Chapter 3

Let's tell a story.

A story from the past, involving my secret.

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Three days by carriage north of the capital city Lucia of the Kingdom of Nebetia, lies a territory with a grand forest and a beautiful spring. This is the land of the Sedrash family, who have been granted the title of count by the country.

Do not underestimate this rural area, which is nothing but a vast, gloomy forest. Due to the clean water and deep forest, the vegetation is lush, and it is a treasure trove of many valuable plants, especially medicinal herbs and raw materials for concoctions used in magic, making it one of the most important places in the country.

A stately mansion stands adjacent to the grand forest.

There, a family lived where the count and countess had a good relationship, and their daughter and son always smiled, and the sound of the family's laughter could always be heard from the mansion. It was a household truly overflowing with happiness.

Until a certain event occurred...

One day, a new life was conceived in the Sedrash count and countess, their third child.

The countess was very happy about this, but the count, who was initially happy, gradually began to harbor complex feelings. This was because the countess's health deteriorated as her pregnancy progressed. The count, who deeply loved his wife, gradually became anxious as he noticed that this pregnancy was different from the previous ones.

The daughter and son, who resembled their mother, seemed to sense something and began to stay by their mother's side with worried expressions. As the countess's complexion worsened and she could no longer get out of bed, the baby in her womb grew proportionally. The count thought to himself that it seemed as if the baby in her womb was sucking the life out of her.

And finally, that day arrived.

After enduring a harsh winter, the season of budding was about to begin.

As the night fell and a deep fog enveloped the entire mansion, a small cry was heard.

At the same time, a loud, sorrowful cry echoed throughout the mansion, right next to the small cry of the newborn. It echoed over and over, layer upon layer…

By now, those with a keen sense will have understood.

(Yes, I was the child born at the cost of my mother's life.)

The laughter disappeared from the Sedrash household.

The father, who deeply loved the mother, was overwhelmed with grief.

The older sister and brother were also deeply hurt by the mother's death.

Why did the beloved wife...

Why did the dear mother...

And then, everyone's eyes turned to the newborn me.

The cause of the loss of the beloved wife and dear mother was this child.

Emilia realized this at the age of four.

Ever since I could understand things, there was no one around me.

No, this way of saying it might cause a misunderstanding.

To be precise, there were servants, and I was raised by them. However, I was only allowed minimal contact with them. When they interacted with me, they always had a blank expression, gave monotonous responses, and took care of me in a matter-of-fact manner. Looking back, a child who was hated by the head of the Sedrash household and his beloved children had no value. It was only natural that they would not treat me kindly, as it would incur the wrath of the head of the household.

However, even as a child, as I learned to speak and understand, I began to feel lonely and long for human connection.

I learned the word "family."

I realized I had a family when I saw the family portrait.

In the portrait, the family members were smiling at each other, and I learned that a family is a happy existence that smiles together.

Feeling lonely, Emilia one day bravely left her room.

To meet the family I saw in the portrait.

To meet my older sister, who is five years older, my older brother, who is three years older, and my father.

To meet the family that smiles together.

With my short legs, I walked down the long, long corridor. To a place far, far away from my room, to a place that was exactly opposite. There, I found a girl and a boy with flaxen hair and amber eyes, dressed in beautiful clothes.

People with completely different coloring from my dark gray hair and purple eyes.

Still, I immediately knew.

They were my older sister and brother.

With flaxen hair and amber eyes like my mother in the portrait, and a face that resembled her.

I could feel my cheeks blooming.

I opened my mouth to call out, trying to suppress my excitement, when a shrill voice echoed through the corridor that was not mine.

"Why are you here!"

"Get out of here!"

"Murderer!!"

A loud, angry voice and a look of contempt.

The gaze was directed at... me.

Emilia closed her mouth, which she had opened to speak. I couldn't understand what was happening. But the sharp gaze from my older sister and brother filled me with fear. My feet were frozen in place, unable to move.

The sound of footsteps could be heard from all around, as if the commotion in the corridor had been heard. The maids and servants came into view.

A deep, adult voice echoed from above my head.

"What are you doing?"

Startled, I turned around and looked up at the tall figure. I immediately recognized that this person was the same as the one in the center of the family portrait, and who he was to me.

"Father...!"

My first meeting with my father.

Reaching out with my small hand as if to escape from the fear, my eyes brimming with tears.

Father slowly turned his gaze to me. Due to the height difference, I looked up at Father's face, and my eyes were drawn to his lips as he spoke.

"Get rid of this quickly."

The tone was cold and ruthless.

A dry sound echoed in my ears, and the hand I had extended toward Father was slapped down. As the pain gradually set in, I realized that my hand had been swatted away, and I looked up at Father again, dazed.

There, I saw Father looking down at me with a strong look of hatred.

The moment I saw his eyes, I felt the blood drain from my face. My small body froze, unable to move.

Questions swirled in my head.

(Why...?)

(Why do Father, older sister, and older brother look at me like that...?)

From the next day, whenever my older sister and brother saw me, they would shout at me with frightening expressions. Sometimes they would pour water or ink on me. When I made a mistake, they would laugh and say I couldn't even do that. My room was sometimes left in a mess. The flower crown I had made was trampled in front of me, and the flower bed with my favorite flowers was destroyed.

"Go away."

"Unwanted child."

"Someone like you."

"Rat."

"Brat."

"If only you weren't here."

"You killed Mother."

I covered my ears with my trembling small hands, trying to block out the words—

From my room, the farthest from the family's, I watched my older sister, older brother, and father leave together, laughing, many times alone.

Father, who always looked at me with cold eyes, smiled warmly at my older sister and brother...

My older sister and brother, who never showed me a happy smile, smiled at Father...

I squeezed my small eyes shut and tried to turn away—

The small me at the time couldn't accept reality.

Believing that one day, the family would surely smile at me.

Thinking, thinking, as a child.

I believed that I had to try hard and be a good child for the family to like me.

Fortunately, as the daughter of the Sedrash household, I was allowed to receive the education befitting a noble, including manners and studies. Although the content was basic for my age, it was difficult for me. I had many things I was not good at, but I worked hard until I could do them.

And as time passed, I met a person on my fifth birthday.

That day, I was quietly reading in my room when I was suddenly dressed in a high-quality, rarely worn crimson dress. My wavy charcoal-gray hair was neatly styled, and I was led out of my room. In front of my room stood a butler, and I followed him, not knowing what was happening, to the parlor. The butler slowly opened the grand door.

Startled, I noticed a figure looking at me from the other side of the door. A middle-aged man with neatly combed hair, wearing a well-tailored suit in a calm color, stood there with a stern expression and a straight posture.

Father... I whispered in my heart.

"A guest is coming. Don't make a fool of yourself."

Just one sentence. The coldness of the words and the sharp gaze directed at me made me shrink back, and I could only manage a small "Yes" that no one could hear.

And there, I was introduced to him.

"Nice to meet you, Lady Emilia. I am Aloys Warren."

Wavy flaxen hair and amber eyes that were clear like amber.

They resembled the hair color and eye color of my mother—

The soft light from the window enveloped the boy in front of me.

I gasped.

(He looks like a prince from a story.)

Then the boy extended his hand to me and smiled gently.

I felt my cheeks turn warm.

"Nice to meet you. My future bride."

The moment I heard those words, my head was filled with confusion.

(No, you wouldn't choose me...)

I don't know why I suddenly thought of that.

But various words came to mind.

(Engagement, dark ritual, maiden game, seven sins, lust, engagement ring, death)

(Death!)

The words that had been swirling in my head began to form a clear structure, one by one.

When everything clicked into place, I was deeply shocked.

Because I remembered.

The story of this world.

I don't remember my actions after I realized.

The meeting with my fiancé probably ended without any major issues. The adults probably thought I was just nervous about the engagement, and I didn't collapse from the shock of the memory or make any major mistakes. The meeting itself ended quickly due to the other party's schedule.

After being dismissed from the parlor, I walked alone down the long corridor.

At first, I walked slowly, as befitting a young lady, but my pace gradually quickened, turning into a brisk walk, and finally into a run. I ignored the paintings and sculptures I usually admired, and the scenery changed rapidly.

From the corridor to the stairs, and then through the door to the garden, I ran into the forest adjacent to the mansion without even glancing at the beautiful flowers. The grass tangling around the hem of my dress didn't bother me as I continued deeper and deeper into the forest.

My vision, which had been blurred with tears, gradually cleared.

I stopped when my small, young body was exhausted, in a remote part of the forest, far from the mansion.

In a place where no one would notice me, I stood still.

A tear overflowed from my eyes.

It was the beginning, and soon tears began to roll down my cheeks. The sobs I had been holding back escaped, and I couldn't help but cry out loud.

This world is the otome game "Seven Sins and the Healing Love."

A world of swords and magic. The motif is the seven deadly sins.

Pride, Wrath, Envy, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, Lust.

Seven handsome men with distinct characteristics appear.

The gentle first prince

The cold-blooded prime minister's assistant

The big brother-like captain of the knights

The natural court magician

The arrogant second prince

The cheeky magic boy

The womanizing count's son

The targets to be pursued. That's them.

Then, who am I?

(I am the dark ritualist!)

Emilia Sedrash.

The third child of the Sedrash household.

A young lady who is disliked by her family, lonely, and melancholic.

A girl with no outstanding abilities, incompetent.

A foolish and foolish girl who goes mad with love.

Then, who is he?

Aloys Warren.

The eldest son of the Warren household.

A womanizing count's son who is consumed by lust.

(He is my fiancé.)

I recalled the boy I met just now.

Wavy flaxen hair and amber eyes that were clear like amber.

The soft light from the window warmly enveloped him.

He extended his hand to me and smiled gently.

I was captivated.

Because no one had ever shown me a warm expression before.

I felt a warm sensation in my heart.

I felt affection, and it would have turned into love in the not-too-distant future.

If I hadn't known—

But I remembered.

The memories of my previous life.

The story of this world.

The memories were not of my entire previous life. The family structure and age were vague, and I don't remember how I died. But I remember playing otome games, and not just one, but many.

Among the many otome games, I am certain that this world is "Seven Sins and the Healing Love" because I am a character in this world.

The reason I am certain is that the information I remember about this world, especially about my fiancé A