[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi":3,"chapter-the-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi-the-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi-chapter-1":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Lady's Butler: I Reincarnated To Serve The Villainess",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":18,"prevChapterSlug":19,"totalChapters":20,"novelImage":21},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":12,"translator":16,"content_hash":17},725383,965,"Chapter 1: Prologue: The Lady’s Butler","the-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi-chapter-1",1,"\u003Cp>\"How cliché.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He muttered to himself as he looked at the scene unfolding before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This engagement,\" the man with golden blond hair and bright blue eyes began, \"is hereby annulled.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He usually wore a charismatic smile, but now, there was no warmth on his face. Only cold disgust, directed at the woman standing before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I see,\" despite the way he looked at her, her voice remained perfectly calm, \"may I inquire as to the justification, Your Highness?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than being calm, it was more accurate to say that her pride didn’t allow her to show any reaction, especially in front of this many nobles and commoners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the yearly royal ball, one which nobles and commoners from everywhere across Avera would attend. It was a night that was supposed to be full of celebration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet tonight was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight, all eyes in the grand ballroom were fixed upon the two figures standing at its center, Prince Lucian and the so-called Ice Princess, Lady Renelle Ardent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Should I stop it?\" the man who had whispered earlier murmured again, tilting his head slightly before shaking it with a faint smile, \"no... let’s let the scenario play out. Maybe she’ll finally wake up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although no one noticed it, he could clearly see that beneath Lady Renelle’s calm demeanor was suppressed hurt and anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it infuriated him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, he forced himself to remain still.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She needed this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he interfered too soon, she would continue clinging to that foolish infatuation with the prince, and that simply would not do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would rather not have to kill the kingdom’s only male heir to the throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucian, unaware of the man’s thoughts, clenched his fist in anger as he continued looking at Renelle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your conduct,\" he declared, his voice ringing through the hushed ballroom, \"has repeatedly brought disgrace upon the royal family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renelle’s icy blue eyes glanced briefly behind the prince where a girl with chestnut brown hair and amber eyes stood hidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She flinched a bit as she her eyes locked with Renelle’s and the prince subtly moved to the side, putting himself between the two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So this,\" Renelle said softly, \"concerns Lady Noelle?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of murmurs rose in the ballroom, after all, this drama started with the prince asking Lady Noelle for a dance instead of his fiancée.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your harassment of Lady Noelle has gone too far,\" the prince answered, \"false accusations, humiliation and even social exclusion, your actions are unfitting for one who was to become queen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lady Noelle,\" Renelle turned to Noelle, addressing her directly, her voice carrying clearly despite its gentleness, \"have I ever spoken to you in private?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noelle was a bit startled at being addressed, but she still shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"N–No...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Have I issued threats? Or demanded your withdrawal from any event?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No,\" she whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The prince stepped forward, cutting in before more could be said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You need not intimidate her further!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A faint crease appeared between Renelle’s brows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Intimidate?\" she repeated quietly, \"I simply —\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your reputation speaks for itself,\" again, he cut her off, \"who among the nobility does not know of your coldness? Your jealousy? Your contempt toward those of lesser standing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, so that’s the narrative they were going with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it seemed to be working, according to the murmurs of the crowd, especially given the reputation that Renelle had built up in her obsession with the Prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lucian I —\" Noelle seemed to want to say something but hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s fine,\" the prince turned to her with a gentle smile on his face, \"I’m here, so you don’t need to be scared of her anymore.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renelle let out a self mocking chuckle as she witnessed the look Lucian was giving to Noelle, not once had he looked at her the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Very well,\" She spoke up again, her voice a lot colder now, \"if Your Highness wishes to annul our engagement on such grounds, then I shall not contest it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, she turned around, unwilling to go through anymore humiliation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lady Renelle,\" Noelle suddenly reached out, grabbed Renelle’s without thinking and that....did not end well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renelle suddenly forced her hand out of Noelle’s grasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The motion was far stronger than she had intended.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noelle, unprepared for the sudden rejection, lost her balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah—!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could fall completely, Lucian caught her by the waist, pulling her securely against him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renelle froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a brief moment, genuine surprise could be seen on her face, she had not meant to push her, she had merely wanted distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the sight before the crowd told a different story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucian’s expression darkened instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How dare you!\" he snapped, anger was evident on his face as he helped Noelle stand upright, \"even now, you resort to violence?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I did no such—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Enough!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You humiliate her publicly and now you lay hands on her?\" His eyes burned with righteous anger, \"have you truly fallen so low, Renelle?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You will apologize. Now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Renelle slowly turned back toward him, regaining her previous icy demeanor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I will not apologize,\" she said quietly, \"for something I did not do.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the final straw and the prince’s restraint finally snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd gasped as Lucian raised his hand and swung it towards Renelle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just before his palm could reach her, a heavy pressure fell in the room, causing everyone to freeze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire room was suddenly covered in shadows and no one, not even high ranking knights dared let out a breath, as their instincts warned that they’d lose their lives if they did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They felt as if they were preys being looked at by a predator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Forgive my discourtesy,\" a voice suddenly spoke up as the lights returned.... Or rather, the ballroom being covered in shadows was only an illusion created by their fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd focused on the three again, only to notice there was a fourth person between the Prince and Lady Renelle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a neatly combed raven black hair, transparent round glasses and a formal black suit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gloved hand was effortlessly holding onto the prince’s wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But as Lady Ardent’s assigned retainer,\" he started, with a polite smile on his face, \"I cannot permit physical discipline without formal adjudication by her family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lucian stared at him, trembling a bit, but it wasn’t from anger, it was from something far less dignified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The suffocating pressure that had swallowed the ballroom only seconds earlier had vanished as if it had never existed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least, for everyone else, but Lucian still felt the danger from the man before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And who,\" the prince said forcing himself to calm down, \"do you believe you are?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man released the prince’s wrist and stepped back calmly, bowing a bit deeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I amThe Lady’s Butler.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1133,"2026-06-02T10:56:10.487Z","novelbin.me","b63f5a3167e780735e9ed7f67d3af8501734b75cee515aae905b7259785558c4","the-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi-chapter-2","the-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi-chapter-51",146,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi-cover.jpg"]