HTSVD 01

Chapter 1 — The Beginning

‘I came into the book.’

To be more exact, I died and then woke up inside a novel — as the villainess.

‘It’s already been two weeks, hasn’t it?’

Yes. It’s been two weeks since I woke up in this body.

Before stepping into the ballroom, I stopped and glanced toward the glass window beside me.
My reflection stared back from the frost-covered glass.

Jade-blue eyes. A straight nose and red lips. Reddish-gold hair tied up halfway.
A light green silk dress that draped down to the floor.

It was the very image of Princess Eve, the villainess who looked like she had walked straight out of a romance novel.

Although, that might be the wrong thing to say — because this is the world of that novel.

I walked down the corridor that led to the ballroom.
The moment the doors opened, a burst of bright light poured out.

At the same time, someone gasped.

“Good heavens, it’s Her Highness, the Princess!”

With that one line, every gaze turned toward me.

I didn’t care. I walked forward calmly.

As I stepped into the grand ballroom, the chattering noise stopped all at once.
Even the soft music that had been playing vanished without a trace.

Everyone froze, like a paused painting, staring only at me.

‘This feels like being a celebrity walking on stage.’

Though, their expressions weren’t those of admiration — more like they were staring at a ticking bomb.

Well, it was understandable.

The “violent and reckless Princess Eve” had always been a walking disaster in the capital’s high society.

Especially over the past month.

Crying and throwing a fit before the Emperor because she wanted to marry the Grand Duke she loved? That was just the start.
She bullied the ministers who refused her demands, attacked ladies who flirted with her beloved Duke, and smashed everything in sight when he rejected her proposal.
She even went on a hunger strike, declaring she would die if he wouldn’t marry her.

Basically, she had done every kind of outrageous thing a person could do.

‘It was funny when I read it in the novel…’

But the problem was — now I was that reckless Princess Eve.

A stupid, one-dimensional villainess with a bad temper.
And worse, one who would die halfway through the novel — killed and written out like a tragic joke.

‘Even for a dream, this would be one hell of a nightmare.’

But unfortunately, this wasn’t a dream.

I pinched myself so hard my skin turned red, but everything stayed the same.
No matter how many times I fell asleep and woke up, this strange world didn’t disappear.

This was reality. Ridiculously enough.

“Y-Your Highness…”

Finally, the people around me remembered to bow.
The music started up again — awkwardly.

Ignoring them, I walked straight toward the center of the ballroom.
Toward the man standing there.

The chandelier poured golden light over the marble floor — and beneath that light stood a man who shone even brighter.

Black hair like the night sky. Mysterious violet eyes.
A face so perfect it looked carved by a sculptor.

Even though I’d seen that face several times already, I still couldn’t help but be amazed.

‘A person can really look like that?’

He was honestly the most handsome man I’d ever seen.

His name was Terence.

The Grand Duke of Albion Empire — and the second male lead of this story.

Also, the fiancé of the body I now possessed.

‘Eve fell in love with him at first sight and chased him endlessly.’

But the Grand Duke loathed her.
Just the sight of Eve was enough to make him frown in disgust — like looking at a worm.

People said that if Eve weren’t a woman — and the Emperor’s daughter — the Duke would have already killed her.

In the sudden silence, the Grand Duke slowly turned to face me.

Gasp.

Everyone around us sucked in their breath.

Tension filled the air like a drawn bowstring.

‘Well, it’s always like this in the story.’

In the original novel, whenever Eve met the Grand Duke, it was always dramatic.
He would shout and push her away, she would cry and throw a tantrum, and chaos would follow.

Honestly, much more entertaining than a boring party.

But tonight… things would be different.

I stopped in front of him and smiled.

“There you are, Your Grace. I was hoping to see you.”

I added an arrogant smile and let my eyes gleam with fake excitement — just like the original Eve would.

The room grew even quieter.
Everyone waited, clearly expecting another disaster.

They must be wondering how miserably I would beg, and how coldly he would reject me this time.

“Your Highness,”

To everyone’s shock, the Grand Duke stepped closer to me.

But instead of the usual angry outburst, he politely extended his hand.

With a soft, calm gaze — almost affectionate — he asked,

“If it pleases you, may I have the honor of the first dance?”

The music screeched to a halt with a jarring discord.

Someone gasped so hard they almost choked.
Somewhere, a glass shattered.

I didn’t have to look around to know everyone was utterly stunned.

But Terence didn’t seem to care.
He kept his hand out, a faint smile curling his lips.

That small smile made his already beautiful face even more breathtaking.

‘Wow… he really is good-looking.’

I stared at him in awe before quickly shaking my head to regain composure.
Then, lifting my chin gracefully, I placed my gloved hand in his.

“Very well. I’ll allow it.”

The Duke led me to the center of the floor.

The marble beneath my heels felt oddly slippery.
Even though I had planned for this, my body stiffened with nerves.

Thankfully, no one else joined the dance floor.
Everyone just stood there, watching us with stunned faces.

The man who supposedly despised Eve — dancing with her like a gentle fiancé?
It was unthinkable.

“Relax, Your Highness,” the Duke murmured softly, stepping closer in rhythm.

“You look as if you’re being dragged to an execution ground, not a ballroom.”

“I just feel like I might die if I step on your foot,” I replied honestly.

He chuckled quietly.

His violet eyes curved beautifully, just like the novel described — “as lovely as an amethyst.”

His sweet smile didn’t match his cold voice, which brushed against my ear like silk.

“I won’t kill you for that, so don’t worry.”

Liar.

‘If he ever finds me useless, he’ll kill me without hesitation.’

He might look gentle now, but I knew what kind of man he really was —
The shadow behind the throne, the hidden mastermind who secretly killed countless people to gain power.

Maybe because I remembered the whole story, even his charming smile looked dangerous to me now.

Like a predator playing with its prey.

I swallowed nervously and glanced up at him.

I didn’t want to hold this scary man’s hand, but right now, I had no other choice.

Because this was the only way to stay alive.

* * *

It was exactly two weeks ago when I came into this world.

‘At first, I almost fainted from shock.’

In my previous life, I lived in modern-day Korea.
Life there was hard — I lost my family young and struggled alone.

I took out student loans, barely finished college, and worked part-time jobs just to survive.

Then one day, after graduation, I finally thought I could start a proper life — only to be hit by a car on my way home.

That should have been the end.

But when I opened my eyes, I found myself in a completely different world.

The Albion Empire, ruler of a great continent.
A grand palace. A royal bedroom.

Everything looked exactly like the novel “Flower of Tragedy” that I had read over and over before I died.

A romantic fantasy world — where a cold northern Grand Duke and a beautiful saintess were the leads.

And in this world, I had become a 19-year-old princess — with long red-gold hair and elegant dresses.

‘Wait… who am I supposed to be?’

I stared blankly at the mirror for a long time before turning to the maid beside me.

The young maid, with sand-colored hair, looked terrified.

“Y-Your Highness, you are the noble daughter of His Majesty the Emperor… Princess Evenes.”

“Princess Eve…? Don’t tell me… I’m that Eve?”

I had already guessed from the red hair and blue eyes.
Those traits were described so many times in the novel — impossible to forget.

Still, I’d hoped it wasn’t true.

“Yes, of course, Your Highness,” the maid said, then hesitated.
“Do… do you not remember anything?”

“……”

I couldn’t answer.
I was too stunned.

I was Eve.

In the novel, Princess Eve was the legitimate daughter of the Emperor and Empress.
She was beautiful, noble, and blessed with divine power.

But all of that was wasted on her terrible personality — selfish, arrogant, and cruel.

The most hated villainess in “Flower of Tragedy.”

That was me.