Becoming the Villainess? Actually, I Love It!

“Lady Callia, we have arrived at the Imperial Palace.”

The butler’s calm voice woke me from my midday drowsiness.

I cracked my stiff neck as I got out of the carriage.

That ticklish “lady” sound has become quite familiar to my ears after a month.

“Mikhail, should I just go back?”

“Have you forgotten how you insisted on coming here? Go on.”

The butler, who spoke coldly, turned his back on me and drove the carriage away without looking back.

I sighed and started trudging up the stairs.

‘I’ll be full just from the scolding I’ll get there.’

The original Callia was a villainess who tried to ostracize the female lead Anael in high society, failed, and ended up being ostracized herself.

Then, as a last desperate attempt, she tried to assassinate Anael but failed miserably. As a result, she was branded a blasphemer, cast out from society, and became universally despised.

Geez, I wonder what kind of guts it took to attack the female lead, who’s a saint of the Grand Temple.

Is it the fate of villainesses to act like moths rushing towards a campfire?

If it were me, I’d have roasted marshmallows on that fire instead.

“Look over there, it’s Lady Rabius.”

“Oh my, how shameless. I wonder with what face she came here.”

I could hear the whispers of noble ladies who had put effort into their dresses and makeup.

The point at which I transmigrated here was already after Callia had been isolated in high society.

After waking up in the Rabius ducal residence, I grasped the situation and secluded myself in the mansion for a month.

However, no matter how much of an introvert I am who loves staying at home, there’s a limit to living cooped up in a mansion in a world without electronic devices.

Also, according to what I discreetly found out through the people of the ducal family, Callia’s infamy in the capital’s noble society had reached the sky.

In fact, even though Callia was called a villainess, she hadn’t killed anyone or caused permanent harm.

Just from hearing the rumors, she was being cursed as if she were the trash of the century.

‘Since I don’t want to get an egg facial while walking around, I have no choice but to take drastic measures.’

That’s why I’m here now, attending my first official banquet after being transmigrated.

The “May Festival”, is a spring banquet held by the imperial family.

It’s a large-scale party where most of the notable nobles of the capital attend, and many minor nobles from the provinces come for social activities.

And I, possessing the villainess, was being cursed as an appetizer even before entering.

“Look at that hunched back. It seems she’s given up on even maintaining proper etiquette now.”

Criticizing posture, ignoring the chronic disease of modern people – scoliosis.

I’m not sure if Callia has scoliosis too, though.

“Not knowing how to maintain basic etiquette, she’s truly a shame to the ducal family.”

Oh yes, I am that very shame.

After being cooped up in the mansion for a month and coming out, climbing these endless stairs is killing me.

I want to petition the Emperor to make a magical escalator.

“It seems she’s finally realized that it’s she who should be bowing, not Lady Anael!”

Oh, thanks for the creative interpretation. Let’s go with that. It’s true anyway.

The people’s condemnation didn’t have much impact.

They must be cursing so vehemently because they’re outraged by the atrocities Callia has committed thus far.

However, the luxurious life of a duke’s daughter more than compensates for such minor inconveniences.

“With his only daughter in such a state, Duke Rabius must have many worries.”

I climbed the last step while attentively listening to the unnamed noble’s thoughtful concern for my parents. I’m out of breath.

“Phew… Indeed, only the strong can survive here.”

Hearing my realization, the servant guarding the massive door made an odd expression.

“Should I knock before entering?”

“Ah, no!”

The startled servant soon announced my arrival loudly.

“Callia Rabius, Daughter of the Duke, has arrived!”

Murmurs and whispers.

As soon as I took a step into the banquet hall with my back straight, piercing gazes enveloped me.

My name is Callia, notorious for my infamy.

But I don’t care about others’ gazes.

I exhaled and looked around.

As if it wasn’t just an empire in name, the imperial palace’s banquet hall, as big as a sports field, was full of things that looked more expensive than my annual salary no matter where I looked.

Huge crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the walls were entirely made of mirrors elaborately decorated with gold.

‘If I were to remove all the gold from there, I could provide a small ring to each of the fifty million Korean citizens.’

On one side, large and beautiful marble tables were visible, as if Michelin three-star chefs had a culinary showdown.

They were filled with lavish food and desserts that should be called art rather than cuisine.

With everything so dazzling, how could I possibly find the female and male leads?

In the novel, the female lead was said to be the embodiment of beauty, so beautiful that she emitted a halo, but surely that was an exagger…

“Ugh. My eyes.”

I almost went blind. I ought to demand compensation for this.

And it’s all due to that paragon of beauty over there.

Her dazzling silver hair caught and reflected the light from the crystal chandeliers.

Lowering my gaze, entranced and forgetting the dazzling light, there stood the heavenly gods’ pick for an idol.

Truly, her beauty is not of this world.

A straight forehead and neat eyebrows, like her upright personality.

Dense silver eyelashes and beautiful violet eyes beneath them.

A high, straight nose bridge and pleasantly plump lips.

Indeed, the words “female lead” came out involuntarily.

‘I acknowledge her as the most beautiful woman in this world setting.’

Her delicate figure in a white silk dress sprinkled with white diamonds… How should I put it, even though it’s our first meeting, I want to propose.

Her beauty is so extraordinary that her future husband should worship her like a goddess.

Well, that sister is a real saint after all.

If I had come without any thoughts, I might have asked if she’s not interested in recruiting a wife instead of a husband.

Ugh, the white nape of her neck revealed under her elegantly styled silver hair is dazzling.

I barely turned my head away to prevent another risk of blindness, and then I was startled.

Let me say it again, the walls of the imperial palace’s banquet hall are entirely made of mirrors decorated with gold.

In other words, I came face to face with my own reflection.

‘Am I a magical girl? Since when did I transform into a red-haired octopus in a dress?’

In the original work, Callia Rabius was said to be a tyrant who ruled over high society with her beauty and power, even if she lacked brains… but where did the beauty go?

But looking closely, the people around me had all turned into squids and sea squirts too.

I realized. In front of Anael, the most beautiful woman in this world setting, everyone had equally become sea creatures.

The sole exception might be the Emperor, perched on his distant imperial throne, yet keenly observing this scene.

How intriguing – the emergence of a new beauty at this gathering of the elite.

He, a handsome man with dark hair and golden eyes, seemed to be resisting becoming a marine creature thanks to his male lead buff.

But he was too far away to see clearly. So I looked at Anael, who was closer.

Huh? Didn’t I just make eye contact with Anael?

Or not? Am I having a shared hallucination with the people within a 3-meter radius of me?

“Lady Rabius?”

But the moment I heard Anael’s clear voice calling me, a feeling of acknowledgment spontaneously welled up from my eardrums.

Anael is not just a saint, she’s the goddess of beauty.

Even her surname starts with ‘A’ like Aphrodite, right? As expected.

“Anael.”

“Today, you call me by my name.”

Anael muttered with a subtle expression.

I came prepared to have my hair pulled, but Anael, perhaps because she learned etiquette at the Grand Temple, was certainly more composed.

But the other nobles were not.

Recalling the harsh words Callia had thrown at everyone’s idol, they poured out angry reactions.

“How shameless.”

“How can she walk around with her head held high like that?”

“Duke Rabius is ridiculous too. To send such a ruffian of a daughter back to a banquet.”

At this rate, I might end up ruining the Rabius ducal family because of me.

Since I didn’t come here to ruin the family, I quickly opened my mouth.

“What’s important is not the past.”

I admit. It was a very inappropriate first word for a bully. The public sentiment exploded.

“How dare you say such things in front of Lady Anael!”

“Villainess! Disappear from high society!”

“Such a woman should be exiled from the empire!”

People were so excited that they didn’t stop at words.

Remember the tables with food plated with the blood, sweat, and tears of the imperial chefs?

Unfortunately, it was right next to me.

Some people picked up the food.

Judging by how they were holding it, it seemed they were about to engage in food fighting, not in the usual sense.

‘…You, male lead, aren’t you going to stop this even though you’re the Emperor? Even if it’s an official imperial banquet, is it okay for such an unexpected event to occur?’

I glanced at where the Emperor was, and he had completely lost interest in this side.

It doesn’t seem like he wouldn’t notice with all this noise.

‘Don’t tell me he’s holding back from wanting to throw something too?’

I calmly attempted a meaningless struggle.

“Everyone, please calm down.”

Of course, it didn’t work at all.

Rather, as if they took my words as a declaration of war, one noble lady threw food while hurling insults.

“Callia Rabius! Why don’t you disappear from Lady Anael’s sight right now?”

Ugh, who brought tomatoes to the imperial banquet? No, it’s Caprese.

“Shameless villainess! Take this!”

The cake is exceptionally tender; they might have used whipped cream in its preparation.

Still, I didn’t want to taste it with my nose.

How much food had I sacrificed to my skin? Perhaps thinking it was about time to intervene, the Emperor, who had been sitting like a handsome mannequin, stood up and shouted loudly.

“Enough! What do you think you’re all doing at an imperial banquet!”

“But Your Majesty, didn’t you see the shameless behavior of Callia Rabius!”

The Emperor’s intervention stopped the food throwing, but it didn’t quell people’s anger.

“From now on, anyone who causes a disturbance will be severely punished according to the law.”

‘From now on’ means he’s going to overlook what happened before.

As expected of the scheming male lead, he’s unbelievably petty.

On the other hand, glancing at Anael, as expected, her expression was more bewildered than satisfied.

If the Emperor hadn’t stepped in, Anael might have tried to stop it.

‘It would have been useless though.’

Coming here and experiencing Anael’s popularity firsthand, it wouldn’t be strange if a zealous noble sent an assassin after me.

So I thought it might be better to let them vent their frustrations a bit now… but I can’t do this twice, phew.

Tasting the foods that the imperial chef must have put his heart and soul into with my whole body, I walked step by step towards the marble table set with finger foods.

People around me retreated hesitantly as if they sensed a subtle madness.

Especially the lady who had thrown the tomato Caprese at me, worried about retaliation, snatched a silver tray from a nearby servant and covered her face.

On the other hand, the Emperor, with a stern face, was walking briskly towards me, perhaps feeling a sense of duty to stop me before I caused trouble.

‘He is handsome indeed.’

Inwardly admiring, I reached out toward the pyramid of champagne glasses on the table.

“Lady, did you not hear what I said?”

The Emperor, who had come close, warned me in a low voice.

“I’m not someone who plays with food, Your Majesty.”

I said obediently, holding a champagne glass in one hand and a silver spoon in the other.

Then I lightly tapped the thin, slender glass with the silver spoon.

Ding- Ding- Ding-

A clear sound like a school bell rang through the silent banquet hall.

“Everyone.”

I saw this in movies when people wanted to get attention at parties, so I tried it, but come to think of it, maybe it wasn’t necessary?

Everyone was already paying attention to me.

Anyway.

“I said that what’s important is not the past, right?”

It seems some people got upset again, but whether it’s Korean or whatever, you should listen to people’s words until the end.

“I can’t change what has already happened. I know this well.”

As I seemed to be saying something unexpectedly plausible, I could feel people stirring.

“So, I thought that what’s important is ‘how I act from now on’.”

Anael was staring at me intently with her clear violet eyes.

It’s a bit regrettable to think that I’ll forever remain a crazy woman in that sister’s heart.

But no matter how moved I am, I’m a former modern person. I can’t give up a comfortable retirement!

“The reason I came to the imperial banquet today is to say this.”

Having achieved my first goal of seeing the faces of the female and male lead, it’s time to achieve my second goal.

Taking a deep breath, I declared firmly.

“I, Callia, as a sign of deep reflection and repentance, will never appear in this social circle again.”

I can’t climb those stairs again.

“Goodbye, everyone.”

I’m throwing off all the shackles and bonds of this world and leaving to find my own happiness!

***

After bowing 90 degrees and leaving the banquet hall, I went straight to pack my bags and headed down to a remote territory in the corner of the duchy.

Becoming the Villainess? Actually, I love it.

No need to meet people? I like it even more!

It was the beginning of a happy unemployed life.

Translator

lurelia
Known for turning pages faster than I move in real life. Warning: May suddenly vanish into fictional realms, leaving behind only a vaguely potato-shaped indent on the sofa.