Prelude

The Curtain Rises on the Villainess

Come to think of it, I’ve often had curious dreams ever since I was small. Dreams in which I become someone I don’t know, someone who spends her time all alone, in a white room that smells of disinfectant, playing with a device whose workings are a complete mystery.

Since they are dreams, I can’t recall the details. Even my own name is unclear. However…

“Honestly, child. You’re always playing that game.”

The daydreams replay behind my eyes at a furious pace. My body tilts dizzily, and then I’m on my hands and knees on the cold, hard floor.

It feels as if I’ve suddenly remembered the exact whereabouts of something I’d forgotten. A great wave of information crashes over me, and my head throbs violently.

At last, my eyes focus on the marble floor. Its surface has been polished until it shines, and I can see my reflection in it—or at least, I think that’s what my eyes are telling me.

But who is this splendid beauty, with hair like spun gold and mystical sapphire eyes? With pale fingers, I trace the slender neck up to the oval outline of the face.

This face… I feel as if I saw it in the game… What? “Game”?

When I blink, the long eyelashes rise and fall. Someone is standing directly in front of me.

It’s a golden-haired youth. His lips are twisted, and he’s looking down at me.

“Making a show of kneeling and weeping won’t win you any sympathy. Everyone here knows: You constantly did as you pleased, taking full advantage of your position as my betrothed. No one has any reason to sympathize with you.”

“—Master…Cedric? Are you truly Master Cedric?”

My voice is faint and trembling. The blond, princely youth’s response sounds ironic.

“I expect you’re trying to say this is strange coming from me. This is who I truly am, though. You were my fiancée for years, and you never even saw that.”

A pang runs through my chest, and I slowly come to grips with reality.

That’s right; this is reality. The person in front of me is Cedric Jean Ellmeyer, crown prince of Imperial Ellmeyer. I’ve known him since we were very young. He is my fiancé—and a love interest in the game that I adored.

…Game? Love interest?

Bewildered by my own memories, I look around. All I see are cold, piercing eyes.

This evening, the academy I attend is holding a soiree in celebration of the end of the winter term. The teachers have all excused themselves, and only students are present now… And yet every single one of them is watching me coldly from a distance.

The only one whose eyes seem to contain pity for me is the girl who’s nestled close to Cedric. Her name is Lilia Reinoise. Although of common birth, she’s now the daughter of a baron and quite popular here at school.

Silky caramel-colored hair, supple cheeks, lips that look so sweet. Right now, her large eyes are filled with concern for me.

I’d expect no less of a heroine, I think, looking up at her. Then suddenly, it occurs to me.

In that case, I must be…

“Aileen Lauren d’Autriche. I’m dissolving our engagement.”

“—Wait, that’s…!”

That’s my name. And also the name of the game’s villainess.

Wait, wait, wait! That’s right; Master Cedric is my fiancé…which means I’m…

I’ve been watching my current situation unfold as if it has no bearing on me, but all at once, I begin to think about it. Seeing Aileen so clearly anxious, Cedric sneers at her.

“I’ve decided to be true to myself and live my life with Lilia.”

“…Lady Aileen, I’m sorry.”

What do you mean, you’re “sorry”?

The violent emotion surging up from the depths of my throat is, properly speaking, Aileen’s.

My vision grows misty again, but I bite my lip, trying to stay in control. I take another look at myself.

I’m sitting weakly on the floor, in a magnificent dress made of layer upon layer of lace. It’s an unladylike state, completely unsuitable for the daughter of a duke. However, no one offers me a helping hand.

After all, this is the “villainess’s broken engagement” event.

“I’m sick to death of your deluded belief that I love you.”

Why did you smile and say you loved me as I was, then?

The words are pathetic, and I bite them back. They feel as heavy as lead, but strangely, once I’ve swallowed them, my heart grows calmer.

…How should I put this? I do think my memories have chosen an awful time to come back…but it’s helped me collect myself just a little.

Enough that I can understand that I’ve been well and truly used and tossed aside.

“If you have anything to say in your defense, I won’t refuse to listen.”

If this had happened when I still knew nothing, I’m sure I would have fought tooth and nail. I would have been fighting the wrong person.

That thought gives me room to breathe. Smiling thinly, I raise my head.

“No, Master Cedric— Although, I do think that had you been honest with me in the first place, there would have been no need to prepare such an exaggerated venue, nor to cause such a scene.”

When I gaze coldly at those around me, some of the onlookers quickly avert their eyes, possibly because they’ve taken my meaning. However, Cedric simply responds with a snort.

“We’re demonstrating our resolution, Lilia and I.”

“It’s not because you were frightened that should you have chosen some other public place, you would have been reprimanded by both the house of d’Autriche and the emperor?”

“Of course not. I simply felt that your crimes should be judged before everyone.”

“My crimes? Wha—?!!”

Suddenly, someone beside me pulls my arm, lifting me. Turning my head, I look at my opponent.

“Refrain from manhandling me, if you would. Is that any way to treat a lady?”

“What ‘lady’?! Enough of this, Aileen. There’s no way to disguise what you’ve done.”

It’s another childhood friend of mine who’s spoken, Marcus Cowell. He shoves a sheaf of papers under my nose. He’s a slim, taciturn young man who is seen as the likely future captain of the knights. He has a strong sense of justice, and he will not countenance unfairness. He glowers with his intimidating eyes at me, as if I’m a criminal.

“…I’m perfectly capable of standing on my own. Unhand me, won’t you?”

I gaze back at Marcus coldly, rise to my feet without any help, and pull my arm free. I then flip through the papers that he’s held out to me. They’re written accusations. When did he collect these?

Because Lilia is of lower rank, I bullied her by telling her not to speak to me first. At my insistence, the play for the academy festival was changed, and poor Lilia was forced to learn her lines all over again. I threatened that if she didn’t do as I told her, I’d have her bureaucrat parents demoted— And so on and so forth, for pages.

All the statements are anonymous, and naturally, none are signed. Running out of patience, I toss them away behind me.

“Ridiculous. You call this proof?”

In the midst of a cloud of rustling, drifting paper, I smile elegantly.

“Marcus. Let me enlighten you. ‘So-and-so says such and such’ isn’t proof. It’s merely rumor, or possibly libel.”

“—! Even with all these reports, you deny it?! Don’t think you can get away with this just because you’re the daughter of Duke d’Autriche!”

“My, I do believe you’ve taken me for a fool. If Duke d’Autriche’s daughter tried in earnest to cover something up, do you really believe there would be any proof left to find? Besides, could this whole farce be any more juvenile? When did the students of this academy regress to infancy?”

As I speak, I grind one of the papers that’s fallen to the velvet carpet under the toe of my shoe. Then I smile.

“If you insist that I look these over, would you collect them once more and with signatures? If you do, I’ll make certain to remember them—every single name. Surely, you aren’t telling me they require anonymity in order to accuse a mere girl like myself? What a disgrace that would be.”

Irritated by my choice of words, Marcus spits out his response.

“Why is that you can speak so glibly while even the idea of apologizing never occurs to you?”

“Apologize? Yes, in that case, I shall. Lady Lilia. As you were raised a commoner, I do apologize for attempting to force you to abide by the aristocratic rule that one must not speak to those of higher rank unless spoken to first. I also regret that I had the school play changed out of concern that it would be difficult for you to learn such lengthy lines.”

“Hold your tongue, Aileen! Have you not ridiculed Lilia enough?!”

I’m the one who’s being ridiculed. The crown prince himself has just informed me, in front of an audience, that he is breaking off our engagement. He’s even collected infantile written accusations in order to prove beyond doubt that everyone hates me. If they had no intention of collectively making a laughingstock of me, there would’ve been no need for any of this.

However, it’s likely that Cedric, red-faced and angry, and Marcus, who’s trembling with clenched fists, see only Lilia, whose eyes are damp with tears. Upon closer inspection, I realize that the students at the very front of the crowd are other love interests and their hangers-on.

Attendance was not mandatory at this soiree. They must have deliberately organized to make this moment come together. After waiting for the teachers to depart, they sprung their trap.

How wily of them— No, however it happened, I’m the one who was outplayed.

It’s pointless to stay here any longer. I sigh at the futility of it all, then take a deep breath.

“This has gone on long enough. I’ll be taking my leave, then. My only regret is that I can’t shamefully weep and beg for you, as I’m sure many of those assembled here had hoped I would.”

Bite back the tears. Only show a smile. The last thing I want is to allow them to feel even a hint of superiority at having caught me in their little scheme.

That means I have to be the one to bring the curtain down.

“On that note, good evening, everyone. Master Cedric—I did admire you.”

Cedric looks as if that parting comment caught him by surprise.

However, I’ve already put all of it behind me. With impeccable manners, I raise the hem of my skirt and curtsy. Then I gracefully leave the hall, turning my back on its glimmering chandeliers.