Chapter 1
The past five years flashed before my eyes like a panorama before disappearing.
From the day my dream of escaping the burden of being an illegitimate child and becoming independent was shattered…
To the day I became the wife of an imperial prince…
And finally, to the day I was tied to the guillotine as the greatest villainess of the age.
Perhaps this cruel fate had been decided the moment I entered the House of Count Payden.
In the end… this is how it all ends.
My body, which had been trembling so hard that it shook the execution platform, slowly calmed down.
“We will now carry out the execution of Haila Payden.”
As the executioner announced the sentence in a solemn voice, the murmuring crowd fell silent.
“The criminal stole and concealed the imperial treasure, Wiresium, damaging the legitimacy of the Imperial Family. She recklessly disrupted the order of the Imperial Palace, and finally murdered her husband, His Highness the Third Prince, Rohen Schnader…”
My entire body began trembling again.
Rage and injustice made every part of me shake.
A strange groan escaped my mouth despite the gag.
“She’s a villainess!”
“Kill her!”
The furious cries of the crowd drowned out the executioner’s voice.
Thankfully.
If I had listened any longer, I might have gone mad from resentment before my head was even cut off.
Bang!
Thud!
Stones flew at me from every direction.
My stiff body barely felt the pain.
Only the warm blood running down my face.
Even if I die… I’ll never forget.
I wanted to spit in the face of that man, who was surely watching everything from somewhere.
He’s probably smiling to himself right now.
All the emotions I thought had disappeared during my imprisonment came rushing back at once.
Everything would end soon.
But I would never close my eyes in peace.
“Prepare for the execution!”
The prison guard’s cold shout silenced the surroundings.
I forced my eyes open.
Hot tears soaked through the blindfold.
So this is really how I die… No… it can’t end like this…
Before I could finish the thought—
Slash!
The blade fell.
Darkness swallowed everything.
* * *
“Miss!”
A ray of light shone into the pitch-black darkness.
Without thinking, I tried to follow it.
“Miss!”
Before I knew it, the light disappeared, replaced by a familiar voice in my ears.
“I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Please wake up.”
Someone shook my shoulder.
My eyes flew open.
A bright blue sky filled my vision.
The sky…?
As I stared blankly upward, a familiar face suddenly leaned over me.
“Marie?”
I met the eyes of Marie, the only maid in the count’s mansion who had ever been on my side.
“Yes, it’s me. No matter how nice the weather is, you shouldn’t fall asleep out here. If Madam found out… honestly.”
“Here…?”
I had been lying on a bench.
I sprang upright.
“What…? I… I…”
I died.
I was executed on the guillotine.
But the words refused to come out.
The beautiful garden before me and the warm, sunny weather were nothing like an execution ground.
The chains that had bound my hands and feet were gone as well.
“Ah!”
As I bent down to check my ankles, I let out an involuntary scream.
My long hair slipped over my neck, sending chills through my body.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
“My… my neck feels strange.”
Both my hands trembled as I grabbed my neck.
The feeling of the blade falling…
That horrifying sensation was still vividly engraved in my body.
“Let me see.”
Marie gently brushed my hair aside and carefully examined my neck.
“There’s nothing wrong with it. But your face is completely pale. Did you have a nightmare?”
“A nightmare?”
That… was just a dream?
Impossible.
The more I thought about it, the more my head throbbed.
“You must’ve caught a cold. You slept outside while the wind was still chilly.”
Clicking her tongue, Marie helped me to my feet.
“Come inside first. Drink some hot tea and warm yourself up. You’ll feel better.”
“Alright…”
“You’d better hurry. You’ve been told to attend tonight’s dinner.”
“What…? Dinner?”
“Exactly. You need to wash up, fix your hair, and change your clothes.”
Almost dragged along by Marie, I headed toward the mansion.
A powerful sense of déjà vu washed over me.
Everything felt painfully familiar.
When I stepped into my room at the far northeastern corner of the mansion—the dark, freezing room assigned to me—my eyes filled with tears.
I’m back here.
The place where my miserable life had begun as Count Payden’s illegitimate daughter.
A disgrace hidden away from the family’s wealth and power.
I had wanted nothing more than to escape this place.
I quietly sat on the bed and ran my hand across the blanket.
“You didn’t secretly cause trouble without telling me, did you? I’m so nervous about why they suddenly called for you.”
As Marie busily prepared tea, she couldn’t stop worrying.
“Cause trouble?”
“Could it be because you sneaked out to the night market over the wall the other day?”
She looked genuinely concerned.
“Ah! Wait… if you had caused trouble, they would’ve punished you instead of inviting you to dinner. So it can’t be anything bad, right?”
“…Is tomorrow the Spring Festival?”
She blinked.
“Of course it is. Why are you asking all of a sudden? You even made so many corsages to sell at the festival.”
“Right… I did.”
“You thought they’d found out? If they had, they’d already be making a huge fuss about bringing shame to the family, don’t you think?”
“You’re right…”
“Drink your tea before it gets cold.”
Marie handed me the warm cup while studying my face.
“Why are you so absent-minded today? You still don’t look well.”
“…”
“I’m sure it’s nothing serious. Don’t worry. Just go enjoy a nice meal.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll go prepare some hot water. There’s not much time, so just wash your face.”
After she left, I took a sip of tea.
Warmth spread through my chest.
“I’m… really alive!”
I could feel.
I could taste.
And…
What else?
I wanted to feel anything that proved I was alive.
I touched my cheeks.
Pinched them.
Ran my fingers through my hair.
“Oh… what do I look like right now?”
I walked over to the old mirror in the corner of the room.
Wearing a worn-out dress.
Long red hair hanging loosely.
Blue eyes staring back at me.
The girl in the mirror was eighteen-year-old Haila.
It was me.
Even my chubby cheeks, not yet rid of their baby fat, were exactly as they had been.
“I really came back…”
“Back to that time.”
Which meant…
Today was exactly five years ago.
The very day my long-awaited dream of becoming independent from the count’s family vanished overnight.
How?
Why had this happened?
Even while Marie helped me get ready, I moved mechanically.
My mind was completely occupied with thoughts of returning to the past.
“It’s time. I’ll take you to the dining hall. You don’t want to get lost and be late.”
She had said the same thing back then.
The count’s estate was enormous, and the western dining hall was a place I visited only about once a year.
Finding it wasn’t easy.
For someone with no sense of direction like me, it was nearly impossible.
Without Marie’s sharp eyes and excellent memory, I never would have made it on time.
Soon enough, we stood before the western dining hall.
Just like that day.
What do I do now?
If I’ve really gone back in time…
Everything should happen exactly as it did before.
Would things change if I acted differently?
“Please come in, Miss.”
Before I could sort out my thoughts, the butler opened the door.
With no other choice, I followed him inside.
The members of the count’s family had already gathered.
At the head of the long dining table sat Count Shairk Payden.
On his right sat Countess Hilderia.
On his left were their son, Grad, and daughter, Merni.
I quietly took the seat beside Merni.
She didn’t even spare me a glance.
The last time I had eaten with them had been exactly one year earlier.
Unless something special happened, I was never invited to dine with the family.
Which meant…
Today’s dinner had a purpose.
I can’t do anything here. I’ll pretend I know nothing and just eat.
Clink.
Clink.
Only the sound of silverware echoed through the large dining hall.
Countess Hilderia occasionally glanced at me.
She looked as though she wanted to find fault with me, but her gaze wasn’t as harsh as usual.
Grad, my half-brother, who normally sneered at me with open contempt, looked strangely absent-minded.
I hadn’t noticed it back then.
But reliving the same day allowed me to see every little detail.
Merni still refused to look my way.
What a brat.
Count Shairk Payden stared at me as if he were looking at a complete stranger before turning away.
So they’re actually watching my reaction… I can barely swallow this food.
A year ago, this dinner had been held to warn me not to show my face at Merni’s debutante celebration.
Inviting me to dine with them had simply been another way to remind me how far I was from true noble life.
My appetite disappeared.
I stopped eating.
The moment the count put down his knife and fork, everyone else did the same.
At a signal from Countess Hilderia, the maids quickly cleared the table.
Sweet desserts and tea were served next.
No one touched them.
“Has anything unusual happened recently?”
“…”
The count finally broke the heavy silence.
But no one answered.
The question had no subject.
It was clearly directed at me.
Last time, I had simply answered, “No.”
What should I say this time?
“Oh… me? No, nothing in particular.”
I gave a polite answer that matched his formal question.
After all, I was already branded as the family’s ill-mannered illegitimate daughter.
“Tsk.”
Countess Hilderia immediately clicked her tongue.
Listen to the way you speak! Don’t disgrace this family!
I instinctively expected her usual sharp scolding.
Instead…
She stayed silent.
She, too, seemed to be watching my reaction.
The count looked away from me and pulled an envelope from inside his coat.
It was a small envelope decorated with an elegant gold border.
“We have received a marriage proposal from the Imperial Family.”
I bit my lip as my eyes fixed on the envelope.
What should I do? Refusing won’t change anything…
The despair of that day slowly crept back into my heart.
If I was going to return to the past, couldn’t it have been a few years earlier?
Lost in thought, I suddenly realized the envelope had been placed in front of me.
I stared at it as if it were a venomous snake.
Then the count continued.
“Ahem. It is from Prince Rohen Schnader. We have decided to accept the proposal.”
“So?”
I looked up and asked.
My voice was filled with unmistakable emotion.
Everyone looked surprised.
“This is the Imperial Family, not just any noble house. From now on, behave yourself properly. And…”
“What does a prince’s marriage proposal have to do with how I behave?”
Countess Hilderia froze before she could continue.
Silence filled the room.
“The prince didn’t propose to me.”
“Do you really not understand, or are you just that clueless?”
Grad laughed in disbelief.
“The one who will marry Prince Rohen Schnader…”
“…is you.”
The count emphasized every word.
“We don’t know the wedding date yet, but they seem eager to proceed. The head maid will help you prepare. First, you’ll move to a different room.”
The moment he finished speaking, the count stood up.
Everyone else followed.
Only I remained frozen in my seat like a statue.
The count looked down at me for a moment before turning to leave.
“Wait!”
“Hmph! I told you to mind your manners!”
Ignoring Countess Hilderia’s icy glare, I stepped in front of the count.
“My name isn’t even written on the proposal. Then why am I…”
“It is a proposal to our family. And you… are part of this family. Forming ties with the Imperial Family can only benefit us. It is also the greatest honour you could ever receive.”
“…”
Arguing emotionally wouldn’t change anything.
I stood there silently, repeating his words in my mind.
“The greatest honour…”
“That’s right. Consider it an honour!”
Merni deliberately answered my muttering as she walked past.
“I’ve left most of the preparations to Lady Dona, but our family’s reputation is at stake, so I’ll keep an eye on things as well. As for your terrible manners… we’ll discuss those later.”
After Countess Hilderia swept away with her dress trailing behind her, Grad stepped forward to take her place.
“So, you’re becoming a prince’s wife overnight. How does it feel?”
With one hand in his pocket, he bent down until his face was close to mine.
How does it feel?
Like slapping you across the face.
But… I’ll save that for another day.
My clenched fist trembled.
“So even that prince wanted to get married, huh? Well, he’s an imperial prince. He can do whatever he wants. You two make a perfect match. Congratulations!”
Grad burst into loud laughter that echoed through the hallway as he walked away.
The Third Prince who had proposed to the House of Payden…
…was infamous throughout the Empire as a complete madman.
