Chloe von Rosenberg, a daughter of a military noble family, suddenly realizes she's become the villainess from a game she played in her past life. Her fate is to be condemned and exiled. But Chloe, who was a salaryman in her previous life, decides to use her strategic mind to change her destiny.
She aims to become a perfect lady to improve her relationship with Crown Prince Alexis. However, her inner self is still male, causing her to act too familiarly with men and fluster Alexis constantly. Y
The Villainess with a Bewitching Face - The Peace Conference, The Lady's True Worth
Three days had passed since that disastrous failure in the courtyard.
Chloe stood before the mirror in her room and let out a deep sigh. Today's dress was a chic, deep blue number. Her waist-length silver hair was tied back in a single bundle. The burn scar beneath her left eye seemed to glow a little redder than usual in the mirror.
"As if things could ever go exactly as planned..."
Today, a preliminary meeting for peace negotiations with the neighboring Marquisate of Melvita was to be held at Weisskrone Castle. And I would be attending as the representative of House Rosenberg. My fiancé, Crown Prince Alexis, should be there too.
According to my knowledge of the game from my past life's memories, this meeting was just a passing point where nothing in particular happened. But now, I am Chloe, the game's villainess. If I move according to the game's script, I'll eventually have my engagement annulled and fall into ruin. I absolutely refuse to accept that kind of future.
I straightened my back. Alright, let's go.
As I stepped out of the mansion's entrance, the early summer wind swayed my silver hair. The sky was endlessly blue. In the distance, Weisskrone Castle—a chalk-white fortress built atop a hill—glittered brilliantly in the morning sun.
"Please take care, my lady."
The aged butler bowed deeply. I gave a light nod and boarded the waiting carriage. The carriage began to roll over the cobblestones. Inside the rattling, swaying cabin, I gently closed my eyes.
(Crown Prince Alexis. In the game, he was an earnest but clumsy man. But at his core, he was sincere, and once he trusted someone, he would protect them to the very end. With that personality, perhaps...)
No, overthinking is bad. In my past life, I was just a salaryman. For now, I just need to carry myself with confidence.
The carriage passed through the rows of noble mansions in the upper district and climbed the slope leading to the castle. Eventually, it passed through the castle gates and stopped in front of the grand staircase hall.
The inside of the castle was cool, and a large chandelier hanging from the high ceiling emitted the pale light of a magic furnace. Old tapestries hung on the stone walls, telling the history of the Kingdom of Elvasion.
Several nobles who appeared to be attendees of the meeting had already gathered. All of them wore formal attire and were quietly exchanging words. Among them, I spotted a tall young man.
Platinum blond hair that reached his shoulders. It was slightly wavy, with bangs falling over his left eye. Bright, sky-blue eyes. A small scar on the right side of his forehead. Alexis von Elvasion. The Crown Prince.
When he noticed me, his eyes widened slightly. Then, he walked straight toward me.
(He's coming. Alright, I have to make a good impression here.)
I tried to smile elegantly. But I was so nervous that my face stiffened. Seeing me like that, his mouth relaxed into a soft smile.
"It's been a while, Chloe. Today, you... have quite the bold stride, don't you?"
I gasped.
Without any regard for my skirt, I had been striding forward with long steps, trying to peer at the documents. This is bad. Such a way of walking is unacceptable for a lady.
"M-My deepest apologies, I just..."
I hurriedly straightened the hem of my skirt. I could hear the nobles around me stifling their giggles. How embarrassing. But Alexis showed not the slightest hint of mockery.
"No, it's fine. Unlike other young ladies, you carry yourself with confidence. That, in itself, is rather refreshing, I think."
Saying that, he gazed intently into my eyes.
(I-Is he... complimenting me? He's not angry?)
I was a little confused. But his blue eyes seemed somewhat gentle, so I just nodded deeply for the time being.
The meeting proceeded in a format where everyone sat around a large, long table. Afternoon light streamed in through the windows, and thick stacks of documents were piled on the table. Five representatives from Elvasion, five from Melvita. Alexis sat in the chairperson's seat on the Elvasion side, and I remained at the lowest seat.
The discussions progressed steadily. Agreements on border trade routes. Tariff discussions. Regulations for the stationing of troops from both countries. As I listened, I occasionally took notes.
(I can keep up with this much. To think my experience from my past life, poring over meeting documents, would come in handy here.)
As I was thinking that, a clerk from the Melvita side began distributing new documents. A young man. Neatly slicked-back black hair and nervous-looking, narrow eyes. He efficiently arranged the papers and,
"Here are the details of the peace terms. Please confirm them."
he said in a low voice.
I took the distributed document and scanned the rows of numbers.
In that instant, a chill ran down my spine.
(This sequence of numbers...)
Like déjà vu, memories from my past life flashed back in my mind. It was the pattern of those falsified financial statements I had investigated as a trading company employee to uncover a business partner's fraud. No, that's not it. This is—the pattern of a disinformation and disruption operation that an enemy spy used in the game *Valkyria of Supremacy* to sabotage the peace negotiations.
The trade balance figures were unnaturally inflated. The tax rates didn't add up either. If peace were concluded according to this, Elvasion's economy would collapse within a year. Someone had deliberately inserted incorrect numbers.
I stood up.
"These documents are fundamentally wrong!"
The air in the conference room froze.
The nobles all turned to look at me at once. One of the elderly nobles furrowed his brow with obvious displeasure.
"Lady Rosenberg. A woman and child should not raise her voice like that in a meeting."
Another noble shook his head bitterly.
"Is something not to your liking? What could a young lady who doesn't even know how to read numbers possibly have to say?"
Cold stares pierced me from all directions. It was hard to breathe. My heart was pounding a frantic beat. But I couldn't back down. This is the one moment where the knowledge from my past life can truly be of use.
"Please, listen to me! When you cross-reference these trade balance figures with the tax rates, the calculations don't match at all. These are false peace terms, with the numbers deliberately manipulated!"
"Hah, how insulting. These documents were prepared over a week in our home country. A little girl like you has no right to criticize them..."
The young clerk's face turned red as he tried to argue back. But his voice didn't last to the end.
"—Wait."
Alexis quietly raised his hand.
He stood up and took the document from my hand. Then, narrowing his sky-blue eyes, he began to intently trace the numbers. Stern wrinkles gathered on his earnest face.
(Please. Notice it.)
I held my breath and watched Alexis's profile.
Eventually, he let out a small, soft sigh. When he raised his face, his eyes held a completely different light from the gentleness of moments before. They held the cold, piercing gleam of the Crown Prince.
"Clerk. Explain the basis for these calculations. Here and now."
The clerk's face visibly paled.
"Th-That is... um..."
"You cannot answer? Then, you won't mind if our accountant recalculates them, will you?"
Alexis stated flatly, resting his hand on his chin. The young clerk finally began to tremble violently.
"I... I didn't know! I was ordered by my superiors to present this as is..."
It was a confession.
The meeting was temporarily suspended, and the clerk was taken away by the guards. As I learned later, this man's identity as a young Melvita official was a lie; he was a spy sent by the Duchy of Grünford. The great eastern power had likely circulated false documents to obstruct the peace.
The meeting was safely adjourned.
(It's over...)
The tension drained out of me, and I instinctively put a hand against the wall. My back was drenched in cold sweat. This is far worse for the heart than any of those all-night presentations I experienced countless times in my past life.
"Chloe."
Hearing my name, I looked up with a start. Alexis was staring straight at me. His blue eyes looked somehow serious, yet also a little bewildered.
"You... how in the world did you see through the errors in those numbers? That was a fabrication that would be nearly impossible to notice at a glance. And yet, you acted as if you knew there was a mistake from the very beginning."
My heart skipped a beat.
(This is bad. There's no way I can say it's from my past life's game knowledge.)
I hurriedly concocted a suitable excuse.
"Well, you see... at home, I often read my father's accounting books. Thanks to that, I somehow noticed the unnatural sequence of numbers..."
"Just from that, you could tell so clearly? I'm astonished. You are a far more intelligent lady than I had ever imagined."
He slowly walked up to me. Being stared at with such a serious expression, I started sweating profusely. This situation feels incredibly awkward.
"I must thank you. Thanks to you, Elvasion was able to seize the initiative in the peace talks. Thank you."
He smiled, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Lately, you've... somehow changed. Before, I had the impression you were more reserved, but now you carry yourself with such confidence. That is much more..."
He cut his words off mid-sentence.
And then, just as he tried to step closer—
"Whoa!"
I tripped over the mountain of stacked documents. The hem of my skirt had caught on the corner of a thick bundle of papers.
I lost my balance. My feet tangled. The floor rushed up before my eyes—
Thud.
The impact never came.
"—Wah."
Alexis had instinctively caught me.
I felt the hardness of his arms against my back. His platinum blond hair was right next to my face, and I caught a faint scent of light soap. We were frozen completely, at a distance so close we could feel each other's breath.
His blue eyes were wide open. In them, there was clear agitation, and then—
(What's with that face? He's incredibly red.)
I finally registered his body heat and the weight of his direct gaze. But my own head was filled with something else entirely.
(So this is what it feels like to be caught. It's like supporting a drunk boss at a client meeting... no, that's not right. This is way worse for the heart.)
With the casual ease of linking arms with a male servant, I grabbed his arm tightly and stood up.
"Th-Thank you very much, Lord Alexis! You saved me!"
I smiled brightly and bowed deeply.
He looked like he wanted to say something, his mouth opening and closing. But in the end, he couldn't say anything and just nodded. As I quickly let go of his hand and hurried out of the room, I thought I heard a deep sigh behind me.
What am I doing? Acting so rudely to the person who just saved me. But, anyway, I hope he'll let it slide for now.
In the corner of the meeting room, there was an old noble who had watched everything.
He had been silent the entire time, writing something in a notebook. But what was left on the paper each time his pen moved was no record of the meeting.
*'Chloe, daughter of House Rosenberg. A highly dangerous, brilliant woman possessing exceptional analytical skills and courage. Sharp-minded, and holds deep trust from Crown Prince Alexis. A report to the homeland is required.'*
With an eerily expressionless face, the old noble gently pressed the tip of his pen against blotting paper to absorb the ink. Something glinted deep within his eyes. He was, in fact, a secret envoy from Grünford who had been潜伏 in Elvasion for decades.
"This... will make a fine souvenir story for Lord Sergio."
He muttered quietly, and for just a fleeting moment, a smile played on his lips.
No one had noticed his presence. The nobles of Elvasion, elated by the meeting's success, were already completely absorbed in discussions about the next main peace co
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