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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Starfall]
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Chapter 1 – This Is An Imperial Order. Become A Villainess.
“Explain yourself, Lady Arsene.”
Helena, the Princess of the Furon Empire, spoke sharply.
“This ball is an official event between our empires. Is this how the Sephia Empire welcomes me?”
The princess pointed to a tattered piece of cloth that was hardly fit for a person to wear.
It was originally a dress prepared by the Sephia Empire, intended for Helena to wear for the later half of the event.
“Well? Speak up! Explain yourself!”
Selina, flustered and panicked, desperately shot a look at Eric for help.
‘What do you want me to do?’
Eric, the Crown Prince of Sephia, mouthed with a troubled expression.
Of course, he knew better than anyone that Selina Arsene was not the culprit behind this incident.
He had been with her when the dress was torn to shreds.
However, he couldn’t bring himself to say that they were together in a different place at that time.
No matter how close they had been since childhood, they were both of marriageable age, having already made their debut in society.
Saying that they were alone in a room together wouldn’t be good for either of them.
Especially with Selina’s three-year engagement and Eric’s own secret affections for another, the situation was even more delicate.
‘You’re on your own. I can’t help you.’
He conveyed his message through his eyes and gestures.
‘Are you kidding me?’
Selina gritted her teeth and glared at Eric.
Currently, the high society was abuzz with the romance between the Crown Prince and the Baron’s beautiful daughter, a love that transcended their social statuses.
Most of the nobles secretly supported them, even though they had to be discreet due to the Emperor and Empress’s disapproval.
And the person who had secretly contributed the most to the Crown Prince’s high-profile romance was none other than Selina Arsene.
“Lady, are you ignoring me? Explain yourself! I’ve never been so humiliated in my life. I will report this to His Majesty, the Emperor of Sephia…”
Princess Helena lashed out even more sharply. Selina’s mind raced, desperately seeking a way to avert disaster.
“I…”
‘If His Majesty finds out about this, it will be beyond repair. This incident must end here, in the VIP lounge of the Imperial Palace, as a minor mishap.’
“I didn’t do it.”
Selina finally managed to utter those words.
“Lady, do you think that one sentence is enough of an explanation?”
Princess Helena said, sounding exasperated, as if there was no further explanation even though it was doubtful whether she would listen if there had been one.
If Selina had a good reputation or popularity, someone would have stepped up to defend her, saying, “Lady Arsene is not that kind of person!”
“Maybe she tore it thinking it was the dress that His Highness prepared for Lady Hazel, the Baron’s daughter?”
But no one came forward. Instead of protecting her, the air crackled with the unspoken conviction that Selina was the culprit.
‘No, I didn’t do it!’
Selina forced herself to swallow the words she wanted to shout.
Then, a young lady from the crowd stepped forward, trembling, and said,
“Lady, isn’t this too much? Even if… even if this dress was meant for me, how could you do such a thing…? Lady, you’re truly going too far.”
Ingrid Hazel.
The impoverished baron’s daughter with whom the Crown Prince had fallen madly in love.
Her trembling words, combined with her pitiful appearance, evoked sympathy from the nobles.
“Even if you dislike Lady Hazel, you should have known your limits.”
“You even dared to offend the Princess of Furon!”
“When we couldn’t bear it and tried to say something, you always told us to stay out of it because it was a matter between you and Lady Hazel. Now there’s another victim. Speak up if you have anything to say for yourself!”
As the nobles’ reactions became increasingly heated, Eric also grew flustered.
He looked around, trying to salvage the situation, and quickly spoke upon spotting Selina’s fiancé.
“Sel… no, Lady Arsene was with Young Master Patel the entire time, wasn’t she?”
“He was with us.”
“We were offering him counsel, as he was deeply troubled by his engagement to the violent Lady Arsene.”
“He said that he intends to formally request an annulment of the engagement from his family soon.”
Three friends close to Young Master Patel chimed in as if on cue.
‘I was just talking to you about the engagement problem! Are you using that as an excuse?’
Seeing Selina clutching her chest in frustration, people started whispering again.
“Look at her acting innocent.”
“How terrible must her usual behavior have been to warrant an annulment… Just look at the state of that dress. She deserves to be annulled.”
“Should we allow such a vicious lady to remain in our social circles?”
Unable to control the situation, Eric fumbled around, momentarily freezing.
“What have I done so wrong that you keep hating me?”
Ingrid Hazel shed tears with a mournful expression.
Eric quickly pushed past the surrounding people, approached her, and offered a handkerchief.
“Lady Hazel, please stop crying. As always, I am here for you.”
“Oh, Your Highness…”
Ingrid wiped her tears pitifully. Selina glared at Eric, who was putting on a show.
‘You’re still playing your love game in this situation? You won’t even give me an alibi and are just going to chase after love? Because of you, I’m facing an annulment and now I’m entangled in a diplomatic issue?!’
That’s right.
Selina was the victim.
This was all a cruel play orchestrated by Eric’s command, or rather, his suggestion.
* * *
It all started three years ago when Eric fell in love at first sight with Ingrid Hazel at her debutante ball.
“She’s so beautiful.”
The natural melancholy emanating from her face.
The innocence that sparkled in her eyes when she smiled.
And the mysterious aura that couldn’t be found in other girls her age.
Many men fell for Ingrid that night.
She literally became the first love icon of the social circle overnight.
However, Ingrid couldn’t appear in public often.
Her low status as a Baron’s daughter limited the places she could attend, and it was difficult to dress up every time due to the cost.
Eric desperately wanted to see Ingrid more and spend time alone with her.
But his status was too high to openly express his feelings to a baron’s daughter.
As he watched the number of barons, viscounts, and earls who admired her increase, Eric, boiling with frustration, first resorted to sending anonymous gifts.
He sent dresses and matching accessories, but they were all returned.
The reason was that she couldn’t accept such excessive kindness from someone she didn’t know.
Eric, even more smitten by Ingrid’s kind heart, eventually resorted to a method he shouldn’t have.
Creating a fake villainess.
* * *
Two years ago, Eric summoned Selina to the palace and, holding her hand, said,
“Pretend to bully Lady Hazel.”
“What nonsense are you talking about? I told you to speak clearly so I can understand.”
Selina pulled her hand away.
The two were childhood friends and academy classmates, very close to each other. Despite Selina’s rejection, Eric continued speaking without hesitation.
“For example, you could intentionally spill a drink at a ball and say, ‘Oh, I didn’t see you there.’ Then, I could apologize on your behalf and gift her a dress. How about it?”
“What about my reputation? Are you saying I shouldn’t even show my face in society?”
Selina grumbled. Eric tried his best to appease her.
“You’re already engaged, right?”
“Yes.”
“You promised to marry into the Patel family to benefit your business.”
“That’s right.”
“Then you don’t need a good reputation at balls. You’re not going to be a salesperson in front of people. Don’t people attend balls to find a good marriage? But you’re already engaged.”
Selina responded to his absurd words with a flick on his forehead.
“Ouch!”
“Stop talking nonsense. The Empress Dowager would faint if she heard you.”
“You dare lay a hand on royalty! If you keep this up, I’ll have no choice but to say it.”
“What? Say what?”
Eric, pretending to be indignant, declared with utmost seriousness,
“This is an imperial order. Become a villainess.”
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HEL SCANS
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Starfall]
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