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Chapter 27
The First Prince’s Birthday Celebration ①
The grand hall of the palace was adorned with dazzling decorations, with golden-trimmed pillars gleaming softly under the gentle light.
A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling, shining brilliantly, while nobles, dressed in their splendid attire, sipped champagne with graceful poise.
The lively music and unending laughter filled the room, creating a scene perfectly suited for the birthday of the royal family’s first prince.
Standing there, I took a quiet, deep breath.
(…Just as I saw in my dream…)
I blinked several times.
It was a strange sensation—what I was seeing now matched perfectly with a dream I had once seen. The colors of the flowers, even the angles of the light from the chandeliers above, were identical to the future I had glimpsed in that dream.
(That dream wasn’t just a fantasy… Could it be that it was a fragment of the real future experienced by the “real” Lilybell?)
A flutter of unease stirred in my chest.
I thought back to just a few days ago. I had been practicing water magic in front of the fountain at the palace grounds. On a whim, I had let a small stream of magical power flow from my fingertips into the water.
That night, I had a dream.
In the dream, Lilybell was walking along the palace’s outer corridor.
It was a cloudy morning, with the air damp as if the rain had just passed.
Small puddles of water dotted the floor beneath her feet—
And from the distance, a maid rushed toward her, flustered.
Her face was blurry, but her dark attire was unmistakable.
The maid turned toward Lilybell and deliberately bumped into her.
Lilybell stumbled reflexively and landed on her rear in a puddle.
Splash. Cold. And humiliating… That feeling lingered even after I woke up.
It was a troubling dream—but the story didn’t end there.
Later that day, as I walked down the corridor, vaguely recalling the dream, the same kind of maid appeared, rushing toward me just like in the dream.
The puddles were in the same spots—and instinctively, I stepped back a step just in time.
As a result, I avoided the collision, and the maid lost her balance, falling into the puddle herself.
(That’s when I realized it clearly…)
—This dream might be a glimpse into the future.
And it doesn’t happen every night.
Only on the days when I consciously channel magic into the fountain do I relive a day in the life of the “future Lilybell,” as if watching a video.
(The fountain is the key to the dream.)
Once I realized that, I began paying careful attention to the contents of the dreams—so I could know what might happen and what I could prevent to survive in this world.
(Ah… that’s Lady Epha…)
My eyes were drawn to a corner of the hall.
In the center of the hall, young ladies in stunning dresses chatted and socialized with sparkling eyes and radiant smiles.
Among them was one particularly striking lady—a beauty with black hair and golden eyes, resembling Keith-sama closely: Epha Mathilde Winterhalter. Yes, Keith-sama’s sister, the so-called villainess from the novels.
Her beautifully waved hair bounced as she was surrounded by a group of young ladies.
I could see that those seeking to stand near the crown prince were keeping their distance carefully, shooting wary glances at her while she maintained her place.
She was undeniably stunning. Keith-sama was beautiful too, so it made sense—it was truly fitting.
(Hmm… that’s odd. In the dream, Lady Epha should have been with Keith-sama…)
Curious about the discrepancy, I shifted my gaze slightly to the side.
There stood Keith-sama, dressed in a formal deep navy outfit. His composed features looked even more refined than usual, perfectly blending with the palace’s stately atmosphere.
“Lilybell-sama, is something the matter?”
His voice made my heart skip.
His glossy black hair, like obsidian, was swept neatly back, revealing the graceful shape of his ear. Beneath it, strands of his hair flowed along the nape of his neck with a subtle, lustrous sheen that drew my eyes almost irresistibly.
“N-no, it’s nothing, Keith-sama,” I replied.
Though my mind was in chaos at his sheer charm, I maintained the facade of a proper young lady.
“Your attire today… it suits you wonderfully, Lilybell-sama.”
Trying to hide the heat in my cheeks, I heard a calm, low voice beside me.
My heart jumped again at the sound.
“T-thank you for showing me something so lovely, I mean… um, thank you for the wonderful dress…!”
I clenched the hem of my skirt, desperately restraining the praise that threatened to escape for Keith-sama.
Today’s dress was a light, lemon-colored silk adorned with white embroidery, airy and delicate. Tiny pearls decorated the chest, and the petal-like sleeves complemented the soft spring light as if the dress itself was melting into it.
It was far too beautiful for me. When it arrived at the palace a week before my brother’s birthday, Berne and Rosalina had been equally thrilled.
“You look very beautiful. Now, allow me to escort you.”
I stared at the hand Keith-sama extended, hesitating for a moment. This was different from the dream.
In the dream, he hadn’t been present. Lilybell had simply watched him with Epha by his side, alone.
Even being offered an escort was surprising… perhaps something had changed.
Keith-sama had been strictly ordered by his father, Marquis Winterhalter, to befriend me. Surely, this gesture was only part of that instruction, with no hidden intentions. I had to be careful not to misinterpret it.
Taking a quiet breath, I gently placed my right hand on Keith-sama’s arm.
“…Thank you.”
I bowed slightly, and Keith-sama, remaining silent, led me slowly toward the center of the hall.
“Brother!”
A high, clear voice rang out, and a slender hand slipped around Keith-sama’s arm.
“…Epha.”
Keith-sama spoke her name in a low tone.
Clinging to him, Lady Epha stood there, her golden eyes sharp, filled with the light of a predatory bird.
Though elegant, she carried an aura of strength—exactly as the “villainess” had been depicted in the novels.
