Chapter 3
As expected, Leonie frowned and asked,
“What kind of tactic is that supposed to be?”
“It’s not a tactic,” I said, clearing my throat.
“I just realized something. I’ve been blindly chasing after you this whole time. You always looked so bright and impressive… I was jealous.”
It was the first time in my life I’d ever admitted I was jealous of her.
Leonie must’ve realized how serious my voice was, because her expression softened a little. I continued.
“You’re pretty. Not super beautiful, but still. And you’re smart. …Even though your personality is awful.”
“Hey, you’re one to talk,” she grumbled, but didn’t interrupt me, so I kept going seriously.
“But one day, I started thinking…”
Well, actually it was just earlier today, right after I returned to the past.
“Maybe… just being alive like this is already a blessing. And if that’s true, don’t I deserve to enjoy that blessing a little more?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I mean… maybe it’s okay for me to just cheer you on from now on, figure out what I want in life, and live for my own happiness.”
Then I added with a smile,
“See? Even though you tried to mess with me today, I didn’t snap at you.”
“….”
She didn’t deny trying to mess with me. Well, I guess it’s fine since she already did.
Feeling refreshed after saying everything I wanted to, I scooped a spoonful of the brownie with ice cream and took a bite.
But then—
“Blegh!”
I immediately spit it out.
Leonie, sitting across from me, jumped in shock.
“What the—! Are you pregnant or something?!”
“Of course not!”
I couldn’t hold back and yelled.
The brownie tasted awful—sour and salty, like someone had poured vinegar and salt all over it. Since Leonie was eating hers just fine, it had to be only my dessert.
I caught a maid standing behind Leonie smirking before quickly fixing her face.
‘Ah… so that’s what this is.’
If I remember correctly, around this time the household servants were split into two factions. One group supported Leonie as the future Empress—they were called the “Lion Faction.” The other group, the “Lily Faction,” quietly supported me.
The head maid was a Lion Faction leader, and while the butler was more neutral, he still leaned toward helping me.
These factions formed when Leonie and I were both considered candidates to become Crown Princess. But once the Crown Prince fell for Leonie at first sight, everything changed. Father’s affection started leaning heavily in Leonie’s favor.
And the more Father favored Leonie, the worse the bullying from the Lion Faction servants got.
‘The dessert chef… he was with the Lion Faction, wasn’t he?’
I could call the chef and demand to know what happened. But if I do that, they’ll just say it was a “mistake.” No one would admit that servants deliberately sabotaged a noble lady’s food. If I react too strongly, it’ll only make me look weak and powerless.
In a situation like this—especially with people comparing me to my sister—I can’t afford to make a scene.
If the butler were here, he might’ve noticed and stepped in for me. But he was out on an errand from Father. And all the other servants here? They’re Leonie’s people.
So in the end, I quietly set my spoon down.
But Leonie didn’t finish her dessert either. She just sat there, thinking hard about what I’d said earlier.
Later, when Leonie was about to leave the mansion, I did something I’d never done in my entire life.
I walked her all the way to her carriage. From the entrance of the estate all the way to where her carriage was parked.
Leonie looked at me like I was crazy. That annoying little sister stood in front of the carriage while being sent off by the butler and a few other servants—Father, of course, didn’t bother coming out.
Right before stepping into the carriage, she turned back and called out,
“Hey, Sophia.”
Now she’s calling me by name just like that. Well, she always did.
But right now, I felt like I could forgive anything. Today is the day I returned to the past. A miracle happened. I don’t want to repeat the same life again.
When I looked at her like, “What now?”, she hesitated for a second before blurting out,
“You’re pretty too. Not super pretty, but still.”
Then she tossed me a small box.
Huh?
Before I could say anything, the door shut and the carriage took off.
‘My sister really is weird.’
Back in my room, I collapsed onto the bed. My whole body was sore—like the first time I ever rode a horse. I must’ve been more tense than I realized.
Well, I didn’t expect to see both Leonie and Father the moment I came back.
I picked up the box she threw at me. It was rectangular, covered in velvet. Lying down, I opened it.
Inside was a necklace.
A silver chain with a large aquamarine gemstone. It sparkled in a clear sky-blue color—just like my eyes.
‘Wait… this is…’
In my past life, I got this exact same necklace for my birthday. It had been mixed in among the usual formal birthday gifts between noble families.
Because I didn’t know who had sent it, I never wore it. I didn’t want to risk scandal.
‘So Leonie was the one who gave me that gift back then?’
She came all this way just to tease me… and brought a present?
Suspicious, I checked the necklace with a poison test strip. No reaction.
Just then, something soft brushed against my foot.
“Popo!”
I sat up and called out.
Popo was the white fox I raised. With her fluffy fur and shiny black eyes, she was the cutest thing! She rubbed her face on my ankle and stood on her hind legs, asking to be picked up.
I scooped her up into my arms and gave her gentle pats. She snuggled into my chest.
Gosh, how could I forget about Popo?
Around this time in my previous life, Popo was my reason for living.
Bessie came into the room, eyes wide as she watched Popo. Then she said,
“Maybe it’s because Young Master Arnold gifted her to you, but Popo really loves you, Miss.”
“Oh, Arnold…”
My fiancé. The second son of a duke family. Our engagement had been purely political.
Arnold wasn’t the best fiancé, but he was always mindful of appearances. He never congratulated me in person, but every year, like clockwork, he sent a birthday gift. One of them was Popo.
‘And Popo…’
Right. A few months later, Popo died after drinking my tea.
The doctor said it was a poison that slowly damaged humans over time—but was fatal to animals. Leonie had arranged it, of course.
The day Popo died, I cried even harder than the day my fiancé died.
But now Popo was here, alive and healthy.
As I stroked her soft fur, I whispered,
“You’re such a good girl.”
Bessie gasped.
“Oh no, Miss! Don’t be fooled! She acts like a sweet fox, but only around you. The moment you leave, she becomes a little monster. It’s like a war just trying to feed her!”
I laughed.
Then something tapped against the window.
“Coo, coo, coo!”
A pure white dove.
I held my breath. That bird… it was from the assassin guild I used to hire.
A bad feeling crept over me.
When Bessie opened the window, the dove flew straight to me. There was a tiny note tied to its leg.
I unfolded it. The message was in code.
It read:
[Target “Lion” located. Elimination scheduled.]
“…!”
Oh no. I jumped to my feet.
Back then, I had hired assassins to kill Leonie when she left the palace—and she had just returned there!
Without knowing any of this!
Meanwhile, Bessie clapped her hands happily next to me.
“Miss, you’re amazing! I was listening outside the dining room. Your acting was perfect! You made Leonie totally drop her guard—now you’ll strike!”
“No, that’s not it!”
“Huh?”
There was no time to explain.
I shouted the name of the assassin guild’s leader—the one I used to hire.
“Bambi! Bambi!”
I called out just in case. But of course there was no answer.
He wasn’t with me—he was probably out killing my sister.
‘Ugh! The timing of my regression is terrible!’
I had just returned to the past. How could I remember every little assassination request I made?
No. I can’t let this happen.
I poured my heart out to Leonie today. If she thinks it was all fake…
I can’t let that be her last impression of me!
“Miss, where are you going?”
“To ride a horse!”
I was already halfway out the door when Bessie shouted after me.
“What? But Miss, you don’t know how to ride!”
That’s true—Sophia at age 21 didn’t know how.
But future me learned how to ride!
A carriage isn’t that fast. If I ride full speed, I might catch up. And Bambi knows my face. If I show up, I can stop him!
I didn’t waste a second and sprinted toward the stables. It was late, so no one else was there.
I barged in and grabbed the nearest horse. The poor thing neighed in surprise, having been asleep.
“Sorry, Thunderroot. It’s urgent.”
I calmed him and climbed onto his back. Of course, I didn’t know if that was actually his name.
Only once he stood up did I realize something important.
I was still in my white nightgown.
Thankfully, it wasn’t see-through—but I had to bunch up the skirt and tie it behind me to ride properly. My indoor slippers dangled from my toes, and my bare legs were completely visible.
‘If anyone sees me like this, they’ll think I’ve gone mad!’
But I didn’t care.
I’d gone back in time—and I wasn’t afraid of anything anymore.
I gently kicked the horse’s side.
“Let’s go, Thunderroot!”
