Chapter 4

The Life in the Noble Family (4) Chapter 4 (4/177)

#4.

“…….”

Akid couldn't continue speaking in response to my intense actions. I had given him what he so desperately wanted, yet his reaction was far from positive.

I managed to calm my excitement and began to persuade him.

“I admit that I've caused you trouble many times, Lord Akid. But I won't do that anymore.”

“How can I believe that?”

Akid asked, biting his lower lip. His distrust was evident from the depths of his heart.

“You kept staging protests every day, demanding a divorce.”

“That, that was—”

“I thought time was needed. But if you hate me so much that you're willing to die, I have to let you go.”

Akid said with a rather firm tone.

‘This won’t do.’

I sighed, rubbing my forehead as Akid dug himself deeper into a hole.

It seemed that Loena's attempt to kill herself had a significant impact. I had no choice but to lie.

“To be honest, that day, I didn't intend to die. I just slipped.”

“But the maid clearly saw—”

“Hanna was mistaken. She tends to overreact to everything. I'm often surprised by her too.”

“……”

“I did hate you, Lord Akid, but I didn't hate my life. I never wanted to die.”

“……”

“I was really scared that day… I thought I might die.”

As I lowered my eyebrows in a pitiful manner, Akid's lips moved. He seemed at a loss for words, taken aback by the unexpected truth. I seized the opportunity.

“If Lord Akid hadn't saved me that day, I would have died. Come to think of it, I haven't thanked you. Thank you very much, Lord Akid.”

I bowed deeply, and Akid flinched. He quickly helped me up and said,

“No, it's my duty to protect my wife.”

“No, it's not. Not everyone can act so quickly. It was a very deep and extremely cold day.”

I smiled and met his eyes, and Akid looked dazed. After a moment, he asked,

“…Could it be that you’ve changed your mind because of that incident?”

I shrugged and said,

“To some extent.”

This response seemed appropriate for now. A sudden declaration of affection would only heighten Akid's suspicions.

It's important to approach a shy cat gradually. Once you get it to sit next to you, the game is over. Hehehe.

I cautiously approached and firmly held his hand.

“So, please take back your request for a divorce.”

“…You’ll regret it. This is your last chance.”

Oh, that’s a welcome sound!

“I don’t need such a chance. I won’t agree to a divorce even if you sing about it, Lord Akid.”

Do you think I’d let go of an opportunity I’ve seized so easily?

It’s not easy to possess my favorite character’s wife.

Try bringing those damned papers back!

Akid stared at me for a long time, clearly puzzled by my sudden change in attitude.

After a moment,

“…I understand.”

Akid murmured without pushing my hand away. It seemed he was willing to trust me for now.

“Really?”

“Yes. So, please let go of my hand…”

“Wow!”

I held on tighter and shook his hand, feeling elated. I was particularly happy because I thought I might be kicked out of this house.

I wanted to see Akid's face one more time before I died. As I kept shaking his hand, Akid spoke.

“Exactly… what?”

“Huh?”

“Never mind.”

Akid sighed deeply and stopped speaking. I smiled regardless. It seemed we had passed a major hurdle.

* * *

I possessed Loena Hadelus just as she had been married for a year.

She had fallen into a lake in the middle of winter, demanding to return home.

This place, Delus, is the Hadelus Dukedom, located in the northern part of the empire. The weather is generally cool, and it gets extremely cold in the dead of winter.

Falling into a lake in the middle of winter is equivalent to saying, “I’m going to die!”

Fortunately, it was a shallow artificial lake inside the Hadelus castle.

I heard that Akid, who usually despised his wife, saved me when Hanna screamed.

‘Perhaps he saw Loena as family.’

Akid was that kind of person. He had a strong sense of responsibility and tried to respect even a wife who was considered a troublemaker. After all, she was his family and wife.

‘Maybe the real Loena died then.’

Hanna said I lay in bed for a whole month, teetering on the brink of death. And when I was about to die, I suddenly woke up.

‘That’s strange, Loena wasn’t supposed to die now…’

In the novel "Embrace Me," Loena was supposed to die of a plague in the future. It wasn’t her time to die yet.

‘Or did my soul switch with hers when I had an accident?’

That would make some sense. Loena was a troublemaker by nature.

Falling into the lake was probably to torment Akid. It might have coincided with my accident.

‘Since possession itself is an impossible thing, such a scenario is also possible.’

Akid suffered every time Loena did something reckless, thinking it was his fault that she went astray.

And Loena enjoyed his pain, hating him deeply.

She was raised as a spoiled youngest daughter of a duke, and she never tried to see Akid for who he was, considering him a bastard.

“Well, anyway. Now that I’m Loena.”

I tapped my feet in the bathtub and smiled lazily.

Rose petals emitted a faint fragrance, filling the bathroom.

I was very happy when I realized I had possessed Loena Hadelus. "Embrace Me" was my favorite novel, and Akid was my favorite character.

In my previous life, I was an adopted child. My adoptive parents were good people. Or so I thought.

But when they had a biological daughter, I was no longer part of their family.

I was just another mouth to feed.

That’s why the life of Akid, a bastard who was recognized at the age of thirteen and joined the Hadelus family, resonated with me.

His life, where he was constantly threatened and had to be wary of his surroundings, was similar to mine.

‘Maybe God gave me this time to help Akid.’

I really believed that. I was already supposed to be dead. There must be a special reason for giving me a few more years to live.

Loena will die in seven years. Seven years is enough time to help Akid establish himself in the dukedom.

I won’t cause trouble like the original Loena and will actively support Akid so that he can be recognized by his parents.

I don’t have much attachment to life. I suffered enough in my previous life and died, so I consider this life a bonus from God.

‘Even if I’m just a fan, living a happy life isn’t bad, right?’

The problem is that Akid and his parents are very dissatisfied with me.

“Hmm, who should I charm first?”

My husband is a stubborn bear who takes responsibility for everything.

My father-in-law is a late-stage narcissist with a free-spirited libido.

My mother-in-law is a terrifying personality disorder, once known as "Hainth's Mad Dog."

‘Well, who’s easier to charm?’

None of them were easy to deal with. As I thought about this, I got out of the bathtub and dried my hair.

The housekeeper, Lady Aria, came and said,

“Lady, the mistress is looking for you.”

Wow, why would the personality disorder call me?

* * *

I dried my hair a bit and, in my nightgown, headed to Elena Hadelus’s bedroom.

It was strange that she suddenly called me. I thought she would just let me be, given how quiet I had been.

Since she usually showed no interest in me or Akid, I was a bit worried.

‘Could it be about the incident with Lady Lorque? Does she think I messed up?’

In the original story, Elena was not a wife who blindly tolerated her husband’s infidelity.

Instead, she used it to manipulate the Duke or gain economic benefits.

Elena must know that the Duke is reviewing a bill to ban child abuse and corporal punishment.

In the original, after the bill was passed, Elena presented evidence of Lorque’s abuse to pressure the Duke. In return, she received a mine in the dukedom.

This mine later became a gold mine, and Elena benefited greatly because it received the blessing of a spirit.

Land blessed by a spirit becomes fertile.

This world is governed by such supernatural forces.

After receiving the spirit’s blessing, the mine produced five times the usual amount of magic stones, and Elena amassed a fortune.

As I reached Elena’s bedroom, Lady Aria announced my arrival.

“Mistress, the young mistress has arrived.”

“Let her in.”

The door opened as the Duchess gave her permission.