2. When the Transmigrator Gives Up Their Second Possession

Bang.

“What are you doing not even being able to dress properly? I told you to at least dress properly since the Grand Duke’s carriage is arriving now.”

The nanny returned with an irritated voice as the dressing room door opened.

‘I don’t think I’m someone you can order around like that.’

I’m the late Marchioness’s daughter, the young lady the nanny was supposed to protect.

But I was grateful for the nanny’s rough treatment. Her irritation and rudeness brought me back to reality.

If she hadn’t cut me off appropriately, I would have been lost in sentiment for quite a while.

‘If that squawking woman hadn’t thrown herself to stop me from hitting my head against the wall, my soul might have left Annette’s body.’

My cold gaze swept over the nanny.

Does the nanny know? That when I first possessed this body, overwhelmed and unable to adjust, I tried to escape it? Letting that happen would have been her last chance at life.

‘That’s just how people’s hearts work, knowing but letting it pass, right?’

With that gratitude, I smiled sweetly. Then I beckoned to the nanny gently.

Today was the important day when the original male lead would arrive at House Poche. Both for me and in the original story. But…

“Are you telling me to wear this?”

“What?”

“Get rid of it. Right now.”

Thud. The cotton undergarment slid far to the end of the table. It was the clothes the nanny had just handed to me.

“What do you think you’re doing? How dare you be so rude!”

The nanny flared up.

“Rude?”

I raised the corner of my mouth.

How dare she, who’s being rude to whom.

In romance fantasy novels, it’s all about power dynamics.

“You want me to wear this kind of thing to meet His Grace the Grand Duke? That rag?”

“R-rag, you say?”

“Where’s my muslin undergarment? It would go well with the dress my stepmother sent. That’s the minimum I should wear.”

The Marchioness of Poche had specially given Annette a new dress today. To save face in front of the Grand Duke.

Muslin, shiny satin, petticoats to make the skirt full – even if mistreated, she was still the eldest daughter of a marquis family. Such clothes should have been prepared in her wardrobe. Not this sort of cotton undergarment fit for commoners.

“Nanny, don’t tell me you lost that dress? The new one I haven’t even tried on once?”

The nanny gulped nervously. For the first time, a troubled look appeared on her face that had been clearly showing contempt for me all along. It was an obviously anxious expression.

“Oh my.”

I deliberately put on a surprised expression.

“How did you manage to lose it, nanny?”

“Lost it? No! Miss, old clothes are better. The dress is new, but if all the undergarments are new too, won’t it chafe your skin?”

‘She must have sold it. Knowing Annette couldn’t say a word about it.’

“Then show me. Bring it here right now. Why are you standing there looking so stupid? Didn’t you hear me, nanny?”

“Th-that! There’s no time now! It’s somewhere in the wardrobe. You should have said something earlier. You need to go to dinner now!”

The nanny reminded me of the appointment time with a voice certain that I would be flustered.

Surely no fool would miss the first meeting event with the male protagonist. However…

“That’s why I said I can’t go. Regrettably, tell His Grace the Grand Duke that I’m unwell and cannot meet him today.”

I smiled brightly at the nanny.

‘The weak and despised Annette you knew is dead. On the very day you stopped me from dying.’

A moment of mourning for Annette’s pitiful soul, wherever it might have gone. Who knows? Maybe while I’m in this child’s body, Annette entered mine.

But I wouldn’t recommend it. The situation with that body wouldn’t be much better either. Annette, if possible, I hope you possessed the youngest daughter of that daughter-doting family I couldn’t enter.

I crossed my arms in front of the nanny, not even bothering to brush my hair, let alone put on the dress, as if daring her to do something about it.

The nanny gasped in surprise.

If I don’t appear before the male lead like this, the nanny would receive severe punishment from the Marchioness.

“Miss, really!”

‘That’s right. You’re the one who’s more desperate than me, aren’t you?’

When I didn’t budge, the nanny’s face contorted.

Her expression seemed to say, ‘Damn! Why won’t she listen today of all days!’

Well, the Marchioness must have earnestly requested while bringing the new dress, saying we needed to make a good impression on the Grand Duke.

If I refuse to attend such an important occasion just because of undergarments, how furious would the Marchioness be. The nanny would lose all the trust she had built with the Marchioness until now.

“You there, go get Lady Caitlin’s clothes.”

The nanny finally seemed to make up her mind as she gave the order while biting her nails.

“What? Lady Caitlin’s clothes?”

The maid exclaimed in surprise. Unlike the despised Annette, Caitlin, the current Marchioness’s daughter, was treated preciously.

To try to dress me in Caitlin’s clothes – it would be fortunate if we got away with it, but if discovered, Caitlin wouldn’t let it slide.

“What else can we do! Annette is throwing a fit saying she can’t go out in those clothes!”

Though clearly it was the nanny’s fault for losing the clothes, she shouted while pushing the blame onto me.

“Quick, quick! Do you want to take responsibility if the young lady is late for dinner?”

Ignoring the maids’ commotion, I opened the vanity. Tap tap, powder was evenly applied to my smooth, fine skin.

‘Darius Inkhart.’

It was time to meet this novel’s male protagonist.

* * *

A beautiful attire and a new dress.

A straight back held high, not bowed.

The dignified bearing befitting the eldest daughter of a marquis family.

I was beautiful.

“…Sister Annette?”

My younger brother, who usually ignored me, stumbled over his words seeing my appearance tonight. He couldn’t take his eyes off me.

When I gave him a slight smile as a test, I could see the face of my nasty younger brother immediately turn red.

Everyone gathered at the dinner table noticed me. I could hear some people whispering.

‘Was Miss Annette always this beautiful?’

‘She looks just like the late Marchioness.’

‘Indeed, the Marchioness was famous for her beauty before she died.’

“I, Annette Poche, eldest daughter of House Poche, greet all the distinguished guests gathered here.”

All eyes turned to me.

But none of it mattered.

Tonight, only one person’s attention was meaningful to me.

Darius Inkhart.

The male protagonist sitting at the end of the long table was my only concern.

He was this world’s protagonist, and a person connected to my life.

“I seem to be the last to arrive. I am Annette Poche, Your Grace.”

I smiled brightly for the first step toward an amicable contract marriage. And then I thought.

It’s over.

It’s over.

‘It’s really over!’

Glint.

The male lead’s face looking at me was covered by a cold silver mask.

‘He’s here to get married, shouldn’t he at least show his face?’

Nice to meet you. Since I’m a time-limited extra, I’d like to ask in advance if you have any plans to kill me in the near future?

Even for such a cliché conversation, you need to see the face to have a proper dialogue.

But that kind of mask…

‘Did the Grand Duke wear a mask in the original story?’

In the original story, it was mentioned that Annette, who was his wife in name only, died without properly seeing the Grand Duke’s face.

So that’s what it meant.

From marriage until death, Annette only saw that silver mask.

“Please understand that His Grace the Grand Duke has injured his face and must wear this mask for this occasion. As it is difficult for him to speak while wearing the mask, I will communicate on his behalf.”

The Grand Duke’s subordinate with soft brown hair explained with a pleasant smile on behalf of the Grand Duke.

‘This makes it difficult to even speak to him.’

If Darius never develops any affection for me and sends me to the separate palace as in the original story, I will meet assassins and die. That’s why I was determined to prove my usefulness to Darius somehow.

To change the route.

‘While taking a wife he intended to keep in a separate palace to his own castle might be a small matter for Darius, it’s a life-or-death issue for me! There’s a reason why extras in novels can’t forget the kindness shown by the protagonist!’

“I see. Thank you for coming despite your serious injury requiring you to cover your face. It shows the Grand Duke’s thoughtfulness.”

The Marchioness, indifferent to someone else’s daughter, announced the start of dinner.

The dinner time at House Poche was lively, filled with ingredients from the abundant south. Everyone laughed and chatted while enjoying the food, while the two people from the north remained as outsiders, choosing not to mingle.

‘At this rate, we’ll head straight to the original route without any chance to intervene.’

I kept staring at the Grand Duke’s silver mask with resentment.

Tall stature, gloomy atmosphere reminiscent of the northern winter, clothes made of thick northern fabric, and an imposing presence that made it difficult for others to approach – the Grand Duke was exactly as described in the original story.

I should at least know what kind of food the Grand Duke likes, but the silver mask firmly covering his face wouldn’t even allow a glimpse of his expression.

‘Surely he’ll remove the mask at least while eating.’

Even if his subordinate speaks for him, surely the subordinate won’t eat for him too?

Not just me, but others were also secretly paying attention to the Grand Duke’s meal.

The dining table suddenly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

The Grand Duke lifted his soup spoon. And brought it to his mouth.

Slurp. The soup that had been lifted up to his mouth fell back into the bowl.