Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door.

I first closed the system window and greeted the guest.

“Hello, Miss. I have come to attend to you on the butler’s orders.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, Lord Bartholomew has invited you to dinner. May I help you get ready?”

I nodded, and several maids came in and took me to the bathroom.

I shed the worn and dirty dress from their hands and was reborn anew.

I truly transformed into a noble lady.

In fact, it wasn’t anything extravagant.

I wore a blue high-neck dress with frills and simply combed my hair neatly and tied it halfway.

Yet, Shailyn’s beauty shone even more, giving off an elegant atmosphere.

‘This is why they say the face completes everything.’

Satisfied with my brightened appearance, I went down to the dining hall.

“Miss Shailyn has arrived.”

When the maid who guided me announced, the eyes of the people at the table turned to me all at once.

At the head of the table was Lord Diart, and to his right sat a middle-aged man and two young people around my age.

I discreetly found the empty seat on the left and glanced at the middle-aged man.

His long, neatly-tied silver hair, dark green eyes, and a sharp wolf-like appearance that couldn’t be hidden even with silver-framed glasses.

‘That must be my uncle, the Duke of Diart…….’

Seeing his face, which didn’t even glance at me and was strangely cold, looking very much like Lord Diart, I was sure.

‘Could his name be Dain?’

I hoped not.

With that earnest wish, I sat down, and Lord Diart spoke, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

“Welcome, Shailyn. Greet your cousin’s family.”

“Hello, I’m Shailyn Sharofe. Thank you for inviting me to dinner.”

As I politely bowed my head, the middle-aged man’s mouth opened slowly.

“I am Benjamin Diart. The children beside me are my son Dain and daughter Deborah.”

His tone was quite gentle, but his voice was dry.

I subtly felt that I was not welcome.

There was not even a common word of welcome, but I didn’t care.

‘It wasn’t the Duke, but his son who was Dain!’

As long as I knew the hint, nothing else mattered.

He was said to be the eldest son of the ducal family and older than me.

Like Lord Diart and the Duke, he had silver hair and brilliant pink eyes, and his smiling face made him seem more approachable than the other family members.

And he seemed indifferent to me staying at the duke’s residence, but the problem was…….

“Why are you pretending to be nice today?”

The only blond hair among the four silver-haired individuals, sitting next to him, was quite different in thought.

Deborah Diart, Dain’s younger sister, seemed to be picking a fight with the Duke, arms crossed and a sullen face.

“Deborah, is this how you should treat your father?”

“What did I do? I was just curious.”

“Are you going to act like this in front of a guest? Think about our family’s dignity.”

The Duke’s stern rebuke cooled the atmosphere at the table.

Oh, how uncomfortable.

But the blond with the gentle eyes didn’t budge.

“I don’t want to.”

She still had baby fat on her cheeks, suggesting she hadn’t been an adult for long, yet her temper was like a stormy adolescent.

“If I have to live with someone I don’t like for a while, can’t I even say this much?”

“Deborah!”

As the Duke raised his voice, Dain Diart intervened.

“Father, please hold back. Deb seems to be sensitive because she’s hungry.”

“Idiot, I’m not hungry.”

“Then you must be sensitive because you’re not hungry. I’ll soothe her later.”

“What are you saying, who do you think you are?”

Even though Deborah acted prickly, Dain just laughed softly.

The Duke rubbed his forehead and sighed. I felt awkward because it seemed like they were fighting because of me.

“Everyone, stop. We’re going to live together under one roof, so don’t let your faces turn red.”

Fortunately, Lord Diart solemnly settled the situation.

After that, everyone resumed their meal in silence, cutting their food.

Of course, the atmosphere was still ruined, so I just quietly ate.

Meanwhile, the food was amazing.

* * *

After dinner, I returned to my room, changed into the pajamas the maid provided, and lay on the bed.

Ahhhh.

Since possessing this body, I had been sleeping on hard beds, cold cave floors, and rattling carriages, so this was the first proper bed I encountered, and I was happy.

Yes, this is it.

Others always seem to possess the bodies of princesses or imperial daughters and wake up on luxurious beds.

‘Why am I…….’

I let out a deep sigh.

‘I knew my bad luck since I possessed this body instead of winning a 5 billion lottery.’

Living in the duke’s residence didn’t seem easy, judging by their reactions during dinner.

The Duke of Diart subtly, and Deborah openly, disliked me.

At least Dain’s reaction wasn’t bad, so that was a relief.

‘Considering the hint, I need to get closer to Dain.’

Since the male lead is said to be acquainted with him, if I linger around, I might meet him.

I decided to actively approach Dain.

The next morning, I left my room as soon as it was morning and looked for Dain.

After a few light conversations, we might quickly become close.

I realized it was a wrong judgment as soon as I met Dain.

“Ah, Dain……?”

When I had just entered the west wing of the main building, he was walking down the hallway.

He was dressed casually, unlike yesterday.

I slowly approached him.

What should I say to greet him?

As I was pondering and the distance got closer, I slightly raised my hand.

“……?!”

Dain walked right past me.

As if there was no one in the hallway.

‘What was that……? Did he do it on purpose? Or a mistake?’

Startled by the perfect invisible treatment, I stood there blankly, then came to my senses and turned around to call him.

“Wait, Dain!”

“Hmm……? Oh, it was you.”

Dain, who had been walking straight ahead, finally looked down at me.

His eyes curved gently.

“Sorry, I mistook you for a maid and just passed by. No wonder you didn’t bow your head.”

“…….”

This guy?

I wondered if he was messing with me, so I carefully watched his expression, but he wasn’t.

He was sincere.

He really mistook me for a maid and just passed by.

“Did you sleep well last night? The weather is really nice today, hahaha.”

Dain greeted me brightly.

I wanted to respond, ‘Of course, I slept well. Why are you dressed like a servant, Dain? I almost got confused. Hohoho.’ but…

I held back and forced myself to nod in order to get closer.

“I came to ask for a tour of the mansion. Do you have time?”

“Oh, what should I do? I’m a bit busy right now. Sorry, Jennifer.”

Dain lowered his eyebrows and looked regretful.

And he called my name completely wrong without a single matching syllable.

What’s with this guy?

He seemed easygoing and approachable when he smiled, but talking to him wasn’t as easy as I thought.

“Ah, okay. But my name isn’t Jennifer.”

“Really?”

Dain tilted his head slightly and then spoke cheerfully.

“Oh, right. It was Alice!”

“It’s Shailyn.”

When I corrected him with a serious face, he smiled with a completely innocent face.

“Haha! Sorry, sorry. I’m bad at remembering names.”

“…….”

“I’ve got it now. Sierra. Have a nice day!”

Dain waved his hand unilaterally and left.

No, I just said Shailyn to his face, is he deaf…….

As I stood there bewildered, watching his back, I realized one thing.

The reason he didn’t show hostility like Deborah yesterday was because he wasn’t interested in me at all.

‘……This is a bit of a problem.’

My extensive experience with complex interpersonal relationships warned me.

This cousin is not going to be easy at all.

* * *

Why are sad premonitions never wrong?

Even after that, I tried hard, but I couldn’t get any closer to Dain.

When we met, he greeted me well and smiled often, but when I suggested doing something, Dain gently declined.

“Sorry, Evelyn. I’m bad with directions, so wandering around together isn’t ideal.”

“I have plans in the afternoon. Oh, in the morning? Hahaha. I have prior engagements in the morning too.”

Like this.

He even kept getting my name wrong.

‘Oh, how am I supposed to find the male lead around Dain like this!’

Lying spread-eagle on the bed, I pondered what to do.

Then it suddenly came to me.

‘Right, I can access Dain’s personal information, can’t I?’

I sat up abruptly and spoke to the air.

“Hey, system window. Show me Dain Diart’s information.”

— Ding!

【Oh, I thought you forgot, but you remembered? 〜(^∇^〜）

I will open it for you immediately.】