Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 2

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 2

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Belinda is the kingdom’s greatest scoundrel and a celebrity who leads the trends in the social circle.

Such famous figures always make good prey for the media.

Thanks to this, even flipping through third-rate gossip magazines, one could learn in detail what she did on which day of which month.

Her hobby was living luxuriously, and her specialty was attending all sorts of parties to drink heavily and cause a ruckus.

A born aristocrat who didn’t even treat commoners as human beings, with a thoroughly ruined personality.

The reason she could strut around so confidently was all thanks to the marquis’s favor, who doted on her.

His affection was so great that the marquis cherished his niece Belinda more than his own son.

That’s right, niece.

As it turned out, the marquis was Belinda’s uncle, who had adopted Belinda after she lost her parents in a carriage accident as a child and raised her like his own daughter.

‘So Belinda also lost her family at a young age like me.’

It was the only common point between Belinda and me, who seemed to have nothing in common like two sides of a coin.

Unlike her, I didn’t get along very well with my aunt’s family who took me in.

I was imagining how I should treat my uncle as Belinda, and what kind of person he might be.

“It’s finished.”

The three maids who had been attending to me politely stepped back and bowed.

My gaze immediately went to the mirror across from me.

‘Wow, I’m going to live with this face from today on.’

In the mirror was reflected a truly stunning beauty that would make even a blind person’s eyes snap open.

When I first saw it, I thought it was a brilliant appearance like a diamond in itself, but now properly dressed up, it shone dazzlingly as if sunlight had been sprinkled on a jewel, creating an enchanting light reflection.

I was momentarily amazed at my appearance, elegantly pulling off even the simple and somber all-black dress, forgetting the seriousness of the situation.

Though my expression was venomous, giving exactly the feeling of a villain, if I’m going to possess someone anyway, a beauty is better, right?

‘But still, this won’t do.’

Already looking fierce enough to intimidate others, wearing a black dress made me exude the aura of a leopard about to hunt.

The situation was a dinner with Belinda’s family ahead.

I wanted to leave the best possible impression on them.

“Bring me a different dress. In the brightest color possible.”

But the young maids, who had been moving quickly at my every word, hesitated and glanced at each other.

Why are they acting like that?

‘Don’t tell me Belinda’s taste is for these gloomy dresses.’

When I stared anxiously, the maids, startled by my gaze, hurriedly moved.

“W-we’ll prepare it right away.”

Despite their unsettling reaction, the new red velvet dress I changed into suited me very well.

Though my uncle cherishes Belinda, I still don’t know what Belinda’s position in this house is like.

That’s why this dinner was important.

I need to observe the family atmosphere and learn about Belinda’s family relationships.

“Family.”

I rolled that awkwardly feeling word around in my mouth before standing up.

Though hellish curses spill out whenever I open my mouth, I have years of experience in social life.

There are plenty of ways to win someone’s favor without even speaking.

I left the room armed with a bright smile that actively utilized Belinda’s beauty.

* * *

Walking through the quiet corridor, what I felt was a very familiar sense of déjà vu.

‘The atmosphere is exactly the same as when I was at my aunt’s house.’

The servants in the corridor shut their mouths tight and bowed their heads as soon as they spotted me.

At first I thought it was because they were afraid of me, but I soon realized this was very blatant disregard.

Soon I entered the dining hall following a servant’s guidance.

There was a huge chandelier and long dinner table that I’d only seen in medieval movies, and a man with a gentle impression.

A man with darker red hair compared to Belinda’s, who looked very kind.

I instinctively realized he was Schubel Blanche, the uncle’s legitimate son and Belinda’s older brother.

I sat in the chair the servant pulled out for me, hiding my trembling heart.

The sister who brings shame to the family name. The uncle openly favors me and doesn’t even impose sanctions.

‘His feelings toward me probably aren’t entirely positive.’

I swallowed nervously from the tension.

Finally, Schubel’s jet-black eyes turned toward me.

“Your outfit…”

Outfit? Is he going to pick on my clothes?

Because the color doesn’t suit me? Or is it too extravagant?

“It suits you very well, Bel.”

I widened my eyes at the unexpected nickname.

‘Did he just call me Bel?’

Both calling me by a nickname and complimenting my outfit.

Maybe our relationship isn’t as bad as I thought?

No matter how terrible Belinda’s personality is, she probably wouldn’t be hostile even to her seemingly close brother.

I smiled with relief and opened my mouth.

“You vermin. When did I give you permission to call my name so carelessly?”

‘…?’

What, what’s this? Is this how Belinda says thank you?

But I seemed to be the only one flustered by this contextless outburst.

Both Schubel, who had suddenly been cursed at by me, and the expressions of the servants lined up against one wall were very calm.

Similar situations continued afterward.

Schubel didn’t give up and kept trying to talk to me, and I held onto a glimmer of hope that the translator had just malfunctioned temporarily, racking my brain to carefully consider my responses.

But no matter what I said, my words filtered through the Belinda translator were excessively simple and clear.

“Shut up, Schubel.”

Later, even sighing came out as “shut up,” so I just silently stuffed food in my mouth.

Belinda seemed to hate this gentle but somewhat clueless man quite thoroughly.

‘Oh, Lord Marquis. Please come quickly and do something about this atmosphere.’

I looked longingly at the empty seat at the head of the table while diligently blocking my mouth with steak.

Just then, a topic I couldn’t ignore came up from Schubel’s mouth.

“Come to think of it, I heard you made your personal maid bloody this morning.”

“Cough.”

I barely managed to swallow the piece of meat that almost got stuck in my throat along with water.

Making a maid bloody – what a frightening thing to say.

Schubel continued with a stern expression, as if scolding.

“I know you have bad habits with your hands, but grabbing a maid’s hair and slamming her to the floor. That’s going too far.”

…What? Who did what now?

“Because of that incident, your personal maid quit, and we haven’t found a suitable replacement yet. There happens to be an orphan we brought in for poverty relief purposes, so for now, temporarily, that child…”

“Who said I cracked the maid’s forehead?”

There was a huge difference between the maid voluntarily hitting her forehead because she misunderstood my words and me beating the maid and cracking her skull.

I hurriedly opened my mouth.

“That’s not it, the maid misunderstood my words…”

Screech.

My excuse was drowned out by the sound of Schubel pushing his chair back.

“Bel, my sister. What has you so upset again?”

Step by step, he walked toward me in his jet-black suit, and strangely, all the hair on my body stood on end and I got goosebumps.

‘What?’

It felt more like Belinda’s emotions rather than my own.

It was when I unconsciously tightened my grip on the knife due to this strange sense of unease.

“I even graciously overlooked your attitude of not even wearing proper mourning attire today.”

Schubel approached closer, leaned against the table, and firmly grabbed my wrist that was holding the knife on the table.

“Bell, it’s only been a day since we held Father’s funeral. What more do I need to do for you?”

Just now… whose funeral did he say?

Schubel leaned his upper body toward me as I stiffened from the shocking news.

Since he had his back to the servants, I was the only one who could see his face.

Schubel, wearing a vile smile, whispered affectionately. In a voice so small that only I could hear.

“Getting so self-destructive just because Father died is too boring, Belinda. You need to struggle more.”

Chills.

Instantly, disgust and fear arose as if bugs were crawling on my skin.

I roughly shook off Schubel’s hand and stood up from my seat.

Clatter. Crash!

My forceful rise caused the chair to fall backward, the wine glass to spill over, and the knife I was holding to roll across the floor.

“Kyaah!”

“Y-Young Master!”

“Quickly, quickly stop the bleeding!”

The servants who had been watching the situation from behind screamed.

To their eyes, it must have looked like I had swung the knife to attack Schubel.

I was about to explain that it was a misunderstanding when suddenly Schubel grabbed his left wrist and let out a groan. As if he had actually been cut by the knife I swung.

His acting was so masterful that even I was momentarily bewildered, wondering if what stained his shirt sleeve was blood rather than wine.

“Young Master, please show us the wound. We need to stop the bleeding…”

“I’m fine. The wound isn’t deep, and it was just an accident. More importantly, Bell hasn’t finished her meal yet, so everyone please maintain your positions. And… I want to be alone for a while, so don’t let anyone into the study for the time being.”

“Young Master…”

Schubel, who pretended to worry about me until the end while comforting the servants, smiled bitterly as he left the dining hall.

“She’s completely insane. Swinging a knife at the Young Master.”

“The Marquis cherished the young lady so much, yet look at that bright dress instead of mourning clothes.”

“No wonder we haven’t seen the new maid who became the young lady’s personal attendant, if such a thing happened… It’s rather pitiful.”

I looked at the maids whispering among themselves on one side.

They were startled and shut their mouths tight like clams before hurrying out of the dining hall.

A belated excuse flowed out helplessly in the hall where I was left alone.

“No… I didn’t know the Marquis had passed away.”

My head was ringing from the unexpected blow.

So the reason the maids had dressed me in a black dress was because we were in mourning.

And it was the funeral of the Marquis, my only backing.

Moreover, the family register mate I thought I got along with fairly well turns out to be a psychopath who enjoys tormenting me?

To make matters worse, my mouth has a hellish restriction placed on it.

To summarize this situation in one phrase…

“I thought it was a golden spoon, but it was just gold-plated.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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