Villain Transmigration: Author Transformation

It was at that point that the world seemed to stop from them,

"O—Oh!" Mark blinked his eyes. "...The items must be deliberated to a separate guests hall—before the official transaction begins, as per—announcement before this special round of auction."

'A what? When did he say it?'

So much she tried to think about it; there was none, to begin with; it was that upsetting.

Nathalie peered sideways, behind the fan that covered the lower half of her face revealed her nibbled lips as she put a restraint on herself not to cause further trouble. 

All she pondered the recent silence would turn out suffocating, but it was no different when she garnered the attention of nobles, who were still in the hall that took their time with their business.

Everyone around her having their murmurs grew like a cacophony of bugs in a forest.

Though she wasn't as lost as she thought it would be when Keith stepped forward, hands protecting her, and cleared his throat.

"Very well then." Keith gazed coldly at the onlookers before meeting Mark's fazed visage. "My Lady shall wait here while the rest get their share."

His actions were enough to make her lips quirk up, even if it was a little bit, and her fans closed with a tap of her palm and turned around. Caught within her glimpse as their jaws dropped, she never batted an eye.

To the corner, they shuffled, and her dress became the main attraction. 

The rest lost their focus and remained dazed by her. A few of the staff fumbled and tripped themselves as they carried their items, with nobles roaring complaints.

They couldn't get enough of her.

"My Lady, I dare say it's impressive you came with an element of surprise and spectacle after how you've been through and through." He held his chin up, with his tone dropped to a whisper. 

Through Athan, Mystique already experienced much worse in her life as her fate constantly pushed to the edge, then to the bottomless pit she could never crawl back up. Yet, she was no longer the conniving villainess of what people perceived her. 

If she wanted to come back and recreate a debut of herself once more, then she should leave a mark ingrained in their minds without doing so much.

Stunning ombre dress, dripping with gold sequins and purple rhinestones, was a dead giveaway in no way they could retaliate.

Only a smile, a rather genuine one, as she looked him in the eyes.

[Well, it would've been a problem if you didn't help me. Just what was the announcement?]

"Just like that, and  we're called to meet the one who was generous enough to give what he had:..." He took a pause and grimaced in his face for a second. The Grand Duke of Forsberg." 

[Wait.] Nathalie shoved her palm with a scribble for him to read inaudibly. [What?]

"...It's the truth. That's why I was skeptical, yet why must we pursue with this luggage from the man that you warned for so long..."

For the Grand Duke Forsberg to have such possession, a lot of questions popped into her mind.

With two objectives in her mind: To come back home and to survive. But with the identity of a villainess, Mystique Violette Blackwell, she carried. Her chances of going home were slim, and it was likely her life ended here before she could return. 

'The luggage was just in the car, and I had my clutch and the manuscript with me….' Nathalie shook her head when she thought of the missing pieces in the puzzle. 

Nathalie struck with a curse, but it should've only included her, and not anything else, or so at least she thought.

'Jonathan?'

Keith caught the slight crack on her stoic profile; his lips parted but sealed after a few seconds as he watched over her.

Both of them stopped and watched the other guests from afar; whenever her gaze landed at them, they averted and scurried along. However, she couldn't care less as she shifted right away to the array of luggage, where few of the important ones became her arch nemesis' belongings.

After it was revealed she was the holder of number 5, their curiosity grew stronger, and she wagered against the Prince nonetheless. 

On the other hand, Athan had a good time with Veronica, he beamed at her with their fingers intertwined, and she couldn't help but reciprocate it with a giggle.

A sharp pang bloomed in her heart—A smell of jealousy she recognized, but she needed to be stronger.

It wasn't her feelings to put any validation; Mystique was long gone, and she had to carve her own.

One after another, the guests left without any remorse, with their grins went ear to ear as they grabbed their newly found assets back to their homes. Her indigo eyes now darted at Marquis Edelweiss, who came through the other side of the stage and beckoned Mark with a vague hand gesture.

"Alright, for those who had to claim the items in the special round of the auction, you may follow me."

Mark turned around, "Alright, for the two parties who participated, I shall lead the way." Then they followed him. 

Within the hallway, Mystique gave Athan a curtsy then a gesture for him and the rest of his cliques to move first. He huffed as soon as she wasn't bothered at all and moved along with jaws clenched.

'I assure you won't see me breakdown, ever.'  A little farther, and Nathalie smirked. Both Keith and her were behind their trails.

'So much for that; I hope I'm not wrong.' 

Thuds and clacks echoed against the marbled floor, and the beat stopped ringing her ears when they stopped. It was a large two-way door with guards on each side.

"This is the private hall. The Grand Duke of Forsberg is inside and waiting for the participants."

After which, Mark stepped aside as the door opened, and a sudden brightness was tad blinding, squinting, but let go as their eyes greeted the flourishing ornaments displayed along with the high-quality furniture found.

'I will get to the bottom of this.'

A high ceiling with a bedazzling chandelier hung as bright as the sun's zenith, casting a glow with everyone around—even the two big shots sitting across the long dining table.

Amidst this, all she thought was…

'What the fuck? Are we about to eat or something?'