Chapter 1: Meeting the Protagonist

Shandri Dumein a twenty-four years old lady has long wavy silver hair with bluish eyes and porcelain skin. She is condemned as the villainess and the wife of the king.

Standing near the window, she watches the central garden in the palace outside her office in deep thoughts.

(It has been five years since I possessed this body and got married to the King. Within those five years, I did not change anything with the flow of the story. I never did read this novel and yet here I am living in here as the villainess.

I just knew about this story and its plot because one of my team members loves to read such novels. I usually see her reading whenever she got time. I could not help but ask her about what she read.

I couldn't even remember the title after she tells me. I just realize I've transmigrated when I heard the name of a few people and remember my previous life.

If I am not wrong, this villainess just like any other villainess, I'll die in the future. She did talk about this novel with me but I couldn't remember the whole plot. All I had is a few fragments from my memory of talking with her about this. And my conclusion on every story I heard from her.

Therefore, I made three rules for myself to prevent my death. Applying my conclusion this time.

First, do not ever change your role.

If I am a villainess then I will be a villainess. I don't need to be a saint in the eyes of others. However, I don't need to be a bitch either. Being a reasonable villainess is different from being an unreasonable one.

If I suddenly changed into another person, the characters will get intrigued and will be interested in me. That would be troublesome and it might lead me to be the center of everything. In addition, it would be hard for me to exit the storyline if that happens.

Secondly, do not meet the characters in advance.

Do not try to get friends or close with the other characters if it is not fated to be. There is a chance I am replacing the other character's places where they should be. Anyways, as if I knew all the characters.

Third, do not change every event that would occur. It could mess up the flow of the story.

Do not change everything that may affect the whole story. Just change the part where it needed for me to exit the story breathing and kicking instead of a corpse.

Lastly, I will just be myself.)

There is a knock on the door and two of her ladies in waiting, Suzette and Amira went inside together with her one personal maidservant, Nicia.

"Your majesty, his majesty the king has safely come back home," Suzette reported.

"Should I welcome him?" Shandri uttered without looking at her.

"Pardon?"

"It is not like we have that kind of relationship."

The three of them looked at the queen and felt sorry for her. In their eyes, Shandri is looking sad but in reality, she is just saying the fact and it did not bother her.

(His majesty never showed that he cherished her majesty nor treated her as being adored. He just treated her like how he treated the other women in the country.) Suzette thought.

(His majesty may not give her a cold shoulder but he is also not giving her special attention. Yet, everybody knows that her majesty is head over heels with his majesty. What's more, marriage is political. Her majesty has bad rumors circulating. The time we spent together with her. We realized that she is different from the rumors.) Amira thought.

(Her majesty is a human as well, who can feel exhausted, irritated, angry, sad, and other emotions just like people do. However, she always tried to be composed and calm for the sake of the country and its people. She punished mercilessly those people who did wrong based on the mistake they have done.) Nicia thought.

(They called her villainess just because she is always composed and never showed expression. Still, on our part who could see her every day and hour, her majesty could also be grateful, smile, and cry like a child. No one knows that her majesty sometimes cries at night.) Suzette thought.

(Despite the love for his majesty and pain, she felt from him. She did not put her emotions first and still do her job as a Queen. We, your ladies in waiting, and your maidservants are proud of you, your majesty!) the three of them thought about the same time and with teary eyes.

"But as the queen, you should at least welcome the brave knights who fight in the war, your majesty," Amira persuaded.

"Yes, that's right..." Shandri looked at them. "I should at least welcome the knights and show my gratefulness. Now, shall we go?" she smiles sweetly.

(Even I am not a knight. I was a part of the special force. Praising your hard work for your native soil by the leaders of your country is enough to feel accomplished.)

The three of them were dazed. (Ah~ our Queen is a goddess!)

Shandri together with her two ladies in waiting and personal maidservant went outside in front of the palace to welcome the king and his knights together with the other maidservants and nobles working at the palace.

From a distance, the king marched towards the palace with his knights following him from behind. When they arrived, the king takes off from his horse and stand in front of the queen.

"We welcome his majesty, the king," Shandri greeted him and all of them lower their head.

Afterward, they raise their heads again. Shandri looked at the knights behind the king.

"And to all the knights who bravely fight with his majesty. I am grateful for your hard work," she smiles and shows gratefulness.

The knights are daze on seeing how the queen expressed such kindness and gratefulness to them. They suddenly blushed and the captain of each squad stood straight and saluted.

"We are honored to serve his majesty, the king, and her majesty, the queen!" all of the captains said loud and clear.

The other knights followed them which made the Queen happy.

"Then, please take a rest for a bit and prepare yourself for the banquet later. I hope you all enjoy the party. You deserved it after all the hard work," she smiled.

"Yes, queen!" the knights answered loud and clear.

"It has been a long time, queen," Nathan confronted her.

Shandri glances at him. Nathandar Delfholt, the king of the Delfholt country and the queen's husband. He is handsome in his light blonde hair with bluish eyes—a striking man with a good physique.

"Yes, it has been a long time, your majesty. I am glad you are safe."

"Hmm!" he nodded. "Let's go inside."

"Yes."

"It seems his majesty became more distant from her majesty because of the long war," Amira whispered to the two beside her, Suzette and Nicia.

*****

Suzette, Amira, and Nicia are busy dressing Shandri for the dinner banquet. After dressing her up, the three of them looked at her. Shandri stands up and looks at herself in front of the mirror.

She grins. "You three are the best."

"Kyaah! queen, you are pretty!" Nicia squeal.

"Right? She is pretty even without doing anything!" Suzette commented excitedly.

"The queen is just like a goddess glowing!" Amira said happily.

Shandri chuckled. "Thanks to you though..."

They heard a knock on the door before it click open. The king walks in and is stunned at the entrance staring at her.

The three giggled and hold within themselves. "Greetings, to his majesty."

"Ah... yes. Shall we go?" lifting up his arm.

Shandri holds on to his arm and both of them walk together towards the banquet hall. When they arrived at the hall, the guard announces their arrival.

"Announcing the presence of his majesty, King Nathandar Delfholt, and her majesty, Queen Shandri Delfholt."

The guests and knights genuflect as they enter the hall. The couple walks at the center passing through the crowds that are giving them the way to the throne ahead. They stand in the front, and the guests and nobles stand up and look at them.

"This banquet is for the knights who fight along with me to protect this country and its people. To all the families who had their loved ones fallen at the war. You have my sincere condolence. I do not have any excuse but one thing for sure they are the pride of the country." Nathan affirmed.

The guests and knights applaud. Shandri raises her hand everyone went silent.

"I know I already said this to you earlier, my dear knights. However, once again. I am grateful for your hard work in protecting us. I know some of your comrades did not have a chance to be with us right now.

Nevertheless, please do not feel sorry for them since they fight with honor and did not give up in front of death. You, standing here represent every one of your fallen comrades. And I know that they are happy right now looking at you. Their fall had not been in vain." Shandri alleged with elegance and dignity as the queen.

The knights feel moved and salute her. Some of them are in teary eyes remembering their comrades, brothers, and close friends fallen in the war.

"My dear brave knights, welcome home. I am happy to see you safe." She beamed at them.

(Seeing them... I remember my life before possessing this body. The feeling of relief, happiness, and pride for succeeding in a risky mission. Being praised by your higher-ups saying job well done.)

"Before we start the party. I would like to introduce Princess Elena Theodricus, the princess of the Theodricus," Nathan announced.

A beautiful woman with straight honey blonde hair walks in. Everyone looked at her as if she is a saint passed by.

"The war ended and the two countries decided on a truce. The princess will stay with us for reassuring us that Theodricus would not raise their weapons to us again. And they are openly welcoming us for allegiance," he continued.

Elene lowered her head upon arriving in front of the king and the queen.

"Greetings to his majesty, the king, and her majesty, the queen. I am happy to be invited to this banquet. I'm also hoping for our two countries to share peace."

Shandri looked at her with an expressionless face. The guest whispered and murmured at the sudden announcement.

(So this is the time huh... The female lead's entrance to the story.)

Shandri did not dislike nor like her. She didn't feel any hatred or pleasure. She hasn't had ill feelings toward the princess or good. That is why she doesn't know how to look at her. Giving her only with no expression at all.

"The princess will stay here in our country 'till the Theodricus envoy arrives for a diplomatic meeting," Nathan denoted. "Now everyone let's enjoy the banquet."

The princess has good social skills. She easily had a conversation with the other noble ladies while Shandri is just sitting at the throne watching over her.

(What do you expect from the female lead? Everyone seems to like her already. She easily blends within, even though this is her first time meeting them.)

"Queen, is there something bothering you?" Nathan query.

"The fact that you brought another woman into the palace is already bothering me."

"But the princess is the key and assurance for the coming diplomatic meeting."

"I know that is why I didn't say anything at all. I understand her purpose and yours for bringing and letting her stay here," Shandri verbalized.

"Thank you for your understanding, queen," Nathan expressed in relief. "I am thankful as well for taking care of the kingdom while I'm away."

"I'm just doing my duty, your majesty."

That is how Princess Elena started to stay in the palace.