I'll guide the Villainess's happiness

Vol.1 Chapter-19

Spaced out Aya.

After the whole forest bear fiasco, we all resumed. Lady Catherine was for the first time in a while talking to the prince with a huge smile on her face. A different smile, different from the one she gives me. She gives him the smile of a maiden in love.

I can feel my heart tightening, why? This is what needs to be done, so why am I feeling jealous?

I had been so out of it that I failed to check my surroundings, and so, I ran into a tree.

"Ouch!" I let out reflexively as I rubbed the part of my forehead that collided with the trunk.

"You okay?" Laura said as she put a hand on my shoulder.

"Ah, yeah, I'm fine." I just said and we went on our way again.

In the deepest part of the back of my head, I secretly wished that Lady Catherine would've showed at most, a bit of concern for what happened to me just now, but she was too busy talking to the prince to even notice what had happened.

"Kinda sucks being left out like this huh?" Sophia says as she taps me by the shoulder.

"Ah, yeah." In my confusion, I just answered a normal tone.

"Oh! For the first time you didn't answer back to me in a angry voice!" Sophia says rather happily.

"Mmhm" I just nodded as I continued walking.

Then, I sensed something right above me. A monster called Orangu was staring right at me, it was basically a monkey that had horns and sharp claws. Then, it jumped down, trying to attack me from above.

"No you don't!" before it could even reach me, a spear of light hit it midair.

Looking at Sophia, she gave me a thumbs up. Which I just responded with a nod.

"Are you guys okay!? Sorry I can't really sense enemies that are on top of trees..." Laura said while bowing down, apologizing.

"It's fine, nothing bad happened anyway." I said as I walked forward, but almost tripped on a root.

"Woah!" I said aloud but I didn't hit the ground, Laura managed to catch me by the collar.

"Aya, are you okay? Like, for real, are you okay? You've been kind of spaced out since earlier." Laura said with a concerned look.

"I guess I am pretty tired..." I said in a whisper, then I took a glance at Lady Catherine. She was still happily talking to the prince. Must be nice.

"Aya!? What's wrong!?"

"Huh? What do you mean what's wrong?"

"Tears!" she said as she pointed at my face.

I put a hand on my face, then I felt the tears that were dropping from my eyes. Realizing this, it finally dawned on me that my eyes were feeling a bit heavy. I quickly turned around to wipe my face with my sleeve.

"Yeah! Yeah! I'm fine! Orangus just have a smell that make you tear up if you smell it you know? It must have only affected me, haha." I lied as I let out a dry laugh. Of course Orangus didn't have that kind of ability on them. They were just monkeys that were stronger than the actual thing after all.

"Eh? Is that so? I never knew that. Here, handkerchief." Laura pats down the side of my eyes with a handkerchief, then she gave me a pat on the back.

I didn't realize that tears could fall from my eyes like that. How long was it since I shed a tear? When Lady Catherine's punishment was given, I didn't cry, I was just angry.

"Let's just end it quickly then." I whispered into thin air. I've had just about enough of seeing... What I don't want to see.

"Laura, can you tell me where their flag is."

"Ah, it's right there about a few meters away." she said pointing in a direction.

"Understood." I activated my invisibility and boosted myself up with magic.

"Eh? Aya! Hey! What are you planning to do!?" Laura said aloud, enough that even Lady Catherine turned around.

"What is the commotion? Where is the commoner?" Lady Catherine said as she looked around, though, I was right in front of them the whole time.

"Aya asked where their flag was, then she suddenly disappeared, she used her invisibility!"

"Is that commoner planning to go in alone!? Why!?" Lady Catherine said, her voice sounded rather worried.

Lady Catherine's frantic voice made it impossible for me to just leave, so I...

"Uh, Calm down, I'm still he-" I said as I took off my invisibility and boosts. But before I could finish my sentence...

"Thank goodness!" Lady Catherine said as she basically jumped onto me, hugging me.

"Lady Catherine?" I said confused. Why was she hugging me right now?

"What were you planning to do!?" Lady Catherine said angrily as she held me by the shoulders.

Seeing her angry at me like this makes me feel... Strangely happy. Knowing that she got angry for my sake, it's a weird feeling.

"Now, now, Catherine. Nothing bad really happened, so let her go for now." the prince said with his usual smile on his face.

"Understood..."  Lady Catherine takes off her hands that were placed on my shoulders. After that she heaved a sigh then she... Held my hand. I felt her soft hand in mine, it was a new feeling. Because instead of me doing the holding, it was the other way around.

"L-lady Catherine, what is this about?" I asked, my voice actually cracked a bit. How embarrassing.

"T-this is... That! S-so you don't go wandering! Yes, that! Truly, this commoner is such a handful." Lady Catherine said as she pulled me by the hand, while effortlessly shooting whatever monster was in our way.

Really, my head and heart were hurting so much earlier that I couldn't focus. But now, with the familiar feeling of Lady Catherine's hand in mine, I feel at ease. I'm the one that's supposed to be helping you, so why does it feel like I'm the one being helped?

"I finally found you!" someone from right in front of us says, ruining the mood.

It was the noble from earlier.