I had survived the slap.
I had survived falling into the arms of the prince I was supposed to hate.
I had not, however, emotionally or mentally prepared for what came next.
> [System Alert]
š New Mission: Steal a Dance with the Prince!
Objective: Accept his offer and dance like your life depends on it.
Bonus: Step on his foot and make it look flirty.
I looked at the floating prompt in horror.
The problem wasn't that I couldn't dance.
The problem was that I couldn't dance in four-inch heels, a corset tight enough to turn my ribs into confetti, and in front of the most judgmental nobility in the empire.
And yetā¦ here we were.
The princeāPrince Caelan Ravencourtāstood before me, offering a gloved hand like this was some kind of fairytale.
"Lady Seraphine," he said smoothly. "Care for a dance?"
I stared at his hand.
At his eyes.
At the very character I had created to be utterly immune to charm, now doing the charming.
I cursed my past self and took his hand.
---
We glided toward the center of the ballroom, and I could already feel the drama points stacking. Nobles parted. Conversations stopped again. Aria watched from the sidelines, hands nervously folded.
The music shifted to something elegant and sweeping.
I placed one hand in his, the other on his shoulder. He rested his hand lightly on my waistāfar too lightly, like touching me too long might cause a scandal or ignite some long-forgotten curse.
Spoiler alert: I was the curse.
We started to dance.
Step. Step. Turn.
Okay. Not dead yet.
I whispered, "You dance well for a man who just got slapped."
He didn't smile, but one brow lifted. "You fall well for a woman who just did the slapping."
TouchƩ.
> [System Alert]
š©° Style Rating: 70%
š¢ Chemistry: 15%
šØ Fluster Value: 20%
Not good enough. I needed flair. I needed fire.
I needed to flirt.
---
"So," I said with faux innocence, "Is this the part where you say I'm not like other girls?"
He gave me a flat look. "You're not. Other girls don't usually strike my fiancƩe in public."
"Ex-fiancƩe," I corrected. "I believe your royal breakup letter arrived with the morning tea."
He stepped into a spin, guiding me effortlessly. "You remembered that."
"I read it. Then burned it. Very therapeutic."
> [System Tip]
āØ Bonus unlocked! "Petty Queen Energy" ā +30 Drama Points.
He narrowed his eyes. "You've changed, Lady Seraphine."
Yes. Because I'm not Lady Seraphine. I'm Ren, a full-grown man from another world, pretending to be his own villainess character to avoid being executed for crimes he wrote.
But I smiled sweetly and said, "Change is the natural result of betrayal, Your Highness."
His eyes flicked over my faceāsearching. "And yetā¦ you seem happier."
Was that concern in his voice?
Nope. Not going there.
I spun away from him, only to be caught again. The world tilted slightly. I stumbled.
He caught meāagain.
"I see some things haven't changed," he murmured, amused now.
> [System Alert]
ā ļø Stepped on his foot!
+10 Fluster Value
+10 Bonus for blush detected
Waitāhe was blushing?!
---
We continued dancing, and I started to get into it. My body moved on instinct, or maybe the system was helping me cheat. Either way, I wasn't falling again. I even managed a few flourishes that earned soft murmurs from the crowd.
Then I heard it.
"She's trying to win him back."
"She was humiliated just days ago!"
"She'sā¦ glowing, though."
The nobles were talking, and they weren't condemning me. They were interested.
> [System Alert]
š„ Reputation Shift: From "Villainess" ā "Enigmatic Heiress"
š Interest Level: Caelan +10
š Rumors Spread: 3/10
---
As the dance ended, he bowed, and I curtsied.
I expected him to let go of my hand.
He didn't.
"Walk with me," he said.
"What for?" I asked, even as I was already being led out of the ballroom.
"I need answers," he said. "About you. Aboutā¦ this version of you."
Crap. This was getting too real.
---
š Private Garden Courtyard
The moon hung low as we walked under trellises of silver ivy. The night air was cool, scented with roses.
I was still in full gown and heels, and I could finally feel my feet giving out.
He stopped beneath a fountain, the water glowing faintly blue.
"Tell me the truth, Seraphine," he said quietly. "Are youā¦ playing a new game?"
I swallowed. "Would it matter if I were?"
His eyes searched mine again. "It might mean I underestimated you."
"I prefer the term 'rewriting the narrative,'" I said.
> [System Warning]
ā ļø Caelan Suspicion: 40%
š„ Consequences may vary depending on route choices
Suggested Action: Distract. Divert. Flirt.
I leaned slightly closer. "Does the prince find me dangerousā¦ or alluring?"
He blinked. For a split second, he faltered.
And in that moment, I realized something terrifying.
I was winning.
---
"Goodnight, Your Highness," I whispered, turning to leave.
But he caught my wrist. "Be careful, Seraphine."
I paused. "Or what?"
"There are worse enemies than me."
---
> [System Alert]
š Mission Complete: Steal a Dance with the Prince
š Bonus Unlocked: "Make Him Think About You Before Sleeping"
šļø Next Mission: Unexpected Visit from a Duke's Son
ā ļø New Threat Level Unlocked: Aria's Suspicion ā 5%
I returned to my estate in a daze.
Once safely alone in my bedroom, I kicked off my heels, tore off the corset, and flopped on the bed like the exhausted man I truly was.
"What the hell am I even doing?" I muttered.
> [System Response]
You are surviving. With style. š
I couldn't argue with that.
---
END OF CHAPTER