The pain wasn’t the problem.

The bigger problem was being entangled with a trash male lead and driven to the frontier.

I must have been crazy. It’s like I dug my own grave.

I felt like smashing my past self’s head for thinking ‘I can survive if I stay by Serdis’ side!’

This is maddening. What should I do now?

Lying in bed with my eyes closed, replaying this situation over and over, my head hurt even more than when my memories returned. I wanted to deny that this was reality, but

[TrashBelongsInTheTrashCan: Serdis smells like trash.] [TrashBelongsInTheTrashCan: Overrated recycling. There must be a real male lead somewhere else, right?] [TrashBelongsInTheTrashCan: Hey, author? Author???]

In the end, it flows towards Violet and Serdis’ love line.

[TrashBelongsInTheTrashCan: Don’t let our sister Violet smell like trash!]

The memory of leaving such scathing hate comments came back vividly, and I couldn’t deny it.

“Are you awake?”

A man’s voice, like a bird chirping, woke me from my deep contemplation.

“Anette. How are you feeling?”

“Gasp!”

My body instinctively jumped up.

It was because the man I had been determined to avoid all night while groaning in pain was right in front of my eyes.

Moreover, it felt like I had entered a forest full of phytoncide, clearing my airways… Ah, this isn’t right.

“W-why is Your Highness in my room?”

“Did I startle you? You collapsed at the cafe yesterday, so we rushed you to the Count’s residence, but I was still worried.”

That voice sounded unpleasant for the first time. Now he wasn’t my savior, but the trash male lead who would send me to ruin.

“That doesn’t mean you can just enter someone else’s room as you please.”

“I was so worried I couldn’t sleep. I’m sorry if I startled you.”

Serdis handed me a teacup as I sat up in bed.

“Here. It’s warm water. Drink it.”

I deliberately avoided his gaze as I asked.

“But why didn’t you go home?”

My curt words colored his face with bewilderment.

“When I said I was worried, the Count asked me to stay the night first.”

“Father did?”

“Yes. The Count also told me to check on you in your room.”

What an unhelpful dad!

Father probably welcomed him with open arms. After all, his ‘forever single’ daughter had brought home a man.

I pressed my forehead, which was still throbbing slightly.

“You’ve seen my face, so please leave now.”

“Are you still in pain? Here, lean back for now, Anette.”

It feels like my head is going to explode because of you, you fool.

Serdis carefully added a cushion to the headboard and slowly helped me lean back.

“I appreciate it, but please leave now. I need to sleep more.”

“Alright. But have some soup and medicine before you go back to sleep.”

Knowing the original story and looking at him now, his eyes were those of a man deeply in love. The infatuation seemed so strong that I could almost see faint hearts in his eyes.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

How much does he like me?

Even in the original story, he was rejected by Anette, so it’s not just a casual attraction. Judging by his eyes, I was worried whether I could shake off the male lead just by avoiding him.

“I made the soup myself.”

What?

“It’s my first time making it, so I’m not sure if it’ll taste good. You don’t have to eat it if it’s bad.”

He even blushed charmingly. If it were yesterday, I would have laughed it off thinking he was just being a kind protagonist, but knowing the original story now, his behavior gave me goosebumps.

Originally, Serdis wasn’t a kind person. He was a nasty guy who behaved badly when others weren’t looking. Therefore, this innocent act was just a pretense to look good in front of me.

You’re really determined to send me to ruin, aren’t you?

If I smile and thank him for this, he’ll probably go to Violet later and say,

‘Anette was so happy with just one bowl of soup I made, as if she had the whole world… But you always just take from me. I’m tired, Violet.’

With exaggerated memories that he himself had imbued with nostalgic buffs.

I can’t get involved any further.

I gripped my trembling fingertips instead of my heart, and said firmly,

“Why did you go to the trouble of making that?”

“Of course, because you’re sick, Anette.”

“Well, I’m sorry to say this. I usually don’t eat breakfast when I wake up, I go straight for dessert.”

I said to Betty, who was glancing at us while standing by the door.

“Betty, what’s for breakfast today? I had a croissant with lots of whipped cream yesterday, so I want something different today.”

Betty’s eyes widened as if to say, ‘What nonsense is this?’ I winked at her slightly. Having grown up with me like sisters, I thought Betty would understand my intentions.

“Pardon?”

Come on Betty, don’t just say ‘Pardon?’ Back me up!

“Hurry up and bring it, will you? You know I’ll be in and out of the bathroom all day if I eat soup in the morning, right?”

I gently pushed away the soup bowl. Then I glanced at him. I thought he would have that dejected puppy look like yesterday.

But what’s this?

‘He’s smiling?’

Instead, Serdis smiled a killer smile as if things had worked out well.

“This actually works out better.”

Sweat beaded on my spine at his smile that revealed his perfect teeth.

“How does it work out better?”

I awkwardly curled up the corners of my mouth. Serdis, the male lead, was a character whose intentions I couldn’t predict at all.

He smiled as he cleared away the soup bowl and got up from the chair beside the bed. My eyes followed his movements.

“I actually packed the special macarons we ordered but couldn’t eat yesterday. You can have those instead.”

“Special macarons?”

I remembered. The macarons the prince said he had pre-ordered yesterday. The ones that were supposed to be filled with special fruits only found in the neighboring kingdom of Alberka.

“If you hadn’t been feeling unwell yesterday, we could have eaten them. But it’s okay. I packed them away for safekeeping.”

“Ah…”

I trailed off, trying to show my dislike. But having already loudly proclaimed that I eat dessert for breakfast, I couldn’t firmly refuse now.

Meanwhile, Betty tiptoed over and jumped up and down excitedly.

“Miss, you love macarons! That would be perfect. I’ll go get them!”

That’s not it, Betty.

I shook my head subtly, but Betty flashed a smile and left, sincerely supporting her mistress’s love.

I watched Betty disappear with quick steps, my eyes filled with dismay. Finally, the door closed tightly, leaving only me and Serdis in the enclosed space.

“Ahem.”

It seems that fact struck him as rather stimulating. He was clearing his throat so obviously.

‘Get a grip on yourself.’

But how do I shake off Serdis?

Even if I push him away saying I don’t like him, there was a high chance he’d pop back up like a roly-poly toy. After brief deliberation, I got up from my seat.

Let’s try the classic method first.

“Your Highness. Um, can I borrow your ear for a moment?”

“Huh? Sure.”

I put my face close to Serdis’s ear. Seeing his earlobe quickly turn red, I took a deep breath and exhaled through my mouth.

“You know…” *exhale*

How’s that? My breath!

Having slept for a solid 12 hours, it was bound to smell terrible.

“I…”

Serdis flinched. I breathed even harder. I hadn’t even brushed my teeth before sleeping yesterday, so how awful must it smell?

This stench should be enough to strip away even his rose-colored glasses in an instant.

But,

“Pfft.”

He’s laughing again?

Serdis, who should have backed away unable to bear the smell by now, was chuckling. Without the slightest sign of displeasure.

He must have smelled it…

“Anette.”

“Y-yes?!”

I answered loudly, startled.

“Are you planning to keep tickling me? I want to tease you back too, you know.”

It didn’t work at all.

“I even want to remove your eye boogers myself.”

He even took it a step further.

“Every morning, I mean.”

“I’ll have to decline. I couldn’t possibly do that to Your Highness.”

To like me this much even with eye boogers… This was no ordinary infatuation.

It seemed that classic methods like picking my nose wouldn’t be enough to shake off Serdis.

I rubbed my eyes with my sleeve, racking my brain.

Before I could come up with a solution, Serdis blushed and murmured softly.

“If we get married, it wouldn’t matter even if I’m a prince…”

What utter nonsense.

Betty, who had just entered, must have heard those words, as she staggered with surprised eyes. As a result, the teacup on her tray fell to the floor.

At the same time, my thoughts were shattered in an instant. It felt like my heart had dropped.

What did I just hear? I must have heard wrong, right?

“You should be careful.”

“Y-Your Highness… I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, the macarons are fine.”

Seeing the shy smile of the man who turned his gaze from Betty to me, I realized I had heard correctly.

‘Marriage? With me?’

A faint smile formed at the corners of his mouth. In contrast, my heart cooled.

This can’t go on.

On the day Serdis formally requests an engagement with me, I won’t be able to refuse him, being merely a count’s daughter. I’d end up inextricably bound to him.

‘Then… there’s only one way.’

An eye for an eye.

A tooth for a tooth.

This was a moment that called for a powerful repellent.

Determined to definitively exit the original story, I cleared my throat once.

“Betty, you should be more careful.”

I approached Betty, pretending to be concerned, and patted her shoulder. Then I whispered quietly into her ear so only she could hear.

“From now on, just agree with whatever I say.”

“My lady?”

Betty’s face was tinged with anxiety. It was a face that said, ‘What kind of trouble are you planning to cause?’

“Trust me.”

But with Serdis watching only me from the side, I didn’t add any further explanation.

No matter how oblivious he might be, he should be able to figure this much out. After all, we’re like family who have shared joys and sorrows for ten years.

“Wow. The macarons look amazing, Your Highness.”

I changed the subject to the macarons, clapping my hands.

Heart-patterned shells, white filling, unknown red fruit pulp, and white chocolate. It was all my favorites. Now that I looked at it, I got slight goosebumps wondering if he had already figured out my preferences.

“You said they were special macarons, and they’re the most impressive I’ve ever seen.”

As I turned around with my hands behind my back and smiled, Serdis’s anxious expression melted away.

“I’m glad you like them. You must be hungry, go ahead and try them.”

“But thinking that today might be the last day we chat and eat macarons like this makes me sad.”

“The last day?”

His expression stiffened dramatically. This time, I threw the cold water that would surely bring the male lead to his senses.

“I’m getting married, Your Highness.”