The day my family was ruined, I realized the truth: ... more>>

I had reincarnated into the reverse-harem novel, ‘A Night of Entwined Serpents’, a story I’d read over and over in my previous life.

Determined to escape my fate as the Crown Prince’s mistress, destined to meet a miserable end, I fled straight to a foreign monastery.

One day, I was fortunate enough to secure a decent life as a high level priestess, skilled at healing. But then, one day, Lionel—the female protagonist’s older brother—stormed into the monastery.

His entire body was drenched in blood.

My three years of peace in the monastery meant nothing; I was dragged back to the capital, now assigned as the personal healer for the protagonist, Vivian.

Thus began my perilous daily life, as the three male protagonists of the original story began to appear one by one at the mansion.

The only thing keeping me going day by day was Lionel, who always seemed to show up at the right moment to rescue me from trouble.

“If you marry me, I’m sure you’ll abandon any thought of returning to the monastery.”

The man, once the embodiment of c*astity in the novel, suddenly proposes…?

To make matters worse, the contract is filled with suspicious clauses:

Celebrating every little anniversary, actively meddling in each other’s personal lives…

This love, this marriage, this novel.

It feels cozy, but is it really okay? <<less

She found herself in the body of an extra in the original story, but her father hit her on the head with a bottle and she was unconscious for three days. When she woke up again as ‘Seraphie,’ she decided the first thing to do was to kick out that b*stard father of hers.... more>>

"I found The Land Abandoned by God!"

And so, she naturally started meddling with the original plot.

"Should I try starting a business...?"

"Do you want to join the Magic Tower?"

"This bill has too many issues!"

"Would you like to receive some sponsorship?"

"Should I try founding a school?"

As she kept meddling without any guilt...

"Milady! No, Master!"

"Sera, I will become your subordinate."

"If Sera says it, of course, I believe it."

"Countess is the hope of this country."

"Will you accept me?"

She was just trying to make money and build some honor for her own comfort, but why were they all flocking to her, pledging loyalty and causing a commotion? Seraphie couldn't understand it at all.

* * *

“Sera.”

“...”

Seraphie hurriedly covered her ears with both hands. As she stepped back with a flushed face, Orkis also widened his eyes in surprise. But soon, he drew a playful smile.

"Oh my, you're weak to nicknames."

Seraphie couldn't find the words to respond. It wasn't that she was weak to nicknames, but rather, it was only natural to be startled when someone suddenly whispered in your ear. Seraphie was convinced that was the only reason. Otherwise, there was no way her heart would be pounding just from being called a nickname that didn't even have much impact.

As Orkis enjoyed watching her reaction, he looked like an innocent boy. The eyes that were always bored with the world felt pure for the first time.

Seraphie felt a tickle at the tip of the nose for no reason. It felt like the unique scent of a fresh summer had become even stronger.

"If it's a nickname, I think I could call you that every day."

Orkis gestured for Seraphie to come over. Despite feeling hesitant, she eventually approached him.

"Your intention to tease is too obvious, so I can't allow it."

"Countess said that practicing things like this makes it a habit."

“I want to punch my past self for saying that.”

Still, Seraphie didn't oppose being called by the nickname. <<less

Certain misfortune was better than uncertain happiness. It was a pathetic logic, but Seong-yeon believed in it. She had deliberately chosen misfortune, and she was content with that life.... more>>

Until the day news arrived of her twin brother Seong-hyun’s death.

Her world began to unravel from the moment she learned that the father she knew nothing about—Yoo Tae-geon, was the head of a private contract killing syndicate.

“What’s with your face? Like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Kwon San-ho, whom she encountered again after years, hadn’t changed.

He had been her first boyfriend—and the first target she failed to kill.

Drawn helplessly back into a world she never wanted to be part of again, Seong-yeon found him at the center of it all.

“...You’re going to kill Yoo Tae-geon on your own?”

“I wasn’t planning on doing it alone.”

“...”

“I took the job so we could do it together.”

To avenge her brother’s death.

To pay the price for the life she’d lived.

Seong-yeon pulls the trigger once again.

And the target becomes tangled.

“I always told you, didn’t I?”

“Don’t. Stop talking.”

“If one of us has to live… it has to be Yoo Seong-yeon.”

His whisper, as he guided her hand to the blade at his own throat, was like a spell.

In a life where every choice is the wrong one. Can a right answer be found? <<less

[We propose the betrothal between Aranes, the third of the Rudwig family, and Sarovan of the Leigro family.]... more>>

A marriage contract bound by the King’s decree.

It was nothing more than a high wall, taking away the things I loved and attempting to steal a handful of freedom.

The man outside the fence just laughed. The phrase I most frequently heard from him was: ‘Don’t do it.’

"You are so annoying.”

“Show some respect, Nes. I am your fiánce.”

My freedom may eventually become yours, but my true love has been pledged to my sword.

I’ve dreamed of things women aren’t allowed to desire. To tear down the walls that confine me and to see his smug face filled with dismay.

But as I became a woman, and he became a man, Sarovan Leigro started to act a bit strange.

“Stop there, Nes. Let’s talk before you go.”

“No, why should I? I don’t like you.”

“To think you’ll have to veil your face and face a man you don't like. How pitiful.”

His presence still inflamed my anger to the point that it was going to burst.

“If you love the sword so much, then duel with me.”

“…What?”

“A sword duel, that thrilling feeling.”

Is he acknowledging my freedom, or is this another trap?

I’m not too kind to trust you, and you were too vile to let me go.

As time passed, I grew more afraid of you.

The strange heat in your gaze. The scolding in your tender voice. The cool honesty you shared only with me, everything.

For fear that I might no longer be able to hate you.

Lest I lose the strength to break through his cunning walls. <<less

“Don’t think this is the end! ”... more>>

The strong smell of blood filled the air, a voice hoarse from screaming, and the sky painted red by the setting sun. On this crimson day, even the wind carried the scent of blood.

“I love you, Knox.”

When I saw those contemptuous eyes, a desperate thirst surged within me.

“So, please, look forward to it.”

To the day I return.

***

I possessed the body of Lilith Crescent, the greatest nemesis of the beloved heroine, a villainess who lives and dies for love.

And I’ve died three times already, entangled with the main characters of the original story.

This life is my final chance.

I only have one goal: to survive without falling into another dead end!

To do that, I must avoid the protagonists, who are the cause of all the chaos.

However…

“Lily, no one in this world can oppress you.”

“My lady, you look absolutely stunning today.”

“I… If it’s not too presumptuous of me… I would like to be your friend.”

Damn it, now the protagonists are seeking her out instead.

As if that weren’t bad enough, her only friend, the one who was always trying to kill her, was saying strange things.

“I sent all your carriages back.”

“…Why?”

“To go with you.”

…Is there no way to get along with all the main characters and survive happily ever after? <<less

Two years of marriage that was as sweet and happy as a dream. But one day, her husband disappeared without a trace.... more>>

Han Seo-ryeong, a blind and ordinary housewife, wandered around looking for him, only to be told;

“You’ll never find him.”

Her husband turned out to be the best secret agent with many faces.

“Our marriage was everything to me, but it was just ‘work’ to him?”

Feeling like her world was collapsing, Seo-ryeong unleashed her suppressed madness.

“If I do bad things, can I cross paths with him?”

Unable to catch him, she decides to get caught first!

What she didn’t realize was that the husband she was searching for so long was just around the corner. <<less

**This content includes graphic descriptions of coercion, controversial themes, and divisive keywords. Please consider these aspects before purchasing.... more>>

Twenty years have passed since the zombie virus outbreak. Yuyeon and Ryung, members of Team A within the armed group ‘A/Z’ responsible for maintaining order, get ambushed while investigating suspicious noises at a landfill site.

“You… you…”

“Haha… What should we do, sunbae? It bit me. Damn it…” As he shielded Yuyeon, Ryung was bitten by an unusual-looking zombie.

Realizing his body’s transformation, Ryung decides to end his own life but inexplicably fails to die…

“You… do you want to bite me?”

“Not just bite, I want to suck.”

“Same old, huh.”

Despite becoming a zombie, Ryung retains his sanity. Determined, Yuyeon vows to turn him back into a human. <<less

“Be happy. My love.”... more>>

With those words—a term of endearment for my husband that I’d never once spoken during our marriage—I brought an end to a marriage that hadn’t even lasted a year.

With my death.

But cruelly, God let me live.

Maybe death alone isn’t enough to atone for all my sins or beg for forgiveness.

The husband who had always wanted to kill me, who always hated me, simply changed his methods.

Before, he wished for my death. Now, he wants me to wither away by his side.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t live like that.”

I was never the kind of person who could endure that kind of pain.

“So I have no choice but to choose again.”

This time, I’m going to put an end to it.

This marriage will end with my death. <<less

"Wouldn’t we know if we could be a real married couple... if we did it?"... more>>

At that single remark from her friend, Shirley faltered.

After all, she was already struggling with the question of whether she and Damian, her fated fiancé since birth, could ever truly become a ‘real married couple’ rather than just friends.

"Of course, we’ll become husband and wife."

Her kind and gentle fiancé would always say frustratingly naive things, completely unaware of her inner turmoil.

"Then break off the engagement."

Her family gave her the chance to decide.

"So, you’re saying your fiancé doesn’t feel like a man to you?"

This man, who she didn’t even know, pierced through Shirley’s hesitations with startling clarity.

***

One sweltering summer night, while she lay asleep in her room, someone came to her.

"Let’s do something fun, Shirley."

Creak.

The bed dipped as someone sat down on one side.

"Something fun…?"

"Yeah, something fun."

Was it just her imagination, or was his voice filled with an intense heat?

"And what would that be?"

"You’ll like it, Shirley. I’m sure of it."

The hand that slid along her pale leg, illuminated by the moonlight, carried an unmistakable danger.

"What?"
"Whether we can or can’t, we’ll find out once we spend the night together."
The voice whispering in her ear sent a shiver through Shirley’s body.
"Show me that pretty thing." <<less

The face of her husband seen through the glass was beautiful,... more>>

if you could overlook the fact that only his ‘head’ remained.

“It’s your fault. You foolish girl.”

The cruel voice of her older sister brought her back to reality.

A husband who never loved her.

Yet she had never wished for his death.

All she wanted was not to be abandoned.

Even if she was nothing more than a pretty, smiling doll–slightly lacking, but always obedient.

***

[The Grand Duchess Is Acting Strange]

After receiving an urgent message from the castle, Grand Duke Zerdel of Barmas returns home, only to find his wife has changed drastically.

“Let’s get a divorce.”

Words he never thought he’d hear from her lips.

“I’m tired of you.”

“For someone who’s tired, you seemed to enjoy last night quite a bit.”

He simply smiled at his wife’s startled expression.

Whatever had upset her, he thought, he’d just soothe her as always with hugs, comfort, and kindness.

“As I’ve always said, I’ve been polite, kind, and gentle.”

“...”

“But not in bed, right?” <<less

Apparently she’s been reincarnated in an obscure Rofan novel that she saw from her previous life.... more>>

The problem is, it’s a novel about a woman who is plagued by insane male lords and the country is blown to smithereens.

In this life, too much has come to mean too much to run away and survive alone.

Now, the heroine’s devastating ending has become her devastating ending.

It can’t be helped. Since this is the case, she’s going to block the ruined route of this story in advance!

She thought so… <<less

I was reincarnated into a regret-filled story where the male lead desperately clings to the female lead.... more>>

But I'm not the female lead...

“I was thinking... maybe we should postpone our marriage for one more year.”

“Oh, and about the meeting we planned for tomorrow—I suddenly have an urgent appointment, so I don’t think I can make it.”

I became a side character, Loelle Ivelle, abandoned by the male lead!

It’s already painful enough to be thrown away so coldly, but in two years, I'm fated to get engaged to the villain of the original story.

And that's not all.

Right after the engagement, the villain tries to start a rebellion, and I end up getting executed with him.

Knowing all of this, I decided to follow the original story as much as I could and quietly step out when the time was right.

But then... I accidentally saved the villain?

I was about to run away without a single coin to my name, but the villain convinced me into a contract marriage. Still, that contract ends today.

‘I’m finally stepping out of the story.’

As I was about to leave the ducal estate, the villain of the novel—and my fake husband—Reus, blocked my path.

“You should put that luggage down and go get some sleep, Loelle.”

“Reus. You must’ve forgotten, but today is that day. The day I always talked about—when I leave for Veliata.”

“I know.”

“Yes, today is... wait, what?”

“Loelle. The ship to Veliata will no longer sail. Ever again.”

Reus touched my cheek gently and continued,

“Just in case you were still holding onto false hope.”

I was betrayed by my fake husband—someone I never thought would turn against me.

Why are you doing this to me, villain? <<less

My wedding is next week, but my fiancé brought his ex-girlfriend, who also happens to be his first love.... more>>

I thought it had to be a dream.

I never imagined I’d see the two of them standing side by side again.

“I’m three months pregnant. I’d like to cancel the wedding and call off the engagement.”

With a face I’d never seen before—utterly unfamiliar—he coldly demanded to end things.

“We had to finish the engagement ceremony before her belly started to show.”

“There’s really no need to go through a ceremony at all, Carlisle,” the woman carrying his child said softly, smiling shyly beside him.

“I’ll send the annulment papers as soon as we return to the estate. You just need to sign them, Aileen.”

The arms that once held only me… now belonged to someone else.

And just like that, with a single sheet of paper, five years of time, everything between us—came to an end.

“Urgh…”

“What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

If not for the look on his face—so unlike him, even after clashing swords—I might have believed I was truly ill.

“…Aileen, I’m so deeply sorry.. You were always the only one for me.”

Yes, if it weren’t for Carlisle, kneeling before me and pleading for forgiveness, that would have been the end of it all. <<less

Nivelia Deamor. 4 years old.... more>>

In her past life, she was the saint's cat.

In this life, she is the saint's granddaughter.

"Nini is going to be a woman who makes a lot of money!"

Her future goal is to earn a lot of money and feed and raise the 'wolf' she will meet again!

Because the wolf is Nini's companion and subordinate!

So, Nini worked hard to make money with sweat since she was two years old.

Although her 2-year life was nothing but failures, this time it will be different!

She succeeded in investment for the first time.

She partnered with her grandmother's friends.

She created a union with lawyers.

She even started a business with her own name!

She thought she would rise to success easily, but...

***

"You tricked me completely. You're a 'transmigrator', aren't you?"

"...?"

"Don't pretend you don't know. You took someone else's story and made yourself the protagonist. Do you like stealing everything from men and taking their wealth?"

"...?"

Transmigrator?

What was that? <<less

He inherited many things from his dead father.... more>>

A prestigious family name and a dukedom. Vast private lands and mansions. Numerous assets.

And one woman.

A minor lady of House Lehart whom he had secretly loved in the past,

A worn-out toy once used nightly to satisfy the previous duke's base desires.

Diez Schleicher was the most difficult and troublesome homework his father had left him.

He had spent his entire life trying not to resemble his father...... but it couldn't be helped.

In the end, he would become aroused in front of her. <<less

One day, the real lady—who was thought to be dead—returned.... more>>

At the same time, everyone turned their backs on me and, as if that weren’t enough, abandoned me.

“You lived happily during the eight years I lost, didn’t you? You thief.”

Just as my consciousness plummeted into the abyss at their hands—

“Do you want to live?”

In that desperate, urgent moment, a man reached out his hand.

“There’s no such thing as kindness without a price. Even if I ask something of you later?”

"..."

Without knowing that the embrace I thought was heaven was actually the door to hell,

I took his hand. <<less

She was falsely accused and died.... more>>

She was a knight with a heart that no knight of the emperor should ever have. She was about to die anyway, so she did not struggle.

"Forget about me in your memory, Your Majesty. Everything from the beginning to the present.”

However, coming back to life was something she had not planned. She was also the Princess of another empire who, as if by divine mischief, came to face him again. At that moment, all she wanted was one thing.

‘I hope that Your Majesty will not .................. recognize me.’

***

"I'm sorry, but I don't quite understand what you're saying, Your Majesty."

"Ha."

There was a strange tension between the two as they stood facing each other in the moonlight.

"I'll ask again. Who are you?"

At the question, Ellea’s heart was already beating wildly, beyond its master’s control.

At the same time, contrary to her confidence that he would never recognize her, she asked Terban.

"I don't know either. Who exactly do you think I am, the Imperial Princess who came here alone to keep the promise of my ancestors, or…”

‘Is it someone who loved and followed you?’ <<less

"I want to fall in love at first sight and give my heart to that person until my dying breath."... more>>

When someone once said this, Ariel smiled faintly at the innocence of the words.

But despite that smile, as if guided by fate, she met Kylance - and fell madly in love.

People called their love a fairy tale, a romance too perfect to be real.

And Ariel never doubted it, not for a moment.

Not until now, when everything she believed in is crumbling around her.

"The words Kylance spoke, 'I love you', were all lies. You, the daughter of the man who mu*dered his parents - Kylance only sought to destroy you, the woman he claimed to love more than life itself."

As the truth shattered her world, Ariel collapsed in despair.

"I wish I had never met you. If I could, I would erase every memory of you from my mind."

Determined to break the cruel bonds of fate, she left a single farewell note before throwing herself into the dark embrace of the sea.

***

"I can't believe you're alive. This isn't a dream, is it? If it is, I don't want to wake up."

Ariel. Ariel.

The man holding her trembled as he wept, her name falling from his lips like an unfamiliar prayer, tears streaming down his face.

When his trembling hand reached out to touch her cheek, she flinched instinctively, pulling away.

"Who are you?"

Her cold, distant voice cut through the air, unrecognisable as she pushed him away.

"What?"

Kylance's handsome face twisted in raw devastation, his expression shattered as if his entire world had crumbled. <<less

Roseline Wants to Break Up.... more>>

A relationship with a man admired by the entire empire was anything but smooth, and his illustrious reputation steadily erased Roseline’s presence. Her decision was made—all that remained was to say goodbye.

"Marriage? Marriage?"

"Yes, marriage."

"You're marrying me?"

"Naturally."

"...Why?"

Just as she was looking for a chance to leave, she received a marriage proposal one day.

"You love the imperial gardens, so it would be nice to hold the ceremony there once spring comes. But even those few months feel too long for me."

"..."

"I can’t wait any longer, Roseline."

It wasn’t just a simple proposal. It was a declaration—they would wed before winter’s end.

She was so stunned her mouth wouldn’t close. Good grief. A marriage even the bride knew nothing about.

Her hesitation was brief. Roseline realized the time had finally come to act on her long-made decision.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I cannot become the Grand Duchess."

"You keep forgetting something important. Was it ever your place to decide the end?"

"...What?"

"I have no intention of letting you go. Whether you stay or leave—when and how I release you is my decision to make."

"..."

"If you understand, nod."

She understood the icy anger laced in his words. If she let this pass quietly, he would continue playing the role of a devoted lover or partner.

"Then let it be Your Highness who ends our relationship."

Instead of choosing the peace of shadows, Roseline stepped into the harsh sunlight.

It would be difficult, but she believed parting now was the better choice for both.

Little did she know how far her life would plummet. <<less

I was stolen from by the adopted female lead.... more>>

"Sister, I'm sorry. Your fiancé confessed to me."

This is the fifth time.

Once again, my adopted younger sister has taken what was mine.

I thought that if I gave up everything and treated her kindly, I could at least avoid a tragic end.

"Why are you doing this to your sister when you're the older one?"

"Try to be half as good as your sister."

Even my parents didn’t love me.

Just when I thought I couldn’t endure any more, I discovered a shocking truth.

The real daughter was my sister, and I was the 'fake' who was meant to suffer in her place.

"I won’t let myself be taken from her so easily anymore."

To take my revenge, I decided to claim the one thing my sister had never had.

I chose the male lead of this novel, Calix.

"Three years? If you want, I can marry you tomorrow and make you a duchess."

But for some reason, this man wants me? <<less

Born a mutant into a cursed lineage of monsters, I lived a life of agonizing torment, forced to steal the lives of others against my will.... more>>

"I wish someone would kill me."

One night, beneath an exceptionally bright full moon, my plea was answered.

“[When the darkness upon this world threatens to swallow even the heavens, a valiant one shall slay the serpent and end it all. Thus, peace shall be ushered in.] ”

So I spared the small child who had snuck into the monster's mansion, desperately hoping he would grow strong and return for revenge.

And finally, on the destined day of reckoning, the one who was both my savior and the sole hero of this world shattered my hopes.

"I don't want to kill you anymore."

"Stay by my side. Until I die." <<less

She thought that, at the very least, he would bring a token of care during her illness. However, during the year she spent lying in a coma, her husband didn’t visit her even once. Only then did Regina realize—it was time to free herself from this futile and long-standing unrequited love. ... more>>

"You want a divorce? Why? What’s the reason?"

"I love you so much. I wish, even just a little, that you could love me back."

"Love? For a married woman, you’re saying something surprisingly naive. If you’re feeling lonely, shall I offer you a pet dog instead?"

Her desperate confession, born of mustered courage, was mercilessly shattered and torn apart by his cruel words. She could no longer find the will to continue a marriage that existed in formality alone.

"Do you have any idea how much investment I’ve made to plant seeds in your noble womb? Do you think I’ll let you go without seeing the fruits of that labor?"

Despite his cold expression, his hands gripping her shoulders and wrists were shockingly hot.

"You love me, don’t you? You’ll never be able to leave me." <<less

I died at twenty-two.... more>>

Yet I woke up at sixteen.

First by accident, then once more as an experiment.

By the third time I died and awakened,

I accepted the truth—my miserable life as Princess Aira of the Empire kept repeating.

"Please marry me."

In my first life, desperate to escape the Empire, I proposed a contract marriage to the King of the Archipelago.

The King welcomed me warmly and loved me, but it ended in tragic failure, and I became consumed by vengeance.

Even after completing my revenge, I found myself starting a new life again.

"Marry me."

This time, I proposed a contract marriage to a Republic Admiral who had helped with my revenge before my regression.

I needed to find a way to end this endless cycle.

"I have no interest in children."

Jens Will, merely a naval lieutenant at this point, rejected me outright.

Clearly, this strategy was flawed. Seeing me contemplate my next move, Jens offered an alternative:

"There are better options than outdated solutions like marriage. You can seek asylum and protect yourself from the Empire through a different path."

"?"

"Enter the Republic's military academy. You're still sixteen, aren't you?"

Me—once the Empire's princess and Queen of the Archipelago—becoming a Republic cadet...? <<less

I possessed a lowly villainess in a constellation novel who caused all sorts of trouble and ended up being abandoned by her companions.... more>>

...But what is this?

There's a community window right in front of my eyes!

Nyangcheol(catxxx): Wow, it's finally here. Episode 1 is out.

Owen(dowxxx): I've read the original before the remake. Don't bother reading it, it's a waste of time. Plus, the villainess's personality sucks.

RedHairAllergy(jotxxx): 3333 Agreed, Wendy is such a nuisance. I don’t know what the author was thinking when they created her.

.

.

.

Hundreds... No, thousands of comment windows appeared before me.

Most of the comments were criticizing me, the villainess.

But of all things, why do the readers who despise me have to be my constellations?

At this rate, I’m going to end up with nothing left, not even a bone to pick up.

So, I decided to start by changing the hearts of the readers.

“If one person goes up there, everyone else can safely get out of the dungeon while that person becomes the target.”

In times like this, sacrifice is the way to go. I pointed at the crimson magic circle beneath the cage where the phoenix was trapped.

“I’ll do it.”

Alright, this should make everyone feel sympathetic towards Wendy, right?

But what’s this? I was just trying to gain some favor...

“You’re going to stay behind again, huh? As if our feelings don’t matter at all.”

“I can’t leave you behind and walk away any longer.”

“You told us to live for ourselves, so why are you choosing the path of death?”

Somehow, my companions started becoming more obsessed with me than the readers.

“This time, let's put on some handcuffs. So you can’t just run away on your own again, Sis.”

Even the original female lead?

What’s wrong with everyone! I just wanted to survive! <<less

"Your Majesty, I love you!"... more>>

Olivia threw another fastball straight at Edmund.

"What's on the agenda today?"

Once again, he casually ignored her.

"Aren't we fated to be together, Your Majesty?"

On the day of Olivia’s umpteenth declaration of destiny, Edmund finally lost his temper.

"I thought I told you there's no way I'd ever be interested in you!"

“Please, just stop already! I’m not even the slightest bit interested in a girl like you.”

Even after countless cold rejections, Olivia would always smile. But when he saw tears welling up in her ever-cheerful eyes, he thought.

‘Was I too harsh? Maybe I should give her some of that chocolate she likes tomorrow.'

But that tomorrow never came.

"I'm going on a date — with Sir Gallahad!"

Just like that, she suddenly started chasing after another man.

"Ha! She said we were fated.”

It should have been a good thing, but Edmund couldn't help feeling twisted up inside. <<less