After Caelan left, I didn’t stay long at the private school. Heeding the maid's reminder, I went to pay my respects to my grandmother.
As soon as I entered the room, a woman in a simple, plain dress caught my eye, standing in sharp contrast to the splendor of my own attire.
She knelt, her body hunched, a small, trembling figure, exuding an air of delicate fragility.
"This is Lydia Vance, the vicious supporting character. She was Caelan's first love, and later, she'll help Caelan ruin the Vance family. You must find a way to drive her away from Caelan!"
"The queen hosted a banquet, and you, a lowly daughter, stole the limelight from the true Vance family heir. Who would've thought you were such a scheming woman! Many nobles have gathered at our Vance family these days, so you’ll be moved to a separate wing. That way, you won’t stir up any temptations, overshadowing the legitimate daughter and embarrassing the Vance family!"
The woman seated at the head of the table, her hair touched with gray but still radiating power and authority, was most likely my grandmother.
Lydia raised her head slightly to glance at my grandmother, hesitating before obediently lowering her gaze.
"I never intended to draw attention. I was only brought out to dance because someone said the Vance family had no talented daughters. Although I am a lowly daughter, I’ve helped bring honor to the Vance family. Why should I be punished for that?"
"Enough," my grandmother snapped. "I’m a lowly daughter, so even breathing is a mistake. Any explanation only earns harsher punishment!"
Lydia's inner thoughts tugged at my heart. How was she any different from Caelan?
Why was one given a chance to redeem themselves, while the other was immediately condemned, with no room for understanding?
I decided to treat her the same.
"Grandmother, before a girl is married, whether born of the legitimate or secondary line, all are tied to the family's honor. If my sister hadn’t drawn attention, how would the rest of us have been talked about?"
Knowing how much my grandmother cared for the original owner, I took this opportunity to intercede on Lydia’s behalf.
Grandmother looked at Lydia anew, and perhaps swayed by my words, nodded slightly. "You make a valid point."
"You need not be punished," she waved her hand, dismissing the matter.
Lydia’s eyes sparkled with a faint light, and she stared at me for a long while.
“Warning to the host: Lydia is the malicious supporting character. Your saintly heart will hinder the completion of the task!”
"Elara actually interceded for me?"
“If Elara had no ulterior motive and truly cared for me, how wonderful that would be. But why would she care for a lowly daughter like me?”
Lydia thought to herself, a bitter smile curling her lips, making her appear even more desolate.
At this point, something felt off to me.
Why did I feel like Lydia was easier to win over than Caelan?
I decided to approach her, walking over and gently taking her hand. "Sister, you’re wearing such a simple dress. It makes you look drained. I’ll have someone bring you a few gowns. What color would you like?"
"I’ll like whatever you pick for me, little sister." Lydia’s voice was soft, and her smile could heal the heart. No wonder that madman Caelan viewed her as his first love.
"As long as Elara truly cares for me as a sister, I would be happy even without gifts. But I fear it’s all just a fa?ade… sigh."
Lydia’s inner thoughts were far more relatable than Caelan’s.
After parting from her, I returned to my room. While the maid went off to prepare Lydia’s clothes, I took the opportunity to speak with the system.
"You heard Lydia’s thoughts, didn’t you? I don’t think she’s so bad. As long as I continue being kind to her, she won’t go dark. So why should I turn on her?"
"Warning! Host, you are the main character. You cannot feel sympathy for the malicious supporting character."
The system then replayed the terrible things Lydia would do after her eventual corruption, looping it in my mind.
Both Lydia and Caelan were born of secondary lines, and both had suffered from their low status at Vance Manor. The only difference was that Lydia turned to darkness for self-preservation, while Caelan descended into rage-fueled violence.
If the goal was simply to save the country and the Vance family, wouldn’t it be easier to redeem Lydia and get rid of Caelan instead?
I expressed my confusion to the system.
"The system designates Caelan as the male lead, Lydia as the malicious supporting character, and you as the female lead destined to save the country."
"Opposites attract. Caelan will compromise for Lydia because of love. As a woman, Lydia is naturally scheming and will only grow jealous of you."
What kind of outdated stereotype was this?
"If you don’t follow the system’s prescribed actions, we will disconnect you from the system and you will never return to the real world."
"Now, we are disabling your mind-reading ability until you rid yourself of your saintly heart for the malicious supporting character."
Was this a threat?
Though I was displeased with the system, I had no choice but to tread carefully. Stuck in this strange world, I could only take things one step at a time.
With that thought, I slowly regained my composure.
