n

n

nA long night passed, the sun rose. Another day began,

nAurora (Eun-Kyung)'s POV

nI got invited to the Mortel duchy that day, compared to the house I reincarnated into, this duchy was a whole different level.

nEven their gates and their knight's presence overwhelmed me to the point I was shaking. The butler of the duchy took me to the inside, the interior was jaw-dropping. I could see the emblem of rose everywhere throughout the mansion.

nThe portrait of their family was so scary, especially the duke and Marinette.

nNow I knew the reason why Marinette looked so cold and fierce, she took after duke Jellal. Meanwhile, in the portrait, Diana was so pretty and beautiful. Her visual screamed elegant and style, her smile was so bright it could blind my eyes.

nAnd the other person in the portrait was that man, the target of my mission.

nHe looked simple, nothing special. He just had a simple smile, everything about him was ordinary. He was the disposablecharacter after all just like me who was an extra.

n

"I'm sorry I'm late, Aurora.

" Marinette walked up to me in a dark purple dress, her hair was styled beautifully putting her hair on her neck laying down upfront.

n

"I just came here, it's so beautiful here.

"

nHaa...I was Marinette's friend. I was going to keep our relationship a secret from Diana but who would have thought I got invited to the duchy like that?

n

"Now that you're here, why don't I introduce you to my sister?

"

nAh!

nI thought it was gonna be alright because I heard Diana was sick since she fell into the lake but this villainess's evil smile was like reading my mind like I was a book in her palm.

n

"Sister, is your guest already here?

"

nHuh?

nOh my god!!! Oh my god!!! It was the female lead walking toward me, she was even more beautiful a hundred times than how she was described in the novel.

nWhite fair skin, a couple of pink eyes, with the dashing blonde hair, she looked like a goddess--

nI had to calm myself, although I liked her character. It wasn't the time for me to fangirl over her. Diana was Aurora's friend, and during her worst time, I went to befriend the woman who stole her lover. I was really a terrible woman.

n

"Ah, Diana. This is my friend, Aurora. We met yesterday.

"

n

"Greeting, lady Aurora. I heard a lot about you recently.

"

nShe greeted me with a smile and her courtesy was praiseworthy but why did she pretend she didn't know Aurora? And why did her eyes seem like she was judging me?

nAnd why were they so close again?

n

"How about you two have a nice talk? I have to go get something in my room.

"

n

"...wait--

" she already turned her back and left me alone with Diana.

nI glanced at Diana from time to time, but her smile dropped when Marinette left. I didn't know who was the real villainess there when I saw her coldness in her sharp eyes.

n

"This is your first time here, correct? I'm sick right now so let me walk around with you a little bit.

"

nThe female lead I read wasn't like that, she was kind but the woman in front of me was the opposite.

n

"Diana, I--

"

n

"It's alright. It's your choice to befriend someone. I don't mind about it. You can befriend my sister too, I. Don't. Mind.

"

nMarinette (Sun-hee)'s POV

nIt was disgusting when she called me sister back then. She was the one who dragged me in the lake the day before yesterday and now she acted as nothing happened.

nMy forehead felt a little bit hot.

nI intended to break their friendship and caused a little drama by taking Aurora to her room while she was sick in her bed.

nHer coming out of the room suddenly really startled me, fortunately, I could keep my composure.

nLife needed drama sometimes. I will be sleeping while they were hanging out with each other.

nWhen did I go to bed last night? Three am?

n*sigh*

nWithout the mask I wore, they would see my eyebags.

nHaa...I took off the mask and went to sleep. When I was about to fall asleep, suddenly a knock on my door reached my ear and annoyed the hell out of me.

n

"Who is it?

"

n

"I'm the tailor duke Jellal sent for you.

"

nA tailor? Usually, we cut dress on special occasions like going to the ball or something.

nI woke up to open the door for the tailor, she looked stylish. She was recommended by the duke after all.

n

"Come in.

"

nI didn't know what party I will wear the dress for, but if I had to guess. It might be Tristan's birthday next week.

n

"So what color would you like, milady?

"

n

"What color will the duke wear?

"

n

"It was my husband who cut the duke's clothes, so I don't know about that.

"

n

"How about black?

"

n

"But it is a birthday party, and you will have to go to the ball too.

"

nA ball? Right, Tristan's birthday party will be held at the imperial ball as it will be the day he will become the junior duke.

n

"I choose white then.

"

nShe measured my body and wrote it down on her note then bowed at me taking her leave.

nI didn't know Tristan's birthday would come quickly like that.

nMy eyes felt hurt now, I should take a rest or I might collapse in front of everyone.

nKnock knock

n&^%&^&

nI almost swore because of the annoying feeling I felt right at that moment.

n

"Who is it?!!

"

n

"Open the door.

" the voice gave me goosebumps since he wasn't supposed to come all the way to my room like that.

nWhat did he want with me?

nI opened the door and bowed at him even though he was the father of this body.

n

"Good morning, your grace.

" I didn't see his expression at that time since my head was bowing at him. But he might be happy since he won't hear the word father from Marinette again.

n

"You have to behave at the upcoming party of our family, don't cause trouble.

"

nHe should have told the butler if that was all he got to say to his daughter.

n

"Yes, I will just stand in the corner if that is what you want.

" he walked away to the staircase after that.

nI rolled my eyes and prepared to fall into my bed as soon as I stepped into my room.

n

"Where are you going?

" he said to me coldly while waiting for me at the staircase.

n

"Do you have more things to say to me, your grace?

"

n

"Let's go for a walk.

"

nOf all time the duke had to ask me for a walk.

n

"I'm a little bit tired today. So I have to refuse.

"

n

"...are you sick?

"

n

"Even if I'm sick, it won't concern you. I will be better by the time of Tristan's birthday.

"

nIt took him till then to ask me if his daughter was sick or not.

nI walked back inside my room and closed the door, that time I took a deep breath because I could finally get some sleep.

nAHHHH

nBut a scream from the outside woke me up even though I haven't fallen asleep yet.

nI learned my lesson, I won't stay up at night ever again.

nIt was Diana's voice, and she was with Aurora.

nI rushed to where the scream was coming from. It was the duchy's training ground.

nEveryone was gathering around, I pushed my way in and Aurora came to me as soon as she saw me.

n

"Marinette, lady Diana, she...

"

n

"Everyone, step back.

" I said to everyone, the duke and Tristan already ran here but if I let Diana be, the dukedom will have a problem again.

nThe side effect of Diana's magic didn't compare one bit to Marinette's. But it still hurt.

nI looked up at Diana, she was overwhelmed with the death roses' magic. The pink magic energy surrounded her like a tornado leaving her no way out.

n

"What's going on here?!

" Tristan ran to where I stood and stop at the same spot looking at the tornado surrounding Diana.

n

"Brother...help...

" it won't harm the person inside the magic tornado but to get that person out, it will harm the saver.

nEven the duke was hesitating, they were all talks about caring and protecting Diana but no one stepped up when she called for help.

nLooking at the situation, she might be using her magic wrong while trying to show off.

n

"What are you doing?!

" Tristan put his hand on my shoulder when he saw me walking toward Diana.

n

"Save Diana, what else?

"

n

"We'll find a solution, what can you do anyway?

"

n

"...

" I ignored his words and shook his hand off me, I walked inside the tornado, my hair went messy as I stepped into it.

nMy skin was all damaged and some cut appeared on my arm as I grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the tornado.

n

"Diana, are you alright?

" while the blood dripped from my arm, Tristan rushed to Diana and carried her out and the duke was just staring with his widened eyes.

n

"Marinette, your arm...

"

n

"I'm alright, Aurora.

" of all people, only Aurora came to me and asked for my wellbeing.

nIt was nothing, it just hurt a little bit. Compared to the abusive violence in my past life, I could endure it.

n

"What happened?

" the duke asked the maid and the maid replied,

"Lady Diana was walking with lady Aurora but then it happened.

"

nThe duke with his scary sharp eyes walked to Aurora, Aurora's hands were shaking while she tried to stop the bleeding on my arm.

n

"I assumed you're Aurora, correct? Then, will you tell me what happened back then?

"

n

"...it was like the maid said, it just happened out of the blue.

"

n

"There is no way it could happen out of the blue! From this day on, you will be forbidden from coming--

"

n

"I was the one!

"

n

"What are you saying?

"

n

"I set up the trap, I was jealous of her. She got a lot of people looking after her, so I envied her. Aurora didn't have anything to do with this.

"

n

"Do you expect me to believe that? I know she's your first friend, but don't say such nonsense.

"

n

"I never knew it would turn out like this. So it's all my fault.

"

n

"Marinette...

" said, Aurora.

n

"I'm sorry, I will repent over my doing...don't blame Aurora.

"

n

"...

" he just left.

nI was really tired of Diana's scheme, but at least I could show Aurora who the real Diana was.

nI earned some of her trust by the way she looked at me with her eyes.

nIt wasn't that bad after all.

n!!!

nMy heart ached again when experiencing the situation firsthand just like how Marinette used to feel when she was young.

nThe same widen back which I couldn't reach, and the feeling of being abandoned.

nThat time, I used Marinette's emotion as an excuse. It wasn't me who felt sad and heartbroken at that moment.

nAurora (Eun-Kyung)'s POV

nMy eyes went teary seeing Marinette stand up for me in front of the duke, the situation will get out of hand if everyone assumed I was the culprit behind what happened to Diana.

nWhat happened earlier wasn't Marinette's fault, I didn't see any of the trap on the training ground. The magic energy just surrounded Diana out of the blue.

nDiana wasn't how I thought she would be, she was ten times worse than Marinette.

nI had a hunch she might be Sun-hee since there were many changes about her from the novel.

n

"It's just a small cut, don't worry.

" she said to me, it looked painful, and yet she said those words to me, even those knights could see how the wound was.

nThose knights too, no one came to carry her back to the duchy.

nI really couldn't expect anything from them, I carried Marinette in my arm back to her room on my own.

nThese people in the duchy were really the worst.

n

"I'm sorry I couldn't give you a good time here, Aurora.

"

n

"It's really alright. You should take care of your body, it might leave a scar.

" I put the ointment on her arm and then wrapped it with the bandages.

nHer neck wound hadn't healed yet and she got more wounds that day.

n

"That mask looks uncomfortable, why don't you take it off?

"

n

"Ah...it was the mask my father gave me, and it might scare you if you see my scar.

"

n

"Don't worry about that, we're friends, right?

"

nI choose her as my friend, I won't be friends with that female lead. The author lied to me, I felt like I've been betrayed when I saw her personality.

nAnd I used to see the scar anyway since Sun-hee also had a scar on her face.

nShe took off her mask, her face was not ugly with just a little bit of scar. It was because of society's standards.

nShe was beautiful, one day she might realize it too.

n

"The scar isn't that bad. You're beautiful.

"

n

"Thank you, Aurora. It means a lot to me.

"

n

"I was just saying the truth.

" we both chuckled, and then Marinette opened the drawer near her bed and took something out to give to me.

n

"What is this?

"

n

"It was something I wanted to give you.

"

n'It's a bracelet.'

nIt reminded me of the friendship bracelet Sun-hee gave me back then.

n

"It's pretty.

" she smiled and closed her eyes slowly.

nI watched her as she slept on her bed holding her hand.

nThat day, I realizes that reincarnating into an extra wasn't all bad. It was better than the villainess and the female lead.

n

"Aurora...

"

n

"Yes?

" she wasn't asleep yet.

n

"Your strength, I think you look cool when you carried me and Flynn...

" her words made me surprised. Even I, who stayed in the body felt anxious about the superstrength power but hearing that made me...

nHaa...

n'If she keeps doing this, I might mistake her as the female lead.'

nTo be continued....!

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