“I hate you.”

At Ahin’s words, Sierra immediately shot back.

“Why do you hate me?”

“Since when does hating someone need a reason? I just hate you.”

Ahin furrowed his adorable brow and fired back instantly. His expression carried an air of annoyance that was hard to believe belonged to a seven-year-old.

“No, Ahin. That’s wrong.”

“…What?”

Ahin’s brow furrowed sharply at Sierra’s rebuttal.

“Ahin, there’s always a clear reason for disliking someone. For example, maybe you don’t like the way they look.”

Sierra pointed toward Nikolai, who was walking to the sofa with a picture book tucked under his arm.

Ahin’s gaze followed the direction of Sierra’s finger.

“…Me? What about me?”

Nikolai, who had suddenly become someone with an unpleasant appearance, made a tearful face—but Ahin nodded.

As if to say: ‘that one, I’ll grant you.’

“Or maybe… you don’t like the look in someone’s eyes.”

This time, Sierra pointed at Dominic, who was busy putting together a puzzle on the plush rug.

Dominic had no idea he was being pointed at and was completely absorbed in his puzzle.

“Hey! Dominic. Look up for a second.”

“…?”

At Ahin’s call, Dominic lifted his head with a question mark written all over his face. Looking at the innocent expression befitting a seven-year-old, Ahin—also seven—nodded.

That one too, as if to say: ‘granted.’

“Right? Anyway, there’s always a clear reason for disliking someone, Ahin. So tell me exactly why you hate me.”

Sierra pressed him as though he owed her an explanation.

Only then did Ahin seriously think about why he disliked Sierra.

A cute little crease appeared between his round, neat brows.

“Hmm…”

But no matter how long he thought about it, a reason for disliking Sierra wouldn’t come to him.

If he were to weigh his preferences, Sierra leaned more toward the ‘like’ side.

Though that was only because the ‘dislike’ side was occupied by his noisy, nagging etiquette teacher.

Still, he couldn’t take back words he had already said, so Ahin glanced sideways at Sierra, searching for a suitable excuse.

The brilliant golden hair characteristic of high nobility. Eyes like a calm lake—blue with a hint of green mixed in, giving them an intriguing, subtle hue.

Large, round eyes. A full, high nose bridge. Lips as red as cherries. She was pretty without a single flaw anywhere.

Unable to come up with any reason to dislike Sierra, Ahin simply shoved her.

“You’re really annoying.”

“Ah!”

Sierra landed on her bottom on the floor, her startled face quickly filling with the threat of tears. The way her nose twitched made it look as though she was barely holding back a flood that was about to burst.

“I just hate you, Sierra!”

Ahin’s final blow seemed to have done the trick.

Tears finally spilled from Sierra’s eyes, ‘drip’, landing on the plush rug and soaking into it.

The sight was pitiable—and yet it lifted Ahin’s spirits.

Yes.

Ahin liked Sierra’s crying face. Especially when he was the reason for it. For the next few days, Sierra’s mind would be filled with nothing but Ahin.

And the seven-year-old Ahin had no idea what kind of storms this twisted love would bring in the days ahead.

—

“Miss Sierra!”

The nanny came running breathlessly, calling out her name. Sierra stopped weaving the tapestry and looked up.

“What is it? Did something happen?”

“Lord Ahin! They say he’s on his way back to the ducal estate!”

“…Already?”

Even with Sierra’s indifferent expression, the nanny fussed and fluttered.

“What do you mean, ‘already’, Miss! It’s been nearly two years since Lord Ahin left for the battlefield.”

Under imperial orders, Ahin had departed for the front two years ago.

Three days before Sierra’s eighteenth birthday.

His return at this time was something she had anticipated, so Sierra wasn’t particularly surprised. In the original story, he had returned to the ducal estate three days later.

So she was only slightly surprised that Ahin was coming back a few days early.

“Has it really been that long already.”

‘Time flies.’

Nodding to herself, Sierra rose from her seat.

It had been a full thirteen years since Sierra had come to live with House Valdevern.

It was around the same time that she had realized she had possessed the body of the villainess in an adult romance novel she had read in her previous life.

At first, she had been utterly shocked to find herself inside the body of a character from a novel she had read in a past life.

But humans are creatures of adaptation, and Sierra had adjusted to this world well enough in her own way.

And now, it seemed the time had finally come for the original story’s female lead, Claudia, and male lead, Ahin, to be united.

Sierra had made many preparations for this moment.

She had secured a house on a quiet plot of land in a neighboring country, and had saved up enough funds—not lavish, but enough to live on for the rest of her life.

All that was left now was to be divorced by Ahin.

Then all three of them—the original story’s leads and Sierra—would each get their happy ending.

“Somehow, Miss, you don’t seem very pleased that Lord Ahin is coming back.”

The nanny said as she walked behind Sierra toward the dressing room.

“Me? Why? I have no reason not to be.”

She said the words, but there was no trace of joy in Sierra’s expression.

She certainly seemed too flat and indifferent for a wife whose husband, a war hero, was safely returning home.

Sierra and Ahin’s marriage had taken place when they were both around seven years old.

It had been shortly after the death of Ahin’s father, the previous Duke of Valdevern.

Ahin was an only child, and the collateral relatives of House Valdevern had been shamelessly salivating, each clamoring to become Ahin’s guardian.

Their transparent scheme—to use the young, unknowing Ahin as a front and swallow House Valdevern whole—was plain for all to see.

So the loyal retainers of House Valdevern had pulled out the card of a political marriage to protect young Ahin.

Duke Kepla agreed to the arrangement.

Claiming he would serve as a strong pillar of support until Ahin came of age, he proceeded with the marriage proposal involving Sierra.

And so young Ahin, regardless of his own wishes, was married to Sierra.

Having known each other from a very young age, Ahin and Sierra were practically childhood friends. It would have been nice if they couldn’t quite call it love, but at least got along reasonably well.

But Ahin disliked Sierra intensely. As he entered adolescence, the degree of his harassment only worsened.

“Now that both Miss and Lord Ahin are adults, it’ll soon be time to think about an heir…”

The nanny remarked offhandedly. Knowing the two didn’t get along, she seemed to worry that Sierra would be driven out of the ducal estate without ever producing an heir.

“It’s fine, Nanny. That won’t happen.”

At Sierra’s firm declaration, the worry on the nanny’s face only deepened. She still looked at Sierra as though she were a naive, foolish child.

“Pardon? I’ve watched the two of you from up close, so it’s not that I don’t understand how you feel, Miss. But… you shouldn’t say things like that anymore. I’m afraid someone else might hear.”

The nanny glanced around the empty hallway and whispered.

She seemed to be worried that Sierra’s words might reach the ears of someone else within House Valdevern.

“I’m telling you, there’s nothing to worry about…”

The nanny was the one person who had come with Sierra when she married into House Valdevern, and had looked after her ever since.

Sierra was in the middle of reassuring her when a horn sounded in the distance. The nanny hurried to the window and said,

“Miss, look over there! It seems Lord Ahin is arriving!”

Dozens of warhorses were galloping forward, kicking up a cloud of dusty haze. The man atop the black horse leading the charge was Ahin.

“Oh my, how magnificent! He’s truly become a man now.”

After two years, Ahin carried a distinctly masculine presence about him.

“When was Ahin ever not a man?”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

The nanny flustered and moved her lips.

“Nanny. Brush my hair.”

Sierra smiled faintly and sat down in front of the vanity. The nanny blinked in surprise, then asked with delight,

“My goodness, what’s gotten into you, Miss? Are you grooming yourself to look pretty for Lord Ahin?”

“……”

“Just trust me! I’ll make you so beautiful that Lord Ahin won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”

Boasting confidently and rolling up her sleeves, the nanny hummed a tune as she combed through Sierra’s hair.

She seemed to think Sierra was tending to her appearance in hopes of improving her relationship with Ahin.

But Sierra was preparing for her final farewell to Ahin.

—

“Welcome back, Your Grace!”

Everyone in House Valdevern welcomed with one heart the return of their lord, Ahin, who had come back a fine young man.

Whether he had grown taller in the time away, his head stood out by half a hand above even the sturdy knights around him.

Broad shoulders and a body packed tight with muscle. His skin, lightly bronzed by the sun, looked healthy.

He had always been handsome, but now a more masculine charm had been added to his features. He was unmistakably the male lead of the original story.

Sierra stood at a distance and watched the people welcoming Ahin and the knights.

Amid the joyful embraces, her gaze came to rest on one person standing awkwardly to the side.

‘That must be Claudia.’