"Ugh... ugh..."

"...Lilli, are you alright?"

Ethan gently patted my back as I dry-heaved at the sight of that disgusting woman for the first time.

'My head's spinning. I should have just turned away the moment I saw her face.'

No matter how much my body had changed into that of a woman, it seemed that some things just couldn't be altered. At the same time, I found myself reflexively reflecting on my past life when I used to stir up trouble on Lua Gallery, calling Lillis a slutty whore. Though the main heroine not being a virgin had triggered my unicorn instincts back then, seeing Evelin up close made her seem much worse in comparison.

"It's understandable that you're nervous. Are you feeling better now? Should I get you some water?"

"...No, I'm fine. I just felt a bit sick for a moment, but I'm alright now."

Even though the mere act of breathing the same air nearly made me vomit my stomach acid on an empty stomach, I was proud of myself for holding it back. Fortunately, Ethan assumed my discomfort was due to nervousness about the upcoming confrontation with McHart, which was a relief. If he asked for the real reason, I wouldn't have had any plausible excuse.

But, well, at least the information I gained in exchange for that nausea confirmed that McHart would indeed attend today's noble gathering. Now, all that was left was to wait.

As people started to gather, I gradually reduced the conversation with Ethan and intentionally created an awkward atmosphere between us. Although McHart hadn't shown up yet, I needed to set the stage to deceive him later.

While Ethan and I spent time together in a corner of the banquet hall, the other members who had gathered for the operation began to arrive one by one.

"Agnes, is it uncomfortable walking at my pace? Should I slow down a bit?"

"...Stop treating me like a child."

"Your dress is lovely. It's different from what you usually wear."

"...I didn't wear it for you to notice. Mind your own business."

Agnes appeared in a rare, delicate dress, walking alongside the Hero, whose name I couldn't care to recall.

"..."

"Miss, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, may I have this dance when the ball begins...?"

"A-Ah, no...! I... I'm allergic to dancing...!!"

"Excuse me?"

I also confirmed the attendance of Cerista, who insisted on wearing a mask to avoid being recognized, even though it made her stand out even more. Seeing her attend alone, due to the unexpected situation of Agnes not receiving an invitation, made her look quite pitiful. Given her naturally timid personality, she usually stuck close to the Hero during such events, like a hamster thrown into a snake pit.

I did feel a bit guilty about putting her in this situation, but her presence was crucial for our plan, so it couldn't be helped. Once this operation was over, I intended to make her the true saintess, so that should serve as an adequate apology and reward for the fake saintess, Cerista.

Finally, after about 30 minutes, the filthy wench Evelin returned to her seat, meaning that everyone except McHart had arrived.

With the host's (anonymous) brief opening remarks, the gathering officially began. After about 10 minutes, the noise in the room suddenly increased as one man entered the hall.

…And of course, he was flanked by a dozen or so women.

"Have you been well, Prince McHart?"

"Yes, I've been well. I apologize if my memory is a bit hazy, but are you perhaps the young lady from Viscount Berkow's family?"

"My father is actually an earl, but I'm honored that you remembered me at all!"

"Good, I got half of it right. Do you have plans for tonight? I was quite impressed with the time we spent together last time. If you could do that thing again, I might just call on you tonight as well."

"Really?! I'm honored, Prince McHart!"

"I'll do anything for you, Your Highness! Please, grant me the honor..."

"Me too, Prince McHart!"

"It's a safe day for me today..."

...Yeah, I think it's best for my mental health to avoid looking over there for a while.

McHart's arrival, along with the sudden spike in the non-virgin density in the room, made my stomach churn again. Still, it seemed that Evelin had acted as a kind of vaccine, making it somewhat bearable.

With McHart's entrance, the Hero and Agnes seemed ready to move forward with the operation. They signaled me with a glance, and I subtly nodded in response.

...This was the start of the operation.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

From the moment McHart entered the palace, Ethan began executing the plan I had instructed him to follow.

The plan was for him to ignore me, sitting across the table, and deliberately direct his gaze toward other noblewomen.

Right now, our relationship appeared too good for McHart to think about making a move on me, so we needed to create visible conflict between us.

Ethan focused his gaze on a woman with an especially revealing neckline, almost exposing half of her chest, just as I had suggested, knowing it would have the intended effect. His stare gave off a lecherous vibe that anyone could sense.

...Well, even though that woman was flaunting her cleavage, Ethan knew that my chest was bigger.

"I'll get us some drinks, Ed."

"...Sure, Lilli."

As the young lady who had noticed Ethan's gaze began to approach, I purposely left the table, creating an opportunity for the drama to unfold. I needed to create a bit of space to set the stage for the upcoming confrontation.

After retrieving two glasses from the drink bar, I returned to find the unfortunate victim already occupying my seat, chatting away with Ethan as if she had suddenly become his fiancée.

"I didn't realize the Young Lord Blackwood was such a man. You're surprisingly lecherous."

"...I don't know what you're talking about."

"I saw you staring earlier. When you look at a woman's chest that blatantly, we can all feel it, you know."

"......"

"Does your partner not let you touch her? Or have you just gotten bored with those oversized lumps of hers?"

The nameless young lady, oblivious to my approach from behind, continued to chat happily with Ethan. Ethan, for his part, averted his gaze and continued the conversation with an air of indifference.

"I'm sorry to compare, but I can't see how your body is any better than Lilli's."

"Do you really say that to a woman? Honestly..."

"If you're so confident, why don't you explain?"

"Well, for one, your fiancée's breasts are unnecessarily huge. They might look nice, but they're no fun to touch~."

That's bullshit. Any healthy man in his prime would agree that the bigger, the better when it comes to breasts.

Sure, some guys might have a preference for extreme figures like Agnes, but those are the exceptions, not the rule.

For most men who prefer larger breasts, the general opinion is that the bigger, the better. I know because that was exactly how I felt in my past life.

"Her breasts are just saggy and flabby, with no firmness, and they don’t even feel good when you touch them. What's the point of that? On the other hand, mine have just the right amount of firmness and are still plenty soft to the touch. Plus, you don't have to worry about them sagging with age."

You kidding me? In this world, magic fixes everything. Breasts don't sag with age here, you obnoxious bitch. I ought to smash this glass over her head...

'No, no, that's not the point...'

Come to think of it, there's no reason to get worked up over this. I almost lost focus because of that momentary distraction.

This woman had no idea that Ethan and I had orchestrated this entire situation to lure her out. She was just an unfortunate pawn in our game.

In a way, she was helping me with my plan to defeat McHart, so there was no reason to be angry at her.

This wasn't the time for me to intervene and start a fight. I needed to let the situation play out a bit more before stepping in to start a verbal confrontation with Ethan.

"And you know, bigger breasts are less sensitive. A quiet woman in bed isn't exactly appealing, is she? Isn't that right, Young Lord Blackwood?"

"...Is that so? I wouldn't know. Lilli doesn't seem to have any issues with sensitivity."

"That's all an act. With breasts that big, there's no way she feels much. She probably wouldn't even notice if a mouse crawled into her cleavage."

Not true. She’s extremely sensitive, more than you can imagine.

Every time Ethan touches my chest, I feel it. Listening to this woman run her mouth is making me want to shut her up.

But the shameless young lady, with her breasts half-exposed, continued to belittle me while trying to elevate herself, not realizing she was crossing a line she shouldn't.

"If you don't believe me, why don't you try comparing for yourself?"

"...Comparing?"

"You're here with your fiancée today, aren't you? Being at an event like this together means she'd do anything for you, right? So why not tell her outright that you want to have both of us in bed tonight?"

"...That's ridiculous..."

"If you put us side by side, you'll see who’s more passionate and seductive, who’s faking their moans. Then you can decide, Young Lord Blackwood."

"......"

"We could start with a kiss. You've kissed your fiancée, right? Why not compare who has the softer lips right now?"

-Drip, drip.

"...Lilli?"

As she leaned in, her pig snout-like mouth almost touching Ethan's face, I was already pouring the contents of the glass in my right hand over the top of her head.

"Get that greasy pig intestine away from Ed, you bitch."