Selina was utterly stunned.
“Do you seriously intend to use the imperial order you were given for your birthday on this?”
“Yes, because that's just how desperate I am!”
“Are you a child? How can a grown man who's made his societal debut issue an imperial command to his friend just to make her play the villain for some girl? Have you lost your mind?”
“Yes, I have! I’ve lost my mind! I’m not in my right senses anymore! Everyone gets like this when they fall in love, don't you know that? If you don't get it, go learn! Once you're married, won't you have to at least pretend to love the Patel family heir?”
Selina was too furious to speak. Her expression turned sharply cold.
“Words like that won’t turn me into a villain. Think again, wake up, and grow up a little.”
As she turned her back on him, Erik shouted,
“Monopoly rights!”
Selina stopped in her tracks.
“I will give your merchant house the palace’s backing even after I become emperor. Once you take charge of the company, I’ll grant you monopoly rights to three commodities. Just three—how about that?”
Monopoly rights granted by the imperial family—that meant nearly unimaginable, immense wealth.
And not for just one commodity, but three. Selina turned back toward him.
“And I get to choose the commodities, right?”
“As long as they aren't daily necessities like wheat or salt. I don't need to explain further; you know what I mean. Other than those, you can have monopoly rights to whatever you wish.”
Even her father, Count Arsene, who was a comrade-in-arms to the current emperor, had never been able to obtain a privilege like that.
For Selina, who aspired to become the successor and lead both her family and the company in the future, it was an offer she could not refuse.
“Draw up a contract so you can’t go back on your word later.”
“I am the Crown Prince. Do you think I'd break my word?”
“I said, draw up the contract.”
“Fine, I'll write it. But you do your part flawlessly. If anyone finds out this was an arrangement between us, everything is off. Understood?”
“Understood. I'm putting my reputation on the line, so you'd better keep your promise, too.”
The terms of the contract were simple:
[Lady Selina Arsene, legitimate daughter of Count Arsene, enters into a contract with Crown Prince Erik Constantinus Giebel of the Savaya Imperial Family, under the following terms:
Selina Arsene shall pretend to mistreat Lady Ingrid Hazel, third daughter of Baron Hazel, whenever they meet. In doing so, she will provide Crown Prince Erik with a legitimate pretext to approach Lady Hazel.
In exchange, Selina is guaranteed monopoly trade rights to three commodities, excluding basic staples such as wheat and salt.
This agreement shall remain strictly confidential.
The contract shall remain in effect until the Crown Prince's engagement to Lady Hazel is finalized.
Should either party breach this contract, that party shall bear full responsibility and compensate the other commensurate with the damages.]
The two of them signed, each keeping a copy.
That was how Selina sold her reputation: for the sake of her friend's foolish love, and to secure her own future through those commercial rights.
Her acts as a “villainess” began in small steps.
‘Just close your eyes and do it. Only this once.’
At a party, Selina stepped toward Ingrid with a glass of fruit juice in hand.
“Oh! Excuse me, I wasn't looking. But fortunately, the color is quite close to your dress, so it won't be too noticeable, will it?”
She deliberately spilled the juice over Ingrid's plain dress and then feigned an apology.
The next day, just as expected, Erik sent a new dress under the pretext of “an apology on his friend's behalf.” Selina later sent some expensive accessories alongside an apologetic letter, trying to soothe her own conscience.
The accessories were far more expensive than the dress she had ruined, but she did it out of guilt.
Over the two years this act continued, Ingrid became a familiar presence in high society, and the gifts sent by both Selina and Erik piled up.
Likewise, Erik's demands grew day by day.
“Don't you have an ounce of creativity? Stop with that juice trick. Isn't there something bigger you can do?”
“I'm not doing this because I actually want to hurt her! People don't know the truth, so they hate me alone! They say my behavior is disgraceful and they avoid me, so are you going to take responsibility for that?”
“That's why I told you to be smart and leave no evidence. Do it without getting caught!”
“And how am I supposed to do it without getting caught? If it isn't out in the open, you won't be able to step in and play the hero!”
“Just do something that makes me look more heroic—something that will make her fall for me.”
“Easy for you to say! A year ago, a circle of admirers formed around Miss Hazel, and they watch my every move! If I even hold food in my hands, they form a human wall around her! I'm exhausted, you hear me?!”
“And do you think granting you monopoly rights is easy? I'm risking a great deal for that! Don't take it lightly!”
The two bickered fiercely, neither willing to concede an inch.
In the end, Selina turned her head away in anger.
“I’ll uphold the contract as best I can, so you’d better hurry and make your move, Your Highness.”
Erik retorted just as sharply,
“Just one major blow. Once you do that, I'll make my move quickly, Miss Arsene.”
That “major blow” ended up being the fountain incident from three months ago.
Everyone, including Erik himself, assumed Selina was the one who orchestrated it, but the truth was that she had done nothing of the sort.
That day was a celebration for Duke Justia's triumphant return from the war.
Watching Ingrid wear the hairpin and brooch she had gifted her, Selina felt a quiet sense of satisfaction.
She was sipping wine near the fountain, watching Ingrid's serene smile, when the other girl suddenly approached her, catching her off guard.
Approaching her alone, away from the usual crowd that constantly guarded her, was entirely unexpected.
Ingrid looked frightened, but she clenched her fists as though gathering her courage and spoke in a hesitant voice,
“They say one must offer a proper greeting if we wish to become friends… Miss Arsene, hello.”
At that moment, Erik's voice rang in Selina's mind: ‘Don't you have any creativity? Stop with that juice trick. Isn't there something bigger you can do?’
‘Fine, let’s try being creative this time. I'll apologize later; it'll be fine. All of this is necessary for Erik to get closer to Ingrid.’
With a cold face, Selina replied,
“What did you just say, Miss?”
“I meant… if we want to become friends, we should greet each other…”
“Do they not teach basic greeting etiquette in the Baron's household?”
Selina deliberately raised her voice, and Erik turned toward them from a distance.
“How long has it been since your debut in society, and you still don't even know how to offer a proper greeting? On occasions like this, only those of higher standing settle for a simple ‘hello,’ while those of lower standing must add a few words afterward. People usually speak of the weather, for instance—so do keep that in mind.”
“I… I only wanted to…”
Ingrid trembled as she stammered, while Selina smiled with satisfaction and turned away.
Then, suddenly—
Splash!
The sound of hitting water echoed behind her. She turned around in shock to find Ingrid submerged up to her hair in the fountain, soaked from head to toe.
Ingrid struggled to her feet, barely able to open her eyes, and spoke in a feeble voice,
“I will be more careful from now on, Miss Arsene.”
Then Erik and a crowd of Ingrid's admirers rushed over in a panic.
“Take her to the lounge, quickly!”
Erik ordered. Whispers immediately began to circulate among the guests: Selina was the one who had pushed her.
‘I didn't push her… I didn't.’
She felt something was terribly off. No one had been near her, so why had Ingrid fallen into the fountain? Unless she had thrown herself in?
Under the weight of countless accusatory glares, Selina could bear it no longer and left the banquet hall.
She hadn't even been able to offer her congratulations to the duke who had returned victorious from the war, but she simply could not stay any longer.
“Ah…”
As she hurried to leave, she collided with someone.
“Are you alright?”
The man caught her quickly to keep her from falling.
“I apologize.”
Without even glancing at his face, she rushed to her carriage and rode home.
The three months that followed felt like an endless hell for Selina.
Rumors spread through high society that Ingrid had been enduring Selina's torment ever since her first social debut.
Ingrid's admirers began demanding a formal apology for all of her past “crimes.”
Yet the misfortunes did not end there.
“Lady Selina seems to grow more violent by the day… I wish to break our engagement.”
The engagement between the Arsene and Patel families was merely the result of a business partnership between both sides, nothing more.
‘This is bad. We haven't even signed the formal trade agreement yet…’
Selina harbored no feelings for Morgan Patel, but fearing that a broken engagement would harm her family, she tried to persuade him.
“The rumors circulating about me are exaggerated, believe me. What do you say we postpone breaking it off until I've restored my reputation?”
Morgan let out a quiet, mocking laugh.
“Do you really not understand something so simple, Miss Arsene?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you think I came here on my own decision? This is a decision agreed upon by the elders of both families. Do you realize how dreadful it is to have my fiancée accused of attempted murder?!”
Selina’s face drained of color. She clenched her hands tightly, trying to steady her breathing.
She couldn't fathom how things had spiraled this far.
“I hope you choose to live a kinder life from now on.”
He delivered his parting words and walked out of the room, leaving Selina behind in the freezing silence.
