Why Did I Become the Villainess?

Mister Sewell Saintillevé smiled at me. "The people. They are right when they say you are an angel because I can clearly see that you are. Too bad..." he didn't continue what he wanted to say and just shook his head.

I frown. Why didn't he continue his words? "Too bad?"

He just smiles at me and shakes his head. "Dame Csille, why don't you sit first so we can talk properly." He then asks one of his guards to give me a chair.

I smile at the guard and thank him before I look at Mister Sewell again. I am curious. What does he want to talk about? 

Although I want to ask him that question, I just remain quiet and wait for him to talk. I still know that I am in the territory of an enemy. It is better to talk less, or I might say something I shouldn't have said.

And Mister Sewell is still enjoying his cup of tea. He is casually sipping his tea right now. After a sip, he put it down and stared at me. "I'm sorry. I was too stressed lately, that's why I often like to drink tea to make me relax. I hope you understand."

I shake my head. How can I complain? Although he isn't considered a royalty now, he still has the blood of the ancient royalty of the Vrawyth Kingdom. Wouldn't that be rude of me if I complained? Also, I love teas too. So, I understand why he is taking his time with it. 

"I understand, Mister Sewell. I am a tea connoisseur too, and I understand that drinking tea shouldn't be rush. So, take your time."

"Oh, if I am not mistaken, you also brew tea, right? I heard you even had the highest score in the tea ceremony in Grand Exemplary Competition five years ago, right?"

I smile politely at him. "I was just lucky, but I'm sure many young ladies right now can surpass me already."

I was startled when Mister Sewell laughed all of a sudden. "Dame Csille, aren't you being too humble? After you get that score, no one in following annual Grand Exemplary Competition surpasses your score. That only means your talent is exceptional. I heard that even his majesty, King Simmond loves your tea."

I felt my body slightly tense up when I heard him mention the King. He knows what's the current status between the Astalieus and the Saintillevé Family. Does he really need to mention King Simmond? Isn't he afraid that I might be suspicious of him if he does that?

Mister Saintillevé probably noticed my uneasiness because he immediately stopped talking. He takes another sip of his tea before he talk to me again. "Don't worry. I only mentioned the King because I know how he loves your tea. However, I don't mean any harm with my question. So, you don't have to be tense up."

I heave a sigh and bow my head. "Apologies, Mister Saintillevé. I didn't mean to think that way. I..." I couldn't continue my words because I felt that the more I said something, the more I felt like I was insulting him.

I heard Mister Saintillevé laugh. "You don't have to be nervous around me, Dame Csille. I call you here to express my gratitude for what you did to me and not to talk about the royal family. So, you don't have to worry. Also, you don't have to say sorry. I understand why you think that way, but you can be assured that this is just a friendly talk and nothing more."

Is it really that way? 

I heave a sigh and smile at him. "Mister Saintillevé, you really don't need to say thank you to me. The mere fact that you're already okay now is enough for me. I'm glad I was able to help you and that you are getting better already." 

Mister Saintillevé shakes his head. "How can I let it be like that? You have saved my life. I don't think it's okay for me not to express my gratitude to you? Dame Csille, is it okay for you to have a meal with me after I get discharged from the hospital?"

A meal? I didn't expect he would ask Csille a question like that this soon. Is it a sign that my time as a villainess is near already?

"You don't have to agree if you don't want to have a meal with me. I will understand. I know it will be difficult for you to have a meal with someone who is considered the enemy of your fiancé. So, I understand."

I shake my head. "Mister Saintillevé, please don't misunderstand. I was just worried that people might say something to me or to you if they see us having a meal. But this is not about his highness, Prince Fraser."

Mister Saintillevé stares at me for a couple of seconds before he nods his head. "If you are worried about that, then I will ensure that no one will see us together. So, you don't have to worry about it. I just don't think saying thank you to you will be enough for what you have done to me. You have saved my life, Dame Csille, and I think it is only right for me to treat my savior a meal. If that is okay with you, of course."

He is really fast. I didn't expect he would lay out his offer to Csille this soon. What's there to rush? Isn't he afraid that it might make Csille suspicious of him?

I heave a sigh. I don't have a choice but to say yes to his offer. Also, I want to see how the meal will end. I'm already looking forward to it.

"You really don't need to do this, actually. As I said, I am already okay with the fact that you are okay now. But if this is the only way that will make you feel good, then how can I decline? It will be my honor to talk to you, Mister Sewell Saintillevé."

I heard him sigh in relief which I didn't understand. Are they in a rush? 

"Thank you for not declining the meal, Dame Csille. You can rest assured that I will do my very best to keep this from everyone. So, you don't have to worry about anything. Also, I heard that because of the collision, your carriage had damage. May I know how much do I need to pay for the damages?"

I shake my head. "You don't need to pay for anything. It was an accident, and no one was at fault. It is already fixed, so there's really nothing you should worry about." Then I look at the two guards on the side. "Haven't I mentioned it to your guards? I already told them a couple of times not to worry about the damages."

"My guards told me what you have said to them. However, how can I just let it be? We are the reason why your carriage was damaged. Aside from that, I heard that the collision is actually strong enough to make your carriage shakes. I think it is only right for me to pay because I have endangered your life."

I know he is just worried about not safety, but why is he so insisting? Can't he just accept the answer no? 

"Mister Saintillevé, I understand where you are coming from. However, I wasn't injured because of the accident. So, you don't have to get worried about it."

He then shakes his head. It looks like this conversation wouldn't end unless I agree to what he wants. "How can I not get worried? You were endangered because of me. So, I hope you can let me pay for the damages for your carriage. This is the only way that will make me feel better."

Having no choice, I ended up agreeing to his want, and he paid me a million centimes for the damages, which I declined at first. 

A million centimes? For the damages of the carriage? That is too much. But because he kept insisting, I had no choice but to accept this. I know the conversation wouldn't end as long as I didn't accept the money. So, to spare us from wasting time, I just ended up accepting the money.

Mister Saintillevé looks at the clock before he looks at me. "I won't be taking your time, Dame Csille. I know you are a busy woman. I'll just send you a letter once I get discharged from the hospital and to also update you with our meal."

I nod my head and stand up from my seat. "I will be leaving then. I hope you recover fast."

After a few exchanges of words, the guard leads me out of the building while the nurse who led me inside the building finds me a carriage to hire.

I look outside the window of the carriage and sigh. It's almost near. I am almost at the climax of the story. 

Am I prepared for it?

________________________________

I get off the carriage a couple of blocks away from the Foundation so I can find an excuse that I was out because I did something important. And because the place I have gone to is nearby, I decided to just walk instead of riding a carriage.

The coachman is waiting outside the Foundation, so I cannot say I hire a carriage because he will definitely question it. I don't want other people to know that I met Sewell Saintillevé, especially the coachman, or else he will tell it to my parents.

And I cannot involve anyone dear to me with this. I would rather face this alone than to bring anyone down with me. 

"Dame Csille!" Lilla immediately welcomed the moment she saw me walking from a distance. She then looks at my back. "Why are you walking? Where is..." she didn't finish her words and shook her head. "Dame Csille, your coachman has been waiting for you for hours now. I told him that you were doing something important today, but he keeps asking me questions I didn't know how to answer."

I nod my head at Lilla and look at the coachman, who is already walking towards us. He then bows his head when he stops in front of me. "Dame Csille, where have you been? Lady Lilla here said you were doing something important today however, I don't understand why you didn't call me? Did you just walk around? Also, why didn't I see you getting out of the Foundation? I was here all afternoon waiting for your work to end. So, I don't understand why I wasn't able to see you getting out of the Foundation."

It's a good thing I already think of an excuse to say to our coachman, or else I will be doomed. "I was out to do an errand, and I didn't look for you anymore because it's just nearby. And for your question about why you didn't see me, I heard from the guard that you took a toilet break when I got out to the foundation. I was actually planning to look for you initially, but because I didn't see you, I just decided to walk on my own. Did I make you worried? Apologies, what I did this afternoon was something urgent, and I couldn't wait for someone, that's why I decided to go on my own. I hope you understand."

The coachman looked at me for a couple of seconds before I heard him sigh. "But you could have waited for me, Dame Csille. What if something happened to you while you were out? The Count and the Countess will definitely blame me if that happens. So, I hope you wouldn't do it again. If you have something urgent to do, please bring me along with you, or if you couldn't wait, please bring any guards with you."

I nod my head at him. I know he is only concerned about my safety, so I don't want to argue anymore.. But I couldn't promise that I'll never do it because I knew I will.