Janice hesitated for a moment. Her back heaved as she panted heavily.

Then she suddenly shouted,

“What are you trying to make me do!?”

“It’s simple. Politely say, ‘Sister, I’m sorry. Please let go.’ Then I might let you go.”

“What? No way!”

Janice, who had been rudely speaking informally since they were very young, immediately refused.

I shrugged my shoulders.

“If you don’t want to, fine. Let’s see if a bob cut suits you.”

“You crazy b*tch! Just try touching even a single strand of my hair!”

“Uh, I’m already touching it?”

“You…!”

Unable to contain her anger, Janice stomped her feet.

What are you going to do about it?

Anyway, she was in a position where she couldn’t move for fear that I might accidentally cut her hair.

‘Hmm. It’s boring to wait, should I provoke her a bit more?’

I lightly held the end of her curly brown hair, unlike mine.

Snip.

The chilling sound of scissors.

Swoosh.

Hair fluttered to the ground.

“Kyaaah! My hair!”

Janice screamed as the color drained from her face.

I only cut a fingertip’s worth, yet she’s making such a fuss.

“If you don’t hurry, I’ll cut more.”

“F… fine! I get it! I’ll do as you say!”

“Do it within ten seconds.”

Not wanting to drag it out, I quickly counted down from ten.

Janice, growing anxious, closed her eyes tightly and spoke.

“Sister, let go.”

“Don’t let a single word be wrong, or I won’t let go.”

“…Sister, sorry, please let go.”

“Pronounce it properly, again.”

“Ha… Sister, I’m sorry, please let go.”

“It doesn’t sound very sincere. Do you want to keep being held?”

“Oh, really! Sister! I’m sorry! Please let go! Please!”

I pulled Janice’s hair back, meeting her eyes with a smile.

“No.”

“……!”

Janice’s eyes widened, then her face twisted with rage.

“You said you’d let go if I said that!”

“When did I? I said I might let you go, not that I would.”

“You, you, crazy…!”

Realizing she had been tricked, Janice’s face turned red with anger.

Deciding she couldn’t be dragged around anymore, she started thrashing wildly like a mad dog.

Crack.

Even without listening closely, it was clear that chunks of hair were being pulled out as my hand separated from Janice.

Checking my hand, I found a handful of brown hair clutched in my fingers.

Wow, there must be a bald spot on her head now.

“Ugh! My hair! My hair…! Waaah!”

Janice, perhaps thinking the same, touched her disheveled hair and burst into tears like a child.

I watched the scene with satisfaction as the maids rushed over to surround Janice, unsure of what to do.

“Miss, please calm down.”

“Shut up! How can I calm down?! This is all your fault! It’s because you did nothing that this happened! Waaah!”

Janice, taking out her frustration on the maid, sat on the floor and kicked her feet. Her cries grew louder.

Oh dear, how old is she to be acting like this?

I clicked my tongue, easily guessing the kind of upbringing she’d had, when suddenly…

“What is all this commotion?”

The door burst open, and a middle-aged woman who looked just like Janice appeared.

I recognized her immediately.

Gwen Sharofe.

She had remarried Shailyn’s father and became the head of the family after inheriting the countship upon his death.

She surveyed the room with a frown, then widened her eyes upon seeing her daughter in a disheveled state.

“My goodness, Janice! What happened to you? Why are you crying?”

“Mommy!”

Janice ran to Gwen with a tearful face and hugged her.

“I didn’t do anything, but she suddenly yanked my hair! She even threatened me with scissors and cut my hair! I was scared to death!”

Well, well.

I looked at Janice in disbelief as she exaggerated her victimhood, leaving out her own faults.

She’s really something.

“Oh, my poor daughter. You had a hard time because of that wicked girl.”

“Mom, please scold her.”

“Don’t worry, Janice. I’ll give her a good scolding!”

I watched the mother and daughter cling to each other with blurred vision.

Gwen, who was gently patting Janice’s back, approached me with a fierce expression.

“Shailyn Sharofe, you must be insane. How dare you lay a hand on my daughter? Know that I won’t let this go!”

Ridiculous, when did you ever let anything go?

The memories synchronized with Shailyn had already clearly shown me her malicious behavior.

“Oh, yes. Go ahead.”

I waved my hand dismissively, replying indifferently, making Gwen pause.

She looked at me in confusion, unaccustomed to my lack of fear, then commanded the maids.

“Lock Shailyn in her room immediately, and do not open the door until I give permission!”

“Yes, Countess.”

“You’ll fast until you reflect, Shailyn Sharofe!”

Gwen’s eyes widened as she threatened me. I was dragged away by the rough hands of the maids.

Meanwhile, I shouted at Janice, who was smirking as if she had never cried.

“Janice! You have a bald spot on your head!”

“What? No! My hair―!”

Janice started crying again, feeling her head, while Gwen comforted her as they quickly moved away.

It was a wretched beginning to this possession from the start.

* * *

The maids pushed me into a small, narrow room in the annex and left.

Click.

The sound of the latch being secured outside was clear.

I stood still, slowly looking around the dimly lit room.

A small window facing north, minimal furniture, and mold growing in the corner of the ceiling.

It was a humble, even shabby, sight. The room used by the eldest daughter of a count was no bigger than my one-room apartment.

Sighing deeply, I walked to the full-length mirror in front of me.

Shailyn’s face was reflected in the clean mirror.

‘As expected of the female protagonist.’

Her small, white face was adorned with distinct features.

Her delicate yet sharp eyes sparkled like a frozen lake with clear, bright blue pupils.

I moved those eyes to observe Shailyn more closely.

A slightly upturned nose, full red lips, and a slender jawline.

Even the curve of her round earlobes was as graceful as if drawn with a brush.

Despite wearing a plain navy dress, her appearance shone.

Her unique silver hair, which Janice was terribly jealous of, added to her distinctive aura.

‘It’s fascinating. In reality, she’s just a game character, but possessing her makes her seem human.’

I pressed the corners of her lips with my fingers, looking at her face that seemed cold unless she smiled.

‘She looks a bit like me.’

Like Shailyn, I also had a sullen expression and often heard that I should smile more.

I never imagined that a game protagonist I hadn’t even played would have similarities with me.

In fact, Shailyn’s growth process was also somewhat similar to mine.

Neglect and abuse.

It was the same as what I experienced until I left the orphanage as an adult.

Moreover, after the death of her father, Count Sharofe, five years ago, she was practically in the same situation as an orphan.

Gwen, who inherited the title in place of her husband, took everything from Shailyn and thoroughly isolated her.

Yet, no one helped Shailyn. Even the Duke of Diart, her maternal family, turned their backs on her.

They lived in the capital and had never met her, to begin with.

‘Sigh… But that’s not what’s important right now.’

I pulled myself together, almost getting sidetracked. It’s not the time to be finding pitiful commonalities between Shailyn and me.

I need to find a way back as soon as possible.

I recalled the words from the game window and pondered deeply.

‘But how many male protagonists are there exactly?’

Unfortunately, having never played the game, I knew nothing.

I only guessed that they were all blondes, based on the reviews calling them ‘handsome blondes.’

“Is anyone with blond hair a male lead?”

As I muttered the question to myself, the system responded.

— Ding!

【That won’t do.

You need to find the designated male protagonists. (;￢＿￢)】

Oh, are you giving me attitude now?

“How many of them are there in total?”

【I can’t tell you that right now. ^^】

Oh, how stingy.

“Then can you at least specifically tell me what the hidden route is?”