I just realized that the author is the same author who wrote I Don"t Want"t to Become a Crown Princess (R-18). I have to say, the author has really improved her writing.

TL: clover

ED: clover

"M-my apologies!"

Recognizing him, I quickly stood up. With the prince standing in front of me, it"s impossible for me to be discourteous by sitting down.

As I stood, I hurriedly made a curtsy appropriate for a n.o.ble lady as a greeting to Prince Alan.

"I-I apologize. My name is Liz Beltran. It is embarra.s.sing to admit, but I didn"t notice that Your Highness was entering. Please excuse my rudeness."

I have cold sweat due to my blunder. Although I was waiting for this person, I didn"t notice him until he approached me, so even if I am punished I have no right to complain. That would be incomparably rude.

While I was trembling in fear, Prince Alan gently said.

"Raise your head. It seems that you knew me, but I"d like to introduce myself first. I am Alan Roseblade. Ah, you don"t need to be afraid. I also have kept you waiting. I"m sorry that I"m late for our promised time. I thought that it was not good after all, so I came to pick you up myself instead of a soldier."

"I-I see."

I feel relieved that I was forgiven. I was worried about angering the prince and causing an inconvenience to my father.

But it seems that Prince Alan is not angry.

That"s good. Thinking so, my expression became relaxed, and then Prince Alan opened his mouth.

"—Now then. So? You are not a "villainess"? Earlier, you said such a thing, right?"

"Huh!?"

Listening to those words which were being said without hesitation, a gasp came out of my mouth.

Eh, just now, what did this person said?

"ah……excuse me? Your Highness?"

"You seem to have received a lot of shock. You didn"t notice that I came in and kept talking to yourself. It seems like you were telling yourself that you are not a villainess."

"N-no way……"

Even though I intended to keep my thoughts to myself.

Hearing that I apparently was saying all those things out loud, I paled.

—This is bad. That means the fact that I was peeping is exposed.

That was my first thought.

Because "villainess" is the word I got from them, otherwise it wouldn"t come out of my mouth.

It was an unfamiliar word, and I don"t even know its meaning. I think it is the same regardless who heard that.

"U-um……I, I was……"

"I wonder if the door was opened? Well, that was our mistake, so I don"t blame you because I think it was not unreasonable for you to peep. Instead, would you let me know something? Why were you desperately denying it, saying something like "I"m not a villainess"? Perhaps, did my brother"s words reminded you of something?"

"T-that is……"

Prince Alan hit my weak point while smiling.

Seeing me speechless, Prince Alan seemed to be convinced.

"I see. I knew it. So, you were crying because of shock, huh?"

"Huh! Crying, such a thing is……"

I wasn"t crying. I glared at Prince Alan firmly. But, the prince reached out to the edge of my eyes. Then, he did a gesture like scooping.

"See, tears are acc.u.mulating at the edge of your eyes. It"s cute that you cried due to shock. You"re quite different from the "villainess" I heard from Will. The villainess whom he was talking about was more of a thick-skinned and shameless woman."

"T-thick skinned and shameless……"

Realizing that I was being disparaged behind my back, I trembled due to the severe insults.

"Yeah. Because, if you were listening then you would know this, right? Arrogant and selfish. Hate it if she doesn"t have the best things……um, after that, what was it again? Anyway, do you think that such a person would be sensitive and worried about petty things?"

"……I don"t think so."

"Right?"

—These are all about me.

I was upset inwardly, but nodded because objectively, indeed those are exactly right.

"So, you were lamenting that you shouldn"t be such a person. Am I right?"

"Of course. If it were Your Highness in my place, what would you think? Hearing that you were the worst person and things like that, would you be able to agree with that?"

"I wonder. If I were truly the worst, I think that I would have to change myself……but, the worst person would hardly reflect on themselves, so on that point, I might not be the worst."

Unexpectedly he gave me a serious answer, and I was surprised.

"Yeah. So in that sense, I think that you are not as worst as my brother said. Because, your face just now was colored by remorse and introspection. You were having conflicts about that, right?"

"Huh!"

"You are in a difficult situation. But, you don"t want to admit it. I think that was a natural reaction. I think I would also have a shock if someone said those things about me."

"……What are you trying to say, Your Highness?"

"Me?"

I couldn"t grasp what Prince Alan is trying to say. When I stared at him, the prince blinked his eyes incessantly. And then he gave me a broad smile.

"Aa. You seem to be very troubled. That being the case, I thought about cooperating with you."

"Heh?"

For a moment, I seriously don"t understand what he was saying. The prince continued his speech while smiling.

"It"s frustrating to be called a villainess by my brother, right? You wanted to say that it was wrong, right? Or am I wrong?"

"That is……not……wrong, but."

As Prince Alan said.

I wanted to say that I am not a "villainess" like Prince Wilfred said. I wanted to say that I am not such a woman.

But, I realized that I couldn"t deny it. I couldn"t say that it"s wrong. And I was troubled because of that.

Finally becoming aware of my own feelings, I bit my lips while hanging my head down, and Prince Alan clapped his hands to draw my attention. Hearing that loud sound, I raised my head. I found that he was staring right at me.

"Therefore, I propose that we cooperate. I have heard from my brother various things about what a "villainess" is like. So I think I can advise you using that as a reference, and I think that"s not a bad offer for you."

"Cooperate……?"

Hearing the word I am unaccustomed with, I tilted my head. Prince Alan nodded firmly.

"That"s right. If you were truly the worst lady, you wouldn"t say such a thing. Seeing you received a shock from what my brother was saying, I thought that there is a room for improvement. How about it? Do you want to try hard to avoid becoming a "villainess" together with me?"

This proposal is a good offer for me who don"t know anything about a "villainess".

Certainly, Prince Alan who is Prince Wilfred"s brother will have various information. But, I don"t know why he was even offering such a thing.

He is not my fiancé yet……so I don"t understand his reason for helping the worst woman who is said to be a "villainess".

I am lost on what to do.

If it were the me some time ago, I wouldn"t think it was strange because "It"s natural for him wanting to cooperate with the beautiful me". But, in this short period my perception has changed. I didn"t think Prince Alan would help me who is said to be the worst person.