The Villainous Young Lady Would Even Risk Her Life for Her Beloved ～ Her Fiancé, the Prince? By All Means, Please Be Happy with the Heroine! - Chapter 1.17 (Part 1)

Dressed in a light gray gown with deep blue earrings, all my other accessories were kept understated. My hair was styled in an updo—clean and elegant, with minimal adornments.

“Lydiana! You look absolutely stunning!”

“Oh my! How breathtaking!”

Luca and Maria showered me with compliments, their enthusiasm delightful. Of course! I thought so too. As expected of the rival character to the heroine, I had the looks to match.

“Your features are so striking that a simple dress balances them well, giving you a more mature appearance.”

Even Eliza, for once, gave me a rare compliment. That just proved how well I had done today.

“Luca, you look dashing as well!”

His posture today was even more model-like than usual. With his bangs swept up, his charm tilted more toward handsome than cute. It was a refreshing change. Our outfits matched in both color and accessories, making us look like a set of unofficial twins. It was a shame we couldn’t capture this in a photograph.

Geoffrey arrived much earlier than scheduled to pick me up.

“It’s quite inefficient for Your Highness to come all the way here when we’re heading to the palace anyway, isn’t it?”

“If I hadn’t come, you would have made a huge fuss about it!”

Geoffrey was dressed in the same gray tones as us, and at his collar gleamed a Sea Reflection Stone.

“Wait a minute! Yours is bigger than mine!”

“You have two, don’t you?”

Oops. That was childish of me.

“More importantly, Your Highness! Please take a proper look at my lady!”

Maria was likely the only maid in existence who could speak so casually to the First Prince. Thankfully, no one here seemed to mind.

“Y-you… you look… beautiful…”

Geoffrey, blushing all the way to his ears, struggled to get the words out. The sight of him like that made me want to tease him, but I held back. Come to think of it, this was the first time Geoffrey had complimented my appearance. It was slightly embarrassing.

“Your Highness also looks as impeccable as ever today.”

“You two get flustered so easily—even though you’re engaged.”

Exactly. Today’s goal was to play the role of a ‘loving engaged couple.’ There was no room for bickering to cover up our embarrassment.

Lady Serena, the mother of the Second and Third Princes, had been making suspicious moves. From my past life’s memories, I knew she would try something to drag Geoffrey down.

“There’s a rumor that your engagement is about to be annulled.”

It was Lord Finley who informed me, his face filled with concern.

“…And there are other bad rumors as well.”

He hesitated.

“They’re about me, aren’t they?”

Ah! Please don’t look so downcast!

(Who is responsible for troubling Lord Finley like this?)

If they were going to target someone, it should be me. There was plenty of dirt on me, after all. Geoffrey had traced the rumors back to Lady Serena.

“Your Highness! Are you ready for this?”

“I understand!”

“You absolutely must not waver and say something ridiculous like, ‘I have someone else I love!'”

“And you better not act strange around Finley!”

“That might be impossible!”

I wanted to say that I wouldn’t let that happen on such an important day, but… after seeing Lord Finley in his formal attire, I couldn’t be so sure.

“Your Highness, isn’t it about time you stopped calling her ‘you’ and addressed her properly as ‘Lydiana’?”

Luca’s suggestion made Geoffrey visibly flustered. Now that I thought about it, he had always referred to Lydiana as ‘you’ in the original story. After her condemnation, it became ‘you wretch,’ though…

“Lord Geoffrey~! Please call me Lydiana~!”

His obvious distress was so endearing that I couldn’t help but tease him.

“Li… Lydiana…”

“Too quiet! I can’t hear you!”

“Lydiana!”

“That’s better!”

Alright! Time to head out with full determination!

◇◇◇

After His Majesty’s New Year’s address, my first official party since regaining my past memories began.

As previously announced, the celebration was more subdued than usual, with extravagant displays toned down. The adults immediately scattered to exchange their greetings—nobles and commoners alike had this in common. Naturally, given our recent rise in status, we were inundated with visitors.

For the seventh time that evening, some nobleman approached me with the same question:

“Lady Lydiana, is it true that you discovered a cure for Ice Stone Disease?”

After answering, the music for the dance began. I didn’t particularly enjoy dancing, but after all the excessive smiling, my facial muscles were about to die. I gave Geoffrey a look, signaling him.

This face of mine—probably because I had never used it for fake smiles before—was now dangerously close to cramping.

“Lydiana, may I have this dance?”

“With pleasure.”

For the past month, Geoffrey and I had been relentlessly practicing. For a couple, the dance was a prime opportunity to showcase their bond. It was the fastest way to prove our closeness.

As expected, murmurs of admiration spread throughout the hall as we danced.

“As expected of the First Prince… even his dancing is flawless.”

“Lady Lydiana’s graceful movements… She’s only ten years old, isn’t she?”

“So what was that rumor about the engagement annulment, then?”

“What a breathtakingly beautiful pair!”

(Yes, yes, exactly!)

However, at the same time, I could feel a few piercing gazes on me. They came from the young ladies of my age group. Unfortunately, the new year had arrived without a single tea party invitation coming my way—just as expected. Well, I hadn’t hosted any tea parties myself, so I supposed it was only fair. But still! I had been busy! I simply hadn’t had the time!

That being said, socializing with girls my age would be one of my goals for this year.

“You’re still as feared as ever, huh?”

“If you think so, why don’t you go clear up some of those misunderstandings about your adorable sister?”

After the dance, Geoffrey was called over by Lady Lione. Mother, meanwhile, seemed engaged in a deep discussion with the Captain of the Knights. The moment Luca left to fetch some drinks, leaving me alone, they made their move. A group of young ladies approached me.

“Lady Lydiana, it has been quite some time.”

Her voice was soft, but her eyes held a determined glint.

Lisa Calvina, the future best friend of Iris, and the daughter of a marquis. With her entourage flanking her, she looked far more like a villainess than I ever did.

“It truly has been a while, Lady Liza.”

For the first time in a long while, I could hear the ringing of a gong in my mind.