I Became the First Love of the Impenetrable Male Lead (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1
“What on earth….”
An involuntary chuckle escaped me at the sight before my eyes. The training hall was completely empty, and the wooden practice swords that should have been stored neatly in the cabinets were scattered everywhere.
Come to think of it, wasn’t today the final day of the festival?
Before coming here, I’d run into Lucas, who’d been unusually excited.
I’d refused when he’d invited me to join him at the square, but knowing Lucas—the one who always set the mood within the knights’ order…
“He must’ve stirred everyone up like crazy.”
Just imagining the scene gave me a mild headache.
Even if it’s the last day of the festival, how desperate must he have been to drag everyone out so hastily that it ended up like this?
A suppressed sigh slipped out between my teeth. I’d sworn to myself in this life that I wouldn’t clean up after others, but seeing this mess, I couldn’t just walk away.
I untied the ribbon from my wrist and quickly gathered my golden hair, which reached my waist, into a tight ponytail.
Just as I was about to reach down for one of the wooden swords at my feet—
“Senior.”
My shoulders flinched at the pleasant, low voice.
It was definitely a voice I’d never heard before, yet why did I feel this ominous foreboding?
“…”
“Senior?”
When I turned toward the voice, I saw a man standing alone. Slowly lifting my gaze, I blinked blankly.
I knew this face well.
Hair of an enigmatic shade—sometimes appearing as deep black, other times like a rich navy—as if a piece of the night sky had been placed right upon his head.
Beneath it, eyes of a lighter hue, a striking blue…
In other words, the man standing before me right now was the male protagonist from the novel I’d read in my previous life—the cold-blooded warmonger who never accepted the affections of the terminally ill female lead until the very end.
And though merely a supporting character in the original story, he was the tyrant who fought and killed Rosebelia, the very owner of this body, hailed as the Empire’s greatest swordsman.
Ian Klein Martinez.
Midway through the novel, Rosebelia had gone into exile in a foreign land, repeatedly clashing on the battlefield against Ian, who had become a tyrant and instigated war—and she, too, ultimately met her death fighting him.
According to the original plot, he was destined to kill me, and I was destined to kill him…
In other words, we’d end up fighting like dogs until we both died…
Just recalling that dreadful ending from the original made my breath catch in my throat.
“…What is it?”
“I’ll take care of the cleanup, Senior.”
“Alright, go ahead.”
As Ian began picking up the remaining wooden swords, I took hesitant steps backward. Only once some distance had formed between us did I finally feel like I could breathe again.
Stay calm. It’s not like I’m going to kill Ian right now, or he’s going to kill me, right?
Yes, for now, we’re simply senior and junior knights in the order.
Once I’d steadied my breathing, my eyes fell upon Ian’s back as he silently cleaned the training hall alone.
I crept closer to help, and immediately felt his sidelong glance. His eyes held a trace of puzzlement.
“…”
“It’ll be faster if we do it together.”
My words came out curt, awkwardness making my tone sharper than intended. Ian merely shrugged his shoulders and continued gathering the wooden swords.
When Ian finally approached, arms full of practice swords, I gestured toward the storage cabinet with my eyes.
I knew he was tall, but he really was enormous.
And that wasn’t all. The novel had described him as having a solid, muscular build, sculpted features, and eyes of unfathomable depth that made countless women’s hearts flutter.
I’d always dismissed it as just “male lead buff,” but seeing him in person, even that description felt inadequate.
He was so stunning I’d momentarily lost myself just staring.
“Have you given it any thought?”
“Thought? About what…?”
I could feel my thoughts slowing down. I had no idea what he was talking about.
“I didn’t expect you’d play innocent.”
“Huh?”
His gaze, insistently scanning my face, sent a wave of tension rushing through me.
His manner was respectful, as if addressing a true senior, yet his eyes held a strangely insolent glint.
Then again, no matter how hard he tried to conceal his identity, the pride unique to imperial blood couldn’t be entirely hidden.
I already knew from the original story that Ian, the First Prince of the Fones Empire, had joined the White Knights Order incognito as a new recruit.
But this situation right now…
“As far as I recall, Senior, you weren’t even drunk.”
My Adam’s apple bobbed at Ian’s sudden remark.
“I might have been.”
“You mean you don’t remember what happened that day because you were drunk?”
“That day…?”
“The eve of the festival.”
The eve of the festival? The unexpected phrase dried my mouth instantly.
If it was the eve of the festival, that must mean the day before it began. I’d heard the festival here lasted three days.
Since today was the final day, that “eve” he mentioned would’ve been exactly four days ago.
I subtly bit my lower lip. Though it had only been four days, I had absolutely no memory of that day.
What excuse could I possibly make? Should I just insist I was drunk that day?
“Well… some people don’t show it even when they’re drunk, you know?”
I forced a smile, but Ian’s expression hardened instantly.
“Have you forgotten? Or do you simply wish to forget?”
“No, I just… want to pretend it never happened.”
Was I being too honest?
Avoiding Ian’s flickering gaze, I slowly looked away.
“I don’t think I can do that.”
“What?”
“That sensation… it was the first time in my life.”
“…”
“For just a fleeting moment, I can’t forget the instant our breaths mingled, Senior.”
Mingled? Mingled what?
“I have no intention of forcing you. Even if you refuse, I’d still like a proper answer. This kind of evasion isn’t like you, Senior.”
So what answer exactly was he expecting?
Junior? No—Male Lead from the original story? I genuinely don’t know what you’re talking about!
While I desperately held back the words rising to my tongue, Ian gave a brief bow and left the training hall.
Only after his presence had completely vanished did I clutch my head in my hands.
Let me think this through calmly.
“So… something must’ve happened during the eve of the festival…”
My mind understood. The problem was that I’d only awakened in this body in this world three days ago.
In other words, I had no memory of the eve of the festival.
Meanwhile, the original male lead was demanding an answer about something that happened that day—something I didn’t even know about.
I was already doomed.
Wait, weren’t you two supposed to have a bad relationship in the original?
“What on earth happened between you two?”
*
“Miss, how would you like your meal?”
As I stepped out of the bathroom, a maid in full uniform approached and asked.
“Could you bring it here?”
“Yes. Please wait just a moment.”
I was perched on the edge of the bed when the door closed, and I let out a soft sigh.
Slowly leaning back, I was hit simultaneously by a soft texture and a strangely uncomfortable sensation.
“Of course it feels awkward… it’s only natural.”
I calmly retraced the events of a few days ago. That day was…
‘Do you also wish to vanish like this?’
I’d heard that voice the moment I realized I was lying on cold asphalt.
All I could hear was the frantic sound of an engine fading into the distance; no one seemed to be approaching me.
I couldn’t even tell where the voice was coming from—only the distinct sensation of someone’s voice reaching me.
‘Shall I make you an offer?’
In my pain, I’d slowly opened my eyes. In that darkness, where everything seemed to flicker in and out, I thought I’d glimpsed a flash of light.
‘Would you like to live the life you’ve always wanted?’
It hadn’t been a particularly satisfying life. Once, I’d believed myself to be special, convinced my life was bathed in light.
But that had merely been my arrogant delusion.
I’d stubbornly endured even when my mother and grandmother passed away one after another, and when I’d been forced to give up fencing due to an injury just before entering high school.
I’d only worked so hard because I’d wanted my father and stepmother to acknowledge me…
Only to realize later that, to them, I was nothing more than a pawn on a chessboard—and from that moment, my life had shifted into shadow.
I’d thought maybe my life was a failure.
Yet perhaps that lingering desire to live had been what drove me—maybe deep down, I’d still clung to life despite telling myself, “Whatever happens, happens.”
Before I could fully grasp what the question truly meant, I clenched my palm with all my strength.
‘Yes, that answer is enough.’
In that instant, a warm sensation enveloped my body. All pain vanished, and when I opened my eyes again, I was in this world.
The world of the novel , which I’d read dozens of times.
The original plot was simple: Daisy, the female lead, harbored a one-sided love for Ian, the male lead.
Terminally ill, Daisy had accidentally received Ian’s help and fallen for him, but Ian had shown her no particular interest.
In fact, Ian was famously known in the original story as an impenetrable man who never let any woman get close—not just Daisy, but any woman at all.
After becoming Crown Prince, and later ascending to Emperor, his side always remained empty.
The story ended tragically: Daisy continued pining for Ian, the cold-hearted tyrant who never looked back at her, until Ian died on the battlefield—and Daisy soon followed, taking her last breath.
That’s why, when I’d read the original, I’d rooted for Edwin, the secondary male lead who secretly loved Daisy.
“The ones I liked in this story were Daisy, Edwin, and…”
The protagonist of this very body.
“Rosebelia.”
Hearing my own voice whisper that name felt strangely unfamiliar, sending goosebumps down my arms.
Rosebelia Winters.
Though merely a supporting character in the original, she was the strongest in the entire setting.
After serving in the Fones Empire’s White Knights Order, she’d suddenly defected to the Lenor Kingdom, becoming their Knight Captain, and repeatedly clashed with Ian during the nearly year-long war between the Empire and the Kingdom—ultimately killing him.
Rosebelia herself also suffered fatal wounds and died on the spot.
Moreover, she was the daughter of the Marquis Winters and famed throughout the Empire as its greatest beauty.
Though a supporting character, her impact was so strong that after finishing the novel, I’d reread it from the beginning just to find every mention of her.
Especially the part where it was revealed that the female knight of the White Knights Order was actually a Swordmaster—every time I read it, I got chills as the entire Empire shook in response.
And recently, rereading the original, I’d even thought to myself:
For a supporting character to live such an impactful life… maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.
Better to be a memorable supporting character than a lead who gets betrayed after believing they were the protagonist.
“But that doesn’t mean I want to become someone who just fights and dies…”
Rosebelia’s ending was clear, but the path leading there wasn’t explicitly detailed.
After all, the original was told from Daisy’s first-person perspective, and mentions of Rosebelia were scarce.
But if I, as Rosebelia, made different choices…
Could I possibly change the ending?
“If only that were possible…”
Lost in thought, I clenched my fingertips just as the distant sound of a trolley reached my ears.
“Miss, I’ve brought your meal.”
Hearing the maid’s voice outside the door, I quickly sat up.
“Come in.”
The approaching maid wore a gentle smile. This girl was Anne, Rosebelia’s personal maid.
Though I’d only awakened in this body four days ago, she somehow didn’t feel unfamiliar at all.
“If you need anything else, please let me know.”
“Yes, you may go now.”
“I’ll stay by your side. The head chef asked me to watch over you to make sure you eat well.”
“Is it surveillance, then?”
At my teasing question, Anne waved her hands dismissively.
“No, the head chef is just worried about you…”
“I know. Mark still treats me like a child, even though I’m all grown up.”
It felt strangely natural, how effortlessly the conversation flowed. It wasn’t just pretending—I genuinely knew Anne, and I knew Head Chef Mark well.
The moment I’d opened my eyes in this world, Rosebelia’s memories had swept through my mind like a panorama, flowing in as clearly as if someone were pointing me toward signposts.
From the moment Rosebelia was born, through her childhood, her rise as a prodigy in swordsmanship, her entry into the Empire’s elite White Knights Order, and even her recent encounter with Ian, the original male lead who’d joined as a new recruit…
My vision of Rosebelia’s memories ended precisely there. After awakening here, I’d spent an entire day feverish, absorbing all of Rosebelia’s memories.
Thanks to those memories, adapting to this world hadn’t been difficult at all.
Not only that—gestures, etiquette, even Rosebelia’s swordsmanship, hailed as godlike, all came naturally to me as if engraved into my very body, as though we’d synchronized perfectly.
The problem was…
‘That sensation… it was the first time in my life.’
‘…’
‘For just a fleeting moment, I can’t forget the instant our breaths mingled, Senior.’
Sighing deeply, I mulled over Ian’s words from yesterday.
Since the original story began after the festival ended, this moment was set before the original plot even started.
Yet a minor incident had already occurred between Rosebelia and Ian?
Vaguely recalling a fragment of the original, I gently set down my fork.
‘It seems the Winters family has seriously displeased His Majesty.’
‘After all, the eldest daughter of the Winters family—the very candidate for the next captain of the White Knights Order—defected to the Lenor Kingdom. I heard His Majesty personally visited her several times to offer her the position of captain, yet she refused and crossed over to become the kingdom’s Knight Captain instead…’
This was the scene where Daisy overheard her father’s conversation just before the war broke out.
During the war with the kingdom, Ian annihilated the entire Winters family.
Though the original never clearly depicted the relationship between Rosebelia and Ian, while reading, I’d inferred they probably hadn’t gotten along well.
That’s why I’d tried so hard to start off on the right foot with Ian.
‘This kind of evasion isn’t like you, Senior.’
Why was it only the eve of the festival that I couldn’t remember?!
“Miss, are you alright?”
“Oh, I’m fine. Just got lost in thought for a moment.”
“Are you really alright?”
Anne’s voice was thick with worry. Understandable—after all, everyone in this household had treated my day-long fever as a major crisis.
Rosebelia had never even suffered minor illnesses before, so her sudden high fever had naturally caused quite a commotion.
“Yes, don’t worry.”
I forced a smile and glanced around the bedroom. Portraits hung on the teal-colored walls, a fireplace occupied one wall, and a small but ornate chandelier hung above the bed.
Rising from my seat, I walked toward the window framed in gold. The floor-to-ceiling window bathed my entire body in sunlight the moment I neared it.
Turning quickly, I stood before the tall mirror beside the window. Smooth-looking pale skin, golden hair resembling radiant light, and beneath it, eyes of a soft green hue.
Even in my previous life, I’d often been called pretty, but Rosebelia’s beauty defied any description.
“…She really is stunningly beautiful.”
At my near-murmur, Anne immediately responded.
“Yes? Did you need something?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Four days had passed since I’d awakened in this body in this world, yet nothing had changed.
Since I had nowhere else to return to anyway—if someone truly had given me this chance…
“I should avoid death flags first…”
“Pardon?”
“Anne, I’ll be out for a bit.”
“Going to the knights’ order again? You said you wouldn’t go today. Miss, you haven’t even fully recovered yet—pushing yourself like this…”
“I’m not going to the knights’ order. Just stepping out for a short walk.”
Before Anne could stop me, I hurried out of the bedroom.
Walking down the long corridor, I couldn’t help but marvel anew at the overwhelming scale of the mansion.
For a marquis’s residence, the Winters estate was astonishingly lavish. And look at these murals—the paintings even continue onto the ceiling!
Entranced by the mural’s intricate details, I paused momentarily in place.
“Rosebelia?”
Just hearing my name called sent shivers racing up my cheeks. My senses, suddenly sharpened several-fold, delivered a clear warning:
Before worrying about distant death flags, I needed to be wary of this person first.
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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