Chapters 3 through 12 of the light novel detail significant events for the protagonist, Constance "Connie" Greyl. The narrative begins with Connie, a plain and unassuming sixteen-year-old, witnessing an execution at San Marcus Square. Despite her father's disapproval of such spectacles, Connie, accompanied by her friend Kate, sneaks out to observe. The crowd's palpable malice unnerves Connie, and she becomes separated from Kate. She finds herself at the forefront of the crowd, witnessing the arrival of a hooded girl. The girl, revealed to be incredibly beautiful with amethyst eyes and snow-white skin, curses the crowd before a swift execution. The event is chaotic, marked by a sudden storm and a fire at the city hall, leaving Connie traumatized by the violence and the sight of a headless body.
Following this harrowing experience, Connie's personal life takes a turn. Her family, the Greyls, are in dire financial straits due to her father's excessive honesty and a friend's defaulted debt. To secure their financial future, Connie's engagement to Neil Bronson, the son of a successful merchant, is arranged. Connie initially accepts this pragmatic arrangement, finding Neil to be handsome and gentlemanly. However, rumors begin to circulate about Neil's involvement with Pamela Francis, a charming but manipulative baron's daughter.
At a grand ball hosted by Viscount Harmesworth, Connie confronts the rumors. While seeking a moment of respite in a conservatory, she witnesses Neil and Pamela embracing. Pamela, upon noticing Connie, orchestrates a public humiliation. She accuses Connie of stealing Brenda's (Pamela's timid associate) hairpin, using Brenda's temporary entrustment of the hairpin to Connie as "proof." Despite Connie's protests and the testimonies of others who saw the truth, Pamela, with the help of the Viscount and the complicity of many attendees, corners Connie. Just as Connie is about to be formally accused, a mysterious, beautiful girl with amethyst eyes appears. This girl, who claims to be Scarlett Castiel, the famously executed daughter of Duke Castiel, intervenes. Scarlett, who seems to have been unable to enter the ballroom until Connie spoke to her, offers to help Connie in exchange for a "price."
Scarlett's intervention completely shifts the dynamic. She expertly manipulates the situation, turning Pamela's accusations back on her and exposing Pamela's own indiscretions with Neil. Scarlett's sharp wit and commanding presence overwhelm Pamela, leading to a public spectacle where Connie is vindicated, and Pamela is disgraced. The ball concludes with Scarlett, now revealed to be a spectral being, making a deal with Connie: in exchange for Scarlett's help, Connie must dedicate her future to Scarlett's revenge. The chapters end with Connie waking up in her own room, unsure if the events were a dream, only to be confronted by the floating spectral form of Scarlett Castiel, who reiterates their pact. The narrative establishes Scarlett as a powerful, vengeful entity and Connie as a pawn in her grander schemes, hinting at a complex and dangerous future for Connie.
