Why Did I Become the Villainess?

 The carriage stops in front of a famous restaurant that offers Vrawyth dishes. I heard from Brother Ernest that the food here tastes like a legit Vrawyth food compared to the restaurant in Alderrdeen school that also offers Vrawyth dishes.

 "Purplany, where did you find this place? It looks nice, and I can smell the dishes' aroma. It smells like a typical Vrawyth dish."

 We all enter the restaurant. One of the waiters immediately come to us. "Greetings, our distinguished guests. Welcome to the Melting Pot restaurant. Do you want to reserve a private room? We have a private room upstairs. Do you have a membership card? Only people who have memberships card can eat here. If you still don't have one. Please, go straight to the membership lounge."

 I immediately took the membership card that Brother Ernest gave me last time. He gave me this because he knows how much I miss the Vrawyth food.

 The waiter's eyes widened when he saw the name on the card. "Oh, you're a guest of the Foulqueret family. Please forgive me for my behavior. Come inside. I'll bring you to your reserved room. The Foulqueret has a room only reserved for them, and since you have the card, we will gladly let you in."

 The waiter then guides us to our room. Rufus, who is walking beside me, whispered. "Who is this Foulqueret he is talking about?"

 I didn't answer him and just followed the waiter. The waiter stops in front of a huge two doors room. He then pushed the door and what welcomes us is a massive room with a long table for ten people. 

 We all settled down, and the waiter left immediately after taking our orders. 

 "Purplany, who is this Foulqueret the waiter is talking about?" Rufus, who is sitting beside me asks.

 "It's her cousin on the maternal side. Countess Marcelle has an older sister who married a businessman from Alderrdeen. The Foulqueret, the waiter is talking about is Csille's Professor, Professor Ernest Foulqueret." 

 I look at Prince Fraser. How come he knows about that? 

 Leander looks at me. "Is it the reason why you're close with Professor Foulqueret? I thought he has a crush on you." 

 I just smile awkwardly at Leander. It's not his fault that he misunderstood our relationship. We never mentioned our relationship to the public. So, it's understandable if they would put meaning to the way we interact with each other. 

 "Brother Ernest and I have agreed not to publicize our connection to each other because we don't want people to say something."

 Leander nods his head. "You're right. If people know about your relationship with Professor Foulqueret, they will surely say that he was biased on you. And I'm sure his colleagues would flock around him too." 

 "Eh? You had a cousin aside from Doctor Pascal? That's great. At least I wouldn't have to worry about you. Now that there's someone who is looking out for you here."

 Prince Fraser clears his throat and stares at Rufus. He then looks at me. "I heard that Prince Joachim is a Professor in Alderrdeen. Is he bothering you, Csille?"

 I feel my hand tremble. The way he looks at me makes my knees go weak. This current Prince Fraser is lethal. I don't think my fragile heart can handle this. 

 I take a deep breath before answering him. "Your highness, he is not bothering me. In fact, he has been a great help to me. He always helps me on things that I don't understand."

 Prince Fraser frowns, but he doesn't say anything. I sigh in relief. I don't think I can handle talking to him. My heart is already beating so wildly just now, and it's just a mere question. What will happen if I talk to him alone?

 "Lady Csille, I apologize if I will say something that is out of line. However, please don't forget what happened before." Princess Paislee interjects.

 I raised my eyebrow at her. What happened before? Is she talking about the time when she warned me not to get close with Prince Joachim because he is a dangerous person? 

 "Are you talking about the three Kingdom alliances before? But Sir Farren, we have already proven that it's just a mistake. Don't you think you're being rude to a Prince of the Yesian Kingdom? He is, after all, a Prince." Rufus cuts me off.

 Prince Fraser shakes his head. "Let's not talk about what happened in the past. It's the first time we see each other again. Let's talk something lighter." 

 The waiter came back with our food and immediately left. Rufus takes the lead in the conversation, and we all share a laugh the whole meal.

 It's been a long time we had a conversation like this. I just wished this wouldn't be the last time. 

________________________________

 Since the exam just ended, we have a few days of break. 

 "Lady Csille, I heard you already finalized your research. How did you do that? I'm still in the process of revising mine." Lilla grumbles. 

 We're currently on the open field, relaxing. 

 I just laugh at Lilla. "I finished it immediately so I could start preparing for my presentation. How about you? Aren't you planning to prepare for your presentation?"

 Lilla groans. "Don't even start. I'm too stressed out revising my research. How can I prepare for the presentation? Ahh, I just want this semester to end."

 "If this ends, that means you're coming back home to your hometown. Remember, we're graduating now, and it's our last semester in the Alderrdeen. Do you really want this semester to end?"

 Lilla whines. "Csille, can you not break my heart? I'm still not prepared to leave you. How can you casually say those words? It's breaking my heart."

 I gently caress her head. Although I didn't really spend five years with her, I can feel the connection she had with Csille. I'm sure I'll miss her too.

 "Csille, what are you planning to do after you graduate?"

 After I graduated? After Csille graduates, she will be busy handling some Lauretré businesses. She will also be busy doing some volunteering works at first, but because of Prince Fraser, that will change again. 

 I sigh. "I still don't know. I'll probably help my Father handle our businesses since he's busy with his monarch duties."

 Lilla stares at me with admiration in her eyes. "Lady Csille, you're really amazing. You're an outstanding student, and now you're planning to handle businesses? Not just one but many. How I wish I were that great as you."

 "How about you? What are you planning to do after you graduate?"

 Lilla sighed and looked up at the sky. "After I graduated? My Father told me that he had already found a husband for me. I'll probably get married after graduating. My Father won't let me handle our business because I still have an older brother who can do that. He told me that ladies should focus on building their families instead of doing business. That's why I admire you and your parents. They let you handle your business despite being a woman."

 The story setting is in medieval that's why there is still prejudice towards women. Wealthy families only let their sons handle the business and married off their daughters to wealthy families. 

 It may sound like they are pampering their daughters by not letting them do the tiresome job of handling the business. However, it's just a facade. They don't want women to run the business because they don't believe in their skills. They thought women were not skillful enough handling business.

 I look at the sky and sigh. That's the reality in this world, and even if I comfort her, it won't change the fact that her father will marry her off to some wealthy family. 

 "Who knows, maybe your future husband will dote you dearly."

 Lilla chuckled. "I don't know. I don't want to think about it. It just made me sad." She sigh. "Why don't you just tell me what happened to you yesterday? I heard from our classmates that you had a meal with Prince Fraser, Prince Rufus, Doctor Leander, and Sir Farren. The Grand Gold Exemplars of the Vrawyth Kingdom. What happened?"

 The meal yesterday?

 "We had a meal in the Melting Pot restaurant in the capital. We also stroll around the street. While talking about what happened to each of us these past few years. It was actually fun. Too the point that we didn't realize that it was already late."

 "What about Prince Fraser? Did you talk to him yesterday?"

 Prince Fraser? Aside from the fact that he seems nice to Csille, we didn't have a conversation last night. This is quite understandable since what happened yesterday is not part of what I have written. It's already a good thing that I could spend my days with them as myself. 

 Csille will take over this body again soon. Actually, the reason why I ask Lilla to rest in the open field is because I have written this scene. Prince Fraser will come to Csille and ask her to have a conversation with him.

 I shake my head at her. "No, we didn't. We didn't get time to talk to each other. But that's okay. They will stay in Alderrdeen for half a month. I can talk to him after."

 "Csil—"

 Lilla's words were interrupted by someone.

 "Csille"

 The moment I heard that voice, the real Csille instantly took over my body. Csille immediately looks back and finds Prince Fraser standing a few meters away from them.

 Lilla got frozen for a moment before she immediately stood up and did a curtsy. "Greetings, your highness." 

 Csille slowly stands up and does a curtsy too. "Your highness, do you need something?"

 Prince Fraser nods his head to Lilla before he looks at Csille. "Do you have time?"

 Time? Csille immediately feels anxious. Did she do something wrong again? 

 "I do, your highness."

 Prince Fraser nods his head. "Can I have some of your time? I need to talk to you."

 Csille feels her heart beat wildly because of Prince Fraser's words. She looks at him. Anxiety and disbelief were written on her face. 

 She blinks her eyes a couple of times before she answers him. "That would be my honor to talk to you."

 Prince Fraser stares at her for a couple of seconds before he turns his back at her and starts to walk. "Follow me."

 She then immediately said her goodbye to Lilla and followed Prince Fraser. Prince Fraser walks towards the carriage. He opens the door and lets her in first before he gets inside the carriage. 

 The carriage moves and Csille feels more anxious. What does he wants to talk to her that they need to get out of the school? 

 Even if she's curious, she remains quiet and doesn't ask anything. Prince Fraser didn't say anything too. The carriage was engulfed with silence for the whole journey. 

 After a few minutes, the carriage stops in front of a restaurant garden. Csille heard from Lilla that restaurant gardens are starting to become a trend here in Alderrdeen since Alderrdeen people love planting.

 Prince Fraser gets off the carriage and helps Csille descend on it. An old man who looks like the owner of the restaurant immediately walks towards them. 

 "Greetings, your highness, Prince Fraser Astalieu, and Lady Csille Lauretré. It's our honor to have you here. We have already prepared your table and made sure that no one was around it. You can assure that no one will bother you."

 Csille just smiles at the owner while Prince Fraser just nods his head. The owner then leads them to a secluded part of the restaurant. 

 Wall of bushes encircled the table for two. The bushes height is taller than people, so it really gave privacy to people. 

 The owner immediately left them alone after taking our order. Prince Fraser pulled the chair for Csille before he sat on the chair in front of her. 

 Csille looked around the place. Trying to distract herself. She is anxious. She doesn't know why Prince Fraser would want to talk to her. She's afraid she'd done something that disappoints him again.

 After a few minutes, a waiter arrives with a trolley full of food. He also immediately leaves after arranging the food on the table.

 However, even after the waiter was gone. Prince Fraser still didn't say anything to her. He just keeps staring at Csille intently. 

 Csille, who feels anxious being stared at, couldn't pretend anymore that she isn't affected by his stare. She sighs and looks straight into Prince Fraser's eyes.

 "Your highness, may I know why you want to talk to me? Did I do something wrong again?"

 Prince Fraser sigh and shakes his head. "Csille. How have you been these years? I apologize if I couldn't meet you when you had returned to the Vrawyth Kingdom."

 Csille stares at Prince Fraser. Her eyes start to glisten. She couldn't believe he would hear Prince Fraser ask her how she is and he even apologized for not meeting her when she came back home in Vrawyth before. 

 It's all worth it. She suddenly felt all those years of trying to be a better person was worth it.. He sees her again.