Secret Love Affair between a Former Saint and a Dark Hero - Chapter 42
The splashes stained Arcanda’s beautiful dress. However, it wasn’t just Arcanda; the two young women next to her also screamed.
“Oh dear. How did this happen?”
“Eek, Arcanda, your dress!”
“Ah, ah…”
Iora could only stare at what was happening in disbelief. The drenched dress on Arcanda looked strikingly familiar. Words echoed in her mind, a scene she’d seen somewhere before, passing through her thoughts like a scene from a movie.
「As if unable to endure it any longer, the girl knocked over a glass of red wine. The liquid spilled, swiftly staining the exquisite dress. As he watched, a cold fury flashed in Ovid’s eyes.
“How dare you.”
He couldn’t forgive someone who had humiliated his beloved just because of her greedy and unreasonable ambition.」
Iora squeezed my eyes shut and opened them, and there he was. Crown Prince Ovid.
His eyes scanned the room, though it wasn’t clear if they were filled with anger or coldness. Then, he turned his attention to the staggering Arcanda.
“Are you alright, Arcanda?”
“I-I’m fine. It’s just wine. Hah, I can change my dress.”
The two young ladies pouted and huffed.
“Just wine? The dress is ruined!”
“The nerve! Trying to replace it with another dress like this! Why aren’t you apologizing? Iora, you deliberately spilled the wine, didn’t you!”
No, she wouldn’t use such a clichéd tactic. Especially when everyone was watching?
Looking at the embarrassed Arcanda, Iora wondered if this was actually a cruel twist of fate to make the story play out the way it was supposed to. As they stood there, Ovid, who had been holding Arcanda’s arm for support, slowly turned his head and looked at Iora.
“My lady, I think you’ve crossed the line.”
“…I, I didn’t…”
“Iora, it would be good to apologize. Now, immediately.”
“…”
“And that will be the end of it.”
Yes, that must be anger, Iora thought blankly. It was clearly written in the original story. He couldn’t forgive the person who ruined his woman’s dress.
‘It’s miserable.’
Yet, it felt like severing a somewhat decent relationship. The Crown Prince was disappointed in her just like everyone else. It was unbearable. It pained her as if her heart was being torn apart, just like when she heard him break off their betrothal.
She grimaced slightly and said slowly, “I apologize, Your Highness. And… I’m sorry, Arcanda.”
Iora turned away, listening to the enraged voices that seemed to scoff at the idea that a mere apology would suffice. If she was undoubtedly going to be the villain, she didn’t want to stand here quietly and endure those insults.
She didn’t want to show the tears welling up inside her.
With an exasperated sigh, Iora quickly fled toward the deserted terrace.
* * *
‘Iora wouldn’t commit such audacious acts. Could it really be a coincidence?’
Frowning slightly as he watched her retreating figure, Ovid was about to follow, when a hand gripped his arm and wouldn’t let go. Turning around, he saw Arcanda with her eyes wide open and looking straight at him.
“I think I was so startled that my legs went weak, Ovid. So, could you please help me up?”
“…”
Her voice urged him not to go, and he slowly let go of her shoulders. He straightened the hand that held Arcanda’s. What was he trying to achieve by following her? He chuckled bitterly. His partner was right here in front of him. So, he had to ask.
“Are you really okay, Arcanda?”
* * *
How foolish must she have seemed? How pathetic?
Iora, finding an empty terrace, leaped into the darkness to hide herself.
The brilliant moonlight was eerily clear.
‘I’m so stupid. I’m such a fool. Why couldn’t I have said something, explained that I didn’t do it, that it was a misunderstanding?’
Looking away from the mocking gazes and hiding from those who seemed to shun her was truly disheartening. Perhaps it would have been better if she could confidently curse and mock like a villainess in a novel. If she had, she might not have felt so unfairly treated and upset.
“I didn’t feel jealous or angry… ”
Thinking of her father, she wished time could just stop at that moment.
Throughout his ordeal, no one from her family came to her side.
‘It feels like whatever hope I had was being crushed.’
Even the villains in novels would have been loved by their families.
There are instances like that, right? A father or a mother loving their daughter so much that they plot against the protagonist. They may strive to place their daughter on the throne instead of the main character. Even if driven by ambition, at least they wouldn’t brandish a knife at their daughter or say hurtful things to her.
“It’s… so hard.”
“What’s so hard?”
“Living is hard…”
Iora suddenly gasped and stopped.
