Chapter 1

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Prologue
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“I have something to say!”

My heart was racing, so even though I knew it was rude, I burst through the door and shouted.

Then I froze at the sight before me. Three pairs of eyes were staring right at me.

“Hello, Lucci, Harrison, Damian.”

I greeted them reflexively.

“Come on in, Espin.”

Luciano welcomed me calmly.

“To run into you like this—looks like I’m lucky today.”

Damian smiled warmly, teasing as always.

“You’ve arrived.”

Harrison greeted me politely.

Even their greetings perfectly reflected each of their personalities.

“How are you three together?”

It made sense for Luciano, the owner of this place, to be here.

It wasn’t strange for Harrison, his escort knight, to be with him either.

But the third one.

Damian being here was truly surprising.

“Is there some reason the three of us can’t be together?”

Luciano’s voice was gentle, but there was a chill lurking somewhere beneath it.

‘Did something upset him?’

I glanced at Luciano for a moment.

The nickname Empire’s Sun suited him to a T, especially with his golden hair.

His sculpted face made even a slight frown look beautiful.

No wonder he was the male lead—his looks were unreal.

His expressionless face had a sharp edge to it, so I shook my head.

Truth be told, there was no real reason the three of them couldn’t be together. It was just...

“But why do you ask like that?”

“Because you all don’t get along.”

“...”

“It’s not particularly like that.”

At my blunt words, Luciano fell silent, Damian laughed it off in denial, and Harrison fidgeted uncomfortably.

“Damian.”

“Yes, Espin.”

When I looked at Damian, he smiled softly as always. It was such a pretty smile that it stole my attention for a moment.

If Luciano had a striking, glamorous beauty, Damian’s was delicate with a subtle allure.

I always thought that face with such a kind expression was against the rules.

No wonder he was the villain—he might harbor ruthless thoughts inside, but on the surface, he seemed endlessly gentle and sweet.

‘More importantly, trying to laugh it off again?’

“Lying is bad, I told you.”

I turned serious toward Damian.

His beautifully curved smile stiffened.

But he quickly smiled again.

“It’s not a lie.”

Must be the villain in him.

He had a habit of deceiving people.

“Another lie.”

I put my hands on my hips and glared at him sternly.

Admit it. Admit it.

“...I’m sorry.”

Under my piercing gaze, Damian apologized. Only then did I relax my eyes.

Everyone knew that Crown Prince Luciano and Damian, heir to the Quaid Duke Family, were sworn enemies.

Trying to hide a fact that heaven and earth knew about, and everyone in the palace too.

“Just stop lying for real.”

“It’s really not a lie...”

“What’s going on?”

Luciano cut off Damian’s quiet mutter. He still didn’t seem pleased.

“Busy?”

“Who are you asking?”

When I shot back, Damian jumped in again.

“Who else? Obviously came to see me.”

Luciano’s voice turned icy as it sliced through Damian’s words.

Looking back at Luciano, the gaze he directed at me had sunk even colder.

It was a look demanding I say, ‘Of course I came to see you.’

‘It’s true I came to see you, but...’

“There are three people here. Espin might be here for someone else. There’s no guarantee it’s Your Highness the Crown Prince, is there?”

Damian spoke so quickly I missed my chance to reply.

And under his steady gaze, I felt unnecessarily awkward.

“Why wouldn’t there be a guarantee? She came to my palace, so it’s for me.”

“No. She could be here to see Knight Orlando, or maybe she heard I was here and came for me.”

“Espin, your business is with me, right?”

“Isn’t His Highness the Crown Prince forcing it by saying that? Espin, feel free to speak.”

‘What’s with these guys?’

They always acted confusingly, but today it felt even more burdensome.

So I turned my eyes to calm Harrison.

I shot him a pleading look, begging him to help me escape this uncomfortable situation.

Harrison was solid and stoic, like a proper knight.

His reliable personality had helped me out many times.

“If you two keep this up, Espin will feel uncomfortable.”

‘Huh?’

His words sided with me, but the look in Harrison’s eyes was no different from the other two.

As a sub-male lead, Harrison was handsome too, and his direct stare made my face heat up for no reason.

‘What’s your deal too?’

Now it just seemed like all of you wanted my attention.

I quickly tamped down the fluttering in my heart.

They’d been ambiguously like this for ages, but all three at once threw me off for a second.

But I soon realized it wasn’t that big a deal.

“Perfect. I had something to say to all of you anyway.”

At my words, all three flinched at once.

They exchanged glances among themselves, then stared at me with tense or flushed faces.

“What is it?”

Luciano’s red eyes glimmered oddly.

His slightly flushed cheeks and hurried tone betrayed his agitation.

“I’m all ears. Please speak freely.”

Damian’s blue eyes were calmly settled.

He wore a composed smile, but the corner of his mouth was slightly rigid—he seemed tense.

“Any words are fine with me.”

Harrison added his piece, fixing his green eyes on me.

Their gazes were so intensely focused, as if I were the only person in the room. It was hard to meet them straight on.

The three of them stared only at my lips, fully concentrated. I steadied my heart amid the awkward atmosphere.

Don’t get swayed for no reason.

I had to live realistically.

I needed to reclaim my life before it was too late.

“I’m going back to our territory.”

I declared it solemnly, and sudden silence fell.

They all looked shocked, as if they’d expected something else entirely.

“What?”

“Why all of a sudden?”

“What’s happened?”

Luciano let out a sharp cry, followed by Damian and Harrison in quick succession.

Seeing their surprise, I explained calmly.

“It’s about time I prepared to inherit the territory. I’m going back to find a husband.”

As I gave my reason, all three of their faces hardened in an instant.

“A husband? What?”

Luciano’s sparkling eyes turned ice-cold.

His gaze was frigid enough to kill with a look.

“This is truly unexpected.”

Damian’s lip curled up on one side in a irritated smirk.

“What does that...”

Harrison trailed off in bewilderment.

Their reactions were oddly sharp, and they clearly weren’t happy with my decision.

Anyone would think all three liked me.

But they didn’t.

Not long ago, I’d mistakenly thought they did.

I hadn’t heard confessions of love, but I’d assumed they liked me.

Because of how they acted.

With this weird vibe flowing between me and the three of them, I felt like the bad guy, so I decided I needed clarity.

That’s why I’d asked them outright.

“Lucci, do you like me?”

“Why would you think that?”

Luciano had asked, looking baffled.

Oh, guess I’d misunderstood on my own.

“Harrison, do you like me?”

“You shouldn’t say such things lightly.”

Harrison had turned serious.

Hmm, my misunderstanding again.

“Damian, do you like me?”

“Would you like me to like you? Shall I?”

Damian had asked, smirking mockingly.

I hadn’t expected the ridicule.

Getting shot down three times in a row was a shock. I’d thought they liked me, but it was all in my head.

Realizing that brought a hollow emptiness. I’d been swimming alone in an ocean of delusions.

Celebrating my popularity like an idiot, chugging delusion soup!

My past self was so embarrassing I wanted to dig a hole and hide.

But it was their fault too. Always acting like they were interested—how could I not misunderstand?

Anyway, recalling that memory brought back the devastation.

When I’d confronted them head-on, Luciano had sharpened his gaze like I was the shameless one.

“Espin, explain properly. A husband?”

It was almost like asking, ‘Instead of me?’

He always reacted like that whenever I got close to another man.

“Espin, why do you need a husband? I’m right here.”

Damian always slyly implied he’d be by my side.

“Espin, do you have to go?”

Harrison seemed calm, but whenever I tried to keep distance, he’d hold me back like he was begging me not to leave.

That’s why I kept misunderstanding.

Remembering another rejection made my head heat up.

“I’m an only daughter. To continue the family line, I need to take in a son-in-law. So I’m going. Eat well, live well, everyone. That’s why I came to say goodbye.”

“Stop! Espin Samuel!”

Even Luciano’s urgent cry.

“Espin, this joke’s gone too far.”

Even Damian trying to brush it off with a laugh.

“ Please don’t go.”

Even Harrison’s desperate plea.

None of it reached me.

‘Hmph, who’d fall for that again?’

I wouldn’t misunderstand their actions anymore.

“I’m busy. Bye!”

I waved indifferently at them as they poured out their emotions.

I Thought I Was the Protagonist