Why Did I Become the Villainess?

 "Lady Csille?"

 I smile at Princess Paislee. She is currently guarding Prince Fraser's tent. 

 "May I know what you are doing here, Lady Csille?" She looks at my arm sling. "Are you even allowed to walk around with your situation?"

 I tried to peek through the tent to see if Prince Fraser is awake, but I couldn't see anything. 

 "I'm just here to check on his highness condition and to talk to him too. Is he awake?" I look at my arm and shrug my shoulders. "My wounds are actually okay now. Doctor Leander already told me that I can freely move."

 Princess Paislee nods her head. "He is awake." She looks at the tent and sighs. "It's a good thing you are here. Please, talk to him, Lady Csille. He won't listen to anyone. He keeps moving around even after Doctor Leander tells him to stay in bed for a week. He also won't agree to return to the campsite without talking to you. I think you're the only one who can talk some sense to him."

 I sigh. I thought Prince Fraser changed already after all five years had passed. But I guess stubbornness is innate within him.

 "I'll be talking to him then."

 I heard Princess Paislee sigh in relief. She gestured her hand inside the tent before she smiled at me.

 I take a deep breath before I step inside the tent. Prince Fraser immediately looks up at me and smiles. 

 "Csille, you're finally here." He raised his hand towards me. "Come here."

 I look at his smiling face and sigh. I'm sure it will change sooner. I know he will become cold again towards me again. Like he usually does.

 "Prince Fraser, how are you doing? I heard from Rufus that you were prohibited by Doctor Leander from moving around. Why won't you listen to him just this once? He only cares about your health."

 The moment I sit beside him, Prince Fraser immediately takes my hand and holds it. "Are you okay now? Can you really move around with your wounds?"

 I smile awkwardly at Prince Fraser. I don't understand why I feel awkward when he holds my hand. Probably because I was so used to him being cold towards me that now he is being sweet to me, I feel something is wrong.

 I tried to break from his grasp, but the more I took my hand, the more he held my hand tightly. 

 I sigh and just let him be. I'll just make things quickly and leave. "Your highness, I'm okay now. My stitches hurt from time to time, but Doctor Leander told me that I could move freely already. You shouldn't worry about me. You should worry about yourself more. Look at your wounds. You need medical attention. It would be best if you would return to the campsite now."

 Prince Fraser nods his head. "Okay, let's return then. I'm sure Doctor Pascal is now worried about you."

 I shake my head. "No, your highness. I cannot return. I—"

 "What do you mean you cannot return?" Prince Fraser frowns. "You are wounded, Csille. Have you forgotten about that? What are you planning to do?"

 I knew it. He won't agree. But I need to take some shots. I need to distance myself from Prince Fraser again. I need to make way for the male lead and the female lead. 

 "Your highness, I know that. However, if I return with you all, Rufus will be the only one left to continue to check the other region. Do you think those people will appreciate it if they know we only let one person check on them?"

 Prince Fraser shakes his head. "I know they would understand. The news about what happened to us probably spread to the nearby towns. Do you think they will be disappointed if we send Rufus, despite what happened?"

 He is right, though. I'm sure they would be glad knowing Rufus still checked on them after what happened. However, I still want to come with Rufus. I need to be with him. I need to be far away from Prince Fraser for now.

 "However, I still think it's not right to just send Rufus alone. After all, I'm okay now. Doctor Leander also told me that I can continue the journey if I want to." 

 That's a lie, though. I just told him that so he could give me permission. Leander just told me that I can move freely now. I just need to be careful because my stitches might open up. 

 "Prince Fraser, please give me permission. I just want to make people see that despite what happened, we are genuinely helping them. What they need now is hope that help will arrive to them. So, please let me come with Rufus."

 Prince Fraser stares at me intently before he shakes his head. "I cannot let you do that, Csille. If the Count knows about what happened to you, I'm sure he wouldn't let you go with Rufus too. Also, what if something happened to you while you were there? There are only a few Doctors there, Csille. Who would take care of you?"

 "It's the reason why you will all return to the campsite. I'm not saying we will stay there for long. Once you return, you can send another team of Doctors to help the people there. If they arrive and if we make sure that everything is okay, we can return to the campsite."

 I look at Prince Fraser. I really hope he agrees. I'm also worried about the people from the nearby town. If the situation is already worst in the capital of the northern region, I bet it might be worst in the other region. 

 A moment after, I heard Prince Fraser sigh. He then squeezed my hand. "Okay, I will give you permission to go there. However, you need to bring Sir Farren with you, and that's final. I will only allow you if you bring Sir Farren."

 Bring Princess Paislee? That's not possible. The reason why I want to come with Rufus is because I want to give time to them. If I bring Princess Paislee, what's the use of insisting on coming with Rufus?

 "Your highness, how can I do that? You definitely need security more than me. If I bring Sir Farren with me, what will happen to you if someone attempts to ambush you? I don't think it's a good idea. With your current situation? I don't think you're fit to protect yourself. So, please bring Sir Farren with you. I couldn't bear the consequences if something happened to you."

 I look at Prince Fraser, but he just avoids looking at me. I sigh. "You're highness, Rufus, will be with me the whole time. I'm sure with his skills. He wouldn't let anything happen to the both of us. So, you shouldn't worry. Please give me permission, your highness."

 I heard Prince Fraser sigh. "I will give you permission. However, you need to make sure that nothing will happen to you while you are there. Once we arrive, I will immediately send a team of doctors to check on the situation there. The two of you can leave the region once the Doctors arrive."

 I nod my head at him. I couldn't really hear what he said because my mind was now preoccupied with the idea that he had already given me permission.

 I can now give time for the female lead and the male lead. 

 "Understand, Csille?"

 I blink my eyes and look at Prince Fraser. Understand what? Did he say something important? 

 I smile awkwardly at him and just nod my head. Never mind. I'll just deal with it in the future. 

 I just hope it's nothing so serious.

________________________________

 "I really don't understand how you made his highness allow you to come with me. I really thought I would be the only one who'll check the other region."

 I look at Rufus and smile. If he only knew how much time I need to make Prince Fraser agree to this.

 "Why are you scared of being alone?" I tease him. I look outside the window of the carriage. We are currently on our way to our destination. While Prince Fraser and the others are now on their way to the campsite.

 Rufus laugh. "Yeah, I am. It's a good thing you are here with me, purplany. I am now relieved."

 I shake my head and smile at him. Rufus and his antics. 

 "But seriously, purplany. How did you make my cousin agree? Although he is cold, he isn't the type of person who would set aside other people's health. You are injured. I didn't expect he would let you come with me with your injury."

 I shrug my shoulders. "I just told him that it wouldn't look great if people see that you are the only one sent here to check the people. Also, I have permission from Doctor Leander. He made sure that going here wouldn't bring harm to me. Aside from that, once they arrive at the campsite, they will immediately send a batch of Doctors here. So, do you think he can disagree with that?"

 I didn't wait for Rufus to reply. The moment the carriage stops moving, I immediately step down and look around.

 We were finally here, but I couldn't see any person outside. 

 "It looks like an abandoned town." I heard Rufus say beside me. "Maybe we should look around first."

 I shake my head. "I don't think we need to look around. Look there, Rufus." I point my hand at the chapel from a distance.

 "They are probably staying there. Come on, Csille. Let's see how's the situation there."

 Rufus immediately helps me get on the carriage, and the carriage moves towards the direction of the chapel.

 I look outside, and my heart aches when I see how devastating the surrounding is. It's as if a hurricane passes through the town. 

 The situation here is worst than the situation in the northern region. I don't even want to imagine how they can survive in this situation.

 Everything that is happening here is because of me. If I didn't write about this pandemic, then they wouldn't need to endure this. I really need to do something to make up for the things I did. 

 The carriage stops in front of the chapel, and I immediately get off the carriage. 

 A middle age man who looks like a priest walks towards us. Beside him are two young men probably the same age as Rufus. The middle age man smile when he recognizes us.

 "Your highness, Prince Rufus. Lady Csille. Please forgive us if we couldn't welcome you. As you can see, the situation here is not that great."

 Rufus steps up and holds the priest's hand. He then bows his head a little. "Father Cimon, please forgive us if we only arrive here. We were supposed to arrive here the other day. However, an accident happened. Prince Fraser and the others have no choice but to return to the northern region. While Lady Csille and I are the only ones who continue with our journey."

 Father Cimon shakes his head. "We heard about what happened. I apologize if we couldn't send immediate help." He then looks at me. "Lady Csille, thank you for coming to our town despite what happened. Why don't the two of you come inside so you can rest? The people are all worried about you."

 They all show us inside the chapel. I gasped when I noticed how many people were inside the chapel. 

 "The moment the infectious disease arrives here, the uninfected people all come here for shelter. They are afraid that they might get affected with the disease."

 I nod my head. Is it the reason why there is no one outside? Because they are all worried that they might get infected.

 "How about the infected, Father? What happened to them?"

 Father Cimon looks at me. "Did you see the hospital in the opposite direction of the chapel? That is where all the infected people are confined. However, because of the decreasing number of nurses and doctors working in the hospital, the infection rate increases every day."

 I clench my fist. The situation in here is worst than I expected. I look outside and sigh. 

 Prince Fraser, please send the help immediately.