Four years ago, the war began and lasted for three years. Just as it was written in the novel, the empire's hero, the Crown Prince, emerged victorious.
But history claims that Duke North started the war—when in reality, I was the greatest witness to the truth.
House Astraloyn was falsely accused, framed for treason because they took down the head of House Solandris, a man deeply entangled with terrorism.
Now, I finally understand what the "Interest" status truly meant. It wasn't a measure of love—it was a warning. A way to see who would die if I altered the course of events.
I can see not only how people feel about me but also their affections toward others, as long as they are close to me.
And among the biggest deviations from the original novel? The Crown Prince lost his memory. He never became emperor.
And the emperor—the one meant to be the final boss, the ultimate villain—has somehow turned over a new leaf.
The cause of it all… was me.
I was the one who changed the story.
The biggest question is—how could a mere side character like me change the story so drastically, even if it meant the death of thousands?
Few answer lies within the Duchess's diary—the last thing the Duke left me.
Because I am not the only one who has reincarnated here.
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Year ××××, Month ×, Date ××
I found myself back again. This is my fourth rebirth.
The first time I realized I was inside this tragic BL novel, I thought I was blessed. I assumed I was just a normal side character, safe from the horrors of the plot. After all, the main story wouldn't begin for another 20 years.
But now, I see the truth.
I was never just a side character.
I am Duchess Velerine Astraloyn—the tragic figure doomed to die in this story.
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Year ×××× Month ×× Date ××
Soon, I will marry the man I love—Duke Astraloyn. I must stay away from those main characters... There's something strange about them.
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Year ×××× Month ×× Date ××
I made a few friends—something I couldn't do in my past three rebirths. It's funny… we're just a bunch of side characters, all destined to die before the main story even begins.
But I do not regret it. I do not regret becoming their friend, and I do not regret loving Cal.
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Year ×××× Month ×× Date ××
I will give birth to my children no matter how many times I am reborn. My love for them will never fade. Now, I must change the story and save my daughters from their tragic fate.
This time, I must never fail.
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Month × date ××
I found a way to rewrite the story.
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Month × date ××
The witch was right. I should not have believed that person.
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Month × date ××
She said she didn't want to help me anymore because I might die. But I told her, "We're just side characters. We're all going to die anyway. Help me while you still have even a little bit of your magic left." I don't care if she believes me or not—I'm losing my mind.
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Month × date ××
I've discovered who killed me in my past three lives. It was someone I trusted, someone who pretended to be my ally. They were always the one pulling the strings, orchestrating my downfall.
I'll make them pay for everything.
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Month × date ××
I used to think the world could be changed with love, with kindness, that perhaps if I played my part well enough, things could turn out differently. But now... now I see the truth. The story was never in my hands, never in my control. The people around me, the ones I've trusted, they have their own agendas. They manipulate, they lie, they play their parts in the dark shadows that surround us all.
And now... the most important people in my life—my children, my family—are caught in this web of lies and betrayal. My heart aches knowing that they are walking the path laid before them, one that is filled with pain and heartbreak. I know the ending, the one that awaits them, and it's a terrible thing to witness when you realize you're powerless to stop it.
But I refuse to let it happen. I can't sit idly by and watch them die. I won't allow the story to unfold as it has been written. The world may have its rules, but I will break them. I will destroy everything in my path if it means changing their fate, if it means giving them a future free from the tragedy that has been carved into their lives.
Even if I have to become the villain to do it, so be it.
I will change this story. I will rewrite it, no matter the cost.
I will make sure they live.
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Month × date ××
Liar, liar, liar.
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Month × date ××
I must kill lav.
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The Duchess, obsessed with changing the story for the sake of her loved ones, and the people close to her who betrayed her, are all part of a web of manipulation and loss. Her desire to rewrite fate stems from a deep fear of seeing her loved ones fall into the tragic end written for them. But it's not just about her; as her daughter, another reincarnated soul, I too have the power to alter the course of this cruel narrative.
Her close people, her friends, the witch, the
mage, and Lev—who are they? How am I supposed to find them when my father, Grace, and everyone in the North is already dead? The pieces feel scattered, and the people who were once pillars in her life are now nothing more than memories, or worse, ghosts. How do I unravel this tangled web of betrayal and fate when it seems like everything I once knew is lost?
Can I change the story because of my reincarnation, or is it simply because the final boss—someone whose hand I unknowingly accepted—has lent me the power to do so? The lines blur, and the truth is uncertain.
I don't know who gave me the power to change the story, but since I received it in exchange for the life of a loved one, I stopped thinking about it. To uncover the truth, i started to hunt.
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I inherited all of Erana's memories, but Erana is long gone, her soul having departed after the fall of the North. Now, I am Ivy—a mere commoner. I am no longer Erana, the daughter of House Solandris, nor Selene, the daughter of House Astraloyn. The only way out of this twisted story is to accept who I truly am and destroy anyone who stands in my way.
I will take from them everything—honor, love, loyalty, and even their hope for a future. Their dreams, their power, all of it will be mine. And when I take it, they will have nothing left. I will strip them of everything, until there's nothing but emptiness.
And in the end, I will take the most precious thing of all—their lives. Only then will I be free, with no one left to challenge me.
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I sat in front of the mirror, my red hair and purple-gray eyes gleaming. Just the thought of destroying another family brought a cold satisfaction.
Crying for someone who is already dead is a waste of time. I've shed enough tears. Now, it's time to begin my new hunt. The past is gone, and the future is mine to shape. No more hesitation. No more regrets. Only the thrill of power and the pursuit of those who will fall in my path.
I slipped into the dress, the black fabric a quiet whisper of midnight skies and concealed magic. The dramatic sleeves seemed to beckon with promises of adventure, each fold a new dream ready to take flight. Scattered butterflies embroidered across the fabric spoke of transformation, a journey of self-discovery unfolding.
The bold silhouette embraced the girl I was becoming, fearless and unapologetic in her power. This dress wasn't just a garment—it was a story yet to be written.
I swirled the ring between my fingers, the faint crackling sound echoing as if something was shifting beneath its surface. I paused, my gaze fixed on the intricate design. This ring, identical to the one Serra had given me before. I knew he had accidentally swapped it with another, but I had never forgotten how it felt when I found it on my bed that night.
Slipping the ring onto my finger, I felt a familiar shift. My red hair darkened to brown, and my eyes changed to a deep shade of brown.
A laugh escaped me, chilling and quiet.
I wondered—had he ever realized he'd lost something so important to him? Or had he simply forgotten?
"Kaelric Solandris. Kaelric Solandris," I murmured under my breath.
Is he really dead? The person he loved the most was supposed to die too.
His love for me was undeniable—wasn't I just supposed to be the one who perished?
But if I am still alive, does that mean... he is too?
I pressed both hands to my mouth, my eyes wide with a manic gleam.
Pfft... hahahahaha.
A chilling laugh escaped from me, echoing in the silence.