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SMD 19

 “Ugh!”

Summer jolted awake in bed in the middle of the night, gasping for breath. After Julian left, she had repeated the same day and fell asleep as usual. And then she had a terrible nightmare. She had returned to the original world, but no one recognized her in the dream. “Mom, it’s me!” “Student. I’m sorry, but our daughter is dead.” Waking up to those words made her heart pound wildly. “Mom, Mom…!” Summer got up in her pajamas, flung open the door, and dashed down the dark, long hallway. Fear clung to her ankles like a swamp, pulling her back. Every time her attempt to return to the original world failed, Summer unknowingly suffered from anxiety. “Ugh, Mom! Please save me! Mom!” Humans are creatures of adaptation, and while she had grown accustomed to life in the Lindsey household, that only made her more afraid. What if she forgot that she was possessed in this place? Whenever that fear surged, Summer would scream as she ran down the dark, long hallway. Just like now. “Miss! Did you have another nightmare? What on earth has been so hard for you…?” “Get away! You’re all fake. Fake!” “Miss, please….” Then kind-hearted Daisy would cry with her, and Mary would grab the struggling Summer and skillfully subdue her. Now, all that remained in Summer’s mind was the fact that she was possessed in a novel and that the original world was South Korea. The faces and voices of her friends, as well as her family, were all blurry. “Please, let me live. Ugh, I want to live, Mary… you know how.” Mary closed her eyes tightly, as if to turn away from Summer’s tear-streaked face. Summer’s tears clung to her dazzling blonde hair, and her cheeks were wet and damp. Another day had passed. In anxiety and despair. Summer lost consciousness. When she opened her eyes, she hoped to see a familiar face, perhaps her family. Or maybe Coco, the black cat that lived in her home. But unfortunately, when Summer opened her eyes in the morning, she was greeted by a smiling face that approached her. “Summer. Wake up. The sun is already high in the sky.” It was Lady Lindsey. * * * “Don’t forget that there’s a party today, okay?” “…….” Today, it was another line. Summer looked at Lady Lindsey with a somewhat proud expression. With the appearance of the heroine, things had definitely changed. The party that the heroine was attending seemed to be an important event. “Our daughter, the most beautiful and beloved Summer in the world.” Lady Lindsey always did her best for her daughter. It was a later revelation, but Lady Lindsey was also the one who named Summer. Born in summer, a being that shines as brightly as summer. That was the meaning of her daughter to Lady Lindsey. Feeling awkward, Summer absentmindedly played with her hair. The transparent blue dress was incredibly beautiful, even to Summer. The hair accessory shaped like green leaves and the earrings that shimmered around her neck all suited Summer perfectly. As Lady Lindsey looked at Summer with satisfaction, she cautiously approached her. “Summer. Even if he is a duke, I won’t forgive him if he harms you.” “…….” “So don’t be scared, and don’t let him intimidate you. We are the Lindsey family. If we can’t protect you, what good is our family name?” Then she gently hugged Summer and stroked her back. Summer said nothing. There wasn’t enough time or words to pour out her complicated feelings. Lady Lindsey was speaking while remembering the day Summer wore the Duke of Langerster’s coat at the banquet. Recalling that day’s Summer, she told today’s Summer that she would protect her from everything. Summer felt a strange sensation and tried to avert her gaze. “I’ll be back.” “Okay. Summer. You can come back anytime. I’ll let the butler know. Just don’t be too late.” “I will.” Summer brushed past Lady Lindsey and headed for the carriage. The carriage had the Lindsey family crest prominently displayed. That emblem seemed to overlap with Lady Lindsey, who said she would protect Summer. The carriage door closed, and it started moving. Summer looked back at the receding mansion before shifting her gaze forward again. The only way to escape possession was to die in this world. And just then, one thought came to mind. There were not only fairies who could break the rules of the world and move by will. “Ian Langerster.” He was also a being who could kill Summer. “Miss. We’re almost there.” At the coachman’s words, Summer snapped back to reality. In the distance, the grand Langerster family townhouse came into view. It was dazzling and bustling. Summer quietly took in the yellow lights that sparkled like fireflies. The light reflected in Summer’s blue eyes shimmered. If she asked, would he grant her wish? After a moment of contemplation, Summer let out a hollow laugh. Was she tired or going crazy? He would never grant such a request. “…….” Summer closed her weary eyes, and as the carriage came to a stop, she opened them again. Her blue eyes still sparkled brighter than jewels. There were still a few months left. So, it was a bit too early to conclude that anything was impossible. “Miss. We have arrived.” “Thank you.” Summer smiled brightly and gave a slight nod. Then she jumped out of the carriage alone. The coachman watched her retreating figure in a daze before finally driving off. “……Did the miss always act like this?” A lady who bows to commoners and speaks to them with respect. Truly, Lady Lindsey was extraordinary, he thought. * * * So this is fantasy. That was my first impression of the party. From the moment I saw the dazzling lights that turned on without any wires, I realized that this world was not real. The party hosted by the Duke of Langerster was as splendid and extravagant as a royal banquet. The attire of the people matched the grandeur, adorned with so many jewels that the reflected light was blinding. “Summer!” At someone’s call, Summer turned her body. “The heroine has a halo by default.” Summer’s lips murmured in admiration. Her half-up, sky-blue hair reminded one of a lake fairy, and her sparkling pink eyes were more intense than red jewels. The cliché of falling in love at first sight suddenly made sense. It would be hard to be more beautiful than this. Summer suddenly raised her hand to touch her cheek. Her blue eyes looked somewhat gloomy, and her pale complexion was only complemented by her flowing golden hair, which looked like it was woven with gold threads. “Summer. I missed you.” “I missed you too. Julian, you look beautiful today.” “I’m glad to receive a compliment from you, Summer. It feels rewarding to have dressed up today.” Julian burst into a playful laugh. Summer looked at Julian’s face and then around at the sparkling surroundings. Is it beautiful? I don’t know. When something is too beautiful, it feels more frightening than beautiful. That must be why. Tears were about to well up. “Summer?” “Oh. I was just lost in thought for a moment. Let’s go inside.” Summer and Julian entered the banquet hall, closely together. Among the crowd, Ian Langerster caught her eye. Honestly, he had a face that was impossible to overlook. “……?” Summer frowned. In response, Ian Langerster let out a hollow laugh, looking bewildered. Summer felt just as bewildered. Ian, who was worn out among the people, was clearly making eye contact with Summer. Eventually, Summer turned her head sharply to the other side. She thought he would have forgotten her. After all, Summer Lindsey was not an important character in the story, so it was natural for him to forget. “Summer. Do you like tarts?” “I like all the food here.” Cakes, tarts, salads, soups—everything was food that Summer loved. Summer began to fill her plate with food as if she had come to the party to eat. Julian watched her with a proud expression, holding his own plate and piling on food. “I really like Summer.” “I like you too, Julian.” The response flowed out effortlessly. In truth, Summer liked Julian very much. It must be incredibly difficult to go against the tide of the masses, but Julian was the one who achieved that in the story. Before returning to Korea, Summer wanted to help Julian, even if just a little. “To be honest, I thought I was the only one who wanted to eat this at the banquet. I didn’t understand why you just waved a fan in front of delicious food.” “If you tighten your waist too much, you can’t eat. But if you don’t tighten it, you’ll look like someone who doesn’t follow the trends.” “So we’re the non-mainstream then.” “We’re happy non-mainstreamers.” Summer smiled brightly and downed the half-filled wine glass. It tasted good. Buried in studies, she hadn’t been able to touch such expensive and delicious food. For years, she had only thought of her parents, who suffered because of her, and dessert was out of the question. In the end, it was a cycle of cup rice and coffee. “So that’s why I was possessed.” Even if it was just in a dream, she wanted to try expensive desserts and wine.