To be the Villainess

O14.

Chapter 14

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third person

“WHY HAS she changed so much?” the Crown Prince mused aloud as he gazed down at Arthemice’s sleeping face. His eyes narrowed in thought, his mind racing to make sense of the drastic shift in her behavior.

“You were so arrogant when we met months ago,” he murmured, his voice barely a whisper, yet heavy with unresolved emotions. His gaze lingered on her, as if by staring long enough, he might unravel the mystery she had become. “You said you would do anything to break off our engagement,” he continued, the memory of her defiant words still vivid in his mind. “But now… now, it seems you don’t care about it at all. You even showed concern for Lady Cecelia.” He ran both hands over his face, the weight of his confusion pressing down on him.

“Are you really the same woman who was once so ruthless?” he questioned, more to himself than to her. His eyes remained locked on her peaceful face, as if she were a puzzle he was desperate to solve, yet feared the answer might be beyond his grasp.

Suddenly, Lady Cecelia entered the tent, her expression tinged with worry as she noticed the Crown Prince’s troubled demeanor. “Is she awake?” she asked softly, her voice breaking through his reverie.

The Crown Prince shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips despite the turmoil within him. “No, she’s still unconscious,” he replied, his tone distant, as if his thoughts were still entangled with the sleeping woman before him.

“Are you upset that your plan didn’t go as expected?” Lady Cecelia asked, moving closer to him. Her hand gently caressed his back, offering comfort in the only way she knew how. The Crown Prince took her hand and pressed a tender kiss to it, drawing strength from her touch.

“And Lady Loughsin… She intervened, which is why there were only a few casualties, isn’t it?” she continued, her voice soft yet probing.

“A few,” he admitted, his voice carrying the weight of his regret. “As Crown Prince, I should have anticipated this, but because of my foolishness, I nearly led all of my knights to their deaths.” His eyes grew distant, haunted by the memories of the battle.

Lady Cecelia gently cupped his face, turning it towards her. “It’s okay, Lumi,” she whispered, her voice soothing. “Thanks to the Lady, the losses were minimal. You’ll learn from this. It was just a small mistake.” Her smile was warm, full of reassurance as she tried to lift the burden from his heart.

‘This was no small mistake, my lady,’ the Crown Prince thought, his heart heavy with the knowledge of his near-failure. “Thank you, Ceci,” he said aloud, his voice betraying the turmoil he tried to hide. He leaned in and captured her lips in a kiss, seeking solace in the familiar warmth of her embrace. The kiss was tender yet laced with the unspoken fears and regrets that weighed on his soul, a silent plea for forgiveness he wasn’t sure he deserved.

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arthemice

My eyes twitched in irritation at the sight before me. Seriously? Get a room! I’m on your side, for goodness’ sake!

‘How can they kiss in front of an unconscious person?’ I fumed silently, forcing myself to remain still and feign sleep.

This is beyond disrespectful. Alam na nga nilang may taong single na nakahimlay rito. Tsk.

“Let’s go, Ceci. I’ll call her knight to keep watch over her. You need to rest too,” I heard Lumine say, his voice growing fainter with each step as they finally walked away. Hmph. Good riddance. The moment I felt their presence leave, I shot upright, gasping for air. Is it normal to forget to breathe while pretending to be asleep? Ugh.