Chapter 1: The villainess appears

I fell asleep while reading a villainess novel, as usual.

And when I opened my eyes, a strange, unfamiliar ceiling greeted me.

“Huhu, it’s a sturdy boy! Congratulations, Count.”

The person holding me, as I struggled to open my eyes in a newborn’s body, was a beautiful woman with pink hair.

The pink-haired woman looked utterly exhausted from childbirth, but she smiled brightly at me.

‘I really need to stop reading so many novels.’

At first, I naturally thought I was dreaming.

I even reflected on how many novels I must have read to dream of being transmigrated into a baby’s body.

But when a short time passed, and I tasted the sweetness of the milk given by the pink-haired woman.

I came to accept the fact that I had been transmigrated.

From the moment I acknowledged that I had transmigrated into a novel, I desperately tried to recall the contents of the original story this world was based on.

Circumstantially, it seemed certain that I had transmigrated into the villainess novel I was reading before I fell asleep.

However, whether it was an aftereffect of transmigration or a penalty, I couldn’t remember any of the novel’s plot.

Usually, in novels, characters regain their memories through some coincidental event, so I also committed all sorts of eccentric acts from a young age to create that coincidental trigger.

“Dda dda ttu ddya.”

“Hmm? You want breast milk?”

“Dda!”

I even tried to communicate by babbling with my baby mouth.

“Heok! Young Master, you mustn’t go in there!”

“Pya!”

When I was able to walk on two feet, I was even caught trying to sneak into the family library behind the librarian’s back.

“Kyaaaah, Young Master, it’s dangerous if you climb on the windowsill!”

“Ppu!”

I once climbed the windowsill to see the scenery outside, only to be caught in the arms of a cute maid and spend some happy moments.

And now, at the age of 7.

I finally mastered basic Imperial language and was formally permitted to enter the library.

Since my mind was that of an adult, I thought I’d pick up the language quickly, but the Imperial language was more complex than I expected, so it took a long time.

I heard that the illiteracy rate among Imperial citizens exceeds 95 percent, and it certainly seemed plausible for the illiteracy rate to be that high.

What kind of language lacks so much consistency?

It was later than I thought, but anyway, having finally gained access to the long-awaited library, I pulled out all the history books from the shelves.

Over the past seven years, I had seen and heard many things, but unfortunately, no information had surfaced in my memory so far.

Still, I indulged in some wishful thinking, wondering if something might come to mind if I read the history books containing all of the Empire’s history.

“Young Master, can you really read all those books?”

“Yes!”

The librarian approached me with a worried expression, perhaps thinking the books I brought were too thick and numerous for a child like me to read.

However, reading had been my greatest hobby since my previous life.

Although I was in the body of a frail child, reading about ten history books was no problem at all.

I shooed away the lingering librarian and began to quickly read through the history books I had brought.

---

Five hours later.

I closed the cover of the last remaining history book.

‘I’m screwed…’

I had meticulously read through hundreds of pages of history books, but no memories came to mind.

‘In the end, do I have to face this world head-on with no information…?’

I let out a deep sigh.

If they were going to transmigrate me, they could have at least left me my memories.

I didn’t know who or what had transmigrated me, but I thought they were quite petty.

---

With a sense of futility from gaining nothing again today, I left the library.

It was broad daylight with the sun shining brightly when I entered, but by now, the outside had grown dark.

In front of the library, the head maid was waiting with her head bowed.

“Young Master, the family head is looking for you.”

“Huh? Father is?”

Count Tile Edgar.

He was the lord of the Edgar territory, the Empire’s largest breadbasket, and my father, Hendel Edgar.

Honestly, even from my perspective as his son, he didn’t have any particularly outstanding talents, but in terms of loving his family and caring for the people of his domain, I’d say he’s in the top 10% of fantasy nobles.

The territory itself is such a cheat, a land where grains multiply on their own if you just sow the seeds, so it runs well even if Father doesn’t display any special abilities.

‘Anyway, what’s going on all of a sudden?’

In our family, because Mother and Father are so deeply in love, they go into their room in the evening and don’t come out.

They had to enjoy their happy time at night, so even if there was something they needed, they always called for me during the day…

I had an ominous premonition, but I tried my best to ignore it and moved my feet.

Toddle, toddle.

Since I was still in a seven-year-old’s body, my legs started to ache after walking just a little.

A normal child would have whined about their legs hurting, but my mental age was approaching thirty.

I endured this much pain and walked steadfastly.

After diligently walking with small steps, I arrived at the office.

I knocked on the office door with my small hand.

---

“Father, Hendel is here~.”

Having read numerous villainess novels, I had realized that I shouldn’t show too mature a side from a young age.

That’s why, when I was in front of others, I would mix in this kind of cute charm.

“Son, come in.”

The doorknob to Father’s office was too high, so I entered with the head maid’s help opening the door.

Gazes poured towards me as I stepped into the room.

In Father’s office, a handsome man with blond hair and a girl with platinum blonde hair, whom I had never seen before, were seated.

Seeing Father sitting opposite the blond handsome man, not in the seat of honor, I deduced that the blond-haired man held a rank of at least a Count or higher.

“Hello!”

In this aristocratic society, rank is everything.

I immediately bowed a full 90 degrees.

“Hoh. Do you know who I am?”

The blond handsome man looked at me with interest.

Not knowing the name of a high-ranking noble is a great discourtesy, but I had the strong shield of being a seven-year-old child.

I smiled brightly.

“I don’t know!”

Whoosh.

‘…’

As soon as my words ended, the blond handsome man moved right in front of me.

I was so startled I thought my heart would drop.

“You’re quite a sharp kid. My name is Kallis Derfoger. Even a seven-year-old child should know my name, right?”

‘He was a crazy big shot!’

Kallis Derfoger.

One of only four Grand Dukes in the Empire, he rules the North, a border region teeming with monsters.

The Northern Grand Duke who often appears in romance fantasy novels.

That’s him.

I gulped and bowed my head.

“Greetings to the Ruler of Winter.”

“Hoho… I like this kid.”

As if satisfied that I recognized him, the Northern Grand Duke smiled brightly and patted my shoulder.

He seemed to have patted me gently because I was a child, but my stomach churned.

“I’m a bit worried that your body is weak, but well, my daughter isn’t the type to get beaten up anywhere, so it shouldn’t matter.”

“…?”

‘What kind of bullsh*t is this.’

A foreboding premonition struck me at the Northern Grand Duke’s sudden soliloquy.

The Northern Grand Duke sat down and dropped a bombshell.

“I’d like the Edgar territory to take care of Marine from now on.”

At the Northern Grand Duke’s bombshell declaration, sweat trickled down Father’s forehead.

Mine too.

I looked at the platinum blonde child, presumably Marine based on the context.

She was fiddling with a teddy bear, her expression blank as if she wasn’t interested in any of it.

I shot a fierce glare at Father.

‘Father! You have to refuse immediately!’

The title of ‘Northern Grand Duke’s daughter,’ and though still young, looks that promised a beautiful future.

I was convinced that girl was the villainess.

Generally, when faced with a villainess, there are two methods.

Either rehabilitate the villainess, or I run away.

I’ve read my fair share of villainess novels, but I have no confidence in rehabilitating a villainess in reality.

Rehabilitation?

That’s something protagonists do.

I will choose the wisest option: to run away.

‘Son, do you really want me to refuse?’

‘Yes, unconditionally.’

Father, who had conversed with me through eye contact, opened his mouth, his hands trembling.

“Grand Duke…? Our family seems too inadequate to dare look after the Young Lady…”

“Ha… Is that so?”

Woowoong.

A golden aura surged from the Northern Grand Duke’s body.

“So you’re saying you’ll refuse my daughter, is that it?”

“Although our family has its shortcomings, we will do our utmost!”

“Hmm, thank you. That’s just like you.”

Thanks to Father, who quickly surrendered, the Northern Grand Duke’s mana didn’t end up wrecking our territory.

“Boy, I expect you to get along well with my daughter as friends from now on.”

Having achieved his goal, the Northern Grand Duke offered me a handshake with a refreshing smile.

“I… I will do my best.”

Having witnessed the show of force from a Sword Master right before my eyes, I had no choice but to meekly accept the handshake.

As if pleased with my attitude, the Northern Grand Duke smiled satisfactorily.

---

“Well then, shall we give the friends some time together? Count, let’s step out for a moment.”

“Yes… I understand.”

Father was dragged out semi-forcibly by the Northern Grand Duke.

In the office, now empty of adults, only Marine and I remained.

Marine seemed to have no interest in me, her forcibly assigned friend, and was still just fiddling with her teddy bear.

‘Huu, calm down, Hendel Edgar.’

‘Even if a tiger catches you, you can survive if you keep your wits about you.’

‘Fortunately, Marine doesn’t seem interested in me yet, so I just need to avoid doing anything that catches her eye from now on.’

Holding my breath, I quietly moved to a spot where she wouldn’t notice me.

I was finally born as the son of a wealthy noble family; I wanted to enjoy my life.

‘Please, just ignore me, Young Lady.’