Why Did I Become the Villainess?

Chapter 160 - : Ruby Necklace

 I bow my head at Prince Joachim. He just dropped me off at the residence. It's already late, so he insisted that he drop me off, so I had no choice but to let him.

 "Thank you for dropping me off, Prince Joachim. I will be going now." 

 I enjoyed looking around the underground market, but it doesn't mean that I liked being with him. He still makes me uncomfortable. 

 Prince Joachim smiled at me. "It was nice spending the day with you, Lady Csille. I hope we can have another time to do this again." 

 Another time? Nahh, I would rather spend my day in the residence. Not that I'm against him, I just don't feel uncomfortable when I am with him. I always feel cautious when I am with him. It's as if someone will harm me at any moment. 

 I just smile at him and immediately walk inside the residence. I sighed in relief when I was already inside. Although what I did was rude, I just wanted to get away from him as far as I could.

 "You seem like you enjoy your day, Lady Csille?"

 I looked up and found Princess Paislee sitting on the sofa. I sigh in relief. I thought it was Prince Fraser. Thank goodness it's just Princess Paislee.

 I frowned when I realized the tone of Princess Paislee. I don't like her tone. It's like she is interrogating me. "What do you mean, Sir Farren?" I look at his back. Afraid that Prince Fraser will pop out of nowhere.

 Princess Paislee probably notices where I am looking. "Prince Fraser was exhausted looking for you the whole day. Do you know how worried he was?"

 I sigh. There's no Prince Fraser that is mad at me, but it was replaced by a nagging Princess Paislee? Great. "Sir Farren, I'm sorry as much as I want to talk to you, but I am too exhausted for today. Let's just talk tomorrow, okay?"

 I immediately excuse myself. Prince Fraser and Princess Paislee are always together. I am scared that if I continue to stand here, Prince Fraser might come out of nowhere to interrogate me, and that's now what I like. It's better this way that he is thinking that I am still mad at him.

 I immediately rushed to my room and didn't wait for Princess Paislee's response. I don't want to talk to anyone for now. I just want to rest. 

 I slump my body on my bed and sigh in relief. My whole body is aching because I walk around the underground market for the whole day. I got so engrossed checking each shop that I didn't notice it was already late. If not for Prince Joachim, I would have stayed longer in there. Too bad I didn't check all the stalls. I will definitely come back to it some other day.

 I stretched my hand, and I frowned when I touched something inside the pouch on my waist. I don't remember putting anything inside of it. I take the thing inside the pouch, and my eyes widen when I see the ruby necklace that Prince Joachim bought. 

 "But why is it here? The last time I remember, I declined this necklace. Did he put it inside my pouch?"

 I raised the necklace and inspected it. The shape of the ruby is heart, and it's so red that it's mesmerizing. It's beautiful, yes, but it's too costly for a necklace. Half a million centimes? Just for a necklace? That's too much. 

 I got up from my bed when I realized something. Prince Joachim is from the Yesian Kingdom, the second weakest Kingdom of all the Kingdoms. Although the Yesian's wealth cannot be compared to the Vrawyth's, Prince Joachim is the forgotten Prince of the Yesian. How come he has the money to buy a necklace like that?

 I was startled when my door burst open. I looked up and found Rufus standing in my doorway. He frowns when he sees the necklace in my hand. "That necklace, where did you get it?" 

 He rushed towards me and snatched the necklace from my hand. "It is really the necklace. where did you find it, purplany?"

 I frown. Why does he need to act like that? It's just a Ruby necklace. "It was given to me by Prince Joachim—"

 "What? Prince Joachim? You're with him? So, all this time that we're all worried for you, you're with that Prince?"

 I frown at Rufus. Why does he sound like he couldn't believe what I just said? Although Prince Joachim is invalid, he is known for being a good person. I don't understand why would he react that way.

 "Why? Did something happen while I was gone? Also, why did you react that way? Do you have a problem with Prince Joachim?"

 Rufus sighed, and he sat beside me. "I just don't feel at ease with him. I know he seems harmless and all, but there's something in him that doesn't seem right."

 I thought I was the only one who noticed that. This Prince Joachim is definitely not a simple person for sure. Even Rufus notice that something is off with him. 

 "I understand you. Even I don't feel comfortable when I am with him."

 "But if you're not comfortable, why are you with him the whole day? Do you know how worried we were? We thought you were just training in the Etiquette room, but we didn't find you there. Do you know how worried Prince Fraser is? He even interrogated the coachman. when he heard that you're just strolling around the main street of the Saiven Kingdom, he immediately stopped his training and looked for you everywhere." Rufus paused and stared at me.

 I didn't know it would result in this. I just want to avoid him. 

 "Do you know how worried we were when Prince Fraser arrived at the training ground without you? We immediately stop our training and look for you everywhere. We almost called the Queen because of this. If Leander didn't put sleeping pills on Prince Fraser's drink, he would probably still be looking for you now. We all thought that the Strzalka abducted you already. Where did you go, Csille? We searched everywhere to look for you, but we didn't find you. And why are you with Prince Joachim?"

 I sigh. I didn't expect that things would progress like this. I thought everyone was busy training. I didn't expect that while I was enjoying checking each rare item in the underground market, everyone was busy looking for me everywhere. 

 "While I was strolling around the Saiven Kingdom, Prince Joachim saw me. I didn't have any other choice when he asked me if he could accompany me today. So, I just said yes, and he brought me to a secret market for the royals and nobles. That's why you didn't find me. I was busy looking at the items that were on sale there. You won't believe what they sell there. Most of the things are rare and can only be found in there."

 Rufus frown. "I didn't know that even the Saiven Kingdom has a secret market. For a small Kingdom to have a secret market. That's really not expected."

 "Wait, what do you mean by your words? Can you make it clear it to me?"

 Rufus shakes his head. "You're not supposed to know about this. This kind of market is not supposed to be known by the public. It's quite a black market, but the only difference is the monarch knows about this existence. The monarch also gets money from this market so they can operate. It's like a black market for the nobles and the royals."

 "So, do you mean that even the Vrawyth Kingdom has this kind of Market?"

 He nods his head at me. "Yes, we also have that one. The Count probably didn't want you to know about this. But I guess it's better for you to know this." He then raises his hand that is holding the necklace. "Prince Joachim probably bought this in this secret marketing, am I right?"

 I nod my head at him. "Yes, I told him several times that he shouldn't buy it for me since I don't wear much jewelry these days. Also, the price is too much for a simple necklace. I don't understand how a simple ruby necklace like that would be worth half a million centimes."

 Rufus stares intently at the necklace before he sighs. He puts the necklace down and stares at me. "That's actually cheap for a necklace like this."

 I frown. How come it is cheap? That's half a million centimes. How many people can live a happy life because of that money? That's not a small amount. So, what is he saying cheap? Is it some sort of branded jewelry in this world?

 "Cheap? That's a lot of money for a jewelry. What do you mean by it's cheap?"

 "Don't you recognize this necklace?" He raised the necklace again. "Haven't you seen this before?"

 I looked at the necklace intently, but no matter how much I looked at it, I still couldn't recognize it. Am I supposed to recognize this? 

 I shake my head at Rufus. "I don't recognize it. Is it some important jewelry?"

 "Yes, this is the Ruby necklace given by Prince Theodore to Princess Celestine before. However, after Princess Celestine knows that Prince Theodore is cheating, she throws the necklace. It was never found after that. Everyone thought that it could never be found but look at this. It's still here. Now, tell me, how can they just sell something like this for just half a million centimes?"

 Princess Celestine and Prince Theodore? Aren't they the Prince and the Princess a thousand years before? Princess Celestine is the Princess of the Vrawyth Kingdom, and Prince Theodore is the Crown Prince of the Aeslaerean Kingdom. They used to be engaged before, but Princess Celestine realizes that Prince Theodore is cheating on her with her own best friend, Aurora. 

 After Princess Celestine knows that her fiancé cheats on her, she takes her own life, thinking that maybe Prince Theodore will regret cheating on her. However, things didn't go the way she expected. Prince Theodore became the King of the Aeslaerean Kingdom and even made Aurora his Queen. It's the reason why the Vrawyth Kingdom and the Aeslaerean Kingdom were in constant war. 

 I look at the necklace. I didn't know about this. My mother never said anything about the necklace. Princess Celestine's story has been passed from generation to generation. It was used by mothers to teach their children that even if love fails you, you shouldn't take away your life for that. Who knows, maybe there's someone better waiting for you.

 "This is the necklace of Princess Celestine? But how come it is in the Saiven Kingdom? Also, how can we be assured that this is really the necklace and not some sort of replica of the necklace?"

 Rufus smiled at me. "That's easy. I'll show you how. Father always told me that this necklace has a very special features. All you need to do is to push the frame of the ruby," Rufus pushes the frame, and it opens like a locket. 

 My eyes immediately widen when I see a picture of a beautiful lady in it. It must be Princess Celestine. She looks so beautiful. How can Prince Theodore cheat on her? 

 "This is Princess Celestine. It only means one thing. This is really the authentic Ruby necklace of Princess Celestine. The knowledge about the secret locket was kept from the public. It was a secret pass on the Astalieu family from generation to generation. Hoping that someday the necklace can, he found again."

 I didn't expect that my stroll to the secret market would be fruitful. Although I didn't find the book about the Lauretré family. I still find the Ruby necklace.

 "If the necklace is an important thing for the Vrawyth Kingdom, then you can give it to Prince Fraser. I don't plan on wearing it. I'll probably just pay Prince Joachim."

 Rufus shakes his head. "No, I'll talk to Prince Fraser about it, and we will be the one paying Prince Joachim. You should get to sleep now. I'll talk to Prince Fraser now."

 Rufus is about to get out, but I stop him. "Rufus, can you just explain to Prince Fraser where did I go. I will be sleeping now."

 Rufus shakes his head. "You're avoiding him again. You two are really complicated people." He said before he left my room.

 I slumped my body on the bed. I guess Rufus is right.. I am really a complicated person.