After Failing to Tame the Evil Demon

Talli Fred is an illegitimate daughter of the prestigious Fred family, a lineage of witches who have served the empire for generations. Born without magical ability due to a family curse that concentrates all power in one sibling, she was exiled to a remote countryside estate as an infant. Her life changes abruptly when she is summoned back to the imperial capital under the guise of caring for her half-sister, Theresa, the family’s magical prodigy and the novel’s heroine. In reality, Talli is destined to become a sacrificial offering to Deritz, the Arrogant Monarch, in one month to secure the family’s political standing. Upon her return, she faces immediate hostility from her brother Carl and relentless assassination attempts by Kristen, the "Undying Knight" sworn to protect Theresa. Kristen, a emotionless killer who views Talli as a threat to his mistress, attacks her multiple times. Talli manages to survive these encounters by using a family crest and a magic stone brooch, eventually crippling Kristen in a dilapidated shrine to ensure her safety.

Recognizing that her time is limited, Talli shifts her focus from passive survival to active investigation. She discovers that the world she inhabits is based on an H-story novel she read in her previous life, where she played no significant role. Her primary goal becomes finding a way to return to her original world rather than accepting her fate as a sacrifice. She utilizes her access to the family library to research Deritz, smuggling out a restricted book that contains information about the monarch. During this research, she encounters Ryan, a high priest who is also a male lead in the novel. Ryan’s cold indifference to the original protagonist’s suffering in the book foreshadows his lack of empathy in the present, as he chooses not to intervene when Talli’s predecessor attempted to escape her fate. This realization reinforces Talli’s distrust of the novel’s male leads and her determination to navigate the situation alone.

The tension escalates when Kristen launches a second, more lethal attack on Talli in her private quarters. He attempts to drown her in a bathtub, but Talli fights back with a porcelain shard, inflicting a severe wound on him. As she stands over his unconscious body, poised to deliver the final blow, a mysterious voice interrupts her. This voice belongs to Deritz, who manifests through a blue mist and forces Talli to answer his questions using a truth spell. Deritz observes her with detached curiosity, noting her lack of genuine hatred and her rational nature. He warns her that he looks forward to the day her emotions might consume her, then vanishes, leaving Talli shaken but alive. The encounter reveals that Deritz is aware of her presence and her resistance, adding a layer of supernatural danger to her already precarious situation.

Following the attack, Talli feigns compliance with the family’s expectations while secretly planning her next moves. She requests a personal knight, not for protection, but as a means to an end, and negotiates with her father to choose her own guard. To secure her safety and independence, she decides to visit the Magic Beast Market, a dangerous area in the capital. Accompanied by Carl, who initially opposes her but eventually assists her, Talli uses a disguise potion to blend in with the crowd. During their outing, she spots Theresa and Ryan together, confirming that the heroine’s storyline is proceeding as written. Talli’s presence acts as a butterfly effect, subtly altering events while she remains an observer. She successfully purchases a magic beast to serve as her protector, demonstrating her resourcefulness and willingness to operate outside societal norms. The narrative concludes with Talli firmly entrenched in the capital, balancing the threat of the Undying Knight, the watchful eye of the Arrogant Monarch, and the rigid constraints of her family, all while searching for a path back to her own world.