episode_0003

Still, since it’s my flesh and blood, I thought it would be okay.

However, at the sight of her silly, twitching expression as she raised the corner of her mouth at the word “older brother.”

Eleanor shook her head slightly.

What can I say? Is it because she’s the youngest daughter…

Sighing softly while seated on the large sofa in the drawing-room, Eleanor pondered.

Well, at least they’re family. They won’t see me in a romantic light, after all.

“Miss, are you still tired?”

“Eek! Y-You startled me!”

Despite being cautious due to many watching eyes, how did she notice?

Sophie, who had been standing behind her, heard Eleanor’s sigh and approached like a ghost, leaning in to speak.

A graduate of a prestigious boys’ middle school and high school, and then engineering college.

Originally distant from women, Sophie had climbed up the tech tree.

Even if she was now buried among women, Eleanor still couldn’t adapt to the high-pitched voices.

Hiding her surprise behind the teacup on the tea table, Eleanor spoke.

“Oh, no. I’m fine. By the way, Sophie, do you know about the Ballati Viscount?”

“Miss… Surely you remember Viscount Ballati? You made so much effort to receive a letter from him.”

Honestly, I thought that earlier comment was just Albriss’s jealous fabrication.

What have you been up to all this time, Eleanor?

I thought you were just a useless miss, but turns out you’ve been walking yourself to your own demise.

Clutching her head, which had started to ache, Eleanor shook her head from side to side to clear her mind.

Seeing the young lady shaking her head, Sophie continued in an elevated tone.

“I know. I overheard earlier. A letter came from Viscount Ballati. Congratulations, Miss!”

Congratulations? What kind of congratulations is that? You’re practically walking into your own death.

Whether Eleanor knew it or not, her thoughts reflected her frustration.

As if she had received an invitation herself, blushing her freckled cheeks, Sophie clasped her hands tightly and looked at Eleanor.

“So, will Viscount Ballati be escorting you to the ball?”

“No. The ball is for… Oh, forget it.”

Seemingly tired of explaining further, Eleanor raised her delicate arm, waving it back and forth to dismiss Sophie’s curiosity.

Ignoring Sophie’s disappointed expression, Eleanor leaned back against the soft backrest of the sofa.

Gazing up at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling, Eleanor began to unravel the tangled threads in her mind.

When she first opened her eyes in this blonde girl’s body, Eleanor had no idea what this world was where she woke up as the protagonist.

Reading web novels was Junha’s only hobby.

The web novels Junha had read so far could fill pages upon pages of scrolling.

Moreover, the element of platinum blonde within the wall.

In reality, it might not matter, but at least in fantasy novel characters, it was a significant appearance point.

Was there even a fantasy novel in Western literature where a character with blonde hair wasn’t present?

So, no matter how hard she wracked her brain,

the name Eleanor didn’t easily come to mind among the many novels she had read.

Therefore, Eleanor simply thought she had entered a web novel she had read before, like a cliché from a novel.

With that thought in mind, she spent each day as if she were on a journey.

It was only after getting out of bed, moving her body little by little, that she gradually…

Finally, the prologue of my favorite author’s new novel that I vaguely remembered before dying came to mind.

Why couldn’t I recall it back then?

Even though it was a novel I had been thinking about until my death.

Eleanor, who had been staring at the ceiling for a while, uncomfortably adjusted her posture and raised the teacup on the table.

In fact, even while living as Eleanor for the past two weeks,

Her personality inside was closer to Serjuha than Eleanor.

Thanks to this, she always felt like she was slightly detached from the current world.

So she had been perceiving reality somewhat casually.

And this morning,

It was only after hearing the name Julian that Eleanor could awaken from her vague thoughts.

Julian de la Vallière.

The illegitimate child of the Emperor born between the Emperor and his government official, Louise de la Vallière, who later formally joined and received the title of Galatea’s Duke due to his recognized abilities.

If things go as in the novel, Eleanor will die as Serjuha.

Perhaps because she experienced it firsthand.

The word “death” weighed heavily on Eleanor’s delicate shoulders.

She tightened her grip on her small white hand.

Honestly, being hit by a truck once would have been enough.

I didn’t want to end it here.

So, the most important thing for Eleanor right now is,

“I should gather information first.”

“What? Miss? What are you talking about?”

At the muttered words, Sophie, who had approached without realizing it and was refilling the empty teacup, stopped in her tracks and asked again.

Then, placing the teapot back on the table, she leaned her freckled soft cheek close to Eleanor.

Still feeling awkward around the stubbornly awkward girl, Eleanor leaned back slightly and replied somewhat coldly.

“No, it’s nothing special. Rather than that, Sophie, I need your help with getting ready to go out.”

“What? Going out?”

“Yeah. I want to go out into town for a bit. I’ve been cooped up in the mansion all day since I woke up. It’s suffocating.”

At the sudden remark from Miss, Sophie looked at Eleanor with a troubled expression.

“Miss, Lady Rosaria, the Duchess, is supposed to visit this afternoon.”

“Ros… aria Duchess?”

Struggling with the pronunciation of that name, Eleanor tilted her head slightly.

“Miss! You’ve forgotten since last time…!”

Facing the young lady known for her abruptness, Sophie continued speaking.

“Before the ball, Lady Rosaria agreed to come and review the dances and etiquette again.”

And then, Eleanor vaguely recalled a story Manuel had told her one night.

To Eleanor lying snugly in bed under the heavy blanket.

Manuella had firmly advised her not to wander around in her nightwear in the morning, leaving behind those words.

To Eleanor, who claimed ignorance due to memory loss about dancing or etiquette, that firm voice had said.

“Then I will call Lady Rosaria again.”

Although it wasn’t morning, Eleanor tightly grasped her neatly arranged platinum hair.

Ah, damn ball! At this rate, I might really strangle someone.

“Oh, Miss! If you do that, your hair will get all messed up!”

#.

“Oh my! Look at those sunken cheeks. Are you feeling better now, Eleanor?”

Despite the high-pitched voice entering the reception room, Eleanor’s head throbbed.

Eleanor deftly concealed her expression and gently lifted the corners of her mouth as she welcomed the lady in the yellow dress.

“Lorsua Madam. That’s correct, isn’t it?”

“Oh… right. You were said to have lost all your memories. How truly upsetting for me.”

Before she knew it, the petite woman with light brown hair had approached Eleanor closely and softly grasped her hands.

Eleanor scanned Lorsua Madam from top to bottom. In her late twenties but appearing to be in her early thirties even when viewed favorably, the woman exuded a generally cute impression despite her title as a madam.

Perhaps it was because her height was similar to Eleanor’s, or maybe it was due to her habit of raising the corners of her mouth at the end of each sentence and engaging in unnecessary skinship.

In other words, the adorable older sister in front of her was the type that Soojuha found most challenging in her original world—a full-on insider with a “my face is everything” vibe.

“You must have had a hard journey here.”

Though Eleanor wasn’t quite sure where ‘here’ was, she maintained a strained smile as she looked at Lorsua.

“Oh, no trouble at all. If you can visit the townhouse in Beaurnga, I’d come back multiple times.”

Is that icy mansion really that famous?

Suppressing a sudden question behind her smile, Eleanor gestured towards the empty seat opposite her on the sofa for Lorsua.

“I apologize for contacting you like this.”

“No worries, Eleanor. Honestly, the thought of teaching you again made my heart flutter a bit.”

With a cheerful smile, Lorsua Madam sat next to Eleanor, crossing her arms and leaning against her shoulder, despite plenty of other empty seats available.

Feeling the soft fabric of the dress through the thin blouse, Eleanor continued her conversation with the charming and adorable madam.

“Ahem. As you’ve heard, I don’t remember anything at all.”

“Really! Is that true? Eleanor, you truly don’t remember anything?”

Eleanor simply nodded slightly without a word.

As Lorsua asked again, clearly surprised despite knowing beforehand, Eleanor confirmed that she didn’t remember anything, not even Kootangt, Sisonne, or Coupe.

Excuse me, Madam. Even if you list those alien-sounding names, I still won’t know.

Blushing slightly as Lorsua leaned in closer with her cute face, Eleanor awkwardly pulled away, feeling embarrassed.

“Do you remember Gabote? For Polonaise?”

“Are those dessert names?”

“Bure?”

“Fish gills?”

“Minuet?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Although Eleanor hadn’t done anything wrong, seeing Lorsua visibly frustrated beside her made her feel inadvertently apologetic.

“It’s okay. You might not remember in your head, but your body surely does. You were such a graceful dancer, Eleanor.”

Despite her initial setback, the socially adept Lorsua Madam quickly recovered her composure. After regaining her poise, she stood up, extended her hand to Eleanor, and said, “Let’s give it a try. I’ll lead from the male position. Just follow my steps, Eleanor.”

Even if she said so…

Steps or whatever, I’ve never danced before in my life.

With a pout, Eleanor reluctantly placed her small, white hand over Lorsua’s hand.

From where did I get this strength, as Lorsua pulled Eleonore with all his might into his arms.

​

“Huff! Wait, hold on. Madam, you’re too close-”

“Hush. Elli, why are you acting like this over something so cute.”

​

At the sudden change in Lorsua’s demeanor, as if a different person.

Eleonore, embraced in the lady’s arms, began to blush her fair cheeks crimson.

​

B-but still.

Our chests. Our chests are touching each other.

​

“Eek! M-madam. Your, your hand is on my waist.”

“Oh my. Don’t be so flustered, Elli. It’s just between women, what’s there to be surprised about. Hehe.”

​

Just a moment!

Wasn’t this supposed to be an NL novel? Author! There definitely wasn’t a yuri tag!