Why Did I Become the Villainess?

 "You are Csille Lauretré and Pascal Lauretré?"

 We both nod our heads. How come he knows our name? Is it because our name is widely known for what we did in the northern region? However, how come he didn't recognize me because of my hair?

 "Yes, I am Csille Lauretré, and this is my cousin Doctor Pascal Lauretré. We are here to ask you again if you want to work for me?"

 Now that I am sure that he isn't a threat to the Lauretré family, I will make sure to take him to our side.

 "Aren't you worried I will betray you in the end? After all, my family originated from the Stozeterra Kingdom, and that still makes me a 

Stozeterrian."

 I shake my head. It's impossible for them to betray the Vrawyth Kingdom. "The Stozeterra Kingdom wants to execute your whole family. I don't think you're dumb enough to side with them. You know how the Stozeterra Kingdom works. Once your usefulness is gone, they will set you aside. Just like what happened to Ros Henness, right? And have you forgotten we have the upper hand here? We know that the Henness Family is in the Vrawyth Kingdom. Once we expose it to the Stozeterra, do you think they will not do anything against your whole family?"

 The man sighed. "You are really the descendant of the Lauretré Family." He smirks. "So, what do you want me to do, and what can I get in return?"

 "Don't worry. The Lauretré Family is indebted to you, so we won't do anything to harm you or your family. However, you need to make sure that you won't turn your loyalty from us, or else we won't have any other choice but to strike against you even if we're indebted to your family."

 The man laughs. "Don't worry. I'm already satisfied with my life in the Vrawyth Kingdom. And even if I am Stozeterrian by blood, I already considered myself a Vrawyth. I won't do anything against the place that gave my whole family shelter. So, you shouldn't worry. I won't turn against you or the Kingdom."

 Brother Pascal and I both nod our heads in satisfaction. We both know that is true. The Henness Family will never betray the Vrawyth Kingdom. That is what Father taught us.

 I smile genuinely at him. "As for what I want you to do. I want you to work as the master forger of the Vrawyth Kingdom. Don't worry. I can assure you that you'll receive money more than the amount of money from selling weapons here. If you work under the monarchy, everything you need will be given to you and to your family. So, what do you think? Do you want to work with us?"

 "I will only agree in one condition."

 I immediately sit up straight. Right there and then, I already knew I would agree to his condition. "What condition?"

________________________________

 "Brother, are you sure you don't want to come with me? Mother and Father miss you already."

 Brother Pascal shakes his head. "You know that I still have things to do here. I cannot leave those people who need medical attention. Just send my regards to Aunt and Uncle. Tell them I'll see them once I return to the capital."

 I nod my head at Brother Pascal before I hug him for the last time. "Take care of yourself, Brother. You made your promise to me. You cannot turn back on your words. Don't skip meals and sleep for eight hours. Okay?"

 Brother Pascal nods his head and gently messes my hair. "I will go now. You still have a lot of things to talk about to Aunt and Uncle. Don't worry. I will take care of everything here while you are away."

 I said my thank you to him before I walked onboard the ship. 

 "Dame Csille, your room is already prepared. Do you want me to help you with your things?"

 I shake my head at Mairenn. "Thank you, but I can handle it. You should take some rest, Mairenn."

 I check on my other employees too before I go to my own room. Half of my employees are still in the western region to help the Doctors and continue the feeding. While the other half returned with me.

 I slump my body on my bed and sigh. "I am now returning to the Vrawyth Kingdom, earlier than I expected. That means I don't have any other choice but to face his highness. Am I ready for that?"

 I take a deep breath and sigh. I already know the answer. I am not ready yet.

 I mess my hair in frustration. I'll just cross the bridge when I get there. Right now, I need to focus on more important things.

 I get up from my bed and look at the pile of documents on my table. It is the report paper I have made. It is a report for everything I did in the western region. 

 Everything that happened in the western region was written in the report. I have mentioned the previous state in the western region and the things we did to help them. I also write suggestions on how to improve the situation on issues that cannot be deal currently.

 Those issues will be dealt once I have a conversation with his majesty. I need to talk about how low the currency is in the western region. I also need to talk about my plan to fund the school in the western region.

 And the most important thing is, I need to talk to his majesty about Earnan Henness, the owner of the weaponry shop. 

 I look at the page where I have written his name. "Earnan Henness? The great great grandson of the late Ros Henness, the one who saves great great grandfather." I sigh. "How can I deal with his condition? He only wants to work under me and not under his majesty. He also wants to keep his identity secret to everyone. Although he agrees to expose his identity to his majesty, he doesn't want other people to know it. How can I deal with it? Will his majesty even allow it?"

 I sigh and slump my head on my table. "My head hurts already. I think I'll just find a way once I arrive in the Vrawyth Kingdom."

________________________________

  "My dear, you have arrived. How's your stay in the western region? Did you take care of yourself properly?" Mother immediately bombarded me with questions the moment I stepped my foot into our house.

 Father, who is standing behind Mother, smiles lovingly at me. "Welcome back, my dear daughter."

 I immediately hug Mother and Father tightly. I miss them so much. "Mother, Father, I miss you too," I break from the hug and smile reassuringly at them. "Don't worry, Mother, I took care of myself properly. You should worry more about Brother Pascal. He won't listen to me. He keeps skipping his meals, and he won't even rest despite working for hours."

 I heard Mother sigh. She then looks at Father and slaps his arms. "It's all your fault. Your daughter and your nephew all inherited your stubborn personality. I already told Pascal not to overwork himself but look at him."

 Father immediately comforted Mother. "My Countess, don't worry. I'll try to talk to Pascal once he returns. However, I think we should all head inside first. I'm sure our daughter is already tired because of her journey."

 Mother and Father immediately guide me inside. Mother sits on my left side while Father sits on my right side. 

 Mother takes my hand and squeezes it. "My dear, how's your journey in the western region? Is everything okay there?"

 I sigh and shake my head. "No, Mother. Everything is not good in the western region. People are dying because of the infectious disease. Poverty is worst there, and the employment rate is really low."

 I heard Father sigh too. "It's one of the regions that are difficult to handle. His majesty tried to send his people there to help, but no one could stay there for long. It's really hopeless."

 I shake my head at Father. "No, Father. It's not hopeless. We just need to put more effort into dealing with the situation there. In fact, I have already made a thorough plan on how to help rebuild the western region. I just need to talk to his majesty about this."

 Father frowns. "What do you mean? You have a plan to help them? But no one ever successfully made progress in the western region. What are your plans? Maybe I can put up a word with his majesty."

 I look for the report I made and give it to Father. "Here. I have written everything that happened in the western region, the issues, and some suggestions to make it better. I also included my future plan to help them." 

 Father takes the report and smiles proudly at me. "You really made us proud, Csille, and I'm glad you return home safely." He looks at the report in his hand. "I'm going to read this tonight, and I'll tell you what I think about your plans. Why don't you take some rest first? I know you are probably tired from your journey."

 Mother squeezed my hand. "Your Father is right. You should sleep first. I'm sure you are tired because of your journey."

 I shake my head. I still need to talk to them about Earnan Henness. "Mother, Father, I still need to talk to you about something important."

 They both frown at me. "What is this important thing you want to talk about, dear? Did something happen while you are in the western region?"

 "Father, do you remember the name of the person who saves great great grandfather?"

 "You mean Ros Henness? Yes, I remember him. Father always mentioned his name. If not because of him, the Lauretré Family probably does not exist today. But why did you mention him? Did you find him? Father tried to look for his descendants, but it seems like they left the capital already."

 I look at Father. "I have found his great great grandson in the western region. He owns a weaponry shop there, and you won't believe what I have seen. He is selling weapons that can be comparable to the weapons being sold in the Stozeterra region. Remember the highest grade sword you bought for a hundred centimes in the Stozeterra Kingdom? He is selling the same quality sword for just three thousand centimes."

 Mother gasps. "Are you saying the truth, my dear? If this is really true, then we don't have to buy weapons from the Stozeterra Kingdom." Mother looks at Father, who becomes silent because of what I have said. "My dear, have you heard what our daughter said? If his majesty knows about this, we can save a lot of money for it."

 Father looks at Mother. "Father mentioned before that Ros Henness used to be the master forger of the Stozeterra Kingdom. However, he has never seen him forge a weapon before. I didn't expect his great great grandson will be following in his footsteps. I need to speak to his majesty about this."

  I stop Father's arms and shake my head. "Father, Earnan Henness, give me a condition in order for him to mass produce weapons for the Vrawyth Kingdom."

 "Condition? What condition is it? I'm sure his majesty can fulfill it as long as it's legal and it doesn't harm anyone."

  I shake my head. "It's not illegal, and it doesn't harm anyone. However, it might offend his majesty. Earnan Henness only wants to work under me and not under his majesty. If this condition doesn't meet, he said he would rather rot in the western region. He also said he could only trust the Lauretré family and no one else. Do you think his majesty will agree to this condition?"

 Mother and Father both got silent because of what I said. They also know there's a big chance his majesty will be offended by this. However, this is once a lifetime for the Vrawyth Kingdom.

 If we can make Earnan Henness be the master forger of the Vrawyth Kingdom then, we don't have to worry about our weapons. Because of the high pricing of weapons produced in the Stozeterra Kingdom, we can only buy a hundred weapons every year, and that's not even the highest grade weapons. 

 I sigh. "Father, Mother, it's the reason why I need to talk to his majesty about this. I just hope his majesty will allow this to happen. It will be a big help for our Kingdom."

 I heard Father sigh. "I will help you set an appointment for his majesty. However, he's currently busy these days. It will probably take a few more days before you can see him."

 I expected that, though. "I can wait, Father.. As long as I can talk to his majesty."