I Become the Villain's Bride - Chapter 74

Chapter 74

Princess Hyacinth, the Crown Prince’s sister, had stressed it repeatedly: Under no circumstances should it be Freesia’s younger sister. Absolutely not. He had shouted his agreement just as firmly.

‘I owe my sister an apology.’

If everything had been a misunderstanding, then there was no reason not to love her.  

The woman who haunted his dreams, tormenting him so much that he tried desperately to hate her—she wasn’t Freesia, but Lily.  

While his heart brimmed with excitement, Lily remained calm and spoke decisively.  

“I applied because it’s where I can make the best use of my abilities.”  

Her words sounded more like a job application than a marriage declaration, carrying a wealth of meaning within them.  

Marriage is a business, after all. Only under that motto did Lily make her point clearly.  

“It’d be nice if love could solve everything, but marriage is grounded in reality. I’m just trying to find the best way to live as myself.”  

“The imperial palace isn’t exactly the kind of place where you can live freely, though.”  

The position required adherence to rules, etiquette, and a high level of competence. But Lily only smiled radiantly, as if mocking his words.  

“Well, it’s about time I stop being reckless. I’ve lived doing whatever I pleased my entire life—wouldn’t it be fun to try living by the rules for once?”  

“By the rules, you say?”  

“If I’m going to live under scrutiny no matter where I go, I might as well aim to be the best.”  

In the rigid hierarchy of the aristocracy, the highest position always belonged to the imperial family. With the Empress slowly stepping back, the arrival of a new Crown Princess would not only claim the seat of the palace’s matriarch but also reshape high society.  

During busy times like these, the success of noble families depended on how well the wife could manage relations with the aristocracy. Of course, exceptions like Rose—renowned for her talents—or the Crowford family, which held monopolies and power, didn’t have to worry about such things. But most others weren’t as fortunate.  

And the future mistress of the imperial family required even more than an ordinary lady’s skills.  

“Even with this sweet face, I can be wicked. If the crown prince wants to escape his sister’s shadow, a partner with a sharp personality like mine could be useful.”  

“His sister’s shadow, you say?”  

“I just worry that Your Highness, being so attached to his sister, might never even bother to look at me properly.”  

“Who says he has a sister complex?”  

He distinctly remembered vowing, after hearing his sister’s warnings, never to consider Lily Devlanc as a potential Crown Princess—but that was before he knew who she really was.  

Freesia, passed out and peaceful, seemed gentle as he’d heard. But Lily, with a boldness that suggested she might bite at any moment, locked her sharp gaze onto him.  

And it was exactly that boldness that he liked.  

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be as good as my big sister, but I hope to be like her when I grow up.”

Holding her sleeping sister’s hand gently, Lily brushed stray hairs from Freesia’s face with a gaze now filled with maturity rather than mischief.  

“Our parents are infamous troublemakers in the capital,” she said with a bittersweet smile.  

That the sisters remained close despite their parents’ chaotic reign over their lives was ironic. Their parents’ actions had shaken the foundation of all three sisters’ lives.  

“If it weren’t for me, my sister would never have had to marry.”  

Swallowing her self-deprecating smile, Lily let tears well up in her eyes—tears that shimmered like pearls. Yet, she beamed brightly through them.  

“My brother-in-law said the Crown Prince might have a sister complex, but you’re still a good person. So someone with a difficult personality like mine needs to watch over you.”  

“…Did the Duke really say that?”  

He remembered going hunting with the Duke shortly after he inherited the title. The Duke, who had survived a brutal succession war and outlived his brothers, seemed like someone who had transcended beyond the Crown Prince’s reach.  

No matter how hard he tried, he could never match his brilliant sister. At times, he had even thought his sister might make a better emperor.  

“The Duke once said, No matter how sharp a sword may be, it can never conquer flowing water.”  

“What does that mean?”  

“Nothing of importance.”  

Even if he tried to explain, he wouldn’t be able to say it as elegantly as the Duke did.  

Handing Lily a handkerchief, he knelt on one knee.  

“Please forgive my earlier rudeness.”  

“…It’s fine. But if you become my spy, I’ll forgive you completely.”  

“And what would you like me to spy on?”  

“I want to know what the Crown Prince dislikes.”  

Many people asked what he liked, but she was the first to inquire about his dislikes.  

“I don’t plan to go out of my way to impress you, but I don’t want to do anything you hate.”  

“I’m not that particular.”  

“My brother-in-law was sure of it, though. He said the Crown Prince would fall for me at first sight.”  

Such unwarranted confidence. The next time they went hunting, the prince thought he might just let the Duke take the biggest prize.  

Since their encounter in the garden, the prince had been struggling to keep his feelings in check, but now he found himself grinning like a fool.  

“I thought you were the Duchess of Crowford.”  

“How could you think that? I told you so many times that I was her sister.”  

“Let’s discuss the details later.” He stood up, taking the tear-soaked handkerchief.  

While he refused to admit to the term sister complex, the thought of facing his sister made him uneasy.  

“Her Highness Princess Hyacinth was adamant that it couldn’t be Lady Lily.”  

“And why are you telling me this?”  

“Do you truly wish to become the Crown Princess?”  

Even though he was a stranger she had never met, Lily’s resolve didn’t waver.  

“If you want that seat, I’ll make sure you get it.”  

“But don’t fall in love with me. No matter how this turns out, I intend to remain faithful to my partner.”  

The kiss, if there would be one, was meant only for her hand.  

Faced with her unwavering stance, the prince stifle his laughter.  

“I must do the same for my future partner.”  

“What? Are you already married?”  

“I will be soon.”  

“I hope you meet someone good, then.”  

Her empty words made him laugh despite himself. There was much he wanted to say, but now wasn’t the time.  

“Ugh…”  

As awkward silence filled the room, Freesia began to stir, her fingers twitching slightly.  

“Sister!!!”  

“I’ve already informed the Duke. I’ll take my leave now.”  

While Lily focused on her sister, the prince offered a polite bow and quietly left the room, not forgetting to give her a small parting nod, as if to say, Until we meet again. 

As soon as he left, Sohee rushed in, gripping Lily’s hand tightly in excitement.  

“What did you talk about with His Highness the Crown Prince?”  

“The Crown Prince?”  

“He was just here! Do you two know each other from before?”  

“W-What?”  

Lily, who was rarely caught off guard, was genuinely surprised this time.  

She dashed outside, and in the distance, she saw him walking away, accompanied by his attendants.  

“No way… You’re joking, right?”  

“That was indeed His Highness the Crown Prince.”  

Even the palace physician confirmed it, and cold sweat ran down Lily’s back.  

“Sis…”  

It felt like everything had already fallen apart.  

Lily clutched her head, overwhelmed by the embarrassing disaster she had just created.  

—

When Wilfred heard that Freesia had collapsed, he dropped everything and rushed to the palace.  

Seeing Lily sobbing by the bedside, he bit his lip.  

“What on earth happened?”  

“She fainted from anemia,” answered the Viscountess Blado, speaking on Lily’s behalf, as the latter could only cry helplessly.  

Meeting Luca’s gaze from across the room, Wilfred brushed the hair away from the unconscious Freesia’s forehead.  

“Who examined her?”  

The palace physician, facing the imposing Crowford Duke, swallowed nervously.  

“Is it truly just anemia?”  

“Well…”  

“If you’re hiding anything, I suggest you say it now.”  

The Duke’s icy warning chilled the entire room. Even Lily, in the midst of her sobs, quieted and lifted her head.  

“What’s wrong with my sister?”  

“We’re not entirely sure yet. I assure you, we didn’t mean to withhold anything.”  

But Wilfred, with just a glance, saw right through the physician’s hesitation.  

In the heavy silence, Freesia’s eyelids trembled ever so slightly.  

“Ah… it hurts…”  

“Sis!!”  

Freesia, who had been sleeping like the dead, finally opened her eyes.  

In awe, she reached out and stroked Lily’s tear-streaked cheek.  

“Am I dreaming? In my memory, you were still just a little girl…”  

“Huh?”  

“It feels like I’ve had a very long dream. In that dream, I…”  

“Freesia.”  

Wilfred spoke her name with gentle affection, welcoming her back. This was the second time—just like before, when she had fallen ill during a visit to the palace.  

What could be causing these relapses?  

As Wilfred reached out, a flicker of fear ignited in Freesia’s eyes.  

“Dear…”  

“You… why are you here?”  

Her terrified expression stirred the memories she had tried so hard to forget. The very man who haunted her dreams, the one she resented every night.  

“Why are you here…?”  

“Please excuse me for a moment.”  

It was as if she had witnessed something she wasn’t supposed to see.  

It’s all just a dream. A tragic dream that should never come true again.  

When Freesia started thrashing, he gently subdued her, pressing a pressure point to make her fall limp.  

Holding her trembling body, Wilfred gathered her in his arms.  

“Wilfred, there’s something I need to tell you,” Luca said urgently.  

He intended to explain everything about what had happened earlier.  

But as they stepped into the corridor, his eyes locked with Serial’s, standing at a distance.  

“Actually—oh…!”  

In Serial’s hand was the very mirror that had been in the library earlier.  

Before Luca could intervene, Serial flashed a radiant smile and hurled the mirror to the floor with all his might.  

The mirror shattered into pieces.