The noisy hall stirred even more.

‘Finally, the precious ones have graced us with their precious presence?’

She thought she’d really lose weight from waiting.

The culprit who twisted my life!

Still, the bad guy I wanted to see at least once!

Inwardly she was cursing up a storm, but she watched the protagonists’ entrance with a straight face.

The protagonists descended slowly via the semi-elliptical staircase.

Step by step, each time they took a step, tension seemed to hover in the air.

Without even needing to ask who was who, she could immediately tell which was Luca and which was Claude.

The silver-haired beautiful youth descending gracefully drew attention with his exceptional atmosphere and appearance.

“That’s the s*xy one……?”

Hup.

She hadn’t meant to curse. After transmigration, this was her first real encounter with a male lead, and she’d felt a sexiness she’d never experienced before—that’s all she meant by calling him s*xy. Maria quickly covered her mouth with both hands before anything else could slip out.

Luca in the remaining memories of Maria Certi was too blurry to recall properly, but good heavens, such beauty…….

It was truly a beauty that could topple nations. His face in person was far more captivating than reading about it a hundred times in text.

‘How can a person look like that?’

This was her first time seeing him in person. She hadn’t expected such destructive power at all.

His smiling eyes seemed to steal her soul.

His sparkling sky-blue eyes and bright smile made him seem less like a person and more like an incarnation of temptation.

Despite being just a slight smile and glance, several ladies gasped.

No one obstructed the two protagonists as they approached with long strides. The lighting seemed to illuminate only them, creating the illusion of a ball meant solely for the pair.

Maria wasn’t the only one captivated by his beautiful appearance—everyone kept stealing glances at Luca Clodence.

‘Makeup would look amazing on that face.’

Maria stared blankly at Luca’s fair skin and seductive eyes. With his naturally beautiful appearance and shoulder-length bob swept to one side, he looked ready to conquer the Empire with his beauty alone.

Luca Clodence stole the hearts of countless young ladies and made them fall for him.

With that kind of charm, regardless of age or gender, he could probably enchant people just by breathing nearby.

“Sir Clodence is so beautiful again today.”

“Oh, I know…… Even the most beautiful ladies look ordinary next to Sir Luca.”

“By the way, His Grace Duke Aemon beside him looks truly magnificent today as well.”

People’s assessments didn’t differ much from her own thoughts.

That face, that reputation, that good family background—and on top of it all, a genius mage praised throughout the kingdom.

‘This is…… a protagonist who really got the full buff.’

While briefly lost in other thoughts, another protagonist caught her eye.

‘Unbelievable. Jesus. Oh, my God.’

Maria was genuinely impressed.

His Grace Duke Claude Sernui Aemon.

Gentle only to Luca, with Luca as his entire life, sweeping away all enemies for Luca’s sake and even eliminating his own parents—our supremely devoted Duke.

When she’d read the novel before, she’d wondered what kind of amazing charm could cause such a fuss. Back then, the setup had seemed cliché and ordinary.

But seeing truly was believing.

Both Luca and Claude possessed destructive power beyond imagination.

Claude especially showed through his atmosphere, appearance, and physique that he was the most overwhelmingly dangerous person in this hall.

An excessively tall frame matched with a solid build, an impression that seemed cold perhaps from his hair swept back. Dark blue hair and eyes that made his cold, heavy atmosphere even more oppressive. Everything was unrealistically chilling.

Whether the author had coordinated the protagonists’ personal colors, the two appearing together matched too perfectly.

The gentle-only-to-his-su Duke and the beautiful su—their entrance was impressively beyond imagination.

“Heaven for singles, h*ll for couples.”

Hup.

‘This d*mn mouth again.’

Her mouth had too honestly blurted out what should have stayed as thoughts.

Fortunately, no one pointed out her rudeness, perhaps unable to hear over the noisy atmosphere.

Those two were so exceptional. If so, they should reproduce their genes to create works that would remain for generations to come.

Maria had caused a major incident involving Luca about five years ago.

One year after causing that major incident, Maria suffered a severe fever.

Everyone pointed fingers, saying Maria was receiving karmic retribution.

Despite this, the Baron, Baroness, and Sylvie didn’t give up and cared for her. Only after being sick enough to nearly bankrupt the household did Maria recover her health.

This was around when she’d transmigrated.

When the original Maria’s soul left the body and the current her entered, her health rapidly improved.

The Baron and Baroness were deeply moved by this. Their daughter had returned from death’s door and regained her health.

So even when she first couldn’t get her bearings and rambled about where she was, they patiently explained everything.

The most amusing thing after realizing she’d transmigrated into a book was her name. Her name before transmigration had also been Maria. Choi Maria—her family wasn’t Catholic or Christian, yet they’d given her a name as if they’d birth some great figure.

Thanks to her original name, being called Maria in this world felt less jarring.

She’d thought she just needed to adapt well in this new world as a baron’s daughter, enjoying the pretty dresses Maria loved, delicious desserts…… and beautiful nature…….

Unfortunately, upon hearing the name Luca Clodence, Maria could only despair. Hearing his name made her realize she’d transmigrated into a BL novel, but…… the more she recalled what role the name Maria Certi played in the book, the more she fell into despair.

‘The shock back then……’

Growing up so loved, it would have been nice if her heart had been kind too, but Maria was far too jealous of the protagonists. Well, being set as a villain made it unavoidable.

The biggest problem wasn’t even that.

After transmigrating, she should have adapted to this world first. But because of the rotten previous Maria, she still couldn’t adapt.

Life without a fiancé, lover, or friends wasn’t particularly good.

With House Clodence, the most powerful in the Kingdom of Samoa, and Claude tacitly ostracizing House Certi, all families avoided House Certi.

However tragic a villain’s end might be, she who’d transmigrated into the villain was innocent.

‘This is why only I suffer.’

Maria figured now that she’d confirmed the protagonists, that was enough.

The protagonists’ appearance made her let go of everything.

Thinking of her ex-fiancé who’d fallen for someone with such beauty even made her feel a bit sorry for him.

‘Pointlessly high standards.’

Still, she didn’t not understand his feelings. If she’d met someone who looked like the protagonists before transmigration, she would have offered up her bank account long ago.

Maria comforted herself that people naturally pursue beauty.

“Ugh.”

Maria dragged her tired body to stand before the table with drinks.

The debutante ball was in full swing.

The ladies gathered in friendly groups, whispering while watching Luca and Claude, while the young men poured down alcohol with hollow faces.

When Maria turned her gaze, her parents looked busy exchanging greetings with other nobles.

Maria had no choice but to just grab any drink. It was a pink beverage with sparkling bubbles.

‘My beloved pink. At least you comfort me.’

No friends, no lover, and her parents were busy. The only thing that could comfort her was desserts after all. The drink seemed like a low-alcohol cocktail, sweet enough to lift her mood. She was trying to cheer herself up when complaints from young men reached her from behind.

“I wonder if those ladies know His Grace Aemon doesn’t even glance at them.”

“Well, they don’t know yet it’s a tree they can’t climb. The way they struggle to receive His Grace’s affection……”

“His Grace’s affection is elsewhere anyway, they say.”

“Just look at them entering together—it’s obvious. The Duke’s partner is that Luca from House Clodence, so isn’t this basically a public announcement?”

Making such a big deal out of nothing…….

The two appearing together did prove they were actually lovers.

But this didn’t seem worth gossiping about to this extent. Those ladies wouldn’t turn their eyes to men saying such things even without those two anyway.

Maria sipped her cocktail while looking around the stage. In this splendid place, those two shone brightest.

Claude and Luca smiling as if happy.

Being protagonists in a novel, they were truly beautiful like a painting.

Other nobles were also conversing, each playing their roles.

The older male nobles seemed to engage in power struggles while having wine, and the noblewomen gathered closely, laughing warmly.

Ladies Maria’s age had known each other since rattling baby toys, making it difficult to fit in among them.

If she tried to speak to become even slightly closer—

“Oh my, I was already conversing with another lady……”

“I’d love to talk more, but I have urgent business……”

—everyone rushed to leave.

‘D*mn Maria, how do you not have even one friend?’

She was twenty years old, and the protagonists were already burning passionately.

So Maria sighed while helplessly watching the two appear. Overshadowed by the two shining people, she was gradually becoming a shadow.

Maria had half-given up trying to build connections. Rather than focusing on people, just eating delicious desserts was better for her mental health.

She filled one plate generously with tarts and another with éclairs.

“……Hehehe……”

Since she came to the party anyway, she should eat all the delicious things.

Eating was all she had left anyway.

Maria excitedly filled her plates with desserts. She was so excited she didn’t even notice someone approaching from behind.

“……Maria?”

Maria suddenly felt goosebumps all over and turned around. Only after confirming her target did she realize why she’d gotten goosebumps.

“It’s been a while.”

Maria unconsciously grimaced.