Why Did I Become the Villainess?

Chapter 456: : Meeting



I gasp for air as I rise from my bed. It was just a dream, yet it felt so real! As if I were actually in that situation.

A shiver runs down my spine as I recall every detail of the dream.

"What was that all about? Is it a warning that the end is near?" My hands tremble as I remember the scenes from my dream. "Is my end near?"

Lately, many unexpected things have been happening. Is the reason why I had this dream that the world is reminding me of who am I? That I am a villainess and should act accordingly?

I was still contemplating the dream when a knock interrupted my thoughts.

I dreadfully open the door, hoping to see Brother Pascal outside. However, I find myself frozen in place when I see Prince Fraser standing in front of me.

What is he doing here?

Prince Fraser stares at me for a few seconds before raising his hand to touch my forehead.

"It's good that you don't have a fever, but you still look a little pale. You shouldn't overwork yourself too much, Csille. It wouldn't be good if you got sick again." He shakes his head.

I just stand there, staring at him, wondering if the person in front of me is really Prince Fraser. The way he's speaking right now is so gentle that it makes me question if everything happening is a dream.

Because only in my dreams does Prince Fraser treat me with such gentleness.

Prince Fraser stares back at me and sighs. "We will be having a meeting this afternoon. So, you should rest more and eat your meals on time. We wouldn't want you to miss such an important meeting, Dame Csille."

He doesn't wait for my reply and leaves after saying those words. I stare at his retreating figure, feeling confused about what just happened.

Is that really Prince Fraser? Why is he being so kind today? He even touched my forehead so gently.

There's no way Prince Fraser would do that!

I quickly close my door and head straight to my bed. "That's right. This has to be a dream. If I lay down and close my eyes, I'll wake up," I reassure myself.

I close my eyes tightly and try to sleep again, but no matter how hard I try, sleep eludes me.

I stare at the ceiling, my heart racing and hands trembling.

"So, it's not a dream after all!"

I exhaustedly drag myself to the place where we were supposed to have a meeting this afternoon.

After the conversation I had with Prince Fraser earlier, I tried my best to convince myself it was just a dream. However, the shocking realization hit me that everything was real.

The Prince Fraser I spoke to is not a figment of my imagination but the actual Prince Fraser. Yet, my mind is struggling to accept this reality.

I am aware that there is a force manipulating Prince Fraser into actions he wouldn't normally take. Despite this understanding, I can't help but experience a tumultuous mix of emotions whenever I encounter this version of Prince Fraser.

I stop in my tracks when I catch my reflection in the glass window. I look unnaturally pale, almost as if I'm battling a chronic illness. There are even dark bags under my eyes.

I sigh and shake my head, realizing that everything is taking a toll on my body. I just want this all to be over. I'm so exhausted, and no amount of sleep will be able to help.

Reluctantly, I open the door to the meeting room and am shocked to find that everyone else is already inside.

I frown and glance at my watch. I'm still half an hour early, yet everyone is already here?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

I offer them an apologetic smile. "Apologies for being late; I was feeling under the weather. I hope I didn't miss anything important."

I wait for a reply, but everyone remains silent. They all avoid eye contact and there's a palpable tension in the air.

There are ten people seated around the table. Prince Fraser and Prince Rufus sit opposite each other at the head. Beside them are Princess Paislee, Doctor Leander, Colonel Randle, General Abbaral, Attorney Kirsa, Advisor Mallory, and Doctor Pascal.

Did something happen while I was away?

I glance at Prince Rufus, who usually gives me a warm welcome, but he's engrossed in a staring competition with Prince Fraser.

Turning my attention to the two Princes, it's clear they're on edge, as if ready to pounce each other at any moment. Then I look at Princess Paislee, seated beside Prince Fraser. Her expression puzzles me. She looks... flustered?

There's definitely tension among these three. What could have happened to leave Princess Paislee so visibly frustrated? I notice a hint of red on her cheeks as she avoids looking directly at either of the Princes.

As much as I want to ask them, I know it would only cause trouble if I did. So, I quietly take a seat between Brother Pascal and Doctor Leander.

I glance at Brother Pascal, hoping he might offer some explanation or at least talk to me. However, it seems like Brother Pascal is still upset with me for what I did. So, I turn my head to Doctor Leander, who is currently staring at me. I edge closer to him and whisper, "What happened?"

Leander glanced at the two Princes before giving me an awkward smile. He leaned in closer to my ear. "We have no idea. The two Princes were already here when we arrived, and they've been like this since. I was actually going to ask you the same question. Do you know what

happened?"

Something clearly happened, yet I'm completely unaware about it? As both the writer and supposed Villainess, shouldn't I be the first to know what's going on with Prince Fraser and Princess Paislee?

I sigh and shake my head. It seems like I'm failing miserably in my role.

I was about to whisper back to Leander, but I was startled when Prince Fraser suddenly slammed the table aggressively.

We all fell silent, watching as Prince Fraser glared furiously at me.

"Dame Csille, Doctor Smyth, don't you think you two were too close to each other?" His voice was sharp. "Have some decency. We are here to discuss our plans, not to flirt-"

Prince Fraser was cut off by Prince Rufus's interjection. "Prince Fraser, if you're angry with me, direct it at me alone. Why involve others?"

Prince Fraser glared back at Rufus. "I am simply reminding them of proper etiquette between an unmarried woman and man. It's improper to behave in such a manner-"

I scoffed, cutting him off. "If you're here to judge my morals, then perhaps I'm in the wrong place." Standing up, I locked eyes with Prince Fraser. "Your Highness, there's a limit to how much humiliation I can endure from you. What have I done to deserve this?"

I stared at Prince Fraser, letting him see how deeply his words had affected me. I couldn't understand why he was directing so much animosity towards me. If anything, I should be the one feeling angry with him.

Shaking my head, I sighed heavily. "Forget it. I don't want to hear it. I thought we were here for a meeting, yet all you two have done is glare at each other. But let me remind you, you're not the only busy people here. So, can we please stop wasting time and get to the point? What is the reason for this meeting?"

Prince Fraser stared at me for a few moments. His expression seemed... conflicted? Emotions swirling in his eyes that I didn't want to name anymore.

"Apologies, Your Highness, but Dame Csille is right. We've been here for quite some time and haven't discussed anything yet."

I glanced at Brother Pascal, noticing his indifferent expression towards Prince Fraser. I could tell he was upset. Probably at Prince Fraser's words.

Prince Fraser glanced at Rufus briefly before turning to Princess Paislee beside him. He sighed heavily and shook his head, a gesture of frustration or resignation.

"Apologies, it wasn't my intention to waste your time," Prince Fraser began, addressing the room. "I called for this meeting because we need to act swiftly. Negotiations between the Vrawyth and Aeslaerean Kingdoms are at a standstill. There's a high risk of Aeslaerean launching a surprise attack soon. We must formulate a decisive plan before they strike." Everyone around the table nodded in agreement. Despite this, I couldn't shake off my disappointment. He apologized for wasting time but not for his hurtful words towards me. I smiled sadly to myself, realizing how foolish I was to expect an apology from him.

I slowly took my seat and focused on the meeting, sensing the tension in the air. It was a different kind of tension compared to the tension between the leads.

"Your Highness, I believe it's best to continue negotiations with the Aeslaerean Kingdom," Attorney Kirsa suggested. "I'm confident we can find common ground if we continue with the talk. It's worth the effort to avoid a costly war."

"Attorney Kirsa is correct," Advisor Mallory added. "With patience and perseverance, we can reach a compromise that benefits both sides. Escalating into war should be our last resort."

Both Attorney Kirsa and Advisor Mallory are spearheading the talks between the two Kingdoms, making them the most informed about the current state between Vrawyth and

Aeslaerean.

Colonel Randle, however, interjected with a different perspective. "I understand their sentiments, but do you truly believe they have any intention of compromising? After launching a surprise attack on us, will they really retreat? And at what cost? What concessions will we need to make just to asure their withdrawal? Our weapons, our funds, our territory?"

I sighed heavily, feeling torn between the valid points raised by both parties. It was crucial to carefully consider which perspective would best serve our interests.

I chose to stay quiet and listen to their opinions attentively. It's not that I didn't have thoughts or opinions on the matter, but I refrained from sharing them out of concern that my input might do more harm than good.

I am reluctant to suggest anything because I fear that my suggestions might be reported to the enemy. Such an act of betrayal would be too much for me to bear. It's not about changing my future, rather I simply do not wish to cause any more harm than I already did. "But isn't it better, Colonel Randle?" Attorney Kirsa countered. "You know well that war requires extensive funds. Even if the Vrawyth Kingdom is wealthy, can we truly afford to sustain a prolonged conflict? And why should we sacrifice innocent lives when we could achieve resolution through peaceful means?"

Colonel Randle was about to say something, but Prince Fraser raised his hand to intervene. "Let's hear from everyone. What do you think should be our next move?"

Each one of them, voice out their opinions. Attorney Kirsa, Advisor Mallory, Brother Pascal, and General Abarral all expressed their support for pursuing peace talks as the preferred course of action. On the other hand, Colonel Randle and Doctor Leander stood firm in their belief that preparing for a defensive or retaliatory stance was necessary.

The only individuals remaining to voice their views are the two Princes and myself.

Prince Fraser stares at me, his gaze urging me to voice my opinion. I heave a sigh. "I understand everyone's perspective, and I believe everyone is correct in their own way. However, as someone who lacks knowledge and experience on this topic, I would like to refrain from expressing my opinion. Whatever the highnesses see fit, I will follow through.""

Prince Fraser stared at me briefly before shaking his head, indicating his disappointment with

my response.

But I had to be cautious. I didn't want to propose something that could be used against us in the future. Therefore, I would rather let them decide what they want to do.

Regardless of how this meeting concludes, I know that nothing will change in the future. War

will be inevitable.

No matter what we do. We won't be able to stop it.