Olivia was jolted awake by a woman’s voice shattering the morning silence. The woman wore a rough woolen dress in a muddy brown colour, paired with a worn-out white apron.
"OI, GIRL! When are you going to wake up?! Look at you, sleeping like a queen!!"
The old woman shouted while repeatedly smacking Olivia’s legs with a broom. Her breathing was harsh and rough. With her large hands, she yanked away the thin blanket covering Olivia’s body.
"Aishh,... please don’t scream while I’m sleeping. So annoying!!" Olivia snapped back, face scrunched up. She groaned, still half-asleep.
Eh? ....
her heart whispered suddenly
Olivia repeated the sound over and over, covering her ears. Her eyes went wide.
Hah ? Why does my voice sound like a Child’s !!
she scread internally.
She quickly looked down at her hands and feet. Small. Tiny. "What on earth?!"
"Girl!! What is WRONG with you?! Instead of spinning around like that, go wash the dishes in the kitchen!! NOW!!" The old woman barked, pressing her fingers to her temple like she was developing a migraine.
Olivia grabbed her hair. Long black hair that now reached her waist.
Huh, I rember my hair only reaching my shoulders... why is it so long?
she muttered, running her fingers through it from top to bottom with pure disbelief.
Before she could think any further, the old woman stord over and grabbed her wrist. Olivia flinched and tried to pull back but her strength was absolutely no match for the powerhouse standing in front of her.
She was dragged out.
In the main hall, a crowd of children were eating and drinking inside a dingy, musty-slling house. So. This was an orphanage.
The mont they reached the kitchen, Olivia went quiet. Five children aged roughly between 9 and 12 were working themselves to the bone.
"You!! Go wash those dishes RIGHT NOW!! Or you’re sleeping outside tonight!!" the woman snapped.
Every child in the room bowed their heads, not daring to make a sound. The old woman then shoved Olivia aside so hard she stumbled and nearly fell.
"GET TO WORK!!"
she scread before marching off.
Olivia, still aching, slowly got back on her feet. She made her way over to a girl who was washing dishes. Still simring with irritation, she whispered.
"Emm, hello... who was that old woman just now?"
The girl turned with a frightened face, her eyes darting toward the door. "She’s the wife of the orphanage owner. Don’t make her angry..."
Olivia had no choice but to get to work, her heart heavy with annoyance. But the mont she bent down and caught her reflection in the clear water of the basin she froze.
The rippling water showed the face of a small girl. Cute but gaunt. Round brown eyes, filled with sothing that looked like fear. That was not the face of the adult woman she had known all her life.
Ehh, this is my body at 11 years old!!
She turned to look at the red-haired girl beside her.
"Um, what’s your na?"
"Huh, you forgot? My na is Celine," the girl answered quietly.
"You know ?"
Olivia asked again, needing to be sure.
Celine looked up.
"I do. But you never told your na. All I know is people call you Vivie."
Olivia nodded in understanding.
" My real na is Olivia." She grinned so wide her smile nearly reached her ears, making Celine return a small smile of her own.
Not long after, they were summoned by Marline ,the old woman from earlier.
"Girls!! You two, co carry this water!!"
Olivia had no choice but to follow Celine as they grabbed the wooden buckets.
"Haish, are we unpaid servants or what?"
she grumbled, frowning deeply.
While changing out of their wet clothes, Olivia asked, "Celine, is this seriously the only clothing provided for us?"
"Yes. Every child in this house only gets one straight white dress down to the knee," Celine replied.
The conditions of the house were heartbreaking. Many children were so thin their bones were visible beneath their skin.
The musty sll that filled every corner made the air feel thick and suffocating. Olivia could only breathe a long, heavy sigh.
The next day, Olivia witnessed Marline’s cruelty up close. The children would be beaten for the smallest mistakes, especially when Marline was drunk. Olivia couldn’t take it. She was determined to find a way out.
That afternoon, Olivia was assigned to sweep the entire house because an ’important person’ was coming to et the orphanage owner, a man nad Ruth, Marline’s husband.
While sweeping, Olivia found herself drifting without realizing it, until she was standing right in front of the door to Ruth’s office. She pressed her ear against the locked door.
"Her Lady Ophilia, needs a companion her age. Any suggestions?"
Olivia went still. She tried to step back, but
CLATTER!
The broom slipped from her hands. Olivia panicked and bolted.
Inside the room, Ruth and a mysterious man stepped out to check.
"Who’s there?" asked Ruth. Without Hesitation, the n tried to looked outside the door. But...no one there. So, he closed the door and turned her gaze toward ruthm
"No one. Probably just the wind," the man replied calmly. Ruth nodded slowly and continued there conversation.
As Olivia hurried back to the kitchen, her mind was racing at full speed.
Ophilia? Isn’t that the female lead from My Beloved Ophilia? Don’t tell ...
.... I’ve actually entered the novel!!
She slapped her own cheeks and broke into a grin. She imdiately turned to Celine....
"What century are we in right now? Who’s the reigning king? Which territory are we in?"
Celine startled and quickly covered Olivia’s mouth.
"SHHHH!! Soone’s coming!! Ask later!!"
THUD. THUD. THUD.
Footsteps. Marline appeared, with a suspiciously soft expression on her face.
Olivia gritted her teeth.
" Everyone gather in the dining hall at noon sharp. Not a single person late!!" Marline announced before disappearing.
Then suddenly, a tall man appeared. Expensive black shirt. White hair. Sharp amber eyes.
The mont he stepped in, the air suddenly felt colder....or maybe it was just her imagination.
All the child imdiately bowed their heads to the floor. Olivia, thoroughly confused, just scratched her head, until Celine urgently signaled her to bow too.
The man surveyed every corner of the room. Then his finger pointed directly at Olivia.
"You. The black-haired girl. Co with . Now."
Olivia jolted.
"Huh? ?"
She stepped forward slowly. But chaos broke out when Celine was suddenly struck by Marline for being considered disrespectful.
"How dare you!!"
PAP!!
A slap landed hard on Celine’s hollow cheek.
The amber-eyed man watched without flinching, calmly smoothing the tip of his moustache. His sharp gaze landed on Olivia, who was hugging a crying Celine.
Hmm. I’ve never seen a black-haired girl before....
the man thought privately.
" So Noisy. Bring that both girls with ."
Olivia and Celine were pulled along until they stood before a magnificent horse-drawn carriage. Glossy black paint. An imposing noble family crest.
Aethelgard... why does that sound so familiar?
...wait.
Isn’t that the most powerful noble house in the entire kingdom?
I know there was a top noble in this empire!
Why do shook, even the king salute them....
Hmm... but where have I heard it?
Olivia murmured to herself, digging through her mories.
she had been so obsessed with reading fantasy novels back in her original world, she was getting a little mixed up on which novel she had actually landed in.
Her daydream was cut short when her small body was suddenly hoisted up by the carriage driver.
"Load the children!!" ordered the mysterious man.
He was already seated at the far end of the plush seat. And across from him sat a little girl in a pale blue ruffled gown.
The taffeta fabric shimred beautifully in the light streaming through the window. Despite being only ten years old, the girl sat with perfect posture,
Her tiny silk-gloved hands held a delicate ivory fan. The lace trim of her pantalettes peeked out below the hem of her layered skirt, crisp white and perfectly pressed. She gazed quietly out the window as if the world outside was the only thing worth seeing.
Olivia was srized. That level of elegance was truly sothing else.
Olivia and Celine settled side by side on the wool-padded seats. To them, it felt like sitting on clouds, worlds away from the hard wooden chairs at the orphanage that had been slowly destroying their backs.
Light slipping through the curtains caught the eyes of the girl sitting across from them.
Crystal blue.
Her hair, warm brown with gentle waves, framing a smooth, fair face.
Then Olivia’s gaze snagged on sothing. A small dot. A beauty mark at the corner of her lips.
Olivia’s eyes blew wide. She started muttering frantically inside her head while imdiately dropping her gaze.
Warm brown hair... round crystal blue eyes... beauty mark at the corner of her mouth... OH MAN
That’s the description of the Female Lead in My Beloved Ophilia!!
So the girl sitting in front of right now is... OPHILIAA!!
Olivia scread inside her soul.
"So I’m going to beco a servant to the character who’s responsible for killing my favourite character?? Noo!!"
Olivia internally seethed.
Normally when soone gets transported into a novel they beco the FL or the villainess. Why did I get stuck as a tiny child with my original face, just a playmate or and nothing more...
Though her expression on the outside remained perfectly blank and calm...,inside Olivia was already sketching out her evil sches.
She imagined slipping poison into Ophilia’s teacup and plotting to eliminate the Male Lead.
Muehhehehehehh... she cackled internally.
In her head, she was already Javien’s number one fan, president of his fan club, and founder of his shrine.
Muehheheheh.
...She would sort out the details later.
Ophilia, who had been sitting quietly all this while, suddenly turned.
Those round crystal blue eyes looked directly at Olivia, bright and cheerful on the surface, but carrying sothing deep and unspoken underneath.
"What is your na?" Ophilia asked simply.
"Umm, I’m Olivia. She’s Celine," Olivia answered.
She nodded, smiled softly, and turned back to the window.
Not long after, the sounds of a bustling crowd began filtering in, signaling that they had arrived at the royal capital, a city called Certial.
Olivia, who had seen nothing beyond the walls of the orphanage for as long as she could rember, was completely awestruck.
Children laughing. The sll of food drifting from market stalls spreading through the whole city. Residents chatting and calling out to one another, filling the streets with warm, lively noise.
Olivia’s eyes glistened.
The sight was unfamiliar to her and yet it settled sothing quietly in her chest.
Before she knew it, they were stopped before a massive iron gate. The sa crest as the one carved on the carriage glead above them.
"PLAK PLAK PLAK EEII"
The horses ca to a halt. Olivia and Celine exchanged a glance. Both their hearts were hamring in perfect unison.
"Eeh, what do we do now Celine," Olivia whispered, gripping Celine’s hand which was also trembling. Celine just shook her head. No idea.
Olivia and Celine were directed to step down, followed by Ophilia who was assisted out of the carriage by the Butler, the mysterious man from before who guided her carefully by the hand.
The Butler then gestured for the two of them to follow. The entire walk through the estate, Olivia could feel the sharp, piercing stares of every servant and resident they passed.
"Haaihhh," Celine sighed.
Olivia startled. In all the ti she had known Celine, she had never once heard her complain.
"Eh, what’s wrong Celine?"
Celine just smiled faintly and shook her head.
"I’ll poke your eyes out,"
Olivia muttered under her breath at the onlooking servants.
Celine stifled a laugh, covering her mouth with her left hand so no one around them would notice.
Along the way they were separated from Ophilia. The Butler led both of them to the Duke’s office. The mont they stepped inside, they were told to stand and wait.
Ehh so THAT’S brown hair’s father blehhhhh, Olivia thought, eyes going wide.
"If I rember correctly, That’s Duke Herold... the king’s right-hand man."
...she thought, eyeing Duke Herold live and in person.
Duke Herold studied the two of them in the heavy silence of the room. The Butler, seeming to sense what his master wanted, spoke first.
"Your Grace, I have selected both of them as requested by the Young Lady," he said, producing a folder containing docunts on both girls.
"They appeared to be the most suitable in terms of age, Your Grace."
Duke Herold, who had been watching them, shifted his gaze to the Butler.
"Why are there TWO? Did I not say I only wanted ONE? Do you think everything I say is a JOKE?! ....HUH?! ....ANSWER !!"
Duke Herold’s voice cracked through the room like a whip. The Butler sank low, head bowed to the floor.
"I humbly apologize, Your Grace. I will return one of them imdiately," the Butler replied, composed.
Duke Herold pressed both hands over his face, fingers digging into his furrowed brow. He was quiet for a long mont.
"...Fine. So one of the two becos my daughter’s companion. Thoughts?" Duke Herold asked, face taut, arms folded.
"Perhaps the black-haired girl, Your Grace," the Butler said thoughtfully.
"Her hair is quite unique , it’s rare to see a girl with hair as dark as hers. I believe she must have sothing special about her."
Olivia blinked rapidly and dropped her gaze, glancing sideways at Celine who was visibly trembling beside her.
Tch!! Special?? I’m just a regular human being HUAA
Olivia wailed internally, tears streaming freely in her heart.
"Hmm. Interesting," said Duke Herold.
"And what about the other one?" He turned, pointing his ring finger toward Celine, left eyebrow raised.
"She carries herself with an elegance befitting a lady-in-waiting to the Young Princess. Upon investigation, she is the daughter of the Marquis Lysander family, which collapsed three years ago."
"She has four siblings. After her parents passed, the family had no male heir. There are rumors she was cast out by her relatives when she was two years old," the Butler continued.
Duke Herold nodded and fell deep into thought. The silence pressed heavily against the walls of the office.
"Haishh when is this going to end," Olivia sighed internally.
"What if one of them becos a companion, and the other becos a servant here at the Aethelgard estate?" Duke Herold proposed.
The Butler considered it.
"There is rit to that, Your Grace."
Olivia and Celine exchanged a glance. Without overthinking it, Olivia spoke up clearly
"Forgive , Your Grace. If permitted, I would humbly like to be..."
Before she could finish ...
Celine suddenly gripped the hem of Olivia’s dress. Her whole body was shaking.
"I... I’ll be the servant!!"
Celine cut in, her voice breaking. Her eyes were glassy, fixed on the floor.
"Please don’t separate from Olivia. I’ll do any kind of hard work. I just... I want to stay with her."
Olivia was stunned.
Celine... you’d lower yourself from your status as a Marquis’s daughter just because you’re scared of being separated from ?
Duke Herold watched the scene unfold with a cold, calculating gaze. The air in the office grew heavier.
Wait, Olivia began doing ntal calculations.
If I beco Ophilia’s companion, I’ll always be by the Female Lead’s side. I can monitor her every move. I can stop her from getting close to Javien!! But if I end up as a kitchen servant... how am I supposed to save Javien when he’s a nobleman?
Olivia drew a slow, deep breath. She had to decide right now.
Her round eyes lifted and t Duke Herold’s erald green ones directly. The fear was gone. What remained was nothing but the pure, unshakeable resolve of a 24-year-old woman determined to survive and to save the man she had crossed worlds for.
"Your Grace," Olivia’s voice ca out clear and steady, calm enough that even the Butler was slightly taken aback by the sheer boldness of a child so small.
"Please allow Celine to be her Lady Ophilia’s companion. She has noble blood and manners far superior to mine," Olivia said, bowing with perfect, practiced grace.
Duke Herold raised an eyebrow. "And you?"
Olivia smiled. Small. Quiet. Full of secrets.
"I will be the her lady’s personal attendant. I will handle all of her daily needs, while Celine serves as her companion and confidante. That way, Your Grace will not need to turn anyone away and the lady will have the best of both worlds. Is that not so?"
And with the position of personal attendant, I can move in and out of the palace freely to find Javien!!
Olivia cheered inside.
Duke Herold studied her in silence, the gaze of a predator sizing up its prey.
"Interesting. A girl from an orphanage... negotiating terms with ."
He leaned back into his chair.
"Very well. I accept your offer. But understand this clearly..."
Duke Herold lowered his voice. Every word asured. Every word a threat.
"If the Lady is so much as scratched due to any negligence on either of your parts..."
"Your lives will be the paynt."
Olivia swallowed hard. But she nodded. Firm. Unwavering.
Alright. Phase one complete.
Just you wait, Javien Alistair de Valois.
Your weird little heroine is coming to save you.
TO BE CONTINUE...
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