Banished Villainess

116 : Apology Refused.

‘That’s not good, highness. A prince shouldn’t be apologizing so easily. Besides, the condemnation was just. I caused harm towards the lady designated by the church as the ‘True Saintess.’ There was no mistake in that.’

‘H-However, we were only deceived by Momo. She put on a facade of purity and used us to…’

‘Whatever her objectives may be, they do not justify my harassment. Tormenting others must not be allowed, absolutely! While I may have been formerly your fiancée, that is still something you must never compromise. What his highness should be doing right now is to make sure if I have truly reflected on my actions, is that not true, sir?’

Certainly, that was the main purpose of Leddorio at that time. However, his personal feelings got mixed into his actions too much, not to mention, Momo was just playing the act of a victim. So Leddorio concluded that these facts have made the previous condemnation unjust—but only in hindsight, as Chloe claims.

Having his apology stubbornly refused, Leddorio was about to raise his voice out of irritation but, Locke put a dampen on it with an explosion of laughter.

‘Buhahahahaha! Just give it up, Mr.Prince. This one right here is hell of a stubborn one. Just let her do her own thing until she’s satisfied.’

‘Don’t act like you know anything! You’re acting like you’re Chloe’s ally but you’re still choosing Momo in the end, right!? Chloe, this guy was protecting Momo and not you from the debris, you know!?’

Whether it was out of his lack of respect for a prince like him, or how Locke was seemingly implying how he fully understood Chloe despite only knowing her for a month; Leddorio couldn’t exactly tell why he lashed out at his intrusion. Yet, he impulsively ended up talking about the last moments of the decisive battle in retaliation.

However, far from being disillusioned with the man, Chloe only leak a small sigh and replied.

‘…What about that, highness? Locke protecting Momo is just as obvious as people breathing. Rather, what were the others doing!? Where was the true love that they bragged of that made them abandon their fiancées?’

‘Don’t say that. I covered Momo because there was a momentary need to do so, due to Prince Leddorio’s barrier being too compact. We were all trying not let anyone stick out of it. Even his highness was doing the same for you, after all.’

As the Prince was thinking of the unfairness of being scolded himself, Chloe suddenly turned towards him which made his heart pound. Her gaze was devoid of seduction and fawning like before. Just a genuine look of surprise.

‘Oh my, was that true!? His highness did that…?’

‘W-Well, yeah…’

Leddorio was feeling slightly embarrassed now that it was brought to the table but, he was so curious of the lady’s reaction so he mumblingly affirmed Locke’s words. The lady gazed at him for a moment and then bowed her head down.

‘I… have caused his highness such troubles. I apologize for making you feel obliged, and hindering you from protecting Momo instead.’

‘You’re wrong!!’

It’s not like he wanted to see her triumphant face like as she did in the past. However, Leddorio thought that he could do with some words of gratitude instead. If he were to be greedier, he’d like to see an adorable response…, but the expectation was too far from reality that it made him inadvertently yell.

It was at that moment when…

‘Uu…mhm…’

—they noticed Momo moving about in her bed, knitting her face, and slowly opening her eyelids.

”’!!!”

‘Shin, tell brother and the others in the Cafeteria that Momo has woken up!!’

 

 

 

There’s actually still quite a long way to go. There’s still Keith’s perspective which explains how everything played out in the background, then the ending.