IRMN | 002

Episode 002

A luxurious carriage adorned with the emblem of blue roses and a serpent raced through the streets.

“Mom, look over there! It’s the Magic Tower’s carriage!”

“Goodness, it must be carrying someone important.”

Not just anyone could ride in a carriage bearing the Magic Tower’s emblem.

Such carriages were reserved exclusively for transporting highly esteemed guests treated with utmost respect by the Magic Tower.

Due to the lofty pride of mages, even royalty rarely had access to these carriages.

Yet, astonishingly, the person inside this carriage was a rather ordinary woman with no notable backing.

“I bet you’re excited to return home after so long.”

Eleanor, who had been resting her chin on her hand while gazing out the window, turned her head.

She was quite a beauty, though her attire was plain compared to her striking appearance.

She wore a simple navy dress devoid of lace or even basic patterns.

Her soft, light brown hair was tied back neatly in a single braid.

She still had on the glasses she’d been wearing while reading earlier.

No matter how you looked at her, she didn’t appear to be dressed up.

Yet, an undeniable elegance radiated from her.

“Yes, it’s been seven years already.”

“You stayed at the academy even during breaks to focus on your research, didn’t you? And as a result, countless patents and discoveries that benefit the world were born from your hands, Lady Eleanor.”

“You’re too kind.”

“Too kind? Not at all! Your parents must be overjoyed. Their daughter is a once-in-a-century genius and a treasure of the Empire.”

Eleanor brushed off the praise with a smile.

Over time, she had grown accustomed to such compliments and had mastered the art of deflecting them.

The carriage arrived at the Winston estate.

Despite spending seven long years at the academy, Eleanor’s luggage was minimal.

A representative from the Magic Tower, who had ordered the servants to unload her belongings, spoke to her.

“If you need anything, please contact us using that scroll. We’ll provide any support you require.”

“Thank you for your kindness.”

“No, it’s only natural to take care of such matters. I look forward to seeing you again. Congratulations on your graduation, Lady Eleanor.”

With a polite bow, the Magic Tower representative boarded the carriage and departed.

Eleanor slowly surveyed the estate.

“Haa.”

She was back. Back at the Winston estate.

And back to the place where the original story began.

Throughout her time at the academy, she had made a name for herself as a genius. But her true identity was that of a transmigrator.

When she died of cancer and opened her eyes, she found herself inside the web novel she had been reading.

The Secret Garden of the Abandoned Saintess.

It was a romance novel centered around a saintess heroine and the many men surrounding her.

And Eleanor was cast as the villainous older sister who tormented the heroine, her younger sister.

As the title suggested, Eleanor schemed maliciously to drive her sister out of the estate.

Throughout the original story, she relentlessly bullied Charlotte.

Naturally, her fate was to be punished by the male lead.

When Eleanor realized she had transmigrated into the novel, she resolved to escape her predestined role at all costs.

So, she left the estate.

Instead of driving out her sister, the heroine, she herself left for the academy under the pretext of enrollment.

That was six years before the original story was set to begin.

Now, seven years later, she had graduated from the academy and returned to the estate.

‘The starting point of the original story has already passed, so it should be fine.’

From her parents’ letters, she had heard that Charlotte, who had come of age last year, seemed to be doing well.

There was even news that she had danced with the male lead, the Crown Prince, at a ball.

Unlike the original story, Eleanor had left Charlotte’s side first, thus avoiding the fate of the villainess who tormented the heroine.

‘I didn’t want to come back until I heard news of Charlotte’s marriage…’

Eleanor clicked her tongue in regret.

‘But I’ll leave again within a month. Let’s think of this as a final farewell.’

And she resolved not to return until Charlotte married the male lead and the original story definitively concluded.

With her resolve firm, Eleanor stepped through the gates of the estate.

“Good heavens, my lady?”

An elderly maid, who had been Eleanor and Charlotte’s nanny, rushed toward her with a surprised expression.

“Is it really you, my lady?”

“It’s been a while, Nanny.”

Eleanor smiled warmly.

“How have you been?”

“Goodness! It really is my lady. Oh my, when did you return? You’ve become a proper lady now.”

“You seem to have gotten younger, Nanny. It’s as if time has spared only you.”

“Oh, my lady, really.”

“Where are Father and Mother?”

Eleanor asked, looking around the estate.

“Aren’t they inside?”

When she left the academy, she had sent a letter ahead, informing them she’d arrive soon.

Yet, the estate felt oddly empty. There was no sign of celebration for her return.

Even if it was her first time back in seven years, shouldn’t they at least welcome their daughter?

Sure, she had left the estate early to avoid the original story’s fate, but she wasn’t on bad terms with her parents.

“Well, you see…”

The nanny trailed off, looking troubled.

She couldn’t meet Eleanor’s eyes.

Sensing something was being hidden, Eleanor asked, “Are they in their room?”

“Well, my lady…”

“No, I’ll go see for myself.”

Eleanor brushed past the nanny and headed inside.

The nanny, unable to stop her, stomped her feet in frustration.

‘That’s strange.’

Why was the estate so quiet?

Not a single one of the many servants was in sight.

It was as if they had all gone on vacation at once.

Eleanor soon reached the Count and Countess’s room.

“…do it.”

Thankfully, the Count and Countess weren’t absent.

She could hear their hushed voices coming from inside the room.

Eleanor raised her hand to knock but froze.

“…we need to find Charlotte quickly.”

Find Charlotte?

Did that mean Charlotte wasn’t at the estate right now?

The unexpected news felt vaguely unsettling.

Her instincts told her not to interrupt the conversation beyond the door.

Instead of knocking, Eleanor leaned closer to the door.

And she listened quietly to the Count and Countess’s conversation.

“My poor child. She’s not even in good health right now.”

“Poor? What’s so poor about her?”

The Count’s voice was thick with anger.

“She wandered around so recklessly and ended up running off with some man. We never should have agreed to delay her entry into the temple, even for a moment. I’m so ashamed I can’t even hold my head up.”

Eleanor’s eyes widened.

Her younger sister, the heroine Charlotte, had run off with a man.

‘This wasn’t in the original story.’

But the shocking news didn’t end there.

“Who the hell is that guy? Oben? Some lowlife noble who can’t even make it onto the peerage list…”

“They say he’s the second son of the Oben barony. A fine noble young man. And he’s a holy knight serving at the temple…”

“A holy knight? She threw her parents into disgrace and ran off in the middle of the night for some guy like that?!”

Charlotte had run off with Alexis Oben, a mere sub-male lead, instead of the main male lead, the Crown Prince!

In the original story, Alexis didn’t receive much spotlight.

He was a holy knight, but compared to the Crown Prince and the Duke, his status was lacking.

Though, to be fair, his devotion to Charlotte was noteworthy.

“And she even had a child out of wedlock! This is how she repays us for raising and providing for her all these years?!”

“Waaaah!”

The sudden sound of a baby crying made it impossible for Eleanor to keep listening in silence.

Bang!

The door burst open with a loud crash.

The Count and Countess flinched in surprise, turning toward the door.

And Eleanor saw it too.

A newborn baby, lying on their bed.

A baby with features strikingly similar to Charlotte’s.