"Ysavel, I heard you have a question."

I open my eyes and found myself tied up on a chair. What is happening? How come I was tied up on a chair? The last thing I remember is I was watching the scenery outside the carriage.

Don't tell me it's a dream again? I look around, trying to find the voice, but I couldn't find anyone.

Let me guess. It's Pearce. Out of all Virtouse, only Pearce hates me that much. But really? He really tied me up on a chair? Isn't this too much? Does the other Virtouse know about this?

I heard footsteps somewhere, and I look around, trying to see where is it coming from. However, all I could see is darkness. The light, that is hanging on top of my head, didn't help lighting up the whole place. It looks like those light that was used in interrogations in movies.

Really? Does he think he's a bad guy? Or is he just happy seeing me suffer?

"Not really. I just think it's boring to meet you in a normal way. Don't you think this is fun?" Pearce asks playfully.

I look up and see him standing in front of me with a big smile. He's really enjoying this, isn't he? I take a deep breath and sigh. He is part of the Virtouse Ysa. Calm yourself down.

Fun? How is it fun? It was him who is enjoying this? While I am all tied up on this goddamn chair.

"Oh, aren't you a bummer? You ask me to come here, but you don't want to do something for me? You should at least entertain me, right? In return for the answers you wanted."

I sigh. Okay, okay. I'll let this pass. I have questions I need to ask the Virtouse, and only them can answer my questions.

Pearce snaps his fingers, and a chair suddenly comes out of nowhere. He sits casually on it, and he snaps his fingers again. A mini table showed up, and on top of the table, there is a bowl of grapes. He casually picks grapes and looks at me. "So, what do you want to know?"

"I thought you know what I'm thinking? Why do you still ask me?"

Pearce stops eating the grapes. "It's because I want to. You have a problem with that?"

Yes! Yes! I have a problem with you! I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "I just want to ask why did my allergies disappear? Are the Virtouse the reason why it was gone?"

"I don't understand why you are asking that question. It's simple. In a few days, a scene that you have written will happen, and in that scene, you cannot have rashes. That's the reason why the Virtouse heals your allergy."

I nod my head. I understand it now. But that's my only excuse to avoid Prince Fraser. How can I avoid him now if I don't have rashes?

Pearce shrugged his shoulders and continue eating his grapes. "Do you have other questions?"

I nod my head. "You all said that I need to finish the story as Csille Lauretré, right? But my novel is still incomplete. Can I-"

Pearce shakes his head and cuts me off. "You better stop what you are thinking. The fictional world already recognized you as the villainess. You cannot change your position in the story. You have written Csille as the Villainess of the story, and you cannot change it now. If you try to make Csille the female lead, then the fictional world will definitely collapse because of it. Are you willing to exchange the lives of all the fictional lives just for your happiness? Aren't you a little selfish?"

I sigh. I understand it now. I really don't have any other choice but to be the Villainess. I have no choice but to avoid Prince Fraser.

I laugh. How can I forget that I don't belong to this world? And no matter what I do, I couldn't change what I have written for Csille.

"Do you have any other questions? Because if there is none. I will go back now. I'm tired of seeing your face."

I looked at Pearce and rolled my eyes at him. Yeah right. It's as if I'm also not tired of seeing his face.

Pearce stands up. "Also, don't always call us if you have questions. The Virtouse are also busy dealing with the other spirits from the real world. So, if it's not important, then don't call for us. Also, remember to look for the head Virtouse."

I look up at him. "Wait, wait. How can I find him if you won't tell me where he is or what he looks like? Can you give me some clue so it will narrow down my search?"

Pearce looks at me and shakes his head. "You're really hopeless, Ysavel. You already met him. Also, a piece of advice, the head Virtouse likes to disguise himself. He could be a simple commoner you have met before or an aristocrat. Who knows." He shrugged his shoulders.

I frown. Thank you, Pearce. That makes the scope of the search widened. I told you to narrow it, not to widen it. How can I look for him now if he could be a commoner I have met before?

"That's your problem, not mine."

Pearce then snaps his fingers, and the ground suddenly trembles. The ground split into two, and I fell into it. I closed my eyes and prepared myself for the fall.

Ahhh, can this happen when I am not tied on a chair? This is so unfair!

When I open my eyes, I found myself sitting on the carriage. The carriage is still moving and making its way out of the forest.

I look around and found everyone sleeping except for Princess Paislee. She immediately looks at me when she heard movements. She simply nodded her head and looked back outside the windows.

I sigh. This whole seating arrangement is really awkward. Imagine seeing the female lead, the male lead, and the villainess sitting together. Isn't that awkward?

I look at Rufus, who is still sleeping in front of me. I tried to reach him using my foot, kicking his feet gently. He stirred and slowly opened his eyes. He looks at me with his sleepy eyes.

I gesture my hand at him. Trying to tell him that we should exchange seats. However, he seems like he couldn't understand what I am saying because he just stares at me blankly. I sigh and gently stand up.

Princess Paislee and Rufus immediately hold my arms. Afraid that I will stumble down because of the movement of the carriage.

I shake my head at Princess Paislee. "I'm okay. I'll just exchange the position with Rufus. Can you now let go of me now?"

Princess Paislee looks at the sleeping Prince Fraser and shakes her head. It's as if saying she couldn't do that because of Prince Fraser.

I rolled my eyes at her. Of course, she would be loyal to Prince Fraser. How can I forget about that?

I am about to say something to her when the carriage suddenly shakes, and I feel my body being thrown to the other side, to Rufus' side. Princess Paislee lets go of my arms because of the sudden jolt.

It's a good thing Rufus caught me right on time, or else I don't know what will happen to me.

"Are you okay?" Rufus ask me worriedly.

I am about to answer here, but I was immediately cut off by Prince Fraser. "What is happening in here?" He asks while glaring at us.

I look at Rufus and I. That's when I realized how close we are together. Rufus's arms are wrapped around me while I cling to his shirt.

Rufus and I immediately stand up straight and avoid looking at Prince Fraser. He looks livid right now, and a livid Prince Fraser shouldn't be mess around. Both Rufus and I know that.

"What are the two of you doing? I was just sleeping, and when I woke up, I found the two of you hugging each other? Don't you want to explain? Rufus? Csille?"

Rufus and I look at each other. I nod my head at him, urging him to explain things, but Rufus does the same thing to me. I rolled my eyes at him. He's the guy in here and the cousin of Prince Fraser, but he's more afraid of Prince Fraser than I.

Princess Paislee sigh and shakes her head. "Lady Lauretré wants to exchange seat with Rufus, but in the process, the carriage suddenly jolt, and Lady Lauretré was almost thrown to the other side. It's a good thing Prince Rufus immediately caught her."

Great! Do you really need to say that I want to exchange seats with Rufus? I haven't even started being the Villainess, but why does Princess Paislee look like she already has a grudge against me?

I feel Prince Fraser looking at me. I take a step back and hide myself behind Rufus.

Retreat! Retreat! A great soldier knows when or when not to retreat, and I'm not suicidal to face Prince Fraser's anger right now.

I was startled when I heard a voice behind me. I look back and see Great Ruler laughing at the situation. "It would be better to sit while talking about this. Don't you think so? What if the carriage jolts again? We don't want anyone to be thrown, right?"

I immediately sit beside the Great Ruler. While Rufus looks at me as if saying, how can I betray him. I ignored him and pretended that I didn't see that.

Sorry, Rufus, you're my friend, but I couldn't face Prince Fraser right now. I glance at Prince Fraser, and I gulp. It looks like any minute from now. He will emit fire from his mouth.

Rufus is still standing in front of me and tugging the sleeve of my blouse. "Purplany, why are you doing this to me? I'm your friend, right?" He sounds so pitiful while asking that, but I just ignore him.

Sorry, Rufus. I cannot. I still want to live, okay? He's your cousin, and I'm sure he won't kill you because of it. A little sacrifice wouldn't hurt, right?

Rufus is about to still urge me to return to my seat when Prince Fraser suddenly speaks. Rufus and I instantly become rigid. An indication of how much we're afraid of Prince Fraser right now.

It's probably because Prince Fraser's father is the King that's why he inherited this kind of skill that when he's mad, everyone had to follow him.

"Csille, why?"

I immediately froze when I heard Prince Fraser's question. Why? Why did I want to exchange seats with Rufus? Why doesn't I want to sit beside him?

I bow down my head. Even if I want to answer Prince Fraser, I cannot come up with an excuse. I can only subtly show him I don't like him. But I don't have the guts to say it bluntly at him. Also, I'm afraid that if I say it bluntly to him, it will affect the plot of the story.

Silence was heard inside the carriage. Even Rufus, who was urging me a while ago to return to my seat, becomes quiet.

I heard him laugh bitterly. "I see. Now you won't even answer me. I thought-" he is about to say something, but he didn't continue it. I just heard him sigh. "Never mind. Rufus, come sit beside me. Let Lady Lauretré sit wherever she wants."

I clench my fist that is now covered by my bag. I'm sorry, Prince Fraser. I know you deserve to know why I am doing this. However, I couldn't do that. My hands are tight, and I don't have any other choice. I'm sorry. I don't mean to hurt you.

I heard Rufus hesitated. He reached my hand and whispered something to me. "Csille, please don't do this."

But it was cut off immediately by Prince Fraser. "Rufus! Are you just going to stand there, or do you want to sit? If not, then better stand there all the way out of this forest."

Rufus sigh and lets go of my hand.