Rudbeckia de Borgia

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"This father has at last found the perfect groom for you, sweetheart."

When my father put down the napkin on which he was wiping his mouth and said those words, I was thinking that I wanted to go back to the bedroom and vomit the food filled in my stomach while sitting on the lap of my eldest brother, Cesare.

The second brother, Enzo, who was eating kernel eagerly which had a disgusting smell, put down the fork fiercely and expressed his objection without asking,

"No, again? How many marriages does this make it to be, father?"

"Enzo."

"It hasn't even been three months since the divorce! No matter how good the alliance is, shouldn't you think about her feelings?"

"Your sudden compassion of deep brotherly feelings is very surprising. Will you defeat those barbarians instead of Britannia's reinforcements then?"

"Is there anything I can't do? Those uncivilised barbarians… The best Knight in the south...."

"Stop trembling like that."

The top notorious southern knight stuffed his mouth with kernel, stopping the rest of his complaints.

I just thought it was predictable.

"What kind of person is he?"

When I asked cheerfully, my father, who was staring at Enzo with a disapproving face, smiled kindly at me again.

"He is the favourite child of Britannia. Nephew of the king and famous for being the best knight in the north. He's very handsome. You'll like him, too."

"What? No, father. That scoundrel has a bad reputation!"

"Don't you think it is only you?"

Enzo became quiet again.

No one would have dreamt that the very handsome Northern knight would exterminate his in-law's house in the future. Ah, son-in-law in this world.

"Ruby?"

As I pretended to hesitate for a moment, Cesare, who was gently stroking my hair, called softly.

His hand stroking the top of my head was terrifying. It felt as if a cold snake was wriggling from below and slithering up.

I slowly raised my head to meet Cesiare's eyes.

After seeing the cool, lapis lazuli-coloured eyes once, I turned my eyes toward Enzo, who was frowning with dissatisfaction, and then Lady Julia, who was smiling as always, and lastly at my father who was next to her.

"Thank you, father. I'm so happy that I can be of help to my father like this."

The face of the Pope smiling, mirroring my warmth smile, was just the perfect image of a daughter-fool who would pick stars if asked.

Cesare too, with a rare gentle smile, kissed my forehead.

"Good, our little angel."

And I couldn't wait to go and vomit.

I'll puke as much as I can and then think about my future survival strategy. After all, I'm also included in the killing list of the North's top knight.

* * *

I thought I would finally end my redious life and find rest after my untimely helicopter accident. However, what if instead of that I became a certain girl in a period drama— a novel character that I once read a long time ago? Furthermore, how terrible would it be if the environment in the drama was similar to that of my life that I'm already tired of?

What's better than starting a new life as a character in a novel if it's a decent family?

"Whoo…."

Bitter gastric juice and tears flowed at the same time.

I was already well-versed at throwing up without anyone knowing about it, so I didn't have to worry about being caught by the maid. However, every time I threw up, I could not ignore the pain.

Another thing in common between my old life and my life here was this anorexia. People often say it's an eating disorder.

Before I died and became Rudbeckia de Borgia, that is, I was adopted to an upper class Spanish family. No, should I say it's a charity child?

It happened when I was very young, so I don't know much about my home country, Korea.

As with the children of wealthy families in Madrid, I attended a prestigious private school wearing school uniforms and lived a life filled with ballet schools, tennis clubs, horseback riding and charity parties.

The reason I started to feel different from the children around me was during my 4th grade or when a certain male student smiled at me and pretended to stretch his eyes apart with both hands.

At first, I didn't know what it meant, so I just laughed as the other children laughed.

My eyes were round like everyone else, so I never imagined that they were imitating me.

Over time, the so-called racism problem was tolerable to some extent over time.

The family who adopted me looked glamorous and good-natured on the outside, but inside, they were rotten and always treated me like an outsider.

Each of my parents had a separate lover, and my younger brother, who was a promising tennis player, caused scandal in the media due to his drug problems because he was bored and had a messy personal life, and my sister, the only one in the family who was good to me, committed suicide at the age of 21.

The eldest brother, who was known to be normal, was a monster like his father.

Thus, acting as a cheerful, smart, obedient, and grateful daughter has become a natural habit. Unless I wanted to pay a price if I embarrassed my family or tried to fight back against the injustice.

The same situation was currently repeated here.

At first, I thought this was a short daydream before I completely died.

After all, I would not have the look of a beautiful white girl that I saw in the mirror.

It took me a few days to realise that I was Rudbeckia de Borgia, a character from the fantasy-era drama 'Sodom and the Holy Grail' that I read on a novel site when I was a teenager.

It was a novel made by adapting historical figures who existed in a worldview with the background of the Renaissance period. In an era when the corrupted Pope's power already reached the sky, causing several good priests and notable families from all over the world, including the North, united to punish the Pope and his family— The Borgia family.

Sodom referred to the state of Romagna at the time, and the Holy Grail meant a holy artefact which was the most important thing in the church.

Then there was I, Rudbeckia, the daughter of the Pope.

Yes. I'm destined to die soon.

Also, in the hands of the man with whom I married.

In accordance with the ambitions of her father and her older brother, Rudbeckia, acting as a political chess horse, had several marriages, and after three divorces and one annulment, she married Izek van Omerta of the Kingdom Britannia.

His skills are outstanding, but when asked why Isaac, an apathetic man, suddenly went crazy and decided to annihilate his father-in-law's house after six months of marriage, the answer was Rudbeckia who caused that.

She didn't make him crazy with love, but made him crazy with anger. Rudbeckia had poisoned his sister.

It was Cesare's fault that Isaac's gaze was filled with madness.

In my opinion, I felt that his desire to kill his wife was because she had stabbed him in the back rather than because he was angry over his sister's death.

Anyway, it was clear that Rudbeckia was following Cesare's order, but now if I think about it, Rudbeckia was also quite a formidable character.

I remember that she ignored the customs of the North and treated the women around her like a maid, including his sister and childhood friends whom her husband especially adores. At one point she was branded as a promiscuous evil woman and treated as the Pope's spy.

Three years after living as Rudbeckia, I can understand why she had such a rotten personality.

Princess Romagna, who is loved by her family.

The lark of Sistine

It was all just a well-made play. Just like my previous life was.

"Ruby?"

At the sound of a dull knock, I hurriedly shoved the mint candy bag into the drawer and straightened myself.

As always, the door opened even before I could answer.

"Brother."

Cesare, or Cardinal Valentino, had yet to change the black suit he wore at dinner.

His black hair, dark blue eyes, and splendid facial features boasted a devilish beauty, just like his father, but in my eyes he just looked like a devil.

The only comforting thing is that he doesn't look like me in the slightest.

"You didn't look so happy earlier. I stopped by because I was worried."

You're so sweet.

"Wow, you know me so well."

"You don't like your marriage? You can be honest."

Cesare, who was slowly approaching almost like black leopard, suddenly stopped walking and looked at the turtle statue on the table.

He seems to like it very much that it is finely placed on the spot.

The fact that I hate turtles so much has become a secret only I know.

"It's not necessarily like that... I don't know, I think it's just that the North feels too far away. I won't be able to see brother often there, and I think I'll be lonely by myself."

"Why are you lonely? You have your husband."

"What does that matter? If I can, I want to marry a lord like my brother and live with him forever."

"It's an honour that Romagna's best beauty only likes me."

A satisfied smile appeared on his lips as he approached the dressing table and placed his hand on my head.

It seemed that he got the answer he wanted.

As the hand gently caressed my cheek, I gently closed my eyes like a satisfied kitten.

It's a touch that I don't know when it'll turn violent.

Although it has been a while since it happened, I was very aware that it was an instant that the safe shield surrounding me would collapse.

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