Chapter 49: If You’re Happy
Come to think of it, I remember Lena-sensei saying that Prince Agustin’s brainwashing had been undone, so there’s nothing to worry about.
That’s a relief, isn’t it? After all, the reason we tried to expose Yserra-sama’s true identity was to undo Prince Agustin’s brainwashing.
(But right now, I really don’t want to see him!)
Feeling a bit resigned, I turned to face Prince Agustin.
I’m trying to sneak into the boys’ dormitory now, so I have to somehow get past him if he’s heading there.
“Good evening, Your Highness. It’s a beautiful night.”
I’ll just have to give a nod and pass by.
If it comes to this, I have to go into the school building, circle around it and come back.
“Wait!”
As I was rearranging my plan, I heard a voice from behind me. When I turned around nervously, Prince Agustin looked awkwardly away.
“Um… I heard you got hurt. Are you okay?”
Wow. I never thought Prince Agustin would worry about me.
It’s rare for him to be outspoken, I wonder what happened. Did the fact that he was brainwashed weigh heavily on him?
“Yes. I’m almost completely healed.”
“I see. I’m glad to hear that. I’m sorry for causing you trouble.”
I was finally astonished and opened my mouth in surprise, even though I knew it was inappropriate.
Did Prince Agustin apologize?
That can’t be true. That Agustin who walks around in his arrogance and conceit, believing he’s always right…?!
“I didn’t even realize that witch brainwashing was taking place. Now that I think about it, I never had any feelings for Yserra.”
“I see… Is that so?”
I don’t know what to do, I can’t follow the conversation.
Why am I being informed about Prince Agustin’s current situation?
“How are you getting along with Camilo?”
“Huh…?! Me?”
Now, I was hit with an unexpected question. What is the Prince thinking, really?
Things weren’t going well, and I didn’t know how to answer.
How did it look when I hesitated? Prince Agustin stepped forward and made a confident statement.
“If things aren’t going well, could you think about me?”
…What?
“I can’t stop thinking about you…”
…What?
“Is that unacceptable to you?”
Huuuh?
I twisted my head in my mind.
What’s going on… Did I hear voices in my head? Am I tired? This is scary.
No, but Prince Agustin still had a confident expression.
So, is all of what he just said real?
(…What is this person? Stop it already.)
At that moment, I felt anger bubbling up inside me.
It was the first time I felt such a disrespectful emotion towards the Crown Prince.
I mean, really. He didn’t care about me at all, and now he’s acting like this.
I know that Prince Agustin hasn’t regained his memory. So I understand that this anger is very misplaced, and that it’s not surprising that these kinds of things happen when relationships change in the second life.
But why did he fall for Yserra-sama’s brainwashing in the first place, just because he thought “Oh, isn’t she a cute girl?”
From the beginning, he wasn’t interested in me at all.
Do you really understand how difficult this has been for me this time, because you were brainwashed? Do you really feel remorse?
“Still, I can’t see your face clearly. Could you take off your glasses?”
Prince Agustin smiles and tilts his head, with a face that doesn’t seem to expect to be refused.
Come to think of it, he asked me to take off my glasses the first time we met.
Well, if he wants to see so badly, I should just show him.
Once I thought of it, it was easy. I put my hand on my glasses and slowly took them off.
I gaze straight at Prince Agustin with my unveiled rose-colored eyes. He was my husband in the first life, and yet he was the person who was furthest away from me.
The night wind blew through the front of the empty school building, and two braids swayed at the edge of my field of vision. Thanks to taking off my cracked glasses, I could see my face reflected in the outdoor light, which was gradually turning into a look of shock.
“Y-You’re the one from the zoo…!”
A trembling voice echoed and melted into the brightness of the outdoor light. Prince Agustin remembered the incident at the zoo and his expression was filled with anger, but he quickly took a sharp breath and turned pale.
“T-This is…Black Rose Princess, Leticia…?”
Yes, remember, Prince Agustin.
I was killed by you. A foolish woman who did everything to get your attention.
I carried the burden of my first mistake and moved forward.
What will you do?
“I will never fall in love with you. You’re just amused by the fact that you find women who don’t come to you.”
With determination in my eyes, I took a step forward. Prince Agustin seemed to stagger, taking one or two steps back, but I closed the distance with big strides without minding it.
As I approached the distance where I could reach out and touch him, I stopped abruptly and looked up at his pale face.
My whole body was filled with energy. At this point, I just had to do what needed to be done.
“Think more about yourself, you…stupid prince!!!”
And with that, I gave Prince Agustin a full force slap across his pretty face.
A loud sound echoed in the darkness of the night.
From the sound alone, you could tell that it was a powerful slap that struck the core of his body.
There was no sense of exhilaration or achievement. The only feeling I had was that the first me, who tried to serve him, was disappearing like a fleeting dream.
With my right hand tingling and Prince Agustin collapsing to the ground with his cheeks pressed in silence, I shut out everything from my consciousness and ran with all my might.
I had forgotten to even adjust my glasses, leaving them in my pocket.
I had to go to Camilo.
My mind was a jumbled mess, but I still had to go.
Previously, Elias-sama told me that Camilo’s room is the fifth one from the right on the second floor. When I asked him why he was telling me this, he laughed and said, “You might sneak in to visit him.” I remember getting angry and telling him, “I would never do such a thing.”
Now is the time to thank Elias-sama and retract my previous statement.
Avoiding the entrance with the gatekeeper, I slipped through the gap between the fences and finally arrived directly under the boys’ dormitory. I looked up at the brick building and took a deep breath.
Fifth from the right… yes, that window with the light on.
It’s okay, Camilo told me about it. I should be able to manage at this height.
If I chant the spell, my body will float gently upward. Slowly ascending in altitude, I finally reached my destination and knocked on the window, which was closed off by curtains without hesitation.
I felt a slight pause in the presence of someone in the room. Nonetheless, someone quickly came to the window, and the curtains were pulled open vigorously.
[Letty]
Camilo’s lips silently uttered my nickname.
In a fluster, he unlocked the window and opened it with a loud noise, swinging it open on both sides.
However, at that time, my weak magic power had started to run out, and I let out a small scream as my body staggered and leaned forward.
“Letty, grab my hand…!”
I was called by name with a desperate voice. I reflexively grabbed the outstretched arm and was pulled up with irresistible strength, causing both of us to collapse into the room.
Despite all that stunt, I strangely didn’t feel any pain.
I lifted my face.
Camilo’s round, young grass-green eyes were in close proximity, and I realized the ridiculous situation of being above him.
It was a scene that clearly looked like a man being attacked by a woman. However, that didn’t matter at all.
I planted both hands on the floor and looked straight down at Camilo, who still seemed to be unable to fully grasp the situation.
“Let——”
“Camilo! I was really happy that you cared for me during my first life and came to my rescue when I was thrown into prison. Thank you so much!”
Overwhelmed by my momentum, Camilo, who was about to say something, involuntarily fell silent.
Ever since I found him at the entrance ceremony, there was something I wanted to say but couldn’t. Finally, I could say it.
“And, I am a villainess…!”
And then, I began to line up a terrible, terrible logic.
“Because I’m a villainess, I make choices that are convenient for me. Because I’m a villainess, anything other than what’s important to me, I don’t care what happens to it. So, so…!”
In the end, I couldn’t fully become a nerdy, plain girl with glasses.
I was halfway, foolish, and spoiled by peace. I was just thoughtless, unable to wait until morning if I knew someone important to me was hurt.
“I don’t care how many people Camilo killed in his first life!”
Yes, if it’s to protect this person.
Even the worst version of me in my first life, I’ll use as an excuse.
Taking a deep breath, I clenched my hands on the floor and let out all my feelings.
“And I will definitely survive this time! I’ll live stubbornly and persistently… and watch over Camilo until he says he had a good life and dies!!!”
After declaring that, I was desperately trying to catch my breath.
My messy argument echoed throughout the room, and Camilo was speechless, as if he had seen a daydream until even the afterglow disappeared.
…Wait, isn’t the silence too long?
Did I push him away? At least, I wish he would say something. Please, any complaints or anything!
When I prayed in my heart, the sound of a knock interrupted the silence in the room.
Camilo gently lifted me up, told me to wait here, and left the room.
I could hear voices outside the door. Camilo came back soon, sat down cross-legged in front of me.
“It was the guy next door. He said it was noisy, but are you okay? I told him we were just having an exciting conversation through the crystal ball.”
W-Wow, that’s embarrassing!
I feel like I’m coming to my senses all of a sudden. What am I doing, forcing my way in at night?
Apologizing while feeling the heat gathering in my cheeks, Camilo shook his head, saying it’s okay.
“But, I see. A villainess, huh…”
The bitter smile he let out at that moment was very gentle.
Sitting on the floor together, anyone looking would think it’s a strange situation. When such a thought crossed my mind, I couldn’t help but laugh, and I laughed in the same way.
“Isn’t it the worst? Are you disgusted?”
“No. I’m just thinking, what a brave and generous villainess we have here.”
Camilo’s face looked as if a weight had been lifted. Upon closer inspection, he was still wearing Mardiq’s uniform, and I could imagine he had been worried enough that he couldn’t focus on anything else since then, and my heart ached.
“Hey, Letty.”
The young grass-colored eyes pierced me. I knew well that I couldn’t deceive Camilo when his eyes were like this.
“Can I really, stay by your side for the rest of my life?”
I was prepared for what he would say, but when he asked me the obvious, I was taken aback.
I wanted to say, “I just told you that,” but Camilo’s gaze was pleading, and I understood that he probably wanted to hear it and confirm it once more, so I suppressed my embarrassment and opened my mouth.
“It’s obvious…because we’re going to get married, right?”
While feeling embarrassed for stuttering a little, I was pulled closer by the outstretched arm.
I was surprised by the suddenness of it, but it was strange that the comfort outweighed the shock.
Even though the arm was strong, it also had a fragile quality that made me want to cling to it. I closed my eyes slowly.
“Letty… Letty. I’m sorry I’ve been lying all this time.”
As the wet whisper fell, I shook my head slightly.
There’s no need to apologize. I just realized that you’ve been protecting me all this time.
When I softly stroked his broad back with my arms around him, the strength of his embrace grew even stronger.
“I’m sorry for making you cry…!”
I shook my head again. Come to think of it, my eyes were still swollen when I came here, but he saw through it easily.
As I realized that he was really paying attention to me, I felt happy and quietly smiled.
“If Camilo is happy, then that’s enough for me.”
I didn’t intend to say anything particularly strange, but I could hear a faint sound of him holding his breath in my ear.
It was the first thing I thought of when we got engaged.
If I disappoint him, I don’t mind if he breaks off our engagement. It’s because I want Camilo to be happy, above all.
But it seems that this way of thinking was a mistake.
Camilo surely doesn’t want our engagement to be broken off. Above all, I can’t bring myself to think that I don’t mind anymore.
So from now on, I’ll be by his side and make him happy.
“I promise. I won’t leave Camilo behind again.”
As soon as I conveyed everything I wanted to say, the strength in his arms became unbelievably strong.
As it was really painful, I protested by tapping on his back, and he apologized and released me. But when I looked up at Camilo, who was smiling so happily with his eyes moistened, I also cried a little.
After that, we talked about our memories of our first lives, little by little.
It was a short time until curfew at the girls’ dormitory.
As we spent gentle and happy moments, we withdrew our tears and smiled at each other.
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