When the Guide Stopped Playing a Villainess, the Obsession Began - Chapter 22
“It is, after all, our mother’s birthday today. I thought we should at least share a toast.”
“Didn’t we all raise our glasses together earlier? Isn’t that enough?”
“Are you refusing to toast because you don’t want to congratulate me?”
Lea, unable to get through to him, recalled the past and mocked him like she used to.
Calix’s red eyes darkened.
And Lea knew exactly what that look meant.
She had spent her entire life watching his expressions.
Swallowing dryly, she pushed the glass toward him.
Her fingertips trembled from tension and fear, but there was no other option.
Seeing that Lea wasn’t backing down, Calix let out a small sigh and held out his hand to the attendant beside him.
The attendant quickly handed him a glass of grape juice.
In the banquet hall, grape juice was prepared separately for underage royals and noble children in place of wine.
Ilion stood right beside Calix, glaring at Lea like he might burn a hole through her face. The intensity of his gaze made her nerves spike.
The pain from the torture Ilion inflicted—though no longer visible—seemed to throb as if real.
Lea bit the inside of her cheek and lightly clinked her glass against Calix’s.
Clink—
A clear sound rang out, and at that moment, Lea staggered.
Thanks to Ilion’s large frame blocking the view between them, the watching nobles couldn’t see the reason for her stumble.
“Ah!”
Lea let out a loud, deliberate cry and fell to the floor.
In doing so, she spilled her glass of grape juice on herself.
Purple splattered across her red dress. Fortunately, the colors were similar, so it wasn’t immediately obvious, but the nobles nearby had seen it.
They had expected something to happen between the two of them—and yet, the one who had been affected this time was Lea, not Calix.
That surprised them more than expected.
After staring blankly for a moment, a few nobles hurried over and reached out their hands to her.
“Lady Haisley, are you alright?”
“Oh my, please take my hand.”
Lea, awkwardly seated on the floor, looked up. She could tell that the one who had extended a hand was an Esper.
So as she took it, she discreetly attempted guiding.
From now on, Lea intended to guide any Esper she could, whenever the chance arose.
Of course, it wouldn’t be full guiding like she did with Calix. Just a drop—enough to stir confusion in someone who didn’t know better.
Anyone like Zion, who had experienced true guiding, would eventually grow suspicious.
– If the Empress is a Guide, wouldn’t her daughter also be a Guide?
Such thoughts would naturally follow.
In fact, she couldn’t help but wonder. Why hadn’t the Cantabrian nobles considered this obvious possibility? Even a little suspicion could lead them to guess she was a Guide.
Feigning embarrassment, Lea blushed as she stood and touched her left shoulder, mumbling an excuse in a delicate voice.
“Ah… My shoulder is still sore, so I must have stumbled. I’m sorry, Your Highness.”
It was a line she had prepared in advance, but saying it aloud made her unexpectedly emotional.
Her eyes welled up at the thought.
How painful must it have been for Calix back then?
Unlike her, he hadn’t been able to hide his scar—it had covered his entire eye.
…And yet, back then, she had shamelessly refused to apologize.
Remembering that day, Lea wanted—though late—to offer a sincere apology.
Calix stared at her with a stiff expression.
The surrounding nobles began to murmur.
“Surely His Highness the Crown Prince didn’t have Young Lord Grayson push her?”
“Right… Normally, it’s Lady Haisley who would’ve caused trouble first.”
“‘Cause trouble’? Let’s avoid such crude wording. This is Lady Haisley.”
“Ah… you’re right…”
The murmurs, though quiet, quickly spread through the hall.
Lea bowed her head, sensing the persistent gazes and feeling ashamed.
Ilion, face flushed red, finally spoke.
“What exactly are you doing right now?!”
To him, it must have looked like Lea was playing some manipulative trick—which, of course, she was.
But remembering that her mother was watching, Lea feigned innocence and tilted her head.
“I was apologizing. I thought His Highness must have been startled because of me…”
Intending to exit the scene, she staggered once again.
Immediately, the Esper who had remained by her side stepped in to support her.
“Please lean on my shoulder, Lady Haisley.”
He looked at her with trembling eyes full of emotion. It seemed he had realized she had guided him, even if just a little.
The timing was perfect.
Lea planned to use the opportunity to quietly return to her palace.
Now that she had a reason, her mother wouldn’t question her later.
She had no desire to be dragged into the underground again and locked away in beast form.
Especially if this wasn’t a dream… She wanted to avoid that fate even more. Time was too precious.
It had been a scheme she’d been planning for days.
As she left the banquet hall with the Esper supporting her, she silently lamented her own lack of cleverness.
Unaware of what kind of gaze Calix might be casting her way,
With a face full of relief, Lea exited the banquet hall, offered a simple word of thanks to the Esper who followed her like an eager puppy, and returned to her palace.
