Prologue

I lifted the champagne glass in my hand high.

Above the pink hair of a woman with a gentle smile, I poured the champagne.

The champagne flowed down from her hair to her face, soaked her white dress.

A short silence crossing between her and me, and the noisy crowds begin to fill the party hall.

Listening to the sound, I put down the champagne glass on the table.

Laughter burst out at the sight in front of me.

The smiling face was subtly distorted.

It’s so much fun to see the daylight flies in a sense of contempt.

“Princess Raylene.”

I can see Iris, the pink haired woman, holding on to her face. Her face, which had been distorted by embarrassment, was becoming calm again.

The sight made me laugh even more.

Don’t you realize that I’m enjoying myself looking at you like this?

She soon wore the winner’s mask on her face.

I laughed.

Today, this was the Thanksgiving party to celebrate the harvest. It was not a mere gathering place for young men and women of society.

It was certainly not wise for me to show this in the presence of all the elderly and young aristocrats.

I’ll be criticized for being a villain again today.

But I only laughed.

The standard for a wicked woman is simply too simple. If she’s called an evil woman for such behaviour, there is nothing we can do more about her.

“You know who I am, don’t you? Miss Iris.”

“Did you do this because you thought I wouldn’t know you?”

I waved my fan wide open as I listened to Iris.

“Did Miss Iris do that even though she knew who I was?”

“What is that….!”

“Did you really dare to say that I’m a vulgar woman, even though you know I’m a princess? You, a daughter of a viscount?”

Iris’s face was reddened again, as it had just turned over the champagne.

The winner’s mask collapsed.

I covered my mouth with my fan as I watched her collapse.

She didn’t speak straight, as I said. It was only metaphorically criticized. But the meaning of what she was trying to say didn’t fade.

“I’m just saying that Princess Raylene’s clothes are unusual.”

“You said it’s like a dancer’s attire.”

“The dress is similar in character, so….”

“I’m sure I know a lot of great designers, and you said their dresses didn’t seem to match the dignity of a Duchess.”

“I told you that I think there’s a better dress for the princess.”

“So did you say you would introduce a new designer to me?”

Even to hear myself, my voice was pleasant and delightful.

In fact, I’m happy to be in this position right now.

“I just gave you some advice for your dignity. I don’t know how you accepted it as vulgar.”

After being subjugated several times to the same method, she still seemed unaware of the intentions I was trying to make.

“What’s the difference between everything that you said with the meaning of saying that the young lady of the Duke, Raylene, comes out in an undignified (clothes)?”

I untie, what Iris said in a twirl.

I spoke of my own disgrace in front of many people.

Rather, she would be ashamed of having been criticized for her clothes. A lady here would never have done that.

But I had no reason to do so.

“How does Miss Iris, a viscount’s daughter, have the right to judge the dignity of a Duke? I’m really curious.”

Iris bit her lips, and her broken lips grew tired.

Curly pink hair. Pink eyes that remind me of something warm. White skin that makes me wonder if she has ever been in the sun.

With all that as a sign of loveliness, she grasped her dress so hard that it exposed the bones of her two fists, and glared at me.

I’m curious.

Why does she always hate and resent me? Why would she try to get on my head?

Iris Ann Conrad, what the hell is this about?

But you can’t beat me.

A sneer hovered around my mouth. Knowing it, I didn’t lower my fan to cover my mouth.

In this world, she was nothing but a viscount’s daughter, and I’m the only blood of the Duke in the Empire.

Why are you raising your claws on someone who’s still?

I’m going to get out, so I’m just happy for you both. Can’t you let me do that? I didn’t want to do anything.

That handsome young baron over there winked at me!

“It’s not my intention.”

“Wouldn’t you know yet that you judged the Duke of Kandmion by your own standards, whether you intended it or not?”

I took my breath for a moment.

And looked at her face, littered with anger.

“I am Kandmion’s legitimate bloodline. To insult me was to insult the Duke.”

There’s a murmur of those who had become bystanders inside the party.

The evil lady threw a knife again. They will think so.

As usual, they gave justification to their actions, not to make a scene at the party and play out evil.

Society was not a place where family power was directly applied. Lady’s own personal abilities are far more important.

No matter how powerful the daughter of an important person, the one who cannot speak a word and becomes a wallflower will never be the centre.

However, there were actions that could not be tolerated in such a place.

I pulled that figure out by placing them in my mouth myself.

No matter how noble and graceful she tried to humiliate me, she recognized that I was the daughter of Duke Kandmion.

One of two pillars supporting the Empire is the Kandmion, with golden branches that symbolize wealth.

“It’s a misunderstanding. I’m just talking in the hope that you’ll find a better designer.”

“It’s my decision to judge if it doesn’t matter, Miss Iris.”

It’s not a matter for you to decide. It’s my decision as a Princess.

Furthermore, it’s not just Raylene who had done some wrongdoings in the past.

The people were mixed up with this kind of behaviour, but there were those who believed in and followed that kind of people even though they were corrupted by evil. And what could be the reason?

Money and power are the best in the world.

The ordinary lady would have been ashamed to be pointed out, but I’m different.

I’ve been living in Korea for 30 years, so I have a very strong mental condition.

You’re a real thug today….

“What’s the fuss about?”

He appeared again.

The hero in this novel.

The law of every novel. If the female lead is defeated, the hero comes to her rescue.

Frederick continued to extend his hands to save Iris again today.

The crown prince hurriedly took a handkerchief out of his arms and wiped Iris’ face.

Iris loosened her white, biting lips. She looked up at Frederick with relief. His eyes were friendly and warm.

Frederick turned his eyes and glared at me.

The tenderness toward Iris has long gone. As you can see, his face contained disgust.

“Raylene. Until when do you intend to cause a commotion?”

The brilliant silver hair, which seemed to have been drawn by the craftsman by his own hands, sparkled as they reflected the light at the party.

My eyes seemed to have dropped red paint onto the water.

His facial line, straight nose, tightly closed lips. It all seemed to represent a male lead’s character.

However, despite his stubborn face, there was a beauty that caught people’s eyes.

This man was showing the image of an absolute beauty.

“A commotion? A commotion … did you say anything to me?”

He’s handsome. He still looks good even when he’s glaring at me. I think I know why this villainess hang herself on this man.

But! So what If he’s handsome! His personality is the worst.

Even if he did a hero show for Iris now, I knew what he was like.

The fact that he had the audacity to have a brazen affair with Iris when he was engaged to Raylene in the past.

The fact that he hated and insulted Raylene, who was his fiancée.

“You’re so arrogant.”

“It’s quite different to be arrogant and confident about yourself. I hope you know that.”

You’re the one who turned a Princess into a Villainess.

I would have broken my engagement with you, I’ll go through the world and marry a man who’s better than you.

Frederick glared at me furiously. But he seemed to know that their actions were not justified.

“So why are you doing this?”

As always, he spoke like that in front of a situation where he was at a disadvantage.

“I was talking to Iris about the law of aristocracy.”

“….by pouring a champagne on her head?”

“Yes, so she knows her place.”

Iris’s pink eyes were burning with anger.

She glared at me with her eyes. Her body is a reminiscent of a small animal and her slightly dropping eyes give a soft impression. Truly, her outward appearance did not match her eyes dotted with anger.

….you’re not getting stabbed when sleeping, are you? I don’t think so.

“Now I think she knows it well, but how about it? Iris.”

“….thanks to you, I’ve learned.”

She would have predicted that if she didn’t step out of this position, she would have covered up the crime of contempt. That’s why she backed away, even though she still clenched her dress to the bone.

I had to stop here, too. She backed away. I couldn’t convict her of simply saying something about the dress.

If I do it any longer, I will be treated like a wicked woman who has exercised her authority, not as a noblewoman who taught the fountain of the aristocracy to a lower aristocrat.

Well, I think I’ve already shown her that much.

I’m annoyed. I want to live happily ever after doing nothing and spending my house’s overflowing money.

“What a shame. You seem to have forgotten what I said. We’re not engaged any more, are we?”

Frederick stared back at me again as his ex-fiancée and kept silent.

“I sincerely hope that you will not speak informally to me.”

He did not answer. He pulled Iris out of the party.

It’s a bit of a puzzle to watch that back.

“How can a man who doesn’t keep a little courtesy….”

I felt a sense of humour. I haven’t spoken much, but most of the people here would understand what I’m saying.

“Raylene!”

When I looked back at the sound of my name, the noblewoman who had just taken off their aloof tees were looking at me with their eyes wide open.

I proudly drew them a winning V with my finger.

Chapter 1: If It’s a Dream

“I’m getting married next month.”

That was what Saerom said at the reunion of high school classmates.

I could feel my friends staring at me with a twinkle in their eyes.

They couldn’t readily say congratulations to Saerom.

“What, you guys! Why doesn’t anyone say congratulations?”

Would you do it if you were me? In my presence.

I pretended to look calm and drank the coffee in front of me.

Did I feel relief in my attitude? My friends say congratulations to Saerom one by one.

However, the congratulations was if it were a formality and no more words were spoken.

We’ve grown older. I no longer wanted to be angry, fight, and bite at something as angry as I used to be.

Is that why they seemed to want this meeting to just pass smoothly and comfortably, too?

Aren’t we friend of the past, you have met after a long time? You may want to share the past pleasant memories and forget the harsh lives we have now.

“Thank you for congratulating me. You’re all going to come to my wedding, right?”

I sighed a little in my mind.

At least, I wanted to.

But there’s someone who chose this meeting to crush me, so should I do that?

She smiled brightly and took out the invitations from her bag, then handed them out.

And the invitation arrived in front of me.

“Soojin, you must come, too!

I opened the invitation.

The name of the groom written there was his name, the man whom I dated for eight years.

“Kim Saerom, what are you doing here?”

He was a second year senior when I first met him in my first year of high school. He graduated from high school, but our relationship did not end there.

I’ve been in constant contact with him for two years.

As soon as I took the College Scholastic Ability Test, our love began.

The love that started was very difficult.

I ran out of my house at the same time I entered college, and he soon joined the army.

While having spent a hectic day studying at college, he was an active member of the military.

College graduation, preparation for employment, employment, and work abroad. While doing these things, I stayed, and helped him prepare for college and the bar exam.

All this eight years. I have been very enthusiastic and supportive.

At the age of 29, he apologized to me and said he can’t stand it any more.

I accepted it, and a year later, I heard that he passed the bar exam.

I was dumbfounded and angry, but I didn’t resent him. It was my choice to support my boyfriend and my choice to accept the break-up.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Yeah. If I hadn’t heard from you and him after that.

“I met Beomjun-oppa after you broke up with him. If there’s anything unpleasant, let it go.”

“You’re very bold on both sides.”

“What?”

Yeah. If only he had met you at the end of my relationship and I hadn’t heard that he chose you.

“There’s no secret in this world. One-time friend.”

“What do you mean by that? I think you’re mistaken….”

“You know, whether I got you wrong or not, he’s my boyfriend who broke up with me after 8 years together, yet you gave me your wedding invitation and asked me to congratulate you.”

Saerom kept her mouth shut.

My friends around me argue that they should stop me. Many were saying that we shouldn’t fight in our first meeting after a long time, since Saerom was careless.

However, no one raised a voice.

A friend and two or three others next to me were whispering.

“Not to mention that you and I were friends, don’t you usually think about that? What’s this? Do you want to think that you’ve won? Or did you want me to be sad?”

“That’s because I want to be congratulated by you!”

“No, did you really have the thought in your head that I would truly congratulate you?”

“Choi Soojin, stop it. Why do you keep fighting?”

The man next to me, Jiwoo, grabbed my arm and caught it.

That’s right. Normally, you will talk nicely and protect your child.

I was relieved at the moment. It was fortunate that I didn’t look like I was being beaten.

What’s wrong with me, who has justification, to push my unrighteous friend? On the contrary, it would be more unfair for me to be here.

“My dear friend, Jiwoo, I think that’s the problem of someone who is 30 years old and has an empty head?”

My friend. Under current circumstances, 100% of ashes is a problem.

If you post this on an internet community, you’ll get thousands of curses.

I brushed off Jiwoo’s hand holding my arm. Jiwoo wouldn’t try to stop me again.

“Choi Soojin. Are you jealous? Do you think I took over Beomjun-oppa who passed the bar exam?”

Wow, the people of the world, look at this bitch’s great idea.

She pretended to be nice, and made me a jealous woman who would quarrel with her friend.

“Why would I? What’s the big deal?”

I held the invitation between my index and middle finger, then let it go.

The invitation slipped out of my hand and fell to the floor.

I looked at Saerom who cast her eyes on the ground.

“You know what I’ve been trough since graduated from college? What did I miss? Back up, huh? What money do you take and sleep with him? Why is that? Would that matter to me?”

After graduating from college, I went abroad and joined a foreign company.

Because I missed the Korean rice, I moved to the Korean branch, and I am  living a comfortable life alone.

“He passed the bar exam? Does that matter? What does it matter to me that a man is capable? I’ll be able to do it.”

My friends and Saerom’s mouth closed as if they had eaten honey.

Yeah. I know I’m a badass now. You have to understand. My friends. I need to build my self-esteem now.

“Kim Saerom. You seem to have forgotten your true nature by pretending to be nice.”

Saerom’s body quivered. Now I think we have to face the real reality.

“You’re the one who stole your friend’s boyfriend, the one who brought her an invitation to her eight years ex-boyfriend and asked her to congratulate you, and you drove her to be a jealous woman to build your own pride.”

I got up from my seat with my bag. I felt all the eyes were glued to me.

Furthermore, I had a choice. To drive out Kim Saerom and remain here, or to stand up and get out. This is because we have become unable to share this space.

I chose the latter. Obviously, if I stay in my seat, I will have to swear or listen to someone until I go home, even though I have come here with the purpose of forgetting my current life and making myself happy.

Apart from being angry at her, it seemed that it would be a lot of stress to swear or listen to someone for a long time, contrary to purpose.

“I can’t figure out where you’re getting old. I hope you will never call me a friend again with your mouth.”

Hush! Look!

It’s this season’s new bag!

Because Kim Saerom comes out today, it was useful to have this thing with me. My designer bag.

“I’m sorry I ruined the mood. I’ll buy a big meal later.”

Holding up my bag to make sure the designer logo is visible, I turned around without hesitation.

The back of my head ached.

Today, I think I’ll have to have a bath and live longer.

When I got home, I lay right on the sofa in my living room.

Words and actions have been made to act confident, I pretended to be all over the world, but actually … I felt bad.

If Kim Saerom was thinking of making me down, her plan today was a success.

That’s what I am. I always pretended to be cool, but my inner side hurt.

It’s annoying to lie down and be depressed at all kind of miscellaneous thoughts, so I moved around.

After thinking about it, I picked up my phone and turned on the web novel that I used to read.

Today, I wanted to read a novel that would help me feel better.

I carefully studied the introduction of several novels. I also read the comments. The title of the novel that made me stop my hand is ‘Let Me Be Rich’.

The story is about a daughter of a desperately poor viscount who lives a hard life, but a steady stream of men surrounded her.

What I found particularly appealing is the introductory phrase [Cider water/Sprite shower]¹ and the reader’s comment, ‘This is a work of a Villainess’.

Okay. Today, I’m going to take a look at this and wash down the sweet potato² in my heart.

So, I decided to go along with the novel Let Me Be Rich.

***

“What the hell! What are you doing, Villainess!”

I’m furious. My anger is burning.

Reading the novel, I felt like I was swallowing sweet potatoes without water, rather than washing them down.

Of course, the novel was cider-materials, like the author’s introduction. Only for this truly unrealistic woman.

She is the only daughter of a Duke, the one of two pillars supporting the Empire, who runs the top of the continent and very wealthy. She’s also good-looking. Smart. Her body is great.

Unlike the author’s introduction, the all-in-one villainess was doing nothing in the novel.

She was begging for love by hanging herself on a handsome and talented Crown Prince, the male main character. She’s excited about sarcastic goodness and doesn’t run out of the way.

Furthermore, she’s being defeated by a sub-character, when it should be easy enough to beat the main character by eating up her family who touches her father’s business!

Although she did a great deal of evil in the novel, but there is nothing in Korea like that.

If you have money and power, there’s nothing you can’t do, Sis!

Grab her hair, get her dress dirty, blackmail her, and ask the assassin guild to… No, is there any way to torture a woman except doing bad things?

Why were you born in such a good environment and act like a man is everything?

She’s not thinking about living well for herself.

Why were you born with that huge diamond spoon in your mouth when you couldn’t wield it properly!

I prayed that the villainess will do her best with her power, and I keep pressing the next chapter, but I don’t see what I expected.

“No, you were born in a rich, powerful house so why you’re just being beaten by the heroine!”

Before I knew it, I began to be more concerned with the villainess who was going to receive sweet potatoes instead of the heroine walking on the cider flower path.

“What kind of man is she crying about!”

I was annoyed. To see a man who was engaged to the villainess but still clinging to the heroine.

I don’t know anything. I’m naive.

Furthermore, I’m glad you helped me. The princess was angry at the sight of the heroine holding the prince’s hand.

I felt like the couple who had just bothered and smothered me in anger were showing up and putting up the medicine.

The 30-years-old Kim Saerom, who smiled innocently as if she didn’t know anything and handed me an invitation, looked like the heroine.

Han Beomjun who met another woman in the middle of dating me, and the Crown Prince who met the heroine even though he had a fiancée, also seemed to overlap.

The villainess Raylene and me also felt similar.

Is that why I’m more concerned about her?

I didn’t see it until the end and pressed the home button on my cell phone. No longer read it, the villainess seemed to be beaten by the heroine without even using what she had. And isn’t her fate was going to end up on the death row like any other villainess?

I got up from the sofa, took off all the clothes I wore when I went out, and headed for the bathroom.

What if I were the Villainess?

I’ll kick that man’s *** for sure.

How dare you disregard the villainess, a woman of the family who supporting the Imperial Palace.

When people behave carelessly, they are not worth looking at.

And then I would tell them to play nice with each other, and I’m going to live happily with the excess money.

I want to try. Spend my money to the fullest.

Especially, I wanted to try it. I’ll pay everything for there to here.

Should I meet a guy? A guy who listens to me carefully, who’s warm only to me, and he’s kind and doesn’t yell at me. Most of all, someone who doesn’t betray me.

You must have power, wouldn’t it be possible to get someone with a good face and a lot of money?

“There’s no way in the world that such a person exists.”

After bathing, I lay down on the sofa again. I didn’t have the mood to do anything.

I fell asleep, still leaving myself in the towel.

Sleep was deep and sweet. I felt like I was sinking.

As if never to wake up again.

***

Today, the texture of the bedclothes felt so good to me. The mattresses seem to be exceptionally fluffy, too. I don’t want to get up.

I thought I would feel so crushed on the sofa, but I felt like I was getting a lot of sleep.

Not only that, but I don’t want to get up because it’s so warm inside the blanket.

Suddenly, I felt a sensation of alienation in it. Wait, why am I in the blanket? I’m sure I was on the sofa.

I live alone in my house, so there’s no way anyone would have taken me to bed, and no one would have come and gone by because my parents were already died….

Furthermore, I’m scared of this.

Not only that, but I opened my eyes carefully and took a quick look at the surrounding.

“Where am I….”

Who kidnapped me while I was asleep? What is this luxurious interior? Where is this hotel? The bed is so big!

My hair dropped over my body as I scrambled to get up. It’s a black hair.

This hair was different from my brown hair, which always stuck to bobbed short. As if dyed, the colour is deep and rich in quality.

My hair isn’t this long? This is a hair that’s been growing for years?

I crept out of the bed, terrified. Once there was no one in the room.

I don’t know what kind of people who took me to this luxury place, but that person must be quite a pervert. I have a shiny wig on my head and a sky-blue princess’ pyjamas.

Furthermore, I looked around to see if there was an escape hatch or something I could contact. However, no matter how many times I looked around, I could only see that this room was a replica of medieval European style.

As I stepped forward to explore more in earnest, I saw a large full-body mirror.

The pervert didn’t do something weird again, right?

I looked around and approach the mirror to see if I miss anything.

And I could see it.

A gorgeous black-haired beauty, who looks completely different from my face, was looking at me.

The woman in the mirror was beautiful, with a long hair like ebony and mysterious violet eyes. They have large yet unburdened eyes. It seemed attractive to have a slightly raised end of long eyelashes.

Neither the features on her face were excessive nor lacking. This face moved my most ideal face in my dream to ideal position. It looked even more beautiful.

It was the image that I imagined when I made a character in the game. Furthermore, it has perfect features and figure that can never be found in the real world.

The question is, why is that goddess beyond the mirror I see? Is she the mirror girl?

Looking behind the mirror, there is only a support, and the wall is empty.

When I came back to the mirror, the woman in there is looking at me with her palm out above her eyes.

No, that is what I’m doing right now.

T/N: I have not learned how to do footnotes yet, I’m sorry. So this is the explanation:

¹. [사이다물/스프라이트샤워] it’s a slang for satisfying feeling. 사이다 is originally a word for ‘Sprite’ in Korea. You know, when your stomach feels heavy, sprite helps you to be relieved and feel refreshing. Just like this, when you have something that makes you uncomfortable and feel pressured, if you say your complaints straight forward or make an action, you call it ‘사이다(cider).’

². 고구마 / Sweet potato = frustrating situation. It is because when you eat sweet potato, it makes you thirsty and stuffy.