Villainous Lady, The Obsession Begins

【Chapter 32】

“What?”

I raised my head slightly at the unexpected change of topic. However, Esadien repeated casually.

“Take off your gloves and show me your hands.”

“Suddenly, my hands? Why…”

“You said you had nothing to hide from me.”

I couldn’t breathe.

‘No, not this.’

The burn scar that wouldn’t even fade with divine power was the only flaw on Minuelle Karinen’s beautiful body.

‘I don’t want to show it. Never.’

Especially to someone as beautiful as Esadien.

The moment he saw the scar, I feared his eyes would contort with disdain and a contemptuous glint.

Intense dread consumed my entire body, even devouring the heat that had been coursing through me. Only the tip of my nose remained hot.

“Minuelle.”

I hesitated and stepped back unsteadily.

“It’s just… it’s too sudden. Later… later, okay? Not now…”

While stumbling through my words, I felt a hot sensation crossing my chin.

“Minuelle!”

Esadien’s eyebrows were sharply furrowed.

‘Are…. you angry?’

It was a moment when my throat felt tight, and I was taking a sharp breath. In contrast to before, when I had intentionally kept my distance, Esadien closed the gap between us in an instant. Then, as a soft handkerchief touched the tip of my nose, I blinked blankly.

“Uh…?”

“I understand, so calm down. It’s okay to show me next time.”

It was dark, but I could clearly see Esadien’s deep green handkerchief getting soaked close to black.

‘…This darn body.’

In the end, I ended up seeing blood again.

“It would be best to go inside. Take a rest and then return.”

“And what about you, Prince?”

Instead of answering, Esadien’s gaze turned towards the carriage Lafesch had ridden.

Haha…

“I see.”

I did all of this, yet…

My tension eased.

“It seems like I might be late, so don’t wait…”

At those words, as he turned to look at me, even the last remaining patience evaporated. What do I look like, some simple-minded mistress of the inner chamber?!

“No. That’s it.”

I pulled Esadien’s hand away even with the handkerchief, but soon I felt blood flowing again. I thought I had vomited a lot of blood so far, but this was a strange symptom. Suppressing the rising anxiety, I only took out the handkerchief and pressed it against my nose.

“Shall I wash the handkerchief and return it to you?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

Ah, I suppose so. It’s probably more convenient for you to avoid meeting under the pretext of the handkerchief, isn’t it?

“I appreciate His Highness’s noble consideration, but I will take my leave now.”

Seeing Esadien’s eyebrows furrowing and contorting, it was evident that there was a reason for her sarcasm that I didn’t fully understand.

“If, by any chance, you happen to lose consciousness…”

“No, you don’t have to worry about that.”

I climbed the steps of the carriage without any escort, opened the door, and stepped inside. When Esadien saw Ramande sitting inside, his face became even more vividly fixed in his expression.

“The Priest of Flendena.”

“It’s been a long time, Your Highness.”

Whether they exchanged greetings or not, I plopped down on the opposite side of Ramande. Ramande, who had been watching Esadien and me, added,

“I followed because I was worried that it was late. Looking at Minuelle’s condition, I’m glad I did.”

As Ramande’s divine power enveloped my body, the nosebleed stopped, and the heat subsided.

“Ah… Thank you, Ramande.”

Finally, as I exhaled a relieved breath, Esadien spoke as if probing. It seemed that what Ramande had explained earlier hadn’t really reached her.

“Minuelle, you had no reason to be angry with me. Your carriage also has someone else in it, doesn’t it?”

“What are you saying? Who are you trying to attach Ramande to now?”

“What’s the difference? The Priest of Flendena and Lady Celeste are friends, aren’t they?”

And then, as if he had forgotten, he added a rolling remark.

“They are both of the opposite sex.”

“What is that… Friends? Lafesch Celeste is a friend of His Highness? Are you serious?”

I was getting heated up again, but Esadien just silently stared at me. Ramande, who had been unable to intervene, spoke to me like he was comforting me, making excuses.

“Your Highness, what Minuelle is saying emotionally… I’m sure she’ll regret it and apologize later. Please, forgive her.”

Both Esadien’s and my gaze were simultaneously fixed on Ramande.

“Why are you asking for forgiveness?”

“Priest, you must know that you have no right to meddle.”

Surprisingly, Esadien was glaring at Ramande. Ramande’s lips tightened slightly.

“Ha.”

Now, I was genuinely angry.

It wasn’t disappointment or anxiety.

Esadien, without even recognizing the person was making a move on him, placed that woman and Ramande, who saved my life, on the same level.

‘Dare?’ What he did was the real ‘daring.’

“Fine. Go ahead, Your Highness. Go to your precious friend!”

I shouted out and slammed the door shut right in front of Esadien. Then, I didn’t care whether he descended the stairs or not, I banged the wall near the horse with force.

“I’m annoyed. So annoyed…”

The carriage started moving slowly. I messed up my hair and kicked my feet in frustration.

‘I’ve become a narrow-minded woman without any grace.’

If everyone were to hear this, they would all gossip about me.

Calling me a narrow-minded, petty person, who wouldn’t even tolerate His Highness friend. Now, who would dare to approach His Highness?

“Minuelle, stop.”

Ramande slowly removed my hand from my head and tidied up my disheveled hair. Then, he said,

“I’m sorry, Minuelle.”

“It’s not your fault, so why apologize?”

Yes, that’s right. It’s Esadien who’s in the wrong here. That person who confidently calls Lafesch a friend, he’s the one in the wrong!

“Fool! A clueless idiot who didn’t know that Lafesch was making a move on him!”

As I kicked my feet in frustration once again, Ranade wore an awkward yet melancholic expression. Looking at his face, I felt even more sorry.

‘Ramande is destined to become the High Priest in the future. I shouldn’t let my interference prevent that…’

Haa. Another heavy sigh escaped me.

“From now on, don’t do that, Ramande.”

“Do what?”

“Trying to compensate for my forgiveness on my behalf.”

It was still a bitter pill to swallow, like the starting shot for a beating. But I couldn’t bring myself to say those words. Ramande’s face, ready to respond, resembled that of someone who had just bitten into a sour fruit.

“Is it not allowed then?”

“What?”

“We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Sometimes, Ramande could become blindly devoted under the name of friendship. Of course, I held him dearly enough to believe that I could do anything for him…

“No, what I meant was…”

I hesitated for a moment, then gently placed my hand on Ramande’s hand.

“It wasn’t something you had to apologize for. Don’t you think so?”

Only then did Ramande’s expression soften a bit. He turned his hand and firmly held mine, leaning his face closer towards me.

“Minuelle, I support you, so I didn’t want to say this, but…”

Ramande’s warm sigh brushed over my cheek.

“If you find it too difficult, maybe it’s best to do as the Grand Duchess or the Young Duchess suggests.”

“….to break off the engagement?”

Ramande gently stroked my head without saying another word. His silent comfort made the ache in my heart even more pronounced.

💧

Since that day, Esadien has not contacted me.

‘I always went to see him first. This is too much, really.’

I found myself laughing at the thought that had come to me unknowingly. It wasn’t like this before. Whether I visited him or not, I used to be just happy to see him.

‘Was Esadien right in the end?’

The words that love and affection have a short-lived feeling and are therefore unreliable. As I sat there, feeling down and absentmindedly stirring my tea without adding sugar, my mother subtly dropped a hint.

“I heard that you decided to sponsor a student to enroll in the magic school.”

“Oh, yes.”

“Discovering talent is also important. Well done.”

Has the invoice already been sent? I was still pondering when the answer was promptly given.

“I happened to meet the Great Magician yesterday.”

“The Great Magician?”

Why suddenly the Great Magician?

In the original work, the Great Magician appears in the middle of the story and becomes Lafesch’s mentor.

There’s no connection to me at all. So, I became even more puzzled.

“So, Brasidas has been in hiding for a long time. When I was young, there wasn’t a person who didn’t know his name.”

Brasidas. Upon hearing that name, I involuntarily opened my mouth in surprise, forgetting my manners.

‘That magician… No, that person wanted to take Palos as his disciple, right?’

What about Lafesch?

‘Wow, the original story is getting twisted again.’

While I haven’t really felt guilty for deviating from the original work and taking a different path so far, to be honest, this time I felt a little sorry.

… But it was just a hint of saltiness. Rinse it away.

‘Lafesch, I’m sorry! I guess I’m an unavoidable… Villain!’

Does she know that she was destined to become the Great Magician’s apprentice?

But it wasn’t the time to worry about someone else’s future.

“So, Minuelle.”

“Yes, Mom?”

“There was an event that you didn’t tell me about.”

Right in front of me, my mother was surprisingly smiling. A smile as cold as the snow piled up in the north.

‘Ahh.’

Feeling embarrassed, I quickly gulped down the tea and straightened my posture.

“I’m sorry. I thought it was fine since the Great Magician resolved it without any harm.”

“Yes, there was no harm. But there were things you didn’t know.”

My mother relayed the story she heard from Brasidas in a formal tone, as if giving operational instructions. 

She explained that although I hadn’t boarded the carriage that resembled the ferry to the afterlife, I had been under the influence of a powerful enchantment spell. 

Initially, there were no apparent symptoms, but as the spell took root, it would eventually lead to hallucinations and, in the end, an irresistible compulsion to seek out the caster.

“Is such a thing possible?”

“I’ve only heard about it. They say it’s not a preferred method these days.”

I shuddered once again. It seemed too simple for the carriage to vanish and end like that, and now I realized there was another trick at play. If it weren’t for Brasidas, it could have been a severe problem.

‘Wow, you really have to do good things.’

Ramande needs to hear this too. He was saying something about helping Palos, right?

“But Mom, do you think there might be someone behind this?”

“I’ll tell you when I’m certain.”

My mother’s “I’ll tell you when I’m certain” meant she would turn the culprit to dust if she found out. It already felt like dark flames were flickering behind her.

“I’m okay with candidates, so please let me know.”

After urging my mother not to worry too much, I managed to coax out two potential candidates: the Second Prince and the Church of Fire.

‘The Church of Fire….’

Not too long ago, the temple’s bulletin only had brief warnings, but now it had grown significant enough for my mother to single it out.

“Dear.”

“Yes?”

“From now on, when you go out, I will assign the best knights and wizards to accompany you. I didn’t bring you from the temple to confine you at home.”

So, my mother’s voice trembled slightly as she continued.

“Just stay safe.”

Her sincere words left me momentarily speechless.

“Mom…”

I could only muster a mumbled response after my mother hugged me tightly and left the room.

“If you say it like that, it makes it even harder for me to go out.”

I have a conscience too.