I was all geared up for this hunting festival, ready to figure out more about this damn novel—and, let's be real, blow off some steam while I'm at it. Mina had the audacity to wake me up at the crack of dawn to get ready, and somehow, I managed not to lose it. The moment I put on my hunter outfit, something clicked.
I was feeling it—the vibe, the energy, the hunter spirit.
But then, there's always a damn mood killer, isn't there? And this one was sitting right in front of me in the cramped carriage I had to share.
Lora Von Arlen.
The mere sight of her—perfect posture, fake smile, her whole "I'm better than you" aura—was enough to snuff out my hunting vibe like a candle in a storm. I let out a loud sigh, staring out the window.
Lora looked at me, her expression annoyingly polite. "You've been sighing nonstop since we got in this carriage, Cecilia," she said in this sugary sweet tone that made my skin crawl.
I turned my head slowly, squinting at her like she was a mosquito buzzing in my ear. "Oh, I'm sorry. Should I just hold my breath until we get there?"
Her eyes widened for a second. But then she tilted her head like she was trying to figure out if I was joking. "You've… been different," she said carefully, her voice all fake-sweet, "ever since you woke up after, you know, trying to kill yourself."
Oh, so we're going there now? I leaned back, smirked, and looked her straight in the eye. "Yeah. Funny, right? how almost dying makes you see people differently… or fake people."
Her polite smile faltered for just a second. "You've certainly become more… spirited," she said and added, "But I must admit, I miss my old sister—the one who would listen to me without question."
Ah, this bitch. she is pissing me to the core.
My blood was already boiling just by glancing at her. That smug face, that fake smile—ugh, I swear, I could snap her neck right now.
But damn it, Eun-Byun Lee, you can't. One wrong move and I'm the next resident of the dungeon, just like in the stupid novel.
"I know you must be angry with me, Cecilia," Lora started, her voice dripping with honey. "But I promise I'll talk to Father about setting your engagement with Lord Victor and—"
"SHUT. UP."
The words left my mouth sharp and loud, slicing through the tense air. Lora froze, as if she couldn't believe I'd just dared to cut her off.
"What did you just say?" she hissed, her eyes narrowing.
I leaned forward, not as Cecilia Von Arlen, but as Eun-Byun Lee—the Korean street fighter who doesn't take crap from anyone. My gaze bore into Lora, like a knife ready to strike. And let me be honest here—I hate people like her. The type who act all sweet, sugary words dripping from their mouths, only to stab you in the back the moment you turn around.
"Listen, unni," I said, my voice low and edged with steel, "I don't need that duke son anymore. so... STAY. OUT OF MY DAMN BUSINESS. do you get it?"
"Cecilia," she spat, trying to recover, "where are your manners?"
"Ahhh, manners?" I scoffed, my voice low and dangerous. "Don't talk to me about manners when you're the one who's been scheming behind my back. So keep your fake promises to yourself."
Her face paled, her lips twitching as she tried to hold onto her smug facade. "I'm only trying to help you, Cecilia," she said, her voice trembling slightly.
"Help?" I repeated with a bitter laugh, leaning back just enough to look her up and down. "Please, be real. I know exactly why you're here, sitting across with me in this damn carriage. You're not here to 'help'; you're here to make sure I don't tell the grand duke and grand duchess that it was you who wanted that damn red ruby jewelry. Am I right?"
She flinched, like I'd just slapped her across the face. I smirked at her—like a street fighter who had already read the opponent's moves before they even made them. "Oh, but don't worry; I'm not gonna tell them. Not yet, at least. But don't even think about pulling that fake big sister act in front of me again, got it?"
"If you try that crap again," I warned, my voice dripping with warning, "I swear... I'll spill everything myself. You won't be able to hide behind that bullshit anymore."
Her breath caught. I smirked harder, leaning back in my seat.
I knew I could've gone straight to the grand duke and grand duchess with the truth. I could've told them how Lora had been after that damn red ruby necklace, using Cecilia as a pawn in her little game. And hell, I knew they'd believe me.
Why wouldn't they? They loved Cecilia—their flesh and blood. No way they'd side with this fake little daughter, and Lora knew about this too. That's the reason why she used Cecilia as her survival in that Arlen Mansion.
I understood the feeling of being abandoned, of being trapped in a place that wasn't yours. So yeah, I could've torn her world apart, exposed every little lie, but I wasn't here for that drama. I had bigger problems, bigger enemies to face.
Lora? She wasn't worth the hassle. She was just a minor character in the game I was playing. I wasn't about to burn my energy on her. And just like that...the carriage rolled to a stop, and the knight from the Arlen family opened the door with a big, overly polite grin.
"My lady, we've arrived," he said, his tone all formal and respectful.
I glanced over at Lora, who was still staring at me, looking like she had seen a ghost. She looked all pale and shaky, like she had just had her soul sucked out.
The knight, probably noticing how she looked like she was about to pass out, asked, "My lady... you look pale. Did something happen?"
Lora immediately put on that fake smile, the one she practiced in front of the mirror for hours. "No... nothing happened," she said, but her voice was as shaky as a leaf in a storm.
I couldn't help but smirk. Oh, she was really trying hard, huh? She managed to stumble out of the carriage like a baby deer, tripping over herself to make it look casual.
Then, the knight turned to me, clearly ready to help me down. But I was me. I just hopped out like it was nothing.
The knight froze. Like, full-on froze. His hand was still hanging in the air, halfway to me, and he was just standing there, eyes wide. And there it is... the big tents were set up all around, scattered across the jungle like some kind of battlefield. Each family had their own family crest on it.
I glanced around, my eyes narrowing. "This is gonna be fun," I muttered to myself. I could already feel the chaos bubbling up, just waiting to break free. I wasn't here to play nice, after all.
But what I didn't know? This place? It wasn't just gonna jog my memory about the stupid novel. Nah, it was about to flip the whole damn thing upside down. My life? My entire future? It was all about to change. And I was gonna be the one pulling the strings.