Episode 2. A Novel I Haven't Completed
A room decorated with a magnificent chandelier. A woman with flowing pink hair lay in a cold sweat.
A strange man's voice was heard. When she opened her eyes, a middle-aged foreigner was speaking to her.
“She woke up after three days.”
It had been three days... She tried to recall her last memory before losing consciousness.
'I clearly remember the building collapsing and being crushed...'
Suddenly, the ground gave way and the building collapsed. She thought he was dead, but it looks like she survived and was rescued.
‘...I wanted to die.’
It was a life lived in despair. Her husband was stolen from her by a friend she trusted, and she was miserably abandoned.
‘...Where on earth am I?’
It was too fancy to be called a hospital, and it was strange to see a foreigner speaking fluent Korean in front of her.
“Where am I?”
She woke up after three days, and even her voice seemed strangely changed. It was a tone higher than her original voice, and it was refreshing.
“Yes? ...This is your room. Is that okay?”
The doctor looked at Rose with a worried expression. She asked where she was, even though she didn't know it was her room.
“My... room?”
She looked around with a confused expression.
'My room is so fancy, it can't even compare to a shabby one-room apartment...?'
She was looking around, but when she saw herself reflected in the mirror, she froze like a stone. Why was there a woman she'd never seen before in the mirror? Byeol-ha stared blankly at the mirror without saying a word, then slowly got up. She heard the doctor tell her not to get up yet, but she ignored him and staggered to the mirror.
“Hey, what’s going on here?”
A slender and beautiful woman, completely different from her original self, stood before the mirror. For a moment, her legs gave out, and she stumbled, so the doctor nearby hurriedly helped her up.
“Madam Wence, are you okay?”
Moreover, calling me Madam Wence...? Even in her dazed state, the name of a male protagonist from a novel she read long ago came to mind. She wasn't one to remember the names of fictional characters well, but this one stuck with her. It was the male lead she cursed as a “Wence-like” Count.
A room decorated with a magnificent chandelier. A woman with flowing pink hair lay in a cold sweat.
“...So she miscarried?”
“Yes, unfortunately, it seems like Madam had a miscarriage.”
"Ha."
Eric sighed deeply at the doctor's words. He turned away from the woman lying on the bed and headed out the door without even looking.
Bang. Before the doctor could finish speaking, Eric was out the door.
“Tsk tsk. But still, she's your wife, so how can you be so indifferent?”
The doctor clicked his tongue and looked at Rose, who lay unconscious. Rose looked infinitely pitiful to the doctor. What could possibly be so good about such a rascal that she clung to him so desperately? No one in this empire would be unaware that Rose's passionate courtship had led to their marriage. Then, Rose, who had collapsed as if dead, wiggled her fingers and slowly began to open her eyes.
“Madam! Are you awake?”
'Madam...?'
“Yes, unfortunately, it seems like Madam had a miscarriage.”
"Ha."
Eric sighed deeply at the doctor's words. He turned away from the woman lying on the bed and headed out the door without even looking.
“Don't worry. She's showing signs of improvement and will wake up soon.”
“Tsk tsk. But still, she's your wife, so how can you be so indifferent?”
The doctor clicked his tongue and looked at Rose, who lay unconscious. Rose looked infinitely pitiful to the doctor. What could possibly be so good about such a rascal that she clung to him so desperately? No one in this empire would be unaware that Rose's passionate courtship had led to their marriage. Then, Rose, who had collapsed as if dead, wiggled her fingers and slowly began to open her eyes.
“Madam! Are you awake?”
'Madam...?'
A strange man's voice was heard. When she opened her eyes, a middle-aged foreigner was speaking to her.
“She woke up after three days.”
It had been three days... She tried to recall her last memory before losing consciousness.
'I clearly remember the building collapsing and being crushed...'
Suddenly, the ground gave way and the building collapsed. She thought he was dead, but it looks like she survived and was rescued.
‘...I wanted to die.’
It was a life lived in despair. Her husband was stolen from her by a friend she trusted, and she was miserably abandoned.
‘...Where on earth am I?’
It was too fancy to be called a hospital, and it was strange to see a foreigner speaking fluent Korean in front of her.
“Where am I?”
She woke up after three days, and even her voice seemed strangely changed. It was a tone higher than her original voice, and it was refreshing.
“Yes? ...This is your room. Is that okay?”
The doctor looked at Rose with a worried expression. She asked where she was, even though she didn't know it was her room.
“My... room?”
She looked around with a confused expression.
'My room is so fancy, it can't even compare to a shabby one-room apartment...?'
She was looking around, but when she saw herself reflected in the mirror, she froze like a stone. Why was there a woman she'd never seen before in the mirror? Byeol-ha stared blankly at the mirror without saying a word, then slowly got up. She heard the doctor tell her not to get up yet, but she ignored him and staggered to the mirror.
“Hey, what’s going on here?”
A slender and beautiful woman, completely different from her original self, stood before the mirror. For a moment, her legs gave out, and she stumbled, so the doctor nearby hurriedly helped her up.
“Madam Wence, are you okay?”
Moreover, calling me Madam Wence...? Even in her dazed state, the name of a male protagonist from a novel she read long ago came to mind. She wasn't one to remember the names of fictional characters well, but this one stuck with her. It was the male lead she cursed as a “Wence-like” Count.
‘...Even if I try to convince you, why of all people?’
Byeol-ha rubbed her pounding head and realized with certainty that she had possessed Madam Wence, the heroine of the abandoned book she had abandoned just before her death.
Rose de Wence. That's the name of a character in a novel she was possessed by. Rose was the only daughter of a fallen Count's family, the daughter of a family that was on bad terms with the Wence family... She fell in love with Eric at first sight and chased him around relentlessly, which caused her parents to become ill, right? After the doctor left, Rose sat blankly on the bed and tried to sort out her situation. However, because Byeol-ha had only read it roughly, she couldn't remember the details. All she remembers is that Rose was completely captivated by Eric and couldn't get over it, and conversely, Eric didn't like Rose. At that moment, a maid knocked on Rose's door.
“Madam, I’ve prepared the bath water. I’ve also sprinkled some lavender petals.”
"A bath? The doctor said I'm not feeling well, so I should just take a light shower and wait about two weeks before taking a bath. And I'm not done with the period yet."
Rose was unaware of the miscarriage. The doctor, unable to bring himself to tell the distraught Rose, told only the head maid. The maid's face paled at the mention of "period."
'I think Madam might have short-term memory loss, and it's just like the doctor said..."
She remembered the doctor's words, that in severe cases, women might even forget they were pregnant, and looked at Rose with a pitiful expression. The maid pondered for a moment, wondering what to do in this situation. She awkwardly greeted Rose and hurriedly left.
“...I wanted to take a shower. I guess I’ll just sleep today.”
Her body felt incredibly heavy. It felt as if the ground was pulling her down, her entire being sagging. Rose began to nod off like a sick chicken. Sleep had overtaken her as soon as she lay down. Soon, Rose fell completely asleep. The only quiet sound in her room was her own, her own rasping breathing. She had hoped the night would pass without incident, but then, with a creak, someone opened Rose's door and came in. The lights were off, and there was no sign of life, so he must have known Rose was asleep.
Byeol-ha rubbed her pounding head and realized with certainty that she had possessed Madam Wence, the heroine of the abandoned book she had abandoned just before her death.
Rose de Wence. That's the name of a character in a novel she was possessed by. Rose was the only daughter of a fallen Count's family, the daughter of a family that was on bad terms with the Wence family... She fell in love with Eric at first sight and chased him around relentlessly, which caused her parents to become ill, right? After the doctor left, Rose sat blankly on the bed and tried to sort out her situation. However, because Byeol-ha had only read it roughly, she couldn't remember the details. All she remembers is that Rose was completely captivated by Eric and couldn't get over it, and conversely, Eric didn't like Rose. At that moment, a maid knocked on Rose's door.
“Madam, I’ve prepared the bath water. I’ve also sprinkled some lavender petals.”
"A bath? The doctor said I'm not feeling well, so I should just take a light shower and wait about two weeks before taking a bath. And I'm not done with the period yet."
Rose was unaware of the miscarriage. The doctor, unable to bring himself to tell the distraught Rose, told only the head maid. The maid's face paled at the mention of "period."
'I think Madam might have short-term memory loss, and it's just like the doctor said..."
She remembered the doctor's words, that in severe cases, women might even forget they were pregnant, and looked at Rose with a pitiful expression. The maid pondered for a moment, wondering what to do in this situation. She awkwardly greeted Rose and hurriedly left.
“...I wanted to take a shower. I guess I’ll just sleep today.”
Her body felt incredibly heavy. It felt as if the ground was pulling her down, her entire being sagging. Rose began to nod off like a sick chicken. Sleep had overtaken her as soon as she lay down. Soon, Rose fell completely asleep. The only quiet sound in her room was her own, her own rasping breathing. She had hoped the night would pass without incident, but then, with a creak, someone opened Rose's door and came in. The lights were off, and there was no sign of life, so he must have known Rose was asleep.
The man strode briskly toward the bed, seemingly unconcerned that Rose had just woken up. The man stared blankly at Rose, who was sound asleep. Had he just washed up? His hair was damp as he gazed at her.
“Are you asleep?”
He murmured, patting Rose's cheek as she slept. Rose, ticklish under his touch, burrowed deeper into the sheets. The man slowly removed the robe draped over his body, revealing his muscular, toned body, reflecting in the moonlight. Half-naked, he lay on Rose's bed. He gently caressed her.
“Hmm...”
Rose, who had been sleeping, tossed and turned, rubbing her eyes and opening them.
'It tickles...'
As Rose blinked her eyes in a daze, a black object faintly appeared before her eyes.
'What?'
Her vision, once hazy and foggy, gradually became clearer. She was clearly asleep, but a man was staring intently at her,
“Gyaaak!”
Rose, who discovered the man too late, screamed and burrowed into the sheets.
“Don’t be so loud.”
The man grabbed Rose and frowned in annoyance.
“Hey, who are you!”
Rose glared at the man, completely terrified.
“You’re being too playful. Asking your husband who he is.”
The person who entered Rose's bedroom was her husband, Count Eric de Wence.
"Husband?"
Rose looked at Eric with a half-believing and half-doubting expression on her face.
"Ma'am!"
Hearing Rose's screams, the maids and knights opened her room and were shocked to see the two of them on the bed.
“Why don’t you go out? You don’t want to see the secrets of a married couple, do you?”
At Eric's harsh words, the servants hurried out of the room. Only then did Rose realize that the man before her was Count Eric de Wence, and indeed, her husband.
'They say Rose fell in love with him at first sight and chased after him...'
He looked like a man who could easily do that. He brushed his jet-black hair back, sighed, and stared at Rose.
“You said you would give birth to a child.”
"...Yes?"
“You said you could give birth to ten children. But...”
Rose, who had been blankly staring at Eric at his sudden words, couldn't help but harden her expression after hearing his next words.
"Why haven't I had a single child yet? You finally got pregnant after three years of marriage, and I thought I could finally relax, but then you had a miscarriage."
“Are you asleep?”
He murmured, patting Rose's cheek as she slept. Rose, ticklish under his touch, burrowed deeper into the sheets. The man slowly removed the robe draped over his body, revealing his muscular, toned body, reflecting in the moonlight. Half-naked, he lay on Rose's bed. He gently caressed her.
“Hmm...”
Rose, who had been sleeping, tossed and turned, rubbing her eyes and opening them.
'It tickles...'
As Rose blinked her eyes in a daze, a black object faintly appeared before her eyes.
'What?'
Her vision, once hazy and foggy, gradually became clearer. She was clearly asleep, but a man was staring intently at her,
“Gyaaak!”
Rose, who discovered the man too late, screamed and burrowed into the sheets.
“Don’t be so loud.”
The man grabbed Rose and frowned in annoyance.
“Hey, who are you!”
Rose glared at the man, completely terrified.
“You’re being too playful. Asking your husband who he is.”
The person who entered Rose's bedroom was her husband, Count Eric de Wence.
"Husband?"
Rose looked at Eric with a half-believing and half-doubting expression on her face.
"Ma'am!"
Hearing Rose's screams, the maids and knights opened her room and were shocked to see the two of them on the bed.
“Why don’t you go out? You don’t want to see the secrets of a married couple, do you?”
At Eric's harsh words, the servants hurried out of the room. Only then did Rose realize that the man before her was Count Eric de Wence, and indeed, her husband.
'They say Rose fell in love with him at first sight and chased after him...'
He looked like a man who could easily do that. He brushed his jet-black hair back, sighed, and stared at Rose.
“You said you would give birth to a child.”
"...Yes?"
“You said you could give birth to ten children. But...”
Rose, who had been blankly staring at Eric at his sudden words, couldn't help but harden her expression after hearing his next words.
"Why haven't I had a single child yet? You finally got pregnant after three years of marriage, and I thought I could finally relax, but then you had a miscarriage."
Legacy...?
"Don't fail this time. I won't be merging with you forever."
“...Did I have a miscarriage?”
“What, you haven’t heard yet?”
Eric frowned and muttered at her somewhat dazed reaction, rather than worrying about it.
“...When did I miscarry?”
“Three days ago, when you collapsed. The doctor said you had a miscarriage then.”
Hearing Eric's words, Rose could guess which part of the novel she was currently reading. Right after the miscarriage... Yes. That's right after it happened. The day Rose first witnessed Eric's infidelity. The shock of that day ultimately led to Rose miscarrying her child. Why on earth would the cheater have the audacity to come here on this night? Could the cliché, "When I was possessed, I found out he was a good person, unlike in the novel," apply to her, too? He came to apologize for the affair and comfort her when she was heartbroken...
‘...I guess not.’
The moment Rose laid eyes on Eric, she realized her expectations were unfounded. For someone who came to comfort her, he was too naked. Rose quickly looked away. His intentions were clear. He had come simply to satisfy his needs. He couldn't have stripped naked to apologize.
“...Just go.”
"Don't you have any consideration for your wife, who's not even feeling well?"
"Don't fail this time. I won't be merging with you forever."
“...Did I have a miscarriage?”
“What, you haven’t heard yet?”
Eric frowned and muttered at her somewhat dazed reaction, rather than worrying about it.
“...When did I miscarry?”
“Three days ago, when you collapsed. The doctor said you had a miscarriage then.”
Hearing Eric's words, Rose could guess which part of the novel she was currently reading. Right after the miscarriage... Yes. That's right after it happened. The day Rose first witnessed Eric's infidelity. The shock of that day ultimately led to Rose miscarrying her child. Why on earth would the cheater have the audacity to come here on this night? Could the cliché, "When I was possessed, I found out he was a good person, unlike in the novel," apply to her, too? He came to apologize for the affair and comfort her when she was heartbroken...
‘...I guess not.’
The moment Rose laid eyes on Eric, she realized her expectations were unfounded. For someone who came to comfort her, he was too naked. Rose quickly looked away. His intentions were clear. He had come simply to satisfy his needs. He couldn't have stripped naked to apologize.
“...Just go.”
"Don't you have any consideration for your wife, who's not even feeling well?"
Rose turned her back coldly, not even glancing at Eric.
“I don’t like it.”
But Eric, oblivious to her reaction, whispered a whisper in Rose's ear, then hugged her waist from behind. Rose's entire body froze in place because of Eric's embrace.
'I almost forgot.'
This novel was a bleak one. In the novel, Rose tried to confirm his love through the nights she spent with Eric. Unfortunately, Eric didn't like her, but she was always convinced of his love. In the novel, Rose never rejected Eric's late-night visits. However, when she was possessed by Rose, she was different.
'I was unconscious and just woke up today, and now you're beating me up like this.'
Rose was completely devastated by Eric's inconsiderate behavior.
“If you don’t go, I’ll go.”
Rose shook off Eric's arm and slowly tried to get out of bed. Eric then pulled her onto the bed. Rose collapsed limply onto the bed. Eric climbed on top of her, muttering nervously.
“Just stay there.”
With those words, Eric abruptly rose from his seat. Rose quickly turned her head away from Eric's naked appearance and burrowed back into the bed sheets.
“I will go out.”
Eric picked up the gown that had fallen on the ground and slowly put it on.
"You were the one who refused. From now on, no matter what I do, don't cry, scream, or collapse like you did that day."
"How can you say you cheated so confidently?" Rose stared at him, dumbfounded. She knew having a mistress was common in romance novels, but to say this to someone who had collapsed from infidelity? Eric, furious, slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Rose alone.
“...The male protagonist is idealized in the novel.”
Eric was even more trash than the novel portrayed him to be. He was the epitome of unrecyclable and irredeemable.
'I have to live in the same house with a guy like that?'
'The first thing I have to do in this novel is to break free from the heroine's status as a desolate figure.'
What could she possibly do with a man who cheated on her every day, who didn't hesitate to even slap her as her family fell into ruin, and who was so worthless that he couldn't even afford to recycle?
“I don’t like it.”
But Eric, oblivious to her reaction, whispered a whisper in Rose's ear, then hugged her waist from behind. Rose's entire body froze in place because of Eric's embrace.
'I almost forgot.'
This novel was a bleak one. In the novel, Rose tried to confirm his love through the nights she spent with Eric. Unfortunately, Eric didn't like her, but she was always convinced of his love. In the novel, Rose never rejected Eric's late-night visits. However, when she was possessed by Rose, she was different.
'I was unconscious and just woke up today, and now you're beating me up like this.'
Rose was completely devastated by Eric's inconsiderate behavior.
“If you don’t go, I’ll go.”
Rose shook off Eric's arm and slowly tried to get out of bed. Eric then pulled her onto the bed. Rose collapsed limply onto the bed. Eric climbed on top of her, muttering nervously.
“Just stay there.”
With those words, Eric abruptly rose from his seat. Rose quickly turned her head away from Eric's naked appearance and burrowed back into the bed sheets.
“I will go out.”
Eric picked up the gown that had fallen on the ground and slowly put it on.
"You were the one who refused. From now on, no matter what I do, don't cry, scream, or collapse like you did that day."
"How can you say you cheated so confidently?" Rose stared at him, dumbfounded. She knew having a mistress was common in romance novels, but to say this to someone who had collapsed from infidelity? Eric, furious, slammed the door shut behind him, leaving Rose alone.
“...The male protagonist is idealized in the novel.”
Eric was even more trash than the novel portrayed him to be. He was the epitome of unrecyclable and irredeemable.
'I have to live in the same house with a guy like that?'
Rose knew the thorny path that lay ahead of her, and a chill ran down her spine. The life of Rose in this novel was never a happy one.
What could she possibly do with a man who cheated on her every day, who didn't hesitate to even slap her as her family fell into ruin, and who was so worthless that he couldn't even afford to recycle?
Within a day of being possessed, Rose had decided she had to get out of here. And her wish came true shortly after, as an unexpected encounter awaited her.
***
The next day, Rose went out for a walk.
“Even though the mansion is big, it’s too big.”
The scale of the magnificent mansion was completely unfamiliar to Rose. Still unfamiliar with the mansion's layout, she wandered around, but a commotion coming from the opposite direction caught her off guard.
“Well, I told you I’m not the maid of this house.”
“What did she eat wrong?”
“Why is this honest kid suddenly acting like this?”
“Doana, we’re taking over your work because you haven’t worked in a few days!”
Rose walked slowly toward the source of the noise. There were several maids in uniforms and a woman in a worn dress. The maids surrounded the woman, raging. Amid the commotion, the woman sipped her tea leisurely and muttered.
"Why is this dream so vivid? Why don't I wake up from it even after several days?"
Doana and Rose, who were looking around, met eyes in midair. Doana glanced back and forth between Rose's ornate clothes and her own.
“...I think it would look better on me.”
Doana murmured, tucking her wavy blonde hair behind her ear. The surrounding maids noticed the Countess and were frozen by Doana's words.
"Doana! Are you really crazy? What the hell are you talking about in front of the Countess!"
“I’m sorry, ma’am. Doana has been acting strangely these past few days.”
“Quickly, apologize!”
The maids forcibly held Doana's body and made her bow her head.
“Why are you like this! Won’t you let go of this?”
Doana shook off the hands of the maids who were holding her back and spoke angrily.
"How dare you lay a hand on me? If this wasn't a dream, I'd have called 112 right now! You guys need to get sued before you come to your senses."
Rose couldn't help but flinch when she heard Doana's words.
'112'... Did I hear something wrong just now?
A word so familiar. Yet, it felt out of place here. Rose couldn't believe her ears and stared at Doana with a strange expression. She stared at Doana, perplexed, and then, as Doana continued to speak, she was convinced.
“Ha... I don’t even have a cell phone. I’m so bored.”
She is also a person possessed by this novel.
“Even though the mansion is big, it’s too big.”
The scale of the magnificent mansion was completely unfamiliar to Rose. Still unfamiliar with the mansion's layout, she wandered around, but a commotion coming from the opposite direction caught her off guard.
“Well, I told you I’m not the maid of this house.”
“What did she eat wrong?”
“Why is this honest kid suddenly acting like this?”
“Doana, we’re taking over your work because you haven’t worked in a few days!”
Rose walked slowly toward the source of the noise. There were several maids in uniforms and a woman in a worn dress. The maids surrounded the woman, raging. Amid the commotion, the woman sipped her tea leisurely and muttered.
"Why is this dream so vivid? Why don't I wake up from it even after several days?"
Doana and Rose, who were looking around, met eyes in midair. Doana glanced back and forth between Rose's ornate clothes and her own.
“...I think it would look better on me.”
Doana murmured, tucking her wavy blonde hair behind her ear. The surrounding maids noticed the Countess and were frozen by Doana's words.
"Doana! Are you really crazy? What the hell are you talking about in front of the Countess!"
“I’m sorry, ma’am. Doana has been acting strangely these past few days.”
“Quickly, apologize!”
The maids forcibly held Doana's body and made her bow her head.
“Why are you like this! Won’t you let go of this?”
Doana shook off the hands of the maids who were holding her back and spoke angrily.
"How dare you lay a hand on me? If this wasn't a dream, I'd have called 112 right now! You guys need to get sued before you come to your senses."
Rose couldn't help but flinch when she heard Doana's words.
'112'... Did I hear something wrong just now?
A word so familiar. Yet, it felt out of place here. Rose couldn't believe her ears and stared at Doana with a strange expression. She stared at Doana, perplexed, and then, as Doana continued to speak, she was convinced.
“Ha... I don’t even have a cell phone. I’m so bored.”
She is also a person possessed by this novel.
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