Chapter 1
Splash.
A cold liquid poured over her head, soaking her hair from the crown down.
Again?
Charlotte wasn’t even surprised anymore as she looked up toward the second floor of the banquet hall.
“Oh my, I’m so sorry. I had no idea Miss Lindsey was standing there.”
A woman leaning against the railing tilted an empty champagne glass and sneered.
“My, whatever shall we do?”
“She looks like a drenched little rat. How pitiful.”
The other young ladies beside her joined in one after another.
It’s such an obvious provocation that I can’t even get angry.
If she exploded in anger here, she’d be giving them exactly what they wanted.
Instead, Charlotte showed a faint smile.
“It’s alright. My hair smells pleasantly fruity now.”
The ladies frowned when their expectations were thwarted.
“Hmph, how ridiculous.”
“Acting nice now of all times.”
Fortunately, they didn’t continue picking a fight and eventually left.
“Phew.”
Honestly, Charlotte could understand why they hated her—or rather, why they hated the original owner of this body.
The real Charlotte had treated them horribly.
Charlotte Lindsey.
The eldest daughter of the prestigious Marquis Lindsey household and the villainess of the romance fantasy web novel Looking for a Husband.
Charlotte had been obsessed with the male lead, Grand Duke Hiclyde. Whenever another girl showed even the slightest interest in him, she would relentlessly torment them.
If that had been all, it wouldn’t have been so bad…
The real problem was that she had also targeted the heroine, Ayla—the woman the Grand Duke loved.
Unlike his reaction to Charlotte bullying other women, the Grand Duke had become furious. He issued a warning to the Lindsey family: if Charlotte harassed Ayla even once more, he would consider the entire Lindsey family his enemy.
Charlotte, who had already been treated as a half-abandoned child, was nearly disowned.
No, according to the original story, she should have been completely disowned.
Fortunately—or unfortunately—I transmigrated into her body at that exact moment and desperately begged for forgiveness, barely preventing it.
It felt unfair apologizing for something I hadn’t done, but I wasn’t in a position to be picky. Otherwise, I might have been thrown out alone into an unfamiliar world.
Still, things turned out alright.
After spending the last six months quietly hiding in her room, the Marquis seemed convinced she had reflected on her mistakes.
A few days ago, he had told her:
“If you behave yourself for one more month, I’ll send you to the villa overseas. I’ll also provide enough money for you to live independently.”
He called it independence, but it was closer to exile.
Still, it was better than nothing.
Once she left, she wouldn’t have to constantly watch the moods of the people in this house anymore.
Until now, the Marquis had kept her under close observation because he feared she might abuse the Lindsey name if left unsupervised. At last, he seemed willing to lower his guard.
All thanks to the effort she’d made staying locked inside her room.
Well, it wasn’t much of an effort considering she had always preferred staying indoors anyway.
Good. Just one more month.
First, though, she needed to deal with her sticky champagne-soaked hair.
As she searched for a lounge room, she heard whispers around her.
“Isn’t that Charlotte Lindsey?”
“I haven’t seen her in ages.”
“Did the Marquis finally lift her house arrest?”
“If she causes trouble at an event this important, she won’t get away with it this time.”
Hey, I can hear all of that.
And honestly, I’m the one most curious about why I’m here.
Tonight was the Emperor’s birthday banquet—one of the most important celebrations in the Rehnberg Empire.
Naturally, both Grand Duke Hiclyde and his fiancée Ayla, the two people Charlotte most wanted to avoid, were attending.
She had absolutely no desire to come.
Then why did an invitation arrive with my name on it?!
There was no way she could ignore an imperial invitation addressed specifically to Charlotte Lindsey.
The Marquis had repeatedly warned her not to cause trouble and reluctantly sent her.
The heirs of every noble family had been invited.
However, Charlotte wasn’t the heir to the Lindsey family. Her younger stepbrother Jayden was.
After all, Charlotte wasn’t related to the Lindsey bloodline. Her mother had brought her into the family after remarrying the Marquis.
At that moment, she heard another conversation nearby.
“Look over there. The genius mage Kyrie has arrived.”
“And the commander of the Hess Mercenary Corps, Eugen Mont. Isn’t his nickname the Mercenary King?”
Incidentally, both of those men were secondary male leads in the novel.
Normally Charlotte would’ve gone to take a look.
But her sticky hair bothered her more.
The banquet just started. The lounge should be empty, right?
Thinking that, she headed toward the lounge.
“Ah!”
Suddenly, someone burst through the door and collided with her.
“Charlotte Lindsey. You again.”
A gloomy voice fell from above.
Cedric Hiclyde.
The male lead of the novel and the person Charlotte least wanted to meet.
Ayla stood beside him.
“We’re in Lounge Room Three. How did you find out and follow us here this time?”
Excuse me?
I only came here because it was the nearest room.
“Was my warning last time not enough?”
“I think you’ve misunderstood something, Your Grace—”
“Misunderstood? Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think I don’t know what kind of person you are? I’m sick of you, Charlotte Lindsey.”
No, you really are misunderstanding!
But Cedric only narrowed his eyes.
“Stop it, Cedric. Nothing has happened yet.”
“You’re too kind, Ayla. You don’t know this woman’s true nature.”
Ayla tried to calm him down, but it was useless.
“Look. Charlotte Lindsey approached the Grand Duke and his fiancée again.”
“My goodness. Isn’t she afraid of the Lion of the North?”
To make matters worse, everyone immediately assumed Charlotte was once again pursuing Cedric.
“…”
Instead of defending herself, Charlotte remained silent.
She already knew it was pointless.
The protagonists of this world were them.
She was merely the villainess no one would ever believe.
“At least try to make an excuse—”
Just as Cedric was about to press her further—
“Move.”
A man wearing a black helmet had suddenly appeared beside them.
“That’s Marquis Mont!”
“The Mercenary King who brings death wherever he goes?!”
The frightened whispers revealed his identity.
“Are you talking about me?”
Even before the angry Cedric, the marquis remained completely calm.
He pointed toward Lounge Room Three.
“You’re blocking the way.”
Cedric’s face turned red.
Worried a fight might break out, Ayla quickly pulled him away.
The surrounding nobles also dispersed, apparently intimidated by the infamous marquis.
Charlotte had no idea why he had suddenly appeared.
But it was an opportunity.
Taking advantage of everyone’s attention shifting elsewhere, she quickly headed for the exit.
“Wait a moment—”
The marquis seemed to call out from behind her.
But surely he wasn’t talking to her.
After all, Charlotte hadn’t met any of the secondary male leads at this point in the story.
Outside the banquet hall, the corridor was thankfully empty.
Charlotte decided to go home immediately.
However, as she hurried toward the exit, she suddenly slipped.
Who spilled water on the floor?
“Whoa.”
Before she could fall, someone caught her.
An arm wrapped firmly around her waist.
Turning around, she first noticed brilliant golden hair shining even brighter than the chandelier lights.
Elegant features.
An arrogant expression.
And icy blue eyes.
Charlotte had read descriptions like this countless times in the novel.
If her guess was correct, then this man was—
“Your Highness! Crown Prince! The banquet is about to begin! Where are you going?”
The Crown Prince.
Another secondary male lead.
Ignoring his frantic aide completely, he looked directly at Charlotte.
“Leaving already?”
His deep voice brushed against her ears.
Charlotte glanced behind her.
No one was there.
“I asked if you’re leaving already.”
…Was he talking to me?
She hurriedly stepped out of his arms.
“Yes, Your Highness. I’m planning to return home.”
The Crown Prince stared at her silently.
His gaze made her body stiffen.
Scary.
All the secondary male leads loved Ayla.
Naturally, they all hated Charlotte for bullying her.
Wondering what he intended to say, Charlotte nervously waited.
Then he finally spoke.
“Don’t fall for me.”
“…Pardon?”
“Don’t fall in love with me just because I’m handsome.”
Charlotte blinked blankly.
Then something suddenly came to mind.
Now that I think about it, every secondary male lead had something wrong with their personality.
There was a reason none of them became the main lead.
And among them, Crown Prince Reynard was especially arrogant and narcissistic.
“Because if you do, you’ll only end up heartbroken.”
…
Was he really this bad?
Apparently he’d been holding himself back in front of Ayla.
“Ah, yes. I shall treasure Your Highness’s wise words in my heart. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
“Wait, Lady Lindsey.”
Suddenly, his expression became serious.
“Are you free tonight?”
“W-Why do you ask, Your Highness?”
“It’s difficult to explain right now. Just answer whether you’re free.”
Charlotte’s heart started pounding.
Wait. Does he actually have an interest in me?
Almost hypnotized, she answered.
“Y-Yes, I’m free. My father forbids me from going out, so I’m always at home.”
“Tonight as well?”
“Yes.”
“Then stay home.”
“…What?”
“Good.”
With that, Reynard turned around and walked away.
“…What is wrong with that guy?”
Charlotte’s bewildered muttering came several seconds later.
“What was that all about?”
Back in her room at the Lindsey estate, Charlotte sat on her bed after preparing for sleep.
“Whatever. I’ll think about it tomorrow.”
After a good night’s rest.
That was her plan.
She turned off the lights and lay down.
Sleep washed over her like a tide.
Just as consciousness began sinking into darkness—
Click.
She heard something opening.
A window, perhaps.
“Mmm?”
The moment she opened her eyes to investigate, she nearly fainted from shock.
A scream rose in her throat.
But a large hand covered her mouth.
“Shh.”
Those eyes.
The same blue eyes she had seen earlier.
The Crown Prince’s eyes.
“You can’t scream.”
Before she realized it, Reynard was leaning over her.
“It’s sudden, but I have a favor to ask of you, Lady Lindsey.”
A favor?
Terrified and confused, Charlotte nodded vigorously.
Apparently pleased by her obedient response, the prince smiled slightly and stated his request.
“I’d like you to let me sleep in your bed tonight.”
“…”
…What?
