My life as an ordinary office worker suddenly changed.

It started about three weeks ago. I was suddenly hit by a truck on the way home from work. And when I opened my eyes, I became a noble.

I realized it when the maids called me “Lady Riddel”.

This was when I realized I was in someone else’s body right now. However, the problem was that the name “Riddel Spencer”, no matter how I thought about it, seemed quite familiar to me.

Weirdly enough, nothing came to mind.

I tried to adapt myself to this body and find a way to go back, after all, knowing yourself and your enemy was the best way to go about it.

As time passed, I found my first problem in this life.

It was about the maids’ attitude. They seemed to have terrible manners towards me, it even made me think that I wasn’t a real aristocrat for a moment.

Fortunately, I was a true and bonafide aristocrat. However, this didn’t explain why the maids’ attitude were terrible towards me.

They wouldn’t bring the meal on time, which was one of the basic things they had to do. And as I’ve noticed, my meals were slowly getting worse.

I let this matter pass for a while. This was since I didn’t really have time to worry about stuff like these, I was too busy adjusting to my new body. I didn’t really think that I would’ve left it like that.

However, sooner or later, they actually brought me rotten food!

‘How do I change this?’

As I thought about this, a maid abruptly opened the door without knocking first.

“Miss, your meal is ready.”

As usual, the maid placed it on my table without a tiny bit of care. The soup even spilled a bit due to the excessive force she applied while putting it down.

The meal that was served on the table was hard bread which wasn’t fit for consumption and cold soup. The meal today seemed even worse than yesterday’s.

‘I think it’s spoiled food…’

The moment I stared at the maid’s face, I noticed something different. It seemed like her appearance was better, maybe it was because she spent my food’s allowance for it.

‘This maid… What was her name again?’ A vain smile appeared on my face.

“Wendy, I can’t eat this. Please send it back.”

The maid, Wendy, looked quite shocked upon hearing what I said, she was speechless for a moment. And then, she brazenly answered back, “Miss, you have to eat your meal.”

This was the exact answer I expected.

“I see.” The smile on my face didn’t budge even a tiny bit..

“Yes, Miss. Don’t complain and…”

“Then, you eat it.”

“Exc–?”

“You can eat it first.”

Wendy flinched back when the smile disappeared from my face. She looked quite flustered.

“Miss, what do you mean…”

“Stop talking! Do you want me to feed you? I’ll repeat my words, you can either eat this… or bring the ledger to me.”

I was actually quite curious about how much the maid had taken from my food allowance.

When the maid heard this, color visibly drained from her face.

‘A mere maid had the nerve to take away a noble’s money?’

I ordered her because I didn’t think this was something I could just let go, she even answered just like how I predicted her to.

‘All right. I got her now.’ I smiled at her.

“Choose.”

“I’m sorry, miss…”

“No, I don’t need an apology. Decide between the two choices.”

“Miss…”

“You can either eat this or bring the ledger.”

With that said, Wendy reluctantly picked up the spoon, hesitation filled her face.

‘You must’ve taken a lot of money’

Wendy’s face turned pale as the food entered her mouth. As expected, it really was rotten food. The maid glanced at me, it seemed she was waiting for me to order her to stop eating.

She really did act as I predicted.

“You need to eat everything if you don’t want to bring in the ledger. Do you understand?”

“I.. I was wrong, miss.”

Wendy cried and begged, however, I simply stayed still until she finished eating.

‘This is why you should have done a good job while I was still amicable.’

******

A week passed since the incident.

Ever since that day, a rumor began to circulate around me. This seemed to be the reason why no maids have been rude to me lately.

On the contrary, they even started treating me nicely. They even started to bring me proper meals and clean my room. This was the perfect situation.

I didn’t fire the previous maid. For someone like me, who hadn’t figured out exactly what this world was, it was more beneficial that there was a reminder for the others to stay in their right places.

As I sat in the rocking chair on a lovely afternoon, the warm sun poured down from the window.

‘The weather’s nice. I want to go outside.’

“Can you prepare for me to go out?” I asked Wendy who was beside me.

However, after hearing what I said, Wendy’s face darkened. She began to glance and read my face.

“Miss, I don’t think you can go out.”

‘What the hell is this?’

Upon hearing this, I stared at her. Maybe it was because of my smile, but Wendy hurriedly opened her mouth.

“Miss, you really can’t do that this time! You’re not allowed to go out until you agree to marry the archduke.”

‘Huh? I thought I was on holiday in this villa, I was actually being held in custody?’

Suddenly I felt an unidentifiable sense of Déjà vu. It was really weird… I really think I’ve already seen this situation somewhere before.

‘But where have I seen this?’

It seemed like these thoughts were the trigger. I felt dizzy from the sudden wave of memories that hit me like a flashlight, it felt like constant explosions booming in my head.

‘Oh my God!’

I realized that I entered the body of a character in a novel I wrote as a child, she was the most unfortunate character in the novel!

Riddel Spencer. She was the second daughter of the Spencer family, an unwelcome daughter because she was an illegitimate child.

[“What can you do anyways? You useless little bitch! You’re a disgrace to the family!”]

Riddel was self-taught because she didn’t receive a proper education. Due to this, she was constantly beaten for failing to live up to their expectations, it was apparent that she was a gloomy child because of this.

Both her stepmother and half-sister despised Riddel. She was an illegitimate child that they hated. This was why it was so natural for her maids to be extremely rude to her. In fact, she was even forced to get married!

[“Marry the archduke of Romani”]

Her father, who was the emperor’s dog, forced her marriage without even asking her opinion. She was forced to marry the cursed archduke, who had no blood or tears, just to fulfill the imperial’s order.

Then, for the first time in her life, Riddel opposed her father.

[“Father, I don’t want to marry that person.”]

It wasn’t because she was afraid of the archduke. But because she already had a fiance.

[“Shut up! How dare a bug like you oppose me?”]

Her father didn’t want to listen and became angry at her. He even used violence and locked her in this villa.

‘After all that happened, I entered this body.’

I suddenly became dizzy… this was because Riddel’s misfortune didn’t just end here. Throughout her marriage, she developed a bad relationship with the archduke. When she finally returned back to her fiance, he robbed her of her money.

Even her death was terrible. She was framed for helping the main characters and she was decapitated with a guillotine.

Thankfully, I know a way to avoid her death. But besides this, I didn’t really want to live in this novel. The thought of me being dead in reality didn’t really cross my mind. If possible, I truly wanted to go back right now. I missed my family and friends.

‘Is there a way I can go back?’

After three days of pondering my next course of actions, I finally decided on something and called Wendy.

“Wendy, send a letter to my father. Tell him that I’m going to get married.”

After a day the letter was sent, a carriage quickly came to pick me up, as if it had been waiting all this time.

I made a vow to myself, as long as I lived in this body, I would detest everyone who treats me rudely.

****

“You’re really stubborn. After you get sent there, you’ll come back after a year anyways.”

It was breakfast time when I arrived at the manor, this was the first thing I heard from my father, I was quite astonished.

However, there was something that was more strange.

‘What’s this? What’s wrong with my food?’

On my plate, there was a soup that looked quite weird alongside a crumbly bread that seemed like leftovers.

As I compared my meal to the other dishes that were served on the table. I noticed that they had a steaming soup that looked delicious, soft scrumptuous bread, and fresh vegetables.

I really couldn’t believe that they were openly discriminating against me even though we were eating at the same place and time.

‘Of all things, why are the maids and my family messing with my meals?’

While grumbling in my mind, I felt quite sorry for Riddell Spencer. I wondered if she had been treated like this all this time.

While I stared blankly at Wendy, who was beside me. She broke out in a cold sweat when our eyes met. She seemed to have understood what my stare implied, she knew why my meal was prepared seperately.

When I saw Wendy nod, I put the bowl aside.

Then, the people that used to treat me like air, who didn’t even care whether I ate or not, began to talk.

“Riddell, are you aware that the news regarding you being locked up in the villa has reached the Archduke? Do you know how disgraceful that is?” It was clear he was placing the blame on me.

“Don’t be angry, Spencer. This kid doesn’t know anything,” Riddell’s stepmother provokingly answered.

“That’s right, Dad. Don’t be angry that she’s been doing something stupid for a while now.”

Followed after her was Riddell’s step-sister, Vestia Spencer’s words made me speechless.

‘Does Vestia even deserve to say something like this to me?’

Vestia would often act like she was the smartest person, it seemed that the past me would also occasionally do stupid things that would allow her to behave like that.

However, I didn’t know much about Riddell’s situation in the family.

“It’s already a fact that everyone knows that she’s shallow, stupid, and… Ahhh!!” Suddenly, Vestia screamed.

“Riddell Spencer! What are you doing? My dress is wet because of you!”

‘What’s the matter with her? I just nudge her cup a little.’

I replied with a relaxed smile, “I’m sorry sister. I didn’t know there was a glass of water beside me.”

“Don’t talk nonsense and wipe my dress right away!”

“Why should I?”

There were many maids around her. Why should I be the one who wipes it?

Vestia looked quite speechless for a moment.

‘You must be surprised.’

This was the first act of retaliation by Riddell, who was always obedient, against her.

“Riddell Spencer. Watch your mouth! Why are you speaking like that to your sister?”

There’s a certain proverb that said that people with similar traits and background would often side with each other. This time, the stepmother spoke.

“You seem to have become vulgar after you went to the villa. Who do you think you’re taking after?” The stepmother’s voice was filled with rage.

‘I’m not afraid of you.’

I calmly answered back, “Who do I take after? Why, it’s you, mother.”

The atmosphere in the dining room suddenly became chilly.

She blinked while speechless, as if she doubted what she just heard.

I repeated once more to let her know that she heard me correctly.

“You’re the one that raised me. Do you think that I have a bad personality? Or do you want to tell me that I took after my father?”

“Riddell!”

She looked quite furious when she saw me smile, I already said what I wanted to say after all.

“How dare you talk back to your mother!”

“What do you mean talk back? I’m just simply answering mother’s question.”

“What?”

“Then, does this mean I can ignore your question too? Can I?”

‘Bang.’

The Viscount abruptly hit the table, it seemed that he couldn’t stand my attitude anymore. Then, he glared at me with fierce eyes.

‘It’s really obvious what you’re going to do.’

The moment he raised his hands, I quickly spoke up, “Father, you should think carefully before you hit me. What if I get scars on my body?”

“What?”

“Remember the Archduke, do you think he wants to marry a woman with scars all over her body?”

“…”

“Does this mean you’re going to marry off Viesta instead of me?”

When I glanced at Viesta, she trembled as she opened her mouth, realizing the situation.

“Calm down Dad. What if she gets hurt?” Her trembling voice could be clearly heard.

“Riddell! Don’t let your careless behavior get you divorced!” The Viscount said with anger.

‘Divorce? I can’t let that happen.’

My plans could only be achieved if I stand next to the Archduke, I don’t think that I’ll ever come back here anyway.

“Don’t worry about that thing, Father! It won’t happen unless he acts like you.”

“You… son of a bitch…”

With these words, the Viscount left his seat.

I waved my hands as a goodbye to him.

‘Well, I’ll let him do whatever he wants for now.’

My stepmother looked quite shocked, however, I just simply ignored her and beckoned to the maid behind Viesta.

“Bring me a new meal that’s the same as my father’s.”

****

Ten days have passed since then.

During these past ten days, the Viscount has treated me rather coldly, it wasn’t really a problem, after all, it was the same with my other family members. It was actually quite easy to ignore minor disputes like these.

Dawn came and I was forced to wear a luxurious bridal gown that wasn’t a fit for me. I had to endure it all this time because I could leave this house once and for all.

Before I left, I heard sarcastic comments from my stepmother and Vestia.

“Remember not to get divorced.”

“That’s right. Like my mother said, don’t get divorced. There’s no room here for you anyways.”

I replied with a grin to the both of them who were trying to undermine me, “Don’t worry. It won’t happen. However… why aren’t you two worrying about it?”

“What?”

“I’m the one that’s going to become a duchess. If you keep annoying me like this, I wouldn’t know what to do with you in the future.”

After I said these words, both of them shut their mouth.

****

My mind wandered about as I listened to the sound of the carriage.

‘The Archduke of the North, Kyle Romani. The man without blood nor tears.’

They say that he’s a ruthless man who kills whoever disobeys him without any hesitation.

‘The problem still remains… I’m going to become the wife of such a person.’

As the original author of this story, there were a bit of information that I knew. The original Kyle Romani and Riddell didn’t have a close relationship throughout their marriage.

There was only one time when Kyle Romani interfered with her life.

[Why don’t you stop saying bullshit like that?] This was when he talked about my fiance. However, it only backfired. She didn’t heed his advice and still sought out for her fiance.

This only made their relationship deteriorate, they were like water and oil.

In the future, when Riddell faced her death, Kyle’s face popped up in her mind.

[If only I listened to Kyle a little more…]

I wouldn’t have been betrayed by my scumbag fiancee.

[If only I tried to save his life…]

Upon looking back, it was quite understandable. After all, that was the first time that Kyle talked to her.

However, I knew how to lift his curse. I would be able to change my fate.

If I couldn’t, then there was no reason for me, the original author, to have entered Riddell’s body, right?

I concluded that the reason I came here was to fulfill Riddell’s wishes.

Of course, this was just mere speculation. But, it was better to do something rather than nothing…

I will surely lift his curse.

Even with these thoughts, there was still the possibility that the method to lift his curse changed, this would mean that I would fail to lift his curse. However, I want to survive… I’ll make sure to save his life.

‘I need to get close to Kyle first.’

It seems that I’ve already entered the northern territories. Maybe because I was finally in the north, it was quite cold even though it was still fall.

After a while, the carriage stopped at last.