When my older sister, Rhea Silverhilt, and I are given a chance to choose our marriage partners for the clan alliance, she rushes ahead and claims the noble fire dragon, Drakon Ragnarok.

I am left to match with a brutish wolf, Flint Greyfang.

Not long after the wedding, Drakon dies in an unexpected accident. Rhea loses her protector and is vulnerably subjected to scorn and abuse.

Meanwhile, the sharp-minded and shrewd Flint reveals a surprising talent for business and swiftly amasses a fortune.

Consumed by bitter hatred, Rhea corners me at the grand sacrificial rite and stabs me to death.

When I open my eyes again, I am back on the day we are to choose marriage partners. This time, Rhea darts forward and holds Flint's hand.

In that instant, I know that she's reborn, just as I am.

What she doesn't know is that wolves are innately violent and abusive. They love settling disputes with fists.

The clan hall was silent as I stared at my older sister, Rhea Silverhilt, across the room with a flat expression.

On the other hand, she was practically glowing. "Mother, I fell in love the moment I saw Flint! Please let me marry him!"

Mother's expression darkened. "The wolves are notorious for their brutish ways. Flint has nothing to his name. You'll only suffer if you marry him."

Even though Rhea and I were both her children, she'd always favored Rhea. She couldn't bear the thought of her beloved Rhea suffering even the slightest discomfort.

Rhea panicked when Mother refused and anxiously paced like a cat on a hot tin roof. "I'm marrying him! If you won't allow it, I'll bash my head in right here!"

Mother nearly fainted at the threat. Terrified, she hastily consented.

When I saw the smug smile on Rhea's face, I knew that she'd been reborn too.

In our previous lives, she'd rushed to claim Drakon Ragnarok of the prestigious fire dragon clan. I had been forced into a marriage with Flint Greyfang of the wolves and had been exiled to the desolate wetlands.

After we married, I ran the house and poured my possession into his fledgling business ventures. Against all odds, Flint seized a crucial opportunity and amassed a staggering fortune.

Meanwhile, the fire dragon clan was consumed by endless war. Drakon marched into the battlefield and never returned.

Rhea became a destitute widow. The rest of the clan stripped her clean of whatever assets she had left, leaving her life in ruins.

She was bitterly convinced that I had stolen the life of luxury that was rightfully hers. During a grand sacrificial rite, she lured me out and stabbed me to death with a dagger.

"If I have to suffer, you don't get to live well either!"

The memory of her crazed, bloodshot eyes flashed through my mind, and I couldn't help clenching my fists at my side.

Since she'd decided to throw herself into hell in this new life, I would gladly show her all the support. "Since Rhea likes Flint, I'll willingly step aside."

The excitement in Rhea's eyes was almost palpable. She could already envision a life of luxury waiting for her.

Mother shot me a look of displeasure. "If Rhea hadn't graciously given up such a good match for you, you'd never amount to anything. Hurry up and thank her."

I couldn't believe how shameless they were. They were stealing from me and still wanted gratitude.

"Don't thank me," Rhea said quickly. "An older sister should let her younger sister enjoy the better things."

She couldn't wait any longer or stay for more talk. She rushed off to the wolves' pack grounds to discuss wedding plans.

Mother watched her leave with a doting smile. It vanished the moment her eyes fell on me.

"You know how tight our finances are. We can only afford one wedding gift. Since Rhea is marrying into such difficult circumstances with the wolf pack, she'll starve if we don't help or provide her with ample support."

I immediately caught the meaning behind her words and let out a cold laugh.

In our previous lives, Mother had used a different excuse when Rhea was to marry into the prestigious fire dragon clan.

"The fire dragons are nobles. She'll be looked down on without a generous wedding gift."

Either way, the wedding gift was never going to be mine. Not that I cared.

"Whatever you decide is fine, Mother."

My apparent docility seemed to unsettle her. She slipped an emerald bracelet off her wrist and handed it to me.

"This was from your grandmother on my wedding day. Now that I'm passing it to you, at least it shows I care as your mother."

Later, when Rhea learned that I was to marry Drakon instead, she nearly doubled over laughing.

"Lucky you! Everyone knows that Drakon is noble, devastatingly handsome, and every woman's dream. You'll be living like a queen.

"But I've heard that the fire dragons are always at war. Make sure you send him off safely and try not to end up being a widow too soon."

The idea of my early widowhood seemed to bring Rhea immense satisfaction while she was busy fantasizing about her rise to riches.

Still, she'd never know that, though Flint was brilliant, he was a violent wolf.

In my previous life, any tiny mistake earned me fists and kicks until there wasn't a single unbruised spot on my skin. He only stopped once I surrendered every mercantile secret I had, and after his business flourished.

Now, I wondered if Rhea could escape his brutality in this new life without those mercantile secrets to offer.

I gently brushed a fallen leaf off Rhea's shoulder and said, "Everyone has their own fate. If this is mine, I believe I'll count on myself to live it well.

"It's just a shame that some people can only vent their frustration on others when life gets hard. That's pretty pathetic."

Rhea's pupils constricted violently. She grabbed my wrist hard and shrieked, "Astrid Silverhilt! You've been reborn too, haven't you?"

A young, unmarried maiden like me shouldn't have such a detached look in my eyes, so her conviction grew. "Even if you're reborn, so what! I'm the one marrying Flint now! You can just wait to cry over that ill-fated soul's death all you want!"

With that, she stormed off.

I watched her leave, deep in thought. Her words reminded me of what I would do if Drakon really died.

His clan was full of hungry, power-mad uncles and cousins, and I knew that a weak woman like me would likely be devoured alive, bones and all.

I brooded over it until nightfall, just as a soft whisper came from my window. When I opened it, I was utterly startled.

Drakon was hoisting himself up against the sill, drenched in sweat. With the moonlight tracing the sharp lines of his face, I couldn't help but suck in a breath at the sight of his striking looks.

"Don't get the wrong idea! I'm not some creep… I just heard you're supposed to marry me, so I wanted to see what my future wife looks like."

He was panting, but the excited sparkle in his eyes was impossible to miss.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked.

His hesitant manner made me nervous. "What is it?"

"Are you a fairy? How are you so breathtaking?" he blurted, his face flushing the moment the words left his mouth.

I couldn't help but laugh as footsteps sounded behind me.

"Well, well, Astrid! You're not even married yet, but you're already sneaking around with a man! How are you going to explain this?"

Rhea shoved the window open wider, only to freeze the moment she saw Drakon. "What are you doing here?"

Drakon could barely hide the disgust in his eyes. "What's wrong with me coming here to discuss wedding plans with my future wife? You, on the other hand, aren't taught any manners, judging from the way you sling baseless accusations."

Rhea's face turned red with fury, but there was nothing she could do other than direct her rage at me.

"Don't get too cocky! Even if you're getting along now, it doesn't matter because he's not going to live too long!"

Drakon clicked his tongue and flashed her a look of disdain. "What happens between my future wife and me is none of your concern. All I know is that I'll never mistreat Astrid."

Rhea clenched her jaw so hard she nearly crushed her teeth. "I can't wait to see the day you become a widow, Astrid!"

She couldn't stop bringing up being a widow. Her previous life's encounter had turned into a nightmare deeply ingrained in her bones.

That was why she was so pleased with Flint now. As long as he stayed alive, she was satisfied. Her bar was pathetically low.

"Better start learning how to cook and do laundry, Rhea. The wolves don't have maids attending to your needs, so you'll have to do everything yourself."

My words were a mild stab in her sore spot—the reality she least wanted to face. She furiously spun around and stormed off.

Downstairs, I soon heard her whining to Mother, demanding more wedding gifts.

Meanwhile, Drakon had returned to being a gentleman. Leaning on the windowsill, he looked at me and solemnly promised. "Trust me, Astrid. I'll never let you suffer as long as I'm alive."

My heart clenched painfully at the word "alive". Instinctively, I raised my hand and covered his lips.

The moment our skin touched, my heartbeat thundered.

Strange… I'd been married once in my previous life, so why was I still flustered now?

I feigned a cough to hide my panic and said, "I don't need wealth or glory, just that you stay alive and well, Drakon. Do you understand? Nothing matters more than that."

After a long silence, he looked up, as if having made up his mind. Then, he smiled. "I will."

To save money, Mother scheduled Rhea's wedding and mine on the same day.

To make sure Rhea looked grand, Mother poured every last coin she'd ever stashed away into her celebration with lavish dishes on the menu and extravagant, meticulous decorations.

In stark contrast, the celebration originally planned for me couldn't even be described as modest. It was downright pitiful.

Drakon took one look at it, grabbed my hand, and walked me out. The next day, he booked a venue of a far higher standard than Rhea's.

When we were greeting guests, Rhea and I crossed paths. She tightened her hold on Flint's arm on purpose.

"Astrid, I've never met anyone as sharp as Flint. He's brilliant at reading the clan politics and social dealings, and he can spot business opportunities instantly. I'm sure I'll be living well in no time."

I smiled. "I'm sure you will."

Rhea had a naively simplistic view of building a fortune. While Flint was clever, he lacked innate talent for business. It'd take him a long time to improve their living conditions.

In our previous lives, she had seen me living well within a year and assumed she'd do even better. She'd boasted everywhere that within six months, Flint's business would succeed, and her life of luxury would begin.

Influenced by her confidence, Flint began believing it and swaggered about.

Rhea could barely suppress her smug smile. "You just enjoy what you have with that ill-fated soul while you can. Everything you have will be taken back sooner or later."

With that, she turned to leave, but I wasn't about to give her a chance.

I lifted the hem of my gown and kicked her hard. "You and your filthy mouth deserve a beating."

She shrieked as she hit the ground hard. "You whore! How dare you hit me!"

Not one to take an insult lying down, she scrambled up to retaliate. Behind her, Flint rolled up his sleeves and was ready to join in.

But the fire dragons were nobles. They would never stand by and watch me get bullied by a lowly wolf.

With just a few instructions from me, Flint was pinned to the floor by the fire dragons, forced to bow and apologize.

Rhea looked like she wanted nothing more than to tear me into pieces. "When Drakon dies, we'll see who protects you then! I'll pay you back for everything you did today a thousand times!"

…

On the wedding night, I sat cross-legged on the bed doing accounts.

Behind me, a pair of arms wrapped around my waist. Drakon pouted and asked, "It's late, honey. Aren't you tired?"

He might as well have suggested outright that we call it a day.

When I pushed the ledger aside, looped my arms around his neck, and leaned in to kiss him, he nearly jumped. "W-What are you doing?"

I laughed. "Going to bed."

His face flushed a spectacular shade of red. "Of course, I knew that! I was just testing you!"

I was thoroughly amused. He was an interesting fire dragon indeed.

Hooking a leg around his waist, I pushed him onto the bed. He swallowed hard before flipping me under him instead. "I should handle things like this."

That was how I discovered the true, terrifying stamina of a young fire dragon.

That night, I went from being confidently in control to repeatedly begging for mercy. But he wouldn't let me off, not until I was limp and pliant.

When it was over, and I was utterly wrecked, he scooped me into his arms with a satisfied smile. "You've worked hard, honey."

All I could manage was a weak, coy kick. He just chuckled and caught my foot, holding it playfully.

What a rogue!

…

The next morning, I looked in the mirror and found myself staring back in shock. Why was there a faint dragon mark between my brows?

In high spirits, Drakon explained, "Are you looking at the dragon mark? It only appears after intimacy with dragons."

Realization hit me, and my eyes widened.

Why hadn't Rhea shown one in our previous life? Could it be that she and Drakon had never consummated their marriage?

Delighted, I grabbed Drakon's face and kissed him twice, hard. He was absolutely thrilled.