As a child, my dream was to have my own shop.

It didn’t matter if it was a convenience store, a bakery, or a stationery store.

Born as an orphan and living in poverty, I thought that if I became a store owner, I would be able to get whatever I wanted.

Growing up, I realized that being a store owner didn’t mean I could have everything I desired, but I worked hard and tried to have my own store.

The day when I finally opened my store with the money I saved, I died.

The cause of my death was a heart attack.

But, my life was not over. When I opened my eyes, I possessed the body of a 15-year-old girl.

In a normal novel, isn’t it the norm to possess a precious body like the daughter of a Grand Duke or a saint?

But I was still an orphan.

My appearance wasn’t the same compared to my previous life.

Fortunately, in this country and empire, if you study hard, even an orphan can become an official, so there was no problem in making a living.

I decided to live this life with the goal of becoming a civil servant early for a comfortable future…

“So, you should choose. Stamp here. If you don’t…”

The eyes of the man in front of me shone dangerously.

Treon Ivaropa.

Contrary to his handsome looks, he was a man with no blood or tears and was a loyal vassal of the Duke of Valruga, the male lead in a romance novel I read.

I swallowed my dry saliva and looked at the paper in front of me.

Looking at the atmosphere, it looked like either human trafficking or a private lens was going on, but what was in front of me was a marriage certificate.

Damn it.

It was then that I remembered who I possessed and what this world was like.

I think I’ve reincarnated into a romance novel with a rather childish title, ‘How to Train a Beast Boy’.

My name is Felia Foldvich.

In the original story, Felia, like me, was an orphan and married a ten-year-old boy at the age of fifteen.

During my sensitive period of puberty, I suddenly had a little groom.

Felia was not interested in her young husband, and settled in the outskirts of the castle and lived quietly with the fact that she could provide food, clothing and shelter for herself.

I don’t know what Felia thought of her life.

But she didn’t know what happened to the Duke and the male and female leads who fell in love.

Then, the day her husband asked Felia to divorce her in order to marry his lover, she saw him for the first time and fell in love with him.

Felia tried to divide the relationship between the two, telling the heroine that she and the male lead have been in love since childhood, and that the heroine is only a brief background person.

Of course, Felia’s tactics didn’t work, and she died at the hands of male lead.

Felia was the villain who was only used for the love affair of the two main characters, but was not the final villain.

I loved the scene where Felia dies and the male and female lead confess their love.

In a way, Felia was a poor woman too.

In the first place, Felia and the male lead got married because of his need.

After the male lead’s parents died, the young boy could not inherit and take over the family yet.

They said he could get it back when he becomes an adult.

So, the male lead married Felia and inherited his family’s assets using the Imperial Act, which stated that a married couple can inherit their fortunes.

It was a marriage that was easy to use and throw away from the beginning.

If it were not for this reason, Felia, an orphan with no connections, and the male lead, a high-ranking nobleman, would not have married.

“If I refuse to do this…”

I took a little chance.

Of course I would see his face when I get married, and once I become a member of a noble family, it will be easy to manage.

Still, as a passing villain, I didn’t want to die after being stabbed by the male lead.

If I refuse this marriage, I could live peacefully without being involved with him for the rest of my life.

But before I could finish saying that, I saw the hand of the knight next to me resting on the sword handle.

It is an expression saying I won’t be left alive once I’ve heard the story.

…I probably could have avoided this if I had known where I was reincarnated to and who I possessed.

If only I didn’t follow the directions from the orphanage director who secretly gave me chocolate bread.

“I’m kidding. Why would I refuse this great opportunity?”

I smiled a lot.

“I’m glad.”

The man also smiled at me.

Hahahaha.

We laughed at each other for a while.

You guys are so mean.

As expected, he was loyal to the male lead’s family.

I asked with a servile smile.

“Do I put my fingerprints down here?”

“Yes, right next to your name.”

The family seal was already stamped next to the male lead’s name.

I swallowed my tears and put my finger on the marriage certificate.

It makes me cry to see myself enter the depths of evil.

Now that this has happened, I have to live quietly so I won’t die, and get a divorce right away.

If it’s the Duke, he won’t even know I’m there, so if it goes as it did in the original, I’ll be sent to the outskirts of the castle.

Still, if I live alone, I’ll feel a little lonely, but can’t I just live in a village?

Exactly a week later, as soon as I arrived at the Duke’s Castle by myself in a wagon, my determination faded away.

* ❀ *

“Wow, why is it so c-c-c-cold?”

My teeth shook and I put on another layer of clothes.

Even though I wore thick fur coats in two layers, white breath still came out of my mouth.

“I’m sorry, madam. I couldn’t buy firewood because I didn’t have enough money… Please use this as a cover for now.”

The maid covered me with a thick blanket.

I was still cold, but it was better than nothing.

As soon as the male lead saw me, he said, ‘Your outlook is not good. Send her to the abandoned palace.’

I haven’t even seen his face since then.

It’s just that this family is poor.

The male lead had a precious status.

The Duke was the founder of the empire, but now the duke’s family was in a state of collapse.

“Ha…”

I touched my forehead.

The original story started when the male lead had grown up.

As if passing by, he was said to be a genius who brought up a fallen family again.

However, after saving the family in the original story, the male lead spent a lot of money.

He was a man who fetched 1 billion marks when his opponent bids 100 million marks at the auction house, and he bought and dedicated expensive dresses and jewelry every day for his wife.

He had never shown such a poor figure.

And there is a degree of poverty.

Isn’t it a duke’s family?

A family with a vast territory and a mountain of jewels and artworks accumulated over the years.

I never imagined it would be ruined this much.

I looked around the room.

Although it was the Duchess’s room, none of her valuables were found.

Neither the maids nor the servants entered this spacious castle and had only seen this child until now.

Usually, when it comes to the duke’s family, the employee’s clothes are also shiny and nice, but her clothes were all over the place.

“Hey.”

The maid replied with a smile.

“Call me Bella, Madam.”

“Yes, Bella. Are you the only maid?

“No, there are a few more.”

“Are there more than ten?”

“…”

Bella didn’t answer.

It’s not over.

I decided to ask directly.

“Bella. Why is this duke so poor?”

Riches should last for generations!

Looking at the castle now, it seemed that the private lenders had already come in and wiped it out three times.

“That’s…”

This is what Bella told me.

The ancestors, or the male lead’s great grandfather, was properly photographed by the emperor.

At the Emperor’s command, his great-grandfather then left to hunt down the dragon that disturbed the empire.

If he didn’t leave, it would have been treason, so he had no choice.

But dragon hunting was only possible if you poured money and people into it.

Still, catching dragons was not a losing business because they could get the treasure they have accumulated little by little.

His great-grandfather used all of his wealth to hunt dragons…

The problem was that the dragons were much stronger than expected.

All those great-grandfathers and their vassals were exterminated.

The investments and money disappeared into thin air.

The emperor, who had always regarded the duke family with honor, criticized the family for failing to carry out the imperial orders.

As such, the duke family became a family with no talent, no money, and no political backing.

Still, I ran back and forth trying to save my life and money, but the bad luck that started didn’t end easily.

The businesses I invested in were either a fraud or disgrace.

Talented people who were attracted to the family’s name either betrayed them or ran away at night.

In order to save the family, they sold out the remaining property to put out the fire, but the duke’s family became more and more on the decline.

In the end, the male lead’s parents, who had been running day and night, died and he was left alone.

After calculating the numbers, the male lead is the fourth generation. Damn it…

“Bella, when do you get the money to buy firewood?”

“I’m not sure about that…”

“Bella, I’m really, really asking you just in case.”

I asked Bella, hoping she would give me even a little positive answer.

“When was the last time you bought firewood?”

“It was a year ago.….”

I wanted to rip my hair out.

The duke’s family is at the northernmost point of the empire.

The room inside was barely breathable even if you wear layers of clothes.

There’s no money to buy firewood, but is there any to buy food?

At this rate, the male lead will either starve to death or freeze to death.

I took a deep breath.

It’s not even a fraudulent marriage!

Now that I think about it, it’s for use and disposal, but I think it’s okay to marry a noble family who is moderately weak since the name of the duke family is worth it.

There was a reason why he had to marry me, an orphan.

A parent wouldn’t marry their daughter into this ruined family!

I opened my mouth pretending to be calm.

I think I’m a little nervous, but I can’t help it.

“Bella, I have a question, and I want you to answer it honestly.”

“Yes…”

Bella looked me in the eye and replied.

“What would happen to this family if I hadn’t married my husband?”

“Well, there’s a little land left… to be absorbed into another family, or his Majesty will take it away.”

“So my husband will no longer be a nobleman?”

“Yes.”

Bella added more quickly with anxious eyes.

“Well, ma’am, if you get married when you’re a minor, you can’t divorce until you’re an adult.”

I guess she was afraid I’d say I’d divorce him.

It’s not that I didn’t think about it, but I decided to give up on Bella’s words.

Now that I’m 15, I still have five years left until I become an adult.

“It’s not like that. Then what about the Emperor? He still doesn’t like the family very much…is that so?”

“He doesn’t seem to like it that much.”

Oh, come on! What do you have to do with an already ruined family?

“Why?”

“I don’t know about that…”

I had a headache.

I cannot leave this family for the next five years anyways.

The male lead’s age was 25 when the novel began.

He was even a sword genius, and once he swung a sword, the mountain collapsed and it’s almost as if he could cut through the sea…

In the novel, the emperor and other duke’s couldn’t raise their heads in front of him.

So it’s not impossible to save him.

However, it was not possible to trust him right now.

When will the male lead save his family earnestly?

I’d rather go back to the orphanage, I can’t even live in this environment for a year.

I’ll freeze to death if I try to wait for a 10-year-old boy to support me.

After all, there’s only one way.

I’ll have to save him.

Save the duke, raise him well, and then get a divorce.

If I save his family, he’ll give me money as alimony.

If the female lead appears, I can divorce him coolly.

Then I can enjoy a happy second life with the wealth I received as alimony.

It’s a perfect plan.

I got out of bed wrapped in blankets.

I had to come and see the face of the man who was praised so much in the novel.

It’s a face I’ll be seeing for the next 5 years, so I’m curious.

Before going to meet the male lead, I looked in the mirror one last time and checked on my outfit.

I couldn’t go out with a weird look.

Looking at myself in the mirror objectively, I was quite lovely.

The only thing I was satisfied with was this appearance.

Pink hair that is fluffy like cotton candy.

Large, round, pale water-colored eyes.

The girl, who had just turned fifteen, looked as lovely as a baby rabbit.

I didn’t ask for anything, and if this is enough, I won’t be ashamed to meet the male lead.

I made up my mind and asked Bella.

“The male lead, no, where is my husband?”

“Yes? Ma’am, what about the duke?”

“He’s still my husband, so why can’t I look at his face?”

Seeing Bella’s worried face, I added a word.

“I won’t want to divorce him until he’s at least grown, so don’t worry.”

“Ah! Yes! I will guide you!”

I may feel a little bit sad that they care more about him than me, but I was satisfied with Bella’s attitude.

Of course, the master they serve is more precious to them than me than who they just met today.

Such loyalty to this poor family.

After all, working in this ruined family isn’t usually a matter of loyalty.

…By the way, are the employees here on paid salaries?

Wouldn’t that be unpaid work?

When I think of my bosses from my part-time jobs in my previous life, my body twitched again.

Apart from the exciting start, we quickly arrived at the male lead’s room.

His room wasn’t too far from mine since it was right next to it.

“Isn’t this pretty close?”

The castle I saw on my way in was so big that I thought I had to walk for a long time.

“Oh, I purposely made it close. That makes it easier to manage.”

Ah. I understand.

Now, the servants cannot manage this huge castle.

I knocked on the door.

There was no answer.

I knocked on the door again.

Still, there was no answer.

I felt something strange and turned to Bella.

“Uh, well. He’s usually in his room by this time… I’ll find out and come back!”

After Bella left, I waited a moment before opening the door.

I tried to wait outside if possible, but the hallways in this castle were very cold.

When I entered the room, I saw blankets on top of blankets on the bed, which had clumped like worms.

Wait, you were in the room?

But why didn’t you answer?

“Excuse me…”

I tried to speak carefully, but there was still no answer.

I took a step closer and looked.

I tried to poke him with my fingers, but he still didn’t respond.

Is this actually the corpse that the male lead had killed, not he himself?

In an instant, the temperature in the room seemed to have dropped by 5 degrees.

I closed my eyes tightly and rolled up the blanket to erase the terrifying imagination running through my head.

And I was horrified.

The male lead was inside, but his body was like a ball of fire.

“Bella, Bella!”

* ❀ *

“The salary has always been paid on time, but how can you run away without saying a word?”

Bella sniffed.

The maid in charge of the male lead ran away.

She must have been done so secretly in the middle of the night.

“I thought she would be taking good care of him… I haven’t paid much attention because of the Duke’s burial these past few days…”

I wiped my fingers through the white dust on the bedhead.

It’s been a while since the place had been cleaned up.

“How long has the Duke been dead?”

“A week or so.”

“Then she must have taken the opportunity to run away.”

Bella burst into tears at my words.

“But I should have taken better care of him. It was my job…”

“Stop crying. Go ask if there’s any firewood.”

I said while wiping the male lead’s face with a cold wet towel.

Fortunately there is snow everywhere outside, so the water didn’t cost much.

As soon as the crying Bella left the room, I sighed deeply.

What a mess.

When the cold wet towel touched his skin, his eyes flinched in a hazy state.

When I brushed back the black hair that covered his eyes, my expression relaxed a little.

He was very cute even though he was suffering from pain.

In the novel, he was described as a good-looking man.

Even if it didn’t hurt this much, he might have applauded as soon as he saw Nam Joo for the first time.

Although I have seen all kinds of handsome men on my phone, the male lead’s beauty was different.

I could see why the writer worked so hard to describe his appearance.

A simple description could not express his face.

He was the ultimate utopia of the face of everyone.

[pr/n: wut ahahaha]

I had a lot on my mind.

What I’ve seen in the novel was the male lead who had a good physique and was strong, not this frail young boy.

“Ugh… Mom…”

He sobbed as he grabbed my hand.

A part of my heart ached.

Come to think of it, he lost both of his parents at the age of 10. It wasn’t a good situation.

They were both busy trying to save the family, so they couldn’t care less about the child.

There was no leader to take charge of the family, and they didn’t pay a lot of money.

“It’s really crazy…”

I kept sighing.

Abuse does not necessarily just mean hitting and harassing a child.

Indifference to the child and failure to provide adequate care to the child are also a type of abuse.

The clothes worn by the young duke now were too old and too small for him.

I felt even more sorry for him than when I looked back at myself before.

Still, I only had to take care of myself, but the male lead was also under a huge obligation to take responsibility as the Duke.

I forgot that this child was only 10 years old now because of his good performance as an adult in the original book.

I then held his hands in the air.

Due to the hot body temperature of his hands as I held them, I realized that this child was not just a ‘male lead’, but a person who was actually alive.

The child clenched his fingertips until they were white, afraid to let go of my hand even for a second in his dream.

“I’m not going anywhere.”

As I patted his chest and whispered to him, the child’s expression became a little more relaxed. As if he understood what I was saying in his sleep.

“I’m not going anywhere so get well soon.”

And show me what color your eyes are.

* ❀ *

A day had passed.

The child’s feverish condition didn’t go away.

Bella made a fire with the firewood she had barely saved to warm her room, and changed the towel on his forehead from time to time, but the fever didn’t subside.

“I think I should call a doctor.”

Bella’s face darkened at my words.

Calling a doctor was expensive, and there was no money in this castle.

And I didn’t even have a coin to my name.

Even though I knew he would survive if I followed the flow of the novel, I wasn’t at ease when I saw his pain in front of me.

I fastened my collar and got up from my seat.

“Who is in charge of housekeeping now?”

“The butler isn’t here right now. Madam, are you going to get some money?”

“I can’t just let it go. I need to do something.”

“I’ll come with you.”

Bella followed.

I pondered for a moment whether it would be beneficial to take Bella.

Will she get in the way of what I’m trying to do?

But there were no other options.

I opened the door first and looked back at Bella.

“I don’t mind you coming with me, but if I want to call the doctor, you have to be quiet.”

* ❀ *

The main area of ​​Frug was the office where the butler resides and was in charge of housekeeping in the castle.

The man who occupied the large office space where dozens of people would have worked in the past was sitting there with an arrogant attitude even when I, the hostess of the family, had arrived.

“I need money to call a doctor…”

Hearing my words, Frug stroked his mustache as if he was contemplating it.

“I’m sorry, but it will be difficult.”

“Why?!”

Bella screamed, stomping her feet.

“Right now, the master, no, the Duke is in danger! We need to call the doctor right away!”

Unlike Bella, who was in a hurry, Frug couldn’t be more relaxed.

“Oh, Bella. Don’t you know that our castle is in the mountains, and there is a lot of snow outside? In such a situation, to call a doctor will cost around the amount it takes for a commoner to live per month. Right now, the family doesn’t have that much extra money.”

Bella knew the cost of living of a poor family very well, so she couldn’t say anything for a moment.

“Well, then, what about the Duke?! If his fever doesn’t drop, then, what should we do…!”

Bella finally burst into tears.

Frug said he was really sorry, and he comforted Bella.

But in my eyes, it looked like he was making fun of her.

“I hope the master gets over it soon. He’s a strong person, so he will be able to overcome it.”

“Do you really have no money? What did the former Duke leave behind?”

There was an unpleasant look on Frug’s face from my comment.

“If I had money, why would I deliberately hide it?”

I saw a shiny mustache on his face compared to the poor Duke.