Chapter 03
“Everyone, leave!”
At Yan’s command, the maids glanced nervously at each other and quickly left the room.
I stared at Yan, shocked, my mouth hanging open.
Was this really the same ‘Yan’ from the novel—the loyal and kind commander of the Crown Prince’s royal guards?
Now, he was rudely grabbing my shoulders and shaking me.
“You can’t even die, so why try to kill yourself? Did you think that would cancel the wedding?”
“…!”
Cold sweat dripped down my back.
In the novel, Yan was a tragic figure who served Alfred loyally until the end and tried to stop Michael from seizing the throne.
But in Sinclair’s memories, Yan was a cruel younger brother who stabbed her for fun and forced her to jump from the castle roof.
To him, Sinclair was like a little chick—easily tossed off rooftops.
I was confused. He looked like a sweet, honorable man on the outside, but inside, he was a monster—like some influencers who pretend to be kind online while abusing women in private.
I didn’t know which version to believe.
But I was Sinclair now—so I had to deal with him based on her memories to survive.
I pushed his arm off my shoulder and said firmly:
“Stop it.”
“Stop? You should’ve just said you were scared. Are you trying to break your sacred promise like this?”
A promise to God? That sounds serious…
I needed to dig deeper.
“I was scared the more I thought about it.”
“So the part about being afraid you couldn’t protect the Crown Prince—was that a lie?”
He glared down at me, almost like he wanted to crush me.
Tall men can be so annoying sometimes.
“Alfred the Crown Prince?”
“Yes! You said you would do anything to protect him!”
My eyes widened. The Alfred? The one who healed my broken heart after years of toxic relationships?
Did I… make a promise to protect him?
“Well, of course I have to protect the Crown Prince!”
My voice became serious without me realizing. Yan looked a little relieved.
“Then prove it. Kill him quickly. Don’t do anything else weird.”
…What? Kill someone?
In the name of the gods, I was supposed to murder someone for Alfred?
Was this a hidden part of the story?
I needed more info. So I baited him.
“That won’t be easy.”
“That’s why you agreed to become his stepmother.”
His stepmother? Wait… who?
“Theodore?”
“Yes. Theodore.”
No way. Did I hear that right?
Was I sent to kill Theodore for Alfred?
The emperor and Michael arranged a political marriage just so I could kill Theodore, the cursed child? And that’s why he ends up brutally killing his stepmother at age ten?
So the reason I die early in the novel… was because of this setup?
The key to avoiding death was right here—but my head was pounding.
What kind of messed-up reincarnation story is this?
Sent to kill your own stepson and then die horribly? What kind of twisted author writes this?!
Hey author, I want my cookies back!
All those likes, comments, and hearts I gave—give them back!
“If you try anything stupid again, I won’t let it slide,” Yan warned me again.
Seriously? This guy was a psychopath.
Hey, just because I’m a fan of Alfred doesn’t mean I’d commit murder!
No way. That’s insane.
He wanted me to kill my stepson? How could anyone ask such a thing?
Besides, if I do that, I’ll just get torn apart and burned to death.
He clearly didn’t know what kind of monster Theodore would grow up to be.
Theodore was the embodiment of evil.
He could burn people with just a look. So many had died because of that power.
And you’re asking me to kill him?
No. The first thing I needed to do… was deal with this guy.
“Get out.”
Yan glared at me.
“That promise is off. Now get lost.”
“You’re not afraid of divine punishment?”
God? If a god would punish me for not killing a child, then that’s no god I want to serve.
Yan grabbed my shoulders again and shook me so hard I thought my brain was going to separate into layers.
Ugh. I’m so tired of this guy.
Looks like he’ll keep pestering me to kill Theodore unless I teach him a lesson.
I kicked Yan in the crotch.
My shin hit something soft.
“Ugh!”
Yan dropped to his knees, clutching himself. His eyes unfocused, drool slipped from his mouth, and he let out wheezing sounds like a lost deer in the night before collapsing.
Hmph. I should’ve done this to my ex-boyfriend three years ago when he hit me for breaking up with him.
I pulled the bell cord.
The head maid and maids rushed in and gasped at the scene.
“Call the guards.”
“Yes!”
The youngest maid ran out quickly.
Soon after, six armored knights came in, confused by the situation. They saw Yan and froze.
“Commander!”
A few rushed forward to help him.
“Stop.”
My cold, firm voice made them halt.
“Who’s in charge here?”
I scanned each knight. They all glanced toward the one standing in front.
Hmm. I see.
I had to assert myself right away.
Just then—
“…Sinclair.”
Yan groaned, trying to stand up.
I smacked him in the face with my heel. He collapsed again, and the guards looked horrified.
To use my hard-earned self-defense skills on a bully like him… what a waste.
“I asked who’s in charge.”
I demanded again.
“You don’t even remember my name?”
One knight stepped forward with an annoyed expression, clearly unhappy.
Oh? He didn’t plan to obey politely?
That wouldn’t do.
People act out when they know they’re protected by someone in power.
Just like that spoiled chairman’s son who played with explosives because he knew no one could touch him.
These knights didn’t respect me because Yan treated Sinclair like trash.
In teaching, when you discipline problem kids early on, the whole school year goes smoothly.
You couldn’t do that in modern society because of human rights, but this was a feudal system.
So I stood tall, crossed my arms behind my back, took a deep breath, and shouted like a drill sergeant:
“Attention!”
The knight frowned at me.
“Attention.”
I repeated with the exact same tone.
Then, unbelievably, he laughed.
Oh, you’re laughing now?
As he turned back to his men, I jabbed my fingers into both of his eyes.
“AAAH!”
It must’ve hurt. My nails were still long and sharp from the maid’s styling earlier.
He clutched his face and screamed like a pig being slaughtered.
“All of you are fired. You let my younger brother barge into the bride’s dressing room? On my wedding day?!”
They froze like statues.
“Take him and that one out.”
I pointed at Yan and the knight. Only then did the others rush to carry them out.
Then I turned to the head maid and said coolly,
“You’re fired too. And if today’s ceremony is ruined because of your failure, I’ll make sure the Duke punishes you.”
Their faces turned pale.
***
“Wow!”
When I entered the bridal waiting room in a new dress, Theodore greeted me with a bright smile and a basket of flowers. He looked like a little angel.
Michael’s face turned red after hearing what had happened in the dressing room.
What? Are you mad because I fired the maids and guards you assigned? Boohoo. You won’t be giving me any more orders, Michael Owen.
I ignored him and smiled warmly at Theodore.
What did Sinclair do for five years to try and kill a child this innocent?
Looking at Theodore, I felt bad for him.
When I held out my hand, he quickly took it and guided me toward the exit of the room.
Then—
“Crown Prince Alfred von Zeyer enters!”
A servant announced.
Could it be? The Alfred? My favorite character?
The Crown Prince entered, surrounded by knights and attendants.
Oh right! They said the kids were coming.
Was Alfred the flower boy for my wedding?
A small boy with curly blond hair and sparkling green eyes came forward. He was about as tall as my waist, maybe seven years old, with rosy cheeks and a cheerful smile.
“Lady Sinclair, congratulations on your wedding!”
So Sinclair was Alfred’s aunt?
“Theodore von Zeyer greets the young sun of the Empire, His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Theodore bowed deeply, hand over heart and one knee bent.
Alfred simply nodded, like royalty should, and approached me.
“Your Highness?”
“Yes, Lady Sinclair von Zeyer. I heard you fainted before the ceremony. I was worried.”
His lips pouted with concern and his eyes drooped slightly.
Oh wow… this was the exact expression he showed to the heroine in the novel. And now I was seeing it in real life!
Michael ruined the moment, of course.
“It is her first wedding—it’s only natural she’d be nervous.”
There he goes again.
I glanced up at Michael Owen and finally remembered who he really was.
He was the one who tried to kill the emperor and steal the throne when the kingdom fell into chaos.
He married his one daughter to the emperor and arranged for me to marry the Duke, first in line for succession—just to gain power.
He even ordered his own daughter to kill Theodore, the second in line.
Even if Sinclair was born from a witch, she was still his child—and he was throwing her away like garbage.
He wasn’t even human.
“Lady Sinclair?”
I turned away from Michael and looked at Alfred.
A bright smile naturally spread across my face.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
He held out his tiny hand.
In this cursed world, he was like a ray of hope.
I quickly let go of Theodore’s hand and took Alfred’s instead, pressing it to my cheek.
Warm, gentle… I bowed respectfully.
“It is an honor to meet the young sun of the Empire.”
“Welcome to the royal family.”
Looking into Alfred’s green eyes, I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes.
But I made a mistake.
I had let go of Theodore’s hand without thinking.
Now he stood frozen, glaring at Alfred with eyes colder than the demon realm’s deepest ice.
