How to Live as the Terminally Ill Younger Sister of the Villain - Chapter 1
Angelina Flaubert had come of age. This fact was currently the greatest topic of interest in the social circles of the Grandonia Empire.
It was only natural. In the Empire, a noble coming of age meant they were eligible for marriage and had the opportunity to enter politics.
But the reason she received particularly great attention wasn’t just because of that.
Just as her brother, Ante Flaubert, was rumored to be so handsome that he could enchant anyone regardless of age or gender, she too was said to be an incredibly beautiful woman.
Moreover, because of Marquis Ante Flaubert, who was always hovering around his sister, few had actually met her properly, which only increased the curiosity.
As the Marquis’s family was holding a grand birthday party, everyone looked forward to meeting her at that party.
But unfortunately, the party was canceled.
It was because Angelina Flaubert was suffering from a high fever.
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“My lady, how are you feeling?”
“Much better. You don’t need to worry.”
Angelina lightly replied to her maid’s concerned question. Her plump cherry-colored lips drew a pretty arc.
However, her voice was so hoarse that it wasn’t very convincing.
“The tea seems to have cooled, shall I brew a fresh pot?”
“It’s fine.”
Although Laura, her personal maid, continued to express concern, Angelina shook her head. Her beautiful silver hair swayed with her movement.
Each strand of hair sparkled beautifully in the sunlight as if it were made of diamonds.
“If you need anything, please let me know right away.”
“I will. Thank you, Laura.”
After meticulously checking a few more things like the blanket and room temperature, Laura withdrew.
Left alone, Angelina let out a long sigh.
“……I guess it shows.”
No matter how much she tried to act as if nothing was wrong, it seemed that Laura, who had served her for a long time, could see that she wasn’t alright.
It wasn’t that her body was unwell. She had long since recovered from her illness.
It was just that her mind was troubled by the memories that had surfaced while she was suffering from a high fever.
‘A past life…… I suppose?’
Memories of living in a different world with a different body.
In fact, it wasn’t that significant since she didn’t recall her family’s faces or remember her name, even if she grandly called it a past life.
It only provided a small sense of wonder that ‘So the afterlife really does exist’.
But the problem was something else that came up along with those memories.
‘Is this really inside a novel?’
That is, a novel she was reading before she died.
Angelina could recall that novel particularly well. Because that novel was precisely this world she was living in.
At first, she couldn’t believe it.
Even for Angelina, who was quick to come to terms with the world, it was difficult to immediately accept when told ‘The world you live in is inside a novel’.
She thought she was having delusions because she was too sick.
But when the characters, geography, and even the country’s history and politics matched perfectly, she had no choice but to believe.
‘Okay, let’s say it’s a novel.’
Even so, as time passed, she could accept up to that point. Let’s say it was reincarnation, possession, or whatever.
‘But to say that my brother is the final villain?’
However, there was content she absolutely couldn’t agree with.
He’s a brother kinder than anyone. He’s so tender-hearted that he would fret and nearly cry even if Angelina just got a paper cut.
How could such a person possibly be a villain?
‘And they say I die as soon as I turn twenty…..’
A story she didn’t want to believe.
‘Making me realize I’m terminally ill on my birthday. What kind of twisted humor does God have?’
If this was God’s birthday gift, Angelina desperately wanted to return it.
“What a moldy cake this is.”
Angelina spat out the harshest curse she knew.
Cursing wouldn’t improve the situation, but she felt it might make her feel a bit better.
‘Besides, just saying I’ll die without properly explaining what disease it is, isn’t that too much?’
It was a truly inconsiderate novel when it came to explanations.
‘Well…… I suppose there’s no need to explain in detail what disease the villain’s younger sister died from.’
If there was any help, it was that they told her it was an incurable disease. Should she be grateful that they didn’t give her false hope?
Angelina let out a small sigh and organized her thoughts.
‘They said I died right after my twentieth birthday, so…..’
She had about 2 years left.
After pondering various thoughts for a moment, Angelina concluded.
‘This might be for the best.’
What disease could it be, could it be cured, there was nothing to be solved by agonizing over it, wrapped in fear.
Moreover, given the description in the novel that ‘it was truly a sudden death’, it meant it wasn’t a lingering illness.
In a way, there couldn’t be a cleaner and more straightforward terminal diagnosis than this.
So there was only one conclusion.
‘Let’s enjoy the rest of my life.’
It was unfair, certainly unfair.
But I’m not dead yet, right?
For the first time since suffering from a high fever, Angelina felt her head clear.
‘If there’s something I want to do before I die…..’
Angelina immediately thought of one thing.
Something she wanted to do in her past life but couldn’t because she lacked the ability.
Something she could do in this life but hadn’t dared to think of doing.
That is…..
‘Shall I start with some extravagant spending I’ve never done before?’
Her first bucket list item was to splurge money lavishly for once.
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The place Angelina headed to fulfill her first bucket list item was Ante’s office.
To splurge, she needed money, and to get money, one had to go to the source of money.
But in stark contrast to her bold steps, Angelina was stopped in front of the office.
“Oh, today was the meeting day.”
Of all the days, it happened to be the day when all the important personnel of the family were gathered for a general meeting.
‘Come to think of it, Laura did mention it this morning.’
She hadn’t paid attention because she was preoccupied with thoughts about the future.
Feeling awkward for having forgotten and come all the way here despite being told in advance, Angelina scratched her cheek sheepishly while staring at the firmly closed door.
‘I just need to get the money, so it would be over quickly. Should I just go in for a moment?’
She contemplated.
But she gave up. She was terminally ill, but it’s not like she was dying tomorrow.
She couldn’t interrupt the time when important people like the Knight Commander, Head Chef, Chief Secretary, Head Maid, and others were discussing matters for the Marquis’s family.
And all that just to ask for money.
“If you tell me your business, I’ll relay it to His Grace the Marquis.”
The knight who had been watching her hesitate spoke up.
“It’s not urgent, so it’s okay. I’ll come back later……”
Bam.
Just as she was about to say she’d come back later, the door suddenly flung open.
Angelina’s eyes widened in surprise, then she saw her brother standing there.
Upon meeting Angelina’s eyes, he smiled, gently creasing the corners of his eyes.
It was a bewitching eye-smile that seemed capable of seducing any species.
“Lina.”
Ante whispered her nickname affectionately as he reached out his hand. He placed the back of his hand on her forehead and asked.
“Has your fever completely gone down?”
“It went down two days ago.”
“How about your body? Does anything hurt?”
He carefully examined various parts of her face and gently massaged her shoulders and arms.
“Should I call the healer again?”
Angelina chuckled at his voice overflowing with concern.
“I’m perfectly fine now, brother.”
Knowing that her brother tended to react sensitively to anything related to her, Angelina changed the subject before he could start being overprotective again.
“But brother, weren’t you busy? I heard you were in a meeting.”
“It’s over.”
Ante opened the door wide, showing her the inside of the room.
People were still seated at the large table, and some looked a bit bewildered.
“What are you doing? Why isn’t everyone leaving.”
Ante spoke stiffly. It was a tone completely different from how he addressed Angelina.
Although it was a sudden dismissal, they gathered their things and stood up without a word.
Even those who didn’t understand the situation at first hurriedly moved, quick to read the atmosphere.
“Is it really over…?”
Seeing everyone now hastily packing up, Angelina asked.
“It just ended right now. Lina, you came at an impeccable timing.”
Angelina briefly worried if she had interrupted, but she quickly dismissed that thought.
It would be presumptuous to think such an important meeting would end early just because of her.
Only after the last person had left did Angelina step into the room.
“Even the auction house managers and guild administrators were here. Is there something big happening?”
Looking at the attendees, she could tell it was truly a large-scale meeting.”Just the quarterly integrated settlement.””Already?”Isn’t it too early for the quarter to end? Angelina had doubts, but Ante changed the subject as he took her hand and led her further into the room.”The big matter is right in front of me.”
