The crowd was waiting for the Crown Prince to arrive.

Evelyn decided to stay in the balcony for a couple of minutes before her impending announcement of engagement with the Crown Prince, Edickart. ​​

Suddenly, a group of ladies started to chatter not so far away from Evelyn.

"Did you hear?"

"What?" Said the lady with a definite curiosity.

"The Crown Prince has decided to get engage to a Lady!" The crowd of ladies gasp and ask in unison who was the lucky woman.

"Actually, even my parents don't know who it is. The royal family was keeping it a secret."

"The lady must be from a prominent family... to be able to be engaged to the most eligible man, really, what a lucky woman."

The cheers and loud gossip of the ladies were still heard but Evelyn decided to dismiss it.

She knows who is the lady. It's her.

Sighing

Evelyn looked up and felt that nothing was going right. The moment she decided to become strong, her fate was already decided.

"Child, do you want me to kill the Crown Prince?" Said the young man's voice inside my head.

"What are you talking about?! You can do that?" Evelyn gasp with excitement.

"I can but that would deplete your whole Mana. The Crown Prince is a genius with his magic and with your current ability, it will take that much Mana." Gil said, seemingly proud.

"Tsk. Then, don't talk about it."

'Taking all my Mana means death to me.' Evelyn gave up the idea.

"Wait... Why do you need my Mana by the way?" Evelyn asked with a brow raised.

"I'm your contracted spirit."

Evelyn is shocked as she doesn't remember forming a contract with the voice inside his head.

"When did you become my contracted spirit?! I never formed a contract with you!" Gil didn't answer.

Silence occupied the area. Taking a deep breath, Evelyn decided to go and greet the Crown Prince.

***

Evelyn followed the crowd where most of the nobles gathered.

'Surely, the Crown Prince will always be the center of attraction...' Evelyn thought.

"Your highness... I greet the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Livingstone, may the sun guides your path."

Evelyn greeted the Crown Prince with grace in the midst of the crowd.

"Rise, Lady Evelyn" Edickart replied.

Evelyn saw the Crown Prince wearing a white blazer with decorative gems and a yellow tussle across his chest.

It was a dashing look that matches that of a Crown Prince in every fairytale story. The golden hair that shimmers like gold and the emerald eyes that reflect mysteriously.

But it was nothing like what the novel said if you compare it seeing in real life.

'Damn! He's hot! ...if not for him being cunning and all that, I would be happy seeing a young man like him.'

Then, Evelyn remembers the dream she had where the Evelyn in the story was laid in a guillotine, lifeless.

Shivers went down her spine when the Crown Prince Edickart, smile for her. It was the same smile he had shown when Evelyn in the dream died.

"Lady Evelyn, it was nice seeing you. I heard you were in an accident, are you okay now?" The Crown Prince said with concern in his eyes.

Evelyn looked at him with her poker face before she switched to a flushed face. Then she thought...

'Pfft... He knows how to act. Look at those skillful eyes, he surely has done this before. Then watch me, a 21-year-old from the 21st-century act.'

"You're highness, thanks to your concern, I'm well now."

Evelyn skilfully flutter her long lashes and flashed a smile.

The Crown Prince was shocked as Evelyn he knows only stutter and her cheeks will flush red whenever she faces the Crown Prince.

"As the Crown Prince seems to be busy, I'll excuse myself first. Then, enjoy the banquet, your highness."

Walking out, Evelyn didn't turn her head to look back.

The Crown Prince called Evelyn before she walks far away.

"Lady Evelyn, we should talk later and catch up with each other."

Evelyn nodded and leave again with no hint of interest on her face.

Edickart seems to be in a daze for a while but he smiles mischievously.

The Evelyn that he knows can now act like a Lady.

'Interesting' is what he thought.

After Evelyn greets his highness, the Crown Prince, she decided to greet the other guest to form a connection.

'If I need to get out from here, I should at least have a connection and resources.'

While Evelyn was busy greeting other guests, there's a young man staring at her, curiously.

The gaze was penetrating that Evelyn didn't have a choice but to walk towards the young man.

When she comes near, Evelyn stops for a moment to observe the young man's appearance.

Silver hair that twinkles like diamonds, his sapphire eyes that seem to hold mischievousness while looking at his prey, and his well-built body for his tender age.

'No doubt about it. It's the son of Duke Sigrid. The heir apparent Cabel Trimity con Sigrid - one of the male leads.'

"But why is he looking at me?"

Evelyn clicked her tongue.

She wants to avoid the other male leads as much as possible but fate seems to have a different opinion.

Without much of a choice, Evelyn chooses to proceed to greet Cabel who is looking at her without blinking.

"A pleasure evening, Lord Cabel." Evelyn did a little curtsy before continuing her greeting.

"Are you enjoying my brother's party?"

With a little topic to choose from, Evelyn went and ask the most possible question to ease the awkwardness. But Cabel was silently staring at Evelyn.

"..."

"...umm I guess Lord Cabel are tired. I'm sorry to disturb you. I shall take my leave. Please, enjoy my brother's party."

Evelyn, silently walk away from the man when she was put to a stop by a hand clutching on her wrist.

She looked back and saw Cabel holding her hand, Evelyn was baffled but she tried her best not to let her emotion show.

Smiling, Evelyn said... "Do you perhaps need something? Lord Cabel?"

'What are you doing, moron!? Let go!' Evelyn silently cursed the young man but outside her facade, her expression was running pretty smoothly.

"Can I have a dance, Lady Evelyn?"

His voice was a low baritone and you'll wonder what it would be like if he sang a lullaby.

'tsk! Why do all the male leads have to be this handsome? Seriously!? And all of them will belong to the heroine of the story? No wonder, the Evelyn of the novel hate Elise so much."

While gathering her thoughts, Evelyn replied and decided to ask.

"What do you mean, Lord Cabel?"

'He's the type to have a different partner every social gathering so, why does he need to dance with me?' she thought.

"You don't know how to dance?"

'Of course, I know how to dance! This prick!'

Evelyn was bewildered but did her best to act properly and answer the Young Man's inquiry.

"...umm, I mean of course I know how to dance, Lord Cabel. But I still need to greet the other guest, so it might take a while and that would be impolite of me if I make Lord Cabel wait..."

"So you don't want to?"

Cabel was tightening the grip that Evelyn has no choice but to inform him.

"Can you let me go first?"

Cabel hesitantly let go of the wrist that he was holding and looked straight in Evelyn's sunset eyes.

"So, you don't want to?" He repeatedly asked.

"I don't think that we're close enough to have a dance. But if you insist you can wait for a while then... We can have a dance."

"Then, I'll wait for the Lady."

Evelyn nods and heads straight to somewhere else.

'What the hell was wrong with him?'

Evelyn stride with her high heels on, she walks confidently and everyone was in awe with her beauty.

With her expression and eyes that looked completely focus, people who saw her knew that the spoiled Evelyn that they once know has nowhere to be seen and was in front of them has become a proper lady now.

Everyone was astonished.

Suddenly, a group of ladies blocked Evelyn's view. It was the group of ladies that Evelyn bullied before.

'Now what...?!'

"Oh my, look at Lady Evelyn. You're so gorgeous today." Said the young lady with a blue dress.

"Thank you, Lady Collin. You look great today too."

Lady Collin was known as an avid fan of the Crown Prince, but she was rejected and so, she often clashed with Evelyn.

"You don't go around swinging a candlestick today?"

The ladies giggled and the young lady continued.

"You were like a beast that day! Swinging a candlestick and saying the Crown Prince was yours, alone."

"Oh, my goodness did she do that?" The girl with curly hair said amusingly.

"Swinging... a candlestick?" Evelyn, laugh sarcastically.

"You jest, I was too young at that time Lady Collin. Surely, it was nothing compared with the Crown Prince rejecting you in front of us ladies..."

"...that I would say was a crazy day!"

Evelyn, innocently laugh while the rest of the ladies went quiet. Collin was gritting her teeth and clutching the hem of her dress while the ladies surrounding us silently looked between us.

Evelyn was smiling.

'I win.'