Chapter 1

In my past life, my elder sister—Emma Rothschild—was jealous of me and caused me to die a tragic death. After being reborn, she wanted to marry someone else in this life instead.

Unfortunately for her, she didn't know that I had also been reborn. Additionally, the "perfect" husband she had set her sights on was Aleron Glintwood, the scumbag I'd married in my past life.

"We've already accepted the dragon clan's gifts! If you change your mind now, our family's reputation will be completely ruined!" said our father, Gareth Rothschild.

When the dragon clan's envoy paid us a visit in our previous life, Emma readily agreed to marry the moment she learned that her spouse would be the prince of Northia, Matias Redburn.

The entire continent of Allesia knew that the dragon clan had exclusive authority over the ore veins, bathed in pools made of gold, and used rare dragon scales to make their clothes. While other nobles would need to save up for several years to buy a single magic crystal, the dragon clan decorated their palace corridors with them.

Emma rolled around on the ground like a child throwing a tantrum after not getting the toy they wanted. "Lilian can take my place! Aleron is the man I want to marry!"

My parents immediately relented. My mother, Faith Dameris, hurriedly helped Emma up and said, "The stone floor is cold. Be careful of catching a cold."

She then glanced at me before turning to my father. "Emma's proposal makes sense. The dragon clan only requires a daughter from the Rothschild family, so Lilian is equally eligible."

She didn't ask my opinion at all.

The dragon clan's betrothal gifts—three carriages' worth of gold and gems as well as chests of gold dragon coins—had already been placed in the Rothschild treasury. Such a fortune would be enough to cover ten years' worth of the family's expenses.

Naturally, my father was unwilling to return it. Above that, he did not dare anger the rulers of Northia. As such, he exercised his authority as the head of the Rothschild family.

"Lilian."

I curtsied gracefully, maintaining the bearing of a noble lady. "I will abide by your arrangements, Father."

In my mind, I was performing rapid calculations. There were only a hundred days left until the Royal Academy of Magic's summer entrance exam—I had to concentrate all my effort into preparing for the theory exam.

Last year, the academy opened up enrollment opportunities to humans for the first time. However, due to the tight deadline, no female human managed to pass the rigorous selection.

This time, the exam would be even more stringent.

Father had already arranged a meeting between me and Aleron. The Interracial Alliance Council encouraged interracial marriages as they hoped to strengthen the ties between Allesia's various races through matrimony.

Therefore, young scholars from the elven clan had ventured into human territory to find themselves marriage partners.

In the beginning, Father had placed his hopes on Emma, but the elves' lifestyle—which focused on spiritual wealth and minimalism—had put her off. As such, this so-called opportunity had fallen into my lap instead.

Emma smiled triumphantly. "The dragon clan's palace is resplendent. You're so lucky, Lilian."

That night, Father sent a butler to the elves' temporary residence to discuss the specific details of the marriage.

The wedding was scheduled to be held in Sapenthia Chapel in three days. Mother gave Emma a magic accessory box that had been passed down through several generations as a wedding gift.

On the day of the wedding, I accompanied my family to the elves' temporary residence—Oak Manor—and met Aleron again.

Memories of my past life came flooding back. After I married Aleron, he refused to engage in any sort of actual work. He believed that it was blasphemy for a pure-blooded noble like him to undertake any kind of physical labor.

I took on all the aforementioned work to maintain a respectable front, such as property management, account balancing, and negotiating prices for magic materials on the market.

I would collect herbs in the herb garden under the scorching sun and run around buying magic ores in the winter.

As a result, my palms would be covered with scratches from thorns and chilblains. My skin would also chafe from the heavy weight of the market goods on my shoulders, eventually causing my clothes to be stained with blood.

The elves' meals were extremely simple—salad made from leaves and morning dew. I would leave all the meat and bread I bought with my savings to Aleron while I survived on thin vegetable soup.

At that time, I believed that all my efforts would be worth it so long as Aleron established a firm foothold within the magic academy. He always managed to soothe my fatigue with his honeyed words.

However, when he actually became a professor, he started living in the academy long-term with the excuse that it was necessary for his research. We would only ever see each other once or twice a month.

I was left to live among his proud elven kin, who despised my short-lived race and treated me as free labor.

For the sake of my dignity, I found a job in the city that involved copying magic scrolls. I finally managed to earn their reluctant respect using the gold coins I earned from it.

That day, I mustered the courage to visit the academy with a lunch box I'd prepared myself. However, I ended up witnessing Aleron and another female elf gazing tenderly at each other in the Moonlight Garden.

I recognized the female elf. Aleron always had a portrait of her between the pages of his magic tome.

I wondered if my dear sister would be able to adapt to this sort of "noble" life.

As the guests mingled with each other in the manor's garden, Mother arranged for me to accompany the bride.

Emma was wearing a gorgeous crimson velvet dress. She was sitting in the elves' simple treehouse, which only contained a woven bed and a simple wooden wardrobe.

The elves believed in coexisting with nature, so they always built their houses in ancient trees. In fact, this very room was rented from a senior elf.

Treehouses would sway in the wind and leak on rainy days. If someone needed to use the toilet, they would have to climb more than 30 feet up a rope ladder. When I lived here in my previous life, I had to use various containers to collect water during the rainy season.

Aleron, who was born into a noble family, did not know how to perform repairs to the house. Yet, he also refused to seek help, claiming that it would "undermine the elves' dignity".

Emma was clearly dissatisfied with the shabby environment. Her boudoir at home was ten times the size of this place.

However, when her gaze landed on the ancient magic tomes lining the walls, she reverted to a look of complacency.

"You're destined to live forever on human lands, Lilian. I, on the other hand, am about to become an immortal elven noblewoman."