In a deep dark room, a silhouette of a man standing in the window was seen, He was staring outside when he heard the sound of the door to his room open. 

“Your Highness, You called?” Asked a voice.

 

“Yes I did,” Iroas turned around and looked at William who was standing not very far away from him. Iroase’s boots made a clicking sound as they hit the expensive-looking marble floor. He gently flickered his fingers over the candlestand and the candles started to burn magically. The room lit up and Iroas’s face was seen now.

“Are you not going to give me the report?” Asked Iroas.

 

“YOur HIgness...I followed Lady Arcane but…” William stopped.

“But?” Iroas tilted his head and stared intently at William.

“But I saw the Crown Prince so I had to retreat.” William hung his head low.

 

“The who?” the corner of Iroas’s lip curled up, 

“The Crown Prince…” William repeated.

 

“The crown prince...As in that crazy Crown Prince?” Iroas sarcastically spoke.

“Yes your highness,” William repeated.

“Hah!” Iroas brushed his fingers through his hair and chuckled. “I didn’t know he would take the bait that quickly...He sure is nuts.” Iroas turned around towards the window. “I will play with him this time.” Said Iroas in a hateful tone. While he was deep in his revengeful thoughts William lifted his head and looked at Iroas’s scary back.

 

“Your highness! May I ask you a question?” William spoke out.

Iroas’s eyebrow lifted and he looked around at William with an amused expression.

“What is it that you want to ask?” 

 

“Why did you choose the 41st candidate to be your fiancee?” William asked in a plain voice.

 

“Is there something wrong with choosing that number?” Iroas asked.

 

“So...YOu didn’t know who she was?” William sounded a little disappointed.

“I just chose the number on vim...I had no idea that she was a princess.” Iroas looked around uninterestedly as the gentle and sweet smile of Soarsa flashed through his eyes.

 

“So you didn’t remember who she was?...” William mumbled under his breath, he sounded very disappointed in Iroas. 

“Did you say something?” Asked Iroas when he heard the low mumble.

“I said you should rest, for now, I will be taking my leave.” 

 

William bowed his head and went out of the room, he breathed out heavily because he felt a heavy weight on his chest that made him unable to breathe.

 

                         ************************************

 

Just like that days went by and Arcane locked herself inside her room, she avoided any kind of contact with people around her Blanca only entered when she had to serve her food. 

All the maids were desperate, they felt odd for why the princess was acting that way? 

“Blanca! How was the Princess? IS she feeling well?” Asked Lilac the head maid of the palace.

“Princess was sleeping when I brought her breakfast,” Blanca blinked sadly.

 

“Is there something we could do to cheer her up?” lilac the head maid of the Palace asked with a worried voice?

“What if we take her out for a walk?” Anothewhoid suggested.

While they were talking to each other outside Arcane’s room a knight stepped in.

“Is the Princess awake? There is someone who has come to meet her.” He spoke.

 

“Who?” Asked Lilac with a defensive voice.

 

“It’s a lady from Crystal Palace.” HE replied.

“Crystal Palace?!” Blanca scoffed. “Why would you allow such a person to enter the Palace!!” Blanca stepped forwards and was about to kick the knight in anger.

 

“What is wrong Blanca?” Lilac asked.

“She is the woman who harmed the Princess in the forest!!” Blanca spoke with hatred.

Lilac’s eyes widened and she looked at the knight. “Tell her that the Princess doesn’t want to meet he--(Click*)” Lilac heard the sound of the door open. And Arcane stepped out of the room. She was wearing a cool blue colored dress that had delicate flowers embroidered into it. Her hair was tied up into a ponytail showing her bandaged neck clearly. 

“I will meet her, Madam Lilac, Please prepare some snacks for us,” Arcane spoke in a plain voice.

 

“But, Princess!” Blanca protested.

“Don’t worry! I will deal with her.” Arcane’s eyes held an odd emotion in them, She looked cold and determined.

‘So what if she is the female lead? And what if she has the support of all the male leads I don’t care about that anymore! I will fight back no matter what comes my way...After all, I am Joy Rider...the unbeatable champion…And now I will be the villainess that fights back!!’ Arcane thought to herself and stepped forwards. 

 

“What if she hurts you again?” Blanca held onto Arcaen’s dress trying to hold her back. 

“Then I will hurt her back!... I will hurt her where they hurt me!” Arcane stared at Blanca. “I will hurt them right here,” She pointed at her heart, “The place where I have been hurt all my life!” 

With those words, Arcane stormed towards the garden where Soarsa was waiting for her.

 

“By the way...Why is she here? This wasn’t mentioned in the book.” Arcane muttered to herself. 

Finally when she reached the rose garden, Arcane saw Soarsa sitting on a chair beside the round table. She was wearing a red dress and had dark makeup on her face. 

“What is wrong with her? Did she take the wrong medicine today?” Arcane thought to herself.

“Greetings Princess!” As soon as Soarsa’s eye fell on Arcane she goes up from her chair and greeted her by bowing her head.

 

“You may stand up now.” Arcane waved her hand on which Soarsa straightened up.

 

“So what brings you here? Miss…” Arcane deliberately acted as if she didn’t know her because they hadn’t officially met yet.

 

“Huh?” Soarsa made an odd sound with her mouth. “Princess, you don’t remember me? We met in the forest,” She stretched her lips trying hard to make her remember.

 

“Hah! So it was you who caused me these injuries?” Said Arcane.

 

“No!” the color of Soarsa’s face faded, And she jumped up. “It is a misunderstanding...I thought you knew that is why you helped me explain it to the emperor.” Soarsa’s eyes teared up, She was on the verge of crying.

 

“Why did you come?” Arcane ignored her tears.

 

“I wanted to congratulate you on your engagement,” said Soarsa with her tear voice.

“Hmm.., ANything else?” Arcane added.

“That…” Soarsa fidgeted her fingers as she blushed.

 

“I wanted to know how you made the war hero fall for you? All the ladies are dying to know that.” Soarsa mumbled. 

 

“Why should tell you something like that? SHouldn’t it be a secret between me and Iroas?” Arcane replied.

“Huh?” Soarsa let out a soft voice from her mouth. 

 

‘Wasn’t her character a strong one? Why is she acting so timidly? And why do I feel so repulsive? I shouldn’t be talking like that but somehow seeing her like this makes me want to beat her up!!’ Arcane was having a very odd gut feeling about Soarsa...Was it becasue she was the female lead and she was the villainess?

 

“Princess, here is your tea and snacks.” Lilac placed the food on the table before them.

 

“Thank you,” Arcane gave her a warm smile and looked back at the tray.No, atter how many times she looked at the food here, it was always a plain meal. ‘Why is everything here so tasteless? If only Chelsi was here (Chelsi was the girl who gave Joy the book to read. She was her best friend and she was a chef)’ Arcane clicked her tongue.

 

“Princess, Let me pour a drink for you,’ Soarsa readily pulled the teapot and started pouring out the tea into the cups. Arcane looked away from Soarsa as she couldn’t control the hateful emotions that were boiling inside of her.

 

“Here! Have this Princess!” Soarsa presented her with the tea.

Arcane looked at the bright pink teas in the cup that smelled like a flowering orchard, HEr heart bloomed with joy and she lifted the cup to take a sip out of it. As soon as the tea touched her tongue it tickled her taste buds and it calmed her down. 

“Princesseemedemd to be enjoying the tea,” Soarsa chuckled.

Arcane looked up at her and saw her innocent smile. ‘What am I doing? Why Io I have to take out all my anger of her? She has done nothing wrong.’ Arcane felt guilty but above that Arcane felt sleepy as if she had taken sleeping pills. Arcane’s head felt heavy and with a thud* it hit the table.

 

“Princess!!’ Lilac and Soarsa called out but Arcane was deep in her sleep now.