The sounds of the ballroom were gradually fading into the distance. His hand, roughened from gripping swords, held mine tightly and led me forward. Early winter had arrived, and the evening wind carried a chill.

I felt the breeze coming through the open window and looked at the boy walking ahead of me.

No, he had grown too much to be called a boy anymore. It would be more accurate to call him a young man.

I gazed at him, swept up in a flood of emotions.

“Fazel.”

When I called his name, he responded quietly.

“Come here.”

His sweet, soft voice tickled my ear.

My fiancé, Fazel.

I smiled as I looked at him, the one with whom I now exchanged genuine feelings after starting with a formal engagement.

Leaving behind the gazes of others, he brought me to a small room inside the castle. He carefully ushered me inside, then followed after closing the door.

“Ruel.”

He quietly spoke my name and turned to look at me. Between his long eyelashes, his golden eyes shone distinctly.

Fazel’s eyes were sharp and keen, like those of a fierce bird of prey, and I tensed up. I instinctively knew that when he made eyes like this, he was in a foul mood.

My shoulders trembled slightly under his gaze.

‘Why is he looking at me like that?’

I searched my memory, trying to recall anything that might have upset Fazel. But nothing particular came to mind.

I had no idea what it could be, but his sharp gaze made my throat go dry.

“Ruel, what are you thinking about?”

He brought his face right up to mine and asked. His suggestive gaze resembled that of a courting male, and I swallowed hard again.

My name is Ruel Asnel.

The truth is, I wasn’t originally from this world.

Would anyone believe me if I said I woke up one day to find myself possessing someone in this world?

Before coming to this world, I had read a book.

The title was “Flower of the Empire.”

It was a novel about the empire’s greatest princess who, torn between a kind male lead and a prickly mastermind who was only gentle to his woman, ultimately chose the kind one.

I really didn’t like that ending. Because my preference was Fazel, who played the mastermind.

I went to sleep feeling sad about it, and when I woke up the next day, I found myself inside the body of a small girl.

What an absurd situation.

The name of the young lady I possessed was Ruel Asnel—me. She was the woman who would later become the mastermind’s temporary fiancée, an extra-like existence who briefly stayed by the mastermind’s side when he was young and still an illegitimate child.

Right, honestly, who would remember the name of such an extra? 

But I had memorized every single line of dialogue and every setting detail about the mastermind. So recognizing who Ruel Asnel was came naturally, like breathing.

Of course, at first I thought it was just a coincidence. But when I learned that my father was Esran Asnel, that I was a count’s daughter, and that our territory was prosperous and pleasant to live in, I made up my mind. 

I would become my ultimate favorite’s real fiancée, not just a temporary one.

I knew the future well, so I thought I’d change fate and live happily with the mastermind.

Knowing Fazel’s original destiny—his destructive future—I couldn’t just stand by and watch. And frankly speaking, Fazel didn’t end up with the female lead anyway, so who would complain if I claimed him a bit early?

Fate belongs to those who change it and create it!

Fazel grew up without a father from a young age. Though his mother Suran took good care of him, their circumstances were lacking, so he experienced severe deprivation. On top of that, once his status was revealed, he only suffered more.

He received multiple assassination threats too.

Rather than suffering like that, wouldn’t it be better to live well with me, managing the territory together?

He would later rise to a glorious position, but he only suffered fulfilling the duties that came with it. And he never even received recognition from the female lead.

If you suffer in youth, you’ll suffer in old age too.

So I decided to change the mastermind’s life. Of course, my own greed to claim my ultimate favorite played a part too.

The mastermind is smart, so he’ll assist me well when I become the lord of this region in the future.

With that mindset, I approached Fazel. I planned to help Fazel live well without having to do mastermind things. Though my ultimate goal was to live sweetly with him.

Naturally, it wasn’t easy at first. Because Fazel was wary of me. Having lived a deprived life since childhood, Fazel didn’t believe in my pure intentions.

But we soon became friends, and Fazel grew steadily by my side. We were separated for a while, but like salmon returning home before death, he came back to me.

When he left, I thought we might never meet again.

Thinking about that time made my nose sting.

“I was just thinking about the past for a moment.”

I finished my reminiscing and reached out my hand to him. The ring he had bought for me himself for the first time—not the ring given as proof of contract when we got engaged—sparkled on my finger.

“You like the ring?”

“Yes.”

I answered honestly.

I liked it because the ring was fancy, but I liked it even more because Fazel gave it to me. I looked at him with a bright smile.

“I see.”

Saying that, he lifted my chin. The way he looked at me with a slight upturn of his lips was incredibly suggestive.

‘Aaah!’

In childhood, Fazel was prickly and wary of me. But now, the man who returned to me was literally a seductive man.

It’s not easy adapting to the changed Fazel.

“Aren’t you hot?”

“I’m not hot though?”

But why is he suddenly saying he’s hot?

I looked at him with puzzled eyes. Then he smiled and took off the jacket of his formal wear, revealing his shirt.

“What are you doing?”

“I said I’m hot.”

Hot? It was cold weather. Cold wind was coming through the slightly open window!

Something was suspicious.

While I was thinking that, my eyes instinctively moved to his chest.

‘Ah.’

His broad shoulder line caught my gaze. Add to that his well-developed muscles from exercise, his sleek waistline, his firm and broad chest—it was enchanting enough to make my head spin.

‘No! Even the idols I saw in my past life didn’t have bodies this beautiful!’

I screamed silently.

Fazel’s appearance perfectly matched my taste. Beneath his beautifully cropped silver hair, his golden eyes that seemed ready to dominate the world sparkled. His handsome appearance left me dazed, and even his upper body muscles matched my taste.

No, this is troublesome.

I stared at him blankly. Then he raised one corner of his mouth and asked me.

“You want to touch my chest, don’t you?”

At his words, I quickly came to my senses.

I’m the lord of Asnel now.

Father passed his title to me as soon as I came of age, saying it was time for me to work.

So I had to maintain my dignity.

“That can’t be.”

I put on a businesslike expression and said no.

Ah, doing this itself probably makes it look like I’m admitting to what Fazel said.

‘But it’s embarrassing to be honest!’

I screamed internally.

It’s a secret that I was actually drooling while looking.

“Right?”

He smiled languidly. The suggestive feeling lingering on his lips made my heart feel like it would race out of control.

“That kind of look is cheating.”

“What kind of look?”

This time Fazel asked back, seemingly clueless.

‘Hey, you’re copying what I said!’

He didn’t have this side before!

Fazel had grown up well. He treated me affectionately. He didn’t go to the female lead and was only caring toward me.

But there was one side effect: he had become a fatally seductive man.

“Ruel, you’re so beautiful today.”

How could I resist when the man I love sends me seductive looks!

He brought his face close to mine.

“I want to kiss you. Do you mind?”

Fazel smiled. I’m weakest to that smile! This is cheating!

“I don’t mind, but…”

Before I could finish processing my embarrassment, he kissed me. His lips hovered close, barely brushing against mine, pulling away and then returning again. I closed my eyes and surrendered to the sweet sensation of his lips. His warm breath brushed against me.

Ah, Fazel…

He’s kissing me again like this. I lost to his seduction every day.

In the middle of kissing for a while, Fazel asked naturally.

“By the way, who was that guy?”

“Who?”

Drunk on the kiss, the words came out automatically.

“The one you were smiling and talking to earlier.”

“Did I do that?”

No, I did smile my hospitality smile while mingling with people, but how am I supposed to remember all those people?

“I don’t remember. There were too many.”

“No, there was one in particular. I’ll make sure you remember.”

“Wh-what?”

“What indeed?”

Saying that, he slowly unbuttoned my blouse. I quickly grabbed his wrist.

“From now on, you won’t forget things like this.”

“Fazel!”

“Your struggling is cute, but I hate your indifference sometimes.”

He tousled my hair then he looked at me with affectionate eyes. I helplessly received his kisses and screamed internally. I don’t know who that man is either!

His unrestrained displays of affection since coming of age left my head fuzzy. I claimed the mastermind. He became my man who only likes me. That part was good.

But I didn’t wish for such a seductive man.

In his embrace as he held me, I recalled the past. So the beginning of this matter went back seven years.

It was one year after I possessed this body.