I, the Female Lead, Ruined the Original

Pavellian’s eyebrow twitched significantly.

“You noticed well. I originally talked a lot. Didn’t I tell you I’ve broken many dishes?”

“Lady.”

“But it seemed Your Highness preferred a more reserved and sparing woman as the crown princess, so I adjusted accordingly.”

“Adjusted… for me?”

“That headstrong and unrefined personality you dislike, I pretended otherwise for you. Did you think I was this pretentious and two-faced?”

Pavellian’s face was shocked for a moment at the barrage of unexpected revelations.

“By the way, I don’t particularly like chocolate cake, and my favorite flower is not pink roses, but gerberas.”

Pavellian’s expression twisted. He actually couldn’t remember ever sending Selleana pink roses. It was just an item habitually included with gifts.

“

, and not pink gerberas, but the deep scarlet ones.”

Silence filled Pavellian’s office for a moment before he broke it. “Lady… why are you so dissatisfied with everything? How can I win back your heart?”

Selleana nearly blurted out that there wasn’t much heart to win back but saw this as an opportunity instead. “

… first, please leave me alone during this hunting competition.”

“Did the duke tell you to pair me up with Lady Jenon? As you know, compared to Shumidt or Dalsen, Jenon doesn’t have much advantage.”

Shumidt and Dalsen were families of Pavellian’s other companions, known for their trading company and magic stone mines, respectively. So, asking about the reason behind promoting only Eunice among his other companions was questioning her judgment. Naturally, he believed it wasn’t Selleana’s decision.

It wasn’t surprising. Selleana held back a scoff and continued. “The Jenon family has produced the most prime ministers in the empire’s history. They don’t run a trading company like Shumidt, nor are they immersed in mining like Dalsen.”

“That’s true.”

“Elard has both a trading company and magic stone mines. However, to prevent power concentration, we’ve never had a prime minister… Doesn’t it seem like a good match for Elard and Jenon to complement each other?”

“

… I see. A logical setup.”

The main reason was that Eunice Jenon was hopelessly in love with Pavellian.

“But why didn’t the duke give me such a hint?”

“I thought of it myself.”

“What?”

“I, on my own, came to that conclusion.”

“Have Elard’s advisors been coaching the lady lately?”

“Of course not.”

Selleana nearly let out a bitter laugh but restrained herself.

“Hardly.”

“Hardly ever kills.”

“…”

Pavellian mumbled as if bewildered. “The lady is… smarter than I thought.”

“Thank you for the compliment.” Selleana elegantly nodded, touching her chest with one hand.

After remembering her previous life, Selleana was indeed ‘smarter,’ but she had never let it show in front of Pavellian for fear of upsetting him.

Thinking there was no better option than a strategic marriage to the imperial family, she had endured it all… Now, however, a more appealing choice had emerged, and all that was left was to persuade him. She didn’t need to hold back anymore.

“

, by the way…”

Pavellian waited anxiously for her next words.

“I’m also participating in the treasure hunt at this hunting competition.”

“What?”

Pavellian’s eyes froze over. The shock in them was so great that Selleana felt as if she had dropped a bomb on constitutional rights.

It was likely just an instinctive aversion to the idea of a woman engaging in physical activities, especially from someone he once considered marrying.

She refrained from voicing her sarcasm, fearing it might actually come true.

After maintaining a dry business-like distance for the past ten years, it was surprising. With Pavellian’s sudden change and the original male leads from her friends’ stories launching their offenses as if timed, it was unsettling. She even wondered if some kind of coercive force was at play…

Selleana shook her head internally, deciding to remember only the refreshing feeling of having drastically reduced Pavellian’s favorability.

* * *

On a clear autumn day with the sky high and bright, nobles of Nepelsian gathered at the campsite set up at the entrance of Bellanyu Forest, located northwest of the imperial city.

The hunting competition, the first event of the Harvest Festival, was where participants would bring their game to offer to the emperor on the last day and then offer as a burnt offering to the gods, marking a fitting start to the Harvest Festival.

Elard, too, had traveled to Bellanyu Forest by carriage since dawn together. Instead of waiting in the carriage for the servants to set up the tents, Selleana met up with her friends in front of the tent set up by the Benichi family.

“Is that the glasses that the master of the tower made for you?”

At Doloret’s question, Michi proudly adjusted her glasses. She had transformed into a bland appearance with brown hair and blue eyes.

“How is it? Definitely looks like a different person, right?”

“Yeah. Good idea.”

Doloret eyed Michi, who was wearing the glasses, with a merchant’s gaze. She might have been considering a mass production order for disguise magical tools for her guild members.

“That prince… really came back in less than a month.” Selleana sighed heavily, glancing inside the campsite.

Erenst’s tent was being set up in time for the hunting competition, marking his second visit to the empire.

“Crazy. Has he sorted out the mess created by Doli?”

“Sorted out? If anything, we’ve given them more trouble. Looks like they couldn’t make it to tonight’s eve because of it.”

“Should we see this as true love or what?”

At Rosalli’s quip, Michi gave an embarrassed smile.

“No good. Michi, want to stay at our tent? Our duke and the heir are participating, so it’ll be comfortable.”

“

, I’ll see since I have the magical device for now.”

“If you happen to run into him, try to keep a poker face as much as possible. It seems he can still recognize you by your expression.”

Michi pursed his lips at Selleana’s warning.

Even though Rakrensius disguised himself as Collin, she was able to recognize him through the subtle changes in his expression.

And when she wore that magical device, Rakrensius inadvertently revealed his true feelings with a touched expression.

Even now, recalling that moment still tickled her heart.

While Selleana was lost in thought,

“Doloret!”

A young man’s voice calling for Doloret suddenly echoed. The friends’ expressions cooled as they recognized the approaching figure.

With brown curly hair and warm green eyes, the gentleman was Doloret’s original love interest, Urihi Hargen. The suddenness of his presence still lacked a satisfactory explanation. It was hard to believe the story that, at this particular moment, he decided to search for his childhood love, whom he’d only met a few times as a child.

Therefore, the friends all met Urihi Hargen with wary eyes.

“Hello! You must be Lady Elard and Lady Glen, right? Our territory is in the southwest, so I rarely visit the capital and don’t have the chance to greet you. I’m Urihi, the first son of Count Hargen and a childhood friend of Lady Doloret.”

“Yes, nice to meet you.”

The two ladies responded lukewarmly to his friendly greeting, interpreting their aloofness as the typical haughtiness of social power players. Unbothered, Urihi Hargen continued to shine his eyes towards Doloret.

“It’s even more delightful to see you outdoors. Have you been well?”

“Thanks to you, Lord Hargen.”

“

, right… Lady Benichi.”

As Doloret formally corrected his address, a hint of disappointment crossed Urihi Hargen’s face. His tall stature and robust physique, along with a face that retained faint freckles, gave him a cute appearance. Despite resembling a ‘large-breed dog,’ he was insufficient to gain Doloret’s interest. It wasn’t because of a matter of preference.