It wasn’t long after being born when I realized I had memories from a previous life. Despite being so young I couldn’t even speak, I was able to remember many things.
I was seven when I realized I was living in the world of an Otome game I played in my previous life. It was around the time of my betrothal to Tristan, and the combination of my name and his presence was enough for me to realize I was living what was the villainess’ life in the game.
Ilse, a poor aristocrat, began thinking she was rich after getting engaged to Tristan, the son of a wealthy marquis. Using the power of his house, she started doing as she pleases.
Several years later, the heroine, a commoner named Esther, enrolled in Ilse and Tristan’s high school. Tristan, who by then was fed up with the haughty Ilse, grew attracted to the pretty and sincere heroine, whose presence soothed him.
Ilse hated the heroine, and to get Tristan back by endlessly harassing her. Consequently, Tristan broke off his engagement with Ilse, and she found herself on the streets.
But reality was different.
My family’s financial situation was quite dire when I was younger, but as a child less than ten years old, I could not get involved in the family business. To support our declining fortunes, I decided to marry into the marquis’ house, as though trafficking myself for money.
Up to this point, the situation was the same as the game’s setting.
However, after joining my family’s business management team at twelve, I worked tirelessly to rebuild the business.
I had the advantage of memories from a previous life in another world, where I lived in a country significantly more developed than this one. My knowledge of economics and business management from college was more than sufficient for this world, where the level of civilization was much lower.
After that, I quickly awakened to my commercial talent and became a businesswoman by sixteen.
Thanks to that, we quickly repaid our debts to the marquis’s family and even surpassed them in position. I guess someone forgot to inform that idiot. How else could he be so impulsive and bullheaded? Or maybe he was told, and it went in one ear and out the other.
The latter is probably more likely. Not that it matters anymore.
Maybe he wasn’t even serious when he broke our engagement. It’s possible he just wanted to see me upset to reassure himself that he still held the stronger position. He no doubt imagined I would cry and cling to him. Asshole.
He’s probably not even dating Esther yet. He wouldn’t have had the guts to two-time me.
He’s going to get some harsh scolding from his father later. Then they’ll come to apologize together. They’ve taken care of me in the past, so I’ll agree to a meeting. I can even waive the consolation fee if they want. However, I’ll never agree to revoke the annulment.
I was looking for an excuse to abandon that lackluster betrothal. Tristan declaring it void in public was perfect.
I didn’t expect him to do such a silly thing. With this, the engagement can be safely abandoned. If his father insists, I can bribe him with unrestricted loans for the next three years or so.
Still, that woman. She was openly flirting with Tristan in front of his fiancé.
It’s always been clear that Esther was aiming for Tristan. And she was blatantly hostile towards me, too. I’ve always wondered what was wrong with her, but I didn’t expect her to go this far.
She was probably the one who’d manipulated the idiot this time, too. Sometimes it’s better to be a little more direct, you know!
It turned out to my advantage this time, but she was obviously trying to humiliate me—what a nasty scheme.
Starting tomorrow, I’ll see if she still tries to mess with me. Depending on that, I might have to start taking her seriously.
The school I attended was a tolerant place that accepted both aristocrats and commoners, as long as they were talented enough. Being human is what’s most important, after all. As such, there was almost no conflict between the nobility and the lower classes; Even though there were separate classes for aristocrats and commoners, they got along well. I feel like there are a lot of rational people in our school. Maybe it’s because the atmosphere is so calm.
Among them, the girl named Esther was a little different from the rest.
She had a soft smile, a gentle atmosphere, and was a bit of an airhead. She was always crying or laughing, her facial expressions changing at the drop of a hat.
She quickly became the idol of the boys.
Knowing about her from the game, I observed from the sidelines with no particular surprise. I was neither as enamored as the boys, nor as disgusted as the girls, but simply tried not to get involved.
In addition to my school work, I was busy expanding the family business. More than that, I wanted things to work out well for her and Tristan. By that time, my calculated betrothal with him was no longer necessary. If she wanted to take him, she could do as she pleased.
After all, the regular route in the game had Tristan and Esther getting together. It should go even more smoothly without me getting in their way.
With that in mind, I remained indifferent whenever Esther approached Tristan.
Maybe she didn’t like that? I don’t really get it.
For some reason, it seems like Esther really hates me.
She kept trying to mess with me, even when Tristan wasn’t involved.
Just look at today.
It wasn’t long after being born when I realized I had memories from a previous life. Despite being so young I couldn’t even speak, I was able to remember many things.
I was seven when I realized I was living in the world of an Otome game I played in my previous life. It was around the time of my betrothal to Tristan, and the combination of my name and his presence was enough for me to realize I was living what was the villainess’ life in the game.
Ilse, a poor aristocrat, began thinking she was rich after getting engaged to Tristan, the son of a wealthy marquis. Using the power of his house, she started doing as she pleases.
Several years later, the heroine, a commoner named Esther, enrolled in Ilse and Tristan’s high school. Tristan, who by then was fed up with the haughty Ilse, grew attracted to the pretty and sincere heroine, whose presence soothed him.
Ilse hated the heroine, and to get Tristan back by endlessly harassing her. Consequently, Tristan broke off his engagement with Ilse, and she found herself on the streets.
But reality was different.
My family’s financial situation was quite dire when I was younger, but as a child less than ten years old, I could not get involved in the family business. To support our declining fortunes, I decided to marry into the marquis’ house, as though trafficking myself for money.
Up to this point, the situation was the same as the game’s setting.
However, after joining my family’s business management team at twelve, I worked tirelessly to rebuild the business.
I had the advantage of memories from a previous life in another world, where I lived in a country significantly more developed than this one. My knowledge of economics and business management from college was more than sufficient for this world, where the level of civilization was much lower.
After that, I quickly awakened to my commercial talent and became a businesswoman by sixteen.
Thanks to that, we quickly repaid our debts to the marquis’s family and even surpassed them in position. I guess someone forgot to inform that idiot. How else could he be so impulsive and bullheaded? Or maybe he was told, and it went in one ear and out the other.
The latter is probably more likely. Not that it matters anymore.
Maybe he wasn’t even serious when he broke our engagement. It’s possible he just wanted to see me upset to reassure himself that he still held the stronger position. He no doubt imagined I would cry and cling to him. Asshole.
He’s probably not even dating Esther yet. He wouldn’t have had the guts to two-time me.
He’s going to get some harsh scolding from his father later. Then they’ll come to apologize together. They’ve taken care of me in the past, so I’ll agree to a meeting. I can even waive the consolation fee if they want. However, I’ll never agree to revoke the annulment.
I was looking for an excuse to abandon that lackluster betrothal. Tristan declaring it void in public was perfect.
I didn’t expect him to do such a silly thing. With this, the engagement can be safely abandoned. If his father insists, I can bribe him with unrestricted loans for the next three years or so.
Still, that woman. She was openly flirting with Tristan in front of his fiancé.
It’s always been clear that Esther was aiming for Tristan. And she was blatantly hostile towards me, too. I’ve always wondered what was wrong with her, but I didn’t expect her to go this far.
She was probably the one who’d manipulated the idiot this time, too. Sometimes it’s better to be a little more direct, you know!
It turned out to my advantage this time, but she was obviously trying to humiliate me—what a nasty scheme.
Starting tomorrow, I’ll see if she still tries to mess with me. Depending on that, I might have to start taking her seriously.
The school I attended was a tolerant place that accepted both aristocrats and commoners, as long as they were talented enough. Being human is what’s most important, after all. As such, there was almost no conflict between the nobility and the lower classes; Even though there were separate classes for aristocrats and commoners, they got along well. I feel like there are a lot of rational people in our school. Maybe it’s because the atmosphere is so calm.
Among them, the girl named Esther was a little different from the rest.
She had a soft smile, a gentle atmosphere, and was a bit of an airhead. She was always crying or laughing, her facial expressions changing at the drop of a hat.
She quickly became the idol of the boys.
Knowing about her from the game, I observed from the sidelines with no particular surprise. I was neither as enamored as the boys, nor as disgusted as the girls, but simply tried not to get involved.
In addition to my school work, I was busy expanding the family business. More than that, I wanted things to work out well for her and Tristan. By that time, my calculated betrothal with him was no longer necessary. If she wanted to take him, she could do as she pleased.
After all, the regular route in the game had Tristan and Esther getting together. It should go even more smoothly without me getting in their way.
With that in mind, I remained indifferent whenever Esther approached Tristan.
Maybe she didn’t like that? I don’t really get it.
For some reason, it seems like Esther really hates me.
She kept trying to mess with me, even when Tristan wasn’t involved.
Just look at today.
