Why Did I Become the Villainess?

Chapter 349  : Address

  Days have passed, and throughout those days, I often visit Mister Sewell in his house. I can even say that I'm quite close with Mister Sewell already.

 However, until now, he doesn't mention anything about his plan or said something that is related to his plan. Although he gives hints to Csille from time to time, he still hasn't provided a concrete plan to her.

 I look at the clock and sigh. It's lunchtime already, and I am supposed to meet Mister Sewell this noon, but I declined it because I plan to distance myself a little. I need him to think that I am still having doubts about him which is what Csille should be feeling right now.   Csille will only start to fully trust him after the Birthday Banquet, but it's still a week away from now. So, I still need to distance myself.   I put my chin on my hand. Come to think of it, Prince Fraser's Birthday is coming soon. That means the royalties from other Kingdoms will arrive this week. I even heard that Ruler Laird and Principal Germund would also attend Prince Fraser's Birthday Banquet.   It will definitely be a busy week for me again. After all, I am Prince Fraser's fiancée, and I need to be with him when they welcome the guests. It is a custom to welcome the guests with their arrival.   Although Prince Fraser is just the Crown Prince and the responsibility is on the King and the Queen, sometimes the Crown Prince takes over it and welcomes the guests.   I heave a sigh. I was about to go out for lunch when I bumped into Lilla, who seems anxious right now. "Dame Csille!"

  I hold Lilla in place to calm her down. "Calm down, Lilla. Breath. What happened? Why are you panicking?"

  Lilla takes a deep breath and leans toward me. "Dame Csille, Prince Joachim is looking for you."

  I frown. Prince Joachim? It's been days since I last saw him after the tour. What is this Prince doing here, and why does Lilla looks so anxious?

  "Oh? And what is he doing here? Did he mention the purpose of his visit? And why are you panicking? It's just Prince Joachim."

  Lilla shakes her head. "No, Dame Csille, you don't understand. He looks like he is in a bad mood. Although he didn't say anything insulting or offending, everyone could still see how deep his frown was. The two of us know what will happen if he is like that. Remember when we were still studying in Alderrdeen? Every time he shows up with that kind of expression, he always gives us problems. He gave us difficult surprise tests, or he would randomly pick a student and ask them a question. I'm worried he will do som—"

  I smile at Lilla. And here I thought something serious had happened. Although I understand Lilla's concern since I was once picked by Prince Joachim to answer a very difficult question.   "Lilla, it's different now. We're not students anymore. And Prince Joachim came here as a guest. Do you think he will make things difficult for me? Have you forgotten who I am?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

  Lilla stares at me for a couple of seconds before she nods her head. "You are right. How can he make things difficult for you? You're the future Queen of the Vrawyth Kingdom. I don't think he would do something like that to the future Queen." She continues nodding her head. It looks like she is still convincing herself not to be anxious.

  I just chuckled at her cute behavior. Lilla is really a good friend, and I'm glad I become her friend.

 I look around. "Where is Prince Joachim? I don't think it is a good idea to make him wait."

 Lilla's eyes widened. She then guides me to our receiving area, where we let our visitors or donors wait.   I immediately see Prince Joachim sipping his tea while two guards are standing behind him. And true to Lilla's words, Prince Joachim is definitely not in a good mood today.  I do a curtsy first as a way of greeting him before I say something. "I apologize for making you wait, Prince Joachim. I just finished my work." I sit on the sofa facing him. "May I know the purpose of your visit, your highness? You could have informed me beforehand that you would be visiting so I could have prepared things for you." I smile politely at him.   Prince Joachim just stares at me with his serious expression for a couple of seconds before he heaves a sigh. "If I do that, I'm sure you will come up with an excuse again. That's why I decided to make a surprise visit, to make sure I can see you."

  So, he noticed. I thought he couldn't read what I was doing. But if he does, why is he still here? Isn't a common thing to do is to stay from people who don't appreciate your presence?

  "Your highness, I don't understand what you are saying. Why would I make an excuse? I know I drove away your guard before, but it doesn't mean that I didn't want to see you. After all, you used to be my Professor before. So, why would I do that?"

  I heave a sigh. "Is it because I wasn't able to come to the tour? I apologize for the misunderstanding. However, I was out of the capital, visiting those people I had helped before. I also collapsed for a whole night because of fatigue, and when I returned to the capital, I got busy with my work at the Foundation. I apologize for not informing you immediately. I just don't want to ruin your stay in the Vrawyth Kingdom."

  I actually don't need to explain things to him. After all, he was just a former Professor of mine. I just don't want to disappoint him because he is still a visitor of the Kingdom. It would be rude if I made him feel he isn't welcome to Vrawyth, and it would also ruin Prince Fraser's reputation if I did something that would disappoint Prince Joachim because whatever I do will always reflect on Prince Fraser's image. So, even if I think this is unnecessary, I still need to do this for Prince Fraser's sake.

 Prince Joachim stared at me for a couple of seconds before I heard him sigh. "Dame Csille, are you... Are you avoiding me? I know my guard said something to you before, and I apologize for that. I just hope you wouldn't cut your relationship with me just because of that simple mistake. I already reprimanded my guard, and he had already learned his lesson. So, I hope you ca—"

  I shake my head and smile reassuringly at him. "Your highness, please don't misunderstand. I already told you my reason why I haven't met you these days, and it's not because I am avoiding you."

  Although he was right, I was really avoiding him. In fact, I am avoiding mostly everyone. Even Rufus. Everything is progressing too fast, and I just want to give myself a little space so I can prepare myself for the future.   "Is that true?" I can hear the uncertainty in his voice. It looks like this Prince doesn't believe my words.

  I heave a sigh. I don't actually need to make him believe me. It's his choice if he doesn't want to. But for the sake of Prince Fraser's reputation, I need to make him believe me.   I smile reassuringly at him. "Your highness, why would I even avoid you? I don't have enough reason to do that. What your guard did before isn't that a big issue anymore since you already reprimanded him. So, why would I do that? I think you are just misunderstanding things."

  I heard him sigh. "If that is the case, then will you allow me to have lunch with you? I asked your employee, and she said you hadn't eaten your lunch. If you really don't avoid me, you will agree to have a meal with me."

  This... Did he set me up? I only want him to believe me because I don't want him to think that I am being rude to him. I really don't mind if he believes me or not. But how did it ends up like this? It's as if I badly need to make him believe me. Who does he think he is? Prince Fraser?

  I heave a sigh. I really want to decline right now, but since I have already explained myself to him, it will not be right to decline his offer.   "If that is okay for you, then how can I decline? It will be my pleasure to have a meal with you."

  Prince Joachim smiled at me for the first time today. "Thank you for accepting my offer. May I know where do you want to eat?"

  I smile awkwardly at him. If I only had other choices, I wouldn't accept his offer.   All I do for Prince Fraser's sake. ________________________________

  Prince Joachim put a dish on my plate. "I heard you like this dish. Here, you can have mine. I haven't touched it yet, so you don't have to be worried."   We are already in the garden restaurant. I ask him to eat here because it's nearby the Foundation. I'll just have to eat at a fast pace, and I can get rid of Prince Joachim after the meal.   I try to stop him, but he still insists. "Your highness, you don't need to do this. How can I accept this?" I shake my head and try to return the dish he puts on my plate, but Prince Joachim raises his plate, leaving me no choice but to eat it.   I bow my head at him and smile gratefully. "Thank you, your highness." Although, I really don't like eating other people's food even if they haven't touched it yet. I just don't like doing it. Especially since I am not even related to him.   Prince Joachim frowns. "Dame Csille, why do you keep calling me your highness? I prefer it if you just call me Joachim."

  My lips almost twitched when I heard what he said. He wants me to call him just by his name? I'm not even close with him. Why would I do that? Also, it would be rude of me to do that.

  "Your highness, how can I do that? That would be rude of me to just call you by your name. So, I don't think I can follow what you want."

  Also, that will be awkward for me to do that. Calling some royals by their names is only done by their spouse. So, why would I do that? It will be more understandable if Prince Fraser asks me to do that. But to hear Prince Joachim asking me to call him by his name, it doesn't sound good.  I heard Prince Joachim sigh. "Why don't you just call me Prince Joachim, like you call me before? I don't even understand why did you change the way you addressed me. I prefer it that way than to hear you call me his highness."

  I take a spoonful of the dish first before I answer him. "It's because I don't think it's appropriate to just call you Prince Joachim. That's why I decided to change it."

 Prince Joachim stares into my eyes for a couple of seconds. "But why are you addressing Prince Rufus as Rufus only? And you can't even call me by my name?"

  I felt my body freeze when I heard his question. How come he knows that? I usually make sure to only call Rufus that way if we're alone. So, how come he knows it?  I take a sip of water first to calm my nerves because I don't know how can I answer his questions. Csille has been calling Rufus by his name even before I came here. So, how can I answer that?

  "Prince Rufus and I have been friends ever since we were young. I just got used on calling him by his name. That's why I never bother changing it. Also, Prince Rufus doesn't like being addressed as Prince by people who are close with him."

  I thought Prince Joachim would be satisfied with my answer, but his frown deepened. "You've been friends with Prince Fraser too, right? How come you still call him his highness?"

  Why does this Prince have a lot of questions? Can't he just focus on eating so we can finish this lunch immediately? Why does he needs to be so nosy about how I address people?

 "It's because Prince Fraser is different from Prince Rufus. Prince Fraser is the Crown Prince and the future King of the Vrawyth Kingdom. How can I address him by his name only? While Prince Rufus is only the son of the Duke. It wouldn't be that rude if I just called him that way. Also, I only called Rufus by his name if we were alone. So, how come you know it, Prince Joachim?"

  This question had been lingering in my mind ever since he asked that question. How come Prince Joachim knows how I address Rufus?