During this time, I recalled and then swallowed back Alisa’s memories one by one. And I also slowly retraced the memories of Kim Yeri, the 22-year-old who had fallen into the Han River.

The novel 《Unavoidable Fate,》 which formed the basis of this world, was the book that had been in my bag when I fell into the water. I thought it was just an ordinary story, no different from any other Harlequin¹typically characterized by their focus on romantic relationships, often featuring strong emotions, dramatic situations, and happy endings
romance novels.

But to think that I would become a character in that novel….

I remember when I first looked in the mirror.

A woman was looking at me through the ornate gold-framed mirror. Soft pink hair forming gentle curves, grayish-blue eyes, a small and slender body.

When I tilted my head slightly, the woman in front of me followed my movement. It was hard to believe this was really my appearance, even though I had seen it dozens of times already.

But clearly, the woman in the mirror was me, and now I was Alisa Penvernon.

To think I’d become not the protagonist, not even a supporting character with a decent role, but an extra character who only had their name mentioned in the novel. With so many other characters, why did I end up inhabiting the role of the male protagonist’s ex-wife?

Not to mention, to be an existence that needs to die for the story to progress, isn’t that too much?

Unfortunately, because I woke up in this body, Alisa, Rashid’s ex-wife—or rather, the wife who was supposed to become his ex—ended up surviving instead of dying.

Alisa needed to die so that Rashid could idealize her, miss her, regret his past words and actions, and keep her as a wound in his heart. That way, Priscilla, the female protagonist, could heal his loss of family and now wife. But things had gone awry. What should I do?

Come to think of it, the ‘original Alisa’ that Rashid was supposed to love did die.

It’s just that she came back to life in this ‘Alisa but not Alisa’ form.

‘What should I do now?’

I sighed as I looked at the ring on my left ring finger.

What would happen to Rashid, who hadn’t realized his love—if it could really be called love—for Alisa? Would fate still flow as it did in the original work?

And how should I act when I meet Rashid?

Is there a way to return to my original world?

If I’m going to continue living in this world, how should I live?

Why did this happen?

I thought endlessly, but couldn’t come up with a satisfactory answer to anything.

As I repeatedly pondered these thoughts, trying to adapt to life as ‘Alisa’ and taking care of my health after nearly drowning, twelve days passed by in the blink of an eye.

Rashid came to see me at the end of that time.

* * *

“One, two, three…”

I counted while looking out the window. I was counting the leaves on the garden trees visible from my bedroom. The green of the young leaves sprouting on every branch to welcome spring was fresh.

But they are destined to fade eventually. That’s what fate is. A future already determined and unavoidable.

“My lady, what are you doing?”

The maid approached, peering curiously as if she couldn’t understand. Without turning to look at her, I pointed beyond the window.

“Louise, look over there. I was counting the leaves on that tree. When the last leaf falls… I’ll die too.”

I spoke delicately, as if I were a terminally ill young lady waiting for her death day. Then, as if I were the heroine of a tragic romance, I gently placed both hands on my chest. The smile I formed by slightly pulling up the corners of my mouth would surely look sorrowful and lonely.

At my words, the maid called Louise looked alternately at the window and me with a blunt expression.

“What are you saying, my lady? It’s spring now, you know?”

“……”

Embarrassed by her ruthless point, I just rolled my eyes silently. Well, how could she know about 《The Last Leaf》? It’s a story from ‘outside the book,’ so she couldn’t possibly play along. Feeling this place suddenly unfamiliar, I just shrugged once and opened the window wide.

Indeed. The season was a bright spring, and newly sprouted leaves clung affectionately to the trees. Sunlight shattered brightly over the garden where greenery was filling in as if the day when the last leaf that would fall would never come.

The wind, which had become quite mild, passed through the garden flowers and came to me, making my long hair ripple and flutter.

“I know. I was just pretending to be the female protagonist.”

“Pardon? The protagonist?”

“It’s nothing.”

I gently shook my head. It’s ridiculous to imitate the protagonist when I’m just playing the role of an extra.

Louise, not understanding my thoughts, tilted her head. I ignored her curious gaze and sat down in a chair.

“What about His Grace the Duke? Is there still no news?”

“No. There haven’t been any other messages.”

My husband had been away for several days already. It was clear he didn’t care whether his wife was sick or not. He should at least send word about where he went and why. When I woke up after being ill for a few days, he was already gone from the mansion.

‘He’s remarkably indifferent to his wife.’

Even so, to leave the mansion for days without a word like this… Did something urgent come up? I kept feeling uneasy, even though I knew it was needless worry.

While I wanted to meet him soon, on the other hand, I also didn’t want to meet him ever. After all, Rashid Penvernon would be the existence that fully proves I’m trapped in the world of a book.

So when I think of him, I can’t help but feel troubled. I decided to think of something else to change my mood.

“I should go out to town tomorrow. It’s stuffy being inside all the time.”

“You can’t, my lady. Please listen to me.”

“It’s fine, I’m just feeling cooped up.”

“If something happens again, I’ll be in big trouble, my lady.”

“Then I’ll defend you.”

“You, my lady?”

Louise, who had been firmly objecting, now laughed as if to say don’t be ridiculous. She seemed to dislike being blamed for not stopping me.

‘She’s looking down on me.’

Judging by her tone that seemed as though she was teaching a child, which was irritating enough, to her laughing at my offer to take her side if anything happened, it was all very uncomfortable.

She wasn’t worried about me. Rather, she was more concerned about herself, wondering what the Duke might say.

This was all because of Alisa’s low standing with Duke Penvernon. The Duchess was a woman the Duke had no choice but to accept. While he didn’t mistreat her, he wouldn’t go out of his way to cherish her either, so Alisa’s position was merely awkward.

It would be nice to have a more comfortable child as a personal maid. But there weren’t many servants in this mansion to begin with.

Moreover, Louise Garnet was a maid who had previously worked in the imperial palace, so she couldn’t be dealt with arbitrarily. Gifted directly to the Duchess by the Emperor as a wedding congratulation, she was certainly capable. Quick-witted and intuitive, she did her job without being told.

For example, like now, she would drape a shawl over me in advance, brew appropriate tea based on my physical condition, open and sort invitations before the Duchess spoke, prepare dresses for parties without consultation, arrange schedules and tasks without asking the Duchess’s opinion and then inform her….

‘Perhaps it’s not consideration, but just presumptuous behavior.’

As I recelled Alisa’s memories, I was lost in thought for a moment. It bothered me a bit that Louise had occasionally acted in ways that bordered on overstepping her authority.

The original Alisa was happy with Louise’s service.

Alisa grew up in the County of Legantia, located in the northwest border of the empire. Having lived as a lady of a declining family in a small, barren territory, she couldn’t have known the refined tastes of the capital.

Since she lost her mother early, she was naturally quiet and timid, and didn’t even engage in proper social activities.

So she would have been grateful to have someone like Louise, who was attentive and well-versed in the social circles of the capital, taking care of her.