Manhwa/Chapter 1

## **Summary**

The disease named Callot takes the life of 'Karena Viphta', the only daughter of the prestigious Viphta duchy. Because of the stigma associated with Callot, the Duke and his family keep the death of 'Karena' a secret and start looking for a replacement secretly. Thus, Adele- a lowly street urchin in the slums, is found by Duke Viphta because of her resemblance to 'Karena'.

Adele's physical features look exactly like Karena despite being a lowly orphaned living in the slums. The Duke promises that if Adele takes and performs the role of his dead daughter well, she could have anything she desires. To a girl like her who had nothing, his words seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime offer, or so she thought. Adele had to endure the constant bullying of 'Karena's' siblings and the servants' disdain, but she placed her faith on that single hope and tried her best to play her 'role' well.

She was then engaged to Grand duke Hexion whom she has never met, and Duchess Viphta scorned her for getting such a 'befitting' match and ordered her not to take a single thing from the duchy when she leaves since a 'bastard' child has no claim to any of it. That's when Adele realized that she wasn't a random kid picked up from the slum, but was indeed the Duke's real daughter. She recalls all these past memories while on her way to marry Grand duke Hexion, and comments on the meager bridal party she has received despite being a Duke's daughter.

She feels that she has been sent away like an unwanted property immediately after the Duke's new daughter was born, and recalls the rumors about Grand duke Hexion who is said to have a hideous scar on his face and that he was probably cursed by a demon beast. But Adele comforts herself and tells herself to look on the bright side and that this marriage may be her only chance to live a life of her own. But suddenly the carriage crashes, and a knight pulls her out of the carriage by grabbing her hair.

She is horrified to see the corpses of the slain knights who were protecting her, and shouts to the knight pulling her hair to unhand her. The knight snickers saying she's quite chatty for being an 'imposter', and realization strikes Adele that these men aren't knights and trembles since they seem to know she is. She then asks them why they've disguised as House Viphta knights, and the knight says she doesn't have to know since she'll be dead soon.

Adele is confused since it's a political marriage needed to strengthen the alliance between the Viphta family and Imperial family, and that even though the Duke had a new daughter she was the one who could be useful for this. The knight then draws his sword and says the Duke's last words to her were "I appreciate your service", and before she could think why the Viphta family wanted her dead, the knight slays her. Thus, Adele dies, and while dying she asks herself if wanting to be loved by her father and doing her best to repay him was a mistake. She wishes to turn back time to take everything-all her emotions, affection, and sense of duty back, so that she can let them all sink into the abyss. She then hears a voice calling her name, and a bright flash of light appears and turns the time. Adele then wakes up and is shocked to find herself in a room, and panics as to where she is.

## **Characters in Order of Appearance**

* Adele
* Duke Viphta
* Quaren Viphta (cameo)
* Hexion Millatrio (mentioned)
* Duchess Viphta
* Assassins