《I Don't Want To Be Part Of This Cliché!》


 Prologue

    It always starts out in the same way. A young woman from the modern world dies and reincarnates into another. And while that in itself is absurd enough, she finds herself in a world she is alreadyaware of. The world of a novel she has read, or a game she has played in her first life.


    This. This was the formula that many consumed like a drug. Although stories that started out this way have become repetitive, young girls and even older women loved them with burning passion. It makes sense in hindsight. After all, the very concept itself manages to raise some interesting questions.


    How will the main character adapt into this new world? How will she make use of her previous life''s knowledge? How will she live her life? Whose hearts will she steal?And who will manage to capture hers?


    It would be a lie to say that people wouldn''t go crazy thinking about these as they read their favorite clich¨¦ novel. Perhaps every single one of these readers have imagined themselves in the main character''s shoes. After all, these formulas also exist to fulfill this type of fantasy.


    But among all of these reincarnation novels, one type in particular has risen in great popularity.


    What if the main character wakes up as the world''s villainess?


    This... was another clich¨¦ that readers consume like the sweetest and most precious honey. While reincarnating into the heroine or side character indeed sounds inviting, nothing could have as much allure as the idea of being reborn as the villainess. It was a concept with a whole other level of appeal.


    After all, rather than a peaceful walk on a flowery path, people would rather read about the bloody thorns. It was all about the breathless desperation. The struggle for survival in a world set up for your eventual destruction.


    How will the main character change her fate? Will she choose to escape? Or will she embrace her role of evil? And finally...whose heart shall this villainess eventually steal?


    Truly an intriguing concept. One could understand how these types of stories are popular. In fact, people would often say how they also wish to be reincarnate into their favorite novels or games and capture their favorite characters'' hearts.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    There is but one problem with that fantasy however...


    "My Lady doesn''t cry much for a baby. I''m worried. She''s not feeling sick, is she? Should we go ahead and call for the doctor?"


    "Are you sure she didn''t just inherit her father''s disposition? I always get the feeling that My Lady resembles her father very much."


    "Are you a fool? Even Young Master Dimitri who is the spitting image of the Duke wasn''t this quiet as a baby! Listen, a baby''s only way of communicating her needs is through her cries. If a baby doesn''t do that, we may never be able to notice that she is sick!"


    "...Do you really think that the maids of the Mallory house are so incapable as to not notice their Lady''s health? Whatever, if you''re so concerned then I''ll go ahead and inform the head maid."


    One of the maids hurriedly left the room, leaving the other to care for the child in the crib. She looked down with a look of concern and placed a rattle in my hands.


    "My Lady, you''re not feeling sick are you? If you''re not feeling well, you should just cry out so we''ll know right away..."


    Why, thank you for your concern. I am not feeling well, but it''s not exactly a matter that a maid can help me with.


    I looked up at the high ceiling above me. To think that I would ever witness a ceiling embellished with gold like this... the me from the past would surely burst into tears. But now, there were things much more pressing than the genuine gold on the ceiling. I sighed deeply and closed my eyes.


    I can''t believe this is happening. Forget a maid, I don''t think anyone can help me with this.


    The House of Mallory. It was a family known to be one of the most powerful in the Kingdom of Weiss. It was also currently the family that I had been born in. Although it is not as wealthy as the rest of the ducal houses, it had a strong military power enough to rival the Imperial Army. It is without a doubt a most dangerous household.


    If only that was the only thing that made this family so dangerous...


    That is because the most dangerous fact about this family was not their family¡¯s history. Nor their wealth. Nor their power. It was the very fact thatthe Mallory house was a family rotten to its very core. A family of traitors. A family ofvillains.


    I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as anger started to boil in my chest. I clenched my small fists and huffed. This is absurd. All of it is just way too outrageous.


    Who was it? Who was it that said they wanted to be reincarnated in their favorite game? Why don''t you come here and take my place instead!


    Things like waking up as the villainess of your favorite novel or game. They make good reading material. But that''s all that they''re supposed to be. Reading material. Don''t be fooled by what you witness in these novels.


    Reading about such things is fine, but being actually part of it?


    I waved my rattle around way too aggressively for a baby as I felt anger, despair, and frustration at once. The maid by my room gasped as she tried to figure out what had set me off.


    I hate this...! I want out! Lemme out of this place! Dukes? Princes? Kings? Queens? Who cares? If I was going to be reincarnated into this damn family anyway, I might as well have just stayed dead!


    Maybe it was because my emotions were too much for a tiny baby, but large drops of tears began to pour down from my eyes. I was overflowing with frustration, which may have been too much for a baby''s body. I soon lost the energy to wave my rattle around and just resigned myself into a wailing, sobbing mess.


    "My Lady! What''s wrong? Are you hungry? Are you hurt anywhere? Are you sick? Is there anything you want at all?"


    I...I don''t want to be part of this clich¨¦!

 Chapter 1

    Lady Olivia Mallory.


    It was a name that demanded absolute awe and respect.


    The Demon Commander, Duke Mallory''s one and only precious daughter. Exquisitely graceful and blindingly beautiful. With excellent wits and a kind and generous personality. A real-life saint. The most eligible lady in the whole kingdom.


    This was Lady Olivia Mallory. At least, what the Kingdom of Weiss thought she was. Behind the stage''s glamorous curtains, Lady Olivia was a dishonest, devious, scheming villainess. The people''s approval? The Crown Prince''s heart? What use would Lady Olivia have with any of those? She wanted one thing and one thing only, the throne. It was a desire that belonged to that of a traitor.


    Lady Olivia Mallory was a villainess through and through.


    I was a huge fan of Lady Olivia as I played the game, but now that I''ve been reborn as her¡­


    I gazed at my petite hands. A year had passed since I was born in this world. The world of ''A Commotion at Weiss,'' an otome game praised for its brilliant storytelling and well-written characters. ACAW was by no means a mainstream or popular game, but it was loved by the community it had generated. Virtually every single person who had played it could only give it genuine praise.


    And I was one of those people¡­


    I frowned bitterly at the recollection of my old memories. I was more of a novel reader, but I had become so curious about ACAW that I decided to play it. It was a decision I ended up feeling ecstatic for making. After all, ACAW deserved all the praise it received.


    But to think that I''d find myself in this world, and as the Lady Olivia nonetheless. A wicked and fearsome villainess who had everyone in the palm of her hand. Even so, her fate ended with a gruesome death.


    I took a deep breath as soon as I felt another strong surge of fear and frustration coming. I focused my attention on the teddy bear in my hand instead. It was white as snow, and had diamond jewels as its eyes. I almost choked on my own saliva as soon as the maid opened the box this was in.


    It was a gift from Count Arquette, who held the reputation of possibly being the wealthiest man in the whole kingdom for my first birthday. To think that he''d give a baby such an expensive doll, perhaps those rumors are true after all. Not even the other ducal houses presented me such an extravagant gift.


    Not only did the teddy bear look luxurious, it was comfortable to cuddle as well. Whoever made this used the highest quality materials for sure. I rubbed my face against the teddy bear, taking in its flowery scent. If the me from my previous life saw this, she''d probably faint. This bear alone would be enough to pay my college fees.


    Ah, I''m thinking about this again¡­


    I shook my head vigorously. There''s no point brooding about the sad past. I huffed. Right now, I have everything I ever dreamed for. A more than good enough roof to sleep in, and access to all the delicious food I could only dream of eating.


    Really, if only I could avoid Olivia''s eventual death, I wouldn''t even think of escaping this house. But things aren''t as simple as that¡­


    I recalled discovering ACAW for the first time. A novel blogger who I followed wrote a post about it once. "A novel I''m glad was a game," the title said. I was confused at the odd statement, but understood immediately when I began playing out of curiosity.


    ACAW indeed have such a deep and complex story enough for it to be a full-fledged novel, however the creators decided to tell its story in a different manner. The blogger had remarked, "I''m so glad I get to know what would happen had I chosen things differently. If this game was a novel instead, I would never know. And honestly, the thought kills me!"


    To be able to know how things could have gone. This was undoubtedly the best thing about ACAW.


    There were too many events surrounding the characters that no single route gave away all the information available. This meant that each of the routes did not feel repetitive as players learned something new each time. In fact, unlike many otome games, ACAW did not have a ¡®true route.¡¯


    True routes exist to ¡®tie up¡¯ all the loose ends of all the other routes in the story. It makes sense total of everything, and answers all the remaining questions in the story. In ACAW¡¯s case however, there was no such thing. Some would say that this was the only flaw in this masterpiece of a game. There was no scenario in which all loose ends are settled, and there was not a single ending where the main character becomes aware of the whole truth.


    But maybe this was the developers¡¯ plan all along. With still so many questions left to answer, several online theory communities dedicated to ACAW have been created. If they wanted to create intrigue within the player community then they succeeded. I myself had been a part of these communities, and I enjoyed reading about different unique theories many players came up with.


    I used to be happy at the fact that ACAW had some unanswered questions because it kept people interested for a long time, but now I¡¯m pissed just thinking about it.


    I let out a frustrated sigh. Thinking about all of this was just making me hungry and I soon heard my stomach make a growl. I guess even the Lady Olivia could not escape an embarrassing stomach demanding for food.


    ¡°My Lady, you must be hungry. Please wait for a moment, I will prepare your milk.¡± As always, my maid was quick to react. This was the same girl who used to worry all day long about how I don¡¯t cry enough. While I think that she¡¯s excessively protective, I guess that only means that this house care greatly about the duke¡¯s children.


    ¡°Here you are, My Lady. Please be sure to finish your milk so you grow up to be extremely healthy.¡± The maid smiled kindly. I was unfamiliar with this kind of affection. I felt a weird sensation under my skin and looked away.


    ¡­Hng, she takes good care of me at least. If I remember correctly, I think her name was Maddie?


    Usually, villainesses have tragic stories such as being subject to abuse by their own families or being secretly harassed by the servants because they are illegitimate children. In Lady Olivia¡¯s case, that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.


    That¡¯s not the case but¡­


    As if on cue, the door to the nursery opens without warning. Standing by the entrance was a boy of short stature. He had raven hair, exactly like that of his father¡¯s, and a set of deep green eyes that reminded me of a rainforest.


    ¡°Greetings, Young Master.¡± Maddie bowed immediately as soon as she caught sight of him. But the young boy didn¡¯t even spare her a single glance.


    He stood there for a moment with his back perfectly straight. He looked dignified and mature for his extremely young age. He stares for a brief second before striding in confidently and towards my crib. He looks down with a pressure that didn¡¯t seem to belong to a mere 6-year old child yet here it was, making cold sweat drip down my back.


    He opened his mouth slightly as if thinking of what to say. Then came the moment of truth. ¡°She looks like a fish, sucking on her bottle like that. Are babies always this ugly?¡±


    ¡­This brat¡­


    This boy has been praised several times by the noble society and is known to be a well-behaved child showing the dignity of the future heir of a dukedom. Many noble mothers have attempted to have their sons and daughters acquainted with this child as either playmates or study partners. This boy who is considered a genius ¡ª disciplined and reserved.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    But that¡¯s utter bullshit. This brat is just a brat.


    I shot him a glare and waved my arm to shoo him away. I was busy drinking my fill here, so I¡¯d appreciate it if I could drink my milk in peace. But just my luck, the young boy only blankly stared at my small arms and then smirked. ¡°You¡¯re telling me to go away? That only makes me want to stay even more.¡±


    There¡¯s no winning against this brat. With a huff, I continued to drink from my bottle and shifted my body to slightly face away from him. Kids usually act up even more if you show them any reactions. It¡¯s best to just pretend to ignore them and they¡¯ll stop.


    And besides, as soon as I don¡¯t give him any attention, Dimitri just stays silent and watch. He¡¯s still a brat but he¡¯s more well-behaved than most.


    As I was busy drinking to satiate my hunger, I felt it again. Anger and bitterness.


    It passed by almost as quickly as it came. I looked up slightly towards the young boy standing by my crib. Green eyes looked down on me blankly. ¡°What?¡± He asked as if the baby in front of him could answer. I looked away and went back to drinking.


    Dimitri Ellen Mallory.


    A name that symbolized both the sun and earth. A name that ordained everything the sun touched and the land held belonged solely to him. A name that befits a man meant to rule.


    The young heir of the great Mallory dukedom. Genius. Prodigy. Wise. Monster. Dimitri is one of the villains in the world of ACAW, and a great force to be reckoned with. He was responsible for several deaths in the story, and supported his sister in her plan to take the throne.


    He was a prominent figure in the political world of the Weiss Kingdom. Through his several achievements, he was able to solidify his position and power. Eventually, he became a trusted figure and was highly regarded by the royal family themselves. Of course, this was all according to his plan. To be able to avoid suspicion in the Weiss Kingdom¡¯s most unstable period when several nobles have started to point fingers at each other¡­


    Truly the perfect man to inherit the title of Duke of Mallory.


    But I suppose right now he¡¯s nothing more than just a kid.


    The Dimitri the noble society knew of and the Dimitri I see at home were extremely different. People call him dignified and all that, but really he¡¯s just a child who keeps on disturbing my peaceful days.


    He usually visits me in my nursery more often than I¡¯d appreciate and observe me. As if being constantly looked at wasn¡¯t uncomfortable enough, he¡¯d suddenly say annoying remarks most of the time. Apparently, to this dear older brother of mine, I am quite the ugly baby.


    ¡°Why is she making that face? She looks like a rat when she looks up like that.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s wriggling around like a worm. Make her stop.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this? She looks like a frog right now. Hiccups? Do hiccups make babies look like that?¡±


    ¡°Are babies usually this¡­ unseemly? I heard they¡¯re usually cute.¡±


    Ugly. Just say the word ugly, goddamn it.


    I groaned as I recalled several of the comments this child had made. While I don¡¯t care about his opinions of me, I disliked his presence purely because I could never get quite used to how he seems to eerily keep observing me. This kid says all types of insults yet he keeps visiting anyway. Does he like me or hate me? Make up your mind.


    ¡°Hey, she¡¯s finished drinking that.¡± Dimitri speaks and points at the bottle in my hand without glancing at the maid. Instead, he meets my eyes as I gazed up at his profile. It was no wonder how he grows up to become one of the most eligible bachelors in the kingdom. Even at a young age, Dimitri¡¯s features were nothing to scoff at. He was not only born with a golden spoon, he also had the looks to match with his wealth and status.


    If only this guy wasn¡¯t a villain meant to die, I¡¯d say he¡¯s blessed by the Lady Luck herself.


    As I was lost in my thoughts, I began to see it once more. A hint of that bitter look he sometimes gives me. I wanted to observe his expression, but he turns around in that instant and leaves the nursery. Just as randomly as when he came in.


    ¡­At least close the door. What was he even here for anyway?


    Days as a baby were painfully long and boring. My daily life consisted mainly of sleeping, eating, and staying awake for a few hours meant for playtime. I had thought that I would have no interest with toys, but perhaps it was because I was in a baby¡¯s body, I found myself getting amused by some of them from time to time.


    Maddie, the maid in charge of me had noticed that I was much more fond of hanging toys and stuffed dolls than things like the rattle. She was quick to accommodate my interests as well, making sure to give me the brightly-colored toys which always managed to interest me. Colorful objects looked oddly beautiful through a baby¡¯s eyes.


    Today as well, Maddie had prepared colorful toys and stuffed dolls for me. I am able to crawl now, so Maddie had allowed me to crawl around on the floor. I would originally be hesitant crawling around on the carpet, but just a few days ago, the old carpets were changed into a brand new one. Not to mention, this new carpet was extremely soft and comfortable.


    I had to wonder if they had the carpets changed just to accommodate a single baby. I didn¡¯t want to think so, but the fact that this is the Mallory House, it might just be possible. No, I¡¯m almost certain it¡¯s because of me. Throughout the time I have been here, I realized a few things.


    First, the servants of this house hold Lady Olivia in high regard. I was initially surprised, as I had expected them to look down on me because of the matters surrounding my birth. Lady Olivia was actually an illegitimate child. However, this fact didn¡¯t seem to matter to the people of this house.


    Second, this house really didn¡¯t pull any punches when it came to serving the duke or his children. Once, the pollen from the tree right outside my window had irritated my nose and caused me to sneeze uncontrollably. By the next day, that tree was no more. Maddie¡¯s behavior was also similar. She was quick to get rid of toys I didn¡¯t show the slightest interest in, and made sure to supply me with similar toys to those that I did.


    Third, although the servants of this household treat me so well, it¡¯s completely unlike what you often see in novels or comics where they dote on their young miss. While some servants are indeed quite fond of me, how should I say this? It felt more like they¡¯re doing what they do because it¡¯s what¡¯s expected of them. The servants of this household were responsible and quick to act. It feels like they know exactly what to do no matter what happened.


    It¡¯s kinda eerie now that I think about it. But I guess I shouldn¡¯t expect any less for this household. Of course they¡¯ll only hire competent people.


    ¡°Ah, I left the drinking bottle in the kitchen¡­¡± Maddie mumbled under her breath. She had a troubled look on her face. There was currently no other maid, and she couldn¡¯t just leave a baby, much less the daughter of a duke, alone in a room. Maids in this world sure have a tough life.


    ¡°What should I do? It wouldn¡¯t be good if the Young Lady drink her milk late. It¡¯ll only be quick so it should be fine¡­¡± Maddie clasped her hands together and faced me. She handed me my favorite doll, as if attempting to keep my attention on it. ¡°My Lady, I will go get your milk so please play with this for now, okay? It will only be for a short while, I promise.¡±


    Don¡¯t be worried too much. It¡¯s not like anyone would just barge in here.


    I pretended to be distracted with the doll and giggled as I took it from her grasp. Maddie lets out a short breath and hastily left the nursery.


    Well, let¡¯s not cause any trouble and just play quietly like a good baby.


    I begin to crawl around the nursery and grab all the blocks I could find. There were plenty all around the room, so this should make as good practice. I began to stack up a few blocks and attempted to align them perfectly.


    Hm? I was sure there are 20 of these, so where¡¯s the last one?


    I began to scan the room and noticed one of the blocks under the table. I must have missed it a while ago. It was quite far away from where I was, but it was just perfect for me. I had always hated how it was hard to move around in a baby¡¯s body, but being able to crawl around like this is great. Now that I¡¯m able to crawl so well, does this mean I can finally be able to walk soon enough? Enthusiastically, I crawled to the direction of the block.


    ¡°So you¡¯re able to lively crawl around now? I¡¯ve heard the maids talking about it before but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you crawl.¡± A young boy¡¯s voice suddenly came up from behind me. Startled, I swiftly whisked my head up to the voice¡¯s direction.


    This was a bad decision. Unable to properly carry my weight at the quick movement, I lost my balance and fell back. Even worse, I hit the foot of the table and the books placed at the top¡¯s edge came tumbling right unto my forehead.


    A baby¡¯s body was extremely sensitive. Of course, this applied to things like pain. My body immediately burst with pain. My back felt like it was burning even though I simply fell back. And my head was throbbing way too much for me to handle. Before I knew it, tears started to well up in my eyes and pained cries left my mouth.


    I felt warm hands lifting me up and setting me on the couch. Through teary eyes, I could see that it was Dimitri. He fumbled around his clothes in search of something. He finally took out a white cloth and I realized that he had been looking for his handkerchief.


    He gently placed it on my forehead as he held my hand, drawing circular patterns on it with his thumbs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. I surprised you, didn¡¯t I?¡± He said in the gentlest tone I¡¯ve ever heard from him. I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes and ears. Never have I seen Dimitri lose his cool before.


    I glanced at the hand that was holding mine. He was still drawing circles on it with his thumb. Right now, is he trying to soothe me? For a moment, I wondered if this was the same boy who would blankly look at me from outside my crib.


    I heard the door open and saw that Maddie had returned with another maid. They both gasp as soon as they saw me. Before they could say or do anything however, a dark feeling enveloped the room. Dimitri was glaring at them. ¡°What are you doing just standing there? One of you hurry and call the doctor!¡±


    The maid with Maddie immediately followed his order without any further questions. Meanwhile, Maddie looked to be in shock with her arms on her mouth. ¡°My Lady¡­¡±


    ¡°Who? Who were the maids in charge with her right now?¡± Dimitri¡¯s cold voice resonated within the room. He didn¡¯t even raise his voice, yet the pressure it gives off was no joke. And to think that this was coming from someone who was still 6 years old.


    ¡°T-that would be me and Elena, Y-Young Master.¡± Maddie stuttered as she squeezed out a reply. Her hands and legs were shaking and she looked to be in fear.


    ¡°Two maids. Yet when I came in, there wasn¡¯t a single one of you present? I would have let it slide, but just leaving books at the edge of the table like this¡­ Did you not think that an accident like this may have happened and that those heavy books would fall on her?¡± Dimitri was extremely angry. Even I could tell without having to look at his face. I could hear it seeping from his voice.


    ¡°I-I have no excuses, Young Master! Elena was called by the head maid so I was left alone with the Young Lady. However, I realized that I had left her drinking bottle in the kitchen and went to quickly retrieve it. I was thoughtless and didn¡¯t consider that something could happen with the Young Lady in that time!¡±


    ¡°So not only do you admit that you were careless, but you¡¯re saying that due to your mistake, you went ahead and left your Young Lady all alone without considering that anything bad could have happened to her..?¡± The small hand that was holding mine slightly trembled.


    ¡°I-I humbly apologize, Young Master! T-this lowly servant asks that you punish her thoughtless actions accordingly!¡±


    ¡­This is bad! At this rate, Maddie will..!


    ¡°Uwaa!¡± I let go of Dimitri¡¯s hand and reached my arms out towards Maddie. Tears were still falling down from my eyes and sobs were escaping my lips. To the both of them, it would probably seem like I want Maddie to carry and comfort me.


    If Dimitri sees that I¡¯m quite fond of this maid, then maybe he won¡¯t do anything to her. I always thought that he didn¡¯t care much about his sister, but if what I think is true¡­


    ¡°Y-Young Lady¡­¡± Maddie hesitantly came near. Her eyes darted back and forth between me and her Young Master. When she sees that Dimitri didn¡¯t react, she slowly stepped in and carried me in her arms. She slowly patted my back and tried to calm me down. ¡°There, there. The doctor will be here soon.¡±


    Dimitri stayed silent for a moment. I could feel his eyes piercing through my back as he observed the both of us. Then finally, ¡°It seems the Young Lady trusts her maid, even though I myself have witnessed how careless she is.¡± Maddie stiffened at his words and closed her eyes bitterly.


    ¡°However, since the Young Lady has grown quite attached to her, she might throw a tantrum if this maid is taken away.¡± He sends a glare towards Maddie. ¡°I¡¯ll turn a blind eye to this for now, but there won¡¯t be a next time.¡±


    ¡°I thank the Y-Young Master for his kindness!¡± Maddie quickly bowed her head, but Dimitri seemed disinterested.


    ¡°Be sure to have her thoroughly checked when the doctor comes. And have the other maid report to me afterwards. Don¡¯t leave this room until the baby is fully checked up.¡± Dimitri gives out these instructions before leaving. As soon as he was out of sight, Maddie¡¯s legs gave away and she falls to the ground.


    Maddie¡­ she must have been extremely afraid¡­


    I thought to myself before I felt a sudden wave of drowsiness wash over me. It may be because I spent much of my energy on crying, but I suddenly felt tired. ¡°Young Lady?¡± I heard Maddie call out but I was too exhausted to look up at her face. Soon enough, I found myself defeated by sleep.

 Chapter 2

    When I opened my eyes, it was already night time. The lights in the nursery were off, so I could only guess that it was late in the evening already. To have slept through dinner, I must have been so exhausted. Even without a mirror, I could tell that my eyes were all puffy. I reached out to scratch my head when I felt something stuck on my forehead.


    Is this¡­ a band aid? Ah..!


    It was then that I realized that my forehead was wounded. In that moment, memories of the events from the afternoon flooded in my head. Maddie. The table. The book. Dimitri. His handkerchief.


    So that was why he placed that on my forehead¡­


    I felt troubled at the recollection. Dimitri suddenly became worried for me and even acted like a caring older brother. Even though he only ever acted disinterested and indifferent when he came to visit the nursery. Even though he seemed to think of me as just another child of this house... I just couldn¡¯t understand.


    Not to mention, the way he became so angry at Maddie like that.


    I shivered at the memory of his glare. His gentle side was already unexpected, but his enraged words caught everyone completely off their guard. No one probably expected him to become so heated in that moment. Everyone in the estate knew that Dimitri was impartial to his younger sister.


    So why? Does he really¡­ no.


    I shook my head. I thought back to what I knew of Dimitri, both from the game and the one I knew now. Then I thought back to the words he had spoken this afternoon. The things he said, no matter how anyone looked at it, they were not ones you¡¯d expect to come from a six-year old child. However, Dimitri is known to be the mature and well-behaved young heir of the Mallory house.


    From a young age, he must have been taught of the great responsibility he will soon bear. Dimitri must have developed a strong sense of duty to eventually become this mature. Then that means that his actions and words probably came from that same sense of obligation. Objectively speaking, Maddie¡¯s earlier actions were worthy of denunciation.


    That should be it. Why else would a child who is so dispassionate towards me act that way?


    I nodded my head resolutely as I believed to have found the answer. At that instant, I heard the door to the nursery open quietly. My eyes shot up to the direction of the door and I froze at the unexpected figure.


    Dimitri.


    If looks could kill, Dimitri would be bleeding by now. However, the brat didn¡¯t even attempt to respond to my glare. Instead, he reached his hand towards my forehead and I immediately pushed it away.


    ¡°It seems you¡¯re lively enough to push my hand away now.¡± He said with a slight smirk before his expression reverted back to a frown. He looked over me from head to toe and remained silent for seconds. ¡°You¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t get any serious injuries, considering how hard you fell back today.¡±


    And whose fault did you think that was?


    Dimitri let out a small sigh. ¡°Why are you glaring at me like that.¡± His words felt more like a statement than a question. He hands me my drinking bottle which was filled with warm milk. I blinked at the sudden gesture and found myself just staring at his face.


    His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he met my gaze. ¡°What?¡± It looked like he was irritated that I didn¡¯t accept the bottle in his hand immediately, so I quickly took it from him. When I started drinking, I finally noticed that I was famished.


    ¡°The maids reported that you slept through your dinner. It was good that I ordered them to prepare your milk. I figured you¡¯d wake up in the middle of the night because you¡¯d get hungry.¡± He told me as he watched me drink my milk. I met his gaze with a puzzled look, and my eyes soon find their way to the white handkerchief in his breast pocket.


    ¡­The wound on my forehead¡­If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    When I had fallen down, Dimitri had speedily placed his handkerchief on my wound. I didn¡¯t even realize at that time what he was doing. Somehow, I felt touched when I remembered this small gesture. But this feeling didn¡¯t last long. A sense of dread soon washed over me.


    Why is Dimitri doing all of this?


    When I saw a hint of concern from his face, I shot him another dirty glare. I couldn¡¯t understand any of his actions right now. ¡°You. Why are you glaring at me like that? ¡­Is it because you¡¯re blaming me for what happened before?¡± His voice became low, as if he felt guilty.


    But why in the world would you feel guilty?


    Maybe my discomfort is misplaced. If adults were able to read my mind, they may even tell me I had to reason to be so distrustful of Dimitri right now. But it¡¯s just not that simple. Not when you think about his mother, or the looks he sometimes gives me.


    Dimitri Ellen Mallory.


    He is the only son of Duke Mallory and the heir to the great dukedom. Unlike Olivia, he was not an illegitimate child born from a woman of unknown origins. His mother was Lady Ellena Caissie, the third daughter of Baron Caissie, a countryside noble from the now destroyed Kingdom of Vannier.


    She was a lady-in-waiting of the kingdom¡¯s late queen. She was a bright woman who had dark brown hair and deep emerald eyes. The game described Dimitri to have inherited his mother¡¯s eyes. She was a woman who reminded people of the earth.


    Although she wasn¡¯t someone you would call a great beauty, she was beloved by many men who wished to court her. Yes, even by Duke Mallory himself who everyone believed to have a heart as hard as stone. Their love was reminiscent of those found in novels, and eventually they married.


    Their joy however, was cut way too short by tragedy. A year after their marriage, Ellen was blessed with a child. The future birth of an heir was meant to be an event to be celebrated. But Lady Ellena¡¯s health deteriorated when a plague affected the kingdom during her pregnancy. Duke Mallory was distressed at the health of both his wife and child. The servants of the house was concerned that both their mistress and her child would become ill.


    When it was finally time for Lady Ellena to give birth, everyone rejoiced to the birth of a healthy baby boy. However, fate only allowed them a few minutes of celebration. After she held her baby for the first and last time, Lady Ellena took her last breaths. She passed away with a sweet smile on her face.


    And Duke Mallory, who loved his wife with all of his heart, gave his son a second name. Ellen. From Ellena. A reminder that Dimitri was his mother¡¯s son. His beloved¡¯s son. The child Lady Ellena gave her life to.


    The once joyous Mallory household became noticeably glum after the Duchess¡¯s death. And while Duke Mallory did not spare anything to make sure his son was raised well, Dimitri grew up with an undeniable hole in his heart. A place in his heart that never knew of a mother¡¯s love.


    In the game, Dimitri was described to sometimes stand and watch the portrait of his mother. What thoughts were running through his mind? Was he thinking of what life could have been had she been around? Did he wonder what his mother¡¯s voice sounded like? Did he imagine what it¡¯d be like to be held in her embrace?


    Even when he had never met her, Dimitri probably loved his mother and held her deeply in his heart.


    And that¡¯s exactly why he¡¯d sometimes look at me like that.


    When Lady Ellena died, no other woman in the kingdom thought that they could have Duke Mallory¡¯s heart. Everyone believed that Lady Ellena was the first and the last. No one would be able to move the demon¡¯s heart once more.


    And then there she was, Lady Olivia Mallory sleeping soundly in her father¡¯s arms when he returned from his long journey.


    Lady Olivia¡¯s existence became a huge topic in different nobles¡¯ social circles. Who was this child the Duke brought home? Where did she come from? Who was her mother?


    ¡°Her mother is unimportant. This child is my daughter, and she will be treated as a duke¡¯s daughter should.¡±


    With these words, Duke Mallory had basically announced that Lady Olivia was born from a woman he had no affections for. Then most likely, she was born from a one-night stand. A child whose mother¡¯s origins were unknown. A child whose mother was unimportant.


    If Lady Olivia¡¯s existence came as a shock to everyone, it was most likely even more so for Dimitri. Everyone else had said that it was impossible for the Duke to be with another woman. Everyone else had told him that his father¡¯s love for his mother had no end.


    Yet here this child was, sleeping and drinking her fill in his parents¡¯ house.


    Even I could understand the unfavorable glances Dimitri sent my way. Bitterness. Anger. Frustration. For many times now, I¡¯ve caught this child look at me with such eyes. But I don¡¯t blame him, for he is just a child subjected to a motherless fate. None of these were his fault.


    And even though he sends me those looks, I know they¡¯re all just harmless¡­


    While it was undeniable that Dimitri may hold some level of disdain towards me, he did not hold a strong sense of hate towards me. I just know it. I could tell from his eyes.


    I know very well the eyes of someone who scorns and abhors.


    And Dimitri did not have those eyes. He¡¯s just a child who is unable to understand the uneasy emotions he held in his small heart. Even so, I was very well aware that these very same emotions are directed towards me.


    And that is why I can¡¯t understand right now. Why¡­ why are you being kind to me?


    My eyes seemed to pierce through Dimitri because he looked straight at me. He slowly raises his hands and reaches out to touch my cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. So don¡¯t be mad at me anymore, okay?¡±


    A warm, fuzzy feeling abruptly burst in my chest. I felt it break through different parts of me. And when I realized that it slowly made its way to my heart, I froze.


    ¡­No.


    I swat Dimitri¡¯s hand away. His shoulders stiffened at my gesture, but I don¡¯t care. Rather, I can¡¯t bring myself to care. I have no intentions of getting along with this boy. And it didn¡¯t matter to me if we didn¡¯t get along. That would be better for the both of us anyway. It would be for the best if you just went on treating me indifferently like you always have.


    Now that I think about it, why did I help out that maid anyway? Whether or not she was fired, should it really even matter? Did I help her because I felt pity for her? No, that¡¯s not it. Then why? I was a fool. I should have just kept quiet.


    I faced my head away from Dimitri. I didn¡¯t want to see his face any longer. I just wanted to be alone. I wished he would just leave. When I heard him take a step back, I knew that he got the message. He stayed still for a moment, before I heard his foot steps go farther away from my crib. Then he comes to a halt.


    ¡°Be sure to grow up strong and healthy.¡± Without another word, he closed the door. I frowned.


    Because I felt it.


    A seed somewhere in my heart.


    And I knew that if I let it be, it''ll grow into a tiny seedling. To a sprout. Stems would soon grow, and eventually¡ª a flower.


    I closed my eyes slowly.


    If that''s the case then I''ll just have to dig it out.


    I thought to myself, ignoring what felt like thorns in my chest.