Celicia wasn’t meeting Mu’en for the first time. In fact, before the coming-of-age ceremony, the story had already played out for an entire academic year at St. Maria Academy.
During that year, although they were in different grades and departments, Celicia had still heard about Mu’en Campbell’s exploits from time to time.
Of course, those exploits were all infamous.
She had also interacted with Mu’en Campbell himself on several occasions, and her conclusions were no different from the rumors—he was morally bankrupt, arrogant, and uneducated. Even when facing her, the Princess, he still looked down his nose at others, a true and utter wastrel.
But today, he seemed… different?
“Is it because he’s being a bit more polite?”
After a brief thought, Celicia quickly pushed the idea aside.
The only reason Mu’en caught her attention was because of his annoying identity as her fiancé.
Other than that, there was nothing about him worth wasting her time on.
“Princess Celicia, you must be tired from your journey. Why don’t you step inside and rest for a bit? The banquet won’t start for a little while.”
Celicia had just been searching for an excuse to leave when Mu’en, with graceful manners, made his suggestion.
Celicia couldn’t help but pause, her cold gaze sweeping over Mu’en’s unchanged face.
Since when did this guy become so considerate?
Back at the academy, Mu’en had actively pestered her several times, much to her annoyance.
She had expected to be bothered by him again for a long time.
“Alright, thank you.”
Celicia nodded slightly, then followed the maid Mu’en called over to the specially prepared VIP room for a short rest.
“Whew. Finally, she’s gone. That was indeed a bit terrifying.”
Watching Celicia’s figure disappear from view, Mu’en finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Unconsciously, his back had already been soaked with sweat.
“As expected of the original novel’s top female lead. Her presence is truly intimidating.”
Just standing in front of her felt like being in the middle of a frozen tundra, with an endless chill creeping up from his feet.
If it was this cold just being near her, who knows if something might freeze off during a more intimate encounter.
—Mu’en thought with a hint of wickedness.
But this wasn’t something he needed to worry about. After all, he could only look and not touch. He just hoped his hands wouldn’t tremble when he slipped the drug later.
Mu’en’s mind wandered for a bit when suddenly, he noticed the crowd around him getting rowdy.
It seemed something astonishing had happened, as many people were whispering amongst themselves.
“That illegitimate daughter has actually shown up…”
“The woman who recently dueled her former fiancé?”
“I heard Count Bugarde just handed the heir position to her.”
“Ugh! An illegitimate child, and a woman at that? What right does she have to inherit the title of Count?”
“Sigh, I don’t know what Count Bugarde is thinking.”
“Shh, the Count is here. Don’t let him hear you.”
Hearing these deliberately hushed whispers, Mu’en’s alertness instantly shot up.
His palms even started to sweat, more nervous than when he’d faced Celicia.
No surprise, because the only person who could provoke such gossip among the nobility was one individual.
Mu’en’s gaze swept toward the new storm’s eye.
Even in a setting where everyone was dressed to the nines, she was still clad in simple attire, her black hair casually draped, her ears filled with others’ idle chatter, yet her brows and eyes radiated confidence, her lips curved in disdain.
Though her looks weren’t as flawlessly stunning as Celicia’s, she was still quite attractive—except for the absolutely flat chest that was indistinguishable from her back. Still, she was a beauty in her own right.
But don’t be fooled by her seemingly plain appearance among the radiant noble girls.
Because she was…
“Ariel Bugarde.”
The true protagonist of the original novel, the ultimate [Protagonist] who only had eyes for women.
Not long ago, she had defeated her ex-fiancé in a public duel and completed a triple jump from illegitimate daughter to the Count’s first heir, slapping the faces of family elders and onlookers alike, leaving jaws on the floor.
From her birth to her experiences, from her personality to her looks, she was the absolute template of what a protagonist should be.
“Yo, Young Master Mu’en, we meet again. How’ve you been?”
Ariel smirked with her unrestrained grin as she approached Mu’en. Though she had to look up at him due to their height difference, there was no trace of humility in her eyes.
She didn’t bow, treating the interaction as if she was greeting a close friend.
But Mu’en knew his relationship with Ariel Bugarde was far from “good.”
Ariel spoke this way simply because she genuinely didn’t care about his identity as a Duke’s son.
“You insolent brat, how dare you address Young Master Mu’en like that…”
Naturally, a loudmouth sidekick had to jump in to set the stage for the protagonist’s grand moment.
Sure enough, a young nobleman beside Mu’en, seemingly trying to curry favor, was about to step forward to teach this illegitimate child a lesson about her place before Mu’en could even speak.
But Mu’en promptly pulled him back. No way was he going to let someone keep piling on the hate for him.
“I’ve been well, Miss Ariel Bugarde.”
Mu’en maintained his perfect smile and executed an impeccable noble bow to Ariel.
“And thank you for asking.”
“Uh, what?”
Ariel looked at Mu’en’s polite demeanor, her expression akin to seeing a ghost.
What the hell? When did this tyrant of a noble, who had mocked her every time they met, become so courteous?
And he didn’t call her a lowly bastard—he used her full name!
Her FULL NAME!
His walnut-sized brain actually remembered her full name!
“Has he grown a brain… or is this some kind of trap?”
Ariel stroked her pale chin, her eyes warily scanning Mu’en’s surroundings, fearing he might drop a cup as a signal for 200 axemen to chop her into mincemeat.
But Mu’en paid no attention to Ariel’s suspicious gaze, instead quickly shifting his focus to the unobtrusive girl trailing behind her.
Big.
Very big.
Like a mountain range.
That was Mu’en’s first thought as he glanced at the girl.
The girl was the polar opposite of Ariel. The tight formal dress she wore made one worry if its contents might burst out at any moment, to the point that her sweet, lovable, and utterly endearing face was initially overlooked.
“Hello, Miss Lia,” Mu’en greeted with a smile.
“Huh? How does Young Master Mu’en know my name?”
The girl named Lia blinked adorably, surprised.
“Hehe, how could I possibly not know the names of tonight’s important guests?”
Mu’en’s manners remained impeccable, leaving the girl slightly flustered.
But Mu’en’s actions weren’t just about politeness—what mattered more was the girl’s identity.
Lia Angel, the protagonist’s childhood friend.
While she appeared to be just the daughter of a lowly baron, not of particularly high status, in reality, Lia was currently one of the Church of Life’s candidates for Holy Maiden, undergoing her so-called mortal trial. That’s why she was hiding her identity and tagging along with Ariel.
Since she was by the protagonist’s side, it’s no surprise that she would later become the actual Holy Maiden of the Church of Life, a position far more exalted than Mu’en’s run-of-the-mill Duke’s son.
“Mu’en Campbell, what are you up to?”
Ariel stepped in front of Lia, her authoritative phoenix eyes staring intently at Mu’en.
“I’m warning you, don’t get any funny ideas about Lia!”
“Of course not, I was just saying hello.”
“Who’d believe that coming from you!”
“Well, if you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do.”
Mu’en shrugged helplessly, once again kindly guiding them.
“Why don’t you two head inside? It’s cold out here, and I wouldn’t want such beauties to catch a chill.”
“You—”
Ariel’s eyes widened abruptly as she stared at Mu’en for a long moment.
Finally, she couldn’t help but shiver, grabbing Lia’s hand and dragging her inside, muttering as she left:
“Pretentious. Disgusting.”
