Episode 69. Radicalization (4)

“If His Grace hears that, he’ll be upset.”

What are they talking about? Percy getting upset? I couldn’t even picture it. I shrugged my shoulders.

“I’d bet he wouldn’t care.”

But the maids were insistent.

“He’d be very upset.”

“He might stay angry for a whole week.”

Are we talking about the same Percy Stewart?

‘Sometimes I feel like everyone’s deceiving me.’

As I hummed skeptically, one of the maids hesitated with a serious expression before speaking.

“More importantly, what should we do if you don’t attend the state funeral? Even if it’s His Majesty’s order…”

Oh, their worries. I waved my hand dismissively.

“Don’t worry about it. Everyone calls me a villainess anyway. They won’t be surprised if I don’t show up.”

“But…”

The maid looked troubled but then clenched her fists with a bit of frustration.

“His Majesty must be jealous of you, Madam. He doesn’t want you to gain anyone’s favor, so he’s preventing you from attending.”

That’s a thought someone who doesn’t know Julius might have. Since I wasn’t at the palace that day, the only surviving royals were Julius and me.

But I shook my head firmly.

“He may be foolish, but he’s not that petty.”

“Oh, Madam!”

“I’m telling you, that’s not how he is.”

The others seemed to want to argue, but I cut them off decisively. As I leaned my chin on my hand and looked lethargic, memories surfaced.

‘Julius would have wanted to see me.’

I remembered Julius crying his heart out in front of Sienna. Then he went back to the palace and killed his father, the Emperor.

Without knowing he was making such a resolution, I had foolishly told him not to cry.

‘Family ties are complicated.’

If he had those thoughts, he should have talked to me! What kind of solution is just crying? If he had spoken, things might have been different.

As I sighed deeply, a maid tried to cheer me up.

“At least the Empress didn’t show up at the state funeral either.”

“They say she was bedridden from the shock.”

I tilted my head.

‘She doesn’t seem like the type to be bedridden from shock. She’d be throwing a party that her son is now the Emperor.’

The relationship between the Emperor and the Empress didn’t seem that good either. Was there something I didn’t know?

“Madam! There’s news from His Grace!”

As I pouted, a maid brought good news.

“He wants to meet you tomorrow at the Great Cathedral for the coronation. It seems His Grace will go directly from the palace to the cathedral and has asked you to bring mourning clothes.”

“Alright.”

Though it was the news I had been eagerly waiting for, I nodded nonchalantly and replied in a nonchalant tone.

“No matter how busy he is, he should make time to come and get me. Isn’t that only natural?”

But the maids started chuckling. I puffed my cheeks like a pufferfish and stared at them, prompting the eldest maid to cover her mouth and reply.

“It’s too late, Madam.”

The other maids chimed in.

“You smile so brightly, then act all pouty.”

“……”

Oh dear, is it that obvious on my face?

You all really know me well.

* * *

Even though it was a coronation, it followed the death of the previous Emperor, so I wore a formal outfit akin to mourning attire. Walking through the cathedral’s restricted sanctuary without any maids accompanying me, I noticed that the nobles who had arrived before me were already whispering.

“It’s Princess Sienna.”

“Look at her naturally walking towards the seat of honor.”

“What an irony. She left the palace for her marriage and ended up saving her life because of it.”

“Shh, quiet. Haven’t you heard the rumors that the former Emperor framed Princess Sienna as a villainess?”

“Some even saw her scolding Crown Prince Julius, who was in tears, just before the incident.”

“…Does that mean she is the power behind the throne?”

They could at least whisper quietly. My head throbbed with their wild speculations. As I walked with feigned indifference, I sighed inwardly.

‘Wow, I knew politics were full of conjectures, but these are terrifying. If I could control Julius, I’d have taken care of the Emperor myself.’

People really spoke carelessly. After overhearing such whispers several times, I finally reached the front row of the sanctuary. Only a select few were allowed in this space, so Percy had to be here.

‘Where is Percy?’

Even as I scanned the area, Percy was nowhere to be found. Just as I was wondering if he might enter after me, it happened.

“Eek!”

“What?”

I hadn’t sensed anyone, but someone suddenly fell where I had been standing a moment ago.

Startled, I turned around, my eyes widening at the sight of golden hair.

Even in this solemn place, her hair was beautifully spread out as if for show. Tears welled up in her blue eyes, making her face look even more pitiful with her red, tear-streaked cheeks.

“I’m sorry, Princess. I, someone like me, dared to block your path.”

She cleverly made it sound as if I had pushed her. I clenched my fists so tightly that the veins on my hands stood out.

‘Beth!’

The protagonist of this game, the kind and virtuous Beth, who charms the male leads with her goodness, was here.

‘We didn’t even brush past each other! What a lie!’

Seeing her tears, I was filled with dread. Regardless of the situation’s truth, her tears and beauty rendered me powerless.

As expected, whispers began to spread around us.

“What happened?”

“Looks like the Princess pushed that woman.”

“As expected of a villainess.”

“Despite her recent mysterious speech, a few ladies seem to follow her… but her true nature can’t be hidden.”

I was being unilaterally criticized for something I didn’t do. I looked at Beth with a hardened face. Tears streamed down her face.

“You won’t forgive me, will you? What should I do?”

“You…!!”

I was furious. I was about to tell her to get up, but I closed my eyes tightly.

‘No, if I react like this, I’ll be following the game’s script.’

In the game, Sienna repeated such acts of villainy and was eventually punished by her fiancé, Daniel Bohan.

But I felt wronged. I hadn’t done anything bad to Beth like the original Sienna did, and now I had to deal with this protagonist who was determined to paint me as a villainess?

‘I understand now; she wants to make me a villainess at all costs.’

Since I left the palace for my marriage to Percy, there was no longer any overlap with Beth and Daniel. Yet, they still wanted to brand me as a villainess?

‘Then I’ll gladly become one. A villainess.’

I opened my eyes wide. Instead of arguing with her, I signaled to the knights standing for the coronation.

“Take this woman to the dungeon immediately!”

“What?!”

Beth’s face turned to one of sheer panic.

But despite her grimaced face, she could only babble incoherently, unable to say anything substantial.

‘Yes, that’s right. You’re the angelic protagonist.’

Even if you suffer injustice, all you can do is shed tears; you can’t curse or resent.

I rebuked her with the most reasonable words.

“This is the place of honor for the coronation. Only my brother and I should be here. Why is this woman here?”

Of course, I didn’t forget to say something that would drive the system mad.

“She must be jealous of my beauty and tried to harm me.”

Villainess rule number one: Who’s the fairest of them all?

Obviously, it’s me.

‘If you’re upset, try to refute it.’

I lifted my chin and looked down at Beth. If I’m going to be a villainess, I might as well imprison and torture the protagonist.

‘You gave me trouble, so it’s only fair to return the favor, right?’

As I smirked in satisfaction, Beth trembled in fear, her eyes devoid of tears, as if she was about to be dragged to prison. Just then, someone stepped in front of her.

“She is my fiancée, Princess.”

“Sir Daniel.”

It was Daniel Bohan.