The ride to Count Gezelmon's estate was deafeningly silent. The tension was like this weird static sound that filled the air and it suddenly became normal again the minute my amorous fiancée asked me, with a voice that was obviously trying so hard to maintain an even tone,
"How did you know?"
I didn't bother to raise my chin from my palm and smiled a little. I was wondering when he would ask that.
"Oh, about the colour of the dress? When your charming sister suddenly sent me a dress that supposedly matched the colour of your suit tonight, I couldn't believe it. Truthfully, we all know how little you and your siblings think of me. The minute when you suddenly play nice is when I start sniffing out the truth behind it." I averted my eyes to look at the moon outside the window, and I could imagine how good I look in the moonlight.
"I get the part where even you can be quick to catch on things, but how come you've figured out the exact colour of my suit? Did you plant a spy near us or something?" He narrowed his eyes at me, and being a full fledged Korean in my past life, I don't like it when someone who's younger than me look at me that way.
I held the back of my neck and tilted my head back to control my blood pressure. When I looked down again, I'm pretty sure my elegant smile from before morphed into looking like a snide one. No matter what world I'm in, it seems that I always have to keep my temper in check. He's lucky I didn't went straight ahead to slap his stupid face.
"Seriously, Your Highness, do I have to answer that? It's because you're predictable, and painfully so. We both know my favourite colour to wear is red, so it isn't hard to figure out that you would try to amp up the irony by making me wear something completely different from that. Besides, the fashion rage right know is dark colours and burgundy is obviously a darker shade of red. Now that I've explained it to you, you would understand why even a simpleton could figure that out." I clapped my hands together, being mockingly cheery as I took a jab at his failure of a scheme, trying to humiliate me at a social function for nobles.
How does it feel to be called painfully predictable, by the one girl who's always being manipulated by you? I hope it humbled you down a bit. Despite all that haughtiness and the holier than thou attitude, many of us readers didn't ship the heroine with you nor your brother. We rooted for Mr. Third Choice, Theodore Paragon who was the Royal Court Healer of your own castle.
Our choice of who we think should end up with the heroine says a lot about you and your brother as characters in the novel. In fact, besides the heroine, we hated both of your guts the most.
"Are you trying to imply I'm slow, Lady Emilia?" He gritted his teeth, and I could see the veins popping up on the back of his hand as he gripped on the leather seats hard.
Implying? Sweetheart, that was the most direct and polite way to say, 'You're stupid', in my opinion. I should literally just shout those two words right into your ears now that I hear asking me such a foolish question. You're stupid, okay? Stupid as in mentally slow to catch up on obvious things.
Besides, it's just a colour of a dress. Stop trying to make a big deal out of it. So what if I'm matching with you? Oh no, now it's totally obvious that we're engaged to each other when all that grand public announcement about us being betrothed to each other wasn't a loud indication enough. Ugh...
Lord, help me.
"Truthfully, Prince Gerard, I have no intention to argue with you tonight. Let's just quietly seethe in anger together until we arrive at the Count's estate. Then, you could dance with all the other girls tonight without worrying about me." I snipped spitefully though my face remains cold, staring out of the window because I decided that the looming figures of the trees were more interesting than his handsome face.
This is Emilia's feelings taking over, the grief taking over a girl's heart when the man you call your betrothed resents you as much as you love him. Honestly, it hurts. And it sucks that it hurts. I don't want to feel my chest throbbing for a man who I know by fact is a scumbag.
Emilia, you poor, poor villainess.
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When we arrived, it was still Siegfried who helped me get off the carriage. Yeah, Siegfried, you're an underappreciated extra. But somehow, I get the feeling that you were one of those people who were on Emilia's side. Without giving it a second thought, I patted Siegfried's shoulder and thanked him softly as a small token of gratitude. To my surprise, he gave a small smile as he let go of my other hand.
My face stiffened when I had to hook my hand around the Prince's forearm. He had some delectable muscles alright, but that's besides the point. He's still an irredeemable scumbag in my eyes.
I felt the need to look presentable, a smile naturally growing on my lips as we both entered through the tall wooden doors. The announcer took one glance at me and Prince Gerard and quickly made the other attendants aware of our presence. The crowd below silenced for a bit as they looked at us descending from the stairs.
I could see Princess Sienna in an exclusive corner of her own watching my every move like a hawk. That gawk was worth all the trouble I went through for wearing this dress. No, but, seriously, you and your brother's scheme wasn't that hard to crack open. I was a literal detective in my past life. Although I was aware of the whole plan, I could still figure out how and why you made the choices you did.
"Well, the look on your sister's face is now forever burned in my memory, Prince." I chuckled before we both stopped to go on our separate ways. He didn't forget to send me off with a piercing glare and I gave him a smile instead. I walked towards the balcony, to enjoy the scenery.
Prince Gerard often did this. Leaving Emilia alone at social functions and go off to some other girl behind her back, thinking she wouldn't notice. Then, after he met the heroine, he didn't care anymore. He paraded his close relationship with the heroine in front of her, trying to tell Emilia that the heroine was the one that managed to win his heart, the one thing that Emilia have always wanted. He did that with the heroine for quite some time even before the engagement broke off. Hence why, I always referred to him as the bastard who didn't understand the concept of fidelity.
Now you understand why the other readers didn't really appreciate the relationship between him and the heroine. And some even sympathize with the villainess of the story, even going as far as saying that the heroine was the worst for allowing Prince Gerard do that to the villainess, claiming that she went too far even for a revenge. Well, it was at this exact moment too that suddenly some of the readers were hardcore anti heroine, and my late niece was a part of that movement.
I didn't notice I had a smile on while thinking of my late niece, I also didn't think I would be so deep into it that I wouldn't hear the Princess approaching me from behind.
"I see you caught on what we were planning."
Oh please, how many times do I have to tell you? It's not that deep! It's just the colour of a dress!
GOD!