With this in mind, I pondered upon who might have sent him here, but there were too many people to choose from. After all, I was the villainess of this novel.

'Why did you behave like that, past me?' I was berating myself when I realized something. In novels, there was an unspoken rule that made it impossible for the protagonists, supporting characters, and villains to die at the beginning of the story. In other words, my life as the main villainess wasn't in danger until the princess's coming-of-age ceremony.

'There are many chapters in the novel where I appear… Maybe this is something that's supposed to happen to me. I shouldn't be scared.' I calmed my anxious thoughts and stared at the suspicious shadow looming over me.

'I feel like I've seen him somewhere. Who is he?' Since he broke in and entered my house at night, he was probably an assassin or a thief. Although I was still uncertain by this, I knew for sure that he wasn't sane. If he were a normal person, he wouldn't have aimed for the mansion of Duke Floyen, the best swordsman in the empire.

"I don't know who you are, but I think you've come to the wrong house. This is Duke Floyen's house."

"I've come to the right place," the man replied. He must be insane or really bold.

"Really? How about changing your mind now? I think you will regret coming to this house." I tried to persuade him out of pity, but the man stayed silent.

"I still have a year left before I die," I mumbled to myself. Of course, I had no intention of dying that soon because I still had the time to improve my reputation.

'I won't miss a single opportunity to do so.'

I decided to light the candle on my bedside table to inform the knights standing guard at my door that someone had broken into my room. I kept my eye on the man while picking up a match and wondered what he was thinking. When the candle caught on fire, my surroundings became bright. Only then could I see the man's black hair, pale skin, and overly elegant appearance. It was impossible to forget a face like his.

"Oh, you are my father's disciple." I realized that he had come to the right place, after all.

'Thank God.' I felt relieved that the intruder was neither a thief nor an assassin. Although I tried to convince myself that I wasn't going to die at this point in the novel, I had actually been very scared. Additionally, I had learned a very important lesson. 'I have to make sure to lock the windows and doors from now on.'

I sat down on my bed as the adrenaline left my system and made my legs go weak. My father's disciple, who had been staring at me blankly for a while, suddenly looked at the candle fiercely.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

'I'm the daughter of Duke Floyen. How dare he treat me like this?' If I were any other noble, he would probably be sentenced to death. Although I was letting him treat me this way, I thought it would be better to teach him a lesson for his future.

"Excuse me," I said. "Why are you talking to me like that?"

"Because it makes sense to." He looked at me coldly. In addition to being extremely arrogant, his manner of speech resembled my father.

'But Father doesn't even go that far. It's been said that "the pupil surpasses the master," but he doesn't have to surpass him in speaking like that.'

Out of relief and fatigue, I found myself unable to stop smiling. "So, what's your name again?" I asked.

Instead of answering my question, the man glared at me. I became somewhat embarrassed and tried to explain why I was asking for his name. "Oh, it's not that I forgot your name on purpose…"

At that moment, I heard a knock on the door.

"Is something the matter, Lady Floyen?" Although I was reassured by the knight speaking outside the door, the tip of a sword suddenly pressed against my neck.

I stared at the culprit, my father's disciple. 'Is he frightened… No, he looks too merciless for that.' There was no sign of surprise in his red eyes, only fierceness. I stared at him and tried to understand why he was threatening me.

'He wants me to act.' I was already living my second life as a villainess, so this was a rather simple request.

"Oh, I had a nightmare, so I decided to light the candle for a little bit." It was a good enough excuse, but Geraldine, the leader of the knights and my cousin, asked again with a sincere voice.

"Really? Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I couldn't go back to sleep, so I'm reading a book." I felt as though I was going to pass out again, but I was afraid that my father's disciple was going to act rashly if I told the truth.

"Sleeping late is bad for your health. Go back to bed as soon as you can," Geraldine said.

It was fitting that he gave me such advice at a time like this. "Yes, thank you for the advice."

I couldn't hear anything by the door after that. It seemed like the knights had gone back to their posts. 'Did they really leave?' Although I wasn't sure, the more pressing problem was my father's disciple, who was still staring at me with his sword pressed against my neck.

"I did what you wanted, so can you move your sword now?" I asked quietly.

His expression twisted when I finished speaking.