I, the Female Lead, Ruined the Original

So, it was the friendship of her friends that created the situation for Selleana’s determination to become a reality. However, there was something to confirm before that.

Doloret asked carefully. “Lea, by any chance… are you going to look for that man once this is resolved?”

That man. The black-haired man at the masquerade is the starting point of this whole chaos.

“…No.”

Her friends were surprised by her unexpected answer.

“Why? Didn’t you couldn’t take your eyes off him that day?”

“And I heard you got along so well.”

“Ye. You even thought he was Wilshe.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

Selleana bit her lips as if to reaffirm her decision. Whether he was Wilshe or not, it didn’t matter.

Considering Pavellian’s momentum, even if she barely annulled the engagement, she would still end up on the wrong side of the imperial family. If she were to meet someone else so soon after the annulled engagement… wouldn’t that person end up getting hurt too?

“…I’m the only one at fault. I can’t let others get involved for no reason.”

“How is that your fault?”

“Of course it’s not entirely your fault.”

Her friends, grasping Selleana’s feelings from that single phrase, tried to reframe the situation positively. Touched by their loyalty, Selleana’s anger melted away.

“

if only the other party wasn’t the imperial family, it would be easy to say break up because someone else appeared. Even though we’re not engaged, really…”

“I’ll keep looking for that man, just in case.”

“If it’s fate, you might meet again later.”

“Yes, that’s right. If you can’t find him, I’ll go to Laten and check if he’s from there.”

“

considering we haven’t heard from him, he must be a b*stard.”

“No, he’s not!” Selleana waved her hands frantically, lightening the mood in an instant.

“So don’t worry, Lea. We’ll also help.”

“Yes. Has there ever been anything that didn’t work out when we were together?”

“This time too, it will work out somehow.”

“If not, just donate about 30 billion reot, and you can become a high priestess.”

And so, her friends’ support began. It started with a meeting of the ladies who interacted personally with Agnesia.

“The crown prince has brilliant golden hair, representing the gold element. Lady Elard has amber eyes, so she represents the fire element. But fire melts gold, right? So, Lady Elard is harmful for the crown prince.”

“If Priestess Agnesia says so, then the two of them must really be incompatible…!”

The host of the meeting was the daughter of Count Rondel, who had given up Michi long ago. She thought she had made a lasting impression on Selleana that day.

From time to time, Agnesia would pass on information she heard from her friends as if it were her foresight powers as a priestess. Some of the information even included the colors of the dresses the two ducal ladies would wear to the next ball or the accessories they would make fashionable next season, which made her credibility sky-high.

“Orot has given me a revelation. Lady Elard and the crown prince are incompatible.”

The rumor started in Count Rondel’s mansion and spread uncontrollably.

“What? Lady Elard will be an obstacle to the crown prince’s future?”

“Have you heard the rumor? Misfortune will befall the imperial family if Lady Elard becomes the crown princess.”

“If His Highness Pavellian doesn’t want to die young, Lady Elard must be eliminated from the selection contest!”

The content of the rumor was distorted in no time.

“Then, what about Lady Glen?”

“Lady Glen? Why all of a sudden?”

“Haven’t you heard? She’s participating in the selection process for the crown princess!”

Eventually, the rumor circulating in society was that Rosalli had registered to participate in the crown princess selection.

“It doesn’t matter if I’m tied to Pavellian since I’ll soon flee to Laten anyway.”

As Rosalli sacrificed her image, a new perception emerged in society.

Ah, I can also become the crown princess?

The position of crown prince was like chasing a rainbow, especially since Lady Elard was the assumed candidate. But now, with problems arising between the assumed and actual candidates appearing, the wave in society has changed. Thus, nobles families with daughters of the same age rushed to submit applications for the crown princess selection.

In the midst of this chaos, Benichi stepped in. Benichi, who held the most national debt of the Nepelsian Empire.

“I heard that 5 trillion reot of national debt due by the end of this year belongs to Benichi? “

“Until now, Benichi had always just collected the interest and reinvested in the national debt, so it was essentially a perpetual investment.”

“It’s still summer, but they’re asking for an audience with His Majesty, so maybe this time they’re going to cash it all in.”

“But why the sudden change?”

The pretext was the need for a large amount of money to strengthen maritime trade. In recent years, the coffee culture had flourished, and trade with the southern continent was booming, so they decided to develop state-of-the-art trading ships. The real purpose was, of course, to eliminate Lady Elard from the crown princess selection.

15 days have passed since her friends started pressing public opinion. Finally, a response came from Pavellian.

“Tomorrow at 14 o’clock, meet me in the Empress’s parlor.”

Selleana smiled triumphantly. As expected, nothing was impossible when she was with her friends.

Thus, on the day of the meeting, Selleana dressed up in a dress that accentuated her classical beauty with a demure makeup look and headed to the palace. It was in line with the empress’s tastes, as researched by Doloret’s guild and Agnesia.

“Greetings to Your Majesty the Empress. May Orot bless the full moon of Nepelsian.”

“Welcome, Lady. It’s your first time visiting the Rose Palace, isn’t it?”

“I’m grateful for the invitation.”

The empress was seated at the head of the parlor table, and Pavellian was sitting on the long sofa inside.

She didn’t know if the empress would use her power or not, but she couldn’t help but feel nervous. Selleana took the seat opposite Pavellian, carefully observing the empress’s complexion.

Empress Arshilla, a woman in her late thirties with tightly tied sky-blue hair and black eyes, was the third wife of Emperor Tashur III. She had married over ten years ago and had the fourth prince, who was now ten years old. She had a close, sibling-like relationship with Pavellian, who had lost his mother at a young age. As if to tell the reason, the empress showed a gentle smile, just like the saintess.

“So it’s true. You said that the two of you are terribly incompatible.”

“I apologize.”

Selleana gently lowered her eyes, holding back her desire to glare at Pavellian.

“There is no way that Lady wouldn’t know that the imperial family and Elard have been discussing the union of the two for a long time, but to break it off just because of such a trivial reason…”

How is that trivial? But she couldn’t say such things in front of the empress who had married for political reasons.

“But it’s not entirely that I don’t understand.”

“Your Majesty.”

Pavellian interjected urgently, but the empress didn’t move her gaze from Selleana. Her smile was still gentle, but it had an irresistible aura for some reason.

“Lady Elard has a lot and has lived enjoying many things…”

“Your Majesty, that’s…”

“Crown Prince, surely entering the imperial family is an honor, but you must understand that there are many things to give up and responsibilities to take on. Regardless of who your companion is, isn’t it the glory that comes from the family?”

Regardless of who? Selleana was surprised by the empress’s meaningful words.

“Duke Elard said he would respect your decision.”

“Yes.”

“Well, considering Elard’s loyalty to the imperial family, I don’t think Lady would break up with the imperial family just because of an impulsive decision.”

“It’s not that I’m reluctant to enter the imperial family due to a lack of loyalty.”

Selleana had grown up hearing for 20 years that the imperial family existed because there was Elard, so her words were largely sincere.

“However, my justification is weak. It could lead to the imperial family being ridiculed…”

“Justification, you say…”

It made sense because Pavellian had a few more companions, but only Selleana was treated like a crown princess. The situation in which the imperial family became a dog chasing chickens had to be properly packaged.

“For example.”

Still, without blinking her eyes, Selleana continued her words to the empress.

“Maybe if I found another lover and wanted to marry him…”

“I see. In that case, out of consideration for our friendship, I could bless your future.”

What?

Selleana felt like she had been hit on the back of her head.

* * *

“Master, something terrible has happened!”

“

.”

The man who burst into the office received a sharp look from the aide of the Master of Tower. It was a warning that the Master of the Tower was in a bad mood.

Today, too?

Yes, today too.

It’s been three years since Rakrensius became the owner of the magic tower. He was a problematic master who told everyone to fend for themselves without bothering him. Still, he was never a wicked boss who made the tower members slither around. But recently, his temperament was getting worse day by day.

Eddie, the wizard with greenish hair, cautiously approached the Master of Tower, glancing around. Rakrensius, with a monocle in one eye, was looking at the blueprints spread out on the conference table, muttering to himself as usual.

“Gun.. it’s definitely different from a crossbow.

could the loading method be simplified more? Damn it, just like the ice maker before. Where do they see these things and ask me to make them?”

“Master?”

Eddie carefully tapped the table.

Rakrensius’s piercing blue eyes flickered towards Eddie. “What? What do they want me to make this time?”

“No, it’s that a guest has arrived.”

“A guest?”

“That’s the thing.”

Eddie swallowed dryly. He couldn’t believe the sight he had just seen.

“It-It’s Lady Elard…!”