His black hair swayed gently. Anten, the man’s attendant, was drying his shoulder-length hair with a towel.

Once time passed and his hair dried completely, the man’s hair was neatly tied back with a string. If he were at home, he would have simply thrown on a shirt and pants before heading to work, but right now that wasn’t an option.

“Lord Luden, what outfit would you prefer?”

Anten asked. The man’s red eyes turned toward him.

His eyes, called the ‘red jewels’ by those around him, looked like blazing flames had been captured inside them. They were beautiful to that extent, but unfortunately, not a trace of warmth could be felt from them.

Eyes like minerals.

Like the eyes of a rigid doll, the man’s eyes held not a single emotion. Luden Charlot of the Marquis Charlot family.

He was still young, but his expression remained cold and his lips firmly pressed together. His face still looked youthful, but that expression alone seemed hardened by time, like someone who had already experienced everything there was to experience.

The Marquis Charlot family was a prestigious household in the Duke Empire and ranked among the top five wealthiest families. And the head of that family was none other than Luden Charlot.

“…Something appropriately respectful will do.”

At his words, Anten bowed his head and chose a modest black suit. Since it was spring, a bright white suit might have been fitting too, but this was, after all, the day he would meet his fiancée for the first time. That meant proper etiquette had to be observed.

“How about this one?”

What Anten selected was a black suit with a ruby emblem embedded on the chest. The jewel matched Luden’s eyes perfectly.

“Good.”

Luden said this and put on the suit. Anten diligently attended to him from the side.

Having finished preparing to meet his fiancée, Luden quickly moved his feet. Before meeting his fiancée, the place he headed to was the room where his ailing mother stayed.

“Mother.”

When he knocked on the door, a bell rang from inside. It was a bell he had bought for his mother, whose health had deteriorated to the point where moving around had become difficult. The sound of this bell meant it was okay to enter.

He quickly opened the door and went inside.

The room was filled with a pungent medicinal smell that stung the nose. Honestly speaking, it had been uncomfortable at first, but now he was used to it.

His mother, Anan, lay in that room vibrating with medicinal smells, her silver hair loose and disheveled. Her complexion was terribly poor, appearing darkened. It seemed like the energy of death had visited her face.

“Come in, dear.”

Anan raised her hand as she spoke to him.

“Today’s the day you go to see your fiancée, isn’t it?”

At Anan’s words, Luden nodded lightly.

“That’s correct.”

“I hear she’s quite beautiful?”

Luden recalled Annelia Rosaline. Though he had only seen her through a portrait, she was certainly a beauty dazzling enough to hurt the eyes.

Her honey-smooth and sweet-looking blonde hair cascaded down to her waist, and her spring-like light green eyes sparkled. Combined with the colorful clothes she wore, her appearance seemed exceptional even to Luden’s eyes.

Some called her the jewel of the Duke Empire.

Annelia was quite famous in the empire. It was because of her beautiful appearance and somewhat peculiar personality.

She went around saying that all people were good, so they should be treated well. Everyone secretly looked down on her for this. Though no one dared to harm her outright since she was the daughter of a ducal family, everyone called her a fool.

And right now, he desperately needed that foolishness.

“Mother, I’ll be back soon.”

There was no one but him to care for his mother, whose illness was so evident. He wanted to stay by his mother’s side constantly, but he would soon have to leave for three years of knight training.

That’s why he needed a woman with a personality kind to the point of foolishness, who would never harm others, to care for his mother in his place. That person was Annelia Rosaline.

But unaware of his true intentions, his mother smiled and said,

“Treat her well.”

At her words, Luden smiled bitterly.

* * *

I opened the transparent window and felt the warm spring weather as the breeze blew in.

“Lord Luden Charlot has arrived!”

He’s here already. My face scrunched up at the maid’s words.

If it were the original Annelia, she would have waited for Luden with a joyful heart. Thinking that he had saved her family.

Without even suspecting that in the future, the male lead would fall in love with another woman and abandon her. But I know how they end up, so I’m absolutely not falling for it.

“I don’t want to go.”

As I let out a grumbling complaint, a comforting voice came from beside me.

“Miss, this is a good match. You have to go.”

The person who said this was Lella. With brown hair and brown eyes, she was Annelia’s personal maid.

“Right.”

Since we agreed to the engagement, I have to meet the original male lead for now. However, he’s someone who will eventually dump me and leave to find another female lead.

The original Annelia willingly let him go, but not me. I’ll take what I can before getting dumped!

That’s the universal truth of this world. I was feeling satisfied inside, but outwardly I pretended to grumble for now.

“I should go meet my fiancé.”

“Miss, that’s a wise decision.”

At Lella’s words, I smiled brightly. And I headed downstairs.

* * *

<His black hair swayed smoothly with every movement, and his red eyes reflecting the sunlight held such mystery that they overwhelmed the crowd wherever his gaze landed.>

This was the passage praising the male lead’s appearance that I found most memorable. In the original work, they said the male lead was terrifyingly handsome and praised his appearance at every opportunity.

‘Just how handsome is he, really?’

The moment to confirm whether the author properly described him was approaching. I’d be disappointed if he was just so-so.

Thinking this, I stood confidently in front of the drawing room door and took a breath. Father had already met with Luden. Since this was our first meeting, he told us to be alone together. The engagement was practically certain, so he probably thought nothing unusual would happen.

But.

‘Sorry, Dad!’

The body was Annelia’s, but the mind wasn’t entirely Annelia’s. In other words, I was fully prepared to cause trouble.

“Hello.”

When I opened the door and entered, the man who had been sitting with his back to the door stood up.

‘Wow!’

Before my eyes stood an incredibly striking man. His neatly tied black hair was vivid in color, like pure darkness had seeped into it. His hair was silky enough to sway gently in the breeze.

And beneath that jet-black hair, red eyes sparkled. Those red eyes seemed like they would overwhelm and dominate anyone. They were beautiful eyes just to look at, but with dignity settling in them, they gave off a powerful impression.

Seeing my fiancé’s appearance, I unconsciously opened my mouth. I had thought he’d be handsome at best, but…

‘This is the ultimate level of good looks!’

To think I’d be marrying a man like this—what is happening? I stared at him, momentarily speechless at his appearance, which was better-looking than the celebrities I’d seen on television, then remembered the fact that we’d be divorcing anyway.

‘But he’s not my man.’

Right, now wasn’t the time to be swayed by appearances. I didn’t need a pretty persimmon I couldn’t eat.

Feeling regretful about the fact that I’d have to divorce this man in the near future, I took a seat.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Annelia Rosaline.”

I introduced myself with a quiet smile. Then Luden’s eyes slowly turned toward me.

“I’m Luden Charlot.”

His tone is dry. After finishing his introduction, he took a sip of tea. His fingertips were trembling slightly.

‘Is he nervous?’

No way. The novel said not a single emotion settled in him, so what nervousness? I must be mistaken.

Sure enough, Luden threw out a common, safe question.

“May I ask what your hobbies are?”

Hearing the question, I felt a bit absurd. From what I saw in the original novel, before coming to this meeting, he had already thoroughly investigated Annelia. To confirm precisely whether she had the character to care for his mother or not.

In other words, he understood Annelia in more detail than she knew herself. And yet he asks this kind of question.

‘How shameless.’

To ask such a question without changing his expression at all. But I couldn’t show it. The fact that Luden did a background check was something Annelia couldn’t know, and therefore had to remain secret.

“Reading books.”

There’s no internet in this world. So what developed as entertainment was mostly reading books. The previous Annelia liked books, and fortunately, I, who possessed her body, also enjoyed reading.

“What about you, Lord Marquis?”

I asked.

“Horseback riding and sword training.”

“Books?”

“I read them reasonably well.”

Luden’s tone was quite dry, but he was trying to keep the conversation going. He seemed to think today was a day to learn about each other.

As we talked about this and that, I smiled brightly. I’d been waiting for the right timing, but it’s difficult. I should probably just interrupt the conversation and say it.

“Lord Charlot.”

I wonder how you’ll react.

“The thing is.”

If I marry like this, I’ll end up divorcing without any safety net. Of course, the male lead isn’t cold enough to offer no compensation at all. Didn’t he offer Annelia, who did her best to care for his mother, a substantial alimony anyway?

But that was the story in the novel. Now that I had become Annelia, there was no guarantee the future would follow that path.

What if the male lead’s heart changed midway?

I was confident I could care for Luden’s mother well, but I didn’t know how Luden would act afterward. He might ask for a divorce for some desire other than the female lead.

That’s why I threw him a curveball.

“I want to break off the engagement.”

Well, if this fails, Father will handle the rest somehow. But Luden’s eyes widened as though he couldn’t believe what I’d just said.

“Break off the engagement?”

This is where it begins.

“If things continue like this, I feel like I’ll be at too much of a disadvantage.”

I drew a cheerful smile across my lips.

“…But if you don’t get engaged to me, your family will be in danger.”

Is that a threat?

“It truly pains me that my family’s business would be endangered by my breaking off the engagement, but Father will understand my feelings in time. Above all, that business is Father’s matter, not mine.”

Luden said nothing. Because it wasn’t wrong. After staring at me searchingly for a moment, he opened his mouth.

“Lady Rosaline.”

Luden rubbed his chin with his hand.

“What disadvantage are you talking about?”

His eyes were wavering. Yes, this is how we communicate!

I listened to his words and took another sip of tea. Then I spoke to Luden, who was waiting for my answer.

“I’m anxious about marrying without any conditions.”

“Conditions?”

“We’re not marrying because we love each other. We’re marrying out of necessity. Oh, of course, I still don’t know what you want to gain through this marriage, Lord Marquis.”

Though I actually do know.

“Anyway, Father receives money, and Lord Marquis gains some unknown compensation. But I gain nothing. That doesn’t seem right.”