"You have no idea how happy I am that the Princess has returned from her long journey!"
"Exactly! The empire will finally feel alive again!"
"Hahaha! Welcome back, Princess!"
The room was filled with the elite of high society. While there were more women than men, they all shared one thing in common: they were drowning in luxury.
'I can estimate the price of a dress just by looking at it. That one’s from the top designer in the empire—the kind of place where you have to wait three months even if you have all the money in the world.'
A young man checked his watch.
'That pocket watch... you have to pay hundreds of millions of gold to a master craftsman just to get on the waiting list.'
Even among these people, my maternal grandfather's influence was top-tier. I could practically see the "price tags" floating above everyone's heads like barcodes. Charlize must have been incredibly extravagant for me to have inherited this kind of instinct.
"Ahahaha! That’s what I mean. Avalon actually kissed my feet! Can you believe it?"
"And then?"
"I poured my drink right over his head!"
The table was covered in expensive wine, each bottle costing more than a commoner would see in a lifetime. A young woman was excitedly recounting her latest "heroic" deed—harassing someone beneath her.
'I can't even imagine how much of a nightmare Charlize was if these are the people she hung out with.'
None of them outranked me, but they were all high-status in their own right. The woman bragging about her cruelty fell into that category. They all laughed and drank, looking at me for approval. I stayed quiet, simply observing.
"So, did you hear? The latest collection is already sold out! It's so unfair! I really wanted one!"
"You mean the Fashara designer bag?"
They shifted topics, sensing I wasn't in the mood for their stories. In this empire, trends were everything, and the current craze was a tiny handbag that could be held in one hand. Naturally, Charlize had been the one to start the trend.
'She’s beautiful, powerful, and completely unpredictable. No wonder they admire her even while they fear her.'
She was a superstar of high society.
"Oh, don't even talk about it. I want one so badly... I gave up after four months on the waiting list."
"I heard a new color was released recently."
The woman at the center of the conversation, a member of the Clelia family, looked at me. Her family was baronial—a low title, but they had hit it off in business and were incredibly wealthy. I could sense Charlize’s implicit feeling of superiority toward her, but the old Charlize probably hadn't even given her a second thought.
"Princess, about the new bag... I want it so much, but the wait is unbearable. Have you already bought it?"
"Yes, I'm curious too."
They looked like little birds waiting for a scrap of food. I shrugged nonchalantly.
"I don't have to 'buy' things," I said, pretending to examine my nails. "I received a gift recently, and I believe it was that color. I'll give it to you, Baroness."
"Wait, really?! Kyaa! The Princess is the best!"
The other women looked at the Baroness with pure envy. It was a literal animal kingdom, where everyone was driven by their basest desires.
"We should celebrate! A toast to the Princess!"
"Yes! To the Princess!"
They began drinking heavily, as if they’d been waiting for the signal. I took a small sip. I wanted them to get drunk so they’d start talking—really talking. I wanted them to spill everything.
Besides, Charlize was known for her high tolerance. Or so I thought.
'If I live like the real Charlize, I’ll die of alcohol poisoning before I ever get my money back.'
I had to maintain the image, but I was determined to change it for the better.
As the afternoon wore on, everyone except me was thoroughly drunk. Their words began to slur. The Baroness, who was now clutching her promise of a new bag, was the first to speak.
"Oh, our Princess! You're so beautiful and rich! We’re so lucky to have you back...!"
"Yeah! You should just break it off with him! I envy your freedom!" another woman spat out.
"I feel so sorry for you, Princess. Being tied to the Duke of Lemut!"
"Exactly. Isn't his family completely ruined? He doesn't even know how to run a household."
"They say all he has left is a barren wasteland of a territory."
A cold smile touched my lips as I listened.
"Monsters are popping up everywhere on his lands! What would he even do if he couldn't swing a sword?"
"He's nothing without his blade. All he has is a pretty face."
"He's handsome, sure, but he doesn't even like our Princess!"
I pretended to drink while taking in every word. They were getting bolder, thinking they were pleasing me by insulting my fiancé.
'As far as I know, Askin hasn't done anything to deserve this... they’re just using him as a punching bag to suck up to me.'
I stood up, but as I did, the room swayed.
'Wait... I haven't even had half of what Charlize usually drinks. Why am I feeling lightheaded?'
A terrifying thought hit me. 'Did my alcohol tolerance change when I possessed this body? Is it my own tolerance now?!'
If that was the case, I was in trouble. How was I supposed to play the role of a legendary drunkard if I couldn't even handle a few glasses?
I pushed the thought aside and focused on the Baroness.
"It's a shame such a 'lacking' man caught your eye, Princess. You deserve someone so much better."
"Poor Princess, having to be engaged to someone who grew up so low..."
"He’s probably just some muscle-bound brute. The rumors about his beauty are probably just lies."
The Baroness looked me in the eye and smiled. "My poor Princess, it's so lamentable... having such an ugly fiancé—!"
*SPLASH.*
She couldn't finish her sentence. I had calmly poured my entire glass of wine over her head.
The room went dead silent. Wine dripped down her face as I smiled at her.
"It's strange," I said softly. "Why do you think insulting my fiancé is a way to please me? Do you think so little of my taste?"
"A-Ah... Princess? I didn't mean—"
"No? Are you rejecting my drink then?"
The Baroness couldn't even find her voice. She stood there, soaked and shivering, trying desperately not to offend me further. My smile only grew colder. I was done with this group. They were useless karma that I didn't need for the coming year.
"I love my fiancé," I lied smoothly. "Were you just insulting the man I love?"
"A-Ah... no, I..."
Charlize had enough problems without these "friends" adding to the pile. They were parasites, nothing more.
I let my glass slip from my hand. It shattered on the floor with a sharp *clink*.
"Everyone, get out."
No one moved for a second, stunned by the sudden dismissal. But the authority in my voice was undeniable. I felt no guilt as I watched them scramble to leave.