Why Did I Become the Villainess?

Chapter 318 – Dream

 I stretched my arms and walked towards my room. It's already late, but I still need to work on the documents Lilla send to our house. I need to prepare all the papers needed for the joint project so we can officially start because the whole Kingdom will be busy next week for Prince Fraser's birthday banquet. So, I need to finish all the necessary documents.

 I look outside the window of my room and sigh. "It's already late, and I still have a lot of things to do." I slump my body in my bed and close my eyes for a moment. "Just a few minutes. Let me just feel my bed for a few minutes. Then I'll start working after."

 Rufus and I spent a few hours drinking and talking about things. He didn't mention anything about Princess Paislee, probably because he doesn't want to talk about it. And I don't want to force him to talk. I just made sure that he knew that I was always here for him.

  I open my eyes and sigh when I remember the conversation I had with Rufus. He was devastated by what was happening between Princess Paislee and Prince Fraser. But he knows he cannot do anything because it's Prince Fraser he is going against.

 Although I convinced him to still pursue Princess Paislee, I cannot let Rufus give up winning Princess Paislee because he is the reason why Prince Fraser will pursue Princess Paislee in the future.

 "All I am doing for someone else love life. I am really a fortunate one, right? I don't even have a love life, but here I am, making sure that Prince Fraser and Princess Paislee will end up together. I just wish that in the end, the Lauretré Family will still remain as a noble family despite what will Csille do in the future."

 I close my eyes again and try to relax myself. I have a lot of worries this day. Probably because I know that Csille's villainous path is already starting, and I cannot do anything to stop it or to even save myself.

 I take a rest for a couple of minutes more before I open my eyes. However, I was stunned when I found myself in an unfamiliar place. I immediately look around, but all I can see is grass. I am currently lying on a grass field.

 How come I end up sleeping here? The last thing I remember is I am in my room, taking a rest before I start working. But how come I end up in a grass field? Did I skip time again?

 But that is impossible. We're about to reach the climax of the story. If I skip time, then wouldn't I reach the end? 

 I stand up and try to look around, but the only thing I can see is a building in the middle of the grass field. So, I decided to walk towards the building to see if there was someone I could ask questions.

 The place looks unfamiliar to me. I don't think I've been to a place like this in the fictional world. 

 I was about to knock on the door, but it suddenly opened before I could even touch my hand on it. I immediately covered my eyes because I was blinded by the spotlight. Then I suddenly hear voices and music inside the building.

 How come I didn't hear it earlier? Is the building soundproof? 

 I slowly put my arm down and found a crowd of people inside. They are clapping their hands and looking at the center. I follow where they are looking and see Prince Fraser and Princess Paislee dancing. 

 I feel a tinge of pain inside of me, but I ignore it. I am more worried about how on Earth Princess Paislee is dancing with Prince Fraser while she is in her true identity. The Princess Paislee of the Aeslaerean Kingdom and not the Sir Farren everyone knows.

 I anxiously look around, trying to see the reaction of people around them, but they just keep clapping and smiling at the two.

 What is happening? How come they didn't say anything? Princess Paislee is with Prince Fraser. The Princess Paislee of the Aeslaerean Kingdom, the enemy of Vrawyth Kingdom. So how come no one is complaining? 

 Did I really skip time again?

 I was about to walk towards Prince Fraser and ask him what is happening when I felt myself falling. Moments after, I immediately groan in pain when I feel my body hit the ground. 

 I slowly open my eyes and find myself inside my room. Lying on the floor in the middle of the night. 

 I slump my head on the floor and sigh. That was just a dream. But why did I dream something like that? Is it to remind me of who I am? That I am the Villainess of the story?

 I look at the ceiling of my room and smile bitterly at myself. What's the need for a reminder? If every day, there is something that will always remind me of who I am.

 That I am the Villainess this story.

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 "Dame Csille, maybe you should take some rest first. You look pale already. You have been working with a bunch of people the whole day already, and you haven't even eaten anything. I'm sure if Doctor Pascal is here, he'll get mad at me for not taking care of you properly."

 I look at Lilla, who has been ranting for half an hour now. I understand her concern, but I don't have time to rest or to take a break. I still need to talk to a bunch of people for today. 

 I am talking to those well-known people that will help me build the housing project. I am talking to them personally and seeing how they work so I can give his majesty a list of people that is competent enough to do the housing project. His majesty and Prince Fraser will be the ones who will decide who are the people they are going to hire for the joint project.

 Although the funding will mostly come from the Hope Foundation, I still need to ask for his majesty and Prince Fraser's decision because it involves the safety of the villagers.

  I look at Lilla and shake my head. I look down at the list of people I still need to talk to and realize that I haven't even finished talking to half of those people on the list. 

 "But you know that I still have to talk to all these people," I show Lilla the list. "I need to finish this today, so I can give his majesty a list tomorrow. We need to start working already now. The whole Kingdom will be busy soon, and I cannot delay this project anymore."

 Actually, I can ask one of my employees to do this for me. However, I'm not that confident to pass the job to anyone. At least if I were the one who did it, I'd be more at ease with the work.

 "But Dame Csille, you need to rest or to eat already. I know you only want to finish all of this. However, you're sacrificing your health for this. So, can you plea—"

 Lilla wasn't able to finish her words when someone cut her. 

 "Dame Csille, it looks like you are having troubles here. Do you need some help? I will gladly offer my hand to help you."

 Lilla immediately does a curtsy when she sees Prince Joachim smiling at us. 

 What is this guy doing here? Don't tell me he is still planning to pursue that meal he was talking about last time? 

 I feel Lilla gently elbow my side. She is probably worried because I still haven't answered Prince Joachim. 

 I smile awkwardly at him. I don't understand why I feel irritated with him today. He's been my Professor before. So, I don't understand where does this irritation comes from? I know I don't usually talk to him, and I always feel uncomfortable around him. However, it didn't come to a point where I felt irritated just by talking to him.

 "Thank you for the offer, Prince Joachim, but Lady Lilla and I can handle it." Then I look at the guards behind him. There are two guards behind him. One is pushing his wheelchair while the other one is holding paper bags. It seems like they just finished shopping. "Also, I don't want to bother you anymore. It looks like you're busy shopping thi—"

 Prince Joachim looks at the guard who is holding the paper bags. He then sighs. "No, I'm not busy. In fact, I just finished buying things I need for my stay in the Vrawyth Kingdom. So, you don't need to worry about bothering me. You will never be a bother."

 I just smile awkwardly at him. I will never be a bother to him? Too bad he is for me. He is bothering me. Can't he see how busy we are already, and he even wants to join us? Did he forget that he is disabled? 

 I am not against disabled people or discriminating against them. But I'm quite in a hurry right now. I don't have time for this. So, I don't need anyone or anything that will be a burden to me. I still have a lot of things to do.

  I helplessly look at Lilla. I don't know what to do with Prince Joachim anymore. I don't know if he doesn't realize that I am only making excuses, or he is just pretending that he doesn't see it.

  Lilla looks at me in return and shakes her head. It seems like she also doesn't know how to deal with Prince Joachim. So, I don't have a choice but to face him on my own.

  I look at Prince Joachim. "Apologies, your highness, but we're quite in a hurry right now. I'm also currently working on a confidential project right now. It's not that I doubt you. However, this project is under my Foundation. I don't think it's right for me to bring you while doing this confidential project. I'm sorry."

 Of course, I was just lying. The project I am currently working on is the joint Project I had with his majesty, and it's not even confidential. But I need an excuse so we can get away from Prince Joachim.

 Prince Joachim stares at me for a couple of seconds. It's as if he is reading if what I am saying is true or not. After a few moments, I heard him heave a sigh. Then he looks at me with a big smile on his face.

 "I understand. However, I hope you wouldn't turn down my offer to have dinner with you tonight. I hope you can give me some time, Dame Csille."

  Meal again? I thought after what happened last time. He would not ask me again. But I guess I was wrong. 

 I smile awkwardly at Prince Joachim. If I turn him down, he will definitely realize that I'm just making excuses. Wouldn't that be a disrespect for the royalties of Saiven Kingdom? But I don't really want to be with him.

  I look at Lilla, and an idea pops into my mind. I smile at Prince Joachim. "Sure, Lilla and I would definitely love to have a meal with you, right, Lilla?"

 I look at Lilla and gesture her to agree with me. I don't want to be alone with him. So, if I don't have any choice but to have a meal with him, then I would definitely bring anyone with me. 

 Lilla immediately nodded her head when she realized what I wanted to say. "Yes, Prince Joachim. It will be our honor to have a meal with you."

 I look gratefully at Lilla. I'm really glad she is going with the flow because I don't really want to be alone with Prince Joachim.

 Prince Joachim looks like he is about to say something, but it seems like he has changed his mind. He shakes his head and smiles at us. "If that's the case, then I will just see you this evening. I wouldn't take much of your time anymore since you said you're still busy." He then gestured his guard to push his wheelchair away from us.

  Lilla stands beside me and sighs. "Dame Csille, do you hate Prince Joachim?"

  I look at her and sigh. "Hate is a strong word, Lilla. I don't hate him. I just don't feel comfortable around him. But I don't hate him."

  After all, he hasn't done anything wrong to me or to anyone important to me. So, why would I hate him?