The carriage stops in front of the palace.
I'm absolutely shaken. I don't know what part of the game I'm in and Katie didn't give mention any of this in that book.
What am I going to do? What if something bad happens and I push my exile date further?
It's not too late to turn around and make a run for it. I really don't want to go.
I can stay alive for much longer if I avoid the heroine and the male leads. But I'm curious, I want to see. No! I need to see the characters. Maybe it'll finally erase any part of myself that doubts my current situation.
I peer out through the carriage window. Other aristocrats and nobles are outside exchanging greetings and pleasantries. All the people I'm looking at now will eventually turn on me when Veronica loses her place in high society.
"My lady we can't just stay parked her forever" the Coachman says to me.
"Oh right I was just lost in my thoughts"
I can't just avoid social gatherings for the rest of my life. The carriage door opens and the coachman helps me down. The sunlight hits my eyes temporarily blinding me.
"Oh I can't believe she showed up"
"Shhhh quiet she might hear you"
"Poor Prince Damien engaged to such a person"
Ugh! They could at least have the decency to say this when I was out of earshot.
Veronica has always had enemies amongst the nobles, people who didn't approve of her engagement to the Crown prince.
I can't exactly blame them for not approving of Veronica. From the way she shameless harasses the heroine, it was inevitable that she'd give herself a bad reputation.
I can feel eyes staring holes into me. I've never been good when dealing with public appearances or relations.
And I doubt anyone would want to be associated with me. A child of the cursed and broken home Henderson. The coachman escorts me to the entrance where he bows and takes his leave.
The guard and at the door bows and opens the door. The inside of the palace is lovely. Other nobles are still lingering by the halls. I can't help but admire the interior design of the palace. I stop by a painting on the wall. It's a painting of Prince Damien and his brother Erick. He looks like the picture Joana showed me.
My heart feels warm, I looked at the painting once more and I can't help but smile. I continue my walk down the halls until I reached the entrance of the ballroom. A scrawny looking man is standing in front of the door. He looked me up from head to toe and sneered.
"No escort my lady" he said in a voice that oozed nothing but contempt.
I can sense the contempt behind his words. A noble lady who's fiance couldn't even be bothered to be her partner. I can hear the snickers of the nobles behind me. What can I do in this situation?!
"Come now I'm here to wish his majesty's happy birthday surely I don't need an escort for that"
The snickers behind me intensifies, did I say something I wasn't suppose to?. I may have worsened my situation.
"Ooh it seems that my lady has been so isolated from society that you has forgotten how to act properly in public"
The nobles behind me giggle and whisper among themselves. Ugh! Curse that damn Prince he's suppose to be my escort. He's probably somewhere busy with Charlotte.Was this the humiliation Veronica had to suffer because that scumbag of a fiancee so badly wanted to call off their engagement!!
Rather than do it privately he's announcing to the nobles that he wants absolutely nothing to do with Veronica. I understand that Veronica may not be the best person character wise but does she really deserve this kind of treatment.
If I see that prince I'm going to give him a piece of my mind but for right now how do I remedy this situation?!!
"Pardon the intrusion but I hope I haven't kept you waiting my lady"
I feel a tap on my shoulder and I look up to see the second prince Erick.
"My apologies I was so busy welcoming guests that I left you alone, I do hope this hasn't upset you in anyway"
I simply just shake my head short of words that could describe my situation. He's the second male lead the younger brother of Damien the crown prince.
My first encounter with one of the books characters. Prince Erick is the second character to fall for Charlotte after saving her during the Hunting Competition arc from Demon hounds. After saving her from the demonic creatures he falls for her and promises to protect her from all harm.
He also makes an enemy of Veronica but doesn't do anything worth noting from there, still I can't afford to let my guard down.
I'm still the villain in this cheesy god-awful game. If the game follows its original plan I'll be more than in a lot of trouble. If I can somehow make him an ally I won't get banished, but it also means I might not end up with a death sentence.
"My lady shall we get going"
I intertwine my arm with his and I lean in closer to him. Right now I need to get out of this situation before Veronica's reputation drops even worse from whatever level it's currently at. Affiliating myself with one of the prince's can boost my reputation or it may have the opposite effect and I'll be called a cheater, which ever one happens first I guess.
"Yes my prince"
The announcer stood with with jaw dropped. He looked shocked perhaps he didn't expected the Crown prince's rejected fiance to have an escort.
I smirked and stuck my tongue at him. Hmmph! you better hope I get banished because I am not going to forget this. Vengeance will be mine. I walk with my head high and I swing my hair making sure it slapped him in the face. I can hear him gritting his teeth behind me.
"Enter His royal highness Prince Erick and Lady Veronica"
The door to the ballroom opened and every eye suddenly turned and faced me. I can hear the nobles whispering.
"Lady Veronica and Prince Erick"
"Has she no shame"
"Guess who decided to show up"
"What an eyesore"
"This is impressive"
"She disgraces the Henderson family name"
"Her parents would roll in their graves if they could see her"
High society is...is a scary place. I don't need to look them in the eyes to know that they don't approve of me. The daggers they're staring into my back speaks volumes of just how many people despise Veronica.
"Calm down the most they can do is stare" Erick said to me.
I look to him as he gives me a reassuring smile. What a gentleman! He'd be perfect if he didn't plan on banishing me. Ugh! What a bunch of vultures you won't be pick at my remains.
"What's with that scary look you'll get wrinkles that way"
"Ummm yes sorry about that"
"I have to greet some friends of mine so wait here I'll be back soon"
Huh! What does he mean by soon, He can't leave me I'll be socially stranded. If I'm left alone they'll eat me alive. I cling tighter onto his arm.
"Lady Veronica whatever shall I do with you"
He sighs but ultimately lets me follow him. He greets a couple of his friends and I'm forced to say hello to them I feel so awkward. I wanna go home I can't take this anymore. As he greets the last guest. I can't help but sigh in relief. I really don't feel like socializing today. I was never a social person in my previous life and I'm in no rush to become one.
"So did you consider it?"
"Consider what?" I ask
"Please don't tell you've already forgotten"
"Huh!.. me forget don't be ridiculous"
"Oh really so you know what I'm asking about" He asked with a smirk on his face.
"Certainly my prince" I answer nodded my head to go with the flow of the conversation.
"So will you agree to this method"
"Give me some time to think about it"
"But last time you told me that you had already made up your mind. If you can recall I'm the one who insisted you take the time to reconsider your decision. You showed so much resolve I was certain that by now you'd reached a decision and be fully aware of what exactly you're getting into"
"Well I still need some time to think about it"
"If you say so"
Did Veronica and Prince Erick have a relationship like this. From what I read he didn't pay any attention to her. But the conversation were having now says otherwise. Veronica and Prince Erick didn't interact with each other often and if they did it involved Charlotte in one way or the other. Anyway it looks like we are on good terms. If I befriend him even if I do end up facing a death sentence or banishment, he'll intercede for me and my punishment will be light.
Who knows I might even get banished to a more inhabitable place than where I'm originally meant to be. With some effort and with proper timing I can call off my engagement with Damien and get engaged to him. After all this story only begins because Veronica's competing with Charlotte for the love of the Crown prince.
But if there's no competition at all then I can avoid all contact with them. Those lovesick birds can live together and die together for all I care.
"That's a curious face you're making what are you thinking about?" Erick says. His voice briefly distracting me from my thoughts
"I just had a crazy idea"
"Care to share it"
Before I could reply music starts playing. And the nobles around us find their partners and begin dancing. I'm in real trouble now. I don't know how to dance. Please I'm begging you don't ask me to dance. I don't know how to. And with all those eagle eyed nobles watching me a single blunder and I'll ruin myself socially.
"My lady may I please have this dance with you"
"Certainly my prince"
Now I've done it. I'm going to completely humiliate myself. What should I do?!! How do I get out of this situation. Why did I say yes the first time??
He leads me to the dance floor and takes my hand in his. I just stand still having no idea what exactly I'm meant to do so I place my free hand on his shoulder while he wraps his hand around my waist. He gives me a quizzical look and we start to dance. We sway graciously to the music. I can hear the wows and see the various expressions they are making. Hah! Dancing is easy I don't know what I was so worried about.
Everything was going well until I stepped on his foot.
Why? Why? Why? Why!
Okay let's pretend that never happened.
I can't stop stepping on him. I can't look him in the eyes. Everything was going so well a couple moments ago.
"Lady Veronica I'd prefer it if you'd turn down my offer rather than this disgrace I'm going through right now" He said with a hint of annoyance in his voice
"I'm sorry it's just I....I.. it's not like that...."
There is a loud trumpet and all eyes were focused on the door.
"Lady Charlotte and Prince Damien"
The door opens are my heart stops on seeing him. My heart flutters and my cheeks feel warm. Why am I feeling like this. I barely know this guy. But this feeling I have inside my chest says otherwise. Then by his side is the heroine, her hair looks like gold as it gently bathes in the light.
Her eyes are a deep beautiful blue that resembles the ocean. She truly is the protagonist of this world. Seeing her walking in with the Crown prince hand in hand makes my blood boil.
And there's a new feeling welling up inside of me. I can feel my fingernails sinking deep into the skin of my palms. I've never felt so irritated in my entire life. Is it irritation I feel or is it anger?
But why on earth would I be angry?