10. The Moment the Crown Prince Decided to Favor Me
In the reception room of the Duke’s mansion.
Every item within the reception room oozed luxury. Sculptures crafted from marble and gold and rare furniture pieces that couldn’t be found on the market blended together in perfect harmony.
At the center of it all sat a man with one leg elegantly crossed over the other—more dazzling than even the lavish surroundings.
“Ugh, what an annoying woman. How much longer do I have to wait?” the man grumbled in irritation.
“My apologies, Your Highness. It seems Lady Roselia is taking longer than usual due to her poor health,” the butler replied.
“What a pathetic excuse.”
The butler bowed his head, but the man merely scoffed.
Radiant golden hair, and eyes as deep and mysterious as the ocean. His strikingly handsome face could make anyone gasp in awe, yet he was more than just beautiful.
From his mere presence radiated an air of nobility and authority that dared not be challenged.
He was none other than the Empire’s brilliant sun—Crown Prince Perwin.
Perwin’s handsome features were contorted in displeasure.
“That woman’s lack of manners is nothing new. Cut the nonsense and bring her here immediately.”
“Uh, well…”
“Can’t understand plain words, huh?”
At that moment, Perwin’s escort knight drew his sword. The sharp blade pointed at the servant’s throat, sending the pale-faced servant scurrying off.
“I-I’ll bring her at once, Your Highness!”
“Useless rabble.”
He clicked his tongue in irritation.
Perwin de Emprion.
The Emperor’s eldest son and the Empire’s sole heir.
Raised under absolute power, he feared nothing. He was born to rule, and it was only natural that the Empire’s entirety lay in his grasp.
And now, here he was wasting his precious time because of one troublesome woman? The very thought irked him deeply.
A nearby attendant whispered just loud enough for Perwin to hear.
“Your Highness, you came here under the Empress’s orders. Causing a scene at the Duke’s estate will only stir unnecessary trouble. Please, have some patience.”
“Quiet.”
Perwin furrowed his brows.
If it weren’t for the Empress’s orders, he wouldn’t have even set foot in this place.
[I hear the young lady has come down with a fever. It worries me, seeing such a lively girl so suddenly quiet. Perhaps the Crown Prince should visit and check on her well-being himself.]
‘What nonsense.’
He could’ve easily sent a servant to check in on her. Why did he have to come in person?
Regardless of maintaining good relations between the imperial family and the Duke’s house, he had already decided to give Roselia a proper scolding. That way, the Empress wouldn’t think to send him again.
Just as he was stewing in his irritation—
“Apologies for the delay, Your Highness.”
The servants who had gone to fetch Roselia returned, flustered.
Perwin glanced at them coldly.
“Lucky for them.”
If they’d taken any longer, he had fully intended to break their legs.
“You’ve waited long, Your Highness.”
Roselia finally appeared, following behind the frantic attendants.
“You’re this late and dare show your face so brazenly—”
Perwin turned toward her, annoyed.
“……!”
His pupils widened.
Roselia’s eyes sparkled like gemstones from the depths of the sea. Her sharp catlike eyes and her faint, mysterious smile tugged at his gaze.
Her skin glowed like porcelain, and her flowing hair curled gracefully.
He had seen her countless times before—yet, this time, she struck him like a revelation, as if he were witnessing an ancient mystery unfold.
“Roselia Sertheia greets the Empire’s little sun,” she said with composure, bowing gracefully. Then she raised her head and looked directly at Perwin.
That fleeting moment felt like an eternity.
“…Roselia?”
An uncontrollable impulse flared up inside him.
He strode toward her and roughly grabbed her chin between his thumb and forefinger.
“Your Highness? What are you doing?”
As her soft, delicate skin met his fingertips, the burning impulse surged even stronger.
Roselia frowned. Her face was filled with surprise and rejection.
Even that annoyed expression felt oddly seductive. Perwin wondered if he had gone mad.
Fighting to suppress his growing heat, he muttered curtly:
“Just checking on your health.”
The distance between them was barely a breath apart.
Like studying a strange new creature, Perwin examined every feature of her face.
Nothing about her seemed different from usual. So why was she catching his attention now?
His gaze trailed over her, searching.
Perhaps it was due to her illness, but Roselia seemed calmer than usual—yet her eyes held a sharp intelligence.
Those clever eyes neither begged for affection nor threw a childish tantrum as they usually did.
She merely looked back at him with the same calm scrutiny.
“….”
Roselia quietly looked away.
As her eyelashes lowered, her expression took on an oddly submissive hue.
Perwin subconsciously tightened his grip on her chin.
“Let go.”
Roselia suddenly turned her head sharply. Though she managed to shake off his hand, the spot he’d grabbed still throbbed.
‘Still as rude and selfish as ever.’
Roselia shot him a sharp glare.
‘It’s impossible to form any kind of peaceful relationship with this man.’
One of her survival rules as a former villainess was to never clash with the male lead. If she got on his bad side, one mistake could cost her head.
But despite all her effort, Perwin remained arrogantly dismissive.
He scoffed.
“You’re overreacting.”
“Excuse me?”
Roselia bristled at being labeled ‘sensitive.’
“You show up unannounced, and this is how you treat me? This is unacceptable. I’ll be filing a formal complaint with the imperial family.”
“Unacceptable? Weren’t you the one who always tried to get my attention by any means?”
Perwin smirked.
“You’re using a fever as an excuse this time, but I’m sure you’re just pretending to be sick. You probably faked illness just to draw my concern.”
“Hah.”
Roselia let out a hollow laugh.
True, before her possession, Roselia had done all sorts of outrageous things to gain Perwin’s love.
She once tried to give him a supposed love potion, and even turned to black magic because she was told it would make him faithful.
If any woman so much as looked friendly with Perwin, she would fly into a jealous rage, no matter if the woman was a noble or foreigner.
She even faked a fatal illness—or claimed she’d take her own life—to manipulate him.
So yes, his suspicions were valid. But things had changed.
“You’re overconfident. I may have acted foolishly before, but I won’t be doing anything like that again. Rest assured.”
“What, is this a new tactic?”
Perwin sneered.
He had long lost any trust in Roselia. Everything she said sounded laughable.
“No, I’m serious. I know it’s hard to believe, but I’ve made up my mind.”
Roselia’s voice was firm.
‘I don’t want to share space with this man for even a second longer.’
That certainty gave her courage.
She calmed herself so as not to appear emotional or rash.
Then, in a clear and steady voice, she said,
“Let’s end the engagement.”
“…What?”
For the first time, the smirk vanished from Perwin’s face.
“Did you just say… break off the engagement?”
At my suggestion, Perwin’s expression turned vicious. The servants of the Duke’s house, and even the palace retainers, flinched at his murderous aura.
But I didn’t so much as blink and answered coolly.
“Yes, our engagement. I came to this conclusion while I was bedridden. I’ll prepare the necessary documents and send them to the palace shortly.”
Breaking the engagement—
It was the only way to completely remove the death flag from the original story.
Perwin, the original female lead, and the villainess who stood in the way.
I had to escape that deadly love triangle if I wanted to survive.
But breaking off an engagement meant canceling a contract between two great houses. It had to be handled delicately.
The wrong move could spark a dispute between the imperial family and the Duke’s household.
Just as I was worrying about how to phrase it properly, a system message popped up.
【SYSTEM: Crown Prince Perwin’s Affection Level Has Greatly Increased!】
【SYSTEM: Achievement Unlocked! ‘I’m Not the Person You Used to Know’】
[1 ‘Lucky Roulette Ticket’ has been issued!]
[☞ Spin the Roulette Now ☜]
‘Oh? Affection increased?’
So the charm item worked after all.
Of course, considering how much Perwin used to despise Roselia, the affection gain likely only brought me out of the “worst” zone.
‘Now’s the time to play the break-up card.’
I was confident he wouldn’t just casually kill me now.
“How dare you speak of breaking off our engagement in front of me? On whose authority?”
Perwin’s face twisted with rage.
He looked like he might devour me on the spot, but I’d already expected that reaction.
I calmly attempted to reason with him.
“Of course, I know it’s not easy to accept. There’s a formal agreement between our families. But we can discuss the penalty clauses and any consequences in due time—”
“No. I won’t allow it.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I have no intention of breaking this engagement.”
“…”
“Say something that insolent again, and I’ll rip your tongue out.”
Gulp.
The vicious threat made me instinctively fall silent.
“I’m leaving now. No need to see me out.”
With a furious huff, Perwin rose from his seat, and his attendants followed suit.
I had a servant escort him out as he stormed out of the reception room.
“Don’t even think about getting away from me.”
—he left with that ominous parting remark.
