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 - False Tip, True Evidence
Since that confrontation with Sergio at the evening ball, the atmosphere in the Rosenberg estate had shifted. The servants were cowed by their mistress's sharpened gaze, and even their footsteps in the hallways grew quieter.
In the east wing, Chloe sat at her desk, old ledgers spread before her. She desperately tried to recall the patterns of economic blockade she had seen in the game in her past life. Outside the window, the afternoon sun cast a white glare over the courtyard's stone paving.
*Knock, knock.*
It was a discreet knock.
"My lady, there is a man at the back entrance claiming to be a traveling merchant. He asked me to give you this."
In the maid's hand as she entered was a crude envelope. Chloe looked up, thinking for a few seconds.
"Let him in. Show him to the drawing room. Have the guards wait nearby."
She broke the seal. Inside, just two lines: *"Verbal supplement to follow. Requests an audience."* There was no sender's name. But the rough texture of the paper, produced in Grünford, told her everything.
(*So, he came.*)
Her heart gave a single, sharp throb.
Taking a deep breath, Chloe headed for the drawing room. The burn scar on her left cheek throbbed with a dull heat.
When she opened the heavy door to the drawing room, the man was already standing. A worn brown cloak. A sun-beaten face. At first glance, he looked like any common peddler. But only his eyes, sharp and appraising, gave him away.
"Well, well, Lady Rosenberg. Please forgive this sudden intrusion."
The man bowed respectfully, but his eyes held no smile. Chloe gracefully arranged her skirts and took a seat, a cold smile gracing her lips.
"Please, sit. Some tea?"
"No, I'm fine. I shall convey His Excellency the Chancellor's proposal immediately."
The man lowered his voice and spoke in a rush.
"If you would be so kind as to inform us of Prince Alexis's movements, Grünford will cease all economic blockades against Elvasion, now and forever. This is His Excellency's magnanimous offer."
A beat. The air froze.
"Should you refuse, all trade of the kingdom's grain and iron will cease next month. The Nordstein mines, the food supplies we rely on imports for—all of it."
Still smiling, Chloe placed her fingertips on the edge of the desk. She suppressed the trembling that threatened to take over. In my past life as a salaryman, I'd faced threats like this countless times. But this was different. The fate of a nation hung in the balance.
"...I shall consider it. You will have my answer in three days."
The man's lips twisted slightly as he stood.
"I look forward to your wise decision. ...Truly, a favorable one."
The door closed. The footsteps faded away.
In that instant, Chloe gripped the edge of the desk tightly. Her knuckles turned white. A tremor surged from the core of her body, and she clenched her teeth.
"...Just as I thought. He came."
A low voice. A man's tone almost mixed in, and she hurriedly covered her mouth. Humiliation and rage blurred her vision slightly.
(*"Become mine," huh. Just like that letter. Holding the entire country hostage.*)
Several hours later. As dusk approached, Alexis came rushing in. He must have ridden his horse hard after receiving an urgent report from the guards. His platinum blond hair was disheveled, and his sky-blue eyes shone with an unprecedented sharpness.
"Tell me everything."
In a small study deep within the mansion, the two faced each other across a narrow desk. Chloe relayed the messenger's words verbatim. The furrow between Alexis's brows deepened.
"So, he wants to make you a spy. And if you refuse, the country will be ruined."
"Yes. Just as calculated."
Chloe spread a map and papers on the desk. The candlelight flickered, illuminating both their faces.
"In the game from my past life, Sergio had a habit of leaving evidence. He would always send written instructions after his target made a move. A procedure to keep his own hands clean while pinning the crime on someone else. Therefore—if I act, he will definitely send a written directive. That will become our evidence."
Alexis listened in silence. Then, he looked up.
"I can't place you in such a dangerous position."
"If it isn't me, the trap won't work. Because I am what Sergio wants."
At her quiet, interrupting voice, Alexis swallowed his words. He clenched his fist tightly, then let out a deep breath.
"...Understood. But I will confirm all communications. I'm telling you not to act alone."
Chloe looked surprised for just a moment. She had expected opposition. Yet, he wasn't stopping her from diving into danger. He was just telling her not to go alone.
"...You really are useful, aren't you?"
She muttered under her breath. Alexis didn't even crack a wry smile, just looked down at the map.
"Let's begin. We don't have time."
They put their heads together and began formulating a plan. Over the small desk, close enough for their shoulders to touch. Chloe suddenly realized that Alexis's shoulder was touching hers. It was warm.
(*Right now, the plan is more important.*)
She immediately switched gears and set her pen moving. The night deepened, and only the candlelight cast their swaying shadows on the wall.
Three days later, Chloe sent her reply to the messenger: "I will hear what you have to say."
For the next few days, Chloe acted as a false informant. While pretending to keep Alexis's guards at a distance, in reality, the guards were recording the messenger's every move. Chloe fed him only harmless information, like "His Highness will attend next month's Privy Council meeting."
However, Sergio's side was cautious. They were slow to send any serious written orders.
"This won't work. We need to make them impatient."
One day, Chloe pressured the messenger.
"At this rate, my fiancé will become suspicious. Send me a written promise of protection, quickly! I can't move based on verbal promises forever."
This was a reversal of a tactic Sergio favored in the game. Pretending to be impatient to make the other party act.
A few days later, the messenger presented a thick, sealed letter.
In her room, Chloe broke the seal. Inside were written directives stamped with the official seal of Grünford. Specific names and sums for bribing key royal figures. The stages of the economic blockade. And then—
(*...They plan to abduct me.*)
Her finger stopped.
*"Chloe von Rosenberg is to be transferred to the Chancellor's private residence. The procedure is as follows."*
Written clearly in black ink. Her own name, treated like a piece of luggage.
A wave of heat washed over her body.
"...To think he'd write it out this concretely."
Her hands trembled. Was it anger, or fear? It was a mix of both.
Without delay, Chloe summoned Alexis. She placed the documents on the desk wordlessly. As Alexis read through them, the color drained from his face.
"...This is unforgivable."
His tone was lower than usual. His sky-blue eyes flickered like flames. It was the first time Chloe had seen such an expression on his face.
(*That face... he's truly furious. For my sake.*)
A warmth spread deep in her chest. But this wasn't the time to dwell on it.
"The evidence is complete. Now, we just need to present it in a public forum."
But that night, an unforeseen event occurred. One of Alexis's guards was spotted tailing the messenger.
The next morning, the messenger who appeared at the Rosenberg estate showed a cold smile for the first time.
"I will report to His Excellency that a guard was following me. He will likely say he will come to see you directly."
After the man left, Chloe remained frozen for a while.
(*Sergio is coming directly.*)
She remembered those eyes. The snake-like eyes that had appraised her at the evening ball. A cold chill crawled down her spine.
She immediately called for Alexis.
"Before Sergio comes, we must create a venue where we can use this evidence. Can we move up the international conference?"
"Yes. I'll arrange contact with the Privy Council and the ambassadors of each nation immediately."
Alexis sat at the desk on the spot and began swiftly drafting letters. Only the sound of the pen nib racing across paper echoed in the room.
Chloe watched his profile. His serious gaze. His hands moving quickly and precisely.
(*If this plan succeeds, we can corner Sergio at the international conference. If it fails, I'll be taken away to Grünford.*)
Realizing she was calmly analyzing the situation, Chloe let out a small laugh. Nothing had changed from her past life. Before she could even register fear, her mind started calculating the next move.
"...I really haven't changed."
At her small voice, Alexis's hand stopped. He turned back and looked at Chloe's face. Perhaps surprised that she was laughing, his eyes widened slightly.
"...What is it?"
"Nothing. Thank you, Prince Alexis."
She called him by his name for the first time. Alexis froze for a moment, then hurriedly turned his eyes back to the letter. The tips of his ears were faintly red.
Unaware of this, Chloe looked outside the window. The white towers of Weisskrone Castle were sinking into the twilight.
(*Next is the final battle.*)
They had the evidence. The plan was set. All that remained was to corner that man.
Deep in her chest, a prickling fighting spirit began to burn.
Novelia is an AI-powered platform to read original light novels and fan fiction, create your own in just a few taps, and chat with the characters. New, illustrated episodes arrive daily — free to start.