“Huhu.”
An involuntary villainous chuckle slipped out, and Dion’s expression instantly twisted in displeasure.
“There’s no way you lost your mind completely overnight. What ridiculous scheme are you plotting this time?”
“Actually, I’ve just come to my senses. And there’s something personal I’d like to discuss.”
“The more you talk, the more absurd this gets.”
Dion scoffed and turned his head, as if even listening to me was a waste of his time.
Up close, he truly looked the part of one of the continent’s few Sword Masters—his posture was impeccable, broad shoulders steady, and the fabric of his shirt strained against the muscles underneath, as if ready to tear at any moment.
As I quietly studied him, his sharp retort came without delay.
“Get to the point. I don’t have time to indulge your petty tricks today.”
Sensing the tension, a servant approached hesitantly and handed me a knife.
His trembling hand made it painfully clear he was worried I might stab Dion with it.
Well, it wasn’t an entirely unreasonable fear.
In the original story, every time Rose faced Dion, she’d lose her mind and lunge at him without hesitation.
But for the bigger picture I had in mind… I needed Dion’s cooperation first.
“Then I’ll really get straight to the point.”
Taking a quick breath, I jumped right in.
“Give me Lusein, the mountain village in the Delonin Mountain Range. If you do, I’ll quietly disappear from your life.”
“Yesterday, you were causing a scene, waving the family’s treasured sword around, demanding the position of head.
“Then I’ll really get straight to the point.”
Taking a quick breath, I dove right in.
“Give me Lusein, the mountain village in the Delonin Range. If you do, I’ll quietly disappear from your life.”
“Yesterday, you were throwing a tantrum, waving around the family’s treasured sword and demanding the position of head. And today, you’re scheming for the family’s most troublesome territory instead?”
…Wait, she actually swung a real sword around?
While I silently mourned the original Rose’s hopeless personality, I did my best to secure my future, using words this time.
“Honestly, even orabeoni has to admit this is unfair. I’m still a member of the Salome family, after all. Isn’t it a bit much to expect me to settle for an ‘inheritance’ that’s not even worth a proper estate?”
The man in front of me was—ironically—the only one among the male leads who actually had a functioning sense of morality.
He prided himself on fairness and chivalry, so I decided to press that exact button.
A deep frown formed on Dion’s forehead.
“You do know exactly what kind of territory Lusein is, don’t you?”
I know. I know it far too well.
It’s a remote mountain village buried deep in the ranges. The crops there barely grow, and the place is practically worthless.
Worse yet, ominous legends surrounding the area keep people far away, making it the Salome family’s biggest burden.
In the original story, Dion ended up selling it off for a dirt-cheap price just six months after becoming the family head.
So really, this wasn’t a bad deal for him.
If anything, it was probably a relief—he could finally get rid of me, the persistent thorn in his side.
“I know very well. That’s exactly why it’s the perfect place for me to start over—somewhere no one knows me.”
Lowering my gaze, I spoke softly, lacing my voice with just enough wistfulness to sound convincing. Dion scoffed.
“Someone like you, who’s never even stepped outside the capital, surviving in the mountains?”
If it were the original Rose, she probably wouldn’t have lasted even an hour before running away. But I’m different.
I grew up in a remote mountain village in Gangwon Province, with farmer parents. There’s no place more suited to me than that.
Of course, I had another reason for bringing this village to the negotiation table.
The New Town Development Project.
About a year from now, the Imperial Family would launch the Metro Project—a plan to build a massive metropolitan area.
It was a top-secret initiative, scheduled to be announced without warning at next year’s Founding Festival.
The secrecy was intentional, meant to stop the nouveau riche and high-ranking nobles from buying up the land in advance.
In other words, if I could just survive in that mountain village for one year… I’d strike gold.
I fought to suppress the grin threatening to break out and continued calmly.
“I’m tired of fighting over the family headship with you. Just let me live out the rest of my life in some quiet mountain village where no one knows me. Wouldn’t that be better for you, orabeoni?”
For that line, I wiped away every trace of a smile and fully committed to the role of the reformed, pitiful Rose.
‘It’s better to let me have half than to risk some outsider taking everything, right?’
To Dion, who saw Lusein as nothing but a nuisance, this would feel like shedding a burden.
For me, it meant striking it rich with just one year of patience. Isn’t that what they call a win-win?
Thankfully, this was still before the timeline where the male leads and the original female protagonist became deeply entangled. It was the perfect window of opportunity for my plan.
Concealing my true intentions flawlessly, I looked straight at Dion.
His eyes narrowed sharply, as if trying to see through me, while his fingers tapped the table in a familiar, impatient rhythm.
“And why should I trust you? I’ve put up with your fickleness since you were a child.”
“If you’re really that concerned, then let’s put it in writing. Once I inherit the Lusein estate, I’ll never set foot in the capital again.”
At my bold offer, one of Dion’s eyebrows twitched.
“…Are you serious?”
“Yes. I mean it.”
“Don’t come running back later, begging me to take you in.”
“I’m an adult now. I can take care of myself, so don’t worry.”
Of course, I’ll be taking care of myself, and my precious future metro development land. Hehe.
Watching Dion deep in thought, I could barely hold back the grin tugging at my lips.
After a long silence, he finally turned to the butler standing nearby.
“Bring me all the documents related to the Lusein estate.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
I silently cheered as the butler left the dining room without a single question or moment of hesitation.
If I could just settle down in that remote mountain village, I’d be free from all involvement with the male leads of the original story.
And once the metro project officially launched, more money than I could spend in a lifetime would come pouring in.
All I had to do now was keep a low profile and survive in that quiet village for one year.
‘Maybe I should even start farming while I’m there.’
Just enough to feed myself.
I decided to use Rose’s wealth sparingly—just in case.
If, by some chance, the original storyline derailed and the metro project got canceled, I’d need to have a backup plan.
Before long, the butler returned with the documents, and Dion slid the contract across the table toward me.
“I’ll say this one more time, once you stamp this, no matter what tricks you pull, there’s no going back.”
“You’re being quite kind about this.”
“…What?”
“Don’t worry. There’ll be no need to reverse it. Once I move there, you’ll probably never see me again.”
It was my way of saying, “You’ll finally be able to stretch out and sleep comfortably in a mansion free of troublesome Rose.”
But Dion’s eye twitched slightly at my words.
I pretended not to hear him mutter that I must’ve completely lost my mind as I reached for the seal.
Next to the long name, ‘Roseciel Candid Salome’, I firmly stamped my red seal like I was branding a deal.
“So, this means our contract is officially sealed now, right?”
Dion stared at me with a complicated expression for a moment before silently pressing his seal next to his name.
Just like that, the land tied to the future metro development became mine.
Hugging the land title, contract, and related documents like precious treasures, I was about to leave, and then.
“…That estate has been neglected for a long time. At the very least, make sure basic repairs are done. Also, you may return to the capital for official events like the Founding Festival.”
“Am I allowed to skip those if I want?”
To be honest, that wasn’t something someone like Rose, well-known among nobles as a party addict, would normally say.
But then again, if I were still acting like the original Rose, I wouldn’t have made this proposal in the first place.
“Did you bump your head or what?”
Leaving Dion, who now looked at me like I was some incomprehensible creature, I calmly walked out of the dining room.
‘Go ahead and enjoy the chaos with the male leads, Dion.’
I was casting off every chain that tied me to this world, ready to retire in peace to my small, precious estate!
I couldn’t help but hum a cheerful tune, and the passing servants began whispering among themselves.
“What’s wrong with her? What did she eat to end up like this?”
“Hey, keep it down! You want your hair pulled out again?”
This must be what it feels like to be an unleashed, wild guard dog.
Anyway, with my safety nets in place, I clutched the documents tightly and hurried along.
There were countless things to prepare before I could fully move to the countryside.
About two weeks later.
I finally got some good news—the estate’s repairs were finished sooner than expected.
