To be clear: the plot, like traditional fairytales, isn't lacking painful points, e.g. poverty, illness, violence... Our MC starts out in a grim (m) situation, a fallen noble crushed by debt after the death of her father and brother. Every day is a struggle to provide the most basic necessities of life, while supporting her ailing mother. (A benevolent mother figure, still breathing?!? - THANK YOU, author!)

As someone who's awakened memories of a former life, of course her secret 'superpower' is knowledge of the original boo... no, wait; that's wrong. Her knowledge of the original book plot has been almost completely useless! (thus far.) Her actual 'superpower'? - Being a bookworm!

Let's take a moment to discuss MC's personality... If ordered to describe her in a single word, I'd blurt out "average", or possibly "normal". The better end of normal, of course - she is every inch a heroine! - none of the pettiness, laziness, or mean-spiritedness that mere mortals like myself are made of. It seems she was born to star in one of those contemporary romances where your humble plain-Jane MC is quietly going about the drudgery of everyday life, when some mortifying accident causes her to catch the eye of the Big Bad Boss, sparks fly, and...!

*ahem* Well, anyway - MC is sensible, modest, polite, quietly efficient... she might as well have the phrase "Office Lady" written all over her. Ironic, as in her previous life she was not one... Likely her current demeanour stems more from this life's recent experiences: disguised as a boy (prior to the story; no pseudo-BL here) to get work, acting timidly in front of employers lest her deception be discovered, learning to blend into the background like a mouse. (Though she transforms into a hissing, spitting cat at threats to someone she cares for - quick to unsheathe her claws against those who try to bully her mother, in particular.) Either way, apparent in all aspects of her attitude - the way she walks, the way she talks - is an air of Extreme Averageness.

... By the standards of our 21st Century world, that is. By the standards of the historical-magical-fantasy world she's now in? - all that I've just described comes across as extremely freaking weird to people who spend more than five minutes in her company.

Being a bookworm is just the most obvious instance: in this setting, women of any class knowing how to read/write is extremely rare, and generally considered "worthless". MC does not merely know how; she excels when dealing with the written word. Passion and extensive practice produced a gift for reading aloud, in particular - in her former life, she was a voice actress.

Gauging what stage of "the plot" the world is at, she summons up her courage to apply for a non-existent job as Admin Assistant to the Male Lead. Both he and his aide are taken aback, thinking she must be a very clumsy spy. However when they hear her heavenly reading voice, they quickly agree to hire her, while inwardly vowing to unearth her sinister hidden motive. (... It's money. Nothing hidden about her search for a decent living wage, fellas.)

Our cold Duke of the North West has a literal secret superpower (not mentioned in the original novel) : specifically, heightened senses. Since losing his sight last year (in a fight with a particularly vicious flower), his other senses have run haywire (why hello there Matt Murdock). His incapacitation means various matters in his domain are starting to slide out of control - despite his quite lovely supporting cast of loyal employees - as he occupies each day moodily brooding in the gloomiest corner of his castle.

Though she appreciates him as a magnanimous employer, MC is frequently disconcerted by his erratic behaviour. Habitually grumpy, often outright menacing (beastly temper, one might say)... He's struggling to come to terms with his 'permanent' (ha) disability, and the prospect of constant torture and subsequent sanity slippage due to misfiring super senses. Naturally he's pretty deep in despair: concern over his domain's lack of a successor may be the only consideration keeping him alive. All told, I feel he's handling things pretty well!

At this point in the translation, our plucky heroine has just moved with her mother into the (suspiciously luxurious) "servants' wing" of the Ducal household, and begun charming the inhabitants with her kindness, wisdom, humility, and fascinating weirdness... just like a True Princess! (no need for pea testing.)

... Does all this sound very trite and boring? (The Duke of the West says "YES!", and would like to express his hearty displeasure at having to star in this sort of sappy dreck.) Thing is, I also find this style of story trite and boring far more often than not. Simple fairytale-esque fluff may seem easy to write, but its very simplicity makes it incredibly hard to write well. For me, (so far) this story has managed to balance all its parts just right.

The FL's mother is alive. Her father and brother are dead.

She has real trauma that isn't overcome.

The FL's personality isn't changed when she regains her memories of her past life.

She reads in a society where women don't read out of choice, but isn't looked down on for it.

The FL has supporters, but no second MLs. The closest thing is a foe that takes a shine to her.

Her memories as a transmigrator come into use throughout the entire story. Not memories of events to come, but the encyclopediac knowledge of the world.

The FL's mother immediately supports her having a noble's marriage of convenience out of pragmatism, despite herself having a love marriage.

The clingy love rival vanishes from society after the first sound defeat.

It does take a while for the FL to let go of the story, but not because it was -the story- but because she lacked the knowledge that the OGFL had that was essential.

The FL was constantly left flat-footed because events from the book weren't described in enough detail.

Not everything the FL tries succeeds. Her failures are well-known and generally provide amusement to those around her.

The ML is a Duke of the West, bordering a monster-filled desert.

The ML's family (and he in particular) are known for protecting others, individuals, people; not just killing monsters.

The ML is DEEPLY devoted to his extended family.

The Duke of the North is a seemingly emotionless white-haired monster killer, also guarding a border where monsters appear, but barely appears a couple of times as a geeky, scientist background character of the ML's father's generation.

The ML does have supernatural abilities, but they are not designed for killing, although he can use them to aid in that.

The ML's abilities are stronger than usual, but not because he's some special reincarnation, just because it happens like that sometimes.

This one might be debatable, but the ML appears to be more often respected than feared.

The ML unconditionally accepts and does not condemn the FL for putting her mother's safety before her own in every situation.

The ML's "shadows" cannot always hide their presence. They are also real humans with a wide range of emotions.

The ML's aide is sharp and knowledgeable, but not as omniscient as typical rofan aides. He's also soft-hearted.

The OGFL quietly dies in a background event that is barely alluded to, and you find out long after the fact.

The ML immediately and correctly guesses that the OGFL was originally supposed to cure him, when the FL utterly breaks down upon hearing about the OGFL's death. He doesn't stand there wondering why he should care about the OGFL's death.

The ML is proactive in seeking his own cure using the FL's methods as a starting point, even against the advice of his scientist-in-residence.

The chapter cover image on KakaoPage changes from a blindfolded Duke to a non-blindfolded duke in the chapter where he fully regains his sight. The blindfold moves to the desk beside him. Otherwise the image stays the same.