“The way I invited her? Now that’s a bit of a mystery to me.”

As a cannon-fodder villain who only showed up for twenty chapters before faceplanting out of the plot, Muen had absolutely no idea how his original self used to invite anyone.

The memories of the original body were too fragmented—he couldn’t recall anything useful.

“I think it was at the last academy ball.”

Celicia didn’t seem to mind Muen’s spotty memory. She simply recalled out loud to herself.

“You wanted to ask someone to dance. A viscount’s daughter, if I remember correctly. You said something like this...”

Celicia lifted her head slightly, her willow brows drawn together in a delicate frown.

Her face remained mostly expressionless, but it was clear she was doing her best to mimic an arrogant, overbearing tone.

“‘Woman, rejoice and be grateful! This young master, in his boundless mercy, shall bestow upon you the honor of dancing with me!’”

“...”

“Well? Did I get it right?”

“...”

You got it too right, damn it! My toes are curling so hard I’m digging a three-bedroom apartment out of the floor!

Muen Campbell—oh, you absolute clown. It wasn’t enough to be a dumbass, huh? You had to be a cringe dumbass?

And you didn’t even pull that cringe nonsense in private. No, you went full cringe mode in front of a crowd—then just dipped like it was nothing.

But what about me? I’m the one left here to die of secondhand embarrassment!

“That’s just an embarrassing chapter of the past, Your Highness. I’d be grateful if you could pretend it never happened.”

Muen gave a sheepish smile, and in an effort to ease the awkwardness, he picked up the pace of the dance.

But Celicia remained as elegant and composed as ever. Even though Muen was deliberately speeding up and ignoring the rhythm of the music, she never once lost control of the dance. In fact, by the end, it was he who was being led.

Celicia Leopold. Truly, a forever noble, forever proud white swan.

No wonder she was considered the most difficult heroine to conquer in the original novel.

Muen sighed inwardly.

......

The music drew to a close, and the final step fell into place.

Applause erupted from the surrounding guests.

Muen gracefully ignored a certain protagonist's murderous glare of jealousy and bowed to the crowd with a smile.

His forehead was lightly dotted with sweat, but Celicia’s expression remained as serene as ever.

“Your Highness seems a bit tired. How about we find a quiet place and have a drink?”

Riding the pleasant momentum, Muen launched his next move.

“All right.”

This time, Celicia didn’t even hesitate—she simply nodded.

Nice!

Muen’s face stayed calm, but the little gremlin in his heart was doing somersaults of joy.

The hardest part was always the beginning. If he could just manage to get some alone time with her, then half the mission was already a success!

......

“Sorry, I don’t drink alcohol.”

“Huh? It’s just red wine, just a little bit—”

“Red wine is no good either.”

Celicia brushed a silver-white strand of hair behind her ear. “My body can’t handle alcohol. Not even a drop.”

“...”

In the private room he had so carefully prepared, Muen stood holding a bottle of wine already laced with the drug—and stared, stunned.

She can’t drink?

Not even red wine?

Then how the hell am I supposed to drug her?

But now that he thought about it, there was no mention of Celicia drinking alcohol in the original novel. Her alcohol intolerance wasn’t exactly out of nowhere.

And in the original storyline, Muen Campbell had indeed spiked her tea to successfully make her pass out.

He could just do the same here.

The only problem?

The drug he bought was bright red.

Red like blood.

And now he was supposed to sneak it into tea?

You sure that won’t get noticed?

“Is something wrong?”

“N-no, nothing at all. Just wondering... if Your Highness doesn’t drink wine, what would you like instead?”

“Co—”

“There’s only red tea.”

“?”

“I said, there’s only red tea.”

Looking Celicia straight in the eyes, Muen spoke solemnly:

“Due to... certain uncontrollable circumstances, this room tonight is only stocked with red wine and red tea. Nothing else is available.”

“Only... red tea?”

Even Celicia—normally a glacier in human form—looked a bit puzzled. Still, she didn’t jump to any negative conclusions. She probably just thought Muen had failed to prepare properly.

“Red tea, then.”

“Thank you.”

Muen wiped his cold sweat and quickly stood to prepare the tea.

“Wait.”

Celicia’s voice stopped him. A flicker of suspicion passed through her cool gaze.

“You’re going to prepare it yourself?”

“Yes, is there a problem?”

“......No.”

Celicia shook her head slightly. “I’m just surprised. I didn’t expect Young Master Muen to do something... so menial.”

Shit. She’s getting suspicious.

Muen felt a jolt of alarm, but his face remained calm as he smiled and replied:

“No helping it. All the maids at the ducal estate are busy tonight—including my personal one. So this small task fell to me.”

“Well, I see.”

Celicia gave a small nod, seemingly satisfied.

“I look forward to it, then—Young Master Muen’s personally brewed tea.”

......

“You really can’t underestimate Celicia.”

Outside the room, Muen muttered to himself as he stared at the tea he had hastily brewed in a panic.

He wiped away another cold sweat.

If his mental fortitude had been just a hair weaker, he might’ve slipped up right then and there.

“Whoever said this part was easy is full of crap. It’s always the stuff not written in the original novel that ends up being the hardest!”

Muen gritted his teeth.

How was he supposed to know that this world’s so-called “plot correction” had no mercy for side characters like him? Celicia pulling a surprise condition like that had almost wrecked his entire plan!

“But I’m this far in already. No turning back now!”

Muen pulled out the two bottles from his coat.

“Red tea’s red anyway. It should hide the drug fine. And this so-called freebie...”

He opened the “bonus gift” that the shady shopkeeper had given him. Inside was a white powder—probably water-soluble.

“No idea what it does, but if the shopkeeper said it enhances the effect, then let’s assume it boosts potency or something.”

“Screw it. In it goes!”

“Let’s just hope she drinks it before she starts getting suspicious.”

“Heh... that’ll teach you, Your Highness. So smart and sharp all the time—can’t blame me for pulling out the heavy stuff!”

Holding the cup of drugged tea, Muen wore a sinister villain’s grin—one even he didn’t realize had appeared on his face.

......

“Your Highness, your tea.”

Like a seasoned butler, Muen presented the cup of red tea to Celicia with practiced elegance.

“Thank you.”

Celicia accepted it with grace, but didn’t take a sip. Instead, she examined the tea closely.

“Young Master Muen... this red tea is very red.”

“Red tea’s supposed to be red, isn’t it?” Muen replied with a smile.

“Is it? But the red tea I usually drink is more of a pale red.”

“Ah, that might be due to the tea leaves. Kind of like how oranges from the northern Dunnel region are smaller than those from the southern Nancy territory, ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) but taste sweeter. Tea color can vary a little depending on where it’s from.”

“Sounds reasonable.”

Celicia still didn’t drink. Instead, she looked up and locked her ice-blue eyes onto Muen’s.

“Then—why don’t you drink first, Young Master Muen?”