Chapter 03
“Are you feeling a bit better?”
When I opened my eyes again, I heard a voice that was polite yet filled with fear.
I frowned. There wasn’t anyone in my life who would say something like that to me.
A nurse, maybe? Did I faint somewhere?
Or did I end up in the ER because of the sleeping pills?
“They all said it was nothing serious, but still, I’m glad you’ve regained consciousness. Your eyes might feel sore, so I prepared this. Just a moment.”
Before I could respond, a cool towel with a herbal scent was laid across my eyes.
Some kind of expensive oriental medicine hospital?
This was far too considerate for a nurse to do for a patient.
What the hell?
Feeling something off, I pushed the towel away and sat up.
Forcing my swollen eyelids open, I was met with a bizarre sight.
“…This isn’t a hospital.”
There was no way it could be a hospital.
It was a huge, lavish room, exotic in style, with chandeliers mixed with intricate Arabic tiles.
Looking down, instead of stiff hospital clothes, I found myself wearing a luxurious black silk dress that must have cost a fortune.
And then I felt it—the scorching, arid heat.
Turning toward the breeze wafting in, I saw a large white fan swaying back and forth.
The girl with chestnut-brown hair who was fanning me widened her eyes in surprise.
“Lady Maribel? Is something wrong?”
“Ma…ribel? Me?”
Not Yoon Mari?
My voice cracked as it came out hoarse and chilling.
Even to my own ears, it sounded eerie, and the girl’s eyes filled with horror and shock.
Whatever she read in my dazed gaze, she nearly threw the fan aside, collapsing flat to the floor and trembling like a leaf.
“I beg your pardon. I spoke your name without permission.”
“No, wait a second—”
“Please show mercy. Please forgive me. Lady Maribel Sephardi, eldest daughter of the Sephardi domain, blessed by the vast Betis River and the sun’s grace.”
Not the Han River and Namsan, but… what river? Maribel what?
What kind of play was this?
Shaking, the girl rattled off strange lines in clothes straight out of a historical film.
Still half in a daze, I climbed out of the massive bed and staggered toward a large gilded mirror.
I smiled, frowned, pinched my cheeks, shrugged my shoulders.
Only after pulling all those faces at my reflection did I finally reach a conclusion.
“This is… me.”
It was me. Yoon Mari.
The distinct mole above my plump lips, my long black hair, my dark navy eyes.
“It’s definitely me, but…”
The person in the mirror was me. Yoon Mari.
It was still my face, only with every bit of beauty turned up to the maximum. My features looked strangely racially ambiguous, but it was still me.
“Well, damn…”
Yes, at a glance it was clearly me. And at the same time, it was someone else entirely.
Just like when I saw Yoon Gabi and Yoon Seho earlier.
“Still dreaming, huh.”
Shouldn’t I have woken up by now?
Muttering to myself, I headed back to the bed.
Before that, I placed my hand gently on the shoulder of the girl still lying face down, trembling. Her small frame shuddered under my touch.
“Um, please get up. It’s all just a dream anyway.”
“Forgive me… Please have mercy. You are noble, so noble and beautiful…”
I thought I’d spoken kindly, but she only trembled harder, muttering without lifting her head.
To distract her from her fear, I asked about the last thing I remembered.
“Um… what about Gabi… Gabriella?”
The girl who had appeared in my dream, looking different but with the same habits, calling me her sister—my little sister.
At my question, the maid finally sat up, shoulders hunched, trembling chin lifted just enough to peek at me cautiously.
“Um… Lady Gabriella saw you collapse and sent a physician. After all, it happened at her palace. She also told me to tell you she would like to see you once you feel better.”
“So I can see her?”
“O-of course. But you’ll need to be careful. The youngest lord will surely be keeping a close watch again, like earlier…”
Oh, right. There was someone in this bizarre dream who resembled Yoon Seho too.
Why is it that, even in a dream, only the people I don’t want to see show up?
Scratching my forehead in frustration, I noticed the girl shivering again, bowing low.
“Even if Lord Jose is the eldest son, he’s the youngest by birth order. Yet he shows no respect toward you at all—such an outrage. While the Duke is away, he struts about as if he were the duke himself, and the Duchess only ever takes his side, which makes everyone uncomfortable.”
She seemed to be trying to comfort me, though her words came out stiffly, as if memorized.
Had someone put her up to this?
But the story sounded all too familiar.
As she went on about how the Duchess was cold and always favored Jose, I cut her off with a casual question.
“Wait a second. If I’m the first daughter, then here too I’m the eldest?”
“Of course! You are the eldest, the first—”
“And illegitimate?”
At that, the girl’s already tearful face drained of all color.
“I’ve misspoken terribly. Lady Sephardi, if I have offended you, please forgive me.”
She bowed low again.
What an annoying dream. I pulled her up, making her meet my eyes.
Holding onto her trembling hands, I asked,
“Um… it feels strange to ask for names in a dream, but what’s yours?”
“L…Luisa. My family, as you know, is on the verge of ruin. My father has already passed, and we hardly deserve to be called nobility. I am no better than a paid servant. My life and my family’s loyalty all belong to you, Lady Maribel. If I’ve done wrong, then please, end me instead…”
Her voice cracked, and she hiccupped mid-sentence.
Feeling sorry for her, I softened my tone as much as I could.
“Luisa. I’m not angry—I’m just asking. Am I illegitimate here or not?”
“No matter what anyone says, you are the proud and noble daughter of the Sephardi house. So please, I beg you…”
That was her answer.
If it weren’t true, she would have just said no instead of stammering like that.
Seriously. Dreams may reflect reality, but did they really need to reflect this part too?
To distract the girl again, I picked up the teacup from the side table.
“Can I drink this?”
“O-of course. I thought you might want it when you woke, so I prepared your usual iced orange tea.”
“Oh…”
“With honey, just the way you like it. Should I add another spoonful if you’re feeling tired?”
Two spoons of honey when I’m exhausted.
Well, at least the dream got my tastes exactly right.
I quickly took a sip, then clutched the cup tightly.
Even the flavor was familiar. The very same orange tea I always had in the mornings instead of coffee.
Dreams are just reflections of reality.
When I was younger, I often had dreams this vivid and intense.
And my real mother would always smile gently and listen to me chatter about them.
I don’t remember those dreams anymore, but my mom always told me, “You sure have the most interesting dreams.”
Now there’s no one left to listen.
Not my real mom. Not Yoon Gabi either.
The thought made my chest ache, and a quiet sigh escaped me.
Still, the idea of seeing Gabriella—or Gabi, or whatever she was here—wasn’t such a bad thing.
I smiled and asked,
“So Gabriella… Gabi wants to see me? Can I see her right now?”
White hair, blue eyes—even if she looked odd, she was still my sister.
This was my dream. There was no one else she could be.
Yes. She was my sister.
Someone I could cry in front of, someone I could finally tell how sorry and grateful and loving I felt—alive here, even if only a phantom.
“Lady Maribel.”
“Uh… yes?”
Luisa looked at my smile with a terrified expression.
Then, as if steeling herself, she lowered her voice to a whisper.
“Soon, the Manu will arrive from Altina. He’ll surely bring a potent poison. Until then, please stay calm. They’re already using incense to weaken Lady Gabriella’s breathing, so before long…”
“Wait. What did you just say? Poison? Incense? Her breathing?”
“Yes. They said it’s a very fine poison. Just a single drop will be enough.”
“Hold on. I don’t think I’m understanding you right—what the hell are you talking about?”
