⚔️ Background & Lore

In her previous life, Ruby was an orphan from South Korea adopted by a wealthy elite Spanish family as a “charity case.” Rudbeckia had access to luxury and prestige, but still wasn’t accepted—bullied and ostracized. The only person kind to her was her older sister, who died by suicide at 21, leaving Ruby isolated. In a home that “looked perfect” but wasn’t, Ruby learned that acting bright, cheerful, and submissive was survival.

At 16, she encountered the online fantasy novel Sodom and The Holy Grail. As Rudbeckia, she was born to Carmen, who died right after giving birth. In that story, Rudbeckia is a villainess fated to die by her husband’s hand—so now Ruby’s entire life becomes a calculation: survive the Borgias, survive the Omertas, survive the plot.

📜 Synopsis (Story Setup)

When the Pope announces her engagement, Ruby is instantly sick with dread—because she knows the groom is the very man who’s supposed to kill her in the future: Iske van Omerta, the “golden boy” of the north. To survive, she smiles, performs gratitude, and says what keeps her safe—because in her house, honesty gets punished.

She leaves for Britannia determined to look harmless to everyone—especially the Omerta family, who may see her as a spy. Even when love starts to show up, Ruby’s fear doesn’t vanish; she’s always waiting for the rug to get pulled out.

💬 My Impression

Ruby hits you with instant heartbreak: the story opens with her being told about the arranged marriage while sitting on her adoptive brother’s lap (actually vile). At home she’s beaten, used as a pawn, and trapped in a terrifying dynamic where her brother’s obsession turns incestuous—so marriage becomes the only escape… except she knows the Omertas will hate her and suspect her.

In the manhwa, her anorexia (stress-induced) goes unnoticed until Elenia realizes what’s happening. Then you get the maid problems, the childhood friend problems, and the worst part: Ruby is in “enemy territory,” so her suffering is dismissed as attention-seeking. The lack of reassurance hurts because Ruby genuinely believes any warmth can vanish overnight.

Freya’s framing attempts were infuriating—especially the “final straw” when she pushes the incest rumor to Iske after a brutal incident where Cezar kisses her in front of witnesses. Freya tried to use what people saw to destroy Ruby, without understanding how abusive and toxic that relationship truly was. She then gets the shock of a lifetime when she tries to make Iske, Elenia and the knights follow Ruby to “unmask” her only to find Cezar betting her.

Healing takes time after abuse on that scale, but it’s not impossible. Ruby deserves the world, point blank.

Overall vibe: “A soft smile as armor — a survivor learning to live for herself.”