Chapter 1: TIVFME

Chapter 1

"Miss, you have no idea how noisy it is outside."

Amy, Adeline's maid, cheerfully chatted as she brushed her hair.

"It's so loud that even though it's nighttime, it feels like daytime."

"It's because it's His Highness the Crown Prince's birthday festival. Tomorrow is the ball."

"A ball at the Imperial Palace! It's the first imperial ball in a very long time, isn't it? And it's even a masquerade! I can't wait to see how magnificent it'll be. You'll be the most dazzling person there, Miss. Do you know how much effort we've put into preparing you?"

Unlike the overly excited Amy, Adeline remained perfectly calm.

She merely smiled faintly.

Not even the slightest anticipation for the first imperial ball in five years appeared on her face.

The day of the ball has finally come.

Of course.

Adeline already knew how every event would end.

It had already been eight years since she opened her eyes and found herself possessing Adeline Thien, a character from a novel.

By now, she had grown accustomed to her role.

She was the story's villainess.

Not just any villainess, either.

She was the wicked woman who plotted to poison the heroine and was ultimately killed by the male lead.

Tomorrow's ball was the day the male and female leads would meet for the first time and fall in love at first sight.

That's right. If I can just survive the next three months...

In other words, if she endured for only three months starting tomorrow, she would die at the hands of the male lead, and this miserable possession would finally come to an end.

If someone else heard that, they would probably ask how death could possibly be such a relief.

But being trapped in a life that never changed, no matter how desperately she struggled, was far more hopeless than people imagined.

Whether it was something as small as changing a corsage or something as significant as saving someone's life—

Whenever Adeline tried to alter the original story, no matter how desperately she wished for it, things would never go the way she wanted.

So a magnificent imperial ball?

A secret masquerade?

Adeline couldn't care less.

"Please... let them meet safely tomorrow and fall in love at first sight. Please!"

She had only one wish.

That the male lead and the heroine would fall in love without incident.

Only then could she finally say goodbye to Adeline Thien.

"Miss... You are truly beautiful."

"Yes! You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen!"

"How can you possibly be this pretty...? It's such a shame your face has to be hidden behind a mask."

The maids couldn't stop praising her.

Their admiration wasn't empty flattery.

Dressed and prepared for the ball, Adeline was breathtakingly beautiful.

Her luxurious golden curls, pinned up and decorated with jewels...

Her light green eyes, shining brilliantly like polished emeralds...

Her exceptionally pale skin contrasted against her crimson lips...

Everything about her was dazzling.

Even the sky-blue gown that left her shoulders bare perfectly emphasized her graceful and elegant charm.

The only problem was that Adeline herself felt absolutely nothing.

"Miss, are you really not going to wear flowers in your hair? At least these two..."

"The jewelry I'm already wearing is enough. Even this feels excessive to me."

"Excessive? The other young ladies are wearing all kinds of flowers and jewels!"

"I said it's enough."

Adeline was unusually firm.

After all, today's true heroine wasn't Adeline.

It was Vanessa, the novel's female lead.

No matter what Adeline—or any other noble lady—did, all attention and admiration would ultimately belong to Vanessa.

That was how the story was written.

Nothing has ever gone differently from the novel until now...

Her spectacular debutante, praised as one of the greatest in the Empire's history...

Her becoming the darling of high society...

The endless line of suitors until just before the ball...

Everything had happened exactly as it did in the novel.

Not a single detail had changed during the past eight years.

"Miss, the Marquis is waiting."

"Alright. I'm coming."

After checking her appearance one last time, Adeline quietly stepped into the hallway.

She slowly descended the white marble staircase.

At the bottom stood her older brother, Enoch Thien, Marquis Thien, smiling warmly.

"My goodness. It's a pity tonight is a masquerade, Adeline. You're far too beautiful."

"Brother, don't exaggerate too. Honestly, I'm relieved we'll all be wearing masks."

"Exaggerating? I'm only saying exactly what I see—"

"Let's go."

Enoch looked wronged, but Adeline paid him no attention.

Without the slightest excitement for the ball, she calmly boarded the carriage.

"It looks like every noble in the Empire has gathered here."

Enoch wasn't exaggerating.

The grand corridor of the Imperial Palace where the party was being held was already filled with nobles.

After greeting several aristocrats, Enoch wandered off to continue his conversations.

Left alone, Adeline naturally joined a group of noble ladies.

"Ah, Lady Thien."

"It's been a long time, Duchess Flora."

"Even behind your mask, your beauty can't be hidden."

"You're too kind."

Even Duchess Flora, who was famous for being stingy with compliments, couldn't help praising Adeline's beauty.

But Adeline remained just as indifferent.

"It's been five years since Her Majesty passed away. Finally, another ball is being held in this corridor."

"It certainly took a long time. I truly feel sorry for His Majesty. He lost the wife he loved so dearly."

"But life must go on. I imagine that's why he's finally begun moving forward. After all, His Highness the Crown Prince's marriage can't be delayed forever."

"That's true. Perhaps tonight's ball is also... Hoho. Women our age no longer have such opportunities, but the young ladies must be terribly excited. Isn't that right, Lady Thien?"

The other noblewomen standing beside the Duchess laughed and joined the conversation.

Adeline merely smiled politely.

Nothing they said entered her ears.

Behind her blue feathered half-mask, her large light-green eyes searched busily for only one person.

Vanessa.

"His Highness the Crown Prince is going to have a difficult time deciding tonight. All the young ladies are dressed so extravagantly. Look, Count Felix's daughter has just arrived."

"Oh my."

Right then, Vanessa entered the corridor.

She was acknowledged throughout high society as a stunning beauty.

Her lovely light brown hair...

Beautiful hazel eyes matching its color...

Deep crescent-shaped eyes whenever she smiled...

And her bright, lovely smile completed by her full lips...

Even without dressing up, Vanessa was beautiful.

Tonight, however, she had gone all out.

Her pink dress perfectly highlighted her slender figure, overflowing with frills and floral decorations.

The countless diamond accessories adorning her body sparkled brilliantly beneath the lights.

Good.

That's a relief.

At that level, she'll catch the Grand Duke's eye immediately.

Seeing Vanessa, Adeline breathed a sigh of relief.

Just like in the novel, Vanessa was attracting everyone's attention.

...But why are so many people looking at me today? No one should be paying attention to me.

Taking advantage of everyone's focus shifting to Vanessa, Adeline tried to quietly move toward a corner.

Yet, for some reason, she kept feeling eyes on the back of her head.

Everyone should have been looking only at Vanessa.

Instead, people's gazes kept drifting toward Adeline as well.

She was simply that beautiful tonight.

Though she neither realized it nor wanted to.

Now all that's left is Grand Duke Inver...

Just as she thought the male lead, Kael Inver, only needed to appear—

The atmosphere inside the corridor suddenly changed.

This time, every single eye turned toward one person.

Kael Inver.

The Grand Duke who ruled the North walked into the center of the corridor wearing a navy-blue military uniform and a white mask.

Jet-black hair.

Blue-gray eyes that resembled a raging winter blizzard.

A tall, sturdy physique forged through years of defending the North.

Rumors claimed he was terrifying enough to devour people alive.

Yet every unmarried noble lady still blushed in his presence.

"Happy birthday, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"I should be thanking you for coming, Kael. I've heard the North has been especially busy lately."

Everyone watched the Crown Prince and Kael exchange greetings.

Everyone except one person.

Adeline.

She held her breath while watching only Vanessa.

Vanessa's reaction mattered the most.

Thankfully, Vanessa was blushing shyly as she looked at Kael.

Good. She likes him. Once they dance together later, they'll fall in love. I can finally relax.

Adeline quietly let out a sigh of relief and headed toward the corner of the corridor.

Only Kael and Vanessa needed to dance.

She had no desire to join the festivities herself.

Just worrying about their meeting had already exhausted her.

She only wanted to rest.

"Oh? Lady Thien! Why are you standing over here? The dancing is about to begin!"

"Huh? Ah... I suddenly felt a little dizzy..."

"Hurry! Come with me!"

Just as she finally reached a quiet corner, a young lady from a ducal family suddenly appeared, grabbed Adeline's hand, and pulled her away.

I came over here precisely because the dancing was about to start!

Unable to voice her complaint, Adeline was dragged helplessly along.

...Huh? The Crown Prince isn't dancing first by himself?

As they approached the center of the hall, she noticed the Crown Prince inviting several close nobles beside him into the middle.

Kael was among them.

In the novel, tradition dictated that the Crown Prince first danced with the lady he favored.

Only after that dance ended did the other nobles begin choosing partners.

That was when the crowd mingled, allowing Kael and Vanessa to meet and fall in love.

What's going on?

Why is it suddenly different?

Adeline's eyes trembled.

Something was wrong.

Wait... No.

After scanning the nobles surrounding the dance floor, the Crown Prince smiled broadly and walked toward Vanessa.

There were countless other young ladies nearby.

But anyone could tell he was heading straight for Vanessa.

Adeline frantically searched for Kael.

He needed to move first.

He had to reach Vanessa before the Crown Prince did.

...What?

But the direction Kael was walking was wrong.

His long strides led toward...

Adeline.

Just as the Crown Prince was approaching Vanessa, Kael was unmistakably walking straight toward Adeline.

"May I have this dance?"

Startled beyond words, Adeline stared blankly at Kael, her lips slightly parted.

This was impossible.

The story had gone completely off the rails.

Kael wasn't supposed to ask her to dance.

He was supposed to approach Vanessa, have her accidentally step on his foot once, skillfully guide her through the dance anyway, and fall in love with her at first sight.

What... what is happening?

Countless thoughts raced through Adeline's mind in an instant.

Desperately trying to figure out how to fix this disastrous situation—

She abruptly removed her mask, revealing her face.

I'm not Vanessa!

I have a completely different face!

Go to Vanessa before it's too late!

She thought perhaps he had mistaken her for Vanessa because of the masks.

She only wanted to show him he had the wrong person.

But instead—

"...If you'd rather dance without your mask, I have no objection."

Kael completely misunderstood her intentions.

He removed his own white mask as well.

While everyone else remained hidden behind masks, only Kael's cold blue-gray eyes and Adeline's warm light-green eyes met without anything between them.

The scene was so dramatic that the attention of everyone in the corridor instantly shifted to them.

It was the beginning of a scandal that would shake high society.

Is this man actually insane?

Although, unlike the romantic atmosphere everyone else perceived, the owner of those light-green eyes was internally cursing him with every insult she could think of.