n

n

nI was now back in the mansion, looking like a horde of angry mobs was out to get me. My servants, even George, was surprised upon seeing me back so early when I had just left for like, probably 2 hours ago. They didn't ask why though…

nIt was because I was already storming inside my room before they could even open their mouths. As soon as I got there, I plopped my body on the bed, heaved a deep breath, and started screaming while punching the pillows. Erin was so shocked to see me like that, and perhaps the others as well, and started to panic.

nThey were asking me if I felt sick, or if something had happened during the time we were out, which led me to this.

nGood thing that my shrieks got muffled by the futon or more people would have come here, wondering what the hell was happening to me, and probably overreact as well.

n

"Milady? Are you okay?

" Erin asked worriedly when I did not stop rolling around the bed.

n'AAAAAAGGGGHHH I FEEL SO DUMB!'

nReally Nadia? Forcing him to take it? I seriously made a fool of myself…

n

"Why did I do that? Aassddkghjkll!!!

" And started screaming again. After a while, I calmed down and laid there motionlessly, staring at the ceiling overhead.

n'Goodness me, I just saw Lukas today. Lukas, the male lead… The Male Lead named Lukas… I saw him…'

nI quickly sat up on the bed and stared at the wall.

n

"Why was he there in the first place?

" I whispered.

nDid the novel ever say that he has another house aside from the dukedom, and the one from the Main Capital? Why did I meet him there?

nIt was truly unexpected. I was unprepared. I never thought that out of all places, he was going to be there. I sound redundant, I know, but it's confusing me!

nIf I knew that he lived at that house, I wouldn't honestly go.

n'All I ever thought was buying some birds and then it got me this… This meeting doesn't make sense at all…'

nOr maybe it is because the future has changed.

nLukas should have only appeared during the Founding Ball, and his first appearance at that.

nI bit my lower lip as I tried to think of something, of the novel plot. But just like any other times that I did, nothing comes to mind. It's as if my memory was being tampered, or something.

nIt's a miracle that I still know who the characters are and that I am existing inside the novel world right now. If I forget about that as well, what would have happened?

n

"But why can't I remember?

" I uttered with breathless wonder.

nIt feels like a conspiracy to me now. Then again, it was just once, but the impact was great, so therefore, I should have still remembered.

nI got up from the bed and started pacing the room, ignoring the five other people who then tactfully retreated to give me some privacy. It escaped my mind that there were others in the room aside from me, but I'm too far gone to think about it.

nCountless times, I had halted on my steps, only to resume again. I was also biting my fingers as I think, and Kuro was watching me all the while.

n

"Ah!

" I gasped out loud,

"The thing!

"

nI recalled back to the time I was sent here. When I got to my senses, what was the first thing I did?

nI snapped my fingers,

"That's right! Visit the library!

"

nI went to read books in the library to learn about this world, and the family history as well. If I'm not mistaken, I had also written down what I read in the novel at that time!

n'Now where is that piece of paper?'

nMy eyes roamed around the room, then stopped at the vanity table. My feet brought me forward and I hurriedly opened the upper drawer.

nI sifted through some sketches all the way to the bottom-most part and pulled some papers out.

n

"Not this, not this either… Nope--

" I grumbled--

"Here it is!

"

nI then dumped the other ones that are not needed on top of the table and gazed at the list in my hand with sparkling eyes.

nThere, on the parchment, were detailed information about the novel, and even some new facts that I had gathered.

n

"I'm so glad that I did jot these down first,

" I uttered, and smiled widely.

nMy eyes then scanned its contents, going through every single bullet and reading them all.

nSo yes, I noted down all the important characters here. The four ML's, Nadia, Estelle, Leon, Kai, Vivienne, and Asmo.

n'Eh? Was there an Asmo before? Who's that?'

nIt was a foreign name that I have no inkling of.

n'Why did I write that name down?'

nMy brows were knotting together. It sounded so unfamiliar that it brought several questions to my head.

nAsmo… Who is Asmo?

nI blinked and tried to think about it, but nothing came.

n'Whatever, that's not important right now. What I want to know is the plot!'

nI read the passages written below the names and went through them one by one. After reading some important clauses, my head began to hurt.

n

"Oh no…

" I muttered,

"This is…

"

nI slowly sat down on the bed again while the curious Kuro sprawled itself beside my foot. I was staring at the parchment with a mixture of disappointment and bewilderment.

n

"The future is gone,

" I lamented.

nIt was so dramatic that I even heard some violins playing in the distance, accompanying the heavy atmosphere that hangs over my head.

n'There's no fateful meeting anymore aside from the Founding Ball!'

nYou see guys, I apparently have noted down all the encounters of Estelle and the Male Leads, in quick straightforward sentences.

nSo the first one was Nathan and her, right? It happened in the Capital, where a thief created a buzz, which led my brother and her to meet. But because Kai is now with me, the alleged thief, it didn't occur. So this route is already a failure.

n'Let's cross that out…'

nNext was actually, Janus and Estelle's fateful meeting. And you know how it was? It was when Estelle had helped a homeless person being bullied by thugs. Our powerful mage, who had seen it while passing by, got curious and investigated about her.

nYou know what sucks? Of course, you are guessing it right, the homeless youngster was no other than Kai. Again, Kai is here, so this encounter will never happen in this life. Let us cross that one out as well...

n'How about Ezekiel and Estelle?'

nI greedily read the whole paragraph with my heart beating like crazy inside my chest.

n

"Ezekiel and Estelle met at the ball, and the former had asked her for a dance,

" I read aloud.

nAww~ This might still go down! There's a possibility! Kai is not involved here anyway.

nMy wide smile then immediately waned when I read the next sentence.

n'It was because Nadia kept pestering him, so he avoided her by doing just that…'

n

"Damn it!

"

nI let out a huge sigh.

nOut of the four fateful encounters, three of them are already impossible to ever happen. Actually, it won't happen, period.

nThat leaves us to Lukas's route.

nHis meeting with her was because he had felt Estelle staring at him throughout the duration of the party, so he got interested and let her follow him around until they were alone outside the garden.

nThat's the time when Estelle proposed a deal with him, right?

n'At least we have one…'

nBut what was the deal?

nI tried to read the rest but did not see anything that says about their deal.

n

"Hmmm…

" I hummed.

nWhy did I not write that particular information down?

nThe rest of the sentences were key points that happened in the novel, like that Wild Boar incident and the events that Nadia had caused.

nSeeing all those events from Nadia's doing, I immediately crossed them all out. It would not happen in this lifetime, so might as well exclude them.

n'It actually did not help… well, maybe a bit.'

nSeeing this list just made me want to cry for how messed up the entire storyline had become.

nI mean, I have no other way of fixing it anymore, because it's already unfixable. Unless I'll turn back the time and do exactly the opposite of what I had done.

n'Hell nah…'

nI already made up my mind that I am now Nadia Herman, henceforth, I will live my life the way it is now.

n'Should I feel bad for ruining the plot?'

nI seriously thought about that, and my answer was bright as day. I don't.

nKuro purred, getting my attention. I glanced at him then ruffled his thick hide. Feeling the softness of his fur made me feel a little better.

n

"But this doesn't mean I would do nothing,

" I said, my eyes glinting with resolve.

nBecause of my doing, the plot had diverted, and Estelle might suffer from it. All I have to do now is to gather information about her and think about the next step after that.

n'Time to set up an investigation!'

n