Why Did I Become the Villainess?

Chapter 351  : Welcoming

  I just look at him with a frown on my face. He is here to fetch me? But as far as I know, we don't have any plan to meet today. So, what is he talking about?   "Your highness, forgive me, but I don't understand what you mean. Fetch me? For what?" I look at my table full of documents. "But I have work to do today. I don't think I can jo—"

  I wasn't able to continue what I wanted to say because Prince Fraser looked at me coldly. "Is work more important to you than to welcome the guests from other Kingdoms? Father has something important to do this afternoon, so he asks me to take his place and welcome the guests. And as the fiancée of the Crown Prince, you also have the responsibility to welcome the guests on behalf of the King and the Queen. So, tell me, Dame Csille, what is more important to you?"

  Welcoming the guests?  I look at the calendar and heave a sigh. It is really the date where Prince Fraser and Csille will welcome the guests from other Kingdoms. How can I forget about that? I have written this scene.   I bow my head at Prince Fraser as an apology. "Apologies, your highness, that is not what I mean with my words. How can I refuse welcoming the guests from other Kingdoms and Cities? That will be my honor to do that. I just didn't know you were here for that." I put the documents on the side and stand up. "Please give me some time to prepare myself, your highness. It will be rude to welcome the guests with my current appearance."

  I usually wear a common dress when I am just at work because I don't want to make my employees and the people I help to feel that I am different from them. Although this dress is still appropriate for a noble lady to wear, it is not appropriate to welcome the guests with this.   After all, most of the guests who will attend the Birthday Banquet are either a noble, a royalty, or someone who has a higher position. It will be rude not to welcome them with an appropriate dress.

  We cannot afford to gain another enemy again. The war is coming soon. We need to strengthen our alliance with other Kingdoms and Cities. It is to ensure the safety of the Vrawyth Kingdom from its downfall.

  I was about to go outside my office to change my dress when I suddenly heard Prince Fraser say something.   "Even if you wear a bag of sack, you will always be beautiful in my eyes, Csille." I can hear the sincerity in his voice. The sincerity I refuse to believe because it will only hurt me in the end. "I can also assure you that everyone will agree with me."

  I smile bitterly. Really? If I am always beautiful in your eyes, then why can't you see me? Why can't you choose me?   What will I do with this beauty if I will not end up with the person I love? This beauty? It's a curse, Prince Fraser.

  I decided not to say anything to him because I was afraid I'd say something I shouldn't say to him. I just get out of my office and head straight to my room.

  I have my own room here. So, even if I decided to work until midnight, I wouldn't have to return to our residence and instead rest here. I also have a couple of dresses here, in case of emergencies, and I need to change my dress.   I was about to enter my room when Lilla came out of nowhere. "Dame Csille!"

  I almost jumped when I heard her. I heave a sigh and look at her. "Lilla, can you not startle me like that?"

  Lilla bows her head and smiles cheekily at me. "Apologies, Dame Csille. I didn't mean to startle you. I heard his highness. Prince Fraser is here. Did you meet him already?"

  I nod my head. "Yes, it's the reason why I am here. I need to change my dress."

  Lilla frowns and looks at my dress. "What's wrong with your dress? It looks decent. Why do you need to change your dress? Don't you also wear that kind of dress when meeting the other royalties? So, I don't understand why the need for a change?"

 I smile at Lilla. "It's because we will be welcoming guests from other Kingdoms and Cities. It will be rude of me to wear something common like this while welcoming them." n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Lilla nods her head. "Guests from other Kingdoms?" She then walks toward me and holds my hand. "There will be guests from other Kingdoms and even Cities? Does it means we will be seeing royalties then?" Lilla gushes. "Dame Csille! Do you want me to help you pick your dress? Although my fashion sense is way better than yours, I can still help you with the dress and your hair."

  I smile at Lilla and nod my head. "If you insist, then you can come inside. I wouldn't refuse any help right now."

 After all, most of my dresses need help from other people to wear it. Having Lilla with me will definitely help.   Lilla gasped when she saw the dresses hanging in my closet. It's the closet where my decent dresses can be found. Although it is decent, its material is all high quality. Some are even made of rare fabrics or have rare gems. So I understand why does Lilla look like an excited child.

  She then looks at me excitedly. "Dame Csille, is this really your dress? They are beautiful! I have never seen a closet like this. Everything looks majestic and expensive." She then looks at each dress. "Dame Csille, is it okay for me to touch them?"

  I laugh at her question. "Sure, you can touch any dress you want. If you want, you can also pick any dress you like. I'll give it to you."

  Lilla's eyes widened when she heard what I said. "Dame Csille, is it true? Will you really give me anything I like? What if I like five dresses? Will you still give it to me?"

  I walk toward Lilla and pick the most expensive dress in the closet and give it to her. "I already told you, right? You can pick any dress you like. If you like five dresses, sure you can take that."

  I walk towards the closet where my formal dresses can be found. Although these dresses are nothing compared to the dresses I have in the Lauretré residence, this will do. It will take time if I decide to return home. I am also sure Prince Fraser wouldn't like it if I would return home.

 I look at the dresses and sigh. Most of the dresses here have darker colors because the real Csille likes darker colors. She thought if she used darker color dresses, it would compliment her red hair. But she forgets that red can be clearly emphasized if she uses light color dresses instead.

  "Dame Csille, what dress will you wear?" Lilla suddenly pops up behind me. She then starts to look for a dress in the closet. "Dame Csille, I think this burgundy dress will suit you. It will highlight your white glowy skin, and it will compliment your hair since it's also a shade of red."

  I look at the dress Lilla is holding and shake my head. It is actually a beautiful dress, but I want to wear something light, simple but still elegant. Something the real Csille won't wear.   My eyes widen when I see a yellow dress. It doesn't look like the typical dress you can find here. Its long sleeve is made out of mesh, and even the long skirt of the dress has a mesh as its outer skirt. It looks dainty but beautiful.   I take it out of my closet and show it to Lilla. "This. This is the dress I will wear."

  Lilla looks at the dress and frowns. "But isn't this design not common in the Vrawyth Kingdom? Are you sure you want to wear this? The dress looks gorgeous, but you know these dresses often find their owner who'll complement it."

  I look at the dress and raise my eyebrow at her. "Do you think I wouldn't be able to pull this off?"

  Lilla looks at the dress and me before she shakes her head. "I think you will look good on this. I'm sure his highness will like you more if he sees you wearing this dress."

 Prince Fraser will like me? Nah, that is impossible. How can the male lead like the villainess?   I just smiled at Lilla and asked her to help me get dressed, which she happily obliged. We didn't take much time dressing up since the dress doesn't have much clothing underneath.   Lilla made me face the mirror, and I almost believed I was in the real world again when I saw myself. The dress doesn't look like a medieval dress. It looks like a mesh fairy dress in the real world.   Lilla shrieks when she sees my reflection in the mirror. "Dame Csille, you are beautiful. The title of the most beautiful lady among the Kingdoms really suits you. You look ethereal. I don't think anyone can ever take that title from you."   I smile bitterly at myself. Yes, Lilla is right. Csille Lauretré is definitely a beautiful lady. However, what does this beauty mean if she cannot have the love of her life?   I look at Lilla and ask her to help me with my hair. We decided to put some small flowers on my hair to suit my dress.   Lilla shrieks again after putting the last flower on my head. "Dame Csille, if I were a man, I would definitely fall for you. You are not just beautiful, but you are also smart and kind. I sometimes feel like you are too good to be true. Like a character in the novel."

  Character in the novel? How will she reacts if she knows what she said is right? That I am a character in a novel. So does everyone. I'm sure she wouldn't believe it.

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  The moment I stepped out of the Foundation, I heard gasps from the people nearby. I even heard compliments from people walking inside the Foundation.   Lilla giggles. "I told you, Dame Csille. Everyone will be shocked by your beauty. Look how those people stare at you. It's as if they couldn't get enough of your beauty."

  I look at Lilla and shake my head. "Lilla, your words. What will the people say if they hear you say something like that?"   Lilla immediately covers her mouth and bows her head at me. "Forgive me, Dame Csille. I just couldn't help but be proud of how they look at you. I will be careful with my words next time."  I just smile at her and walk towards the carriage of Astalieus. I heard from Mairenn that his highness decided to wait inside the carriage.   But before I can take a step towards the carriage, its door opens, and a dashingly handsome Prince Fraser gets off the carriage. He stares at me for a couple of seconds before he walks toward me and offers his hand.   "My beautiful lady, may I?"

  I look at his hand he is offering to me before I put my hand on his. "I apologize for making you wait. I was making sure I looked presentable when welcoming the guests. I don't want to embarrass the whole Vrawyth Kingdom or the Astalieus."

  Prince Fraser stares into my eyes for a couple of seconds before he kisses the back of my palm. "You always look presentable no matter what you wear, Csille." He then helps me get inside the carriage.

  I look at Prince Fraser and shake my head. I'll just pretend I didn't hear anything than to hope for something that is impossible.   It was already written. Prince Fraser will never end up with the villainess.