Unfortunately, I'm an Evil Villainess

Chapter 97 - Festival (I)

- - -

It was October, a few weeks after Lady Valentina and Prince Oscar's engagement, but the gossip surrounding them had scarcely died down. Even Catherine, as unpopular as she was, had been invited to hear several wildly different versions of what had happened in the theatre that night, some of them innocent, and some of them wildly scandalous. But one thing was fact: the couple had not appeared in public together since.

Catherine wandered around the dark mansion, bored, though it didn't bother her much. It was the first night of the festival, and Baron Bryant, Baroness Bryant, and Lady Briana had gone to it together. Father had wanted to bring her, but Lady Briana wailed at the very suggestion and Lady Bryant protested vehemently, so she'd offered to stay home. Seeing the bright lights from the windows, she very much wanted to go, always had, but alone, she was scared of running into the other ladies. She didn't want to embarrass House Bryant even more.

Suddenly, in the silent hall, a knock came beside Catherine, and she jumped. A figure stood outside the long window, on a circle of magic in thin air. Catherine couldn't believe her eyes, but before she knew it, she was smiling uncontrollably and throwing the window open.

"Lord Damian! What are you doing here?"

"Why, to take you to the festival, of course. It's a shame for a lady as fine as you to be home on such a wonderful night."

He smiled, like the prince of her fairytale dreams, coming to rescue her from her prison. Yet that made her think of the actual prince, and she winced. Still, no one was around to see, and she thought of all those years she'd watched her town's festival from the bookstore window, longing to join. Lord Damian offered her a hand, and she took it. He gestured for her to climb out the window, though they were on the fourth floor.

"Come now," he said. "Don't be afraid, I'll catch you."

Then he pulled her off the ledge, and they were falling.

Catherine squeezed her eyes shut as she prepared to die. When she didn't feel the impact, and instead found the wind rushing around her, she slowly reopened them. They were gliding towards the festival, or rather, Lord Damian was walking on air, and she was clutching his arm far too tightly.

"Are you all right?" he asked, chuckling.

She glanced down, was overwhelmed by a wave of fear and dizziness, and closed her eyes again, tightening her grip.

"N-no, not really!"

Finally, their feet hit solid ground, and Catherine opened her eyes. She immediately let go, flushing, but stumbled, and he had to catch her again. To her horror, Lord Damian was laughing.

"You're so much worse at it than- ah, nevermind. Wasn't it fun, at least a little!"

"It was terrifying! Lord Damian, you're horrible! B-but, I suppose it was exciting, just a little. Mostly scary."

"Shh," he placed a finger to her lips. "Technically, I should be working right now, and I'm afraid it wouldn't do your reputation any good to be seen with me. I have a spell that obscures our identities, but it only works if we don't call each other by our full names. You shall simply call me Damian, and I shall call you... Cathy."

Catherine barely had time to blush at this intimate address and did not have any to wonder about this strange spell, because Damian, as curiously splendid as his name sounded in her head, flashed his charming smile, and all her remaining thoughts fled.

"Now, to apologize for startling you, my dear Cathy, let me buy you a treat."

There was a stand right next to them, whose owner was staring at them with widened eyes, as he'd doubtlessly seen them descend from the sky. Yet when Damian slid a gold coin across the counter, his eyes widened even more. He didn't say anything and scrambled to summon two large pink clouds from his pot, stuck on sticks, and handed them to Damian.