Chapter 1

There are many kinds of villains. The sub-villain, who makes the most grandiose appearance, but ends up being apprehended the fastest. The childhood villain who, while only appearing in a few flashbacks, makes brilliant contributions in traumatizing the main character. The villainess, who is humiliated publicly for harassing the heroine.

And…the ultimate villain. The most troublesome kind to deal with. They are a genuine Éminence grise, seemingly tranquil on the outside when they’re actually scheming behind the scenes.

“Merchen.”

Among the world of villains, I was only a villainess unworthy of any mention.

My name was Merchen Hauser, the beloved youngest daughter of an ordinary villainous family. I happened to know about this by chance.

“My cutie, Father bought you a present.”

My father, Count Honey Hauser, came with a huge package while I was enjoying a cold fruit juice in the garden.

“Come here and see.”

“What is it?”

As I glanced his way, Count Hauser opened the box.

Tuk.

“Gasp!”

“How is it? Do you like it?”

He gazed at me with eagerness, oblivious to the fact that my eyes were wide in surprise.

Inside the box was a child with his wrists and feet tied. He was a small child who, although covered in dirt and blood, had an angelic appearance. I recognized him at first glance.

He was Rory Valiatte, the ultimate villain of the novel .

He was a villainous second male lead, who would soon become the precious Duke of Valiatte.

That’s right.

Even though the Hauser family was full of villains, they were defeated by the ultimate villain and ended up perishing. After 14 years of imprisonment and bullying, the innocent young master turned into a cold-blooded man.

How did I know this? It’s because I was an imposter who possessed Merchen Hauser’s body.

Seeing a page of the novel unfolded in reality made my mouth drop. Disbelief spread across my face, even though I knew this moment would arrive.

Rory’s fine, silver lashes trembled as he glanced around like a deer in headlights. I handed over my teacup to the maid and approached him.

I touched his cheeks, but I involuntarily trembled because of the coldness of his face.

“Why don’t you look excited? Don’t you like it?”

Count Hauser asked in a sullen voice. At the same time, the two scoundrels resembling the count, in other words, my brothers, entered the garden.

“Are you back, Father?”

The boy in immaculate clothing and glasses asked Father. He was my oldest brother, ‘Suga Hauser’.

“You came sooner than expected, you must’ve been bored!”

The boy who came in from the window with a yellow snake wrapped around his neck was my second oldest brother, ‘Prim Hauser’.

Suga glanced at him as if he was a bumbling idiot. Indeed, Prim was a bit on the foolish side, matching his appearance well.

“Suga. Prim. I heard your new swordsman teacher bolted once more.”

“He’s far too feeble. I gave him a finger-shaped cookie to welcome him, but he ran away. Even though I especially gave it to him with tomato ketchup.”

Prim’s ridiculous remark was met with a nod from Suga. Their names were unlike their demeanor. Well, it was a given, since they were written as a villain family. It was relieving that they only resorted to lame pranks.

“Father, what is this?”

Suga approached me and noticed Rory lying down in front of me. He tried to kick Rory’s head with his feet, but I hastily protected it in bewilderment. Suga then knelt and caressed my blonde locks.

“I brought it as a gift for Merchen, but she didn’t seem to like it…”

“Then I’ll have it!”

Prim exclaimed ecstatically, his eyes gleaming dangerously.

I could see Rory’s potential future in Prim’s hands. Prim would whip Rory like a horse, or force him to eat rotten food.

That could never happen. I should stop him.

“No!”

I wrapped my arms around Rory’s body. Rory was a small child, but because I was smaller than him, I couldn’t embrace him properly. In the end, I toppled over his body.

“Mwine! Don’t wook at him!” (Mine! Don’t look at him!)

I fixed my gaze on Suga and Prim, noticing how their faces drooped.

Suga said with a gentle voice,

“Yes, Merchen, you can take it.”

“I can’t believe you’re so happy! I’ll buy you more, Merchen!”

“Father, I’ll help you too! For now, let’s take about ten people…”

The count and Prim were fussing with an excited face. I looked at them with a sour expression.

“I dwon’t need it!” (I don’t need it!)

“You don’t need it? Why?”

“I don’t want anwone else. I thust need this one.” (I don’t want anyone else. I just need this one.)

‘Don’t harass innocent people, you bastards.’

Before something more troublesome happened, I swiftly gave them a stern expression.

“Now, gwo away.” (Now, go away.)

“Merchen, me too?”

The Count looked at me pitifully. I waved my hand in response.

“Wou need to wowk. ” (You need to work.)

At my remarks, the three people turned around and went away with their shoulders sagging pitifully.

After they all left, I requested a maid to clean Rory and treat his wounds. Then, I brought him some clothes that Prim had given me, and put them on him.

I laid him on the bed and watched him silently.

“Rory Valiatte.”

He would seek revenge by the time he is 19 years old, annihilating everyone in my family and anyone who bothered him. Soon after, he was revealed to be the duke’s son, and he easily bypassed the trials against him.

The novel only emphasized Suga and Prim’s constant tormenting, so I didn’t know how severe Merchen Hauser’s case was. Still, Merchen also greatly contributed to Rory’s transformation into the ultimate villain.

The character Merchen was a child born with tremendous magical powers, despite her small stature. When Rory turned 19, Merchen was 17.

The only time she was ever mentioned in the novel was when she exploited the weakened Rory to summon the devils using dark magic. But it failed, and as a result, a powerful devil took up residence within Rory’s body. Rory absorbed the devil’s power and it became his.

Right then and there, he killed Merchen. The devilish Rory walked away with blood on his hands.

“I stiww can’t bewieve it…” (I still can’t believe it…)

Possessing someone’s body, that is.

In my past life, I was just a normal person, albeit a little miserable and poor. I tried to pursue everything in the arts, including singing, acting, and dancing, but I couldn’t stand out, no matter how hard I struggled.

“You’re going to join a musical? Kim Haneul, you?”

Enduring every sneer and nasty remark, I sang, danced, and practiced my lines from time to time during my part-time job.

I was 22 years old. I started a little later than others, but I had no choice. I didn’t have the money to go to an academy, so my only practice came from watching the same videos over and over again.

“Kim Haneul, you dropped out of high school to take the GED, is there a reason?”

“… Do I have to say it?”

I had already been questioned about it more than 10 times. Even if I tried to erase those words from my memories, they would come back to torment me again.

After this question, there weren’t any comments regarding my performances. I thought it was unjust, but I changed my mind after witnessing a particular girl’s performance.

She was only a 19-year-old girl, but her performance was fresh and moved the heart of the viewer.

In the end, I felt inferior compared to her, and I realized that passion and skills didn’t always go hand in hand.

“You didn’t go to an academy, did you? It was obvious that you taught yourself.”

She said that to me as soon as the auditions were over.

“But still, I like it.”

I chuckled at her clumsy and straightforward consolation.

The lively girl handed me a novel, saying that it is easy to forget such things with reading, and then ran to her parents, who were waiting for her.

After receiving rejection letters from multiple universities, my self-esteem plummeted and it fell even further after I failed all my auditions as well.

Then the following year, on a summer day, the weather felt unusually hot.

I thought that maybe I was too exhausted, so I bought a train ticket headed to the east sea as a spur-of-the-moment decision.

On the train, I finally opened the novel that the female student gave to me. It had a unique title, .

I didn’t give the book much thought as I turned the pages, but I immediately fell in love with Rory Valiatte. The author described Rory’s appearance like this:

Rory Valiatte was a dashing young man with luscious silver hair, as if every thread had been extracted from the dazzling moonlight. He had intriguing pink eyes, serene as a lake at twilight, that gave everyone shivers. His voice was enticingly deep and sweet, like honey.

Rory was a very attractive second male lead. He was perfect from head to toe, and on top of that, he had great wealth and ability. Also, when he fell in love with Cinnamon at first sight, he seduced her with his unwavering tenderness and politeness.

On the other hand, Crown Prince Ardan Cranberry, the male lead, paled in comparison.

He was obnoxious and rude, and he frequently made me uncomfortable with his jealousy when Cinnamon was simply talking to another guy. Ardan would kiss Cinnamon without her consent, and do a variety of other things.

Overall, his performance in wooing Cinnamon was very poor. Yet, the timid Cinnamon blushed regardless of what Ardan did.

Rory was distressed by the sight of these two lovebirds, and that became the catalyst towards his villainous path.

Rage would brew under his seemingly calm facade. He didn’t hesitate to commit heinous acts for the sake of his goals.

Rory was covertly planning a rebellion. Despite congratulating Ardan and Cinnamon, he continued to carry out his plan step by step.

On the couple’s wedding day, the soldiers Rory raised using the power of the devil wreaked havoc as he imprisoned Cinnamon.

However, his attitude toward Cinnamon was always courteous and gentle.

Rory was already considered a criminal since he kidnapped and confined Cinnamon, but he still acted cautiously towards her. He always asked for her consent for every little thing, brought her delicious food, and made sure nothing was uncomfortable for her.

He was an odd character, one I’d never read about before.

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