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Chapter 2
The debutante ball this year was held in the largest banquet hall of the Imperial Palace. The hall was already packed with people.
Of course, there were those participating in the debutante, but there were also many who had come for other reasons.
Whenever nobles gathered like this, rumors and romantic interests were bound to follow.
For example, some had arranged to be introduced to a noble family’s young master they had long had their eyes on, or to meet a beautiful lady from a branch of the imperial family at this debutante.
Anyway, all of them, dressed up beautifully, waited for the debutante to begin with excitement in their hearts.
Everyone except Celestine.
“……”
Celestine, sitting in a corner of the hall, looked completely blank. Unlike the others, her unfocused eyes stared into empty space.
…In fact, she barely even remembered how she got here.
“Melsi, take Celestine with you. Tie her up or beat her if you have to, just get her ready as quickly as possible!”
Greg’s worry had been unnecessary. Contrary to expectations, Melsi managed to take Celestine and dress her up without any trouble.
Back then and even now, Celestine’s mind was not occupied with this stupid debutante at all.
‘What do you mean the reader is leaving…?’
She had read many possession stories, but this kind was new. And if readers were leaving, then they were leaving—why was she being held responsible?
‘Me—no, Celestine Winsel disappears forever from the novel…?’
Was it like those background characters in dramas who disappear without anyone noticing?
‘Now that I think about it, there was something like that in a comedy show before.’
So she had to act crazy like that too? Every time that warning message appeared? Her face stiffened.
Villainess Celestine. The arrogant only daughter of Count Winsel, one of the most powerful families in the Empire.
She was beautiful and talented, but her personality was twisted. She failed to win Dervaltin’s heart and developed an inferiority complex toward Asha.
If she couldn’t just stay still in this situation, then everything was already leaning toward her being killed by Dervaltin.
‘So this is “worth possessing into,” huh…’
Her earlier thought shattered completely.
“I’ve never seen so many people gathered like this.”
“I know, right? They said Crown Prince Dervaltin told them to pay special attention to Princess Asha’s debutante. Looks like it’s true.”
At the sudden whispering, Celestine’s ears perked up.
“But isn’t it a bit surprising? No matter how much he cares for her, isn’t this too much?”
“I don’t think the Crown Prince would see it that way. I even heard he wanted to make it even bigger.”
Dervaltin cherished Asha greatly—even before he became Emperor.
In the harsh palace life, where everything felt like walking on thin ice, Asha was the only comfort he had.
“It’s interesting, isn’t it? That he cares so much for a princess no one else pays attention to.”
But that kind of attention always brought side effects.
Just like now.
Poor Asha had started being bullied for such childish reasons. And the trigger for it was probably this debutante.
‘Ugh… no need to get involved by staying here. Things are already bad enough.’
If she moved away a little, the warning message wouldn’t appear again, right? She had already attended, after all.
Celestine quietly turned her body, trying not to attract attention, and carefully left the hall.
She ended up near a large garden by the entrance.
She had looked for a place with fewer people, and it turned out to be perfect for clearing her head in the cold air.
“…Sigh.”
No matter how much cold air she breathed in, only sighs came out. What should she even do?
She looked ahead.
The entrance was still crowded. Nobles gathered, chatting among themselves.
Greg was among them too.
‘Ah.’
If that fierce man saw her, she would definitely get dragged back. She stepped back instinctively.
‘…Huh?’
It seemed someone else had arrived in the garden before her.
“It’s truly an honor to meet you like this.”
A voice came from around the corner.
‘What now?’
Celestine narrowed her eyes and carefully approached.
“To be honest, we were a bit surprised. We thought Your Highness would make a grand entrance and receive everyone’s attention.”
“That’s right. This debutante is so grand because the Crown Prince prepared it specially for you, isn’t it?”
“Ah… th-that…”
“Regardless of what people say, we are benefiting from it too, so we are grateful. It’s an honor to thank you in person.”
Oh?
It was Asha.
Celestine’s eyes widened.
The real Asha Bacalar was…
Even more beautiful than she imagined, and more fragile and pure than expected.
Her silver hair flowed down to her waist, shining like real melted silver under the moonlight. Her clear turquoise eyes looked mystical, like a fairy’s.
She seemed like something out of a legend.
Well, she was the female lead, after all.
‘She’s really pretty—!’
While she was staring in admiration, Celestine accidentally stepped wrong.
Snap.
A thin branch under her foot broke loudly, and everyone’s gaze turned toward her.
She froze when she made eye contact with Asha.
“Oh my, Lady Celestine!”
The loud voice belonged to one of the girls who had been speaking irritably to Asha.
“Where have you been? We were looking for you! We even sent someone to the Winsel house, but they said you had already left!”
…Me?
You know me?
Celestine felt confused.
“We happened to meet Her Highness and were keeping her company.”
“Ah… yes…?”
Their idea of “company” seemed very different from hers.
“Her Highness is so beautiful today, isn’t she?”
One of them said.
“It’s amazing. For someone attending a debutante, her outfit is quite… modest—oh, pardon me. Simple. Yet she still shines. She must resemble her mother, Lady Anel.”
Asha’s expression stiffened slightly.
To others, it sounded harmless. But the truth was different.
Asha’s mother, Anel, was a low-born dancer. She became the Emperor’s concubine purely because of her beauty.
Because of that, she was insulted her whole life.
A woman with nothing but her face. A vulgar woman who seduced the Emperor like a prostitute and dared to seek status and wealth.
“This debutante could be a great opportunity for you, Your Highness. Unlike us rigid noble ladies, you have… abilities.”
“……”
“Don’t you think so, Lady Celestine?”
All eyes turned to Celestine.
As if saying, “I did well, right? Now it’s your turn.”
…Ah. So these were them.
Celestine’s group of villain followers. The girls she used to hang out with.
‘I should’ve just stayed in the hall…’
It was too late.
“Um… well…”
It felt like being suddenly forced to give an important presentation without preparation.
If she stayed silent, the warning would appear again.
‘Wait…’
The red message flashed in her mind.
《Because you are doing nothing after possession, readers are leaving! Take appropriate action to bring them back!》
‘It said I did nothing—not that I didn’t follow the original story…’
Right.
No one said she had to follow the original.
Then she just needed to attract attention.
“That’s right. You’re absolutely correct.”
Finally, Celestine opened her mouth.
