Saving the Paragon Villain

Chapter 4: Finally, we meet.

Erin

Memories of this body's past owner flooded in my mind in an instant. The moment I woke up, I can feel her memories melting unto mine.

That horrid looking woman was like from the same part of hell where Magnus' dad came from. No wonder this body's so weak and the past Lisbeth (who's actually Erin) died because she's so weak-minded and easy to decieve. Her level of naïvité is at the level of a baby having her candy stolen by an ill-intentioned adult! What level of idiocy! Although she is undeniably kind-hearted but damn... People with bad intentions can easily make use of this and bend you until you break.. I can't stand it!

She was treated badly in the Baron Lisney estate but wasn't given hard tasks as they wanted to sell her off in a high price. So she was bathed and fed luxuriously, taught proper etiquette, educated in the best they could in their social standing (education here is controlled, based on social standing.. Barons' daughters can only attain home-making knowledge such as embroidery, dancing and musicality lessons which Erin preffered a harp. Hah, I get the last laugh 'coz I finished university in my past life and I bet I'm even better in arithmetic, literature, warfare strategizing and social studies than even the Emperor or Ava herself! It sure pays to be a wide-reader hehehehhe come at me! I read and memorized Lao Tzu's Art of war and several related books about governing, economy, and the likes.. B*tch, I aint playin'..)

She was talented in her education but with her limited resources, she can only be considered as a mistress in her evaluation by the board of nobility (stronghold in upholding Debrett's Rank and Privileges of Peerage) at the young age of 12. Since Erin was an adopted noble young lady of the Baron Lisney's estate, she was granted a right to be considered by high-ranking nobilities despite her poor birth as a daughter of a maid named Esther. Having the highest rank that considered her as a mistress being Duke Courtenay, Magnus' father.

Perhaps it was her beautiful face reminiscent of a budding flower soon to be in full bloom or her rare pink-eyes that only a few in this world wield that made the Duke want Erin for his son so much that he even considered taking her in his estate already. Of course Baron Lisney declined because he won't be able to be compensated handsomely (they can't refuse the Emperor's brother and a powerful Duke blatantly).  He hid his intentions by saying he's attached to the child and won't part with her until her coming of age. Of course the Duke Courtenay knew his hidden motivations and will give five hundred thousand gold taels for Erin's hand in marriage (which is already a huge amount considering the Duke can easily take her under his wing without their blessing and no one would be able to bat an eye, not even the emperor. That's already a huge grace.) Years passed and the agreement was set in stone. Lady Erin of Baron Lisney's home was to be wed as a mistress of the Duke Courtenay's son.

Unfortunately for the Duke Courtenay, another nobleman swooped in. Marquess Farron came up with a bigger offer. Driven by greed, Baron Lisney sold me off having 2 million golden taels at hand. The exchange happened within a span of a day and now the Baron was given a similar-looking dead body from a nearby morgue to present as me. They soon declared Erin's death at the age 14 as I, the real Erin, assumed Lisbeth's identity that's due to be wed as the official wife of Duke Courtenay's son.

Well, it sure made a roundabout yet ended the same fashion. Either way, I was to be wed to Magnus.. Who's life I was most interested in even as Irene Kim.

In my past life, I've never even had a real boyfriend before. Have I had sex? Yes. But only casually (it's not a big deal in New York, okay?).. My first was with my editor in the first publishing company I worked with after graduation. He was a jerk so I never met him again. (Certified womanizer, so I left him with blue balls the second time.)

Now in my new body, of course, I am a virgin. My romantic skills is barely even there but in terms of warming the bed, I was often told I'm quite the hustler so safisfying Magnus won't be a pinch.