believe his story.

◇◇◇

Back in the hall, I sat on the sofa facing my parents. The tea placed in front of me was so warm and sweet that it brought tears to my eyes, and it tasted delicious.

"Lord Gerald told us the general story. It's hard to believe, but from our perspective, you've been different since the summer ten years ago. There are a few other things that come to mind."

"Yes."

"Most of all, you are completely different from the person who left the house just now. ...Why didn't we realize it sooner?"

"Even though you were in such a terrible environment, we didn't..."

My parents seemed to be blaming themselves severely. But who could have imagined that a stranger had switched places with their daughter? A child's personality can change in countless ways. It would have been unreasonable to expect them to notice.

"Still, I'm glad you're back safely. I'm the one who should apologize for not being able to do anything for you for so long."

When I looked at my parents again, they seemed terribly exhausted. They must have suffered a lot because of me. I knew it wasn't my fault, but my heart still ached.

"Actually, while you were getting ready, we received official documents from the Langridge Marquess family regarding the annulment of the engagement."

"Um, I'm sorry about that."

"You're not to blame. It couldn't be helped."

With the connection to the Marquess family severed, our Arkwright Earl family's reputation and position must have plummeted to the bottom.

"Actually, it was strange that the engagement wasn't broken off for ten years... After all, it was a disadvantage for them."

Mother was right. Their family was superior in every way.

Yet, they had continued the engagement with me, a terrible villain, for ten years. It was incomprehensible.

"Why...?"

"Rufus never abandoned you."

"Huh?"

"He always said that you would understand someday. He must have believed that you would return to your former self."

I was speechless at these unexpected words.

"The engagement was only possible because Rufus insisted that he wanted to marry you."

As a child, I was always with Rufus, and I loved him very much. I remember the day my parents told me that I was to be engaged to him when I was just seven years old.

"Among everyone, Rufus was probably the only one who truly cared for you in that state."

In other words, Rufus had not abandoned me, the cheating and despicable me, for ten years. The coldness I had perceived from him earlier might have been a sign of his kindness.

Thinking of the last time I saw him, with his deeply sad expression, made me want to cry.

"For now, take a good rest. We'll prepare anything you like. My dear Saedi."

Hearing Father's words, I nodded deeply.

I wouldn't have to wake up to the loud chirping of birds and work at sunrise, or sew by the dim light of a small candle at night. The thought made me so happy that I wanted to cry.

I had lived my hardest for the past ten years.

For now, I wanted to indulge in my beloved family, eat what I liked, and sleep in a fluffy bed. And if possible, I wanted to talk to Rufus one more time. That's what I thought.