n

n

nMarinette (Sun-hee)'s POV

nAurora Madeline, the daughter of Marchioness Alexa. She was the child between Marchioness and Marquess Brady who died in the carriage accident on the same night she was born.

nMeanwhile, her brother named Armando, the son between the Marchioness and a commoner. The Marchioness had a son with that man, but after that man died, she was burdened by the dept and was forced to live on the street with her four years old kid until Aurora's father fell in love with her.

nTheir mother-daughter relationship became worse and worse after the Marquess passed away, lady Alexa became the head of the house which was the talk of the capital during that time.

nIt was really rare for a woman to get the title of the head unless their husband was dead or they were the only daughter of the house.

nAnd around that time, I was on my carriage going to that household without knowing the real reason behind the invitation I got that morning.

nBefore leaving the house, it was crowded because of the doctor coming to take care of Diana, they were acting like it was the end of the world.

nI still had some time left until the right time for me to force the emperor to annul my engagement, I should gather some power in the meantime.

nMy status will become worse after breaking the engagement, no man will take Marinette after breaking the engagement with the royal blood.

nI really didn't care about that. Because I didn't stay here for long--

n

"What're you thinking so hard of?

" similar lines I used to hear back at my old world.

nI really wished Ji-hoon was here with me. But at the same time, I didn't want him here since he was smart, kind, and talented. The world there will be a good place for him. My heart broke with the thought of him.

nThe scene of him crying holding my body was heartbreaking and the goodbye was even worse.

n

"Nothing.

" I replied back to Flynn who sat across from me inside the carriage of the Mortel on the way to Madeline's household.

n

"You should've stayed in bed, you're sick.

" I was confused from time to time about the way this spy treated me.

n

"It's good weather today, don't you think Flynn? I can't miss out on a fabulous day like this.

" I looked out of the window, for a second I could see my past self reflected in the window.

n

n

n

nIt was as if the reflection of my past self saying those words to me when the guilt staying in someone else's body began to pile up like a mountain.

nHaa...

n

"My lady, my lady!! You're not looking alright. Let's turn back.

"

nI glanced at the man with the worried look on his face, just why did he keep on urging me to go back?

nWas it because I was Marinette? I was his lady and he had to serve me like he was ordered.

n

"It's just a cold, don't overreact thing. What about you?

"

n

"...me?

"

n

"Your nose is red from the sneezing, you shouldn't have saved me yesterday. I could swim on my own.

"

n

"Eh?! You could swim??

"

nRight, Marinette couldn't swim. I also found out about this a while ago, the reason why she was unconscious was that she fell into the lake but not the lake yesterday though.

n

"You know, I could use magic to lift me up.

" that was an excuse.

n

"Right, right. But why didn't you use it three days ago--

"

n

"Oh, Flynn. Look at that bird, it's beautiful.

" I should avoid that topic since I couldn't regain any of Marinette's memories except the things I read in her diary.

n

"A bird?!

" he looked through the same side of the window, his face was closed to mine since we were in the same carriage.

n

"Yeah, yeah, that bird.

"

n

"It's a crow, do you like that kind of bird?

"

n

"...they're smarter than average birds.

"

n

"Do you know that crow is my favorite animal?

"

n

"It is??

"

nHe nodded and pointed at the crow.

n

"See that? There was a ring on its finger, crow is the only bird I knew who could do such thing.

"

n'Since I used to steal the thing from a crow to survive.'

nI squinted my eyes looking at the crow he pointed, it soon disappeared since the carriage was moving. But when I looked back at that red-haired character, there was a faint of sadness left in his eyes.

nI couldn't comfort him, even though I knew a lot about his past than anyone. His childhood wasn't any better than Marinette's.

nWhy did every character have to have a tragic backstory?

nEven that crazy male lead had one.

n

"Achoo!!

"

nIt was cute seeing him sneezing.

n

"Sorry, my lady.

"

n

"By the way, thank you for the umbrella yesterday.

"

n

"Umbrella?

"

n!!!

n

"Hey, Flynn do we have to go through the forest to get to the Madeline household?

" I noticed something wrong for a while and maybe that was the reason why Flynn tried to stop me from going.

nFlynn...knew about this.

nHe avoided my eyes and replied,

"No, we don't...

"

nSoon after, a group of assassins was everywhere, on the tall tree and some of them blocked the road up ahead.

nThe coachman got off and took out the sword he had been hiding then took off his wig.

n

"Let's finish this quick, guys!

" they already surrounded our carriage, even Flynn alone couldn't beat all of them.

nAssassins weren't supposed to reveal their voice, these guys were just some normal assassins. But their number couldn't be underestimated.

nThe best choice was to run.

n

"I'll protect you, my lady.

" he picked me up from my seat carrying me in his arm, I was startled when he suddenly do something like that while I was thinking about how to run.

n

"Hey!!

"

n

"Sorry.

" he kicked the door till it broke and fell on some of the assassins then he used the forest to escape by jumping from one tree to one tree.

nI felt really dizzy so I wrapped my arm around his neck tightly looking back at those assassins chasing us from behind.

nDeath Roses Magic: Rose Vine

n

"Ack!!

" an agony sound escaped from Flynn's lip as I used the magic of Marinette.

nI still couldn't use the magic, this magic wasn't easy to use. If it was easy to use, Marinette didn't have to spend her life in the basement to control it.

nThe side effect was taken by Flynn instead of me.

n

"Put me down! You'll die.

"

nWas his master crazy to send the assassin to take care of me while Flynn was still around me--

nMy eyes became big as I understood something, my heart felt betrayed.

n

"I'll put you down when it's time. So please...

"

nSoon after, we ran to the dead end. There was a steep cliff a few steps behind us.

nFlynn finally put me down and unsheathed his sword.

n

"Oh? A knight protecting my lady? HAHAHA, come here boy. I'll let you off easily if you leave her.

"

n

"...

" Flynn didn't reply and kept his standing still. Those assassins were triggered by Flynn's arrogance and they came to us all at once.

nWhat a group of stupid people, I really pity them to fight with this male character.

nHe wasn't given such an important job from the crown prince for nothing.

nLost Magic: Time Stop

nThe voice occurred all over the air, I felt like I lost all my sense of direction, and when I came back to my sense.

nFlynn was the one standing where the assassins were a moment ago while those assassins fell off the cliff.

nI looked from above, from that height, I couldn't see anything below except the trace of blood and body like a redlight fireworks or an insect crushed.

nFlynn didn't run here just to escape, he really knew the inside out of this forest. That was why he chose this cliff to finish them off without blood splattering on his sword.

nIf it was Marinette, she would be falling into these people and the male lead's scheme including Flynn's. All of these were just for...

nI gritted my teeth trying to calm myself down.

n

"Who sent you here?

" Flynn pointed his sword at the one assassin he spared.

n

"...hahaha...Uwahahaha, this is the famous knight everyone talking about?!

"

n

"Are you crazy--

" it was a surprise for that man to laugh but he had a reason to laugh. That assassin was the leader of the assassins.

nHe was behind my back with the dagger pointing at my back, I stared at Flynn's eyes which were shaking when he turned to me.

n'Sh*t, this wasn't in the plan.'

nLost Magic: Time-

n

"HAHAHA, if you used that magic, this woman will die. I won't lose anything even if I kill her...

"

n

"You bastard--

" his words were cut off when he saw the dagger already travel to my behind my neck, I put my hand on my neck touching the blood.

n

"...I...will...kill this...woman...

" he pulled his dagger back while gripping my arm and then it rushed to my neck at an extremely fast speed.

nI could feel the chill all over my body as I was shaking.

n'Come on, Flynn...I'm waiting. Show me your real power.'

nEven in that situation, I was trembling because of the excitement of watching those people's performances. It was on top of the world, especially Flynn who pretended to protect me.

n

"Die!

"

nLost Magic: Target Lock

nThe flesh of the assassin behind me dropped to the ground and his head went rolling down off the cliff.

nI took a deep breath for air, I never felt anything like that in my life.

nFlynn came to me and ripped part of his clothes to cover the blood behind my neck.

n

"You're hurt because of me...

"

n

"Don't worry, Flynn. I trust you. Thank you so much for saving my life.

" I smiled at him patting his shoulder.

nHe helped me walk back to the carriage then left me there after casting the magic barrier to protect me. After that, he took the horse from the carriage to get the doctor to come here treating me. Well, convincing him to go alone and leave me there was such a difficult thing.

nThat guy was really bothersome. Bringing a doctor to me will be a problem to me now since I...wasn't injured in the first place.

nHahaha. I've never felt something like that in my life.

nIt was such a unique experience.

nBefore that dagger of the assassin came to my neck, I already stabbed him with the hairpin I hid behind the back of my dress. There was poison on the end of the hairpin.

nI really couldn't afford to let this body die, that was why I prepared it since the day I came to this world.

nAnd that blood was the assassin's blood, I wiped it on my neck fooling Flynn. Since his master really did his best to send those stupid assassins, I should enjoy it and follow along.

nJudging by Flynn's expression, that crazy male lead who sent those assassins to me didn't want them to exactly kill me.

nHe just wanted them to scare me and then let Flynn be the hero of the day, to be the savior of my life.

nA round of applause to that bastard, it was pretty sure coming from him since he also used that plan before. He used that kind of tragedy to bring Flynn to his side back when Flynn was young.

nHe killed Flynn's family and then appeared in front of Flynn as the savior the next day. The novel stated that Flynn's family was bad people, but was that really true, or was it just that the male lead wanted Flynn for his talent in magic?

nSigh.

nI was going to ask the last assassin who was the leader for some information but too bad, he was killed by Flynn.

nBut I still had my backup card. I didn't just use the death roses magic for nothing back then when they were chasing us to the cliff.

n

"Wake up!!

"

n

"Huh?! Where am I? How did I--

"

nI caught an assassin with the vine then let the vine drag him to the bush near the carriage.

n

"Now, tell me everything!

" I grinned at the assassin.

nAt Madeline's household,

n

"Lady Aurora...it's already late. Lady Mortel won't come.

" the maid put the tea on the table and told her lady as she saw the situation.

nShe was waiting since early morning till now and yet Marinette hadn't come yet.

n

"What's she thinking? Even if that lady comes, she won't gain anything out of her since that woman was just an abandoned daughter of the duke and the crown prince doesn't love her.

" Armando standing looking at Aurora who was sipping tea in disgust and he talked loudly on purpose to let her hear his words.

n

"Don't worry, she will come.

"

n'Of course, she will. The question is how hasn't she come yet?'

nAurora was speaking like she could predict the future, she put another sugar cube in her tea then glanced at the gate right at the moment when the carriage arrived in front of her house.

n

"Lady Mortel really come, my lady.

"

n

"I know. I know. Now then, it's time.

" she walked to the gate to greet the lady in the red dress which was stained with blood, but it couldn't be seen by most people, the blood blended with the color of her dress.

nThe bandage around her neck made the perfect necklace fit with her white hair as she smiled at Aurora.

n

"Sorry, I'm late, lady Madeline.

"

n

"Don't mind it. The pleasure is mine for you coming to my house. You can just call me Aurora.

"

n

"Ohoho, I'm so glad. You can also call me Marinette then.

"

n

"Oh my, it is an honor.

" she bowed a little and tilted her head up smiling at Marinette.

n'To get power!' those two shared the same thought.

nTo be continued....!

n