I Become the Villain's Bride - Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Even in the deep night, the beautiful garden was in full bloom with hyacinths, just like the name of the Princess.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? My grandmother had it built for me.”

“It truly is beautiful.”

She didn’t envy the position of being a Princess, but she envied the presence of a father who cherished his daughter so dearly.

Perhaps not blessed with parental fortune, even here in this new world, the Devlanc couple had only been burdens to their children, failing to fulfill their roles as proper parents.

“On that day, they must have thought they were meeting for the first time, so I wondered why my grandmother knew they were already close. I was curious.”

“That’s a bit…”

Frantically searching for an excuse while rolling her eyes, she struggled.

Since Freesia didn’t know what the Princess was like, if they were to really meet, their side would be at a significant disadvantage.

Thinking about what to say for a moment, Freesia finally came up with one plausible excuse.

“We actually decided to keep our relationship a secret. So, if we happened to meet, we decided to act as if we didn’t know each other on purpose.”

“So, is that what the Devlanc usually do?”

“Well, that’s… um…”

She should have realized sooner that she wasn’t good at lying. Unsure of what to say, Freesia decided to slightly change her strategy.

“He was always busy, so he had someone send letters instead.”

“Letters?”

“Even if you couldn’t see each other’s faces, you could convey your feelings through writing.”

“It seems like you already know his secret.”

No, I really don’t. Swallowing the words that almost slipped out, Freesia put on a faint smile and tried her best to look wistful, with eyes glistening with fake tears.

“If it weren’t for Lord Gondair’s business, I would have been content just watching him from afar.”

“So, it was the Duke who caused all this?”

“Well, I’m not sure. All I know is that thanks to him, we were able to be honest with each other.”

Their love story wasn’t entirely a lie.

She even saved the Duke’s life from the assassins sent by Lord Gondair.

He’s pretty much out of his mind at the mention of repaying the favor with his life, but at least he’s managed to convince one empress.

“Apparently, you already knew.”

“Well, something like that.”

It seemed like she understood somehow, although she just said whatever came to her mind. Lucky for her.

While Freesia couldn’t hide her relief, the Princess shrugged her shoulders, looking somewhat disappointed, as if she had expected something more.

“Honestly, I was just trying to humiliate you today, you know?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But for some reason, it’s a bit uncomfortable to act too meanly towards you.”

Whether it was a compliment or a tease, it was momentarily confusing, but at least it didn’t seem to have ill intentions, so Freesia decided to maintain her sunny demeanor.

“Keeping secrets can be a weapon when kept secret. So, I hope you’ll protect that person’s secret to the end, Your Highness.”

“That person really met someone beyond their league.”

Well, it’s not like that’s not true, but the difference between Duke Wilfred and someone like Freesia is like heaven and earth. They don’t match.

“I’m not doing it because I like it. It’s just that I felt a bit awkward about my Grandmother’s ceremony, but I thought that by maintaining a moderate relationship with him, I could still have a good business relationship.”

For a Princess, arranged marriages without love must be a fate to be accepted.

Words like dreams and hopes coming out of the mouth of a young lady who’s barely twenty, with no dreams or hopes, are just too sad.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Freesia?”

“Everyone should meet someone who makes their heart beat. Even though you don’t know where they are yet, there’s surely a destiny waiting for you, Your Highness.”

Whether it’s a man or a woman, an adult or a child, as long as it’s not reversed, she will support anyone’s love.

Opportunities should always be left open. That’s what Freesia emphasized several times. In front of Freesia, who always emphasizes the importance of leaving opportunities open, the Princess burst into laughter.

“You are really an interesting person.”

“Uh, is that so?”

Whether it was a compliment or sarcasm, she wasn’t sure. Nevertheless, with an indistinct smile, the Princess reassured Freesia with ambiguous words.

“I’ll take care of the Duke’s secret this time since I granted Freesia’s request.”

“I’m relieved.”

It seemed like she successfully avoided the impending storm.

But that was just a momentary lapse.

“Now that I’ve granted Freesia’s request this time, Freesia should do me a favor once in a while, right?”

“Huh?”

Although she thought things were going smoothly, the Princess unexpectedly made a proposal to Freesia with a lovely smile.

“I’m thinking of gathering the young ladies of the social circle and starting a club. We can do activities like horseback riding together and exchange various information.”

If salons hosted by middle-aged ladies were essentially indoor parties, the Princess wanted outdoor activities like horseback riding or picnics to be the main focus.

Excited, she grabbed Freesia’s hand with a bright smile.

“Can Freesia take the lead to ensure other ladies can participate? We’re friends, after all!”

“Uh, sure.”

The Princess momentarily forgot that she could also threaten the Duke.

With a heavy heart, the Princess even went so far as to drag Freesia into her social club, despite Freesia’s reluctance.

‘This is bad.’

She couldn’t deny that she had been fooled by that innocent face.

“Don’t worry. I’ll never reveal the secret.”

In essence, it was almost a threat to disclose the secret if she didn’t comply with her request.

So, she couldn’t refuse outright.

“I’ll try my best.”

“Thank you, Freesia!”

The Duke would probably be really upset if he found out about this. What should she say to cover up this situation?

Her head started to ache.

***

“In that sense, I ask for your continued interest.”

As the party came to an end, the Princess held Freesia’s hand and revealed the blueprint for the new social club.

The Princess herself, as well as the recently married Duchess of Crawford, were said to be participating, sparking unprecedented interest among the young ladies and ladies of the capital as to who would be selected for the club.

“I’m in big trouble.”

“…….”

“I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Kneeling from the bed to her knees, Freesia belatedly offered her apologies.

Although it was the result of her efforts to smooth things over, the Duke still couldn’t hide his displeasure.

“Why are you apologizing when it’s not your fault?”

Although he would normally speak naturally, his use of honorifics clearly showed his anger.

Freesia cautiously spoke up, sensing his mood.

“Uh, well….”

“I’m not a timid man who would be jealous of his wife’s external activities.”

“Well, yeah, that’s true.”

He might look slightly disappointed, but it was probably just because of his mood.

Still, if she did her job properly, there was no reason for her to hear unpleasant words.

“If there’s something you need to do, I’ll support you wholeheartedly. And if I can block the Princess’s mouth and improve the Duke’s image at the same time, that would be even better, right?”

“Just to keep the Princess quiet, huh?”

With just a few words, he seemed to quickly grasp Freesia’s situation. If he found out about the threat to reveal the secret, who knew what kind of consequences would follow.

Freesia desperately tried to come up with a way to resolve the situation.

“No, I mean, I don’t even know what your secret is. The Princess also agreed not to say anything.”

“But you agreed to cooperate with the social club for the Princess’s benefit.”

“Well, yeah.”

Somehow, it ended up like that. Honestly, there was no denying that she had been ensnared by the Princess’s schemes.

“I decided to be your friend to keep your secret.”

“Friends?”

She knew. It was unbelievable.

“Yes, friends.”

“Not a fool?”

Perhaps that’s why he was able to hit her so bluntly, without any cushion.

Although she felt a tiny bit hurt by his merciless words, she couldn’t deny the reality.

But she was always accustomed to giving in. Sacrificing herself for the names of her sisters, who could shine brightly even without her, was better than leaving an imperfection in their names.

“That’s right. I momentarily forgot that I was a fool for marrying you.”

“……”

No matter what, hitting back verbally was her nature, so she paid back what she had received in words.

Who was calling who a fool?

And since she had even kissed his cheek in front of others, she had to accept what she had to accept.

“Two signed copies of the first edition. Don’t forget the promise.”

According to Freesia’s request, he handed her two books with signed copies. Written in elegant handwriting, just like her, were the names Rose Devlanc and Lily Devlanc.

“I don’t recall ever saying they were gifts for my sisters.”

“Because they’re the two people you care about most in the world.”

“That’s right, because if it weren’t for Rose, neither I nor Lily would be alive.”
In order to protect her younger siblings who had not yet become adults, Rose became an adult without shedding a single tear.

“That’s how the world is. Good people always become unhappy. Bad guys live so well while making a fuss.”

Even without a subject, it was clear. Freesia’s gaze was directed straight at the Duke standing in front of her.

“Becoming the wife of a villain was your choice, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right. It’s my fault for falling in love with you.”

Although he deliberately spoke sarcastically, he approached Freesia and gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

“Did you just say you love me?”

“It’s sarcasm, you know?”

“When book two comes out, I’ll have three autographed copies.”

“I love you, dear.”

Feeling like her weakness had been properly exploited, but still, having a route to directly connect with the author was a tremendous stroke of luck.

“Since you’re being so generous, can I ask for one more thing?”

If she could easily get two signed books like this, then he could easily fulfill this request as well.

With a somewhat reluctant expression at Freesia’s whisper, he reluctantly added a condition.

“It’s difficult with a bare mouth.”

“Smile Love”