CYMSMS 01

Prologue

“My Lady, how about granting me the first dance?”

“Ah.”

The central part of the ballroom, where brilliant light poured down, instantly drew everyone’s attention to me.

I received those stares with confidence, yet feigned a look of surprise. I struggled to hold back the smile that threatened to burst out at the man’s words.

The man before me, who truly seemed to have no idea who I was, wore an arrogant expression. It was clear he believed I would accept his proposal without question.

His hair was black like the night sky, his eyes ruby red. With foxy, beautiful curved eyes and crimson lips, he was truly an aesthetically stunning man. A person like this must have lived a life without ever hearing the word “rejection.”

But now, the word ‘rejection’ was about to enter his life.

I stared calmly at the Crown Prince, then elegantly lowered my gaze.

“I apologize, Your Imperial Highness.”

“Yes, I would… What?”

“I believe you have mistaken me for someone else.”

“W-What do you mean, My Lady?”

I noticed the Crown Prince’s mouth struggling to maintain its polite curve. Still trying to hold on to your composure, are we?

I offered a soft voice and a subtle smile with my eyes.

“It’s me. Don’t you recognize me?”

“Haha, impossible. We are meeting for the first time. I would never forget a lady as beautiful as you…”

“Celia.”

“Celia?”

Still smiling, the Crown Prince repeated my name under his breath, then his expression turned to confusion.

“Why mention Lady Celia? Ah! Perhaps you heard some strange rumors about her…”

“Why pursue the same person twice?”

“The same person? I am seeing you for the very first time.”

“Truly? Because I am the person you rejected just one week ago.”

“Haha, what a joke…”

“What was it you said? ‘I think you are the ugliest Lady I have ever met,’ was it?”

The Crown Prince’s face slowly began to harden like stone.

Suddenly, he recoiled as if he had seen a ghost and slowly backed away. He lost his footing and stumbled backward.

I gracefully stepped toward him and extended my hand.

“Oh dear, are you alright?”

“No, no. Did that Lady send you? Did she ask you to impersonate her?”

“Impersonate? Pffft, why would I do that? I don’t have that kind of power. Did my makeup work that well? Do I look so different?”

“Makeup? Don’t lie. You are not Celia, you are…”

“Not Celia? What, a witch?”

“Yes, a witch!”

“Oh dear. You might incur the wrath of the Mages then. To use the word ‘Witch’ when the proper term is ‘Mage’…”

“That, well, I mean…”

The Crown Prince’s pupils trembled at my words. The Imperial Family and the Mage Tower had a cooperative relationship, but speaking words that angered the Mages could have consequences.

But I didn’t care if the Imperial Family faced difficulties or not.

The hand I had extended was merely a minimum courtesy expected of a noble. Just before the Crown Prince could take it, I quickly withdrew my hand.

“It’s quite alright if you don’t believe me. After all, I had no intention of making His Imperial Highness understand.”

“No intention of making me understand? What a rude thing to say!”

“It seems other ladies are waiting for His Imperial Highness, so I will take my leave. May glory always be with the small sun of the Empire.”

“Wait—!”

Before the Crown Prince could finish his sentence, I gripped the skirt of my pale-lilac and white dress with both hands and curtsied. I was no longer the docile, flushed-faced Celia of the past, but the sharp, white-skinned me, offering a cool smile.

Then, slowly raising my head, I met the gaze of the Crown Prince, whose eyes were like pink diamonds.

1: The New Reality

Clang, clang.

I practically threw my exhausted body onto a subway seat and pulled out my phone. An alarm, a familiar sight, sat waiting in the notification bar.

[A new video has been uploaded!]

Watching beauty creators’ videos had been my way to end the day for a long time. I used the plausible excuse of “trend research,” but the real reason was simply my own enjoyment.

Tap, tap.

I touched the screen a few times. The loading bar spun, and the video started. I put my earphones in and waited, listening to the ad, for the new video to begin.

[Today, I’m starting a haul from this shopping mall!]

I watched the woman on screen talking with an excited voice. She was holding a huge box and smiling brightly. Clothes and makeup spilled endlessly from the box.

How much money would it take to buy all that? When will I ever be able to shop like that?

Watching the video, my mind became complicated. I had quit the shop—what was I going to do now? Did I even have any talent for makeup in the first place?

Then, seeing the woman in the video laugh, I wondered if I had ever lived with such a bright smile. That thought made me jealous of her. Would I have been happy if I had a talent no one else possessed? Could I have lived like that in such a world?

‘But why does she always draw her eyeliner up? It would look so much cuter drawn down. …Ah.’

I paused, realizing the thought that had just crossed my mind as I blankly watched the video. This habit of giving unsolicited advice! I needed to fix this. My boss already had it out for me because of it—wasn’t I learning my lesson? I desperately tried to shift my focus from the woman’s makeup to the items coming out of the box.

Just like that, as if I had never had the thought, a smile came to my face without realizing it.

On my way home, I got a call from a college friend. It seemed the news about me quitting the prestigious shop had already spread among our peers. Since I had no intention of hiding it anyway, I agreed to meet my close friend for celebratory drinks.

“So, yeah! I don’t even have a kid to feed! Why would I keep going to that place?!”

Originally, I had planned to endure the manager’s torment and keep working there. That was because I had my beloved cat, Cheese.

But not anymore. A few days ago, I had sent Cheese to the Cat Star. And I couldn’t forget the manager’s words from that day:

“What’s the big deal? You skipped a day of work for that? The one who swore they’d be a pro has a mindset worse than an amateur.”

What’s the big deal? She knew Cheese was my only family. Wasn’t it too much to talk like that? Couldn’t she at least have offered a word of sympathy? If I had taken frequent breaks, I would understand! I had never used vacation days or sick leave! I worked through the pain, and now I get scolded for taking a single day off for the first time?

I didn’t even notify them last minute. I called, and I found a replacement!

I chugged the entire contents of the large beer mug, then slammed it down on the table with a thud!

“I wouldn’t go back there for anything!”

“Ugh…”

I groaned as a throbbing headache made my world spin. I decided I needed more sleep to get over the hangover, but the bright light forced my eyes open.

Instantly, all traces of sleep vanished.

“Huh?”

When I regained my senses, I was greeted not by the floor or my room, but by the interior of a palace, the kind I had only seen in art textbooks during school. Elegant, spotless white furniture filled the room, complemented by blue walls and a beige marble floor. The room felt even bigger than the shop I used to work at.

Wait, this is not the time to admire the view! Did I impulsively fly to Europe after quitting? And did I illegally break into a palace? If this was real, I was dead the moment I got caught. Financially dead, that is. Yes, definitely.

Should I try to escape through the window? I don’t think palaces are that tall. What am I going to do? I have no source of income now!

Just then, a knock came from behind a white door far away. Startled, I covered my mouth with both hands and stared at the door.

As if waiting, a young woman’s voice called out.

“My Lady.”

My Lady? Who is she talking to?

I sat up and looked around. There was no one here but me.

“My Lady!”

When I didn’t answer, the voice came again, sounding as if she was about to cry. In this situation, someone crying would definitely make things more awkward. I quickly got out of bed and staggered toward the door, dizzy from the hangover. Ugh, so dizzy.

When I reached the door, I asked with a voice full of suspicion.

“Who is it?”

“Pardon? It’s me, Lily!”

Lily? Isn’t ‘Lily’ a foreign name, like something out of a game or a novel? I was still struggling to understand the situation. I had no information, yet I was being called “My Lady”!

Carefully, so as not to damage the door, I pulled the handle.

“My Lady!”

As the door opened, the voice that called me became clear. At the same time, I met the eyes of a young woman with short brown hair wearing a long maid’s uniform. Her deep, dark brown eyes, full of worry, were glistening with unshed tears.

Her intense gaze made me unconsciously take a small step back. My face clearly displayed a “I am utterly flustered” expression.

Seeing my silence, the woman named ‘Lily’ enthusiastically clenched her fists and spoke.

“I was so worried when you returned from the ball yesterday and immediately went into your room without saying a word.”

“The ball? What are you talking about?”

“Huh? My Lady, are you so shocked that you’ve lost your memory? Oh no!”

Lily looked at me with an expression of complete shock. The tears that had somehow vanished from her eyes were now welling up again. Despite this, Lily continued to speak, trembling as she clenched her fists, trying to hold back her tears.

“You said you were going to confess to His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince at the ball yesterday, presenting him with the carefully prepared handkerchief. Don’t you remember?”

The Crown Prince? The ball? All were unfamiliar words.

Ah! It must be a dream! But could my imagination be this vivid just because I read a few novels lately?

Realizing the importance of reading, I listened to Lily’s words, then looked down to examine myself.

Wow, did I transmigrate or something? I’ve only ever seen clothes like this in high school art class.

It was a magnificent dress with frills, a mix of blue and a bit of white. It looked incredibly expensive, and the material felt luxurious. I thought I would never get to wear clothes like this, but a dream like this is nice! A bit childish, perhaps. I could get married in this as is.

“Uh, sorry. I don’t remember very well.”

Wanting to get a better look at the dress, I vaguely answered Lily, then glanced around, searching for a mirror.

When I found a dressing table, I quickly approached it to check the reflection. There, I met the eyes of a woman with long, wavy blue hair and faint pink eyes. She had a sharp, precise, and feline-like face.

With this kind of face, pink-based makeup would be stunning. Oh, but the skin is a bit troubled. It might be best to avoid heavy makeup for a while. If I absolutely have to wear makeup, a light cushion or some blush should cover the blemishes.

Unconsciously, I thought about various makeup ideas, then extended my fine hand to touch my cheek. It’s so soft.

Did I really transmigrate into this woman? I don’t know who she is, but I want to live as her forever. Yes, this is a base worth putting makeup on.

I should focus on the dream so I don’t wake up.

I just stared at the mirror with shining eyes, like a self-obsessed princess, when Lily, who had entered the room without me noticing, peeked over from about five steps away.

I spotted Lily in the mirror and excitedly turned around, but my hip bumped right into the corner of the dressing table.

“Ah, ah…!”

The dressing table must have been incredibly solid because the pain was so intense I couldn’t even scream; I just gasped, my mouth open with a ringing sensation of pain. That hurts too much!

I slowly exhaled and bit my lip.

It was then that I realized something strange. Why does it hurt? How do I know this is a dream?

The strange realization traveled up from the painful area in my hip to my brain. I pinched my cheek hard with my own hand. The pain didn’t wake me up, but the stinging cheek confirmed it.

This wasn’t a dream. Then where was I?

Once I understood the situation, I closed my eyes, clutching my throbbing head and aching hip.

“My Lady, are you alright? Should I call the physician?”

Lily, who must have been watching me, approached but hovered anxiously, unable to touch me, as she asked the question.

Ah, Lily. I still had this friend.

I took a deep breath, focused my eyes, and opened my eyelids. Meeting Lily’s gaze, I firmly gripped her shoulder with one hand.

“Hey. Your name is Lily, right?”

“H-Huh? Yes, yes!”

“I’m sorry, but I have no memory. Who am I?”

“What? Are you serious? Or are you testing me?”

“I’m not testing you. Just tell me who I am…”

“The physician, I must call the physician!”

“Answer me first, Lily.”

“Ah! My Lady is the second daughter of the Count Ebennein family, Lady Celia.”

Celia.

It sounded familiar. If I had heard it, it must have been in a novel, right?

“…”

“…?”

‘Who are you, Lady Celia?!’

I frantically searched my mind, focusing harder than I ever did on a college entrance exam, to remember the character. Was this a name I didn’t remember? It definitely felt similar…

“Ah!”

‘That woman received a look of scorn from the Crown Prince.’

“’I think you are the ugliest Lady I have ever met.'”

I hit the air with my finger, squeezing out the vaguely remembered sentences.

‘The woman named Celia wiped away her tears’

‘Wiped away her tears?’

‘I want to eat chicken.’

‘No, not that! I know it, that, that…’

‘The woman named Celia wiped away her tears and ran out of the ballroom.’

I remembered! Celia is the girl who gets rejected by the Crown Prince, isn’t she?

…But which novel was she in? I couldn’t remember any other sentences.

I glanced sideways, then met the gaze of Lily, who was staring at me. When our eyes met, Lily’s eyes sparkled, ready to answer anything.