An animal carcass

After the meal, Marquess Ross called for me to his study room. Of course, I had no choice but to abide, for the sake of this marriage of convenience.

My eyes discreetly moved to Marquess Ross sitting behind his desk, looking all brilliant and regal. Personality aside, Marsella's father had good genes in him. No wonder Marsella was beautiful despite spending her last days barely taking care of herself. 

'Poor me,' I thought. I'm now Marsella and these people were now my family. I unconsciously glanced at the other person standing right beside Marquess Ross, Augustus Ross. 

My body instinctively flinched, reacting on its own when our eyes met. His eyes bore no affection or derision; it was the same look when you glance at someone who was a complete stranger. 

'It's not like he ever accepted Marsella's existence as his sister,' I told myself, recalling Marsella's memories of him. 

In Marsella's life in this manor, she rarely had interaction with Augustus, but whenever she did, he only gave her a cold shoulder. His negligence towards his youngest sister, as if she didn't exist, only worsened Marsella's mental health condition. It was not like it was Marsella's fault for being the fruit of the Marquess' one-night affair with a maid, but whatever.

I was not Marsella. Although I could feel her pain, these feelings had nothing to do with me. I lived a long, exhausting life in my previous life. I devoted my life to make Joseph the emperor, soaked my hands with the blood who stood in his way, but what did I get in return? It was not like I didn't expect that ending, though. 

Joseph was not the type of person who would trust anyone completely. My death was my karma for taking countless innocent lives, all for the sake of some foolish love. How silly that it was not even power I sought for.

So in this life, I wanted to live a life for myself, not for Joseph or Marsella, but for no one else but for myself. This mysterious, and if I had to add, miraculous occurrence doesn't occur every day, after all. 

"Marsella," I snapped my eyes when I heard Marquess Ross's voice. My fell eyes on him, standing motionless on the same spot for who knows how long.

"Your wedding will be held after your coming of age. So you have fours months. I hired tutors for as part of your wedding preparation. I asked of you to do well and not disappoint me."

'How the hell do you expect your daughter not to be a disappointment despite knowing she's mentally unstable? And four months?! Can't you marry me off tomorrow?!' Were the words I held back to ask as I bit my tongue.

"Yes, Father," came out a meek and tiny voice.

"Rest for today. That's all."

"Yes, Father," I replied systematically, staring at the carpet under my feet. My goodness... I had to live here for four months?

I turned around to leave, but I paused when Marquess Ross asked, "I heard you've been sick. Are you alright now?" 

He was just asking that now? I'm speechless, really. I let out a shallow breath, turning my head back, and sported a weak smile.

"Yes, Father."

I saw him nod before I resumed my steps, feeling Augustus' stony gaze that sent a chill down my spine until I successfully departed the study office. 

'What a bastard.' I glanced back at the door, mentally rolling my eyes before I walked back to my room. 'Four hellish months?! Can they behave for four months?'

My mind drifted elsewhere as walked through the grand hallway.

'I actually have plans today,' I thought, thinking of fulfilling my curiosity, but with this feeble body, it was obvious resting was my priority.

'It's not like I'm in a rush. I can't move as much as I can if I strain this body further.' I nodded, convinced of what I should prioritize first.

Soon, I was near my room. Fortunately, I didn't see anyone on the way or I might just literally lose it. Marquess Ross let me stand up for fifteen minutes just to say all that. I clicked my tongue, annoyed at everything in Marsella's life.

My gaze raised at the hallway leading to my room. Not a single maid was here. Well, everyone avoided Marsella like a plague, so this was not a surprise.

"This just works better for me," I mumbled under my breath as I continued on my steps. For reasons unknown, when I stood in front of my room's door, I halted. Something didn't feel right, I thought, looking from my left to my right.

'Someone came in here,' I muttered inwardly, sensing the remnants of the presence of whoever came in here. 'Marquess Ross wouldn't send an assassin to kill me, right?' My brows furrowed, as that wouldn't make sense. 

I shook my head lightly. 'Whatever it is, I don't think it'll kill me.' Convinced, I pushed the door open and went inside my room. 

What welcomed me inside my room was a strong stench of blood, making me scrunch my nose up as I controlled my breathing. My eyes immediately caught a sack in the middle of the room, eyebrows raised. 

'What is that?' I wondered, scanning my room to see no one inside. I carefully approach the sack, almost tiptoeing. Bending over, my eyes hovered over it before I reached for it to check it.

With only my thumb and forefinger, I pulled the string that tied it close and caught a glimpse of what's inside. 

"Hah," I scoffed lightly, unfazed by the blood and mud-covered animal carcass inside. "Is Yves waiting for me to scream?" I wondered, chuckling at this prank of his. 

If this was the original Marsella, she has already screamed her lungs out. Sadly, Marsella had passed and I'm inside her body.

"Is this a silver fox?" I murmured, lifting the opening of the sack to see it better. The carcass was covered with blood and mud would be a horrifying sight for Marsella. But now that I looked at it, this could be made to fur if it was washed.

"Did Yves send this with that thought in mind?" I raised a brow as I straightened my back, tilting my head to the side.

"Well, it's better not to hurt my brain thinking how that fool thinks," I added, shrugging my thoughts away as I gazed at the sack. 

"What should I do with this?" I didn't have the energy or strength to wash this, and it would surely scare Tani. I thought about it over and over, torn between throwing this away or wash it to make it into a fur.

"It's really a waste," I said, coming into a decision. "I might as well look for the person who gifted me this." 

With that being said, I walked out of the room to look for Yves, the lamest prankster.