Why Did I Become the Villainess?

 "Lady Csille, here!" Lilla waves her hand at me. 

 We agreed to meet today before they leave the Alderdeen City. I walk towards her, and she immediately hugs me.

 "Lady Csille, I will definitely miss you." She cried. "If I can only stay with you for all my life. But my parents won't let me."

 I caress Lilla's back to comfort her. "Let's sit first so we can talk properly."

 We both take our seats. Lilla pouted at me, and I just laughed at her. "You don't need to be sad anymore. You can visit me anytime you like. Also, didn't Prince Fraser give you a token? You can use it to enter the Vrawyth Kingdom anytime you like."

 Lilla nods her head. "I will definitely visit you there, and when I do, you need to show me around the Vrawyth Kingdom. Okay?" 

 I nod my head at her. "Of course. Just send me a message before you visit the Vrawyth Kingdom so I can prepare."

 I look around. "Is your parents not here?"

 Lilla nods her head. "They decided to wait in our inn. They does not want to disturb us. How about the Count and the Countess?"

 "They are all busy strolling around the Capital. We will be leaving tomorrow, so they are making the most of their little vacation. After all, it's rare for them to take a break from work."

 What I said is true, Aunt Aveline showed Mother and Father to the beautiful places in Alderrdeen. I just didn't mention to Lilla that the Foulqueret Family is with them too. 

 Aunt Aveline invited me too. However, I declined because Lilla and I have an agreement to meet today. Lilla and her family are about to leave the Alderrdeen today, and it will probably take a long time before we see each other again.

 "What are your plans after graduation?"

 Lilla groans. "My parents are pushing the marriage I was talking about before. However, I still think I'm not ready for it. What should I do, Csille? I just want to live my life the way I want to live it. However, my parents are insisting that I should get married to that guy. I don't even like him." She grumbles. 

 I sigh. Arranged marriage is like a culture in this world. Even if their daughters don't want to get married, they won't have any other choice but to do it.

 It's the reason why Princess Paislee runways because she knows no matter how much she talks sense to her parents, they won't listen to her. They will still pursue their engagement.

 "Well, maybe you'll learn to like him in the future. Have you met the guy?"

 Lilla rolled her eyes. "Yes, I did, and he is so disgusting. He's five years older than me, but he still relies on his parents. His family is from a well off family, so he grew up being spoiled and always causing trouble. Aside from his behavior, he is basically an asshole. Imagine on our first meeting he immediately tried to hold my hands. When I refused, he got mad at me and even tried to do something to me."

 I hold Lilla's hand and squeeze it. "Okay, I take my words. I don't think that guy is a great choice for a husband. Why would your parents want to get you married to him?"

 She scoff. "Because the guy's family promise that once we get married, they will help our family establish our business firmly. Although we are wealthy, their family has connections outside the Frailens City, and my parents have been wanting to expand our business outside the Frailens City."

 I knew it. They are using their daughter as a means to expand their business. I don't understand how they do that. 

 My parents would rather choose to be poor than to send me to a wolf's den. 

 "So, what are you planning to do then? Will you get married to him?"

 Lilla shakes her head repeatedly. "How can I do that? It will be the death of me, Csille. I just have graduated from Alderrdeen. I still have a bright future in front of me. Why would I let them ruin it? I love my parents. However, I don't think they can have a say on whom I want to get married with."

 "But what will you do? Are you going to disobey your parents?"

 Disobedience to parents is considered a crime in some cities. Although they won't be imprisoned, parents can legally disown their children for disobeying them. 

 But this law has been dropped by most of the City. The Kingdoms removed that law for years now. The lawmakers thought its unfair for children since the parents' decisions were not always right. It's the reason why that law is removed from all the Kingdoms.

 Only a few cities do that, and as far as I know, Frailens City is included in those Cities.

 Lilla sigh. "You know the Frailens City implement that rule, right? I cannot disobey them."

 "But what are you going to do then? It's either you disobey them and run away or to get married to that guy."

 Lilla shakes her head. "There is another option, Lady Csille."

 I frown. How can there be another option? "What option are you talking about?"

 "Help me, Lady Csille. I beg of you. Help me."

 Help her? What does she mean? "But how?"

 Lilla holds both of my hands. "Help me find a job in the Vrawyth Kingdom. Any job will do. As long as I will have a job in the Vrawyth Kingdom."

 I frown. A job in the Vrawyth Kingdom? But most businesses in the Vrawyth Kingdom don't accept people from outside the Vrawyth. They prioritize giving jobs to the Vrawyth people. It's the reason why the employment rate in the Vrawyth Kingdom is higher compared to other Kingdoms.

 Aside from prioritizing the Vrawyth people, it also avoids having spies in the Kingdom. The only foreign people they let is the businessman. However, their employees should be from the Vrawyth Kingdom.

 "But Lilla, it will be difficult to do that. You do know that the Vrawyth Kingdom only accepts Vrawyth people as their employees. It will be difficult for me to help you. Even landing a small job will be difficult for me to do."

 Lilla squeezed my arms. "I know it's difficult, Lady Csille. However, isn't there an exception? The business owner can hire people outside if the person's qualifications are outstanding and if they have recommendations from one of the nobles."

 I got silent. She is right. There is really an exception like that, and because the Lauretré family is into business, it will be easy to let her in. All we need to do is to make my father give her a recommendation.

 However, do I want to let Lilla enter the Vrawyth Kingdom? Will I want to involve her with the complicated life in the Kingdom? After all, there will be a big change in the Kingdom soon.

 I sigh. "I don't know, Lilla. I want to help you, but I'm not the only one who needs to decide."

 Lilla held my hand tightly. "Lady Csille, you are my only hope. If my parents disown me for disobeying, no one will want to take me even if I graduated from Alderrdeen School of Knowledge. It will be the end of me. I know what I am asking is too much, but I'm begging you. I still want to live."

 I sigh. Even if I want to help her, this decision cannot be made by me only. I need to consult my parents since I will be letting her work in our business. 

 "Lilla, how about this? I'll discuss this with my parents. I'll try to convince them as much as I can, and I will just send you a letter when they agree. How about it?"

 Lilla bites her lower lip and nods her head. "Thank you, Lady Csille. You don't know how much this will help me." She takes a small piece of paper in her pocket. "This is my address. I will be waiting for your response."

 I take the paper from her and keep it. 

 Lilla looks at her time watch. "Lady Csille, I need to go now. I still need to return to our inn to prepare. Thank you for helping me."

 I just smile at her and watch her leave. I sigh. I honestly don't know what to do with Lilla's situation. If I don't agree with what she wants, she will definitely disobey her parents, and she will have no choice but to live on her own. 

 However, a person who was guilty of the crime of disobedience will not be easily accepted by society. Not just in her city but also in other Cities. There's a high chance that she will end up being a stray. 

 Can I bear to see my friend as a stray?

 But if I help her, she will get involved with the disaster that will befall in my life in the future. Isn't that disadvantageous for her too? 

 "I'll just let my parents decide for this then."

________________________________

 I walk inside Máire's private garden. Pax Dea and I have an agreement to meet here this afternoon. She wants to say goodbye to her friend, and because I already got close with Máire and Clymene, she asked me to come. 

 I immediately see Máire inside her garden. She is currently removing the withered leaves on the flowers. 

 Máire looks at me and smiles. "Csille, you're here. Pax Dea is still not here. She probably hasn't returned. I heard she was with her family strolling around the capital. Why didn't you come with them?"

 I walk to her side and help her remove the withered leaves. "I have an agreement to meet with my friend in Alderrdeen School of Knowledge. She will be leaving Alderrdeen this afternoon. That's why I didn't come with them." I look around. "Clymene is still not here too?"

 Máire nods her head. "Yeah, she's probably busy with her work. She's a doctor, after all. Every second matters to her. But don't worry, she will come for sure."

 I nod my head at her and continue removing the leaves. I was about to remove a withered leaf when I noticed a flower.

 It's red in color and has a sweet scent like chocolate. My eyes widened when I realized what flower is this.

 "Chocolate Cosmo flower. Beautiful, isn't it? It's one of the rarest flowers in Alderrdeen. Aside from its beauty, it also smells like a chocolate. The reason why it was named that way."

 I know. This flower was once mentioned by Prince Fraser to me. It's the flower of love. If you gave this flower to the person you love, the meaning becomes 'I love you more than anybody can'.

 It's the same flower Prince Fraser will give to Princess Paislee when he confesses his feelings to her. Even if Princess Paislee is still disguising herself as a man. 

 "Where is this flower come from? How come there is Chocolate Cosmo here? We don't have this kind of flower in the Vrawyth Kingdom. I've been actually searching for this flower. May I know how did you get to grow one here?"

 Máire shakes her head. "That flower just miraculously grew here one day. Even I don't know how did it grow in my garden. I was the only one who took care of the flowers here, and only Dea and Clymene were the people allowed to enter here. However, both of them don't have talent in gardening."

 I frown. This flower is the most rarest flower in this world. How come it grew here without reason? It's impossible for this flower to grow without anyone planting it. So, I don't understand why it is here.

 Also, Prince Fraser has been searching for this flower for a long time now, but even after searching for a decade, he still doesn't have any idea where to find that flower.

 But how come it is growing here?