The Villainess Leader

Chapter 4

Chapter 4
 
Seeing the elegant sky-high castle, Lady Gem gaped in awe. Even from afar, its stunning beauty could be seen. Showing the mightiness and elegance of the royalties.
 
Although she has been here before, or the former her, But she never gets the chance to enjoy the view; she only has the prince in mind. 
 
"How regretful. But whatever, now I have all the time in the world to appreciate everything around me," Lady Gem muttered to herself. More determined to cut anything that has something to do with the prince.
 
When the guards saw the symbol of the house of Barsocchini, they immediately opened the gate. Politely bowing their heads as Gem's carriage passed.
 
The carriage stopped, and one of the guards stepped beside him as he offered his hand to the lady. 
 
Lady Gem stared at the knight's hand for a moment before accepting it. Gracefully getting out of the carriage. 
 
She uttered thanks to the knight before following the butler, whom she assumed the king sent to welcome her. A neat and organized servant is even lined in the hallway, all have their heads lowered to her.
 
The king never failed to let her feel welcome. She felt grateful for this. One day, she'll repay it. 
 
She's ruthless toward people who have done her wrong but extremely merciful toward those who treated her kindly with no pretense.
 
Just as they reached the throne room, the head butler and Lady Gem heard the shouts of the king. Obviously angry.
 
And then the two came face-to-face with the prince and a beautiful girl. 
 
Lady Gem's expression immediately lit up. The appearance of these two is so timely. Now, she can propose the annulment with these two as the reasons. The god had never forsaken her, really.
 
Prince Darwin saw Lady Gem's sparkling eyes looking at him. His face was distorted. 
 
This shameless woman is going here to cause trouble again. No matter what, he won't abandon Alyzza for some desperate woman.
 
Just as the prince pulled the still-stunned Alyzza to leave, Lady Gem spoke. "Why doesn't the prince stay for awhile? This humble lady just came and I hope that the prince can stay and accompany this lady as I have something important to propose with his majesty, the king."
 
The prince snorted but complied, as he also wanted to quickly end this and freely chase after Alyzza without the constraint of this stupid engagement. He believed that love comes naturally and is not decided by their parents. It is not something like a bridge for the two families.
 
He's confident that he's on the right, so he went back inside the throne room again. Facing the once again livid face of the king.
 
"Didn't I say that you're not allowed to let that woman enter the palace!?" The king shouted. Point at the now-trembling Alyzza, who is snuggling in the prince's arms. Seeking comfort.
 
Prince Darwin felt distress for her and wrapped her in his arms protectively. Bluntly glaring at his father sitting on the throne. 
 
"Insolence!" The king was angered at the prince whose glaring at him boldly. He will actually glare and disobey his father for some random girl of unknown origin. 
 
Alyzza trembled even more, frightened because of the king. Even Lady Gem has her nerves tensed, such powerful momentum befitting a true ruler who has faced great difficulties and survived.
 
Lady Gem, who was on the sidelines watching, finally came up to join the drama. "Your Majesty," she bowed gracefully with the elegance that mastered the etiquette. 
 
When the king saw her, he forced himself to calm down. This lady is much better than the ruffian girl his son was holding, yet why can't his son see it? The king felt extremely frustrated at his disappointing son.
 
"Please don't mind this king's loss of composure." 
 
Lady Gem smiled. "This subject doesn't dare."
 
Finally calming down, the king waved his hand, dismissing the two who were making his blood boil, yet Lady Gem stopped him abruptly but quickly apologized for her rude behavior.
 
"My king, please don't dismiss the prince and his lover yet, as this lady's purpose of visit today involved them." 
 
The king nodded, leaned back on the throne, and motioned for her to continue.
 
"As I was grounded in our house because of the banquet incident, for which I thanked the king for being benevolent and considerate of my feelings and didn't pursue my unethical behavior, I repented." Lady Gem plans to patiently lay out her reasons one by one when she hears the prince snicker.
 
Her reddening eyes, preparing to stage a show, became dull. The words she wants to say are left in her throat, hanging as the prince's snicker sounded in every corner of the room.
 
Having her patience snap out, "I want an annulment" she straightforwardly said.
 
The people in the room took a long time to process what she just said before looking at her in disbelief.
 
"Lady Gem, please don't be impulsive. You're just..."
 
"Who knows what she's planning?" the prince murmered.
 
"Shut up!" The king yelled and turned to Lady Gem again.
 
"Unfortunately, not. This is not me being impulsive. Ive pondered about it for some time already. I want an annulment, your majesty," she stated firmly. Determined.
 
The king felt a headache.
 
"As the day passed, I realized that the prince doesn't hold any affection towards me. It pains me that I devoted my heart to the prince and yet the prince can't see me." Seeing the prince not pay her any attention and being focused on comforting the person in his arms, she directly kowtowed. Banging her forehead on the floor, she shocked the others.
 
The sound itself made them know that it must've hurt.
 
Even the king, who was used to people kowtowing on him, stood up, startled. His friend, the Marshal, would certainly not let this pass if he ever knew that his youngest kowtowed at him.
 
Kowtowing means throwing away all one's dignity.
 
The head butler immediately helped Lady Gem stand up.
 
Seeing Lady Gem's forehead redden at the impact of banging her head on the floor, he yields. "Fine, fine. If that's what the two of you truly want, then break the engagement." The king sighed. If the kids don't want it, then don't.
 
Gaining the king's approval, she forced herself not to smile.
 
"This lady is grateful for his majesty listening to my request that 'I' break the engagement with the prince." 
 
The wise king noticed what she was implying, so he nodded.

She wants the information to spread because she's the one who broke the engagement. She took the initiative, meaning, she's not a martyr wanting to chase after the prince after the prince cheated. 
 
The royalty's reputation is important, but ruining the reputation of Barsocchini's youngest miss, which is equivalent to making the marshal his enemy, obviously weighs more. And it's his son's fault to begin with.
 
"Then, if everything's settled, this lady will go first, as I still have something to attend to."
 
She bowed respectfully one more time before leaving the throne room. Still being guided by the head butler. 
 
Prince Darwin was shocked by what Lady Gem requested of the King. He thought that she'd throw a tantrum like the spoiled brat she is and let their marriage happen in advance, but she actually broke it off. He's at a loss.
 
Alyzza saw the look of loss on the prince's face and immediately felt a sense of crisis.
 
The scene of Lady Gem kowtowing was deeply embedded in his mind, and his heart ached for some reason, but the person in his arms wiggled. Hooking his attention.
 
Alyzza looked up to the prince with red eyes and said, "T-The king is so frightening. And that lady actually broke off the engagement with you? So foolish! You're obviously a good man. A husband material, yet she let you go."
 
Prince Darwin was flattered by her sweet words and thought that his ex-fiancee was really too foolish. But it is also what he wants anyway in order to freely chase after Alyzza.
 
"But I heard that Lady Gem admires you very much. How can she easily let go of you? It's either she's just pretending to like you before or..." Alyzza deliberately didn't continue.
 
Her face showed hesitation.
 
"Or? Tell me, Aly, there is no need to hesitate," Prince Darwin intimately asked.
 
"But I heard that speaking ill about a noble is punishable by your kingdom's law. I heard they can whip you to death or directly behead you."
 
"With me here, no one can touch you."
 
"Then...."
 
"Hm?"
 
"Or... or lady Gem is planning something?"
 
Prince Darwin seemed to be enlightened by what Alyzza said.

He quickly strode towards the leaving Gem, blocking her way.
 
Just as she's about to leave with a triumphant smile, Prince Darwin just needs to ruin it. 
 
Lady Gem looked up at this annoying fly.
 
"I hope that you're true to your words and that you're repenting. Because no matter what you do, I'll never like you. If you think that just because you broke our engagement, I will chase after you, then you're bound to be as extremely disappointed as I will not."
 
Alyzza, who hid behind the prince, also poked out her head timidly. "Please leave the prince alone. Don't force yourself on others, it's not befitting of a lady."
 
She made it seem like kind advice, but Lady Gem knows better. Her face was almost wrinkled, but she was forced to maintain a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
 
And what does she know about being befitting of a lady? When she's such a ruffian girl. Being intimate with multiple guys? A woman with no constraints?
 
But whatever, she looked at the prince with pity. She shook her head, then avoided the two and left. She'll wait until the time comes when the heroine will finally choose. Remembering that scene, Lady Gem laughed.
 
The prince misunderstood the pity in her eyes as Lady Gem thought that he'd regret breaking the engagement with her.
 
"She wishes!" He watched the carriage leave, carrying his ex-fiance with his chest puffed out.

Confident that it will be the arrogant Miss Barsocchini who will come back, begging for him to marry her.
 

What wishful thinking!