The grand ballroom glittered under the light of a hundred chandeliers, each crystal droplet shimmering like trapped stars. The scent of roses, wine, and ambition filled the air. Nobles whispered behind feathered fans, their eyes scanning for alliances, scandals… and prey.
And in the center of it all stood me—Lady Seraphine Noir—swathed in a gown so sinful it probably violated church laws. Black silk, embroidered with silver thorns, clung to me like a dangerous secret. My hair was pinned up with obsidian pins tipped with pearls, and the villainess system was screaming in my head like a malfunctioning GPS.
> [Villainess Objective Updated: Flirt with BOTH Prince Caelan and Duke Lysander tonight. Bonus points for starting a scandal.]
"Of course," I muttered under my breath, sipping champagne like it was liquid courage.
The first to approach was Prince Caelan—radiant in a gold-trimmed white jacket, his expression that perfect blend of charming and calculating. "Lady Seraphine," he said, voice dripping with honey and barely veiled possession, "you've outdone yourself. I'd almost think you were trying to steal the spotlight from the royal family."
"Almost?" I smirked. "Then I clearly need to try harder."
Before the prince could reply, the crowd parted and Duke Lysander strode in. Black coat, silver embroidery, eyes like moonlight and midnight all at once. His gaze swept over me—not like a man seeing a beautiful woman, but like a predator assessing its prey. "You're early," he murmured, voice low enough for only me to hear.
"Fashionably early," I corrected, raising my glass. "And ready to cause chaos."
The system chimed in my head again:
> [Bonus Objective: Make them both jealous within five minutes.]
Challenge accepted.
I let Caelan offer his arm and led me toward the dance floor. Every turn, every step, I made sure Lysander had a perfect view. When the song ended, I gracefully switched partners—sliding into Lysander's arms like I belonged there.
The duke's hold was firm, almost possessive. "You're playing with fire, Lady Seraphine," he warned.
I smiled sweetly. "Darling, I am the fire."
And oh, the looks I caught from the other nobles—hungry, scandalized, envious. Whispers rippled through the ballroom like waves of gossip-laced poison.
Halfway through the evening, Aria—the so-called heroine—decided to make her grand entrance, wearing a pastel monstrosity of a dress that screamed innocence. She looked at me, then at the two men practically circling me, and her jaw clenched.
Perfect.
> [New Side Quest: Publicly humiliate the heroine. Reward: +20 Reputation as The Ultimate Villainess.]
I was about to deliver a perfectly timed verbal dagger when the air in the ballroom shifted. A ripple, faint but impossible to ignore. Chandeliers flickered. The string quartet faltered. My system went dead silent.
And then—like someone had sliced open the seams of reality—a tear in time shimmered in the center of the ballroom.
Everyone froze.
From that rift stepped a figure cloaked in silver and shadow. Their face was hidden, but their voice…
"Lady Seraphine Noir. Your time is running out."
The crowd gasped. Caelan's hand went to his sword. Lysander's magic flared at his fingertips. Aria looked like she was about to faint.
My own heart pounded, but I forced a smirk. "Sweetheart," I said, "time has been running out since chapter one."
The rift shimmered again, pulling at the edges of the ballroom, like the whole scene was about to collapse. Nobles began screaming, scrambling for the exits. The stranger's eyes glowed from beneath the hood.
"This world will end unless you make the right choice," they said. "But remember—your story was never meant to be rewritten."
And before I could demand answers, the tear snapped shut.
The music stopped. The gossip, however, did not. And now I was left standing in the ruins of a party… holding the attention of two dangerous men who both wanted answers.
This was about to get messy.
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END OF CHAPTER 26