Novel The Villainess Will Work Hard For A Good Life After Her Broken Engagement!

This story is still in the early stages of writing, so I am looking to keep myself motivated by receiving feedback from you guys. I will do my best to answer all questions as well! I hope this will become a lively thread.

Synopsis :
They say that life is full of uncertainties, but not for me – because I have read the light novel series I have been reincarnated into.

The villainess of ‘Resonant Hearts’, Liliana Gracia Remington, was a person as poisonous as her nickname, ‘the Poison Lily of the Capital’. Her miserable life ended when she committed suicide after her fiance, the First Prince, broke their engagement and fell in love with the heroine. The character deserved her ending but that is a big ‘no thanks’ for me!

To avoid a bad ending, I guess I will have to start by preparing myself for life after my broken engagement!


Genre : Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

This story is simultaneously posted on Royal Road and Scribble Hub.

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - The Villainess' First Meeting
Chapter 2 - The Villainess Falls into a Pond
Chapter 3 - The Prince's Escapade in the Night
Chapter 4 - The Villainess Meets her New Tutors
Chapter 5 - The Villainess Greets her Visitors
Chapter 6 - The Villainess Shows Her Visitors Around
Chapter 7 - The Villainess Receives a Present
Chapter 8 - The Villainess Goes to Town
Chapter 9 - The Villainess in a Cage
Chapter 10 - The Magician's Goal
Chapter 11 - The Prince's Necklace
Chapter 12 - The Prince Goes After His Fiancee (Scribble Hub) (Royal Road)
Chapter 13 - The Villainess Wakes Up (Scribble Hub) (Royal Road)
Chapter 14 - The Villainess Listens to the Devil's Whisper (Scribble Hub) (Royal Road)
Chapter 15 - The Magician and the Rumours (Scribble Hub) (Royal Road)
Chapter 16 - The Villainess in a Crisis (Scribble Hub) (Royal Road)
Extra Chapter - A Maid's Resolution (Part 1 - SH / RR) (Part 2 - SH / RR) (Part 3 - SH / RR)
Chapter 17 - The Villainess Dances (Scribble Hub) (Royal Road)
Chapter 18 - The Villainess at the Ball (Scribble Hub) (Royal Road)

 

Chapter 1 - The Villainess’ First Meeting

Spoiler

The first time I met him was when I was 9-year-old.

*****​

The meeting place we were brought to was a spacious and extravagantly decorated guest lounge in the Royal Palace. My father and I settled down on one of the plush sofas as we waited for our host to arrive. On the opposite was another similarly sized sofa with a white marble coffee table placed in the center. I suppose that was where our host would be sitting later.

A maid wearing the signature blue uniform of the Royal Palace bowed before placing two cups of lightly steaming red tea on the table. My father picked up one of the cups and admired the purple flower decorations before sipping the tea elegantly.

The colour of the gold accents on the cup looked just like his hair.

“Liliana, are you not going to drink your tea?” he asked as he gestured towards the untouched cup.

“I think that it will be difficult to clean the stains off the beige carpets if I throw up.”

For moment, his face scrunched up like he had swallowed something bitter.

“Liliana... I believe I have spoken to you about what is going to happen today,” he warned with a slight frown.

“It’s not like I am going to run away-”

“His Highness has arrived!”

My body jerked at the sudden announcement by the guards outside.

The wide oak doors opened and entering the room was a boy around my height with caramel coloured hair and azure blue eyes wearing a white and blue coat. He was soon followed by a trio of guards who were likely to be his bodyguards. Together with my father, Marquis of Cruador, Peter Remington, we stood up to greet the First Prince of the country, Prince Charles.

I took deep breaths to calm down my palpitating heart. Thank goodness there was no culture of handshaking here as my palms were wet from sweat.

“Lord Remington, Lady Liliana. Thank you for travelling all the way to the capital. I am Prince Charles, and I am honoured to meet you today.”

“No, the honour is mine, your Highness. We have been eagerly anticipating the arrival of this day since we received the invitation.”

If only this feeling I have was attributed to something as pure as ‘a young maiden feeling shy in front of her handsome fiancé’.

The boy was blessed with angelic looks but he was too young be my type. There was no way for me to be attracted to him. I definitely do not have such weird fetishes.

Because - if I include the time I spent before I died, my mental age is already that of a 25-year-old.

What kind of person would I have been as a 25-year-old in modern Japan? Would I be working? Married? With kids? I hope that I would at least have a boyfriend already...

It had been three years since I suddenly recovered memories of a girl who lived in a vastly different place and time due to a tumble down the stairs. Although I was confused at first due to the huge influx of information, I had plenty of time to sort out my thoughts while being stuck in bed for two weeks.

I understood that the girl had lived a relatively peaceful and normal life in a country called Japan. The only thing remarkable about her was her love for daydreaming and romance stories. Unfortunately, this girl had her life ended prematurely at age 16 when she was crossing the road and a white light suddenly filled the side of her vision.

In other words, I was most likely killed in a traffic accident.

Was it a car, a bus or a truck? I am glad I did not feel much pain before I died though.

“Liliana, what are you spacing out for? Hurry and greet Prince Charles.”

My father’s words broke me out of my inner monologue.

“Ah, yes.” I hurriedly lifted the edges of my skirt and gave a deep curtsy just like how my mother drilled into me. “My apologies for the late introduction. My name is Liliana Gracia Remington. Pleased to meet you, your Highness.”

When I had straightened my back, the boy directed a gentle smile at me, as if to tell me not to worry.

“It must have been tiring for Lady Liliana after the long journey to the Royal Palace. I should be apologising for making you travel all the way here instead.”

“Thank you for your consideration. I have rested well last night so I am completely fine now,” I quickly replied.

To someone like me who had not exited the mansion’s gates for the last three years, the long travel had pushed me to my physical limits. However, the high class inn we stayed in last night had completely blown away the fatigue accumulated during the duration of travel. They even had a massage parlour! Can you believe it? Under the deft hands of the masseuse, the knots on my shoulders completely loosen and I spent a very relaxing evening bathed in the scent of roses.

Let’s ask the same masseuse to provide the same service tonight! Instead of rose, I want to try a lavender scent this time. They say that lavender has a calming effect and is good for alleviating stress, right?

Yes, I definitely need the help of lavender tonight!

“Why are you still standing, Liliana?”

Without my knowing, while my thoughts had wandered to a faraway place, my father and the Prince had already taken a seat on the sofa. A quick glance around made me realise that everyone’s eyes were on me.

While suppressing the panic in my heart, I turned to look at the person who had spoken to me.

Father’s light green eyes narrowed slightly as both our eyes locked.

Father was only in his mid thirties, but a permanent frown had almost become embed on his forehead. It was a slight pity as he was a fairly good-looking person despite having a stern looking face that was highlighted by his upturned light green eyes. Thanks to that, servants who were unfamiliar with him would usually tremble under this strong gaze. However, I, who had inherited the same vicious looking eyes, have grown some immunity to it.

“Ahaha…” I gave a hollow laugh as I covered my mouth with a hand. “I was so distracted by the beautiful decorations in the room I spaced out unknowingly.” Not forgetting to give a sweet smile, I slowly sat down on the sofa and placed my hands on my lap like a demure noble lady - exactly like how my mother taught me.

Even I know that it is a very poor excuse, but that is the best I can do. So father, please help me to round the strange atmosphere!

As I silently pleaded in my heart, I heard my father give a sigh.

“Liliana has been a precocious child since she was young. I seek your forgiveness if she does anything strange.”

What was that supposed to mean!

I turned to stare at my father as I puffed out my cheeks indignantly.

Oh no! I quickly patted the side of my cheeks when I realised I was doing a childish antic again. Although I have my previous life’s memories, I found it difficult to fully adopt an adult like demeanour. I wonder why...

Prince Charles chuckled slightly, attracting my attention.

The corners of his blue eyes softened as he leaned forward to look at my face.

“Is that so? Lady Liliana does look tired. Would it be better if you rested for a while in a room?”

My eyes wandered around the room immediately.

“Thank you for the concern, but I am really fine...”

“Alright...”

When I sneaked a glance up, I saw an unconvinced face, but he gave a short nod.

“In that case, please serve Lady Liliana tea that will relief her of fatigue,” Prince Charles turned to instruct one of the Palace’s maids in the room. The maid gave a quick bow and hurried out.

Although I knew that the education of a Prince would be very different, it still felt strange to hear someone only one year older than me speak so politely.

The 10-year-old boys I remember from my previous life were all a bunch of brats mad about playing soccer or video games. Is he having a proper childhood?

As the door closed behind the exiting maid, my father took it as his cue. He stood up and adjusted his coat.

“Well then, your Highness, please excuse me as I need to look for the King to discuss some matters. I will return to pick Liliana up after I am done,” he said as he lowered his head slightly.

“I understand, Lord Remington. Please go ahead and leave Lady Liliana to me.” Prince Charles gave a nod and a refreshing smile in return.

I had suspected father was not going to join us for the whole duration of the tea, but my heart was not ready yet so I immediately casted father a pained look.

‘Please don’t go!’ I tried to appeal as much as possible to him with my eyes. Do you really bear to leave your cute daughter alone like this?

However, my father returned a stern look that said, ‘Behave yourself’.

This was, of course, an exchange that only the father and daughter can understand. To outsiders, we were only staring at each other.

Resigned to fate, I said listlessly, “Please take care, father.”

Pleased with my response, he nodded and exchanged a few more pleasantries with the Prince before exiting the room.

Ah, if my own father has abandoned me, who else can I rely on? Although I had brought along three maids with me, they were most likely to be of no use if anything was to happen.

I gazed forward blankly as uneasy thoughts ran through my mind.

“…ana… Lady Liliana?”

“Yes!” I replied with a start as my back snapped straight and I focused my eyes on the boy in front of me.

It seemed like while I was spacing out, Prince Charles had been calling my name.

A crease appeared on his forehead.

“Lady Liliana, it seems like you are not feeling too well,” Prince Charles replied in a solemn voice. “Please let me know if there is anything I can do to make you feel better.”

I clutched my dress and forced a smile.

“Not at all. I am really fine… Just that, because it is my first time meeting your Highness, I am slightly nervous. Hahaha… Please excuse me if I look unsightly...”

“Your first time...” Prince Charles muttered in a soft voice.

Seeing that he was no longer asking about my health, I heaved a sigh of relief.

The conversation with him was really shortening my life. After all, I had no idea if the things I said was going to lead to a game over.

That was because, the First Prince of Lorzelea, Prince Charles Leon Lorzelea, in the future, was going to be the cause of my downfall.

The reason I knew that was because this world has the setting of a story I had read before in my previous life.

In fact, I had just finished reading the end of the light novel series, and was closing the book in satisfaction, when I was hit. Isn’t this strange? I could understand if I had grievances after I died, but I was satisfied with the ending, so why was I still reincarnated to world with similar background and characters?

Although it was criticised for being cliche, I completely enjoyed the story and had I been reincarnated even just as a mob character, I would have been extremely happy watching over the main protagonists, the kind heroine and her love interest, the gentle prince, from the sidelines.

However, fate is cruel, and I ended up in the body of someone who was an antagonist in the story.

The 16-year-old Liliana Gracia Remington was a girl who was described as ‘the Poison Lily of the Capital’. With crimson red hair and sharp green eyes, she was a person with a frigid personality and did not hesitate to spew poisonous words at others.

Her only reason for existence in the books was to cause trouble for the protagonists. Liliana was betrothed to Prince Charles at a young age, and was brought up to be a spoiled child. She abused her authority and status as fiancée, causing trouble for those around her, and looked down on everyone of lower status. When the heroine transferred into the Royal Academy due to her ability to use magic, Liliana was jealous of the attention Prince Charles point towards her and bullied the heroine.

Verbal abuse, defamation, vandalism, Liliana was set on throwing her out of the Academy. She was a true and through villainess who would go all lengths to make life difficult for the heroine.

Luckily, Prince Charles quickly noticed and took the heroine under his protection. Disappointed with his fiancée’s actions and no long able to turn a blind eye to her evil doings, he announced an annulment of their engagement.

Her family, afraid that they would be punished for the misdeeds of Liliana up till now, decided to protect themselves and disowned Liliana before declaring that she will be sent to a monastery. This broke Liliana, and drove her to attempt to kill the heroine. However, she was caught by Prince Charles before she was able to cause real harm and was quickly subdued. Having lost her engagement, family, and chance to take revenge, Liliana committed suicide while being held in jail.

And that was the future that I, Liliana Gracia Remington, could be facing seven years in the future.

So how can I possibly meet the man who holds the key to my future calmly?!

“Excuse me,” a maid said politely before she proceed to place tea and an assortment of sweets in front of us. It seems like the maid who had went out earlier had returned.

As I looked at the spread of colourful cakes, muffins and macaroons placed in front of us, I could feel my mouth watering.

“Does this catch your interest?”

My face heat up a little as I realised Prince Charles must have saw my eyes lighting up at the sight of the sweets.

I nodded honestly.

“It looks delicious.”

“That’s a relief to hear. I heard that Lady Liliana has a sweet tooth so I specially asked the chef to prepare a spread today. I hope that it will suit your palate.”

While looking the face who was smiling innocently, I suddenly felt guilty for my behaviour until now.

Through our short interaction, I could tell that he did not have any ill-will towards me. In fact, he was probably just trying his best to cheer me up.

Perhaps I can afford to be a bit more relaxed?

“The strawberry shortcake looks really tempting. Can I have one of that please?” I enquired towards the maid.

“Most certainly, Lady Liliana,” the maid replied and served a slice of the strawberry shortcake on an ornate plate.

Picking up the three pronged fork at the side, I scooped up a small bite of the cake. As I sent the cake into my mouth, the rich flavour of the cream paired with a slight sweetness of the strawberry dissolved on my tongue.

“Mmm! This is really delicious!”

The chefs of the Royal Palace are really something!

“The chefs will be really happy to hear that.”

Prince Charles gave a wide and sincere smile.

“Here, I strongly recommend this strawberry crème de bleu as well.”

“Thank you!”

“How about this blueberry muffin? Do you like blueberries?”

“Yes!”

As I dug in to the sweets heartily, I became oblivious to my surroundings. I admit it was one of my bad habits, but sweets was my weakness. It was only when a presence had come up to my back did I realise that something was wrong.

“Lady Liliana…” A soft whisper entered my ears.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw long strands of black coloured hair.

“... There is cream on your mouth.”

My face immediately heated up and I took out my handkerchief to dab furiously at my mouth. I recognised the voice as the one belonging to my personal maid, Diana, who had been standing a distance away.

By the time I was done and turned back to face Prince Charles, he was looking at me with a grin on his face.

Was there still cream on my face?

Just as I was wondering, he seemed to have realised my uncomfortable expression and covered his flushed face with a hand as he said, “Ah, sorry for staring rudely. I just feel glad that you seem to be feeling better now.”

My conscience felt a pang. It seems like my strange demeanour had really worried him. The current Prince Charles was really just a kind 10-year-old boy after all.

How can I make a young child worry about me? I became determined to change my attitude.

The rest of the tea time became much easier to pass through, and we managed to talk idly about topics like hobbies and daily life as we had tea and sweets.

However, it is said that trouble come just when you are at your most vulnerable.

Just as my feelings were at an all-time high from the delicious sweets and I was looking forward to the impending time to go home, a bomb was dropped on me.

The tinkling sound of a metal fork being placed on the ceramic plate brought my attention from the cake I was devouring to the smiling face of the boy.

“I was initially worried that Lady Liliana would be uncomfortable with the engagement, so I am really happy to be able to share such an enjoyable time with you today.”

The word ‘engagement’ made me freeze.

Remembering how the engagement was going to be the key to whether I was going to meet my downfall, I could feel butterflies coming back to my stomach.

As the engagement was something that was decided by the adults, and in addition the partner was the First Prince, it was something that was completely out of my hands to interfere in. There was no room for me to give my opinions. When I tried to object, my parents only looked at me with strangely gentle eyes and said that the First Prince was kind and will definitely take care of me. Before I knew it, it was a done deal and I was on the carriage on the way to visit my fiancé.

“Uh, yes... I had fun as well…” I managed to squeeze out after a long time.

I could feel a sharp stare from the corner of my eyes, and without looking, I could tell that it was from Diana.

Understanding the prompt, I quickly plastered a smile on my face. It would be bad if the Prince took offence to my unfriendly attitude.

“Um, it was really fun!” I said with more energy this time.

Prince Charles studied my face quietly for a moment before opening his mouth.

“I guess with your partner being the First Prince, this engagement is quite heavy.” The voice that came out of his mouth was tinged with melancholy.

Before I could fully understand what that meant, he dropped another bomb on me.

With azure blue eyes that looked like the colour of clear skies looking straight at me, he continued, “Lady Liliana, as my fiancée, there will definitely be high expectations for you, but please do not be frightened. I will not do the same.”

‘I will not do the same.’ The words echoed in my head.

‘I will not do the same’… Which means that he does not have any expectations of me?

If he had no expectations, doesn’t it mean that this engagement does not hold much meaning for him?

If the engagement does not hold much meaning for him, doesn’t it equal to ‘breaking the engagement anytime is fine’?

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I understood what ‘breaking the engagement’ entailed.

The Liliana in the book was deeply affected by the annulment of her engagement because she was completely emotionally dependent on the Prince. Unlike her family who ignored her, or her classmates who were terrified of her, Prince Charles was the only person who showed genuine kindness towards her. Due to that, Liliana was obsessed with him, and went crazy when he broke their engagement.

However, the present me was different.

The Liliana in the books was a villainess, but I planned on living honestly and get along with everyone. Nevertheless, a lady with a broken engagement will not be viewed favourably by society, and it will be difficult to find someone else to marry.

But what if I could prove to Prince Charles that I was a useful retainer? Even if he falls in love with the heroine and annuls our engagement in the future, he might still put in some good words and help me to find a job or arrange it so that I could live comfortably for the rest of my life.

If that was the case, the first step that I must take was clear.

I bit my lower lips as I looked at the 10-year-old boy in front of me with a determined look.

“I will train myself to be a better person,” I said resolutely.

“I see…?”

Prince Charles tilted his head to the side adorably. Understandably, because I had said such a sentence without explanation.

Alright! Then let’s work hard to make a path after my engagement gets broken!

*****​

At that time, I thought that this was going to be the turn in my life. This was common in the stories I read. Due to a certain meeting or an accident, something changes a person’s resolve and changes her fate. I thought that it was such a moment.

However...

Perhaps, things have already started moving way before that.

This is something that I will only realise a long time afterwards.

 

Hmm. That prince seems really fishy.. Is he also a reincarnator? Well, I hope I can read the next part. I'm really craving for villainess stories rn cuz I already read most of them

 

Wow.. That's a really good story. Can't wait to read the next chapter. Its really good written and interesting story. Hope that prince will have his pov

 

I like the story so far...
I think the prince like her...
I wish you could make the 'heroine' to be bad or evil. And the prince will protect Liliana <3

I don't really like when the story be like she became friend with 'heroine'...

Anyway, good job and keep it up...

 

I like it, I'd totally read it! Objectively speaking, the Mc is a lot more sketchy than the prince......Normal people would probably be baffled by her reactions

 

Love this story! Thumbs up thumbs up~ Was wondering if you have a fixed update schedule for it?

 

Thanks for the comment! Nothing like having readers to keep myself motivated!

Hmmm... Is the Prince a reincanator? If he was, what kind of person do you think he would be in his previous life?

 

Thank you for leaving a lovely comment!

I have planned for certain chapters to be told from a different person's POV, including the Prince's, so you will get your wish soon!

 

He seems like a nice guy. Well, I hope he is.

 

Thanks for the comment!

I can't say too much because it will be a spoiler, but I do like it when the characters don't end up quite like what they should be in their original counterparts.

 

I'm imagining him to be truly nice in his previous life, and a black bellied prince who only "appears" nice in this one! Wahahaha!

 

Chapter 2 - The Villainess Falls into a Pond

Spoiler

A strange silence had descended on the room after my strange words. Feeling responsible for the awkward atmosphere, I racked my brains to think of something to say.

Just then, a gust of wind brought a mild but familiar scent to my nose.

“Rose?”

The scent was similar to the scent of rose essence used as my massage oil last night, but it was much weaker.

“The roses must have started blooming in the garden,” the Prince answered after thinking for a while.

“Ah.” Prince Charles looked like a good idea had come to his head and asked with a smile, “Why don’t we have a walk around the garden since we are done with tea? Apart from roses, the gardens have a large variety of flowers that might catch your interest as well.”

I nodded immediately.

Although I thought our garden back at the mansion was marvellous, we did not have any roses. Most importantly, I am not going to let go of the chance to change the atmosphere!

“Yes, I’ll love to take a look.”

*****​

Followed by an entourage of maids and guards, Prince Charles showed me to the palace’s gardens.

“These roses were planted by Queen Alena. She loves roses so we have different colours in the garden. The pot over there is a white variety of roses that the gardeners are currently researching on.”

“The bushes are really tall aren’t they…?”

I marvelled at the walls of rose bushes as tall as a full-grown man. They were all well trimmed and blooming in colours of red and yellow. I had seen roses in my previous life, but it was all in stalks, so it was refreshing to see roses still on the bush.

“Yes. I heard that they can grow taller, but they have been trimmed to keep the height in control.”

“I see...”

As we walked amongst the rose bushes, I sneaked a peek at the Prince’s side portrait. The Prince in the story started off at the age of 16, so there were very few descriptions about how he looked like in his childhood. However, as the light novel series has illustrations, I could see the resemblance to his older self. Unlike me who had sharp, light green eyes and long wavy crimson hair that leaves a strong impression, the Prince had soft features and a warm smile that he often carries on his lips. He also had an air of sensibility and stability around him that made him feel more mature than other children.

I turned my eyes forward again, and clutched the cloth on the front of my chest.

He is definitely going to grow up to be the same gentle character as the one in the story.

“Hmm? Did you say something?”

“Uh? Did I say anything?”

I jumped and turned to him with wide eyes. Did I accidentally say what I was thinking out loud? Just daydreaming was bad enough, when did I adopt a bad habit of saying things unintentionally as well?

“I might have heard wrongly. Sorry to alarm you,” Prince Charles replied with a soft laugh.

As we continued to walk, apart from introducing the roses, Prince Charles also introduced the other plants in the garden to me. I nodded along with his words and occasionally asked questions such as their place of origin and usage. To my surprise, Prince Charles was able to answer all my questions easily.

Was he secretly working as a gardener in his spare time?

While having such thoughts, we wandered deeper into the well-kept garden and a small pond came into view.

The pond was under a tall and leafy tree which casted the pond under a cool shade. I walked up to the pond and peered into the waters in a half crouch. There were small fishes and tadpoles swimming in the relatively clear waters and I could see smooth stones lining the bottom of the pond.

“Croak!”

I looked up just in time to see a frog leaping off a water lily leaf into the water.

Oops, did I scare it?

“Lady Liliana seems quite different from the rumours.”

I turned my face to my left to see Prince Charles standing beside me. His caramel coloured locks were covered with golden flecks from the sunlight filtering down between the leaves from the tree. A gentle breeze caressed his soft hair, messing up the strands. Giving a slightly troubled smile, he reached out his hand to comb through his hair loosely. The scene looked so picturesque, for a moment, I thought that it was a CG in an otome game.

But my attention was quickly turned back to the words he had spoken.

“What kind of rumours have you heard about me?” I asked curiously.

As I have not left the mansion in three years, I had no idea what kind of reputation I had. I do recall that I was a selfish girl when I was young, but since I remembered my previous life, I had stopped throwing tantrums, so I wonder what others thought of me now.

Prince Charles widened his eyes and gave an ambiguous smile as he scratched his face lightly. Noticing his troubled expression, I realised the difficulty of my question.

Ah. I said something bad didn’t I?

Even if I have not shown myself in the public for a while, it was unlikely for the rumours to have died down. Or, you could even say that precisely because I have not shown myself in public, the rumours have probably become more twisted over time.

“Hey, you! Stop! How dare you steal one of her majesty’s roses!”

A sudden shout came from the direction of the rose wall from behind the tree.

“Stop running!”

Both of our attentions were immediately drawn towards the source of sound.

“I wonder what it could be,” Prince Charles asked as he stepped towards the tree.

As I prepared to stand up, a commotion came from behind my back.

“Whoa!” A boyish voice sounded out.

“Aedus! What are you doing here?”

The next moment, something bumped into me on my back, and I lost my balance.

“Lady Liliana!”

Eh.

As the surface of the pond loomed closer to my face, a feeling of déjà vu hit me.

The feeling of not having something firm to stand on, the scene of the surface slowly approaching me... Has something like this happened before?

While I was spacing out, I could hear people shouting my name. However, it was too late for someone to grab me and I fell into the pond with a splash, face first.

I think I heard a maid give a high pitch scream somewhere as well.

“Lady Liliana!”

“Someone! Please help her up!”

Luckily, the pond was lined with smooth pebbles so I did not think I was injured. I propped myself up with my arms and gingerly stood up.

As water dripped down from my hair and body, I examined my arms for any open wounds and was relieved to find none.

If I come home injured, my mother was going to treat me to a long nagging session about how ladies should have unblemished skin.

“I’m not injured. Don’t worry,” I said with a reassuring smile as I stood in the water.

Mmm? Though I was sure I had given a reassuring smile, for some reason the expression on the palace maids’ faces only grew more terrified. However, I was really in no danger as the water was only up to my waist.

I tried to take a step forward, but I found that my ankle length dress had gotten very heavy after soaking up the water so it was difficult to walk. In the end, I had to be helped out of the pond by the guards who lifted me up by the chest.

Back at the shore, a boy who looked to be slightly older than me with chocolate brown hair waited anxiously together with Prince Charles and the other servants.

As the servants went into a frenzy to get a dry towel for me, I was able to find out in between conversations that the boy had accidentally bumped into me while he was running away from the gardener who had caught him plucking a rose.

“I am very sorry! You are Lady Liliana right? Are you okay?” The boy who was slightly taller than me crouched and looked at me in the eyes worriedly. While looking into his clear amber coloured eyes, I quietly observed before I blurted out.

“Do I really look like a moss monster?”

“Huh?”

The boy in front of me opened his mouth in stupor.

Be- Because the figure reflected in his eyes had dull red hair that was flat and in clumps, and her fringe which had become limp was covering her eyes, giving her a very sinister feel. Pairing it with a wet moss green dress, she looked like the spirits of the lake that I read in stories!

Except that the person in his eyes was me!

Realising how much of a sorry figure I was, I could understand why the maids were terrified. I must have looked like I had the spirits of resentment behind me as I smiled.

“Pfft!”

It was my turn now to have my mouth open in stupor as I stared at the boy who was laughing so hard he had doubled up on the ground.

“Aedus… This is a little…” Prince Charles said with a frown as he touched the boy’s shoulders.

“Ahaha… I’m sorry Charles. It’s just that… It’s just that I was too surprised I can’t…”

The boy called Aedus slowly stood up as he wiped the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes.

Are they friends? I wondered as I realised that they were addressing each other without honorific.

However, I was soon distracted as the boy kneeled in front of me with one knee on the floor.

Wait a minute. Isn't there a saying somewhere about how there is gold under a man's knees? Was it really okay to kneel so easily like this?

Just as I was uneasy about what he was going to do, he stretched out his hands and lifted my right hand.

Before I knew it, he had brought my hand to his lips and I felt a warm but gentle sensation on the back of my hand.

My face immediately became flushed with heat as I realised what he had done. Although I was feeling cold from the water just a moment ago, such feelings were all gone with the simple gesture.

‘Hand kissing’ was a gesture of respect and admiration towards the lady, my mother had explained it to me before, and I have seen my mother greeted by this when important visitors came to our house. However, it was the first time I had received this from someone and also the first time I had someone kneel in front of me so I was momentarily unsure of how to react.

Towards me who have frozen up, the boy called Aedus flashed a cheeky smile, showing off two dimples on his cheeks.

“No. You are definitely beautiful, my princess.”

A dangerous person spotted!

Something in my head screamed.

Just how old is this guy? There should be some limit to how precocious a person can be! What exactly have the people around him been instilling in him?

To a person whose experience in romance is equal to her age, this was too agitating.

Like a line in my head had been cut, my body reacted on its own. I withdrew my hand back and gave a sharp turn to bury my face at the back of Diana’s dress, not caring about the weird looks I must be getting.

You can call me cowardly, but my courage has been completely used up, so please let me hide behind you!

“Aedus…”

An unfamiliar low voice came from the opposite side of Diana’s body.

“Wait, did I do something that bad?”

“We need to have a good talk after this.”

“Aha… ha… This isn’t like you at all. Why don’t you cool down before we talk?”

“I am very cool now.”

As I was stuffing my face in Diana’s clothes, I was not able to hear the conversation very well. The only thing I could remember was Diana sighing and patting my back with her hand.

After the towel was brought over, I was told that my father has been informed of the incident and I was quickly ushered to change my clothes.

By the time I was done, I was told by Diana that the boy called Aedus had been brought away by a stern looking butler. I secretly heaved a sigh of relief as I have no idea how to face him after what I had just done. It seemed like he was a noble from a family of high status too. Well, since he was someone who could address the Prince by his name, it was something that I could easily imagine.

The tea party had to be cut short due to the interruption, but I was secretly cheering as I was out of things to talk about. I had been cooped up in the mansion for so long I was almost out of my wits trying to think up of interesting things to say.

I would have loved to say that everything ended well, but unfortunately, before my father and I could return to the high class inn we were staying in…

“Achoo!”

My maid, Diana, who was walking in front of me turned back immediately with a dark expression.

I unconsciously shrank back. Was it because I had sneezed loudly without covering my mouth? Being a noble lady was very troublesome with very strict etiquette to follow. Although I have been drilled the fundamentals by my mother, I was still reprimanded by my mother and Diana frequently.

“Achoo, achoo!”

Just as I was thinking of how to apologise, two more unlady-like sneezes came out.

This time, the two other maids who came with me to the palace started to get pale.

“It seems like it was too late…” Diana said as she crouched down to look at me in the eyes while placing a hand on my forehead.

Wait, wait, wait. What is too late?

“Is it too late for me to become lady-like?” I asked in a small voice.

I was greeted with multiple huge sighs.

“Eh?”

It seems like I had caught a cold and was forced to spend the night in the palace.

*****​

The night spent in the palace was comfortable and I woke up feeling refreshed and my fever was completely cured.

The medicine by the doctors in the Royal Palace is really amazing!

It was disappointing to not be able to get a massage, but being healthy is much more important than anything else!

I was dressed by Diana and my maids as usual and was informed to head to the dining room for breakfast.

As we walked down the corridor towards the dining room, I felt like something was amiss and glanced up at the faces of the guards and servants walking past me.

For some reason, the faces of the guards looked more uptight than the previous day, and the servants had worried faces as they hurried about. What was up with this strange tension in the air?

“Diana, did anything happen yesterday? Why do everyone look so serious?” I asked softly.

As I was sick, I had my dinner early in bed and was asleep all the way till the morning. Had something happen while I was sleeping?

Diana, who was slightly behind me, gave a sigh.

In her usual deadpan tone, she asked, “Lady Liliana, do you remember the face of the guard who escorted us to the lounge yesterday?”

“No,” I replied immediately. I could only remember that it was a person wearing silver armour with blue decorations… Just like what the rest of the guards are wearing.

No, but what does this have to do with my question? I gave a questioning look to Diana.

“Now to answer the question. First, there is a question of how much you actually remembered about what happened yesterday. Weren't you telling me last night that you wanted to forget what had happened?”

I nodded slowly.

That was something I did before I slept. A lot of embarrassing things had happened during the day so I had spent a moment stuffing my face between the soft, fluffy pillows and grumbling about how I wished I could erase my memories.

“Next, isn’t it because Lady Liliana has been so nervous yesterday everybody looked relaxed compared to you? Now that you have rested well, everyone looks serious compared to you.”

“Ah, is that so.”

I felt a little embarrassed to have it pointed out by her. It was true that I was so worried yesterday I could hardly remember what happened around me until I stepped into the lounge. I must be thinking too much then.

After having my breakfast with father and the Prince, it was time for us to leave the Royal Palace.

As Prince Charles sent us off at the entrance, he asked me multiple times if I was really well, and even offered to let me rest a day more in the palace. When I declined politely, he still had an unconvinced face.

Did he feel responsible for my cold? What a kind child.

Trying to make him feel better, I tried to make myself look as energetic as possible.

“I slept very well last night so I am completely fine! In fact, this was the first time I had recovered from a cold so quickly!”

Upon hearing my words, Prince Charles tightened his lips into a thin line and his eyes glanced onto the floor.

Eh? Did I say something wrong?

Just as I was cranking my head furiously and unsure of what to say next, father saved me from the awkward situation.

“I’m sorry for interrupting, your Highness, but Liliana and I will need to make a move soon.”

“A-Ah. I see. Sorry for holding you up.”

I heaved a silent sigh of relief. What father said was true as our land needed around two days of traveling by horse carriage to reach and we needed to make the most of daylight to reach a town before night fall. I wouldn’t mind camping out, but it seems like everyone was worried about safety, hence they insisted that we stayed indoors every night.

“Once again, thank you for coming, Lord Remington, Lady Liliana.”

“We should be thanking you for your warm hospitality. If your Highness has the time, you are most welcome to visit our humble home.”

“I will definitely pay a visit when I have the time.”

After answering, Prince Charles cast a quick glance at me.

A question mark immediately popped up over my head. I didn’t leave any breakfast on my face, right?

“We will look forward to your visit,” father answered with a smile.

After exchanging a mysterious vow to visit us, father and I finally left the Royal Palace.

On the carriage, I idly watched stone buildings go past us in a blur. The road we were taking from the Royal Palace through the streets of the capital, Moressley, was a well-paved road usually reserved for use by nobles entering and exiting the Royal Palace or official processions. Compared to the dirt roads we had to go through on the way to the Royal Palace, it made a much smoother ride.

Just then, the carriage passed by another horse-carriage that had stopped by the road side. A youth with golden hair held out his hand as a young lady around my age with shoulder length auburn hair, most likely the daughter of a noble, stepped out with elegant steps and a yellow fan held demurely before her face.

The scene only lasted for a second, but it reminded me of the decision I had made yesterday.

Turning to face my father who was seated across the carriage, I asked in a serious voice, “Father, could you find me the wisest and strictest tutors?”

My father closed the book he was reading and met my eyes.

“Why? Although I am quite happy about your enthusiasm in learning… Did something happen?

“Yesterday’s meeting with Prince Charles made me realise that I still have a lot to learn,” I said gravely.

My father blinked blankly for a while before a thoughtful look overcame his face.

“We were so worried but doesn’t it seem like the two of you hit off very well?”

“Um, that’s…”

“It is great that you have such determination. You mother is going to be very happy when she hears about it.”

“So... Will you find tutors for me?”

My father fell silent, and just as I was wondering what he was hesitating about, his eyes was suddenly filled with distrust.

“This is not a ploy to avoid your existing lessons by your mother right?”

As I thought, he was sharp. My mother was usually a mild person, but she turns into something scarier than my father on the battlefield when it comes to my lessons.

“What kind of father treats their daughter with so much suspicion? I’m hurt! Shouldn’t you be encouraging me?”

“When it comes to you, it is very hard to say…”

“I understand that mother and Mr Sebastian have their own work to do but are taking out previous time to teach me. Don’t you think it would be more efficient if we had proper tutors instead?”

“I do understand where you coming from... And Liliana… His name is not Sebastian, it is Christian,” father said wearily as he rubbed his temples.

I covered my mouth as I realised my mistake. The Head Butler serving our house was a gentleman in his fifties with pepper coloured hair. He was a serious person who kept his black swallowtail coat crisp. I could still remember the excitement I felt when I met him after I recovered my memories. Since then, he had always been addressed as ‘Sebastian’ in my head.

“That is a pet name…”

“Who on earth will give ‘Sebastian’ as a pet name!”

Oh! He is becoming a very good tsukkomi!

“Anyway, I will discuss the issue of tutors with your mother when we return to Cruador.”

I could tell from his tone of voice that it was finalized so I nodded and went back to staring out of the window.

I will have to do the best for my own future!

 

I don't have a fixed schedule at the moment as it's still in the early stages of writing, but I will try and post frequently when I accumulate more chapters!

 

yay update! Mm, I hope someone can draw art of your characters too, I bet they'd make for wonderfully pretty/cute covers~

 

I'll be really thrilled if someone was to draw art of them!

I'll personally love to see a picture of a drenched Liliana smiling with spirits of resentment behind her.

 

Yay! Update! I might just be really slow but that weird atmosphere......did something sketchy happen? I have more question marks floating around than lilianna probably >_<

 

uh!!! I so want to read this chapter in another person's POV!! Anyway, great update!

 

Chapter 3 - The Prince’s Escapade in the Night

Spoiler

The first time I met her was when I was 7-year-old.

*****​

In the Year 102, the Royal Palace’s banquet hall in the middle of June was bustling with chatter and laughter. All nobility and influential people within the Kingdom had been invited to the joyous occasion where the King, my father, was getting remarried. The nobles whom I had met that day had nothing but congratulations and wide smiles. In a sharp contrast, a tiny girl of similar age carried an extremely tiresome face as she was introduced to me.

Hiding behind the skirt of her mother, Liliana Gracia Remington, the only daughter of Lord Remington, peeked out with a frown between her brows.

I was not foreign to the name of ‘Remington’ as they were a fairly well-known and established Marquis family. Their land was at the border of the country next to a dangerous stretch of forest, and they have for centuries protected the country from the invasion of dangerous beasts. Father would often talk fondly of Lord Remington so I understood him to be a person of good character as well.

Even then, I was also aware of rumours surrounding the Remington family, or to be more precise, about their daughter, Liliana.

Lady Liliana was said to be a sickly child so she hardly appeared in public. However, there was no stop of rumours saying that she was spoiled, selfish and vicious. These rumours seemed to stem from what happened during a tea party she attended when she was 4-year-old. It was common for the children of nobles to attend children tea parties starting from the age of 4, and the tea party in question happened to be Lady Liliana’s first time attending one. During the tea party, it was said that Lady Liliana had gotten angry and hurt a fellow attendee. Although details were suppressed, injuring a fellow noble daughter was a serious thing, and if badly managed could lead to the downfall of the family. Surprisingly, the victim’s family left the case to rest without much protest, but for some time, there were rumours about blackmail and bribery...

Lady Liliana’s attendance at the wedding celebration of the King and his new wife was a surprise to many, and the amount of eyes turned to her as she walked between her parents was enough to intimidate anyone.

I did not manage to speak to her after the initial greeting, and had the event ended peacefully just like that, what a blessing it would have been.

“Don’t touch me!” A hysteric high pitched voice cried out.

The scream caught the attention of many, including myself. As I was far away, I was unable to see what had happened, but it was later said that Lady Liliana had threw a tantrum and ran off in the middle of the celebration. She even fell off the staircase in the process and got herself injured.

My impression of her was not good to say the least, so I was astonished when my father brought me to his work room one day and declared that my fiancée was going to be Lord Remington’s daughter.

As the First Prince of the country, surely there were other better candidates? Although her lineage was good enough to be the wife of a prince, her personality did not seem suitable to be the future Queen of the country.

Even though I questioned the choice, my father was adamant. When I asked for the reason, he did not give any either. Nevertheless, it was the King’s decision, so I had no choice but to accept it.

Soon after the announcement, my father arranged a meeting between us.

A meeting of after three years, what kind of person has the girl grown up to be? It would be wrong to say that I was not curious.

The day of the meeting arrived, and the girl standing across me looked older than what I remembered. Her wavy red hair that reaches to the half of her back was tied in a braided half up with a white ribbon. Her cat-like eyes were the same shade of light green like her father and she wore an ankle length moss green dress with white lace that matched her eye colour.

During the first time I met her she was hiding behind her mother, but she was now able to stand in front of others and greet them properly.

Her sharp features and stern expression gave her an air of severity, but her actions were fluid and dignified. Most importantly, there was no arrogance in her voice or behaviour.

If I had to point out something strange about her, it would be that she was too nervous.

She would avoid my eyes and freeze up whenever I ask her a question, but even then, she would reply politely after a while.

Selfish, spoiled and vicious... It seemed very different from the dignified noble’s daughter in front of me.

The Lady Liliana I had a spent a day with was a girl who likes sweets, clumsy enough to leave cream on her cheeks, and someone who was curious about animals and plants. Even when she was dripping wet, she was a person who was able to give a smile and forgive others.

In other words, she was a normal girl.

“It seems like rumours are not to be believed,” I muttered to myself as I lied on my bed.

I turned to my side restlessly.

My father always told me to observe things with my own eyes before making any judgement; it seems like I need to listen to his words more.

What time is it now? I thought idly. It was already past my usual sleeping time, but I have been tossing and turning for a while and unable to sleep.

However, there was one thing about the girl that was true.

“I wonder if she is feeling better now…”

It seems like the rumours about Lady Liliana being sickly was true as she had fallen ill after falling into the water and was spending the night in the Royal Palace. I wanted to visit her when I heard about it, but I was stopped by the servants as they were afraid the cold will spread to me.

I had a strong constitution so I didn’t think I will catch a cold so easily, but I was unable to convince the servants, so I had not seen Lady Liliana since the evening.

I tossed and turned around for awhile more before I sat up.

If she is already sleeping, then just taking a peek to make sure she is okay should be fine right?

It was uncharacteristic of me to leave my room in the middle of the night, but there was a strong feeling in me that made me want to take a look at her no matter what.

With a dark coloured blanket wrapped around me over my sleeping clothes, I opened the door of my room. After making sure the corridor was clear, I quickly tiptoed down the silent hall.

The room that Lady Liliana was staying in was at a slightly secluded area near the back of the Royal Palace but was not to difficult to reach with the help of the intricate maps I had memorised in my spare time.

While hiding in dark corners and creeping between pillars, I was somehow able to avoid the guards patrolling and reach the area where Lady Liliana was staying at. However, right before I turned around a corner to her room, I saw a familiar figure that should not be there.

Although I immediately hid back with a pounding heart, a stern voice sounded out towards my direction.

“Charles? Is that you? What are you doing here?”

How was he able to accurately guess that it was me?

With slightly warm cheeks from being caught, I turned back and walked towards the man who was standing in front of Lady Liliana’s room.

“Good evening, father,” I greeted with a small nod.

The man who had the same caramel coloured hair and blue eyes as me was the King of the country. It was difficult for me to meet him as he was always busy with work, but he was someone whom I wish I didn't meet now.

Father looked at the door to Lady Liliana’s room before looking back at me again. A feeling of dread crept into my heart. Sure enough, he lifted up the corners of his mouth into a meaningful smile and asked, “What is this? Visiting a lady’s room in the night? Even though you are so young, you already know how to do things like this?”

“N-no. It’s not like that,” I stammered.

“Oh? Then what is this?”

“Lady Liliana is sick so I wanted to see if she is better…”

“Even then… At this timing?”

“I wasn’t able to see her in the day, so…”

“I understand, I understand. I just saw her. She’s cute isn’t she?”

Knowing that he was teasing me, I just lowered my head and kept silent as my face burned. I was starting to regret having stepped out of my room.

“Trevor, stop teasing your son like this. His face is redder than beetroot.”

I looked up and saw Lord Remington stepping out from the shadow of a wall with a wry smile on his face.

As I thought, I should have never stepped out of my room… I wanted to hug my head and run back to my room immediately, but as that would be rude, I greeted the Marquis as calmly as I could.

“There is a man coming to visit your daughter at night, why are you speaking up for him?”

“You are the only one with wrong thoughts here,” the Marquis answered as he massaged his temples.

Then, turning to me, Lord Remington asked, “Prince Charles, it is already quite late. Although I am heartened by your concern for Liliana, shouldn’t it be time for you to sleep?”

From the Marquis’s eyes he did not seem to be upset, but was genuinely puzzled. I took a deep breath as I gathered what remained of my courage.

“I was having trouble sleeping as there was a prickly feeling in my chest… I really just wanted to take a look at Lady Liliana. Since she is fine, I will go back to my room first…”

Just as I was about to turn around and escape from the place, Lord Remington stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.

“How do you know Liliana is fine without seeing her?”

“Eh?”

“Since you are here, why don’t you go in and take a look?”

I looked into the Marquis’s eyes and asked, “Will this really be okay?”

“She is your fiancée. I should be the one feeling grateful to you.”

Was that something a father should be saying with a bitter expression? I could feel that there was a deeper meaning to his words but something made me hesitate to ask further.

Suddenly, the door to Lady Liliana’s room opened and a woman with black hair tied up in a ponytail appeared between the slit. I recognised her to be one of the personal maids of Lady Liliana. She looked to be around 17 to 18 of age and seemed to be of higher status than the other two maids who came with them from how they listened to her orders without question. She seemed to be deeply trusted by Lady Liliana as well, as she had turned to her when she was embarrassed by Aedus earlier.

“Did something happen?” the Marquis asked as he peered into the room. From where I was standing, I could see a dark coloured lump in the middle of the four-poster bed deep in the room.

“That is the question I would like to ask. I heard voices coming from the corridor, so I was wondering if something had happened.”

“Ah, sorry. Were we loud?”

“No. Lady Liliana is still sound asleep.”

Even when facing her master, the maid had an expressionless face.

Just then, her eyes darted to me, and I saw surprise appearing her grey pupils. She gave a bow in my direction and I quickly replied by giving a nod in return.

“What is his Highness doing here?” she enquired towards the Marquis with a slightly puzzled expression.

“He is here to see Liliana. Let him in,” Lord Remington replied matter-of-factly.

The maid cast me a strange look, but opened the door wider to let me enter.

I took a deep breath before I stepped into the room.

The room was dark with the curtains down. The only source of light was from the candle on the bedside table.

I approached the bed with soft steps, and stopped when I was standing by her bedside with my back to the curtains and looking over her.

She was fast asleep, but the faint light made her face look unearthly pale.

“No…”

She was really unwell as I realised that her forehead was wet with sweat droplets and her lips were trembling slightly.

Beside me, the maid bent forward and gently wiped off the sweat from her forehead with a dry towel. At the touch, Lady Liliana frowned with her eyes still closed and her lips parted slightly as she took in air in gasps. The maid turned to take a wet handkerchief and pressed it on her lips to make them moist.

“Her fever is still not going down. At this rate, ‘they’ are going to come,” the Marquis muttered under his breath as he stood next to me.

Who is the ‘they’ that he is talking about? I looked up to see the Marquis and my father staring at each other from across the bed.

“It will be fine. I have deployed more guards at the perimeter of the castle, and Alena is looking over the barrier protecting the castle. No one will reach this room.”

Hearing his words, I finally understood the reason why the guards patrolling the corridors were lesser than usual.

Just then, I felt a tingling sensation up my spine.

Something is coming, I instantly realised.

My heart thumped at the uncomfortable feeling and all of my hair stood on its end.

Something is coming, and it is coming fast, a tiny voice in my head warned.

The Marquis and my father seemed to have felt something as well, as their eyes tensed and the atmosphere in the room turned uneasy all of a sudden.

The maid straightened up from her care giving and studied the three of us.

“I see. So ‘they’ have arrived?”

A bitter smile flickered through her face as she added, “Having magic sure is convenient…”

The only two persons in the room who would understand her words did not reply to her question as they continued their stiff stance. Unsure of what to do next, I kept quiet and clenched my fists.

All of a sudden, the Marquis turned his head towards the window.

“Diana, from the window!” he snapped in a suppressed voice.

“Understood.”

In a swift movement, the maid lifted the curtains and drew out a sword with her other hand. A silver glint carved through the room to form a straight line with her arm.

Where was she keeping her sword?

Does she know that showing unsheathed weapons in front of the King is punishable by death?

And is she really just a maid?

Alarming thoughts flashed through my mind. But before I could think further, my eyes were dragged towards the window.

What should have been a bright night from the full moon, was being blocked by growing shadows.

“So it is from the air this time?” father mused.

The identity of the shadows soon showed itself to be gigantic birds resembling vultures with a wingspan of at least two metres covered with dark feathers. Black tendrils seemed to be enveloping their entire body giving it a smoky, eerie feeling.

At the front of the group was a quickly approaching monster. Its red, beady eyes glowed in the dark as it focused on its targets, us, before diving down at breakneck speed.

I took in a sharp breath and closed my eyes as I raised my arms up in anticipation of the impact.

However, the sound of windows breaking never appeared.

I opened my eyes and saw that it had hit an invisible wall around one metre away from the window. Sparks appeared and scattered across its wings. The screeches coming from the large beak should have been loud, however in the room, all sounds were strangely muffled. Was it part of the magic surrounding the barrier?

The monster squirmed in agony for a moment before it slid down.

“What was that…” My eyes widened as I stared at the spot that the monstrous bird had just attacked a moment ago.

Footsteps approached me until it reached my side. I looked up to see father giving a smile that did not reach his eyes. I immediately had a bad premonition about what he was going to say next.

“That is the reason why she is your fiancée.”

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Thanks for all the support so far!

I have a couple of questions I need everyone's help with!
1) Do you think if I should continue posting here or upload it to websites like RRL/Wattpad?
2) Do you think if the story deserves the comedy tag? I am trying to go for a lighthearted and easygoing atmosphere but I am not sure if anyone else apart from me finds the jokes funny. LOL