chapter 3

"So… what’s my first mission?" she asked, bracing herself.

The system responded instantly.

[Your first mission: Lead this body to its true happy ending.]

She frowned. Happy ending? What does that even mean?

[The body you now possess belongs to the youngest daughter of the Grand Duke of the Lunaris empire . Your name is Katheriyne Agelastus.]

The screen shifted, displaying information about her new identity.

[The Grand Duke, Cronus Agelastus , has two sons besides you. The second son, whom you met earlier, is Hugo Agelastus . The first son,Eldric Agelastus, is currently at war.]

She blinked. Wait… met earlier? That rude guy who accused her of faking memory loss?

[You are the youngest child of the Grand Duke. Your mother died immediately after your birth. Because of this, your father—who loved her more than anything—resents you. He blames you for her death.]

Her hands clenched into fists.

[Your brothers, following your father’s lead, also despise you—especially the second son, who barely had time with her mother before she passed.]

"What? Are they out of their minds?! How do you hate your own daughter just because—"

She stopped, exhaling sharply. No, calm down. Emotions won’t change anything.

[Due to their treatment, you spent your life desperately trying to earn their love. But no matter what you did, they ignored your existence.]

Her chest tightened. This girl… no, she had lived an utterly miserable life.

The screen flickered again.

[Currently, you are engaged to the Crown Prince of the empire—a purely political engagement that has lasted five years. In six months, when you come of age at eighteen, you will officially marry him.]

[However, the Crown Prince has fallen in love with the daughter of a baron’s family. He is now actively looking for ways to find fault in you, so he can break off the engagement and marry her instead.]

A sharp laugh escaped her lips.

"Oh, of course he is."

So, to summarize: her father resents her, her brothers hate her, and her fiancé wants to throw her aside for another woman.

What kind of "happy ending" was she supposed to lead here?

She exhaled and crossed her arms. Fine. If that’s how it is… then I guess I just have to rewrite the story myself.

The anger bubbling inside her made her stomach growl.

She reached out and rang the bell.

A few moments later, the maid from before entered the room, bowing respectfully.

"My lady, do you need anything?"

"Bring me food. No—first, bring me water," she said, her voice low yet dignified.

The maid quickly poured a glass and handed it to her. Riy took a slow sip, feeling the cool liquid ease her dry throat. She set the glass down and met the maid’s gaze.

"Now, go and bring me food."

"I will bring it immediately, my lady." The maid bowed and hurried out of the room.

Riy leaned back slightly, exhaling. System, tell me about the people in this mansion.

[Yes.]

[The maid who just left is your personal maid. Her name is Elise. She has been serving you for seven years. Before her, it was her mother who cared for you since birth. She was the only person in this mansion who was truly kind to you.]

Riy’s fingers tightened slightly. The only one…?

[Seven years ago, after saving you from drowning in the lake where your second brother pushed you, she fell ill. She remained bedridden for three years before passing away.]

Her breath hitched.

[Before she died, she entrusted her daughter, Elise, with the duty of taking care of you. Elise has been by your side ever since. She is now 22 years old, unmarried, and deeply loyal to you.]

"...I see."

A knock interrupted her thoughts.

"My lady, I have brought your food."

"Come in."

Elise entered, carrying a tray carefully. She set it down on the table in front of Riy. The meal was simple—a bowl of soup, a small basket of bread, and a single slice of strawberry pie.

"The doctor advised you to eat light for a few days since you’ve been unconscious for five days," Elise explained softly. "I also brought your favorite—strawberry pie—to make the meal more enjoyable."

She helped Riy sit comfortably on the sofa before stepping back.

Riy picked up the spoon and took a sip of the soup. It was mild but rich with cheese, warming her stomach. She tore off a piece of bread and chewed it, but it was bland, so she set it aside. Instead, she focused on the pie.

The moment she took a bite, the sweet and slightly tangy taste of strawberries flooded her senses. A pleased sigh escaped her lips before she even realized it. She finished the pie quickly, feeling an unexpected warmth in her chest.

As she set the fork down, she glanced at Elise. The maid was watching her with a soft smile, her expression filled with relief.

That’s when Riy noticed it—her red, puffy eyes, the dark circles beneath them, the exhaustion etched into her face.

"...You haven’t been sleeping, have you?" Riy said, her voice softer than before.

Elise stiffened slightly, but before she could answer, a sudden wave of memories washed over Riy.

A small girl and a young maid smiling at each other. A hand brushing away tears. A voice whispering, "I will always be by your side, my lady."

Riy’s chest tightened.

"System… what was that?"

[Those are the previous owner’s memories of Elise. You can access past memories when you interact closely with people the original owner knew.]

"So… these are the moments they shared together."

She turned to Elise, who was picking up the empty tray, ready to leave.

"Elise."

The maid stopped instantly, turning back toward her.

"You must have been worried about me these past few days."

Elise’s eyes widened. Tears welled up, spilling down her cheeks. "My lady… you remember everything?"

Riy hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. "Not everything. But I remember how much you’ve cared for me all these years. Thank you, Elise."

Elise let out a quiet sob, bowing deeply. "It is my duty, my lady. I am just relieved that you’re awake."

"Now that I’m awake, you should get some rest," Riy said gently. "You look like you’re about to collapse."

Elise wiped her tears quickly and shook her head. "Not yet, my lady. You haven’t taken your medicine."

Riy sighed. "Fine, I’ll take it now. But once I do, I want you to rest properly."

Elise nodded, still sniffling, before leaving the room.

Riy swallowed the bitter medicine with a grimace before lying down in bed. As she stared up at the ceiling, she opened the system screen again.

There was still so much she needed to know.

But one thing was clear—Elise was the only person she could truly trust in this place.

And if Riy was going to change her fate, she would need allies.

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