Light shone through a gap in the window.

The sky was streaked with blue clouds, tinged with light pink on all sides.

It was morning.

I blinked and waited for my sense of reality to return.

Perhaps because I dreamed of my previous life, I felt unfamiliar with the surroundings.

I sat up to make sure.

“… It hasn’t changed after all.”

The small arms and legs on my body remained the same.

“I can’t believe my mind is as an adult, but my body is like a child.”

That’s right.

This was not my body.

I died in an accident in Korea at the age of 28.

When I opened my eyes, I thought I would wake up in heaven or hell, or the afterlife.

But I was reincarnated with the memory of my past life. I was in the novel.

I jumped off the bed and stood in front of a nearby mirror.

In the mirror stood a child with soft milk-brown hair and warm green eyes.

Slightly larger than average eyes, white skin, reddish cheeks and a thick mouth

The girl, who was now ten years old, was lovely, if not an outstanding beauty.

“Sigh.”

I took my eyes off in the mirror and looked around.

A cozy room decorated with cute objects like a little girl’s room.

Although I was not rich, I was born a baroness and grew up without shortage. Maybe it’s a much better condition than modern Kim Jin-ah.

But…

“This is a novel.”

The novel has its crisis and climax. The empire where I was born will not pass its time quietly. When I grow up, many things happen to the empire.

And in the middle of the storm was my family, Jayus.

“I can’t believe I reincarnated in a family like this!”

By the time of the year, all members of the family were murdered.

I died at a young age in an accident in my previous life, but I would be murdered in this life.

What kind of life is this?

I ruffled my hair as I thought about it.

Suddenly, the door swung open and someone came in.

“Sister!”

“Ah!”

An eight-year-old child came running and dived into my arms. I smiled at the cute action, forgetting my distress for a while. The child whined, hugging my waist tightly.

“Sister, let’s go out and play.”

“My sister hasn’t washed it yet?”

The child puffed his cheeks in disappointment.

“Bella!”

“Yes, yes. I’m coming, young master.”

At the child’s urging, the maid brought over a wash water basin.

“Sister should wash up and have breakfast. The next task is taking a walk.”

I washed my face, and put on some light indoor clothes.

The child with sparkling eyes smiled as he watched me. I laughed along with his lovely appearance. At first glance, the Jayus family may seem very ordinary.

But the child in front of me was anything but ordinary. He was a genius. He was extraordinarily talented in swordsmanship that he was later called a “little devil.”

Blancis Jayus, he’s just a cute and lovely little brother now…

He would soon become the left-hand man of the villain in this novel, Roger Evelian, who would later destroy the world.

And because of my younger brother, who took the villain’s side, the Jayus family fell in shambles.

In short, that cute kid shall be the culprit.

“He-he. Sister, what are you thinking?”

Blanc, who was hanging from my waist, smiled cutely.

“… Nothing. Why don’t we have breakfast together and go for a walk?”

“Okay!”

I held my brother’s hand, hiding my mixed feelings.

Blanc worshipped power. Having been called a genius since birth, he had no match until he was 15.

Except for one person.

Roger Evelian, the villain.

Blanc fell against Roger’s strong power and vowed to follow him. And he participated in the wars that took place in the empire to gain power, and later raised the flag of rebellion against the emperor. This cute and innocent child worshipped power, and also became a villain himself.

I really didn’t want to believe it.

“Blanc, will you grow up to be a good adult?”

I smiled tenderly and whispered to Blanc.

“Huh? Of course!”

“You promise?”

Of course, I wouldn’t think that these little promises could change the story.

Therefore, I couldn’t just stay still.

    “Are you awake?”

“Yes. Have you slept well?”

When we came out, my mother welcomed us with open arms. Blanc and I sat side by side at the table. Soon we were served a simple breakfast of hot soup and salad.

“I’m going to go out with Bran this morning.”

“That’s a good idea. You stay home every day. How did you come up with such a brilliant idea?”

“I’ve been a little tired….”

I locked myself in my room for a while, and I’ve been seriously thinking about my future. Of course, all a ten-year-old could do was sit and read fairy tales or play with her little brother. I felt frustrated and gulped down the salad in my mouth and asked.

“Where is father?”

My father, Baron Jayus, who always had breakfast with us, was nowhere to be seen.

“He got on the boat early in the morning.”

“Where is he going this time?”

“He’s going to Belois, Stelly.”

The Jayus family was in the business of trading. There were large docks in the countryside near the ocean, and the Jayus family imported goods that could be sold abroad by boat.

Although they did not have particularly good business skills, the Jayus family was able to live well. Trade was a profitable business, as long as there were no major restrictions on imports in the Empire, and they could make a huge profit if the goods were rare. However, they had yet to find anything significant. Also, the members of the family themselves were simple, pure, and generous. I inadvertently emptied my plate and held out my hand to Blanc.

“Come on, Blanc.”

“Yes.”

With Blanc’s hand in mine, we walked into the garden.

***

The sun was warm and shone brightly today.

“Sister!”

“Yes?”

“What are we playing today?”

“Let’s play tag.”

It was the most casual game. A perfect match for a 10- and 8-year-old. It wasn’t my favourite, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy and have fun at my age. I would pretend to jump roughly and follow Blanc around, and that’s how we managed to pass the time.

“We’ve played tag 34 times this year. I don’t want to.”

“Did we play that many times?”

My conscience was a little troubled. I guess I wasn’t very sincere with my adorable brother.

“Then let’s play the game that Blanc wants to play. What shall we do?”

“Let’s play knights!”

Blanc recently became addicted to books about fairy tales. It was always about a beautiful Princess who was saved by a handsome knight.

“Sure……”

It was the worst game ever. I had to jump up and down and wave my arms all over the place. I hate being sweaty.

“Sister is playing the villain!”

Don’t girls usually play the role of the Princess? Blanc ignored my wistful gaze and placed the stuffed bear that the servant had brought under the tree.

“The bear is the princess! Sister is the villain who kidnapped the princess!”

Lost my position to a bear, I nodded and stood under the tree.

“Aah! Come and get me! Stupid knight!”

I started acting as good as I could. Blanc pointed his sword at me with a serious look on his face.

“I’m here to save you, Princess Gomsoon.”

For the sake of realism, I did two voices and waved my arms at Blanc. He swung his sword at me. No matter how much of a genius he was, an eight-year-old’s sword was not that threatening. I bent down and grabbed him.

“Huh! You weak knight!”

“Kyaaaah.”

Blanc laughed as I tickled his waist.

“You can only use this much power! I’ll take Princess Gomsoon with me!”

I whirled around with Blanc in my arms as I recited the lines I had just made up.

“Hey, what is this? Let’s change roles now.”

Bran’s out of breath and leaned against me. I guess he had finally decided to give his sister the role of a princess. But he gave me the wooden sword instead.

“You’re the knight. I’m the princess. And Gomsoon is the villain!”

It was unreasonable, but I accepted the wooden sword anyway.

‘But how am I supposed to swing this sword around?’

I was a typical noblewoman who had never held anything heavy except for a teacup. However, contrary to my concerns, the first wooden sword I touched was lighter than I expected and easy to swing. It felt strangely comfortable in my hand, as if I had been wielding a sword for a long time.

Huh? My heart was pounding. As I raised the sword, my heart began to beat wildly. Something began to boil inside me. Was it actually my intrinsic desire to play the role of a knight? I swung my wooden sword. The motion was fast, light, and precise. I could see the after-image of the sword’s passage, no matter how fast it was. I knew I had good eyesight, but was it this good?

“Wow, you’re good, sister.”

Blanc applauded.

“I think you’re better than my teacher, Huran.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Let me show you.”

Blanc taught me the swordplay he had learned from his teacher. I imitated him easily. It was as if the sword had become an extension of my arm.

“Ahhh. Please help me, knight!”

“Die, you villain!”

I swung my sword at Gomsoon. I intended to strike lightly. Swoosh, but too easily, Gomsoon’s head was severed.

“Hmm?”

The teddy bear’s head fell in a heap and rolled around in the grass. Blanc’s excited voice was cut off.

Let’s think about it. Was it possible to cut the neck of a soft doll with a wooden sword that didn’t have any sharpness? The cutting surface was surprisingly clean.

I handed the wooden sword to the servant with a look of bewilderment.

As an adult, she dragged Blanc’s wooden sword as if it was heavy.

I looked down at my hands. Could this be…? Why hadn’t I thought of that? If Blancis Jayus was a genius born with a great talent for swords, it meant I had the same potential.

‘Could it be that I, Yuria Jayus, also had a talent?’

No wonder……every time we played tag, I was the only one who wouldn’t get caught until the end.

“Bella.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Can I see teacher Huran?”

“Teacher? Yes! I’ll accompany you!”

I picked up the headless Gomsoon and approached Blanc, who was sobbing. Then, as usual, I patted him on the head and spoke.

“……Gomsoon saved our family.”

****

    Mr. Huran, who taught Blanc swordsmanship, was surprised to see my posture.

“Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! How could a lady…!”

His pupils shook.

“When did you learn this?”

“I’ve never learned it…”

Mr. Huran knelt down with tears in his eyes. It was a burden to see a grown man on the verge of tears.

“My Lady is the true incarnation of the sword….”

I wasn’t sure, but according to Mr. Huran, my posture of holding the sword, the speed, and even the destructive power were not at the level of criminals. I couldn’t blame him for not believing easily, because I did not myself.

“Would you like to do some light training with me?” Mr. Huran asked.

No matter how much of a genius I was, it was not easy to train with an adult. However, to my surprise, I avoided all attacks from Mr. Huran. It was pitiful, but his speed was so slow that I could read all his movements. Mr. Huran finally burst into tears.

“My Lady! Would you like to formally learn the sword from me?”

“Yes.”

I then went on to learn swords with my brother Blanc. I hadn’t developed any particular interest in swords. Holding a sword gave me a free spirit, but that was just about as far as it went. As usual, I didn’t like to sweat, but the safety and the lives of my family were more important than my personal enjoyment.

It was just that.

I stood beside him and watched as he swung his sword around as hard as he could. My brother, who was just too cute, only looked serious when he held his sword. This was the little devil Blancis Jayus, the man who was supposed to be a valuable asset to the Marquis of Evelian. But what if I take that man away from the Marquis of Evelian? What if my brother, who worships those stronger than himself, decides to turn that interest towards me?

That way the destruction of the Jayus family, as well as the destruction of the world, may be prevented. I grabbed the wooden sword that I was holding with more strength.

***

Rather than passing fast, the years passed slowly, as if to see who was able to hold on to it.

For the past year or so, I had been fighting a solitary battle to save my family. And the results were very sweet. I looked around the room, which, unlike last year, was piled with all kinds of jewels. It used to be a girl’s room with rustic bedding and flowy floral curtains, unlike now.

‘Heh heh heh,’ I laughed, clutching the jewels to my chest.

“Money is so good. Right, Blanc?”

“Huh? Why money?”

Blanc, still very young, did not know about the importance of money and luxury. However, I was different. I was already an adult with a soul steeped in desire, and I knew very well the importance of money. And that wealth could be a measure of my family’s survival.

Last summer, shortly after I learned that I had a talent for swords, I followed my father to a foreign country. It was to carry on the family line.

My father suggested that I should become a knight, but I flatly refused. Thanks to my firm conviction, I was able to find a way to keep my family alive. It was by making money through the family business. If all my plans were to fail in the future, I was going to use my family’s money to make ends meet.

[I prefer money over honor.]

So for the past year, I’ve struggled to find items that could make money. Finally, I discovered the “New World” in Belua, where I followed my father.

[Father, this is it!]

My father reprimanded me when he saw the ‘thing’ I had chosen.

[Yuria, if you read those books, the other nobles will make fun of you.]

[The Empire is so boring and dull.]

The Empire was a place where aristocracy and culture were important. They had a culture that regarded books as a lowly tool for studying and training.

The books I was holding included ‘The Youngest Daughter of the Duke When I Regress’, ‘No More Good Children’, ‘The Legend of the Black Dragon’, and others. I read many novels in my previous life, and my current world was one of the novels I read. That was how much literature of various genres I’ve waded through. I believed in the limitless potential of the fiction genre. However, the culture in my country considered such novels vulgar.

[Don’t worry, father. You’re supposed to break down a culture that’s out of the ordinary.]

[Break down?]

[Of course. I’ll give you an example.]

My father nodded with an incredulous stare.

[Suppose the heroine returns to the past after being unceremoniously murdered by an evil woman. What’s the first thing she should do?]

[She should live hard and be grateful for the life she was given, once again.]

[What are you talking about? After seducing and marrying the crown prince, the heroine must avenge the evil woman who killed her and her family!]

[…]

My father eventually admitted that I was a weird child.

Nevertheless, I spent three days persuading my father, and he said that he would evaluate my abilities.

At first, there was no reaction within the Empire… Starting with a bookshop owned by the Jayus family, the fiction genre gradually began to spread throughout the Empire. And it was a huge hit. No matter how valuable the history and philosophy recorded in the books, they were still boring.

Stories about the heroine being murdered and going back in time and taking revenge on her killer, made people’s lives thrilling. Thanks to this, Jayus family was able to earn a lot of money.

As I looked at my parents, who were marvelling at me, I said,

[The most important factor for running a successful business is to be the first to take the road no one else has taken.]

That was how my family got richer. Of course, there was a side effect. The imperial family and the nobility of the capital became interested in our house. Rural aristocrats generally lived quietly, building up their livelihood on a daily basis. However, the provincial aristocrats who were successful in their businesses and became wealthy managed to be noticed. Later, we always got invited to banquets from other lands.

Thanks to this, our family became one of the leading families in the region, though not as high as the nobles in the capital.

As I was having dinner with my family, I heard a shocking story.

“……Marquis Evelian?”

“Yes. It’s an honour. Our family is invited to the Agelisk, which is held once every fifty years.”

“What?”

As if I couldn’t believe my ears, I got up and spoke loudly.

“This is not the time for the Jayus family to meet Marquis Evelian!”

“What do you mean?”

Without answering my mother, I ran toward my father’s office.

Once, when we had a small banquet at home, Blancis had shown off his swordsmanship skills.

Thanks to the family’s fame, Blanc’s talents spread throughout society. Blancis honed his sword alone until he turned 15. It wasn’t time for him to leave the mansion so soon.

I fished through the papers on my father’s desk and took out the invitation. My hands trembled as I looked at it.

The Agelisk, enforced by the Marquis of Evelian, was a system that gathered young boys and girls with a talent for swordsmanship from across the Empire and trained them for three years.

“If we refuse….”

No. No one knew when the Agelisk would be held again. It was all about the Marquis’s feelings. It was such a precious opportunity and was an invitation no one could never refuse.

But.

“Why now?”

The novel began when the Marquis of Evelian was 20 and Blancis was 17. So I didn’t know what had happened before that. Perhaps, in the original story, Blancis wasn’t invited to Agelisk at this time, and he was an innocent boy growing up in the protection of his home until then.

Was that why there was no mention of it? I let out a deep sigh. Blancis was already admiring me. But I had only held the sword for a year… and I spent more time abroad on business.

Would Blancis be swayed by the villain Roger now?

And three years would be a long time. ‘Does that mean that I can find out what will happen to Blanc while Agelisk is held?’

“Yuria. What’s wrong?”

My father came into the office with a worried look on his face.

“It’s nothing, father.”

I made up my mind quietly. There was a way. It was a bit annoying and cumbersome, but still, for the sake of my family and my life I had to do it.

My father patted me on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry too much. Blanc is a much more mature child than we think.”

My father thought that I was worried about Blanc going to a strange place.

“I’m sure he’ll do well.”

“No, father,” I said, looking up at him with determined eyes.

“I’ll go.”

“What?”

“I’ve changed my mind. I want to be a knight. Isn’t this the priority for the eldest daughter of the family?”

The invitation didn’t come for Blancis, but for the Jayus family. We were at a point where rumours had not yet spread that I was learning to use a sword. The Marquis of Evelian must have sent the invitation, thinking that our family’s eldest son would be there.

“I will join Agelisk instead of Blancis.”

I had decided to take advantage of that loophole.