Chapter 4 – Entry Number One: Targeting Baizen (1)
“…I’m late!!!”
“Huh?”
I opened my eyes to the sound of my own scream. Annie tilted her head like she didn’t understand, and Lucy handed me a glass of water with a worried expression.
“Did you have a nightmare?”
The cold touch of the water finally pulled me out of my dazed state.
Ah, right. I possessed a character in a book.
“It’s time to wake up, but I was surprised because you weren’t getting up.”
“Huh?”
This time Lucy tilted her head, clearly confused. Well, it wasn’t something she needed to know, so I kept my mouth shut.
Like someone talking in their sleep, I rubbed my eyes, drank the water, and stretched lightly.
“What time is it?”
“It’s still early morning, my lady. You can sleep more if you’d like.”
“Why sleep more? I’m already up, might as well do something.”
I got up groggily and did a few light stretches. Normally, my back, shoulders, and spine always felt sore, but now my young body felt featherlight.
Even when I twisted my waist with a sharp motion, I didn’t hear the usual creaking sound of my bones.
“Youth really is nice.”
“Pardon?”
Annie didn’t understand my words and tilted her head again but then nodded as if she was sympathizing. She looked too young to really understand what aging felt like though.
“Early twenties are the best years. Once you hit the late twenties, your whole body starts aching, and even sleeping doesn’t cure the fatigue. I used to be fine pulling all-nighters, but these days… oh wow, I can even do this pose!”
I stretched my legs and bent over completely with ease—it was amazing. Even before I got older, I was never this flexible!
“You seem very energetic today.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve had such a peaceful morning.”
It really had been a long time. My life before I got possessed had always been hectic. I started part-time jobs in high school and paid my way through all four years of college.
After graduating, I went straight into work. Once I got a full-time job, I barely even slept so I could keep up with everything.
I always had to be working.
Sleeping in, eating food someone else prepared, doing stretches like this… these kinds of mornings were something I could never dream of.
The only downtime I used to have was reading a few web novels before bed…
“My lady, does your back not hurt?”
“Huh?”
Snapped back to reality, I saw Annie’s upside-down face. Wait, no, I was the one upside-down.
“How long was I like this?”
“About three minutes.”
Three whole minutes. I’ve blanked out and walked into poles before, but never stayed in a backbend. I burst into laughter.
As I straightened up, I noticed Lucy fidgeting nervously.
“I thought I was delicate, but I’m actually in pretty good shape. I should stretch more often.”
“Please don’t overdo it though.”
Lucy quickly draped a jacket over my shoulders as she spoke.
Anyone else might have asked why I was acting so out of character, but Lucy didn’t.
After all, in the novel, Odelia was the type to sit on the terrace and read elegantly, not someone who moved around energetically.
Still, I didn’t want to start my morning reading books. I needed to move and eat first.
“I won’t overdo it! Anyway, now for breakfast…”
Just then, the door clicked open. A bad feeling washed over me, and I slowly turned my head.
“You’re up?”
Baizen had entered the room.
“…Do you start your day by visiting my room? Don’t you have work?”
“Looking at you is my job.”
“Oh, piss off.”
I mimicked the way my friends and I used to talk before I got possessed—sarcastic and a little bratty. That was key to disrupting the romantic male lead setting.
Lucy and Annie gasped, covering their mouths.
Of course they would be shocked—no one dared speak like that to the mighty Marquess Snifter.
And certainly not Odelia, who had never used that kind of tone before.
“You’ve been getting up early these days. I wonder why?”
Baizen strode over and wrapped his arm around my waist—just like the obsessive male lead from the novel. Though this was a step more intense than yesterday. What could I do to turn this guy into a cute puppy-type instead…?
“Baizen.”
“Hm?”
“Paw.”
Maybe because the only dog-training command I could think of was “Paw!”, I reflexively held out my hand. But instead of following like yesterday, Baizen laced his fingers through mine with a sticky sort of grip.
“You’re being extra forward today.”
Ugh. Everything he does is wrong.
He looked at me calmly while I cursed him with my eyes.
Clicking my tongue, I yanked my hand away and took the jacket Lucy handed over. His reaction today was different from yesterday’s. What did I do wrong?
All I did was say “Paw,” right? And… I was hungry. Still am.
I figured it was better to think while eating, so I quickly headed toward the dining room. Even though I hadn’t gone there on my own before, I found the way easily thanks to yesterday’s trip.
“Oh right, I forgot to ask what’s for breakfast. Today is…”
“Your favorite fruit salad.”
Baizen answered before Annie or Lucy could. I glanced around, but they were nowhere to be seen.
“Where are Lucy and Annie?”
“Dunno.”
Judging from Baizen’s smug smile, it was obvious he made sure they couldn’t follow. Should I just dump this guy already?
“They’re officially your exclusive maids now.”
“Says who?”
“Says me.”
I gave him a glare that screamed, ‘What if I don’t like it?’ Baizen shrugged like he was doing me a favor. It was irritating, but I decided to let it go for now.
At least Lucy and Annie were now “my people.”
The dining room smelled fresher than yesterday.
“…Where’s the meat?”
“You said you didn’t like it, so I had it all removed.”
“Then why bother eating breakfast? I should’ve just snacked instead.”
Ugh, does this guy not understand Korean people run on rice? Oh, right. This place is basically Europe.
Disappointed but too hungry to protest, I sat down and started eating.
“Don’t you have work?”
I stabbed my fork into the salad and asked. Normally, I wouldn’t try to kick someone out while eating, but this was an exception. Baizen sat right across from me—not even across, practically on top of me—resting his chin in his hands and staring.
“No one’s going to scold me for skipping work.”
“I’m about to want to.”
I muttered as I swallowed a bite. Baizen burst out laughing like I’d said something cute.
“I like being with you.”
“I don’t. I’d prefer to eat in peace.”
‘Looking at your face makes me lose my appetite, so leave,’ is what I meant, but Baizen just grabbed my hand again.
“Wanna go for a walk after breakfast?”
“Do you have hearing loss or something? Can’t you understand words?”
I slammed my fork down, but Baizen didn’t even flinch. I rubbed my temple, trying to hold back the violent urge rising inside me.
Stay calm. Getting angry at a lunatic makes you the lunatic…
I was doing my best to manage my emotions when Baizen suddenly reached over and wrapped his arm around my waist.
“Have you lost weight lately?”
Then he started rubbing my waist with his fingertips.
That did it.
“Why do you keep groping me?! Want me to twist your nipples instead?!”
“W-wait—!”
I grabbed his chest and twisted. Baizen panicked and grabbed my wrists. Think that’s enough to stop me?
I used Odelia’s light body to bounce and kicked him in the chest. His muscular pecs cushioned the impact, but I ended up on the floor.
A sore butt was nothing. I’d rather that than be treated like I’m weak.
Thankfully, Baizen didn’t charge at me—he backed off, covering his chest.
“Odelia, you really…”
“Say one more word and I’ll make sure it’s your ass I twist next.”
I curled my fingers threateningly. Baizen stepped back again.
This was… different.
I stepped forward. He stepped back.
“Hold on…”
“What am I, a dog? You giving me orders now?”
“Oh—right! I forgot I have work to do. I’ll leave now. You, uh, take your time and see a doctor!”
Before I could say anything else, Baizen bolted out of the room.
What the hell was that? That’s not how the obsessive male lead acts.
While I was still puzzling over Baizen’s weird behavior, Lucy entered the dining room.
“My lady, are you alright?”
“Oh? Yeah, I’m fine. I was about to explode from rage earlier, but I feel much better now.”
“Will you continue your meal?”
I looked around the dining room. The table was a mess. Fruit salad had spilled onto the floor, and the soft bread with milk jam was trampled underfoot.
“…Guess I can’t finish it now, huh?”
“No…”
Looking at the food I barely touched made me feel like maybe I’d gone too far.
But that guy really knew how to push my buttons.
I pouted and walked outside. Annie was there, looking very worried.
“My lady, are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Did something happen?”
“Sniff… I was scared you were hurt…”
At my question, Annie’s eyes filled with tears.
Uh, Baizen was the one who got hurt. I kicked him.
Still, seeing someone cry over me made me want to comfort her first, so I gently wiped her tears. At that, she burst into full-on sobs.
“I heard you scream and something breaking—I thought he finally laid hands on you…”
Oh, she thought my war cry was a scream.
“Aw, that? That crashing sound was just me kicking that bastard. He ran away. Don’t worry.”
“When you didn’t come out, I got scared…”
She must’ve really thought I was hurt. For some reason, that warmed my heart.
Having someone worry about me… was surprisingly nice.
Compared to the life I had before—where I couldn’t eat one proper meal a day, slept on cold floors, and no one ever checked if I was okay—this was enough to bring tears to my eyes.
I wiped Annie’s tears again and smiled to reassure her.
“Luckily, my brother didn’t do anything. And from now on, I won’t get hurt.”
“But still…”
“You must be careful.”
Lucy, who had followed us, added with a serious look.
“My lady, the master is not as gentle as you think.”
“…”
At her words, Annie lowered her head and trembled like a leaf.
It was clearly fear.
“He could put you in danger at any time. Just because you’re family… doesn’t mean you’re safe. Especially since you’re not blood-related…”
Lucy looked at me with deep concern and bowed her head.
Be careful. Be extra careful. That’s what she was trying to say.
And I understood.
I knew how badly Odelia suffered in the R-rated tragedy novel “Flower-Loving Bastards.”
But that was because she kept letting things happen to her.
Of course, not everything was her fault—the world around her sucked too.
“If you ever anger the master…”
As I sighed, thinking of the original story, Lucy’s eyes welled with tears.
Annie started crying again too.
“W-whoa now—it’s okay. I’m not some fragile glass doll, and my dear brother…”
Can I really handle Baizen?
I couldn’t finish the sentence.
Baizen was obsessed with Odelia from the very beginning in the original novel.
They grew up together like family, and that twisted obsession festered under her brilliance.
A man who’s been obsessed for years…
“My brother… can I really deal with him?”
When I ended with a question, Lucy and Annie broke down sobbing.
Oh, man. I think I just scared them even more.
