As the gray-haired man was approaching her, Ann froze in motion as her face turned pale.
How could she not reflexively do that? The man in front of her was someone she never wanted to encounter. The man’s presence was a nightmare to her. It was as if the world wanted to remind her: ‘Don’t get ahead of yourself and dream the impossible’.
It reminded her that no matter what, she was doomed to a ‘bad ending’ in this world.
“What’s wrong?”
Noticing that Ann’s expression and reaction weren’t right, the man stopped and asked.
“…”
Silence was Ann’s answer.
The man thought of something as he stopped asking, patted the hound that was circling him and said, “It’s alright. There’s only us here. You do not need to be this guarded. We can speak freely. But our time is limited…”
The man stopped patting the hound and sharply looked at her with his red eyes.
“So let me get straight to the point. You didn’t inform me or the others about your plan, but I think I get where you’re going. Good job in your acting. But until when are you going to wait? Quickly find an opportunity to assassinate that hindrance. Without him, that side’s fighting power will definitely decrease and we can finally…!”
“No!” Ann quickly refused.
The man’s face was contorted in ecstasy as he narrated and imagined his plan coming to fruition, but it immediately lost color after hearing Ann’s refusal.
“What… did you say?” The man turned to look at Ann in disbelief and walked closer to her. Before Ann could retreat, the man grabbed Ann’s shoulders and locked her in place.
“Do you understand what you’re talking about?!” The man raised his voice in anger. His voice shook as he continued, “Are you… Did that man bewitch you?!”
Ann refused to answer. She stayed silent as the man shook her body.
“Wake up, wake up, Arnestianne! HE. IS. OUR. ENEMY!!”
The hands that were grabbing her shoulders felt as if they were gonna crush her shoulders. Ann finally struggled and that sudden movement of hers was enough to make the man let her go.
“I… am not going to help you!” Ann said.
“What?! What are you planning?! Are you seriously going to turn to their side? How did they buy you out? You’re being deceived! No matter what, as long as the blood of Ermengilde family runs in your veins, they’re not going to spare you! There’s a deep hatred between our side and theirs! Anne, they killed everyone! Your older brothers!! Your mother!!!”
The man agitatedly said until he ran out of breath.
Yet he saw that in the eyes of the daughter he knew so well—there was a hint of resistance against his words.
“You—”
“King Rueben, they’re coming here,” A man in black suddenly appeared next to the gray-haired red-eyed man that just went frenzy.
“Tch!” Rueben clicked his tongue as he retreated with the man.
Before he left, he said to Ann, “Don’t let them deceive you. Wake up, my daughter. Father is going to save you.”
Then, they left as if they were never here at all.
Once they left, Ann’s legs weakened as she fell to the ground.
“Arlea-sama! Are you alright?!” Faye quickly ran towards Ann and was concerned with her condition.
“Arlea-sama…,” The hidden guards that Allen dispatched to monitor her were showing their figures as they walked to check on Ann.
“I… I am fine. The hound didn’t get to injure me. I was just frightened…,” Ann quickly came up with an excuse.
“Excuse me, Arlea-sama, but did you happen to see anyone here?” The hidden guard asked.
“Huh? No… There’s no one… Why?” Ann lied on the spot without thinking.
“There were some suspicious men who seemed to be targeting you, so we went and fought them. We didn’t think it’d take us some time and were afraid that there were more of them, waiting to injure you,” The other hidden guard said.
“It’s really fine… What about the suspicious men?” Ann asked.
“After some time, they escaped and our top priority was to find and follow you,” The hidden guards said.
“…Let’s just return home now,” Ann said.
During their journey back home, Ann recollected the backstory of the villainess that she knew. As she did that, she opened the information box on herself and went to read the ‘More Information’ section and wryly smiled.
Everything was true.
Arlea Pristine Claritianta wasn’t her real identity. Her real name was Arnestianne Lacey du Ermengilde. This body’s nickname was ‘Anne’—very similar to her real name back in the modern world.
Naturally, the Claritianta family wasn’t her real family. Her real family was… the Ermengilde family, the former royal family.
The man she met earlier, the one who called her ‘my daughter’ was this body’s original father—Rueben Feif de Von Ermengilde. Also known as the fatuous ruler who cared very little if not nothing about the commoners. Many people suffered under his reign. Thus, a rebellion that led to a revolution happened years ago, when the villainess was still a child.
During that rebellion, the opposing party won and the imperial family along with some of the noble families were replaced. The villainess’ mother and older brothers died during this revolution. The only ones who managed to escape and survive from the former royal family were the villainess—Princess Arnest, and her father, King Rueben.
They went into hiding and schemed with the surviving members of their faction. The Claritianta family was one of the most loyal confidants of King Rueben.
When the real Arlea of the Claritianta family passed away due to her chronic illness, Princess Arnest was taken in as ‘Arlea’—all just so they could plan a comeback in the future.
As for the enemy that King Rueben spoke of—it was mostly the game’s important cast. Allen, the current crown prince, and so on…
No wonder the real villainess’ personality would be very distorted. No wonder the real Arlea—no, the real Anne had a deep-rooted hatred towards Allen, most of the nobles, and the commoners. After all, it was because of them that she had to live a hard life. It was because of them that she had to lose her family members. It was because of them that she had to hide her identity.
It seemed like the remnants of her feelings were still here inside her body. She felt those feelings occasionally.
In the game… Besides her rotten personality and deep-rooted hatred towards most people, Anne was eliminated because she had the Ermengilde family’s blood running in her veins. She was the only heir of the former king, Rueben.
Obviously, with such a background, it was safer to implement this tactic: cut the weeds and eliminate the roots. It was what they did with Anne’s brothers, after all. If Anne were to live, the rebellion party would still have their princess. Even if King Rueben were to be eliminated, the rebellion party would definitely push the king’s only child, Anne, to take the throne back.
On what basis would the current royal family and their allies spare the child of the former king that they abolished with their hands?
If she wanted to argue that she changed and wanted nothing but to live peacefully, how could they believe that? Wouldn’t it be more convincing to say that it was her scheme? Plus, the rebellion party saw her as the rightful heir to the throne. Even if she was telling the truth at that time, who knows if she would be swayed by them?
If she wanted to convince them that she wasn’t the same Anne that had the deep-rooted enmity against them, how could she get them to believe her? She occupied Anne’s body, after all. Nobody could prove that she is not Anne, and that she is in their side, and not in the rebellion party’s side. Her story would be too ridiculous for anyone to believe.
That was why… Ann believed that she was definitely going to die, sooner or later. She was an existence that shouldn’t be allowed to live in this world’s setting.
The reason she wasn’t killed yet was because her identity wasn’t confirmed yet, though the suspicion was already there. The Claritianta family was really sly too. They managed to cover that they were actually King Rueben’s people for so long. The cracks were starting to emerge just recently, as the rebellion party was done preparing for their comeback.
It wasn’t easy to unravel her identity because the real Arlea was very sickly since birth and she was recuperating in a secluded place. Almost nobody except for the Claritianta family knew how the real Arlea was. Then, her emerald eyes and her purple hair didn’t resemble both her parents’ or her biological relatives.
Ann suspected that her emerald eyes and purple hair were recessive genes running in her family that just happened to emerge in her.
Because the real Anne was so young when the revolution happened, she hadn’t appeared in public that often that after a few years, nobody really remembered how the princess was like. Even if they did, it had been a few years, so nobody would know how she looked like after all this time.
***
Unlike Ann who was still distraught and a little bit gloomy upon returning home, Allen’s mood was certainly better. The maids saw that it was as if their master and mistress were switched…
As Ann was eating her dinner dazedly, Allen suddenly reached out to her.
“Arlea, come to the royal castle with me tomorrow.”
Ann almost jumped in surprise.
First, she didn’t expect Allen to be the first to talk to her again after what happened between them…
Second, was it a coincidence? To be invited to the castle after meeting her biological father just now… Or did Allen figure it out?!
Ann’s expression was too obvious that Allen tried to suppress his laughter.
Yes, what was he worried for? This person couldn’t even mask her feelings, how could she be lying?
But… if that was true, was he hallucinating that night or was there an explanation to that?
“This… What for?” Ann’s voice trembled a bit.
She closed her mouth before she could blurt out, ‘Can I not come?’
“You might not remember. The prince is my friend. He heard about your amnesia and wants to see you.”
DEAD! SHE IS DEFINITELY DEAD!!
IT’S. THE. PRINCE!!!
Is the royal family already suspicious of her…? Will she lose her head earlier than expected…?
Ann really, really wanted to refuse, but then… If she were to refuse, it might rouse their suspicion instead…
Then…
Her mind quickly recalled the things she wanted to do in this fantasy world if it was possible to do everything freely.
She never saw a castle before and never been in one.
Thus, she definitely wanted to see the castle in person!!
The prince is her husband’s close friend, so she might be able to request things… such as playing in the garden, maybe?
For some reason, the royal garden in her mind was akin to a big playground.
“Alright then.”
