The Tragic Male Lead Chose the Wrong Partner

“The part where the male lead regrets everything after the female lead dies and ends up offing himself? Dopamine and tears hit all at once. Incredible.”
In her previous life, Cynthia had an older sister with trash-can taste.

Because of the war, air raids happened practically every day, and being holed up at home reading novels or webtoons was the only joy they had.
“A mass-death ending? Are you a pervert? Why would you like something like that?”
“I’m telling you, this stuff is the real gourmet flavor. Just take one bite—you’ll see heaven.”

“Oh, you really are a garbage bin that picks up every nasty thing on Earth. Life is already horrible enough—why would I want to read that?”
“The male lead and female lead are enemies, right? But the part where the FL dies, and the ML reads her final letter and realizes his feelings? It hits so hard!”
“Yeah, well I can’t handle stuff that spicy.”

If she had enjoyed that kind of thing too, she would’ve ended up rolling around in some miserable dog-blood angst novel world.
In the end, I won. I reincarnated into a rom-com, healing, salvation-type novel!
Still completely unaware that this place was less of a healing story and more of a toxic hazard, Cynthia strolled down the corridor with a bright smile.

“I wonder if my sister is living a new life too by now?”
“Hey! If I survive by some miracle this time, I swear on the River Styx I’ll read that one! You know I even read that one you recommended! I’m seriously hurt!”
Even at the very end, her sister had been trying to get her to read it.

And yet, she didn’t even tell her the actual title.
She hoped her sister was playing the role of a fairy in the universe.
And their older brother, who was a soldier… surely he ended up in the world of that manga he loved, One P**e*.

“Ah.”
Cynthia, lost in memories of her past life, suddenly stopped in place with a serious look on her face.
A moment later, she turned and retraced her steps—back to Masera.

“But I don’t know where my room is. Are we [N O V E L I G H T] sharing a room, by any chance?”
Masera tilted his head, staring at her with a blank expression.
“Are we that close?”
“We’re supposed to be. We didn’t hold the ceremony yet, but we did register our marriage. You sure are shy.”

No matter what she said, he didn’t seem fazed in the slightest. That couldn’t be normal.
She held out her hand.
“But we’re close enough that you can walk me to my room, right?”

“Too much trouble.”
He cut her off with a smiling face, and Cynthia narrowed her eyes, lips tightly pressed like an angry little critter.
“Petty… I guess I’ll have to find a map or something…”

Muttering complaints, she turned away.
Her natural cluelessness was more than enough to provoke Masera’s stubbornness and competitive streak. His lips curled into a crooked smile.
“Let’s see how long you can stay so cheerful.”

He was already thinking about the worst possible choice she’d make after the wedding.
He was looking forward to the sight of her collapsing into despair.
* * *

A maid with the stiff manner of a soldier showed Cynthia to her room.
She emphasized that they would be using separate rooms until the wedding.
“If you require assistance, please ring.”

“I do need help unpacking—”
But before Cynthia could finish her sentence, the maid who had carried her luggage was already gone.
Can’t blame her. I’d want to clock out fast too.

Cynthia looked around her room with a wide smile.
“This is amazing.”
She was flooded with joy at finally having a room of her own. In her past life, she had always shared with her sister.

None of the servants from the Queensguard house who had come with her showed up to help her unpack or wait on her. Probably because they were all there just to monitor her.
“But there’s no separate cold storage, huh.”
The room was nice, but too cold. She pulled the cord to call a maid.

“I think there’s not enough firewood. Since it’s north-facing, the room’s super chilly.”
At her request, the maid shook her head expressionlessly.
“The current amount is sufficient.”

Cynthia looked at the three logs in the fireplace, then looked back at the maid.
This… was this one of those “bully the heroine” clichés?
“It’s very insufficient.”

“There is a regulation on the daily firewood allowance.”
A regulation? This isn’t some poorhouse. This is a luxurious mansion, and yet they’re limiting firewood like it’s some military boot camp?
Was this Scrooge’s mansion, or a survival training camp?

“So you’ve been enduring this freezing weather with just that little firewood?”
Seeing Cynthia’s pitying expression, the maid’s face wavered slightly in confusion.
“If you’re afraid of being punished, I’ll go get it myself.”

She stepped out determinedly, and the maid hurried after her with a flustered voice.
“My lady, you can’t— Do you even know where it’s kept?”
“I do. South-facing shed in the garden, right?”

Firewood needs to be thoroughly sun-dried.
With ten-plus years of experience as a servant, Cynthia’s collection of random trivia was proving useful.
“What brings you here?”

In front of the south-facing shed, a woman who seemed to be a senior maid asked.
Cynthia beamed as she answered.
“I’m short on firewood, so I came to get some!”

Struggling to lift a bundle of firewood, she looked back at the woman.
“What century is this, making people endure freezing nights with just this? What a terrible master this house must have. There’s even a child living here. The labor union and child welfare board wouldn’t let this go…”
The senior maid interlaced her fingers politely and replied.

“The General would never do that. In fact, I believe more firewood was allocated to your room, my lady.”
She must’ve thought Cynthia was just being greedy.
“There were only three logs. You can come check with me if you want.”

The senior maid’s face stiffened. She finally seemed to understand what had happened.
“…My apologies. It was my failure for not properly training the subordinate. Most of the residence staff hold resentment toward the royal family. Please forgive them.”
Her tone implied, “Because you’re the evil royal, right?”

“That’s fair. Not everyone in the world can like me.”
Kicking up a fuss here would only make me look petty.
“I get it. My appearance tends to attract more of that kind of gaze too.”

With my sorrowful eyes, I could see the senior maid’s pupils shaking as she stared at my silver-white hair and red eyes.
“I— I’m not prejudiced. When I first saw you, I only thought you looked beautiful.”
A true expert wins people over with a smile, making them feel guilty and sorry instead.

In my experience, it’s better to avoid conflict whenever possible.
If I pick a fight, I’ll probably lose—so better to befriend them. I glanced at her strong arms and said,
“Thanks, Dalia. Your amber eyes are really pretty too.”

“You know my name, my lady?”
“You all introduced yourselves when I first arrived.”
“You… remembered all those names at once?”

Surprise tinged Dalia’s voice as she asked.
I just smiled silently at her.
It just so happened I remembered. In my past life, my brother had a dog named Kim Dalia.

“Dalia, would you like to be my personal maid?”
“If that is your order, I have no choice but to obey…”
She spoke like someone forced to comply with an unreasonable superior.

Hmm. I thought she was already halfway swayed, but she’s still putting up resistance.
On the way back with the firewood and Dalia, I ran into that sharp-tongued black-haired boy again.
“Hi there!”

I greeted brightly, but the kid hissed at me like a feral cat.
“Why are you still here? Go back to your house!”
“Why?”

“Because this is our house!”
“Legally, it’s my house too. I’m family.”
“I was family before you came!”

After a fierce verbal duel, I made a proposal.
“Want to settle it with a coin toss? If it lands tails, I’ll leave.”
“Fine.”

I took out a coin and tossed it high, catching it with a slap of my hand.
“Time for the big reveal!”
The kid puffed up his cheeks when he saw it landed heads, then held up three fingers.

“We have to do best of three, like a real match.”
I agreed and flipped two more times—both came up heads again.
When he saw that even his own toss landed heads, he started tearing up, his face scrunched in frustration.

Dalia was looking at me like I was some childish adult.
“It’s not a scam. I’m just lucky with this kind of stuff.”
If I’d been able to use that luck to win big at gambling and live comfortably, that’d be great—but luck like this always comes with a price.

I smiled kindly at the child.
“Don’t chase me away, okay? I’m all alone.”
At my words, the boy’s peridot-colored eyes shimmered.

“You don’t have family either?”
“Not really. What’s your name?”
With a look of kinship in his eyes, he opened his mouth.

“Eugene.”
“A noble name. Whoever named you must’ve loved you a lot.”
Hearing that, Eugene suddenly pouted and stomped his foot.

“Still don’t like you!”
And he ran away at top speed.
That prickly little kitten is going on my list of targets. I’ll have to capture him in my sack, too.

I imagined a future where the truth was revealed, and Eugene clung to Masera’s coat hem, crying his eyes out and begging him not to kill me.
Then surely… he wouldn’t be able to go through with it.