“Ivy, now you must die. I’ve found true love, so you who know my secret are in the way.”

Behind me was a cliff, and in front of me stood Kaien.

Next to him clung a woman in a dress whose face I couldn’t see.

Kaien looked down at me and drew his sword. The blade was so well-honed that it reflected my frightened face.

“Let’s end this.”

When did he go from trying to keep me to this?

Tears poured down my face as I couldn’t believe the situation.

“Kaien, why are you doing this? I won’t tell anyone. I won’t interfere with your love!”

My cries didn’t reach him.

“Rebecca, close your eyes. You should only see beautiful things.”

Rebecca? He’s going to kill me for the female protagonist?

Kaien, you really were the villain!

I’m not even a character in the novel, so there’s no need to kill me. We even dated once!

His sword flew toward my neck. Even before it touched me, my chest tightened and my throat constricted from his killing intent.

“N-no!”

I can’t die like this!

“Meow.”

I opened my eyes with a start to find a cat’s face right in front of mine.

A cat had climbed onto my chest and was pressing on my neck with its front paws.

“Wh-what?”

When I got up, I saw five cats, four pigeons, two crows, and ten mice gathered around my bed, all staring at me.

I looked at my left hand, the cause of this, and saw my bracelet was missing.

“Ah, I took off my bracelet.”

Hurriedly pushing away the animals, I got out of bed and went to the bathroom.

The bracelet with a small magic stone attached was on the table.

“I never take this bracelet off my body, I must have been really out of it yesterday.”

As soon as I put on the bracelet, chaos erupted in the room.

“Hissss!”

“Caw!”

“Squeak! Squeak!”

The animals that had been gathered peacefully now frantically scattered and fled through the slightly open window as if awakened from a spell.

Leaving only bird droppings, feathers, and dirty mud on the bed.

“Haa, Love will complain again.”

Since childhood, I’ve had a severe condition where animals are drawn to me. Just walking down the street would cause all sorts of animals to line up behind me and bump into me.

I liked animals, but their one-sided affection became something to fear for the young me. It was only after mother brought me a magic stone bracelet that I could somewhat escape from that unlimited affection.

“Kaien tried to kill me.”

Though it was a dream, I couldn’t forget his savage eyes.

What if such a thing really happens someday?

In the novel, the villain becomes obsessed with the female protagonist and torments her, then overexerts himself to protect her when demonic beasts pour out from the forest of demonic beasts.

Afterward, his curse is set to go berserk as he rampages to destroy Ingmier.

For now, he might feel inclined to spare me since he hasn’t met Rebecca, the female protagonist, but soon the two will meet, and Kaien will fall in love.

“Saying he’ll fall in love with the female protagonist means I’m definitely not the one.”

It would be natural for a person to feel a little hurt.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have been the one to suggest breaking up.”

He seemed to become more obsessed with me after being rejected.

Yesterday, Kaien even issued a ban on regular carriages from traveling to catch me and put a tracking necklace around my neck that only he could remove.

There’s no way to escape.

“But I can’t just wait around wondering when his feelings might change and he might kill me. There must be a mage who can remove this necklace.”

I came downstairs with renewed energy, but—

“M-my daughter Ivy! You’ve come down!”

My father’s voice trembled.

Looking up, I saw Kaien sitting in the reception room wearing a coat with the Grand Ducal family’s emblem.

My father, sitting across from him, was so tense he couldn’t even lean back against the sofa and was perched on the edge. He was sweating so much that the tips of his hair were wet, making him look like a dog drenched in rain.

‘Am I still dreaming? Why is Kaien here?’

With a pale face, my father approached me, forcing a smile.

“Ivy, I heard from His Grace. I knew you were seeing someone, but to think it was the Grand Duke—you should have told me, your father, about such things in advance.”

“Ivy only found out yesterday. She was quite shocked, so don’t scold her.”

“Scold? What is there to scold about such a precious child? She’s my beloved daughter.”

My father, of commoner origin, still had a middle-class mindset and remained intimidated by nobility despite commuting to the Imperial City. Moreover, the other person was the Grand Duke of Blemer, one of the highest nobles second only to the Emperor.

I gently took his arm as he smiled while sweating profusely, and he took a step closer to me as if seeking support.

His body was trembling slightly, showing how startled he was.

“When did Your Grace arrive? If you had woken me, I would have come down right away.”

“He told me to let you sleep soundly. His Grace is so considerate.”

“I’ll handle His Grace, father. You should go to work now. You’re already late.”

“I already sent someone to the Imperial City as I have matters to discuss with the baronet, so you can take the day off.”

My father’s face, which had brightened, darkened at Kaien’s words.

“Th-thank you. How thoughtful of you.”

Seeming to realize there was no escape, my dejected father led me to the sofa and sat down.

“R-rumors are just beginning to spread in the capital that Your Grace has returned, but to think you’ve been here for months—I’m surprised.”

“Thanks to that, I met a good connection.”

“Ah, thank you for thinking highly of my daughter. To think the Grand Duke of Blemer is such a good person.”

My father flinched and quickly explained to Kaien.

“Ah, I don’t mean anything else by that. It’s just that such a great house naturally attracts many rumors.”

“That’s right. I understand.”

“So, what brings you here today…… You said you had something to discuss with me?”

Kaien leaned back comfortably on the sofa and dropped the words casually.

“I will marry Ivy.”

“……What?”

“That’s wonderful, Ivy! His Grace wants to marry, m-marry…… Marriage? With our Ivy?”

My father, who had been smiling mindlessly to match the mood, soon came to his senses and turned pale.

“The Grand Ducal family will handle all the proceedings, so Ivy only needs to come herself. For now, the Baronet will need time to think, so I’m just here to inform you. We’ll arrange the wedding date for the near future.”

“K-Kaien! What do you mean marriage? We never discussed this!”

“Didn’t I tell you yesterday, Ivy? That I wanted to welcome you into the Grand Ducal family.”

“Y-you did say something like that, but……”

You meant marriage when you said you wanted to keep me by your side and monitor me to prevent me from revealing your secret?

I need to reject this early before getting entangled with Kaien.

“O-our family is merely a baronet and too humble compared to the Grand Ducal family—the gap is too great. I worry that Ivy might bring shame to the Grand Ducal family……”

“Gap? We are both servants who support Ingmier and serve the Emperor. With the same heart, how could there be a gap?”

“Your Grace……”

Wow, my father’s cheeks flushed even though he looked like he might collapse any moment.

This is bad. Father has fallen for Kaien.

Having risen from commoner to nobility, my father had extreme loyalty to the Emperor, and Kaien had just said exactly the right words to appeal to him.

“Let’s end today’s conversation lightly. I’d like to talk with Ivy—would it be alright if we went out together?”

“Ah, I’ve been interrupting the lovers. Yes, you should date. Ivy, escort His Grace well.”

“F-father. I……”

“Ivy.”

Before I could approach my father, Kaien blocked my way.

“I’ll stay and talk more with the Baronet, so get ready and come down. I’ll wait.”

His fingertips brushed my cheek, then moved down to my neckline and lightly touched the choker.

It was a threatening touch reminding me that I couldn’t escape even if I fled this place.

“A-alright.”

Will I ever be able to escape this person?

“Miss, congratulations! To think our Miss was dating the Grand Duke! And even received a proposal!”

Love, who had followed me up to the second floor, was bubbling with excitement.

“Oh my! Oh my! To think I’ll become a maid in the Grand Ducal household! Miss, when you enter the Grand Ducal family, you must take me with you! I’ll be the washer of your feet! I’ll gather my very soul to serve you with utmost loyalty!”

Love praised me enthusiastically, looking ready to prostrate herself before me.

“Didn’t you say recently that the cursed Grand Ducal family should leave the capital? That they’re cursed and bring ominous energy?”

“Now it’s the family you’ll enter, Miss, so I must adapt. It’s the incredible Grand Ducal family that even runs a major trading company! Besides, the salary for Grand Ducal household staff is the highest in the capital!”

I see. Money makes even curses irrelevant.

What should I do?

Kaien invaded our home, declared war, and tried to keep me by his side.

With all escape routes blocked, I couldn’t think of any other options.

“A baronet’s daughter becoming a Grand Duchess—such social advancement was something I thought only happened in novels, but to think our Miss would be that protagonist! It’s just like a novel! Kyaa!”

Well, this is actually a novel.

And it’s not social advancement but a crisis where I might leave this world altogether.

“Protagonist?”

My nightmare came back to me.

What will happen to me when the villain falls in love with the female protagonist?

Since he appears as a villain who has a one-sided love and obsession with the female protagonist, if things don’t go well, will he take out his frustration on me who is beside him?

“How can I make him abandon me?”

A glimmer of hope suddenly occurred to me.

“Miss! What can I help you with? I’ll be your hands and feet! Order me to do anything!”

“Bring me a dress. The plainest one possible.”

“Yes! Your faithful maid Love will bring it without a single blemish…… Huh? The plainest dress?”

I thought Love would object, but surprisingly, she clapped her hands with joy.

“Wow, our Miss. You’re such a fox! To think Miss had such skills in romance, I’m impressed! I’ll prepare a natural plainness that looks unadorned!”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Love will actively support Miss’s marriage to His Grace! Get new dresses and jewels as gifts from His Grace!”

Excited, Love ran to the next room.

In the novel, the villain and female protagonist meet for the first time at a Count’s banquet.

Due to some incident, the villain comes to regard the female protagonist as special, falls in love with her, and becomes obsessed.

Given the villain’s personality, if I were to flee without his consent, he would track me to the ends of the earth. So if I stay quiet, help their relationship develop, and step aside at the right time, wouldn’t Kaien let me go?

I decided how to act from now on.