Chapter 1

「Imperial Year xxx, x Month x Day  

D-day.  

Today is the day my perfect superior begins his love story.」  

「Imperial Year xxx, xx Month x Day  

Lately, His Majesty has been frequently absent. It must be because of Lady Evenheim.  

It seems everything is going well. Well, of course. They are destined to be together.」  

「Imperial Year xxx, xx Month xx Day  

Whenever I read a novel where the Emperor is the protagonist, I’ve always wondered:  

While the Emperor is having the romance of the century, how does the country run? Who is doing all the work?  

Now I know the answer.  

Me.  

I do it. Me…!」  

* * *

The Emperor’s right-hand woman, acknowledged by all.  

The true power of the Empire, before whom even the most elite nobles must bow their heads.  

The first female aide and the youngest Imperial Chief Aide in history.  

Sabrina Wintlet, who carried all these dazzling titles like accessories, had a secret.  

She was a transmigrator!  

She had achieved everything transmigrators dream of—wealth, fame, and a guaranteed comfortable retirement. Yet, lately, Sabrina’s expression had been growing darker by the day.  

“What on earth should I do about His Majesty…?”  

The reason for her sleepless nights was none other than her superior, Chase.  

Chase Alexander Belfort. The Emperor of the Empire and the male protagonist of this novel’s world.  

Handsome, capable, and even kind.  

Her perfect superior had started behaving strangely.  

At first, he began sneaking away from his duties more frequently. Then he started grinning all day as if the world were a bed of flowers. On top of that, he would constantly pester her with unnecessary questions while she was busy with work…  

These days, Sabrina felt as though her workload had increased tenfold.  

‘Why are you doing this to me, Your Majesty?’  

The cause of Chase’s strange behavior was clear.  

He had changed the moment Elena, the female protagonist of the original novel, appeared.  

‘The romance between the male and female leads was so enjoyable to read about in the book.’  

The problem was that Chase was the Emperor, and Sabrina was his aide.  

The thought of spending her entire life cleaning up after the male and female leads left her dizzy.  

“…Did I perhaps choose the wrong job?”  

* * *

On her seventh birthday, Sabrina, the neglected youngest daughter of the Viscount Wintlet family, realized that this world was actually part of a novel.  

“Heena, Ms. Baek Heena! Can you hear me? Please, get a hold of yourself.”  

“Someone, call for help! Quickly!”  

“…Is this 119? This is the Royal Group’s secretary office. Someone has suddenly collapsed here.”  

When she woke up, all her memories from her previous life had returned.  

The title of the romance fantasy novel she had transmigrated into was ‘The Rose of Evenheim’.  

It was the story of the lively female protagonist, Elena Evenheim, who meets Emperor Chase, saves the Empire from a crisis, and falls in love.  

Sabrina’s life, which had been that of an ordinary seven-year-old girl, turned upside down overnight.  

‘I don’t want to live in this patriarchal household and end up marrying some man I don’t even know!’  

With about 15 years left before the original story began, Sabrina spent her days keeping track of whether the world was unfolding as expected. She clung tightly to the pristine books her brothers had thrown aside, which bore no signs of study.  

‘I need to learn as much as I can. If I don’t want to miss my chance to change my life when the opportunity arises.’  

When Sabrina turned sixteen, the male protagonist Chase’s journey began in earnest. She was now one step closer to the original story.  

「Exclusive! The Secret Recipe of the Imperial Chef That Captured the Crown Prince’s Heart」  

「The Crown Prince’s Choice: Yellow Diamond」  

Chase, who was practically an idol in Belfort, dominated the headlines.  

Everything he said, wore, or ate made the front page of the newspapers.  

If he appeared at a banquet with his forehead exposed, every gentleman in Belfort would immediately slick their hair back to show off their foreheads. If he later appeared with his hair naturally covering his forehead, they would hurriedly cover theirs as if nothing had happened.  

While the respect and affection for the Imperial Family had always been profound, the public’s interest in Chase was extraordinary.  

The first reason was his stunning appearance.  

His glossy, dark brown hair and marble-white skin made his already sharp features stand out even more.  

His bright, lemon-colored golden eyes were so dazzling that they instantly captivated anyone who saw them. Yet, they suited him perfectly without seeming excessive.  

Chase’s beauty truly shone when he smiled. The way his eyes curved, his refreshing smile, his even teeth, and the deep dimples on his cheeks—all of it softened even the coldest hearts.  

In fact, Chase was so handsome that people claimed there had never been anyone in the Imperial lineage as good-looking as him since the founding of Belfort.  

The second reason was his groundbreaking words and actions. It all started with the bombshell he dropped during his first public speech.  

“I only value competence. Gender, age, family background… such secondary attributes are not considerations when I select talent.”  

Naturally, this caused an uproar in Belfort.  

Opposition to Chase’s statement spread like wildfire. Even the elders of prominent families voiced their criticisms.  

In such a situation, one might have expected him to back down, but Chase didn’t even raise an eyebrow. He didn’t confront his critics head-on, either.  

Instead, he responded with his signature charming smile and a cheerful tone.  

“I just want the best talent by my side. I’m not offering special treatment. I’m simply looking at ability. Are you saying you lack confidence in your own skills? If so, I’m disappointed.”  

Though brief, his response was incredibly effective. The heated public opinion cooled instantly.  

Criticizing Chase’s words would make one seem like a coward who doubted their own abilities.  

As Sabrina followed the events through the newspapers, she suddenly realized something.  

“This is it!”  

A chance to escape her family’s neglect and stand on her own.  

An opportunity to use the knowledge she had to gain wealth and fame.  

A chance to continue building the career she had worked so hard for in her previous life.  

‘I’ll become the male protagonist’s aide!’  

***

From that day on, Sabrina’s efforts became more focused. Her goal was clear.  

‘But… it’s harder than I thought.’  

Despite Chase’s progressive stance, Belfort was still a deeply patriarchal society.  

The education available to noblewomen was limited to basic spelling and arithmetic.  

Since Viscount Wintlet adhered strictly to these norms, Sabrina had to be cunning. She knew she’d face harsh punishment if caught.  

‘There’s so much I need to study.’  

But where there’s a will, there’s a way. Sabrina found a method.  

“Frederick, are you keeping up?”  

“Ah…”  

“Focus. The difficulty jumps from here. Ask questions immediately if you don’t understand.”  

She secretly attended her second brother’s lessons, pretending to study for the same exams.  

Every day, Sabrina would sneak into the study, silently taking notes and organizing the lessons.  

“…That’s it for today.”  

“Finally!”  

“Don’t forget to review what we covered today, and make sure to read the next chapter in advance. Understood?”  

“Yes. Thank you for your hard work.”  

But as they say, the tail will eventually get caught.  

“Come out.”  

Hiding behind the bookshelf, Sabrina was caught by the sharp-eyed tutor.  

“…You knew?”  

“I noticed a few weeks ago.”  

Looking up at the tutor’s stern face, Sabrina cautiously asked,  

“Are you going to tell Father?”  

“Well…”  

The tutor stroked his rough chin before speaking.  

“I’m just a teacher. My job is to teach, nothing more.”  

“…!”  

“To be honest, I’m relieved to know I’ve been teaching someone all this time.”  

Surprisingly, the tutor became an ally. He seemed to admire her determination to learn.  

“I don’t know what your ambitions are, but I won’t stand in your way.”  

He even bought books for Sabrina and stayed after lessons to help her study.  

Thanks to this unexpected support, Sabrina quickly mastered the subjects required for the aide exam, including the language of the neighboring country, Sahel, which was crucial in the original story.  

She also meticulously collected articles about Chase, knowing that understanding her future boss was vital.  

‘This is my one chance. I won’t let it slip away.’  

***

First written exam? Passed.  

Second written exam? Cleared with ease.  

Now, only the final stage remained: the interview.  

On the day of the interview, Sabrina wore the most modest dress she owned and tied her hair neatly.  

In the waiting room, she noticed that she was the only woman among the ten candidates.  

‘Of course.’  

It made sense. Chase’s declaration to hire based solely on merit was less than two years old.  

One by one, the candidates were called in. As the room emptied, Sabrina’s palms grew damp with sweat.  

‘It’s okay. There’s no need to be nervous.’  

She took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart.  

Finally, her name was called.  

“Sabrina Wintlet.”  

“Yes.”