FMLDM 03

Chapter 03 

The Stepmother Does Makeup

The ladies’ eyes sparkled at the intriguing topic.

“The crown princess must be part of the crown prince selection criteria, right? I heard His Highness Macaron is the strongest candidate.”

In the Romanty Empire, the position of crown prince wasn’t determined by primogeniture. Instead, it had long been tradition to select the most capable prince. The qualities required to become crown prince were numerous: political skill, military achievements, global connections—and most importantly, the matter of the crown princess. Currently, the empire had two suns. The First Prince had already chosen a consort, but the Second Prince had not.

“If he doesn’t find a princess, is he disqualified from becoming crown prince?”

“He’s so outstanding in other areas, he could probably make up for it with extra points, don’t you think?”

“Still, not having a princess would be a critical flaw. That’s probably why he’s sending out proposals at the last minute.”

They were all wrong.
Only I knew the detailed plot of La Vie en Rose.
Macaron didn’t need to earn extra points by getting married to become crown prince. He was already hailed as the most capable prince in imperial history.
Logically, the Second Prince Macaron ascending the throne was a foregone conclusion. The crown prince selection was just a formality—his position was all but confirmed.

The problem?
Macaron himself had no interest in becoming emperor.
Considering he’d spent too long being tormented by political strife and battlefields, his lack of ambition was understandable.
To make his intentions clear, he planned to marry a woman entirely unfit to be empress.
In that context, the current round of proposals was just a way to fail the crown prince selection and live as a mere grand duke.

But no sane woman would marry him.
Ever since the last war, terrifying rumors had spread across the empire that Prince Macaron had become a “monster.”

“They say he turned into a monster after being attacked by demons during the Refresh War. And that any woman who spends a night with him dies.”

“Come on, even if he’s a ‘monster prince,’ he’s still human. That can’t be true.”

“Why not? Didn’t he bring back an unknown kid from the last war? But no one’s ever seen the kid’s mother.”

“So all those rumors are true? Oh my, how tragic.”

“No matter how tempting the position of crown princess is, would anyone actually accept his proposal?”

A woman who would marry the dreaded “Monster Prince” Macaron.
Yes. That crazy woman is me.
Or more accurately—will be me.

In the original story, after Calypse was divorced by Shubil, she immediately gave Coral to an orphanage.
Having fallen into a trap and saddled with Shubil’s debts, Calypse faced prison time. That’s when Prince Macaron’s marriage proposal arrived.

To a desperate Calypse on the edge of a cliff, the proposal was salvation.
She accepted.

The problem began when, having never been loved before, she became obsessed with Macaron’s beauty.
As with most contractual marriages, Macaron paid her no attention.
Consumed by bitterness, she eventually received a sweet offer from the First Prince—and accepted it.

“And then she was caught poisoning Macaron’s drink and met a brutal end at his hands.”

In the original novel, Calypse’s death was described in just a few lines—but they were hauntingly vivid.
And now… I’m her.

Every time I heard the rumors about Macaron, I was reminded of Calypse’s tragic end.
Still, I maintained a calm expression. I wasn’t shaken by something like this—I’d heard it all before.

As I added the final touch—a beauty mark under the eye—the makeup was complete.

“All done.”

The “Catwoman” makeup was seductively perfect for the night.
Not just Madam Marie, but even the surrounding noblewomen stared in awe.

“What kind of person are you…?”

“You’ve breathed life into my dead face. Thank you.”

Madam Marie’s witty compliment drew laughter from the ladies nearby.
They, too, had been clients of mine earlier.

Despite the high price of five gold coins each, they were desperate to book me.

“You must come again next week.”

“Of course.”

As I smiled, Lady Clie shyly approached.

“Could you remind me of the correction makeup you did last time? I think I’ll be out for a while today.”

Makeup isn’t just about design and application—maintenance is also essential.
Of course, I couldn’t follow them around all day to do touch-ups.
And if they decided to hole up in a private room…
That’s why I created the Changer.

“How about using this?”

When I revealed the new magical device, their eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“This one’s for Cat Eye makeup, this one’s for Flower makeup, and this one…”

Each Changer was preloaded with one of the styles I had applied today.

“Take the Changer that matches your current makeup.”

As soon as I spoke, they eagerly took their assigned devices like obedient children.

“Align your face with the marked area and take a photo. The artifact will scan you.”

After a brief flurry of commotion, the women completed the scan.

“Then just press the button. That’s it.”

“It’s like the makeup’s been reapplied! It’s clearer now!”

They fussed over each other’s faces, then checked the mirror again and again in excitement.

“It lasts 30 minutes. If you want more time, you can buy additional filters.”

“……!”

The ladies immediately switched to “customer mode” and began clamoring for the price.
I’d planned to sell them for one gold coin each since they only lasted 30 minutes, but judging by their reaction—I could charge more.

“Two gold coins each.”

The Changers sold out immediately, with people already inquiring about restocks.
At this rate, I could fill Coral’s wardrobe to the brim.

As I packed up with a satisfied smile, Lady Lanetin approached.

“Wait, you can make magical devices too?”

“It’s just a little hobby.”

“A hobby? If our merchant guild sold this officially, it could break revenue records. And who else in the empire could even design something like this?”

Madam Marie licked her lips, clearly impressed.
As the head of a major merchant house, she wouldn’t say that lightly.
But now wasn’t the time.

I politely declined, and though she clicked her tongue in disappointment, she smiled at me nonetheless.

“Is there anything you can’t do?”

“And you’re beautiful on top of it. The world’s really unfair!”

I wasn’t sure what this world’s standard of beauty was, but I often heard such compliments.

“If you entered the Cochella competition, you’d surely be crowned Queen.”

“Of course. You are attending this time, right?”

In the Romanty Empire, there was a social event held every four years—like the Olympics—where they chose three Queens and three Kings.
The top three were called the “F3,” and their popularity swept the empire.

The event was so influential, its importance was hard to overstate.
If Calypse had entered the social scene, she might have made the list.

But thanks to her stepmother’s schemes, she’d never once set foot in high society.
So I couldn’t be sure how this face ranked in this world—but it was beautiful, no doubt.
If my fans were to be believed, anyway.

“Thank you for the compliments. I’ll see you again soon.”

I slipped away with a smile, gently brushing off the many hands trying to make me stay and enjoy the party.

One ordinary day, after a peaceful mother-daughter outing and grocery shopping, the expected proposal arrived.

A letter from the Second Prince, Macaron Crade.

A divorced woman with a child. From a humble baron family.
That was me—Calypse.

As someone who had no desire to become crown prince, Macaron couldn’t have found a more perfect remarriage partner.
A divorced noblewoman from a fallen family—he’d probably tried all the others and been rejected.
That’s how the proposal ended up in my hands.

The letter fluttered in the wind.
Anyone else would’ve told me to tear it up on the spot.

But instead, I wrote a reply containing my acceptance.

Crazy?

Telling me to get a grip?

Yeah. I know.
I probably do look a bit unhinged.
But here’s the important part—

The male lead, Kai, lives there.
The nameless child Macaron brought back from the battlefield?
That child is none other than Kai, the male protagonist of the novel.

“I have to get Coral and Kai together. I can’t mess this up.”

In the original story, Coral and Kai first met at the Imperial Academy.

Despite her low status, Coral was scouted by a professor for her genius inventions.
But her low birth led to relentless bullying.

The one who saved her from all that?
Kai.

Just as their love began to bloom, Shubil divorced Calypse, and Coral was abandoned at an orphanage.
She ended up in a rural orphanage, losing contact with Kai.

Though separated, their bond was too strong to be broken by time or distance.
Even after becoming emperor, Kai left the empress seat vacant for years.

“Because he only ever thought of Coral…”

Until they reunited, both endured trials and heartache while longing for each other.

My goal is simple:

“Get Coral and Kai together.”

After that, it’s up to them. I’ll make my exit.

“Anyway, my marriage to Macaron is just a temporary contract.”

Knowing the future, I had already prepared for both the divorce and the remarriage with Macaron.
In the Romanty Empire, adults could request disownment at will, and the process was easy.

“During our one-year contract marriage, I’ll create the best possible environment for Coral—then quietly divorce.”

After that, I’d leave the rest to Coral and Kai.

I’d been planning this for a long time, so there was no need to hesitate.
Still, before signing the contract, I paused for a brief moment.
The image of Macaron beheading Calypse in the original flashed through my mind.

“Of course, that was because she tried to poison him…”

Still, a chill ran down my neck.

“But for Coral’s sake, there’s nothing I can’t do.”

Once I safely unite Coral and Kai, I’ll collect a fat divorce settlement and start a second life.

A week later, a reply arrived through the window—sealed with the Crade family’s crest.