Chapter 4: Husband’s infidelity(4).

When I came to, I found myself in a square, box-like room, surrounded by many people sitting orderly.

I was wearing tight-fitting clothes, nothing like a dress, with my legs exposed below the knees, pressing buttons on a square board in front of me.

A bell rang from somewhere, and I let out a big stretch, saying, “Phew,” before pulling a cloth-wrapped square box from a drawer.

“Senpai! Another homemade bento? Your feminine charm is off the charts!”

A woman, seemingly younger than me in this strange world, praised me enthusiastically.

When I opened the box, it was filled with colorful, delicious-looking food I’d never seen before.

“Oh, no rice today, but bread and sides instead? Did you buy the bread?”

“No, I baked some over the weekend and had extra, so I brought it as the bento’s main.”

“Wow! Even bread for your bento! Do you make sweets, too, by any chance?”

The younger woman questioned me eagerly.

“Well, decently enough, I suppose…”

I answered modestly.

“Wow! Senpai, you’re totally wife material already, aren’t you?”

“Oh, stop it!”

We giggled playfully, but the scene quickly shifted.

Next, I saw a stark white ceiling.

Above me hung a bag of liquid, connected to my arm by a tube.

—I don’t want to die yet.

That was the thought in my heart.

—There’s still so much I want to do. I want to live freely, doing what I love.

But a dim darkness crept in, stealing my thoughts.

—If I sleep, it’s probably over…

Unable to resist the drowsiness, I let go of consciousness.

I was now in the familiar bed of the Bloom ducal house. Sitting up and looking around, I saw none of the sterile furnishings from my dream.

“What was that…?”

I pieced it together. The earlier memory was of me in that sterile world—a single woman nearing thirty, working as an office lady, with hobbies like cooking, baking bread, and making sweets. But I’d been in a car accident, hit my head, and, due to the injury, never woke up, dying in a hospital.

Then came the memory of being born and raised as the eldest daughter of the Veilmar marquess family. My parents had no love for each other, each keeping lovers. In such an environment, I received no affection. My grandparents, taking pity, half-raised me. My parents accepted this without protest.

My grandparents cherished and nurtured me. When they discovered my talent as an alchemical mage in my youth, my grandfather patiently guided me, teaching me every step.

“…So that means…”

I muttered aloud.

“…My past life’s memories. I died in an accident in my previous life and was reincarnated into this world…?”

With that realization, my past life’s personality and knowledge flooded back.

“Wait, isn’t Adolf what they’d call a manipulative husband in that world? Cheating behind my back—with my best friend, no less! Acting sweet occasionally to keep me compliant?”

My thoughts turned to Olivia.

“Was she visiting not to see me but to meet Adolf? A homewrecker? Pretending to be my friend while stealing my husband—a frenemy?”

Then, my mind shifted to my parents.

“And my parents, maybe common in this world, but in my past life, they’d be toxic parents with a broken family, neglecting me on top of it!”

Christina rose from the bed, pacing the floor to organize her thoughts.

“This situation is unbearable. My husband’s cheating with my best friend, exploiting me, and controlling me with manipulation. And my toxic parents brainwashed me into thinking that’s just how marriage is!”

Then, I recalled the only two people who treated me kindly.

Grandfather and Grandmother.

“Grandfather, Grandmother…”

Christina pulled out a pendant hidden under her clothes, tightly gripping the stone threaded on its chain. It was a precious heirloom from my grandfather.

“…I have this.”

“I don’t want to stay in the Bloom ducal house or return to the Veilmar marquess house. I’ll stand on my own!”

Nodding firmly, I packed essentials into a Magic Bag—a wondrous magical item with infinite capacity, unchanged in weight or appearance, gifted by my grandfather. I didn’t have much to take.

The more I took, the more it felt like carrying memories from here, so I kept it minimal.

Preparations were quickly complete.

I sat at the writing desk, took a pen and paper, and scribbled a brief note.

“Goodbye. Please divorce me.”

A message for my husband, Adolf.

I placed it down, securing it with a paperweight to prevent it from blowing away.

Then, I hurried to the registry office to obtain a divorce form. I signed only my name and placed it under the paperweight as well.

Looking out the window, I saw a clear blue sky. A small bird fluttered energetically outside, as if symbolizing my imminent flight to freedom.

My heart felt light and clear.

“It’s just like me. From now on, I’m bound by nothing.”

Yes, my heart was free. No more being swayed, deceived, oppressed, or used.

With the Magic Bag in hand, I left the room. I had no intention of returning to my parents’ marquess house.

“Goodbye, oppressed me. From now on, I’ll live independently.”

Muttering this, I slipped out through the back door of the Bloom ducal house, unnoticed by anyone.