Why Did I Become the Villainess?

 A day of the journey has passed, and we still have another day before we could get out of the center of the forest. 

 Throughout the journey, everyone is so quiet. The only thing you could hear are the constant jolting of the carriage, the hooves of the horse, and even the chatter of people in the next carriage can be heard because of the silence enveloping our carriage. 

 After the conversation we had yesterday, everyone becomes so quiet that you would mistake that we suddenly become mute. We only talk to each other at meal time. When we pass the stored food to each other.

 The night was more awkward, especially because we need to sleep on the floor. And because of the last conversation, we had a hard time deciding who will sleep beside each other. 

 In the end, Prince Fraser sleeps on the end of the left side. Beside him is Princess Paislee. Rufus sleeps beside Princess Paislee. The Great Ruler initially wants to sleep on the other end side, but when he knew that I like to sleep at the end it he gives it up and sleeps on the center. He let Leander sleeps beside me because he was worried about my allergies. He said it's better to have Leander close to me so, if anything happens to me, Leander can immediately attend to my allergy.

 I don't even know how we get through the night. But the moment the sun rises, all of us immediately return to our seats and pretend like nothing happened. 

 I sigh while looking outside. I tried my best not to look at Prince Fraser. And even Prince Fraser is doing his best not to look at me. 

 This is what I wanted, right? But why don't I feel good? Why do I feel like I'm hurting? I force myself not to cry. I already made my decision, and crying will not help me. It's the only thing I could do for everyone. 

 I am still convincing myself not to wallow in sadness when I was suddenly blinded by a light. It's only quick, but it's enough for me to notice it. It looks like it's a reflection of something shiny, like silver. I look around, trying to find where the source of it. 

 My eyes immediately widen when I find a very suspicious person sitting on the top of a branch of a tree. The person is wearing an all black set of clothes. It looks like those clothes ninja's wear in the real world. I look at the object he is holding. I immediately stand up when I realized its an arrow, and it's pointing to Prince Fraser. 

 Everything becomes too sudden. I just found myself running towards Prince Fraser and covered my body to protect him. I wait for the arrow to hit my body, but even after a couple of minutes, I didn't feel any pain.

 Am I dying? Did I become so numb because of the arrow? I could feel Prince Fraser embrace me tightly. I could also hear people shouting outside and inside. 

 "Csille, are you okay?" Prince Fraser makes me face him and ask me worriedly. I look at his worried face and shake my head. 

 Shouldn't I feel any pain by now? But I don't understand why I couldn't feel any pain. Do I have a high pain tolerance? 

 I heard Prince Fraser sigh and hugs me tightly. I frowned. The way Prince Fraser hugging me is not the way a person embraces someone who's been shot. 

 Wait, this doesn't add up. I didn't feel any pain even after minutes. I don't feel sleepy. Rather I am confused but still aware of what is happening. Don't tell me I didn't get shot? 

 I immediately break from Prince Fraser's hug and check on myself. I couldn't see any blood around me. Even the hands or clothes of Prince Fraser don't have blood. 

 My face immediately reddens when I realized what is happening. I didn't get shot. I look at the window, and I find that the glass of the window is not broken, and the arrow was shot at the ceiling. 

 I immediately stand up and return to my seat like nothing happened. Gosh! That is so embarrassing. Why did I run towards Prince Fraser? Am I his bodyguard? And I even cover his body using my body? Are you suicidal, Ysavel?

 You know that there's nothing wrong will happen to Prince Fraser. You have written about it, right? But why did you run as fast as you can towards him? What will he think now? That you have feelings for him? That's just plain stupid. 

 I want to knock my head on the wall of the carriage. I now understand why Pearce loves to say I am stupid. I am definitely stupid. Why do I always make mistakes?

 I looked outside and heard a commotion. 

 "Find the culprit. We need to find him. If he runs, then shoot him but don't let him die." I heard one of the soldiers said. He's one of the soldiers from the Vrawyth Kingdom, and he is also the commander of the soldiers here. Except for the Illorian City soldiers, of course.

 I was shocked when the Great Ruler suddenly leans on the window. "General Malvar, help the Vrawyth Kingdom and find the culprit."

 General Malvar is about to refuse, but Ruler Laird shakes his head. "It's an order. The culprit knows that this is the Illorian City carriage and by attacking it means he had the guts to go against the Illorian City. Go, find that culprit."

 The General salutes to Ruler Laird and is about to go back to the place where the culprit could be. But Ruler Laird stops him. "Remember, I want him alive." After hearing those words, General Malvar starts to maneuver his horse in the direction of the culprit. 

 The carriage didn't stop moving. It becomes faster instead. With this speed, we could get out of the forest in no time. 

 "Are you okay, Csille?" 

 I look at Ruler Laird, who is worriedly looking at me. He checks my arms to see if I didn't get wounded because of it. He sighed when he didn't see anything wrong with me. "It's a good thing you're okay. Next time don't do that, okay?" 

 I nod my head at Ruler Laird. Even I couldn't believe I can do that. I could risk my life just to save him. Am I really in love with him? 

 "What Ruler Laird said is true. You shouldn't risk your life for me. What would happen to me if something happened to you, Csille?" 

 I look at Prince Fraser, who is looking at me intently. I gulp. Why is he looking at me like that? Like he is looking at someone important to him.

 No! No! I already have created an excellent opportunity to make the relationship between Prince Fraser and I awkward. But with just a simple mistake, it's back to zero. Again.

 I heard Princess Paislee clears her throat. "What's important is to know is who the real target of the attack is? Lady Lauretré, you immediately run towards Prince Fraser even before the arrow was shot. Did you see something?"

 I nod my head. "I was looking outside the window when I was suddenly blinded by something. It's like the reflection of silver when it was put against the sun. I thought it looks weird because we are in the middle of a forest. How come there could be light like that? And when I look for the source of the light, I found a man sitting on top of a branch holding an arrow."

 Princess Paislee nods her head. "And that's the reason why you immediately rush towards Prince Fraser, right?"

 I want to roll my eyes at Princess Paislee. I already didn't mention it, but why do you need to say it. Can't you see I'm avoiding the topic? Princess Paislee, do you have a grudge against me? Why are you doing this? I want to cry, but I know I couldn't. 

 I look around, and everyone is waiting for me to answer it. Curse all of you. Why do you always matchmake the male lead to the Villainess? Don't you know that's against the script?

 I sigh. "I didn't see his face because it was covered. He's wearing all black clothes. That's the only thing I could remember."

 Prince Fraser looks disappointed with my answer, but I don't mind. Be disappointed as much as you can. It's better. 

 Princess Paislee nods her head. "Did you see where he is pointing the arrow at?"

 I tried to recall everything. When I saw him pointing the arrow, my first thought is to protect Prince Fraser. "I'm not sure if I've seen it right."

 I heard Ruler Laird chuckle. "I am the closest person beside you, Goddaughter, but when you saw that archer, the first thing you do is to run towards Young Astalieu? Aren't you a little cruel to your own Godfather? What if the arrow was supposed to be mine?"

 I look at Ruler Laird guiltily. I am the reason why his daughter disappeared into this world, but I didn't even do anything for him. 

 Ruler Laird gently laughs with my reaction. He then caresses my hair. "Don't worry. I'm just kidding. Even if that happens, I wouldn't want you to risk your life just to save me. My bones are way sturdier than you. A simple arrow won't hurt me. Also, I'm glad you rush to Your Astalieu. I am now assured that you care for him. You even risk your life just to save him."

 I hide my face towards the broken window. If it's possible, I actually want to be eaten by the ground now or jump outside the carriage just to get away from all of these.

 Why can't they see that I don't like talking about what happened? That's just my impulsiveness. Of course, I would save Prince Fraser. He is my character, okay, and the male lead at that. 

 After a moment of silence, I felt someone stand and walk towards the broken window. I look up and saw Princess Paislee examining the broken window. "Base on the looks of the glass, the target isn't the one close to the window. Rather it is someone sitting in between."

 In between? That's Prince Fraser and Ruler Laird. So, my instinct is right. There's a big possibility that the target could be Prince Fraser. However, it could be Great Ruler too. Since we're now sitting inside the carriage of the Illorian City. Don't tell me the culprit know in advance that Prince Fraser will be seated inside the Illorian City's carriage?

 But there is one thing bothering me. I definitely didn't write about this. But how come there's an attack like this? The Virtouse said this word follow my novel, but how come there's an incident like this that I didn't write?

 Paislee walks towards the arrow and observes the markings on it. She then frowns. "I haven't seen these carvings before. Does anyone knows about this?"

 Princess Paislee returns to her seat to let the others saw it. But after everyone takes turns to look at it, they still couldn't figure out what's the meaning behind the carving. Even the Great Ruler is clueless about it. 

 I am about to stand up, but Rufus immediately stops me. "Don't bother Purplany. No one knows about these carvings. I'm pretty sure it is a language those culprits made to communicate with themselves. Only them would know what's the meaning of those weird carvings. Even the Great Ruler who is way knowledgeable than us didn't know what's the meaning of it."

 I look at Rufus. "Age isn't the basis of knowledge. It's the experience. And because none of you knows the meaning of the carvings, it doesn't mean that I don't know too. Let me try to see it first before you talk to me like that."

 Rufus shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, if you want to. I've warned you."

 I ignore Rufus's words and walk around the arrow that is currently stuck on the ceiling. I frown when I saw the carving. 

 My eyes widen for a moment before it return to its normal. How come it is in here?