“…”
Akid was speechless at my drastic action. It was because his reaction was quite fierce, even though I had given him exactly what he wanted.
I managed to calm my excitement and began to persuade him.
“I admit I’ve caused you trouble many times, Akid. But that won’t happen again.”
“How can I believe that?”
Akid asked, biting his lower lip. The underlying sentiment that he did not trust me was evident.
“You’ve been protesting every day, demanding a divorce.”
“Th-that’s…”
“I thought you needed time. But if you hate me enough to throw away your life, I should let you go.”
Akid spoke quite firmly.
‘This won’t do.’
I sighed, rubbing my forehead at Akid’s continuous self-flagellation.
It seemed Roena’s attempt to kill herself was a major shock to him, so I had no choice but to spin a lie.
“Actually, that day, I wasn’t trying to die. I just missed my footing.”
“But the maid clearly…”
“Hannah saw it wrong. She always overreacts to everything. Even I get surprised by her sometimes.”
“…”
“It’s true that I hated you, Akid, but I didn’t hate my own life. I never wanted to die.”
“…”
“I was really scared that day… Scared I might die.”
When I lowered my eyebrows with a sorrowful expression, Akid’s lips parted.
He seemed struck speechless by the unexpected “truth.” I didn’t miss the chance to press my advantage.
“If you hadn’t saved me that day, Akid, I would have died right there. Come to think of it, I didn’t thank you properly. Thank you very much, Akid.”
I bowed deeply at the waist to show my respect, and Akid flinched. He quickly helped me stand up and said,
“No. It is only natural for me to protect you, Wife.”
“No, it’s not natural. Not everyone would act so quickly. You hesitated about the depth, and it was such a cold day.”
When I made eye contact and smiled sweetly, Akid looked dazed. Soon after, he asked,
“…Did that incident really change your mind?”
I shrugged and said,
“To some extent.”
That answer was appropriate for now. Any declaration like ‘I suddenly like you’ would only heighten Akid’s wariness.
It’s important to approach a shy cat slowly. Once it lets you sit next to it, the game is over. Hehehe.
I cautiously approached him, held his hand tightly, and said,
“So, please take back your talk of divorce.”
“…You will regret this. This will be your last chance.”
Oh, that’s the best news I’ve heard all day!
“I don’t need that chance. Because even if you sang a song asking for a divorce, I would absolutely refuse.”
Did he think I’d let go of an opportunity I’d worked so hard to seize?
Does he think it’s easy to transmigrate into the wife of your favorite character?
Let him dare bring those damn papers back again!
At my firm declaration, Akid stared at me intently for a long time. My sudden change in attitude must have been thoroughly puzzling to him.
After a moment,
“…Understood.”
Akid muttered softly, without pulling his hand away. It seemed he was willing to believe me for now.
“Really?”
“Yes. So, this hand…”
“Yay!”
I grabbed him tighter just as he was about to withdraw his hand and shook it excitedly, overflowing with joy.
I was even happier because I had been momentarily terrified I would be kicked out of this house.
I wanted to see Akid’s face one more time before I died, since my death date was already set. When I kept shaking his hand, Akid spoke.
“Why on earth…”
“Yes?”
“Never mind.”
Akid sighed deeply, cutting himself off mid-sentence. I, meanwhile, just beamed brightly. It seemed I had successfully navigated the major crisis.
* * *
I transmigrated into Roena Hadellus just one year after she married into the family.
And, to top it off, it happened when Roena, after throwing a tantrum because she wanted to go home, had plunged into the winter lake.
This place, Dellus, was the Grand Duchy of Hadellus, located in the Northern Empire. The weather was generally cool, and it was extremely cold in midwinter.
So, falling into a lake in midwinter was the same as shouting, ‘I want to die!’
The fortunate thing was that the lake, being artificial and inside Hadellus Castle, was not deep.
I heard that Akid, who rushed over at Hannah’s scream, saved me. Even for a wife who usually looked down on him, he unconditionally protected her, as his family.
‘He probably considered Roena family.’
Akid was always that kind of person. His strong sense of responsibility made him try to respect even his awful wife. After all, she was his family and his wife.
‘Perhaps the real Roena died at that moment.’
Hannah said I was bedridden, struggling between life and death for a whole month. And just when they thought I had breathed my last and were weeping, I suddenly woke up.
‘That’s strange. Roena wasn’t supposed to die yet…’
In the original novel, *Please Hold Me*, which I read, Roena was supposed to die from a plague later on. It wasn’t her time to die yet.
‘Or maybe my soul swapped when I had the accident?’
That would make some sense. Roena habitually caused trouble.
She must have fallen into the lake to torment Akid. It was possible that my accident coincided with hers, leading to this transmigration.
‘Since transmigrating itself is an unbelievable event, something like that must be possible.’
Akid suffered whenever Roena acted recklessly, believing his own shortcomings caused his wife to go astray.
And Roena enjoyed his pain. She did so even more because she intensely loathed him.
She was a woman raised to be arrogant as the youngest daughter of a Marquis. Thus, she never gave Akid a fair chance, solely because he was illegitimate.
“Well, whatever. I’m Roena now.”
I kicked my feet in the bathtub and smiled languidly.
The rose petals emitted a subtle fragrance that filled the bathroom elegantly.
In truth, I was thrilled when I realized I had transmigrated into Roena Hadellus. *Please Hold Me* was my favorite novel, and Akid was my favorite character.
I was adopted in my past life. My adoptive parents were good people. Or so I thought.
But when they had a biological daughter, I was no longer their family.
I was just someone to feed.
Perhaps that was why. The life of **Akid**, the illegitimate child who was acknowledged as family and brought into the Hadellus family at age thirteen, resonated deeply with me.
Having to constantly fear for my survival between my biological father and stepmother and living in constant caution was similar to my own life.
‘Maybe God gave me this time to help Akid.’
I truly believed that. I should have died already. I decided there must be a special reason for letting me live a few more years.
Roena is scheduled to die seven years from now. Seven years was enough time to help Akid secure his position in the Grand Duchy.
I wouldn’t cause trouble like the original Roena; instead, I would diligently support Akid so he could be acknowledged by his parents.
I have no particular attachment to life. Since I suffered enough in my previous life before I died, I can just consider this life a bonus given by God.
‘Since I’m going to be fangirling anyway, wouldn’t a life as a happy fan be nice?’
The problem is that Akid and my in-laws dislike me intensely…
“Hmm, who should I try to win over first?”
My husband is a **stubborn bear** with a strong sense of responsibility who tries to take everything upon himself.
My father-in-law is a **character flaw case 1**, a narcissistic man-child with a wandering eye who lives for his own pleasure.
And my mother-in-law is a **character flaw case 2**, a terrifying woman once called the “**Mad Dog of Heint**.”
‘Alright, who will be easier to conquer?’
None of them were easy targets. I was thinking this as I got out of the tub and dried my hair.
Lady Aria, the head maid, came to see me and said,
“Little Mistress, the Mistress is looking for you.”
Wow, why is **Character Flaw Case 2** looking for me?
* * *
After drying my hair sufficiently, I headed to **Elena Hadellus**’s bedroom in my pajamas.
I was puzzled that she had called for me so suddenly.
She had been quiet all this time, so I thought I was in the clear, but it seemed not.
I was somewhat worried because my mother-in-law had never shown any interest in either me or Akid.
‘Did she call me because I got Miss Rourke into trouble? Does she think I messed up her plan?’
In the original story, **Elena** was not the type of wife who unconditionally tolerated her cheating husband.
Instead, she used his infidelity to spite the Grand Duke or gain financial benefit.
Elena must also know that the Grand Duke submitted the child abuse and corporal punishment prohibition bill for review.
In the original story, after the bill passed, Elena used the evidence of Baron Rourke’s abuse to pressure the Grand Duke. She received a mine in the Grand Duchy as compensation.
That mine later became a **jackpot land**, bringing Elena great profit because the **blessing of the spirits** appeared in it.
Land with the blessing of the spirits becomes fertile land.
This world is governed by such supernatural powers.
After receiving the **blessing of the spirits**, the magic stones in the mine were excavated at five times the normal amount, allowing Elena to amass a substantial private fortune.
As I arrived in front of Elena’s bedroom, Lady Aria announced my arrival.
“Mistress, the Little Mistress is here.”
“Let her enter.”
When the Grand Duchess’s permission was granted, the door opened.
