The rest of the journey in the carriage we spent in silence. Yufil sat on one side of the salon, and I on the opposite. We didn't communicate with each other. I looked out the window, blissfully dreaming about what a magnificent future awaited me.
Honestly, when I first realized that I had ended up in this particular novel, I was terrified. After all, this isn't a typical pink fairy tale — where even the main villain repents of his sins and survives in the end. On the contrary. You're lucky if you even survive at all.
In this novel, characters die like flies. You can walk into an ordinary bar, and out of nowhere, a random passerby might stab you. That's exactly how the heroine's ally died. One of the central characters, a brave knight who accompanied Princess Jerica on her entire journey, died unexpectedly just before the finale.
Many characters died simply because the main villainess, Kaena de Ronan, didn't like them. In other words, this world was like one continuous minefield. One careless step, and you're dead.
If I had been reborn as a commoner, everything would have been much more complicated. Perhaps I wouldn't have even survived until this moment. But, fortunately, the Gods had mercy on me, and I became an aristocrat.
The youngest daughter of a not-too-famous ducal family. But that was enough to have no money problems since childhood and live a relatively carefree life.
By the way, that's exactly what I was going to do.
Currently, the capital and the entire empire were being terrorized by the Dark Army — the Crown Princess's personal army, which obeyed only her. These people practically controlled the country from within. Because of this, going outside was quite dangerous now.
Given the possibility of running into these villains, I certainly wasn't going to take any risks. In times like these, it's much safer to lie low in the estate.
As I said before, at first I thought I was terribly unlucky. To be reborn in an R-19 rated novel of all places... But then I came to the realization that my rebirth was actually a blessing. After all, where else could I get a bunch of money without doing anything?
And now I don't even have to work!
In my past life, I couldn't be called a wealthy person. Since I was a teenager, I had to work hard to support myself and help my family. And now I finally had a long-awaited vacation. Perhaps this was a reward for all my efforts.
I just had to wait for the novel to end. When the main villainess dies, the Dark Army will also be disbanded. As soon as that happens, the world will become safe, and I can spend money left and right. Isn't that true happiness?
Carried away by my fantasies, I didn't immediately notice that we had arrived. The carriage stopped in front of a luxurious burgundy mansion.
From Camilla's memories, I remembered this place well. Here she grew up and at the same time endured much sadness and pain. This girl didn't even realize how lucky she was. It doesn't matter that her father and older brother were scoundrels. At least she could live in luxury and not starve, like most of the empire's population.
And family... After all, you don't choose it.
I got out of the carriage and took a deep breath of the scent of luxury. Ah... How wonderful.
“Hey, aren't you going to greet your father?” Yufil inquired.
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Just as I was heading towards the mansion, he suddenly called out to me. I stopped in bewilderment.
“Why?”
“Huh?”
“He doesn't want to see me anyway.”
My words puzzled the duke's eldest son. This was the first time Camilla had independently refused to meet her father. Before this, the girl had shed many tears, even when she was leaving. A year ago, she wanted to stay home until the last minute, but the duke wouldn't allow it.
And now she was so indifferent to everything.
“If that's all you wanted to say, I'll be going.”
And I simply left. The guy watched me go with a puzzled expression. “Since when did this crybaby girl suddenly start acting so strangely?”
But I really didn't care. Usually, in such a situation, main heroines try to do everything possible to improve their situation. In other words, win the love of their family and bring them to their side. This formed the basis of the plot for most such novels.
Fathers and brothers who hated the girl at the beginning are ready to give their lives for her by the end. Many people were really interested in seeing something like that. Honestly, sometimes I also wanted to read something similar. Because in real life, such things practically never happen.
And now... Finding myself in the “skin” of such a heroine, I suddenly realized that I was completely too lazy to do this. Waste time on idiots who can't even realize that a baby cannot, in principle, be responsible for the death of an adult woman? I don't need that.
The years of my life and nerve cells were clearly not worth all this. So I decided in advance to just leave things as they are. Let them continue to hate me as much as they want. And I will enjoy my new luxurious life.
Entering the house, I immediately remembered where my room was. A whole year had passed. I wonder if anyone cleaned it while I was away?
Passing by the living room, I saw a huge portrait hanging on the entire wall. It was my mother, Annette de Walte. A beautiful woman with blonde hair and noble features. She had large blue eyes, like sparkling diamonds. No wonder she was called one of the most beautiful women in the Ruwens Empire.
Externally, I looked very much like her. Except that due to my age, my face was more childish and doll-like. Actually, I couldn't say whether I missed “mom” or not. More precisely, I didn't know what it felt like, because in my past life I also grew up without her.
Mom left me and my younger brother and went to seek a better life in another country when I wasn't even three years old. Since then, we were raised by a single father, who was far from the best parent. Father often drank and left us alone without supervision.
I never had an example of a good family. So I wasn't upset at all that I didn't have one now either. I had long been accustomed to relying only on myself in everything. Whether I was a plumber's daughter or a duke's daughter, I would just live as I always had.
Although, I must admit, I also didn't feel much sympathy for the woman in the portrait. After all, it was because of her that I had been subjected to bullying for many years.
After standing briefly by the painting, I moved on.
Going up to the right floor, I saw that my room was still in good condition. It was quite modest but cozy. I happily sprawled out on the large bed, spreading my arms and legs, which is usually not proper for a noble lady to do.
Right now, I just wanted to rest from recent events. And this despite the fact that I had already spent a whole year in a hospital bed. After that, I could take a hot bath and relax.
I lay like that until evening. I didn't want to get up anywhere until a maid knocked on the door.
“My Lady, His Grace invites you to dinner.”
“Dinner?”
Ah, right. Previously, dinner was the only opportunity for Camilla to see her father. Usually he was very busy and, of course, didn't want to spend time with her. However, in memory of his late wife, the duke had preserved an old family tradition — gathering everyone together at the table.
However, this was not like a real family dinner. Usually the atmosphere was extremely tense and gloomy. No one spoke during the meal, and poor Camilla found herself on the sidelines again.
“Tell him I won't be able to attend,” I said carelessly.
“What?” the maid was very surprised.
Thinking she hadn't heard me, I repeated my words.
“Will you really not come down?” the maid asked, puzzled.
Usually Camilla never missed meals and was always the first to run to the dining room. So this unusual behavior from the young lady clearly puzzled her.
“Mm-hmm.”
The girl swallowed.
“But... Then what reason should I give His Grace?”
“Hmm...”
I thought about it.
If I think about it, my room was quite far from the dining room. It would be easier to ask them to bring food directly to me. That's what I decided to do.
“Say that dining with them is too burdensome for me.”