I Will No Longer Live As Your Villainess

“Lord Lorirolds confessed to me at first sight, and I couldn’t help but be drawn to his boldness. When a man and a woman feel mutual attraction, and they’re left alone in the same room, isn’t it only natural to end up dating?”

Laurencia smiled at Anne, but inside, she dwelled on the despicable schemes Anne had tried to enact through Lorirolds. A surge of twisted, furious emotions welled up in her chest.

“Just as you said, Madam Anne, he’s a man of great manners and a wonderful person. He’s far too good for me.”

“No. You can’t date him.”

“Why not? Didn’t you lock us in a room together precisely so we would become a couple?”

“You can’t! You have Prince Luance!”

“Prince Luance is not my lover.”

“Ungrateful wretch! Do you even realize whose favor allowed you to become the young lady of Count Paul Heredian’s family?”

“It’s thanks to Prince Luance.”

“Then act like you know it!”

Anne raised her hand without hesitation. A sharp sound rang out as her palm struck Laurencia’s cheek, whipping her head to the side.

“Break up with Lord Lorirolds!”

“No. I like him.”

Anne raised her hand again, this time pausing to take a deep breath before striking with even greater force. Laurencia’s skin burned as if set aflame.

“When I say no, I mean no!”

“I’ll continue seeing him. He’s my first love.”

At Laurencia’s words, Anne’s hand lashed out again. Laurencia’s frail body staggered and swayed, but she gritted her teeth and straightened her posture.

“When I say break up, you break up!”

“Why are you acting like this? You seem so desperate, almost as if there’s someone who would be in serious trouble if I kept seeing him. Care to explain, Madam Anne?”

At Laurencia’s pointed question, Anne’s face turned pale.

“So there is trouble brewing.”

Laurencia slowly lifted her bowed head, brushing back her crimson hair. Beneath her long lashes, her violet eyes gleamed faintly.

“If you wanted to avoid disaster, you should’ve dealt with it sooner.”

Laurencia delivered her warning with a chillingly calm expression, as though she had washed away all emotion. Anne felt a cold chill run down her spine. It was clear Laurencia was provoking her.

“As a member of the Paul Heredian family, there’s no disaster I can’t manage. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what you just said, Laurencia. But mark my words: if you don’t break up with Lord Lorirolds, I’ll kill that kitten of yours.”

Anne’s tone was casual, as if discussing the weather, her words carrying an air of unshakable confidence. She was certain this threat would work on Laurencia. And she was right.

“If you want to save the kitten, behave yourself.”

“I apologize, Madam Anne. When Lord Lorirolds visits tomorrow, I’ll end things with him. Please, just leave Leo alone.”

Laurencia bowed deeply, both her back and her head.

“That’s better. You should’ve acted this way from the start.”

“I’m sorry. Please don’t hurt Leo. I’ll take care of it tomorrow.”

When Laurencia returned to her room, she let out a low laugh. She gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her cheek was red and swollen from the repeated slaps. Soon, bruises would bloom around her eyes, but she barely cared. It wasn’t the first time she’d been bruised, and it likely wouldn’t be the last.

Sitting motionless on the edge of her bed, Laurencia sank into thought. The hours passed until the night grew late, and the starlight poured in through the terrace window. Rising from her seat, Laurencia opened the terrace doors wide, stepping to the edge of the railing. She gazed up at the moon, her lips curling into a faint smile.

Laurencia removed the amethyst necklace from around her neck. Staring into the jewel, its surface catching the moonlight, she let out a pained groan and sank to her knees. Tears and saliva streamed down her face as cold sweat slicked her hair to her skin. Clutching the necklace tightly in her hand, she stifled her sobs, enduring the searing pain.

The Next Day

Prince Luance visited the Paul Heredian estate, searching for Laurencia. Something about her seemed different today.

“Prince Luance, I learned how to dance a formal waltz for the first time yesterday.”

“A formal waltz? That’s right, your debutante is approaching. Was it difficult?”

“The teacher was very kind. And…”

Laurencia’s voice trailed off, and she shifted shyly, her demeanor uncharacteristically bashful.

“It’s good that the teacher was kind.”

“Yes, they were polite and just… a wonderful person all around.”

“I’m glad Madam Anne found a good instructor for you.”

Luance found Laurencia’s subtly elated expression strange, even unfamiliar. He studied her closely. When he reached to brush back her hair, he noticed the red swelling on her cheek. It was clear she had been struck—likely by Brant or Anne.

“Did they hit you again?”

“I’m fine.”

Luance suppressed the rising irritation as he asked. Pretending to care for the injured Laurencia felt like an unbearable drain on his emotions. He had already instructed them to hit her where it wouldn’t show, but they had ignored him, leaving visible marks.

Her face, already gaunt and unattractive, looked grotesque with her swollen cheek.

“Alright. If you say you’re fine, that’s good. Just make sure to ice it later.”

Luance gently stroked Laurencia’s crimson hair and spoke kindly.

“Yes.”

“By the way, Laurencia, did you happen to have any dreams?”

“Funny you should ask, I did dream last night.”

“Tell me about it.”

“I dreamt of the Poloid Empire’s beautiful princess and Crown Prince Adrian holding their engagement ceremony.”

Luance smiled with satisfaction. This confirmed it—the monster’s power had fully awakened.

**

“Laurencia, your dream was correct. Princess Charlotte of the Poloid Empire is at the royal palace.”

“Could it really be true? My dream was accurate?”

“Yes. This confirms it. Laurencia, you have precognitive dreams. Now, listen to me carefully. There must be a pattern to your dreams.”

“A pattern?”

“For instance, if you think of me before sleeping, you might dream about something related to me.”

“Is that so? But Prince Adrian’s engagement isn’t related to you, is it?”

Laurencia bit her lip, her expression showing her struggle to understand Luance’s words. Her puzzled look frustrated him. Despite paying close attention to his words, she furrowed her brows, unable to fully grasp his meaning.

“You seem distracted today.”

“Maybe it’s because I’m not feeling well.”

“Not feeling well?”

Luance glanced again at her swollen cheek. She’d been hit like this before, and now claiming to be in pain felt like an exaggeration to him.

“It might be because I danced for hours yesterday. My body was overwhelmed, my cheek hurts, and I also have a… commitment today.”

“Laurencia, do you think it’s sensible to overexert yourself by dancing for hours? You should have stopped. Did you enjoy learning the social dance that much? Or was it the man’s arms you enjoyed?”

Laurencia stayed silent.

“Laurencia, aren’t you going to answer me? Speak up.”

“I’ll answer. I was just thinking.”

“Thinking?”

“Yes. I was considering your question.”

“Laurencia, I’ve told you before, don’t think about anything. Just follow my words. It’s because you don’t listen to me that you keep getting reprimanded.”

“You’re right, Your Highness. But your question made me think of him without realizing it.”

Laurencia’s cheeks flushed as if painted by the evening sun, and an indelible smile graced her lips.

“Your question about whether I enjoyed the dance or the man’s arms, Your Highness.”

“Did that sound like a genuine question to you, Laurencia?”

It had been a rhetorical remark meant to mock her, but something felt off. Normally, Laurencia would have said, “I’m sorry, Your Highness. Please don’t misunderstand.”

But instead, she took his words as a question and responded thoughtfully. Luance studied her with suspicion, trying to understand the situation.

“You’re right, Your Highness.”

“What exactly am I right about? Speak clearly!”

“Now that I think about it, you’re right, Your Highness. I think I did enjoy the man’s arms.”

“Laurencia, are you seriously saying, right in front of me, that you enjoyed being in another man’s arms?”

“I didn’t expect to feel this way, either.”

“This is absurd.”

“Madam Anne introduced him as a wonderful gentleman. She said he would be my debutante escort and first dance partner. She was right—he truly is a wonderful man.”

“Wait a minute… Laurencia.”

Luance forced himself to stay calm and listened to her story.

“Yesterday, he told me he fell for me at first sight.”

Luance strained to make sense of her words.

“And before we parted after the dance lesson, he confessed his feelings to me.”

“Confessed?”

“I can hardly believe it myself, and I’m sure you find it unbelievable as well, Your Highness.”

Laurencia was 19 years old—plain and unattractive. What kind of man would fall for someone like her at first sight? He would have to be out of his mind to confess his feelings. Either that, or Laurencia was lying. But why would she lie?

“We decided to start dating yesterday.”

“This is ridiculous. What kind of vermin…?”

Luance clenched his mouth shut, barely suppressing the curse that threatened to escape. What kind of man had Anne brought in as her dance instructor?

“Actually, he’s supposed to come pick me up at the estate today. We’re going on a date.”

“Wait, Laurencia. Did you say a date?”

“Yes.”

“What about me, the one who came to see you?”

“I plan to go on the date after you leave, Your Highness.”

“No, Laurencia. What am I to you, the one who came to see you?”

“What do you mean? Why are you asking me that?”

“Answer me clearly.”

“You’re my friend.”

“Friend? Laurencia, you consider me a friend?”

“Yes. You were the one who said we should be friends, Your Highness.”

“Will you be my friend?”

He had sought her out in the tower, extending a hand of friendship. She had been overjoyed but had no idea that friendship would come with a poisoned chalice.

Knock, knock.

A maid entered, informing them that “Lord Lorirolds has arrived and has been escorted to the drawing room.” Laurencia told Luance she had to go meet him and left the room, leaving Luance alone in stunned silence.