Why Did I Become the Villainess?

 I look at the pile of documents on my table and sigh. I almost want to just throw these outside the window.

 All these documents are reports of the progress on the plans I have made to rehabilitate the western region. And I have been stressing myself reading all these documents. 

 My head already hurts, but I can't stop because I need to make sure that everything is under control. 

 I was startled when I heard someone knocks on my door, and Rufus' head popped out behind the door. 

 "Puplany, are you busy?"

 I raised my eyebrow at him and moved my eyes to the pile of documents on my table. "No, I'm not busy. In fact, I'm so bored that I end up reading these documents." I fake a smile at him before I return on reading the documents.

 How can this guy not see that I am busy? Is he blind, or is he dumb? 

 I heard Rufus laughs. He seems like he is really enjoying what is happening. This guy!

 "What's with the sarcasm? I am here to check on you because I was worried about my dearest friend, and here you are being sarcastic on me? Aren't you mean?"

 I just ignore him. I have a couple of documents to read today, and I don't have time for his antics. 

 It's been a week now since we arrived in the western region, and I was too busy with the feeding, checking on the conditions of patients in the isolation area, checking Earnan's forged swords, and talking to Mister Vulso about his plan to open up school this year. 

 I haven't seen Prince Fraser and Rufus these past few days because of how busy I am. If Rufus didn't come here today, I'll probably won't see him today too.

 "Purplany, are you really going to ignore me? I was the one who protected you when we were young. How can you—"

 I look back at Rufus and glare at him. "Rufus, seriously, what are you doing here? Did you come here just to bother me?"

 I heard Rufus sigh. He then sits on my bed and looks at me. "Purplany, what if..."

 I frowned when Rufus didn't continue his words. "Rufus, seriously? I apologize. It's not that I don't treat you as my friend. However, if you haven't noticed, I'm quite busy here. Can you be straightforward so I would know what you want to say?"

 Rufus looks straight into my eyes. Confusion is clearly evident in his eyes. "Csille, what if you realize the person you have known for years is not the person they portray?"

 I frown. A person is not what they portray? My eyes widened when I realized something. I immediately looked at my calendar, and I almost fell on my chair when I saw the date today.

 I forgot! I really forgot this important day.

 I immediately sit up straight and look at Rufus. "What do you mean by that, Rufus?" I pretended that I didn't know anything.

 Rufus sighed and shook my head. "Never mind. You wouldn't understand it even if I told you. Just forget that I said that." He slumps half of his body on my bed and closes his eyes. 

 He really looks bothered.

 I sigh and smile sadly. Things are starting to progress, and I didn't even realize how fast it progress. It's starting.

 "I will still be the same.."

 Rufus opens his eyes and looks at me. 

 I smile at him and sit beside him. "You're asking me what I will do if I realized that a person I have known for years is not the person they portray, right? That's my answer. I will still be the same person when I am with that person. Everyone has their own secrets, Rufus, and some of us don't have any choice but to be someone else. But it doesn't mean that everything they did is a façade. As long as that person doesn't mean any harm, why would I even bother? Sometimes, hiding something is the only thing they could do."

 Rufus gets up and looks at me. "You're right. That person has always been one of the nicest person I have met. I don't think it is right to immediately judge that person just because of what I have realized. As long as that person doesn't mean any harm to anyone, I'll keep their secrets."

 I look at Rufus and sigh in relief. It's a good thing he listened to me. I don't want to imagine what can happen if he exposes her lies to Prince Fraser. 

 Rufus, I'm sorry, but I need you to keep her secrets. I cannot let anyone know that Sir Farren is a woman. I'm sorry that because of this, you'll end up loving Princess Paislee too. It's all my fault that you'll end up heartbroken. I'm really sorry.

________________________________

 I check each weapon and nod in satisfaction when I see the quality of the swords. The swords I ask him to forge are the same quality sword he sells for five hundred centimes only, but it seems like the quality of these swords is higher.

 "Mister Earnan, are you sure it's the sword I ask you to make?"

 I see Earnan's eyes widen. He immediately checks the sword that is nearest to him. "Is there something wrong with the sword, Dame

Csille?" I can hear the anxiety in his voice.

 I immediately shake my head. "No, no. Please don't misunderstand me. There's nothing wrong with the sword. They are all high quality. However, isn't this one grade higher than the swords we ask you to make? Are you sure you can profit with this?"

 Earnan shakes his head. "I already profited with my own pricing, but with your pricing, I think it will be too expensive to sell my five hundred centimes worth sword as ten thousand centimes sword. So, I higher the quality of it. I was actually planning to create the three thousand centimes worth sword, but I didn't have enough resources. That's why I only did it. I hope I didn't do anything wrong."

 I shake my hand. "No, no, this is actually great. I'm sure his majesty will be glad to see this. Thank you for your hard work Earnan." 

 I took a banknote. Aside from centimes, the Vrawyth Kingdom also has banknotes, but these banknotes are only given to people who are really wealthy. Just like the Lauretré Family. 

 "Here's half of your money. I'll give the other half once his majesty pays me."

 Earnan's eyes widen when he sees the numbers written on the banknotes. I can see tears starting to form in his eyes. 

 "Thank you for this, Dame Csille. You don't know how much this will help. I never imagined I would see a banknote in my life."

 I smiled sadly when I heard the bitterness in his voice at the end. "It is us who should thank you, Earnan. Thank you for forging swords for the Vrawyth Kingdom. You don't know how much this will help the Kingdom."

 Earnan's scratched his nape. He looks embarrassed. I didn't say anything after and just asked him to put the crate full of swords in the carriage. 

 Brother Pascal, who came with me to check the swords, also helped move the crates. It's actually midnight already, and here we are, transferring crates of swords to a carriage.

 The coachman shakes his head after seeing one crate inside his carriage. "You can only put one crate, or else the horse won't be able to move."

 Brother Pascal, Earnan, and I look at each other. We still have two more crates here. We couldn't hire another carriage because it might expose our plan to anyone. The coachman who is helping us is a trusted aide of Father, so we don't have to worry about him.

 "I guess we have to stay up late at night for this. Csille, why don't you come with the coachman so there's someone who could watch over in the ship. This will take some time."

 I nod my head at Brother Pascal. He is right. We need someone who will look over the crates in the ship. We will be sending these crates straight to the Vrawyth Kingdom, where the people of the Lauretré family will be waiting. Father already prepared everything for this day. Once the crates arrive, he will immediately send them to the Palace. 

 I immediately get inside the carriage. This will definitely be a long night.

________________________________

 "Csille, are you even listening to what Mister Vulso has said? He didn't say anything like that. Are you okay?"

 I look at Rufus and shake my head. We are currently in a private room in a restaurant. Rufus, Prince Fraser, Princess Paislee, and I just finished talking to Mister Vulso about the opening of the school.

 Prince Fraser volunteered to give scholarships to some students. So they will be able to study and at the same time earn money. 

 It's the reason why there are only a few students enrolled in school before. Because even if the school doesn't have tuition fee, the students were forced to drop out to work so they could help their parents.

 I look at Rufus and yawn. "Yeah, I was listening. He is talking about hiring teachers, right?"

 Rufus shakes his head. "No, he isn't. Seriously, why do you look so sleepy? Did you stay up late at night again?"

 I yawn again before answering him. "No, Brother Pascal and I were busy about the shipment."

 Prince Fraser, who almost becomes mute, suddenly speaks. "Shipment? Shipment of what?"

 I feel so sleepy. When will this conversation end? Can they just try and catch Princess Paislee's attention? Flirt with her, I wouldn't mind. I just want to sleep, okay?

 "Purplany!"

 I woke from sleeping and looked at Rufus. "Huh? Are you saying something?"

 I heard Rufus sigh. "My cousin is asking you what shipment you are talking about?"

 "Oh, that? Brother Pascal and I met Earnan last night. We already send the crates full of," I lean towards them, "sword, and now it is on its way to the Vrawyth Kingdom. It took us time before we could finish it. I only slept for an hour today, okay? How can you expect me to be okay? Can we just talk some other time? I just want to sleep, okay?"

 "Why didn't you tell us then? We could have helped you with it."

 I smile at Prince Fraser's question. I then look at his eyes. "Aren't you busy and doesn't want to be bothered? So, I just took care of it on my own. Also, it's under my Foundation. I don't think it will be right to ask for your help, your highness." I stand up. "Forgive me for being rude, but I badly need to go home now. I really don't feel okay."

 I was about to take a step when I felt my whole world spin. It's a good thing Princess Paislee caught me. 

 "Dame Csille, are you okay? Do you want me to help you get into the carriage?"

 I try to feel myself first to see if I still feel dizzy. But I can feel my world spinning, so I just let Princess Paislee guides me. 

 Princess Paislee was about to put her hand on my waist to help me when someone dragged me. It was so sudden that I almost fell to the ground. It's a good thing the person who pulled me has a great reflex. He caught me in time.

 I look up and find Prince Fraser clenching his jaw while looking at Princess Paislee. "Don't bother. I'll be the one who'll take care of Csille. You can return to the plaza, Sir Farren."

 I frowned when I heard there was an edge in his voice. It's as if he is warning Princess Paislee.

 "If that's what you want, then I will obey your command, your highness."

 I heard Prince Fraser sigh before he dragged me out of the room. Although he isn't quite the gentleman, he still helps me get inside the carriage. 

 But aside from that, he didn't say anything from for the whole trip. He just looked outside the window while clenching his jaw, and that's when I realized what had happened.

 He got jealous. Not because of me but because of Princess Paislee. He got jealous because Princess Paislee became touchy with me, and it probably frustrated him. Because how can a guy be jealous of a woman? 

 That's when I realized that I am now almost at the climax of the story. The story that isn't about Csille and Prince Fraser....

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