Why of All People, My Brother is the Villain

After her father’s sudden passing, the empire’s sole Grand Duke arrived to offer his patronage. “Are you Irene?” “I am, but…” And the moment I met him, “My name is Fabian Creedence. You will call me Grand Duke Creedence.” A forgotten memory surged back. This place was an R-19 dark angst novel I had read in my past life—and I was an extra sponsored by the villain’s psychopathic father! According to the original story, Carlyle, subjected to the Grand Duke’s cruel conditioning, grows up to become the story's ultimate villain and meets a tragic end. Meanwhile, I was meant to be used as a mere tool to stoke Carlyle’s competitive drive during his youth, only to meet an early death. However,...