If You Want To Frame Me As A Villainess, I Will Be The Villainess. However. - Chapter 1

A it was the academy’s graduation party, i had been polished to a greater extent than usual and wore a crimson dress studded with stones specially imported from a neighboring country. Adorned in such beauty, i should have been the object of envious gazes, the future crown princess.

Yet, the academy students showed only scornful glances my way.

In the vast hall, far from His Highness the Crown Prince who should have been my escort, i was left alone, next to wallflower. If only my friend, Lady Marilu Dubuffet, or my childhood friend, Lord Walter Besson, were here, it would have been a distraction. But, it couldn’t be helped now.

And as i stood there, next to wallflower, whispers of scorn reached my ears.

“How awful to bully Lady Noelia.”
“I hear His Highness Fabian is furious.”
“It’s surely over for Lady Christiane now.”

Even without asking anyone, i understood my current situation perfectly well. Moreover, my fiancé, His Highness Fabian, hadn’t left Lady Noelia Gans’s side for a single moment since the graduation party began, making the situation clear to everyone.

His Highness Fabian was infatuated with Lady Noelia, not me, his fiancée.

As i watched Lady Noelia, whom i was seeing for the first time, smile happily at His Highness Fabian, I hardly kept my facial expression, as i trained for the role of crown princess, to hold the composure. Lady Noelia’s dress, a luxurious gold-threaded gown that the Gans Baronetcy could never afford, seemed to further enhance her sky-blue eyes. It was probably made to match Fabian’s golden eyes…

Honestly, i wanted to let out my expression and show a cold stare at His Highness Fabian, but considering my position as Lady Christiane of Dumerg, i couldn’t do that.

For now, i couldn’t escape this place. As the future crown princess, as a duchess, and as a graduate, i had to fulfill my duties. Even if i had to endure such treatment.

Pretending to be an emotionless doll, i stared out the window across the room. It seemed that only the roses outside could ease me. Only those beautiful roses, resembling him, seemed to bring a little lifeblood back to my heart.

That’s why i didn’t notice them approaching until they spoke.

“Lady Christiane, i need to speak with you.”

At the sound of His Highness Fabian’s voice, i came back to myself and curtsied.

“Your Highness Fabian, what is it you wish to speak about?”

As i smiled, inwardly exasperated by the sight of His Highness Fabian and Lady Noelia pressed close together, His Highness Fabian snorted in disgust.

“To Lady Christiane of Dumerg, i say this: Your scornful bullying of Lady Noelia Gans demonstrates a lack of character unbefitting a future crown princess! Therefore, i, Fabian Zebina, hereby dissolve our engagement.”

I was dumbfounded by His Highness Fabian’s declaration.

“Dissolve… our engagement?”

I blinked repeatedly in utter shock. I couldn’t believe His Highness Fabian was serious. But his expression turned to anger at my reaction.

“Don’t play coy! There’s proof! Noelia may indeed be a commoner, and she may lack proper noble etiquette due to being taken in by the Baron Family only a year ago. But that is no excuse for bullying! Furthermore, i was merely showing her kindness by teaching her noble etiquette and studies, yet you accused her of flirting with me out of jealousy and bullied her. You are a disgrace to the nobility!”

His Highness Fabian finished his breathless speech as Lady Noelia looked at me with frightened eyes. And after he finished, seeing Lady Noelia’s fear, he glared at me again.

“Look! Noelia is trembling just from your gaze!”
“No, Your Highness. I didn’t…”

Lady Noelia’s voice faded to a whisper, her head shaking slightly, and His Highness Fabian placed his hand on her head tenderly.

“Don’t worry. I’m here for you. The one i choose is you, Noelia.”

At His Highness Fabian’s words, Lady Noelia looked up at him with adoration in her eyes.

Ah, i see. So that’s how it is. As understanding finally dawned on me, the anger i had been suppressing began to boil. My clenched fists turned white.

“Your Highness Fabian, this is the first time I’ve met Lady Noelia. May i greet her?”

As i smiled at the two of them, His Highness Fabian’s face turned even redder, and Lady Noelia began to cry.

Oh dear. It was you two who wanted me to play the villainess, wasn’t it?
However…
Things won’t go as you planned.