“Ugh!”

Summer, who abruptly woke up in bed in the middle of the night, gasped for breath.

After Julian left, she repeated the same day as usual and fell asleep as normal.

And then she had a terrible nightmare.

It was a dream where she returned to her original world, but no one recognized her.

‘Mom, it’s me!’

‘Student. I’m sorry, but our daughter is dead.’

Her heart pounded uncontrollably due to waking up with those words.

“Mom, mom…!”

Summer got up in her pajamas, flung open the door, and ran down the long dark hallway.

Fear clung to her ankles like a swamp, tenaciously pulling.

With each failed attempt to return to her original world, Summer was unknowingly plagued by anxiety.

“Huu, Mom! Mom, please save me! Mom!”

Although humans are creatures of adaptation and she was getting used to life in the Lindsey family, that made it even more frightening.

When the fear that she might forget even the fact that she had possessed this body occasionally swept over her, Summer would run down the long dark hallway screaming.

Just like now.

“Young lady! Did you have another nightmare? What could have happened to make you suffer so…”

“Let go! You’re all fake. I said you’re fake!”

“Young lady, please…”

Then the kind-hearted Daisy would cry along with her, while Mary would grab the struggling Summer with an expressionless face and skillfully subdue her.

Now all that remained in Summer’s mind was the fact that she had possessed a character in a novel and that her original world was South Korea.

The faces and voices of her friends, and even her family, were blurry.

“Please save me, sob, I want to live Mary… You know how, don’t you.”

Mary closed her eyes tightly, as if avoiding Summer’s tear-stained face.

Summer’s dazzling golden hair stuck to her face wet with tears, her cheeks damp.

Another day passed. In anxiety and hopelessness. Summer lost consciousness.

She hoped that when she opened her eyes, she would be greeted by the faces of her family. Or even Coco, the black cat she had at home.

But unfortunately, when Summer opened her eyes in the morning, what she saw was,

“Summer. Wake up. The sun is already high in the sky.”

It was Lady Lindsey approaching with a kind smile.

“You haven’t forgotten about the party today, have you?”

“…”

The dialogue was different again today. Summer now looked at Lady Lindsey with an expression of admiration.

Things had certainly changed since the female protagonist appeared. It seemed the party the female protagonist was set to attend was another important event.

“Our daughter, Summer, the most beautiful and beloved in the world.”

Lady Lindsey always did her best for her daughter. As Summer later learned, it was Lady Lindsey who had named her.

Born in summer, shining brightly like summer. That was what her daughter meant to Lady Lindsey.

Feeling awkward, Summer absently fiddled with her hair. The transparent blue dress was incredibly beautiful even to Summer’s eyes.

The leaf-shaped hair ornament and the earrings dangling near her neck all suited Summer perfectly.

Lady Lindsey, who had been gazing at Summer fondly, approached her carefully.

“Summer. Even if he’s a duke, I won’t forgive him if he harms you.”

“…”

“So don’t be scared, and don’t let yourself be intimidated. We are the Lindsey family. If we can’t protect even one of our own, what use is the family name?”

Then she hugged Summer affectionately and stroked her back.

Summer said nothing. There wasn’t enough time or words to express all her complex emotions.

Lady Lindsey was speaking while remembering Summer who had come to the banquet wearing Lancaster Duke’s coat.

Remembering that day’s Summer, she spoke to today’s Summer. Promising to protect Summer from everything.

Summer felt a strange feeling and deliberately avoided eye contact.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Alright, Summer. You can come back anytime. I’ll tell the butler. Just don’t be too late.”

“I won’t.”

Summer brushed past Lady Lindsey and headed for the carriage. The Lindsey family crest was prominently displayed on the carriage.

That emblem seemed to overlap with Lady Lindsey saying she would protect Summer.

The carriage door closed and it set off. Summer looked at the receding mansion before turning her gaze forward again.

The only way to escape this possession was to die in this world. And just now, one thing occurred to her.

Fei wasn’t the only one who could move by her own will, breaking the rules of this world.

“Ian Lancaster.”

He too was someone who could kill Summer.

“Young lady. We’ve almost arrived.”

Summer snapped back to reality at the coachman’s words. In the distance, the massive townhouse of the Lancaster family came into view.

It was dazzling and boisterous.

Summer quietly took in the yellow lights shining like fireflies.

The light flickered in Summer’s blue eyes.

If she asked, would he do it? Summer let out a hollow laugh after pondering for a moment. Was she tired or crazy? There’s no way he would grant such a request.

“…”

Summer closed her tired eyes, then opened them as the carriage came to a stop. Her blue eyes still sparkled more than jewels.

There were still a few months left. So, it was a bit early to conclude that anything was impossible.

“Young lady. We’ve arrived.”

“Thank you.”

Summer smiled brightly and gave a slight bow. Then she hopped out of the carriage by herself.

The coachman watched Summer’s retreating figure with a bewildered look, before belatedly driving the carriage away.

“…Has the young lady always been like this?”

Speaking respectfully and bowing to a commoner. Thinking that the Lindsey young lady was indeed peculiar.

So this is why it’s fantasy. That was her first impression upon seeing the party.

From the moment she saw the brilliant lights that were on without any visible wires, it felt real that this world wasn’t reality.

The party hosted by Duke Lancaster was as splendid and dazzling as a royal banquet.

People’s attire matched that, with so many jewels dangling and embroidery that it was dazzling to the eyes from the reflected light.

“Summer!”

Summer turned at someone’s call.

“The female protagonist naturally has a halo, I see.”

An admiring murmur escaped Summer’s lips.

The sky-blue hair tied in a half-up style evoked the image of a lake fairy, and the sparkling pink eyes were more intense than red jewels.

The cliché of love at first sight was instantly understandable. It would be hard to be more beautiful than this. Summer suddenly raised her hand to touch her own cheek.

Somewhat gloomy blue eyes and a pale complexion. The only redeeming feature was her golden hair flowing like woven gold threads.

“Summer. I missed you.”

“Me too. Julian, you’re beautiful today as well.”

“I’m happy to receive a compliment from you, Summer. It was worth dressing up today.”

Julian burst into playful laughter. Summer looked at Julian’s face, and then at the sparkling surroundings.

Is it beautiful? She wasn’t sure. When you see something too beautiful, it often feels scary rather than beautiful.

That must be why. The tears that were about to form.

“Summer?”

“Ah. I was just lost in thought for a moment. Let’s go in.”

Summer and Julian entered the banquet hall, quite affectionately close.

Among the people, Ian Lancaster caught the eye at once. Honestly, it was an unavoidable face.

“…?”

Summer frowned. Then Ian Lancaster let out a hollow laugh with a bewildered expression.

Summer was equally bewildered.

Ian, surrounded by people, was clearly making eye contact with Summer. In the end, Summer was the first to abruptly turn her head away.

Inwardly, she had thought he would have forgotten. Since Summer Lindsey wasn’t an important character in the work, it would be natural for him to forget.

“Summer. Do you like tarts?”

“I like all the food here.”

Cakes, tarts, salads, soups – all were foods Summer liked.

Summer began to aggressively pile food onto her plate as if she had come to the party just to eat.

Julian watched Summer with a satisfied expression and then stood beside her, also holding a plate and piling on food.

“I really do like you, Summer.”

“I like you too, Julian.”

The answer flowed out without hesitation.

In reality, Summer liked Julian very much.

It must be incredibly difficult to go against the current formed by the majority, but Julian was someone who had achieved that within the story.

Before returning to Korea, Summer wanted to help Julian a little if she could be of any help.

“Honestly, I thought I was the only one who wanted to eat this at parties. I couldn’t understand why people just fan themselves in front of delicious food.”

“When your waist is tightly corseted, you can’t eat. But if you don’t corset your waist, you’ll look like someone who can’t keep up with fashion.”

“Then we’re the non-mainstream.”

“Happy non-mainstream.”

Summer smiled brightly and downed her half-full glass of wine. It tasted good.

Burdened by studies, she hadn’t been able to touch such expensive and delicious food. For years, smelling the oil and thinking of her parents struggling because of her, she couldn’t even consider desserts.

In the end, it was a repetition of cup noodles and coffee.

“So that’s why I possessed this body.”

To eat expensive desserts and wine, even if only in a dream.