# 2
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A luxurious carriage decorated with a blue rose and snake emblem was speeding through the streets.
“Mom, look! It's a magic tower carriage!”
“Oh my God, it looks like an important person is passing by.”
Not everyone could ride a chariot bearing the Magic Tower logo.
It was only used to transport distinguished guests receiving special treatment from the Magic Tower.
Of course, because of the pride of mages, even members of the imperial family rarely approached the Magic Tower Chariots.
But, surprisingly, a relatively ordinary woman, without much support, was now riding that bandwagon.
“Coming home after a long time makes me excited.”
Elinor turned her head, resting her chin on her hand as she looked out the window.
She was a beautiful woman, but she was dressed simply compared to her beauty.
She was wearing a dark blue dress devoid of lace or even simple patterns.
Her soft, light blonde hair was tied back in a single knot.
She was still wearing glasses because she had been reading a book until recently.
No matter how she looked, she didn't look dressed up.
But she emanated an elegance that could not be hidden.
“Yes, it has been seven years already.”
“Even during the holidays, you stayed at school to conduct research instead of returning to your hometown, right? As a result, many inventions and discoveries that benefited the world were made by your own hands, Lady Elinor.”
“You're giving too much praise.”
“Haha, an exaggeration? Not an exaggeration at all. Your parents will be very happy. Their daughter is the genius of the era and the treasure of the empire.”
Elinor passed over the man's praise with a smile.
Some time ago, hearing such compliments became so frequent that she developed a skill for dealing with them.
The carriage arrived at Winston's mansion.
Compared to the seven long years she had spent at the academy, Elinor's belongings were very few.
The Magic Tower official said, after ordering the servants to carry the luggage.
“If you need anything, use that scroll to contact us. We will provide you with any support you need.”
“Thank you for your interest.”
"No thanks are due. It's something we should take care of. Well, I look forward to meeting you again. Warm congratulations on your graduation, Miss Elinor."
After saluting politely, the Magic Tower official left in the carriage.
Elinor looked slowly around the palace.
“Hoo.”
She's back. To Winston Palace.
And to the place where the original story begins.
During her years at the academy, Elinor had a reputation as a genius, but her true identity was a person incarnated.
When she died of cancer and opened her eyes, she found herf embodied in a web novel she had read.
A romantic novel that revolves around the heroine saint and a number of men surrounding her.
In this novel, Elinor plays the role of the evil sister who harasses her heroic sister.
As the title suggests, Elinor has been driving her sister out of the palace through malicious machinations.
During the original story, she continues to harass Charlotte.
Of course, her fate was to be punished at the hands of the hero.
When Elinor realized she was being embodied in the novel, she decided to avoid her scripted role at all costs.
So, I left the palace.
Instead of expelling her heroic sister, she herf left for the academy under the pretext of joining it.
This was six years before the original story began.
Now, after seven years, she has graduated from the academy and returned to the palace.
'Since the starting point of the original story has passed, everything should be fine.'
Through her parents' letters, she heard that Charlotte, who had become an adult last year, was living well.
News even reached her that she danced with the Crown Prince at a dance party.
Unlike the original story, by leaving Charlotte's side first, Elinor successfully escapes the fate of the evil sister who harasses the heroine.
'I was hoping I wouldn't come back until I heard news of Charlotte's marriage...'
Elinor clicked her tongue regretfully.
'But I'm leaving again in a month. Let's consider this a final farewell visit.'
She decided not to return until Charlotte married the hero and the original story was completely over.
With this determination, Elinor stepped into the palace gate.
“Oh my god, miss?”
An old maid, who knew Elinor, ran to her with a shocked expression.
This maid was Elinor and Charlotte's governess.
“Are you really our miss?”
“It's been a long time, Nanny.”
Elinor smiled sweetly.
“How are you doing during this period?”
“Oh my God! She is truly our miss. Oh, when did you come back? You have become a complete lady now.”
“You seem to be getting younger, Nanny. Time only seems to be avoiding you.”
“Oh, miss.”
“Where are my father and mother?”
Elinor said as she looked inside the palace.
“Aren’t they inside?”
When she left the academy, she sent a letter in advance telling them that she would be arriving soon.
But the palace was empty. There were no signs of celebrating her return.
Even if it was a daughter who returned after seven years, weren't they supposed to welcome her?
It is true that she left the Count's family early to avoid the fate of the original story, but her relationship with her parents was not bad.
“Well, the thing is...”
The nanny stuttered in embarrassment.
She couldn't look Elinor in the eye.
Elinor was puzzled by her behavior, which seemed to be hiding something, so she asked her.
“Are they in the room?”
“The thing is, miss...”
“It's okay. I'll go myf and see.”
Elinor passed the nanny and headed inside.
The nanny couldn't stop her, and kept patting the ground in embarrassment.
'Strange.'
Why is the palace so quiet?
None of the many servants appeared.
It's like everyone took a vacation at the same time.
Elinor quickly arrived at the Count's parents' room.
“…We must find Charles quickly.”
Elinor was about to knock when she stopped.
She said she was looking for Charlotte?
So, Charlotte's not at the palace now?
I felt anxious about this sudden conversation.
Her gut was telling her not to interrupt the conversation behind the door just yet.
Instead of knocking, Elinor approached the door.
And I listened quietly to the conversation of the Count's parents.
“My poor baby. She is not well now.”
“Poor thing? What makes her poor?”
The Count's angry voice was heard.
"She was wandering outside, and then ran away with a man. I should not have agreed to her request to postpone her entry into the temple. I'm really so ashamed that I can't raise my head."
Elinor's eyes widened.
Her younger sister, the heroine of the story, Charlotte, ran away with a man.
'This is a twist that wasn't present in the original story.'
But the shocking news did not end there.
"Who is that man anyway? Open? A low-ranking noble who can't even have his name listed in the peerage register…"
“They say he's the second son of Baron Aubyn's family. He's an excellent noble, isn't he? Moreover, he's a holy knight who works at the temple...”
“Holy Knight? Did she fall in love with a man like that, embarrass her parents, and run away into the night?!”
Charlotte ran away with Alexis Open, who is not the hero of the story but just a secondary character!
In the original story, Alexis didn't get much attention.
He was a Holy Knight, but compared to the Crown Prince and the Duke, his specifications were lower.
It is true that he was loyal to Charlotte, and that is something to his credit.
“And she even gave birth to a child without permission! This is how Ihsan repays her for raising and caring for her all these years?!”
“Oh!”
Suddenly, the sound of a baby crying rang out, and Elinor couldn't just keep listening.
Bang!
The door opened loudly.
The Count's parents shuddered in surprise and looked at the door.
And Elinor saw it too.
A small life lay on their bed.
A baby boy who looks exactly like Charlotte in his features.