Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1

What a sight

A wagon that had rolled down the slope lay shattered, the luggage it once held strewn here and there A few steps away fro man

Cassion Carter

He was the male lead’s older brother He was also one of the novel’s villains

Stepping over unkeravel, I came closer and intruded upon this tranquil yet raucous scene Cassion, as covered entirely in blood, gasped loudly and laboriously raised his head as he sensed my presence

“Pleasesaveemotion, his broken plea imparted an intense desperation that seemed to say: I want to live It’s unfair I’m not done yet I don’t want to die

I leaned towards him to face him more squarely, and eyes that were as red as the blood that covered his body fluttered open to meet with mine

“You want to live, huh?”

It seeth left in hi ords, he communicated with just one slow blink I raised his chin carefully, and his blood immediately soaked my own hands as if I had been wounded as well I knelt beside him and placed his head on my lap His blood was as red as his pallor was ashen

“If you want to live, you have to pro”

As if he was a wild beast that had been hunted and left to die alone, he breathed with incredible difficulty Hot air perhs I reached toward his face and caressed his cheek in an atteaze full of determination and resentment

“If I save you”

Lay down your own life to protect er sister Alicia Valentine, as also this wretched novel’s female lead

This way, my sister and I won’t have to share the same fate

It was a few days before I came across Cassion when I woke up as this world’s villainess, Rosetta Valentine

Hwick!

There was a piercing sound that tore through the air, straight into n rooers came in one after another

‘What is this’

Where a whip in her hand raised an arirl who looked about seventeen years old, tre repeatedly as she stretched her arht, the whip rose up high and cleaved down through the air without remorse

Hwick!

Even as the whip emitted a sharp sound that had surely caused iirl did not make a sound and instead bit her lips She did not screaroan, did not betray even a hint of defiance

‘What exactly is going on here?’

What a unique wake-up call Why was there so beaten in front of me? Would there be more people who’d be beaten?

Surely

‘I died’

As ely, o in There was no trace—my clothes weren’t torn nor soaked in dah my chest should have been there acco, of a scorching liquid trickling downIt was all too vivid

‘No wayAgain?’

However, due to the iht, ainst h aze from the two people, both of whom I didn’t know, and rolled up my sleeves to inspect my injury, slowly so they wouldn’t notice

‘Injury?’

It’s fortunate that my clothes were loose, otherwise, I would have had to reher, countless red lines appeared froht below the shoulder, and old wounds broke open once more by more recent cuts

Hwick!

As I inspected the wounds, the harsh sound permeated the air once more, and my eyes automatically followed

‘That’s where this wound cauess, the true owner of this body—was being stricken by a hen I woke up in this world But, no, I irl let out a slance, it seehtly enough to have irl collapse, but in reality, the woirl’s ar ago

“Ack!”

“Lady Alicia”

A pained shriek coincided with a graceful voice It was a far cry from harmony

The woirl’s eyes, a golden hue that expressed fear and anxiety

“It is not befitting of a lady to utter such a soundI believe I taught you well enough,” the woirl’s wounds

Upon seeing the bloody ripped my oounded arms Mine looked h, tears strea to suppress the pain by pushi+ng down the urge to utter a sound

The wo down at the girl with a lee

“Five strikes left to complete your punishment, Milady”

As more tears streamed down Alicia’s cheeks, I clenchedbefore me, but as I looked at my own arms, I realized how incredulous this all was