Why Did I Become the Villainess?

    I opened the letter and read it.

   "Greetings! Lady Csille Lauretré. We are inviting you to the upcoming Royal Competition of the Arts of the Aeslaerean Kingdom. The competition is divided into different categories: poetry, painting, dancing, tea ceremony, flower arrangement, cross-stitching, strategic games, archery, and equestrian. Your knowledge will also be tested in a different class based on your age. Aside from it, etiquette will also be added to the point system. It will be held in the Aeslaerean Kingdom a month after the winter.

   We are hoping to see you in it. Please, send us a message so we could prepare for your arrival.  Have a good day!"

   A Royal Competition of the Arts? A memory suddenly pops up in my mind. It is a life changing event for both leads in the novel. It's the reason why Princess Paislee decided to run away from Aeslaerean. In this, a Prince of a smaller kingdom saw how beautiful Paislee is. Paislee aced all the categories in that competition, making the Prince of the smaller kingdom fell in love with her deeply. King Thoumassin then had a marriage alliance with that Kingdom making Princess Paislee enraged. Because of this, she ran away from her country and hides from his father. That's when she met the crown prince, and the rest is history.

   "But that will happen five years from now. Why did they have it now? Is it an annual thing?" I tried recalling if I ever mentioned that it's an annual thing, but I couldn't really remember. "I'll probably just talk about it tomorrow with my parents."

   I put the letter down then. I finished drying my hair and fall asleep. I hope tomorrow will be a good day.

____________

    "Mother, do you think? I Should go to the Royal Competition?" I asked. We are currently having breakfast right now.

   My mother looks at my father first. My father stops eating and looks at me. "Do you really want to go?"

   My head nods on his own. Hey! I am not even decided if really want to go. That's not fair! Why does this body would not let me take full control?

   "I'm still not complacent about the idea of you going to the Aeslaerean Kingdom. Aeslaerean and Vrawyth have been at war with each other for years now. Although both Kingdoms have agreed on a peace treaty, I am still not sure if I could let my only daughter step foot in their Kingdom."

   I just nod my head. I also understand why does the count feels like that. The Aeslaerean and Vrawyth are only in peace because of the treaty. And since the treaty is still new, there's still a chance that it could be broken.

   "But isn't a great chance for the Aeslaerean Kingdom to show how sincere they are with the treaty? Remember, the Royal Competition of the Arts before is only offered and celebrated by the people of Aeslaerean. I also don't think the Aeslaerean Kingdom will do something against many noble families. If they do that, the other Kingdoms will be against it. You know how the Kingdoms value their every noble family." My mother said. Which is also makes sense. I don't think that the Aeslaerean would do anything against the Vrawyth. Also, I didn't write anything about a war between Aeslaerean and Vrawyth at this time.

    My father looks at my mother and me. He sigh and finish his food. "Let's talk about this at some other time. The King also asks me about this one. He's also concerned about it since many noble family's children were invited. It's probably better to make a decision after my conversation with the King. Anyways, the Royal will Competition will be held in two months. So we still have plenty of time to think about it."

   My father then bids his goodbye and kisses us both before taking his leave. My mother patted my head and smiled at me. "You're father is right. Let us talk about it when everything is okay with the King. For now, if you're really serious about joining it. It would be best if you started preparing yourself. Do you want me to call tutors for you?"

   I nod at my mother as a response. This month and next month will probably be a busy month for me. Aside from those future training, I still have homeschooling. Every noble in this Kingdom do homeschooling for primary school. They can only go to a school after primary school. High school in here are mostly boarding schools. The students can come backs home after every semester.

___________

     "Do you really plan to join that competition?" Rufus asked. It's been a week now after I have received the invitation from the Aeslaerean Kingdom. It's also been a week now that I'm practicing my flower arrangement skills. So far, my skills had been improved.

   I look at Rufus. "I'm sure. Why?" I asked while cutting a Camellia flower.

   Rufus takes the Camellia from my hand. "Really? How long have you been training your flower arrangement?"

   "It's been a week now. Why?" I squint my eyes at him. I think I know why he's asking. "You better be careful with your answer Rufus. I swear - "

    Rufus raised both his hands and cut me off. "Okay, okay. I'm not saying it."

    "Good." I continue to arrange the flowers as I like. Rufus then starts circling around me like he's looking at an antic pot in a glass in museums.

   "Your flower arrangement is still a mess. I don't know if you could even pass the preliminary rounds with that. Tsk tsk."

    I stop at what I am doing and lightly kicks his legs. "I told you. You better be careful with your words. And what are you even doing here? Don't you have anything to do today? You're always here every day. I am now getting tired of seeing your face."

   Rufus puts his hand on his chest where his heart could be located. "Aw, why are you so cruel, Csille? I am hurt by your words." He slumps at the floor while still holding his chest.

   I shake my head. He's really overacting. I don't understand. Sometimes he acts mature, but sometimes he just acts like he's also a nine years old kid.

   "Get up there. I don't want people to say I'm bullying you your majesty, Prince Rufus."

    Upon hearing what I said, he immediately stands up and points his fingers at me. How many times I told you to stop calling me Prince Rufus. And oh please, stop with that, your majesty. I am not Prince Fraser."

   I slapped his finger and just rolled my eyes at him. I continue arranging my flowers after and ignores him.

"Rufus, are you not busy?"

He points to himself. "Busy? What could I be busying to? You know that I still cannot go back to the dormitory, right?"

   "So, I am the one who you bother always, is that right?"

   "Hey! You talk like you're not my friend. How could you say that to your friend? I always visit you because I was worried about your training. Look at you. Look how you arrange the flowers. You still need a lot of things to learn."

   I put the flowers down that I am working with. "How could I concentrate on honing my flower arranging skills if you always tease me. Should I tell my father to ban you at our house temporarily?" I pretended to think for a moment.

   "Hey! That's unfair. I'm just telling the truth here. You still need improvements. And also, I am here to help you with other things. I could help you with strategic games or archery and even in equestrian. Don't you know I am the best at it?"

   "Okay, okay. You'll help, but can you leave me alone first? I want to focus on flower arrangements. You should look for someone to talk to."

   Rufus pouts at me before he left the garden. I'm in our garden making flower arrangements. I don't want to mess inside the house. That's why I did it outside. And it's easier to look for flowers that I want since I'm already in the garden.

   After a few minutes, I already finished arranging the flowers. I'm quite please with how it looks like. Among all the categories in the Royal Competition, flower arrangement is one of my weaknesses. That's why I study this first.

   Back in the real world. I didn't have much time to do this kind of thing since I'm always struggling to make a living. How could I even afford a flower arranging class? I heard it's quite pricy.

   A strong wind blows, and the red tulips that left got blown away. I took it and looked at it. Red tulips? I suddenly remember the scene in the Palace Garden when Prince Fraser gave me a red tulip.

  I looked at the sky and prayed. Prince Fraser, please be safe. You need to be safe.

__________

   Later that night, my father called us to talk about the Royal Competition. The King already agreed to it and let the noble children represent the Kingdom of Vrawyth. And since we're representing not only our noble families but also the Kingdom, the King also gives benefits for every noble child that will join the competition.

  "And since the King already agrees with it. I will permit you to go and represent the Lauretré family. However, you still need to be careful, okay? I'll let some guards and maids accompany you there, so your mother and I will be rest assured." My father said.

   Waltier Lauretré, the loving father of Csille Lauretré. In the first version of the novel, when Csille made something that harms the Kingdom of Vrawyth, both the Count and Countess begs his majesty to let Csille go. They even offer their lives and all the assets of the Lauretré family. In the end, the Count and the Countess were stripped off from their title and lived a commoner's life. All their assets were taken too.

    I wrote those stories before to signify how parents would do something for their children. It's really heartwarming to experience it in real life. Even if I'm not the real Csille and they are not my birth parents, I am still happy. I did not even think that I will experience it since I was an orphan in the real world.

    "By the way, how is your training going? I heard from your teacher that your flower arrangement is improving. Good job." My father pats my head. He looks so proud as if Csille had done something so great.

   I smiled at him. "It was great. I've learned a lot of things this week. I could already arrange flowers properly. In fact," I ran towards my room and took the bouquet I made today. I offer it to my parents. "My teacher said it's really a good one. And for that, I thought it would be good to give it to your father, mother."

   My mother cried and hugged me. My father took the flowers and stared at them. He laughs after—the kind of laughter when you achieve something no one could ever achieve. "I'll show this to my subordinates. I'm sure they will be envious of me because I have a daughter like you." He laughs again.

   I break from my mother's hugs and hold my father's arm. "Father! That isn't very pleasant. It's not that great. You're subordinate might not like it."

   My father touches my head and gently messed it. "Who dares not to like this? It's made by the Count's daughter, my Csille, who's very charming and adorable. They will probably be jealous because I have a beautiful daughter like you. And not just that, you're also talented. So who would dare to disagree with me?"

   My mother just shakes her head. "No one will. Come on, let me handle this. I'll just put it aside first. I thought you also have another announcement to say. It's also the reason why his majesty talks to you, right?"

   My father let my mother takes the flowers. He sits on the sofa and asks me to sit beside him. "It's about the Crown Prince Fraser."

"What happened, father? Did something bad happened to him?" I ask. As far as I know, the crown prince's life wouldn't be endangered before he turned fourteen. So what could have happened to make his majesty called the Count?

My father shakes his head. "Nothing happened. The King just suspected that something big will happen to the Crown Prince. He ordered a troupe to guard Prince Fraser in the western region."

"But wouldn't that expose the whereabouts of the Prince? Also, if there's really someone who's going after the prince, wouldn't it confirmed the news that the crown prince is staying in the western region?"

   My father sighs. "That's the reason the King asks to have a conversation with me. Instead of sending troupe, he assigned me to be the guard of the prince. However, I wouldn't come there as the Count of Vrawyth but as a merchant. I will pretend that I have contracted a contagious disease and will need to be isolated outside the city. But instead of going to the city, I'll sneak around and disguised myself as a merchant traveling to the western region."

   My mother and I both got silent for a moment. If the head of the Lauretré family is not around, then it only means one thing. There will be changes in the noble families.