The Knight Who Broke Off Our Engagement and Told Me to Never Show My Face Again Still Clings to Me Today, Even Though I Was Possessed and Turned Into a Villainess for Ten Years - 1 – Suddenly Breaking off the Engagement

“Sadie Arclight. I am breaking off our engagement.”

When I came to my senses, I was on my hands on a cold floor, staring blankly up at a terribly beautiful man.

Just a moment ago, I had been sewing in a shabby little hut that could barely keep out the rain and wind, wearing rags that could hardly be called clothes. But now, for some reason, I was wearing a beautiful, soft dress, standing in a place that looked like a glamorous party hall.

My hands, once tanned and rough from farm work and drawing water, were now white and smooth. My neatly shaped nails were painted in beautiful colors.

“…?”

I closed and opened one hand. The hand moved just how I wanted. It really seemed like this body was mine again.

And the fact that the man in front of me called me ‘Sadie’— That was the biggest proof that I had really, truly returned to my own body.

“I… I’m really back in my own body…?”

When I whispered that without thinking, the man in front of me snorted.

“Hah. So now you’ve finally gone insane? Or are you just pretending to be crazy to talk your way out of this?”

“Huh? No, really, I was possessed this whole time—”

“If you’re going to lie, at least make it a better one.”

He didn’t believe me at all.

But maybe that was normal.

How many people would actually believe what we went through?

As I looked around the room, I saw that all the nobles nearby were staring at me with scornful eyes.

Even though I had returned to my body after ten years, I could at least tell I was in a very, very bad situation.

My life… just keeps getting worse.

“Hey. Are you even listening?”

I looked up at the man again. When I met his eyes directly, he seemed confused for a second. But then, right away, he looked at me with an icy glare.

Come to think of it, I think he said something about breaking off our engagement just now.
That reminded me—I used to be the daughter of an earl, and I had a fiancé.

Jet-black hair and eyes like obsidian…

That matched someone I used to know.

“…Could it be… Rufus?”

“Wha—”

“It is you, Rufus! You’ve become so handsome—”

“Don’t joke with me!!”

At that moment, he shouted so loudly that his whole body trembled.

The air in the room instantly froze.

“You really are the worst woman. Trying to act like your old self and get close to me again?”

“Huh?”

“How much more do you plan to hurt me…?!”

Looks like I made things worse.

The man—Rufus, I guess—was now several times angrier than before.

At that same moment, a noble lady nearby splashed something on my head.

It felt like fruit juice or something. I heard the sound of mean giggles.

Some of the juice got in my mouth, and it was incredibly sweet.

“…Delicious.”

The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.

Everyone around me stared like I was something unbelievable.

But it had been ten years since I drank anything other than water. Please don’t judge me.

“Anyway, you and I are strangers now. Never show your face to me again. I won’t go easy on you next time.”

“…Okay.”

In my memory, Rufus was always kind. I think he truly cared about me.

So what did the person who stole my body do while they were pretending to be me?

The more I imagined it, the more scared I got.

And then—

Splat. Something heavy fell on my head and body.

By the time I realized it was food from a plate, I was already soaked and sticky all over. What a waste of food…

But even now, it still looked tasty to me. I might really be at my limit. For ten years, I only ate hard bread and watery soup every day.

This is bad.

I really need to do something about this situation.

“Sadie!”

Suddenly, a man with an unbelievably beautiful face appeared and took my hand. The women around us screamed.

As I stood up, I wondered, ‘Who is this guy?’ Then he leaned in and whispered to me.

“…You’re ‘Sadie the Weed-Puller,’ right?”

“H-How do you know that…?”

“It’s me. I’m ‘Gerald with the Bad Back.’”

“What?!”

Gerald! He was also possessed like me, and we were both treated like slaves in that place.

We worked in the fields together every day. He used to be a chubby, hairy middle-aged man. So this is what he really looked like?

“I just got back to my own body after years. And right away, I saw someone calling you Sadie being treated like this. When I heard you say you were possessed, I knew it was you. Are you okay?”

“G-Gerald…!”

Honestly, I had been scared.

Everything was confusing, and now this was happening.

But when my old friend showed up, I couldn’t help but feel relieved. A smile spread across my face.

At the same time, I felt a sharp gaze and looked up.

Rufus’s expression had changed into something terrifying.

“So you were with that man too? What a shameless woman…!”

“Sha… shameless…?”

I was being insulted for no reason, getting drenched in juice and food…

It was all too much—I couldn’t even keep up.

“We should get out of here.”

“Y-Yeah. Okay.”

I really needed time to sort things out. There was too much I didn’t understand.

I took Gerald’s hand, and for a moment, I looked back at Rufus. For some reason, his eyes were filled with deep sadness.

Sorry, but I feel like crying too.

Thinking that, I left the glittering party hall with Gerald—

Almost like we were running away.