# Chapter 2. Sleeping in the Same Bed, Dreaming Different Dreams (1)
Cecilia Boich.
She is the heroine from the game I used to play and the only daughter of the Boichi Family.
Although she was born into a dukedom, her childhood wasn’t all that affluent. The Boichi Family used to be a prominent household in the Empire, but due to reckless business expansions and failed investments by the previous head, they lost their fortune, sold off their territories to pay off debts, and the family’s prestige gradually declined.
In the midst of all this, the family held on to their noble pride and continued to indulge in extravagance. As a result, the Boichi Family plummeted into ruin at an alarming speed.
With each passing day, their prominence waned so much that the Royal Family was even considering the return of their title. The Duke and Duchess then devised a plan to sell their daughter Cecilia as a commodity to sustain their family.
A beautiful and devoted wife-to-be.
Her appearance and character became widely known throughout the Empire, drawing a long line of suitors vying for her hand in marriage.
At one point, upon noticing the immense wealth and connections of a particular family, the Duke and Duchess hastily pushed their daughter into an arranged engagement.
“Though, that family turned out to be mine.”
In the game, Cecilia mentions her pre-arranged fiancé during conversations with the male lead but never reveals which family it is.
To make her backstory more emotionally engaging and to deepen the bond between her and the newly hired knight, they highlighted Cecilia’s tragic life story. However, the details of which family she was engaged to remained vague.
Looking back now, I believe that this vagueness was intentionally built up to hide an NTR twist from the players. At the time, though, I fully immersed myself in rooting for the true love story between the protagonist couple, so I didn’t care much about her pre-arranged fiancé.
As much as I’d like to cancel the engagement immediately…
“Doing that might make things even harder for Cecilia.”
The truth is, she’s being subjected to near-abusive education at home. The Duke and Duchess, who see their daughter as nothing more than merchandise, incessantly whipped her to mold her into the perfect woman. Every night, Cecilia rubs the scars and bruises on her body as she wets her pillow with tears.
If I were to reject her now, she’d return home and face even harsher punishment and discipline.
“That’s something I can’t allow.”
While I’d like nothing more than to thrash the Duke and Duchess until their teeth rattle for tormenting such a kind and adorable girl, escalating the matter to a greater feud between the families would make it impossible for me to deal with, given my age.
In the end, there’s only one option.
“To accept the engagement but withhold my heart. And secretly support her from behind instead.”
The engagement is already a given fact.
It’s a contractual agreement between the families, and canceling it would only bring Cecilia closer to a bad ending. Whether the Boichi Family goes bankrupt without our support, or she’s sold off to some old bachelor with twisted hobbies, both options lead to disastrous conclusions.
Under these circumstances, maintaining a proper distance while helping her from behind would be the better choice.
Besides, she’s destined to fall in love with the male lead, a novice knight of her family. He’s truly the man who can bring her real happiness, and if I support his growth secretly, it would help Cecilia overcome future challenges more easily.
– Are you ready? Guardian of pure love in my heart?
– Yes, absolutely. We can begin anytime.
Operation: Pairing starts now.
“So, you two enjoy your time together~”
And just like that, the adults left Cecilia and me alone in the parlor. Grateful for their departure, I began to etch her image firmly into my mind.
Long silver hair, like it’s been kissed by moonlight, and a porcelain-white complexion that looks like it might vanish at the slightest touch.
Her violet eyes, like a single blossom of forget-me-nots, and lips as red as blood, added an air of subtle charm.
“Miss.”
“Hiiik! Yes, yes sir!”
Startled by my sudden question, she awkwardly replied while seemingly biting her tongue.
“So… cute…”
In my head, I marveled at the sight of her youthful demeanor, something I never got to see in the game.
“Net?!”
“…?”
Was she trying to make up for the tongue-biting with another response?
Knowing I had to start delivering harsh lines, I took a deep breath and slowly fabricated a lie.
“In truth, I longed for this engagement with you. In fact, I personally approached your head of the family with a marriage proposal.”
“Yes…”
Her meek voice stirs my chest, but I had to stay resolute—for her happiness.
“I desired you. But that does not mean I love you. To me, you are nothing more than an accessory, a mere consumable item that accentuates my image.”
No, she is far from a consumable item.
She’s a rare gem, a person who shines like a star.
“Of course, you will be compensated. I plan to offer substantial support to your family. While living under my roof, you will experience no shortages. If you wish, I can even teach you the basics of being a housewife.”
She will have access to everything—delicious food, exquisite clothing, luxurious luxuries, even her personal villa.
Later, I will drive out the Duke and Duchess, providing the support necessary for her to fully take over the family.
“But do not expect my love, for you have no right to my heart.”
She deserves to be loved.
Bright future awaits her with her lover, where she can live happily.
Instead, I am the one who does not deserve to stand before her.
“So from now on… Miss?”
Just as I continued, her reaction seemed odd.
Unlike the earlier meekness, she stared at me with wide eyes and parted lips—a look of obvious shock.
… Did I say something too harsh for her fragile heart?
“Ah… no, it’s not that–!”
“Yes?”
Why is she saying this suddenly?
Earlier too, something seemed off. Maybe she can’t hear well or has developed delusions due to the abuse.
“It’s not like that….”
Her voice was barely audible, like a whisper, but I assumed it was her berating herself for her modest appearance.
How can she have so little self-esteem? Such parents are truly unforgivable.
“In any case, did you understand what I said?”
To conclude the conversation, as I inquired, a look of unease crossed her face before she clenched her fists and stared at me resolutely.
“Just one question… could you answer this?”
“Yes.”
“…In the future you envision… am I smiling?”
“…No.”
Yes.
You will be smiling brightly, surrounded by the blessings of everyone.
Together with the person you love, you will walk a happy path.
Because that is the future I will create.
“…Thank you for your answer.”
Cecilia lowered her head after saying that.
She’s probably holding back tears after my response.
Before lowering her head, I thought her lips twitched slightly into a faint smile, but it was probably just my imagination.
Ah, hello! My name is… Cecilia Boich.
I am the daughter of the Boichi Family, nothing to be proud of… just sort of… well, frankly, a family I hold a lot of resentment toward.
You can’t hear my voice clearly?
I’m sorry… it’s just… meeting new people makes me a bit… very nervous.
It’s silly, isn’t it? Hehe… yes it is.
I can do nothing, I lack any notable talents, and my voice is as quiet as an ant’s footsteps, and my face isn’t attractive either…
So my parents always call me ‘stupid’…
The servants call me clumsy and dull behind my back.
That’s why when I was little, I thought my name was ‘stupid’, right? Hehe… he…
My parents have always told me…
‘You must repay us for raising you’, ‘Your role is to marry into a good family and save ours’…
It’s a sad story, but I think it’s true.
Since I’m neither pretty nor talented, it’s only right that I repay my parents for raising me…
Yes… at least, until now.
*
One day, Father arranged an engagement for me.
With Lord Rab of the Netorie family.
He’s famous for his reckless behavior, known across both high society and the common streets, and now he’s my fiancé.
… I was scared.
If I were to marry such a man, each day would be miserable.
But there was nothing I could do.
If I expressed my dislike for the engagement, Father would slap me, and Mother would lock me in a dark cell with no light.
Today, as I went to meet my fiancé, I finally got to wear a pretty dress.
Because at home, they refused to buy me new clothes, saying we didn’t have the money, even though Father and Mother regularly updated their own wardrobes weekly.
The injuries and bruises on my body had to be hidden beneath layers of clothing, so it got uncomfortable and sweaty.
Still, I couldn’t take them off. If my monstrous body were revealed, Lord Rab might find me repulsive.
In the carriage ride, I only thought about him—or rather, worried.
Would he treat me with respect? Would he harass me? Would he even neglect me?
Still, I wished above all that he wouldn’t hit me…
Because the wounds would make it painful to wear clothes due to the friction.
Lost in worry, I soon arrived.
When I entered the mansion with trembling legs, my first impression of Lord Rab was…
Hmm… let’s just say he looked like a thug.
The sharp features and the blonde hair, combined with his imposing, muscular arms made him incredibly intimidating.
Just imagining him using those powerful arms on me caused my body to shiver involuntarily.
I couldn’t look at his eyes, so I stared at the floor.
However, it seemed the gods weren’t on my side.
The adults, including my parents and the Count and Countess, left us alone to converse!
“Miss.”
“Hiiik! Yes, yes sir!”
In the eerie stillness, Lord Rab attempted to break the ice with his opening words.
But my nervousness made me stutter and babble awkwardly in return.
‘Oh no… what do I do! After all his effort to talk, if he gets angry because of my stammer?!’
In the midst of mentally berating myself about my clumsiness—
“Damn… she’s so cute…”
Did I hear that right?
Did Lord Rab really just call me cute?
When I sneaked a peek, he was tilting his head, looking at me quizzically.
No, did I mishear it? I couldn’t possibly have mistaken someone calling me cute despite my nervousness, right?
“I desired this engagement with you. I even proposed it personally to your Head of the House.”
“Yes….”
‘Sorry, Cecilia, but I need to be firm here. For your happiness. I have to be like this.’
Wait… Something’s off. I’m certain. It’s clearer this time.
Just now, a completely different voice rang out in my mind compared to Lord Rab’s actual words.
But it was undoubtedly his voice…
“Are you listening carefully?”
‘Should I be worried about his health? He looks a bit pale, maybe have him checked by a doctor later.’
No, it’s not my imagination!
I heard two voices from Lord Rab!
Once through my ears, and once inside my head.
Could… is this…?
Am I hearing Lord Rab’s inner thoughts?!
