The story begins with Princess Elizabeth La Montreeve, the Duke's daughter, being publicly scorned and having her engagement to Crown Prince Vincent von Weisworth broken off at a royal academy party. Vincent accuses her of arrogant and wicked behavior, which Elizabeth vehemently denies, suspecting that Vincent has become obsessed with a popular novel titled "The Holy Maiden Who Makes Stars Fall from the Night Sky," or "Otohosh" for short. This novel, which mirrors their own lives with a commoner heroine and a villainous noble daughter resembling Elizabeth, has gained immense popularity. Elizabeth realizes she has been framed, particularly when she catches Yulisy Merrifield, who is now by Vincent's side, smirking at her.
Vincent, a model prince, reveals that the King has approved the engagement annulment. Elizabeth collapses but is caught by Vincent, who uses a protective spell, "Fixing the Mirror," to freeze everyone in the hall. He then addresses the frozen attendees, categorizing their reactions to the events into three types: those who remained stoic (worthy nobles), those who rejected the prince's apparent madness (righteous individuals), and those who were openly delighted (the deluded masses, including Edward Norden). Vincent criticizes the latter group for their shallowness and ignorance of social order, before releasing the spell.
Yulisy, now weak, is confronted by Vincent, who points out her malicious smile at Elizabeth's distress. When Vincent asks Elizabeth what she thought at that moment, she reveals her realization that either her ducal family would fall or Vincent would be deposed if the King's approval was genuine. Yulisy is shocked, having apparently believed she would become queen. Vincent dismisses this, stating that a king who abandons his duties for a woman would be exiled. He declares that reality is not as sweet as fiction, and Yulisy, devastated, is escorted away by guards. Vincent then offers Elizabeth anything as an apology, and she humbly accepts, acknowledging her own lack of preparedness.
Meanwhile, Crown Prince Vincent is frustrated by the events, lamenting that his time is being wasted instead of spent with Elizabeth. He confides in his attendant, Harold, about his deep affection for Elizabeth, which began when they first met at age eight. He recalls Elizabeth's perfect demeanor and his immediate infatuation, which spurred him to excel in his studies to be worthy of her. He laments that the novel "Otohosh" has complicated their relationship, as it has fueled speculation and created distance between them.
Vincent's suspicions about the novel's influence grow when he overhears Yulisy and other noble girls discussing it. He learns that Yulisy, whose appearance matches the novel's heroine, believes she can fulfill the novel's plot. Later, Vincent and Harold investigate the novel's author, suspecting a noble connection due to the detailed descriptions of academy life. They discover the author is a viscountess named Serena Haven, who claims she wrote the novel out of admiration and never intended for it to be published or to cause trouble. She reveals that Yulisy is not connected to the novel's plot and that she herself is the model for the heroine. Serena also observes that both Vincent and Elizabeth seem to look at each other with affection, albeit with Vincent being more overt.
The chapters conclude with Vincent feeling a renewed sense of hope regarding Elizabeth's feelings, and he resolves to protect their relationship from any further interference, including from Yulisy and the increasingly suspicious Edward Norden, who has become infatuated with Yulisy. Vincent also tasks Harold with investigating the novel's origins and potential noble conspirators.
