Episode 3. There's Someone Else Who's Been Possessed Besides Me?
"For a moment."
Rose reached out toward Doana. The maids gasped at her touch. She wasn't usually mean to her maids, but Doana's words had been quite dangerous. They expected Rose to punish Doana severely. However, their expectations were glaringly wrong.
“Hey, talk to me.”
“Why me? If you have something to say, say it here.”
“...!”
“Doana!”
Doana stared at Rose leisurely, arms folded. Rose looked at Doana confidently, feeling confident.
'This is definitely not the behavior of a maid toward a Countess. She must have been possessed, just like me.'
Rose pushed past the fidgeting maids and stood before Doana. Up close, Doana's appearance was quite presentable. Perhaps possessed people have a buffed appearance? She had unkempt, yet beautiful, blond hair, and her chiseled features were quite striking. Rose whispered quietly, so only Doana could hear.
“I think I can explain why you don’t wake up from your dream and why there are no smartphones here.”
“...!”
Doana's eyes widened at Rose's words.
“If you’re curious, follow me.”
As Rose smiled and turned away, Doana, who had been standing there blankly, hurriedly followed her. The maids murmured and looked at Rose and Doana.
“Is Madam going to give Doana a big punishment?”
“Maybe Madam is trying to kick her out of this mansion.”
“But why does Madam speak to Doana formally?”
"She must be upset by Doana's attitude. Sometimes, when Madam gets angry, she acts so politely. You know that? A gentle person is even scarier when they're angry. Tsk tsk, fearless Doana. What on earth is she thinking?"
They clicked their tongues as they watched Rose and Doana walk away.
Doana, as if she'd exploited Rose's weakness, sniped at her words. She enjoyed belittling others while pretending not to. Already resentful that Rose was the protagonist, she glared at her, as if she'd found a good excuse.
“Blunt?”
“I guess it’s because I got married because I was dependent on it.”
"Oh my goodness. Do women ever get hung up on someone? I've never experienced it, so I have no idea. I feel bad for no reason. Cheer up."
Although she had a pitiful look in her eyes, the corners of Doana's mouth were seen twitching upwards.
"That's okay. He may seem blunt on the outside, but he's actually very thoughtful. He's the kind of person who can't express himself, but he's a really good person."
Rose, in her second life, was no longer an easy opponent. She easily dodged Doana's attack and even smiled leisurely.
“Your fortune is good. Someone must have been working all night without even being able to sleep.”
Just then, Eric appeared from afar. He frowned, as if weary, and walked toward Rose and Doana with a discontented look. Doana's eyes widened at the sight of the neat-looking man standing before her, and she poked Rose in the side.
"Who?"
“This is my husband, Count Eric de Wence.”
At Rose's words, Doana stared at Eric, unable to hide her strange gaze.
"For a moment."
Rose reached out toward Doana. The maids gasped at her touch. She wasn't usually mean to her maids, but Doana's words had been quite dangerous. They expected Rose to punish Doana severely. However, their expectations were glaringly wrong.
“Hey, talk to me.”
“Why me? If you have something to say, say it here.”
“...!”
“Doana!”
Doana stared at Rose leisurely, arms folded. Rose looked at Doana confidently, feeling confident.
'This is definitely not the behavior of a maid toward a Countess. She must have been possessed, just like me.'
Rose pushed past the fidgeting maids and stood before Doana. Up close, Doana's appearance was quite presentable. Perhaps possessed people have a buffed appearance? She had unkempt, yet beautiful, blond hair, and her chiseled features were quite striking. Rose whispered quietly, so only Doana could hear.
“I think I can explain why you don’t wake up from your dream and why there are no smartphones here.”
“...!”
Doana's eyes widened at Rose's words.
“If you’re curious, follow me.”
As Rose smiled and turned away, Doana, who had been standing there blankly, hurriedly followed her. The maids murmured and looked at Rose and Doana.
“Is Madam going to give Doana a big punishment?”
“Maybe Madam is trying to kick her out of this mansion.”
“But why does Madam speak to Doana formally?”
"She must be upset by Doana's attitude. Sometimes, when Madam gets angry, she acts so politely. You know that? A gentle person is even scarier when they're angry. Tsk tsk, fearless Doana. What on earth is she thinking?"
They clicked their tongues as they watched Rose and Doana walk away.
***
Contrary to the maids' worries, Doana and Rose were strolling in the garden in a cheerful atmosphere.
“So... this isn’t all a dream?”
"Yes. I just woke up yesterday. And I realized this world was a novel."
“It’s like a novel... It’s too ridiculous.”
Doana looked like she couldn't believe everything Rose said.
“Then how do I get back home?”
“That... I don’t know either.”
Most of the protagonists in the novels she read were stuck in a world she had been possessed by.
“Then... are we dead in the original world?”
"I woke up here right after I was crushed by the building. I guess it's safe to say I'm dead."
"Oh my goodness! What building is that? Surely it's not the outlet building in Dokbok-dong?"
"The outlet was in the building next door. Could it be that you were nearby and died?"
“No. I was so shocked when I saw the building collapse right before my eyes that I ran out and got hit by a car.”
"Oh my goodness! So we died at the same time, and we're both possessed here."
Rose felt even closer to Doana because they both died on the same day. Doana felt the same way.
“Let’s be friends. It’s fate that we met like this.”
Doana slowly reached out her hand to Rose. Rose didn't dislike the hand she offered. She felt a sense of kinship with her, having come here, and thought it wouldn't hurt to become friends. She cautiously took Doana's outstretched hand.
"Great."
“So... this isn’t all a dream?”
"Yes. I just woke up yesterday. And I realized this world was a novel."
“It’s like a novel... It’s too ridiculous.”
Doana looked like she couldn't believe everything Rose said.
“Then how do I get back home?”
“That... I don’t know either.”
Most of the protagonists in the novels she read were stuck in a world she had been possessed by.
“Then... are we dead in the original world?”
"I woke up here right after I was crushed by the building. I guess it's safe to say I'm dead."
"Oh my goodness! What building is that? Surely it's not the outlet building in Dokbok-dong?"
"The outlet was in the building next door. Could it be that you were nearby and died?"
“No. I was so shocked when I saw the building collapse right before my eyes that I ran out and got hit by a car.”
"Oh my goodness! So we died at the same time, and we're both possessed here."
Rose felt even closer to Doana because they both died on the same day. Doana felt the same way.
“Let’s be friends. It’s fate that we met like this.”
Doana slowly reached out her hand to Rose. Rose didn't dislike the hand she offered. She felt a sense of kinship with her, having come here, and thought it wouldn't hurt to become friends. She cautiously took Doana's outstretched hand.
"Great."
“Let’s talk. I don’t know if it was normal, but we look similar in age now.”
Rose nodded at Doana's words. She remembered her employees' words, calling her a "maid," but Rose, who was planning to leave anyway, readily accepted Doana's offer.
"Yes."
“But did you originally live in Dokbok-dong?”
“No, I originally lived in Seoul, but... something came up, so I moved down.”
Rose trailed off and smiled awkwardly.
Rose nodded at Doana's words. She remembered her employees' words, calling her a "maid," but Rose, who was planning to leave anyway, readily accepted Doana's offer.
"Yes."
“But did you originally live in Dokbok-dong?”
“No, I originally lived in Seoul, but... something came up, so I moved down.”
Rose trailed off and smiled awkwardly.
“Oh my, Seoul! I’ve been living in Seoul for quite some time now.”
Doana squealed and grabbed Rose's hand.
"When I was in high school, I transferred to Seoul. I've lived there for over 10 years. What neighborhood did you live in?"
“In Seocho-gu.”
“Really? I graduated from high school there. Seoae High School!”
Doana spoke excitedly. Rose couldn't help but be surprised by her words. After all, Rose had also graduated from Seoae High School.
"My real name is 'Gyeo-ru.' My mom said it meant 'to live without giving up,' but it's so old-fashioned and I hate it so much."
Doana grumbled that her name didn't seem to be a lucky one. She also didn't like the fact that everyone called her "Doana." When Doana said her real name, Rose's heart thumped and fell to the floor. Rose's fingertips trembled. The name that came out of her mouth was one she couldn't forget, no matter how hard she tried.
'This...is this a competition?'
How could I forget my friend of ten years... and the woman who stole my husband away?
“...How old are you?”
It wasn't a common name, but it was still too early to be certain. Her clenched fists were shaking. She tried to remain calm, but strangely, her heart kept pounding with anxiety.
"Twenty-nine. It's too young to die. I got married early and even had a husband."
Rose's heart sank. Her lips trembled as the blood in her body surged back. It was clear to her that the woman before her was none other than Gyeo-ru, the woman she once believed to be her friend.
'Gyeo-ru... Why are you with me...!'
Why is she, whom I never wanted to see even after death, still with me?
“You seem to know me, don’t you? We’re not the same age or anything, are we?”
Doana smiled at Rose without even noticing. Then she whined, asking Rose to tell her her name. Rose, unable to resist her fervor, spoke up.
“...Kim Ha-na.”
“Oh? Sorry, I don’t know who you are.”
Rose told Doana her new name after her divorce, not 'Kim Byeol-ha', which she had been using for over 20 years.
“I’m so quiet and I don’t have any friends, so you might not know me.”
Rose tried to brush it off, hoping Doana wouldn't notice something strange. "Even God is indifferent. Why...? ...Does the ill-fated relationship from our past life continue here?" Rose's voice trembled. She tried to speak calmly, but it wasn't easy to remain calm in the face of the Gyeo-ru who had betrayed her.
“Oh, really? Among my friends, there’s someone similar to you.”
Doana glanced at Rose, thinking. The atmosphere somehow resembled Byeol-ha. Her friend of ten years had disappeared one day.
Doana squealed and grabbed Rose's hand.
"When I was in high school, I transferred to Seoul. I've lived there for over 10 years. What neighborhood did you live in?"
“In Seocho-gu.”
“Really? I graduated from high school there. Seoae High School!”
Doana spoke excitedly. Rose couldn't help but be surprised by her words. After all, Rose had also graduated from Seoae High School.
"My real name is 'Gyeo-ru.' My mom said it meant 'to live without giving up,' but it's so old-fashioned and I hate it so much."
Doana grumbled that her name didn't seem to be a lucky one. She also didn't like the fact that everyone called her "Doana." When Doana said her real name, Rose's heart thumped and fell to the floor. Rose's fingertips trembled. The name that came out of her mouth was one she couldn't forget, no matter how hard she tried.
'This...is this a competition?'
How could I forget my friend of ten years... and the woman who stole my husband away?
“...How old are you?”
It wasn't a common name, but it was still too early to be certain. Her clenched fists were shaking. She tried to remain calm, but strangely, her heart kept pounding with anxiety.
"Twenty-nine. It's too young to die. I got married early and even had a husband."
Rose's heart sank. Her lips trembled as the blood in her body surged back. It was clear to her that the woman before her was none other than Gyeo-ru, the woman she once believed to be her friend.
'Gyeo-ru... Why are you with me...!'
Why is she, whom I never wanted to see even after death, still with me?
“You seem to know me, don’t you? We’re not the same age or anything, are we?”
Doana smiled at Rose without even noticing. Then she whined, asking Rose to tell her her name. Rose, unable to resist her fervor, spoke up.
“...Kim Ha-na.”
“Oh? Sorry, I don’t know who you are.”
Rose told Doana her new name after her divorce, not 'Kim Byeol-ha', which she had been using for over 20 years.
“I’m so quiet and I don’t have any friends, so you might not know me.”
Rose tried to brush it off, hoping Doana wouldn't notice something strange. "Even God is indifferent. Why...? ...Does the ill-fated relationship from our past life continue here?" Rose's voice trembled. She tried to speak calmly, but it wasn't easy to remain calm in the face of the Gyeo-ru who had betrayed her.
“Oh, really? Among my friends, there’s someone similar to you.”
Doana glanced at Rose, thinking. The atmosphere somehow resembled Byeol-ha. Her friend of ten years had disappeared one day.
'Well, there are quite a few timid kids like him.'
In fact, Byeol-ha wasn't timid. While quiet, she had good relationships with her peers and was a very interested child, almost to the point of being a meddler. However, to Gyeo-ru, who was so outspoken and outspoken, Byeol-ha seemed timid. Doana shook her head, thinking, "Not only is their name different, but if she were to meet me, she wouldn't react so calmly."
'She'll probably shed tears like a tragic heroine when she sees me stealing her husband away.'
Doana chuckled, recalling the day she'd completely stolen her friend's husband. It was so funny to see her crying, speechless. If it were her, she would have thrown a drink at her and grabbed her hair.
'Well, if it were me, I wouldn't have my husband taken away.'
Doana thought, one corner of her mouth twitching. For Doana, the easiest thing was love. Even in her previous life, she had been quite attractive. There was no one she wouldn't seduce. It didn't matter if they had a girlfriend or a wife. In fact, it was easier for those with partners to fall for them.
In fact, Byeol-ha wasn't timid. While quiet, she had good relationships with her peers and was a very interested child, almost to the point of being a meddler. However, to Gyeo-ru, who was so outspoken and outspoken, Byeol-ha seemed timid. Doana shook her head, thinking, "Not only is their name different, but if she were to meet me, she wouldn't react so calmly."
'She'll probably shed tears like a tragic heroine when she sees me stealing her husband away.'
Doana chuckled, recalling the day she'd completely stolen her friend's husband. It was so funny to see her crying, speechless. If it were her, she would have thrown a drink at her and grabbed her hair.
'Well, if it were me, I wouldn't have my husband taken away.'
Doana thought, one corner of her mouth twitching. For Doana, the easiest thing was love. Even in her previous life, she had been quite attractive. There was no one she wouldn't seduce. It didn't matter if they had a girlfriend or a wife. In fact, it was easier for those with partners to fall for them.
Foolish, foolish things. They didn't even realize their men were embracing her every night, and they smiled blissfully, knowing nothing about it. They even boasted that there would probably never be another boyfriend or husband like her. That moment was the most thrilling for Doana. Secretly having an affair with someone else's man, with a woman she knew nothing about in the middle. Doana, lost in thought, gave a fake smile to Rose. To get information, she needed to become close to Rose. To survive here, she'd better use Rose.
“So what is this novel about?”
Rose stared at Doana's friendly question. Previously, she would have thought, "Doana is so sociable," but now she wasn't so naive. She could roughly guess why she was asking her this.
'She must think I'm a person of considerable rank, so she wants to be friendly with me. And as a bonus, she'll get information about the novel.'
Rose answered gently to Doana, who was looking at her with a subtle gaze.
"It's a romance novel. So what role do I play?"
Doana looked at Rose with eyes filled with anticipation. Rose's innocent face shattered Doana's expectations.
“You are an extra with no name.”
"...What?"
Doana, who had been brimming with anticipation, hardened her expression and trailed off. She seemed incredulous at the thought of her insignificant role. That was understandable, for Doana had always believed herself to be the protagonist.
“Then who is the main character?”
“The protagonist is Count Wence. And I am the Countess.”
At Rose's words, Doana's eyes shook with disbelief. She seemed to have never imagined that Rose, standing before her, was the main character.
"...you?"
"Yes."
‘The main character is someone who doesn’t look like much... It’s because she's dressed up so extravagantly, but if you think about it, am I much better looking?’
Doana frowned as she looked at Rose, her pink hair neatly braided. "It's so unsophisticated... I could make it look more beautiful." Doana tried to hide her displeasure and asked about the male protagonist in the novel.
“What kind of person is Count Wence?”
'If you're the female protagonist, then I don't even need to look at the male protagonist.'
Rose stared at Doana, who seemed to be ignoring her. Then she began to talk about Eric, portraying him as the coolest male protagonist ever.
"He was so handsome that it made sense that I fell in love with him at first sight. The premise was that I, the female protagonist, fell in love with Eric and chased him around."
“Really? I don’t think I’ve seen anyone particularly handsome since I came here.”
Doana's reaction remained lukewarm. It seemed she didn't quite believe Rose's words.
“Yeah. He’s a little blunt to me, though...”
“So what is this novel about?”
Rose stared at Doana's friendly question. Previously, she would have thought, "Doana is so sociable," but now she wasn't so naive. She could roughly guess why she was asking her this.
'She must think I'm a person of considerable rank, so she wants to be friendly with me. And as a bonus, she'll get information about the novel.'
Rose answered gently to Doana, who was looking at her with a subtle gaze.
“It's obvious. A deep romance between a man and a woman.”
She left out the phrase ‘decadent novel’ entirely.
Doana looked at Rose with eyes filled with anticipation. Rose's innocent face shattered Doana's expectations.
“You are an extra with no name.”
"...What?"
Doana, who had been brimming with anticipation, hardened her expression and trailed off. She seemed incredulous at the thought of her insignificant role. That was understandable, for Doana had always believed herself to be the protagonist.
“Then who is the main character?”
“The protagonist is Count Wence. And I am the Countess.”
At Rose's words, Doana's eyes shook with disbelief. She seemed to have never imagined that Rose, standing before her, was the main character.
"...you?"
"Yes."
‘The main character is someone who doesn’t look like much... It’s because she's dressed up so extravagantly, but if you think about it, am I much better looking?’
Doana frowned as she looked at Rose, her pink hair neatly braided. "It's so unsophisticated... I could make it look more beautiful." Doana tried to hide her displeasure and asked about the male protagonist in the novel.
“What kind of person is Count Wence?”
'If you're the female protagonist, then I don't even need to look at the male protagonist.'
Rose stared at Doana, who seemed to be ignoring her. Then she began to talk about Eric, portraying him as the coolest male protagonist ever.
"He was so handsome that it made sense that I fell in love with him at first sight. The premise was that I, the female protagonist, fell in love with Eric and chased him around."
“Really? I don’t think I’ve seen anyone particularly handsome since I came here.”
Doana's reaction remained lukewarm. It seemed she didn't quite believe Rose's words.
“Yeah. He’s a little blunt to me, though...”
Doana, as if she'd exploited Rose's weakness, sniped at her words. She enjoyed belittling others while pretending not to. Already resentful that Rose was the protagonist, she glared at her, as if she'd found a good excuse.
“Blunt?”
“I guess it’s because I got married because I was dependent on it.”
"Oh my goodness. Do women ever get hung up on someone? I've never experienced it, so I have no idea. I feel bad for no reason. Cheer up."
Although she had a pitiful look in her eyes, the corners of Doana's mouth were seen twitching upwards.
"That's okay. He may seem blunt on the outside, but he's actually very thoughtful. He's the kind of person who can't express himself, but he's a really good person."
Rose, in her second life, was no longer an easy opponent. She easily dodged Doana's attack and even smiled leisurely.
“Your fortune is good. Someone must have been working all night without even being able to sleep.”
Just then, Eric appeared from afar. He frowned, as if weary, and walked toward Rose and Doana with a discontented look. Doana's eyes widened at the sight of the neat-looking man standing before her, and she poked Rose in the side.
"Who?"
“This is my husband, Count Eric de Wence.”
At Rose's words, Doana stared at Eric, unable to hide her strange gaze.
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