I Became the Secret Mastermind in a Romance Fantasy Novel

There are times when your eyes snap open even without an alarm.

That odd but unmistakable feeling of freshness, like you’ve actually had a good night’s sleep for once.

And then the inevitable realization kicks in:

“Ah. I’m screwed.”

I hastily threw the blanket aside and sat up. A glance outside the window showed the sun already high in the sky.

The sunlight hanging arrogantly at its zenith felt almost mocking.

My eyes caught the oddly vintage curtains, but that was a problem for later. First—what time was it?

I turned my head quickly to check the clock on the nightstand.

But all I saw was the wooden bed frame… and a diffuser sitting neatly atop it.

No clock anywhere. Panicked, I reached out blindly—only then realizing this wasn’t my room.

And of course, this wasn’t my world either.

“Haa...”

Way to start the day. Or, well, midday, technically.

I let out a long sigh and checked my clothes.

Maybe it was out of habit—I always unbutton my pajamas before sleeping because I find them too constricting.

Now, they were wide open, leaving my underwear embarrassingly exposed.

As I hurried to button them back up, a knock came from the door.

I tried to call out to say I was awake, but my voice wouldn’t come out—my throat was still hoarse.

Clears throat. Before I could speak again, the door creaked open.

With a faint squeal, Abel stepped into the room.

“…Oh.”

“…Ah.”

Our voices overlapped.

For once, Abel’s usually impassive face was visibly flustered.

The transformation in his expression was so dramatic, I couldn’t help but think—Wow, even he gets caught off guard.

Just as an awkward silence threatened to settle between us, his eyes darted away, and he quickly shut the door again.

Too stunned to think straight, I just stared at the closed door in a daze.

Moments later, Abel’s voice came from the other side.

“Apologies. I knocked, but there was no answer. I assumed you were still asleep.”

It wasn’t obvious, but there was a slight tremble in his voice.

Clears throat. I finally found my voice and responded.

“I just woke up. My throat’s dry—I couldn’t answer.”

I wasn’t sure how long I had been asleep, but from the sound of my voice, it must’ve been a while.

I had pushed myself hard, fighting Katra and saving Yuruf in the belly of the Whale of Oblivion.

Considering even the muscle aches were gone now, maybe I really had been sleeping like the dead for a few days.

I did go overboard during the subjugation too, especially for my stamina level.

In retrospect… something like this had happened before, hadn’t it?

Not long after our contract marriage began, Abel had accidentally seen me in a negligée.

Back then, he hadn’t reacted like this.

He just scolded me for not buttoning up properly.

So what changed since then?

My body hadn’t changed much since that time.

Sure, I had gained a bit of muscle from training, but it was barely noticeable.

No matter how hard I worked, I’d only been training for a month—no way I looked dramatically different.

“Are you ready?”

Abel’s voice came again from beyond the door, hurrying me along.

Startled, I quickly finished fastening the rest of the buttons.

Right—I didn’t have time to get distracted like this.

After checking that even the bottom button was secure, I replied,

“All done.”

Creaaak.

Abel cautiously opened the door and entered.

That embarrassed look from before was completely gone. He was back to his usual indifferent expression.

Oddly enough, I felt a little disappointed.

If I had a camera, I would’ve taken a picture of that rare flustered face and treasured it forever.

That’s how rare that expression was.

“Ha… Adele, you’re as hopeless as ever.”

He sighed and pointed at my pajamas.

Only then did I realize something was off.

The buttons were mismatched—off by one hole, so one extra was sticking out at the top.

I had made sure the bottom was fastened properly, but I hadn’t noticed the top was uneven.

“...Ah.”

Too late to undo and redo them now.

“Well, you just woke up. Understandable.”

“Haha… yeah, I’m still a bit out of it…”

After everything that happened during the subjugation, it was no wonder my head was still cloudy.

Just moments ago, I had even mistaken this place for my original world.

Though… including the time I spent after the regression, I’ve lived in this world for over a year now.

It’s kind of odd that I’d still make that mistake.

“Is your body okay?” Abel asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

This time, it wasn’t a lie like before—I genuinely felt fine.

Right after saving Yuruf, I had collapsed like a sick chicken. But now, my body felt light, refreshed.

Of course, the downside was reliving the trauma of oversleeping… like that time I missed the one promising job interview in my past life.

Ugh. Just thinking about it gives me chills.

“So it’s true this time,” Abel said.

“How do you know if it’s true or not?” I asked, curious.

He paused before answering.

“We’ve lived together for quite a while now. If I couldn’t even tell that much, what kind of fiancé would I be?”

He said it with a slightly smug expression.

“Ugh…”

For some reason, his words made my heart ache like someone was poking it with a fork.

Even after all this time together, I still couldn’t read Abel’s expressions.

Granted, his face is always a poker face.

Maybe it’s the weight of his position as a duke that shaped him like this.

Either way, I wasn’t anywhere near good enough to read him yet.

“Well, I still can’t tell what you’re thinking, Abel.”

“It’s only natural. It took years of rigorous training.”

“Training?” I repeated, puzzled.

Abel opened his mouth like he was going to explain, then sighed instead.

Whatever it was, he didn’t seem too eager to tell me.

“Um, if it’s uncomfortable to talk about, you don’t have to…”

“Ask Lora or Allen later. It’d be ridiculous for me to say it myself.”

He replied with a bitter smirk.

I didn’t push further.

If I dig too much, he might get annoyed—and I’ve done that to people in the past.

I was no different now.

“Well, I’m glad you’re okay. I was worried. Everyone was.”

“Huh? But…”

“You didn’t know? You were asleep for four days.”

“What?!”

Okay… yeah, I did feel weirdly refreshed, but I didn’t think I’d been out for four whole days.

Even though it was Abel saying it, it still sounded hard to believe.

But he had no reason to lie, so it must be true.

“Wait… so Abel, you were worried about me too?”

I gave a playful smile and asked teasingly.

He gave me a side-eye, like I had just said something ridiculous.

“What do you think I am, a heartless machine?”

“Haha…”

I couldn’t exactly say no.

He seemed to catch my expression and sighed, crossing his arms.

“I’m not someone who treats my people coldly.”

“Oho. So I’m your person now?”

“Yes. Even if it’s not just because of our contract.”

At his words, I flinched for a moment.

To say I was his person—even outside of our contract… It made my heart pound a little too fast, and suddenly the air between us felt awkward.

How could he say something so embarrassingly sweet with that expressionless face of his?

Of course, I was also incredibly happy to hear it.

“Ehehe…”

A foolish little laugh slipped out of me.

Abel glanced at me, then gave a faint chuckle.

Like he had said everything he meant to, he rose from his seat.

“Well, rest a little more and come to my office afterward. There’s something we need to discuss.”

With that, Abel left the room, gently closing the door behind him.

I kept staring at the door, even after his figure had disappeared from view.

What should I call this feeling?

He’s definitely changed from when we first met

.

Back then, he would just deliver his message and leave immediately.

I guess I wasn’t the only one who changed during our contract marriage.

Over these past few months, it seems like Abel has grown more attached to me too.

Just as I was lost in thought, another knock sounded on the door.

“Adele-nim?”

“Ah, Lily. You can come in.”

With my response, the door creaked open.

Lily peeked in hesitantly, standing just inside the doorway and looking at me with a slightly nervous expression.

It was unlike her, but I didn’t push her.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Of course. It’s been a long time since I felt this refreshed.”

Stretching my arms overhead as I answered, Lily paused for a moment before cautiously approaching me.

Her demeanor was oddly careful. Something must have happened.

Even once she reached my side, she fidgeted anxiously. I couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

Before she could react, I reached out and pulled her into a tight hug.

“Eek?!”

“What are you standing there for?”

I sat the petite Lily right on my lap.

She flailed briefly at the sudden movement, then eventually settled down without protest.

“Did something happen? Are you troubled about something?”

“A worry… yes.”

“Is it something you can’t even tell me?”

“...I’m sorry.”

The sudden apology caught me off guard, though I didn’t let it show.

I knew Lily—while she could be energetic, she also had a delicate, reserved side.

“It’s okay. Even if I can’t solve your problem, I can still stay by your side.”

“Adele-nim…”

Her voice trembled slightly, like she was on the verge of tears.

Something definitely happened while I was asleep.

I’ll have to ask Lora later if there’s been any issue with Lily recently.

But for now, I needed to calm her down.

“I… I was just worried about you, Adele-nim…”

“Aha, so that’s what it was?”

I gently stroked her hair and continued in a soft voice, soothing her.

“Look at me—I’m full of energy. You really don’t have to worry so much.”

“I’m sorry…”

She kept apologizing.

I wasn’t entirely sure why Lily was so full of guilt, but in this moment, what she needed wasn’t questions—it was comfort.

Even if she usually acted sharp and dependable, at heart, she was still a fragile girl.

---The End Of The Chapter---

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