Unlike usual, Reina’s lightly wavy hair added a new charm to her otherwise cold demeanor.
The soft watercolor hues and her platinum-colored dress enhanced her innocent aura, while her modest accessories subtly accentuated her beauty. She possessed a crystalline elegance—icy yet pure.
She shone so brightly that I almost wondered if she had cast some kind of spell on me.
Were my words diminishing her charm? The thought troubled me.
“…I am Leon. Leon Aegis Astraia. The first heir to the Empire.”
The prince stood on the podium and spoke calmly.
Everyone in the ballroom held their breath at his words.
It was a short yet polite introduction, but it carried undeniable authority.
This was, after all, his social debut. To announce himself so confidently in such a moment proved his composure and ability.
“I sincerely thank everyone for attending today’s event,” he said, surveying the grand ballroom before offering a slight nod.
“I hope you all enjoy the party.”
With that, he stepped down from the podium.
It had been brief, yet it undoubtedly left a strong impression on everyone present.
Of course, since I already knew how this story unfolded, I didn’t dwell on it much.
“But Reina isn’t with him.”
I had expected her to be by his side after the engagement announcement, yet when the prince descended from the podium, he was alone.
Had she stepped away at some point?
“Were you looking for me?”
A familiar voice behind me dispelled my doubts.
I turned to find Reina standing there.
However, this wasn’t the Reina I knew as a childhood friend.
Perhaps because of the gazes directed at her, she now embodied the dignified figure renowned as the Ice Princess.
“You surprised me,” I admitted.
“Young Master Ike, did you just call my name?”
“Uh… um… Lady Reina. It’s nothing.”
Sensing her intentions, I adjusted my demeanor accordingly.
Reina acknowledged this with a slight nod.
“Alright. Have a peaceful evening.”
“I wish the same for you, Lady Reina.”
With that, she departed.
A beautiful yet distant presence.
To be honest, this side of Reina Rogelia was closer to the one I had always known.
In the original story, she was a character who spoke formally to everyone and kept her distance in personal relationships.
Of course, I preferred the fact that we had grown closer now.
“Hm…?”
As I scratched my head in thought, I felt something tucked inside the collar of my suit.
“What’s this?”
I reached in and pulled out a small piece of paper, folded twice.
Inside, written in elegant handwriting, was a brief message:
[The engagement announcement is scheduled for the middle of the party. I doubt you would, but make sure you don’t tell anyone.]
It was Reina’s request.
Had she slipped this into my suit when she stood behind me earlier?
‘…Not that I intended to say anything in the first place.’
For some reason, I felt a little insulted by her lack of trust and let out a bitter chuckle.
‘Anyway, that’s not what matters now.’
I stopped overanalyzing the note. The real issue was what was about to unfold.
An incident where Reina, who rarely opened her heart to anyone, would completely fall in love with the crown prince.
How did that even happen?
Was it because he risked his life to protect her?
Yet, from what I recalled, the prince only saw Reina as a political fiancé—nothing more.
In the end, he would break off the engagement and choose his true heroine.
It was complicated.
No matter how much I thought about it, I could only speculate for now.
The best I could do was remain vigilant—ready to react no matter what happened, wherever or whenever it occurred.
I didn’t like it, but I had no other choice.
If only I could contact the author back when the side story was still being serialized…
Yeah, like that would ever happen.
“D*mn it.”
As I let out a sigh over the absurdity of my situation, I suddenly noticed the ballroom growing restless.
“At this point, I think I’ve greeted everyone.”
At the center of the attention stood the crown prince once more.
This time, he wasn’t on the podium but standing in the middle of the ballroom, commanding the room’s focus.
Another key difference—Reina was now standing beside him.
I glanced at the grand clock on the eastern wall. Over two hours had passed since the party began.
Not even an hour had gone by since I last spoke with Reina.
“As many of you may have already noticed,” the prince began, his voice resonating through the hall, “this evening is not just about my debut.”
Murmurs spread among the nobles.
“Who is that?”
“She’s from the Rogelia Duchy…”
“The Ice Princess?”
It was clear the announcement’s meaning was sinking in, sending ripples of shock through the crowd.
Some of the noblemen looked utterly stunned.
Perhaps they had ambitions of marrying their own daughters into the royal family.
“Lady Reina.”
The prince gracefully knelt before Reina and extended his right hand toward her.
“May I have the honor of this dance?”
In imperial tradition, the first dance an unmarried man offered at a ball was reserved for his fiancée.
Not even the crown prince could disregard this custom.
With that, the nature of his relationship with Reina was undeniable.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Reina replied as she took his hand and stepped forward.
At that moment, the music began to play softly throughout the ballroom.
The prince took the first step—
—and then, suddenly, bright red blood splattered across the hall.
Due to the amount of positive reactions, Transmigrated as the Villainess’s Childhood Friend will have the place of TBDH. From now on, it will have a regular release. Thank you!
This novel will get a Patreon Tier if there is enough support. You can get more chapters by sponsoring chapters at BuymeaCoffee.
Check out my other projects:
Rehabilitating the Villainess (complete)
Pushover Extra Trains the Villainesses (complete)
I Picked Up an Amnesiac Witch,
My Wife is the Devil (recommended)
Transmigrated as the Butler of a Defeated Heroine