Chapter 47
Back when I lived as Han Ina, I encountered a specific line in a book.
It described a man who used the passionate love letters he received from women as fuel to heat his bathwater.
He had abandoned his humanity. And now, right in front of me, stood another man who had done the same.
I could only stare at Leon Frazier, my tongue tied by shock.
He had actually done it. He took the letters I sent, reduced them to a pile of soot, and then had the audacity to hand-deliver the remains to me.
The level of his instability was far beyond my worst assumptions. Whether it was the sheer absurdity of the act or the shock of the insult, I found myself reeling.
“Lisian… are you alright?”
My voice wavered, betraying my internal distress.
Lisian, whose clothes and hair were dusted with gray ash, didn’t look back at me. He gave a single, microscopic nod.
Past his shoulder, I caught Leon’s expression. It was a volatile mix of confusion and mounting irritation.
“That’s just how he is,” Leon sneered. “Our brother’s fatal flaw is having too much of a heart.”
“Leon,” Lisian warned.
“Do you honestly believe she’s blood?” Leon asked.
There it was. Those exact words. The very same sentence that had preceded my death as Han Ina.
My stomach plummeted. To be fair, my mood had been souring since the moment he started talking, but this was a new low. I had been forcing a pleasant mask, trying to win him over. I needed his favor because he was a primary love interest for Coriko. I had a script to follow.
But the moment he tossed those ashes, my fake smile died.
Leon’s gaze remained icy, though a strange shadow flickered in his eyes. I wondered for a second why he looked so conflicted.
“The rumors are everywhere,” Leon continued, his voice dripping with venom. “At the Academy, in the capital—everyone says she’s a bastard.”
I stayed silent.
“Leon… Frazier.”
The voice was slow and deliberate. It was Lisian.
With the poised grace of a true heir, Lisian used his hand to brush the debris from his face. Then, without warning, he swung.
Smack!
The blow landed squarely on Leon’s cheek. A crimson mark bloomed beneath the gray dust.
“You are… pathetic, Leon Frazier.”
Lisian’s voice was like ice. It was jarring to hear such coldness from someone who usually resembled a gentle silver angel. It was a sharp reminder that Lisian was the future Marquis, a man of significant power.
Leon wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth, a hollow, bitter laugh escaping him. “Look at this. Now even my brother is hitting me.”
“Clean… it up.”
Lisian’s stutter was less pronounced when he spoke with such measured, furious intent.
Leon didn’t challenge him. He kept his eyes fixed on me as he knelt down. He gathered the soot with his bare hands, shoving the mess back into his bag, all while wearing a chilling grin.
“You must be thrilled,” he said, his green eyes—so like Tulia’s—shimmering with an emotion I couldn’t place. “The whole family stands as your shield.”
As he walked away, he didn’t just pass me; he slammed his shoulder into mine with enough force to stagger me before disappearing down the hall.
Later, I leaned my head back against the edge of the tub, letting the steaming water soak into my skin. A bead of condensation gathered on the marble ceiling and dripped onto my forehead.
“Cold,” I whispered.
I stared at the ripples in the water, my mind stuck on one person.
Leon Frazier.
Why did he despise me with such intensity? I searched Tulia’s memories, but I couldn’t find a clear answer. Granted, Tulia had been a nightmare—a spoiled, arrogant brat who treated everyone poorly, especially the twins when they first arrived.
But there were reasons for that. Lilius had spent years whispering poison into her ear, telling her the twins hated her and bringing up scandals about her mother just to drive a wedge between them.
Still, that was years ago. Leon was older than Tulia; shouldn’t he have more maturity? More patience? Lisian had managed it. Even if he didn’t like me, shouldn’t months of sincere letters have earned me at least a chance at redemption? Does the Academy not value character?
Do you honestly believe she’s blood?
The cruelty of his words stung. He was such a bastard. And yet, I couldn’t shake the memory of his eyes wavering, or the way he ground his teeth while looking at me.
The whole family stands as your shield.
What a joke. Only Lisian had ever lifted a finger for me. I couldn’t wrap my head around Leon’s logic, and the more I thought about it, the deeper my scowl became.
Then, a sudden, horrifying thought struck me.
No. That’s impossible.
I tapped the floating star icon in my vision.
[Main Content: Karma Repayment]
[Status: You are a villainess! You are broke, unlucky, and universally loathed!]
[(Except for one person) Nobody loves you!]
[Goal: Reach A-grade before the “real” protagonist arrives!]
[Failure: Death]
“No way,” I muttered. “Not him.”
I read the text again, focusing my “Intensive Reading” skill on those specific words.
(Except for one person) Nobody loves you!
Could the “one person” really be that jerk, Leon Frazier?
“Your breakfast, My Lady.”
The following morning, I Toyed with a spoonful of soup. We were in one of the castle’s smaller, more intimate dining rooms.
The table was set for three: Lisian, Leon, and myself.
The atmosphere was suffocatingly tense. Usually, we ate with Viscount Lilius and Aubrey. Lilius loved to play the part of the doting uncle for the staff to see, regardless of his true motives.
But this morning, Lisian’s valet had come to fetch me personally. He led me away from the main hall to this private room, where the table was arranged with only three place settings.
“Good morning, Tu… Tulia,” Lisian said with a warm smile as I arrived.
“Where are our aunt and uncle?” I asked, taking my seat.
“From now on,” Lisian explained, “we will be… dining alone.”
I blinked. “Just us?”
“Yes. Please, eat… comfortably.”
I was stunned. I had forgotten that as the heir to the Marquisate, Lisian held the power to dictate household arrangements, even here. Leon might be a nuisance, but he followed Lisian’s lead. If Lisian said we were eating alone, Leon wouldn’t dare start a scene.
This was a massive relief. Usually, Aubrey spent every breakfast taking subtle jabs at me, making it impossible to enjoy a meal.
“Would you like an aperitif, Miss?”
“Just orange juice today, thank you.”
Without the pressure of the Viscount’s presence, my appetite returned. I began fixing a plate of warm bread, butter, ham, and fruit. As I ate, I stole a glance at Leon. He was drinking cold tea, looking as sour as ever.
His face was a sight to behold. His cheek was violently swollen, a vivid testament to Lisian’s anger from the day before. It was bold of him to walk around without trying to hide the injury. It also proved just how seriously Lisian had reprimanded him.
I took a sip of juice and looked at Leon again. A system message flickered in my peripheral vision.
[System] Would you like to check ‘Leon Frazier’s’ Affection Level?
[System] Character Importance: ☆☆☆☆☆
Five stars. Just like I thought.
I selected [YES]. I was dying to know if his gauge was actually gold.
[System] Cooldown active!
[System] You must wait 6 days and 5 hours to check this character’s Affection Level.
I froze.
[System] Spend 100 Coins to bypass the cooldown?
[System] YES or NO
Since when were there cooldowns for this?
