Chapter 003
Thud, thud.
In the midst of the crowd's cheers and thunderous applause, a man and woman stepped onto the red carpet. Golden hair, red eyes, handsome in the most infuriating way. Louis. Silver hair, purple eyes, a beauty with a cold expression. Elisia.
That was the asshole who'd yelled "Get lost" from the terrace just moments ago, and the girl who'd been bawling her eyes out before cracking up at my corny flirting mixed with dog shit jokes.
My jaw dropped. So that was Elisia? The final boss of this novel? The infamous villainess who'd poisoned the regression heroine in the first timeline, then eaten the poison herself and committed suicide in the second?
"Holy shit…."
A cold sweat trickled down my spine.
Did I just poke the bear that hard? Sign my own death warrant?
This was straight-up treason-level stuff. If she blabbed about me telling her to grab the Crown Prince by the hair, I'd have no defense at the guillotine.
Of course, she wouldn't. She'd heard it and laughed.
The peaceful, honey-sucking life in the Parne family? Bullshit. I'd end up digging potatoes in the fields, only to get assassinated and turned into fertilizer.
I'm screwed… Huh?
I caught whispers from nearby nobles hiding their mouths behind fans.
"Oh my, look at the young lady's face. Did something upset her?"
"Even His Highness the Crown Prince looks troubled."
"The two of them are so dashing and beautiful, yet they seem like the sun and the moon."
They sure knew how to twist "they don't match" into something vicious.
Amid the murmurs, Elisia walked with her head held high. Her expression was icy, but her eyes were oddly red-rimmed. Yep, definitely the girl I'd coached earlier. No doubt about it.
"I'm an idiot. Nosiness is a disease, they say."
Seoul was one scary place. Should've stayed in the countryside farming.
For a moment, I resented my dad.
I started edging backward, as naturally as possible, like I was just part of the scenery. Behind that pillar—no, better yet, that massive chocolate fountain. I had to stay out of sight, play dead until I could slip out.
I didn't see nothing. I ain't here. I'm invisible.
I set down the turkey leg I'd been gnawing on, hunched over, and tried to melt into the crowd.
But…
"……."
Elisia, ascending the dais, suddenly halted. Then she slowly turned her head toward the corner where I was.
Me?
"Gasp."
My breath caught. No way. She wasn't looking for me, right?
Her violet eyes locked precisely on the pillar I was about to hide behind. And then, ever so slightly, the corner of her mouth twitched.
Was she smiling? Or signaling you're caught?
Either way, bad vibes.
Shit! I haven't even hidden yet!
Instinctively, I ducked behind a nearby waiter's tray. Please, just pretend you don't see me. I'm bystander number one. Extras don't get attention!
At that moment, Crown Prince Louis's voice rang out from the dais.
"Thank you all, our esteemed guests, for gracing us today. Especially…."
His gaze wandered somewhere. I know exactly where. I'd read this story, after all—to kill time during my last days in the army. Never told my sis or little bro, not even when my first life ended, but yeah.
Anyway. So I knew he wasn't even glancing at his fiancée next to him. He was searching for someone else.
Sure enough, his eyes fixed on another woman in the corner of the hall. Lily the saintess. She stood there with an anxious look.
She looked like a total flatfish, all jittery. Her lunch-craving expression hit too close to home.
Ah, here we go. The original story's opening act.
But something felt off. Normally, villainess Elisia should've been fuming every time the prince pulled this crap. Yet she didn't seem pissed at all. And she'd just locked eyes with me.
What the hell? Does catching me take priority over her fiancé's emotional cheating?
The moment I stepped out of the carriage at the mansion, a servant came scurrying over.
"Young master, the master is summoning you."
"Now? I haven't even changed."
"He said to come to the study immediately. Seems urgent."
Urgent my ass. Obvious. He was gearing up to rap out lectures one through four.
I sighed deeply and loosened my tie a bit more. Should've grabbed an extra bowl of gukbap outside.
"Sigh. Such is my fate."
Heavy footsteps carried me to the second-floor study. The aura leaking through the door felt ominous. Like the chill right before entering the boss room.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
His voice was half an octave lower than usual.
This is dangerous. Scary as hell.
"Whew."
I took a deep breath and opened the door.
Creeeak—
In the dim study, only the desk lamp cast a grotesque glow on my father, Corinth's face. He silently rolled a crystal ashtray in his hand. Every time that heavy, angular chunk caught the light and flashed, my scalp prickled.
Instinct kicked in—survival mode.
"Dad, why not just light up a smoke? Holding back like that stresses you out, and innocents might get burned. Take care of your veins, not your sanity?"
Dad smirked at my banter. But only his mouth. His eyes stayed cold.
Why so creepy?
"I'm debating it. Smoke this, or chuck it at your skull."
"……."
"Which do you think relieves stress better?"
"Uh, the first one? Second's messy aftermath—blood on the floor, family line ends."
"The line continues without you."
True. Big bro was solid, the official heir.
Translation: Screw up now, and I'm done.
I edged back, hand on the doorknob. Ready to bolt if needed.
Then Dad slammed the ashtray back on the desk. Hard.
Thud!
"Sent you to loosen up, and you come back a clown?"
"Clown? I just ate quietly in the corner. The food was a whole new world for this country bumpkin."
"A guy who 'ate quietly'—why's the social circle already buzzing about Parne's barbarian?"
Gasp. Already? Not even an hour since the banquet?
Their intel network was faster than 5G. Live streaming or what?
"Refused to greet anyone, ignored the nobles' chatter, just shoveled food like mad."
Dad pinched his brow and sighed deeply.
"Take after your brother half as much. Hell, a quarter. He's had perfect table manners since childhood. Who'd you get this from?"
"Mom's free spirit, probably. That's what charmed you into marrying her, right?"
"Can't even keep your mouth shut."
Dad clicked his tongue but loosened his grip on the ashtray. Safe. My skull was secure today.
"Pull that shit at tomorrow's entrance ceremony, and you're done. Uniform's tailored—try it on."
Entrance? Oh, the Imperial Academy? Tomorrow?
"Already? I haven't mentally prepared…."
"Quiet. Get out of my sight. Can't stand looking at you."
"Yes sir, vanishing now. Long life to you, Dad."
I bowed quick and bolted.
Bam!
This noble society was CCTV everywhere. Lucky the rumors were just about my mukbang. If the terrace chat with the villainess leaked, it'd be "game over" for real.
Gotta watch my step from now on. One slip, and it's not just a cracked skull from an ashtray—it's the guillotine.
Yeah. That villainess? She means business. The type who follows through. I saw it myself.
*
Next morning, final mirror check.
"Perfect."
Mirror me wore the Imperial Academy uniform, but with a twist. That embarrassing white skinny tights everyone else had? Shoved it in the warehouse. It'll never see light till I die. No way I'd wear that dick-tightener. Absolute brain-breaker.
Instead, I tailored baggy pants into modern slacks fit. Tie loose, not choking, showing a hint of collarbone. Effortless chic.
Down the stairs—lobby butler Alfred and head maid Marie gaped.
"Y-Young master?"
Marie rubbed her eyes, pointing at my legs.
"What're those pants? Like sails on a ship—you'll fly away flapping!"
"Auntie Marie, you don't get fashion."
I shoved hands in pockets, hip-cocked stance.
"This is ventilation. A man's jewels need to stay cool. That tight stocking? Sit in it all day—varicose veins, auntie. Varicose."
"Va-ri—what?"
"Terrifying disease—veins bulging like earthworms on your legs. For the family line, we protect my lower body's health, right?"
My convincing bullshit logic—Marie burst out laughing, clutching her belly.
"Puhaha! Can't rein you in, young master. Excuses galore."
Alfred coughed awkwardly beside her.
"Ahem. Master would've clutched his neck and fainted at that outfit… but if you're comfy."
"See? Even gramps agrees. Bet you felt embarrassed in those tights too."
"……No comment."
Alfred's ears reddened. Men get men's struggles.
"Alright, off I go! If school lunch sucks, I'll come back for it—wait up!"
I waved and headed out.
Our top driver, Thomas, waited atop the carriage.
"Yo, bro Thomas! Looking sharp today?"
*
Buzz buzz.
Opening the academy auditorium doors unleashed a noise storm. Kicking a beehive would've been quieter—that incessant drone hammered my ears.
"Hey, look there. That's the guy."
"Who? Oh, the Parne kid…?"
"Yeah, the starving second son who wrecked the banquet buffet!"
What? Starving second son? What a shitty nickname.
"Devoured the food. Plenty saw him crunching turkey leg bone."
Do they think my teeth are carbon steel? How the hell would I chew turkey bone, idiots?
"Heavens, such a barbarian. Stuck in classes with him…."
"Look at those pants. Ship sails? Country fashion?"
Seoul folks were stingy. A hungry teen can eat big.
Stares burned—I tugged my collar up. This is why I didn't wanna come. A place where breathing sparks gossip.
I crammed into the darkest corner behind a pillar.
Don't look at me. I ain't here. Just background graphic number one.
Deep in invisible mode—then a massive wave hit the entrance.
Whoosh—
Like Moses parting the sea, freshmen split aside, clearing a path.
And at its end.
Click-clack of heels, a woman strode in. Golden twin tails tied high. Nose-in-the-air arrogance. Eyes dismissing everyone like ants.
Who dis?
"It's Her Highness the princess…."
"Heavens, she's even more stunning in person."
"That noble grace. True imperial blood."
Thanks, Speedwagon! No wonder her hair sparkled like that fighting couple's guy from yesterday.
Princess Evelyn de Leopold.
Click, clack.
With every step, the prickly stares on me magnet-snapped to her.