The Circumstances of Being Chosen as the Villainess's Favorite

A ballroom filled with noblelike melodies.

 

The ladies, each dressed in bright dresses, were as beautiful as flowers in full bloom.

 

However, among them, there was one Lady who shined particularly brightly.

 

“Lady Lopez looks very beautiful today as well.”

 

“You must dance with me during the next dance, alright?”

 

The Lady smiled shyly as her cheeks flushed while she was surrounded by people.

 

“Really… I will feel embarrassed if you say it like that.

 

Seraphina Lopez.

 

Along with Princess Claudius, she was praised as the most beautiful lady in socialite circles.

 

With mellowed light green hair and dark green eyes that resembled the fresh green leaves.

 

And a mermaid line dress that smoothly wraps around the entire body making her seem like a true mermaid.

 

“What embarrassing, I always speak the truth.”

 

“Could there possibly be anyone more beautiful other than Lady Lopez?”

 

At the moment when the gentlemen were busy flattering Lady Seraphina, another Lady appeared to enter the ballroom.

 

“Who on earth is that lady?”

 

The Lady, with her back straight, showed no signs of flinching even as she received everyone’s attention.

 

Instead, she responded with a relaxed smile.

 

Subsequently, when they started to recognize who she was, their eyes widened in shock.

 

“Wait a minute. N-no way…… Is that Lady Annecy?!”

 

Larit Annecy.

 

A close friend of Seraphina, who is said to be the lily of society.

 

However, in the gossip that is secretly circulating behind the scenes……

 

She is known as Seraphina’s foot wipe.

 

With a gloomy and dull appearance.

 

An unsophisticated dress that does not go well with the ballroom at all.

 

She would shrug her shoulders a lot, making her posture look even more insignificant.

 

Hence with Larit by her side, Seraphina could shine even more.

 

However, the current Larit was completely different from usual.

 

“Unbelievable.”

 

“Are you saying that Lady is the gloomy and dull Lady Annecy?”

 

The gentlemen who had been busy trying to win Seraphina’s favor, without even noticing, turned their gazes away.

 

On her thickly braided jet-black hair, was a delicately crafted diamond headpiece that shone like a star.

 

And, her silver dress was as faint as the fog.

 

Lady Annecy’s renowned look which was her flowing, ghost-like hair and the dress that was the wrong length and hung above her ankles were nowhere to be seen.

 

Today’s Larit was dressed utterly perfect.

 

Meanwhile, the ladies showed great keenness and could identify the dress and accessories that Larit was wearing in one glance.

 

“That dress… is it not from Madame Soverno’s?

 

“Plus, that diamond headdress! It’s a new product from the Chelseani brand!”

 

From head to toe, Larit was wearing only products from the empire’s most prestigious brands. It was astonishing to see such a Larit.

 

Seraphina’s eyes became as cold as ice.

 

“……”

 

She then approached Larit with a beaming smile on her face.

 

“Lari, I guess you were really looking forward to the ball today. I see you have paid a lot of attention to it?”

 

However, contrary to her friendly tone, the gaze that looked Lalit up and down was filled with pity.

 

“But what to do? I don’t think the dress and jewelry look good on you.”

 

Larit looked at Seraphina with an expressionless face.

 

Seraphina drooped her eyebrows as if showing pride.

 

“To be honest, your face is a little plain. Wouldn’t such a fancy outfit seem a bit of a misfit?”

 

“If you were going to spend this much money, it would have been better if you had told me. I could have helped you pick out a dress and jewelry that suits you well…”

 

But at that moment.

 

“Those words, are you saying it for me to hear?”

 

Click, clack.

 

The sound of heels trampling on the marble floor resonates clearly.

 

Eyes as blue as a lake gazed arrogantly at Seraphina.

 

“Pri-Princess Claudius?”

 

Evangeline Claudius. If Seraphina was the lily of society, the most gorgeous rose was Evangeline.

 

The only daughter of the only Duke in the empire.

 

She was with gorgeous honey-blonde hair and sparkling eyes that appeared to be studded with sapphires.

 

Beauty, status; even wealth.

 

It could be said that she is one of the most noble ladies in the empire, without exception.

 

She then spoke to Seraphina in a stern voice.

 

“Regarding today’s Lari, I dressed her up all by myself, starting from her hair to the tip of her toes.”

 

“Yes?”

 

Seraphina’s face became pale.

 

Either way, Evangeline continued speaking in a sharp tone.

 

“But saying things like how the dress doesn’t suit Lari, openly in front of so many people……”

 

“P-princess!”

 

“Aren’t you criticizing me for not having noble tastes?”

 

“O-of course not! I was just……!

 

Seraphina hurriedly tried to make an excuse.

 

However, Evangeline had already lost interest in Seraphina.

 

“Hmm, in my eyes Lari looks very beautiful.”

 

She looked towards the ladies and gentlemen who were looking their way with a nervous expression.

 

Evangeline smiled leisurely. “What do you guys think?”

 

“Yes, I think you’re right!”

 

“I didn’t know Lady Annecy was this beautiful!”

 

“Lady’s aesthetic sense is truly amazing!”

 

People started to unanimously approve of Evangeline’s words.

 

To be honest, the dressed-up Larit was beyond beautiful.

 

…… But more than anything, Evangeline’s stern gaze was frightening.

 

“Honestly, in my eyes……”

 

Evangeline’s smile grew a little deeper.

 

“Lari looks much more beautiful than Lady Lopez.”

 

“……”

 

“……”

 

At that moment.

 

People quickly glanced at each other. It was not ‘Lady Annecy’, but ‘Lari’, a nickname.

 

Which could only mean one thing.

 

Evangeline valued Larit very much.

 

Until now, Evangeline had never once called someone by a nickname.

 

Seraphina, who was silent for a moment, gritted her teeth, but then her lips trembled.

 

“Lari, this is really too much.”

 

Seraphina’s dark green eyes turned moist as she looked pitifully at Larit.

 

“How can friends do this? I wanted to be helpful to you while thinking of your well-being in my heart, but you’re ignoring me just because you have become friends with the princess……”

 

Since she couldn’t say something outright to Evangeline, she wanted to turn her attack on the easy-going Larit.

 

However…

 

“Lady Lopez, isn’t that a very childish mindset?”

 

“Prin-Princess!”

 

“It’s been a while since I went to the Debutante Ball and became an adult, but how long do you plan to discriminate against my friends and your friends?”

 

Tsk.

 

Evangeline clicked her tongue for them to hear and glanced at Seraphina.

 

“How childish.”

 

Seraphina’s face lit up with shame.

 

Evangeline, who was looking at Seraphina with pitiful eyes, cast a side glance at Larit.

 

“I don’t think it’s worth talking to Lady Lopez anymore. Let’s leave, Lari.”

 

“Yes, Princess.”

 

Larit smiled brightly and followed Evangeline’s side. People stared blankly at the backs of the two ladies walking away.

 

After a while.

 

Evangeline stopped in an empty garden and opened her mouth calmly.

 

“About the dress. I didn’t take care of it because Lari liked it. I did it because it would’ve been embarrassing for me to stand next to someone dressed so shabbily, hence why I got them made for you.”

 

Evangeline held onto Larit’s hand tightly while glancing at the dark garden.

 

“So don’t go anywhere else and just stick right next to me, okay?”

 

“Of course.”

 

Larit, who was looking down at her hand being held by Evangeline, started to smile brightly.

 

“I only have Eva.” Really, our villainess is the best!