When I realized that my death originally stemmed from being the fiancée of the Crown Prince, countless thoughts rushed into my head.
I should have gone to bed early that night, taking care of my skin so it would remain radiant, at least enough to impress my favorite character at tomorrow's grand ball.
But of course, sleep refused to come.
So when morning arrived, after my maid Mary woke me up, bathed me, and dressed me, I marched toward the dining hall with unusually high spirits.
The hall was still empty; only my presence lingered there. The first person to appear was my brother, Dominic. His eyes widened upon seeing me, and I greeted him with a bright smile.
"Good morning, Brother Dominic!"
"Morning," he replied curtly, his gaze sharp and suspicious.
Whatever. His suspicion wasn't entirely wrong, anyway. I was up to something.
"My dear sister," Dominic spoke, his tone heavy with emphasis on every word, "since it's only the two of us here, let's be honest. What exactly are you planning? This amnesia of yours, it's all just an act, isn't it?"
I responded with nothing more than a smile.
"Brother, just accept reality. Wait... don't tell me you actually miss the old me? The me who never showed up here, who always scolded my maids, who stirred up trouble at other ladies' parties and..."
"Enough. Don't continue." He cut me off with a frown. "I'm only worried you're scheming something even worse than usual."
…He wasn't wrong.
Silence stretched between us until I decided to break it. I asked about his routines, his work, his little triumphs here and there. Immediately, the cotton-candy-headed man lit up, passionately sharing his endless list of achievements.
I nodded along, occasionally praising him. The more I did, the higher he floated into the heavens. Honestly, if we were in a movie, his nose would've grown as long as Pinocchio's by now.
After several minutes of enduring Dominic's noisy bragging, my other brother, Max, joined us, followed soon after by Father, the Duke.
And then, of course, came the dreaded topic of men: business, territory, military affairs... things I absolutely could not comprehend. My poor, squatting-level brain could only understand maybe a quarter of it.
But that was fine. I was in my kind-hearted mode today. Let my beloved family fill their bellies in peace before I drop the bomb.
Finally, the perfect silence arrived. The moment I had been waiting for.
I raised my little voice, only to realize it came out like a scream.
"I WANT TO CANCEL MY ENGAGEMENT TO THE CROWN PRINCE!"
Oh, dear heavens. That wasn't supposed to be so loud.
Dominic literally spat out his half-chewed pork in barbaric fashion. Max froze, mouth wide open. Father turned into a statue.
Wait… Did I do something wrong?
In the novel, they supported my death, didn't they? Doesn't that mean they loved me so much?
But then...
"Liliane," Father's voice rumbled, deep and heavy, "do you realize what you just said?"
"Lili is very aware, Father. Very, very aware." I clutched my spoon and fork tightly like a warrior preparing for battle.
Father massaged his temples. Max returned to his calm, composed mode. Dominic, however, looked ready to explode, his nostrils flaring like an angry bull.
"See, Father? I told you!" Dominic snapped. "This child is definitely plotting something troublesome. Hey, little Lily, admit it, your amnesia is a lie, isn't it? This is your real plan, isn't it?"
"Dominic. Enough." Father's tone dropped several degrees, cold and terrifying.
I shivered. Uh-oh.
"Th-that… Father, Lili is truly aware. Listen, The Crown Prince already has a lover! Lili doesn't want her tiny heart shattered by this engagement. Hiks… hiksss… Brother Dominic… Lili… hiks…"
The tears were fake. The acting was not. My performance was Oscar-worthy. Even my snot had decided to join in, sliding down my face at the perfect moment.
Dominic, visibly flustered, silently handed me his handkerchief.
"Lili is sad just thinking about being cheated on by the Crown Prince. Lili doesn't like iiiit!" I wailed even louder.
Through my tear-soaked fingers, I peeked at Father.
"Lili, are you aware," Father's voice dropped into cold logic, "that this engagement was proposed by you in the first place? And as for that lover, you already knew about her, and still insisted on continuing. If you're truly amnesiac, and if your memories return, and then the engagement is canceled, and then you wish to resume it again—"
What kind of twisted logic was that?!
No matter. The old Lili and the current me are two completely different beings.
I cried harder, lunging dramatically into Dominic's arms.
And then... whoa.
Oh my. His muscles. His chest was solid as a wall, his arms like steel bars. Alahmak! Why did my brother have to be so ridiculously buff?!
Wake up, brain. He's your brother. He's annoying Dominic. Focus.
"Brother Dominic, Lili is scared. Lili doesn't want to be cheated on. What will people say if they find out Lili, the Duke's daughter, was abandoned like that? Hiksss, it's truly worrying…"
"Lili, everyone already knows," Max casually remarked while slicing his meat like a cold-blooded slayer.
"Hiksss, Lili is embarrassssed!" I cried even louder.
"Father, just end the engagement. Even if Lili regrets it later, we can simply rearrange it. We're rich, we have money, we can..."
Smack!
Father's fist landed squarely on Dominic's head. I, still clinging to my brother's boulder-like body, was left speechless.
My jaw dropped, my eyes blinked like disco lights.
That punch… looked painful.
"You fool," Father growled. "Do you think breaking off an engagement with the royal family is that easy?"
"But we're rich, Father, we're..."
Smack!
Another hit. Dominic, you idiot. Please, just shut up.
"Father, trust Lili," I said, wiping my tears with the handkerchief. "This Lili is different now. I won't disappoint you. But how could I dream of marrying the Crown Prince who already has a lover? That's not the fate I desire."
Father said nothing.
My father's golden eyes stared intently at me. They seemed to be searching for any vestiges of the old Liliane behind the dramatic river of my fake tears. Assessing whether this was another one of her elaborate schemes or a genuine change of heart.
The silence stretched, thick and heavy with unspoken questions.
Max had returned to his meal as if nothing had happened. Dominic, meanwhile, looked at me with a sympathy that seemed to override his earlier suspicion.
"Hiksss… Am I wrong, Brother Dominic?" I whimpered, hugging his arm again. "Is Lili wrong to dream of a family that truly loves each other? Hiksss…"
Father's expression softened—just slightly. Perhaps he was beginning to understand me.
And then...
"Father, let's end it now. We don't need them..."
Smack!
One more time, Dominic took the punch.
Poor, muscular, cotton-candy-headed Dominic