Who is the Villain?

Chapter-46

Lucien was just getting ready to leave for the library. The letter she had written to her brother and Catherine hasn't yet responded. She was anxious if they were either stuck or helpless to find any hint.

She sighs as she sat by her balcony. It was still noon and she was getting bored.

Yesterday's incidents gave her so many questions and doubt. First, she finds out that Renee knows how to swim which she was not supposed to, according to the novel.

Secondly, Renee was poisoned. What she could think was, 'was somebody trying to kill her? Is Efthalia aware of that? Was it Dorothy who did that?'

Thirdly, it was when she heard the flowers chatting with each other. 'What do they mean by poison? And Sky Lily?' She was aware that Renee was working with the Sky Lily to create medicine therefore, she assume they were talking about that. However, when she was about to leave, they were chatting again in distress. 'Poison lady? Poison lady is coming?'

Her head ponders who they were describing. They weren't conversing about Renee but someone else. 'Who got hold of the Sky Lily? Wasn't that supposed to be poisonous and couldn't be obtained without sharing mana?'

She didn't want to think there was someone else who was capable to have magic to get hold of that unless they were an Earth Spirit user. However, she was stuck when she remembers there was only one apart from her and that is the Magician, Sebastian.

Nevertheless, among all the problems that bothers her the most was the Emperor. 'Why isn't he doing anything? If there were mages all around to keep an eye on what is going on, he should be aware that something is wrong here, and IF HE KNEW I WAS TELLING THE TRUTH AND THE REST WERE LYING. IS HE EVEN PUNISHING THEM? UGGG!!'

She scratched her head in frustration. 'I hope he wouldn't accuse me when he finds out that Renee was poison.'

She couldn't uncover anything and the only way she could do now was to ask the flowers, the trees, and anything that could have seen and heard. Her ability was what she was going to strive for.

"All right then," Lucien stood up from her seat in motivation. "I should go and start inquiring."

"Pardon me, my lady," Rosetta interrupt who stood at the glass door. "You have an invitation."

"Invitation?"

Rosetta hands her the letter which was sealed with a yellow wax with the letter D. Carefully, she rips it open and there, it wrote an invitation for an evening tea in the greenhouse garden.

'Dorothy?'

She threw the letter away saying, "I am not attending the evening tea. I had enough of tea. They might even poison me." And walks out to her room to get changed. Going to the tea party was like entering a den full of hyenas waiting to pounce on her.

As she made her way to the garden, she was able to inquired however, they responded that the flowers which were kept in the garden got shifted to the greenhouse. It was all the same wherever she goes and they wouldn't be out until the next season. She couldn't wait for that long.

After much thought and arguing over her head, she gave up and now she was in the greenhouse garden. Everyone had arrived except for Alina and Renee. And the person she thought who made this invitation would be here but instead, she sees Cresella.

Everyone chattered about whatever a lady could be doing. It was same as always. They were either proudly showing off their gown or jewelry or anything they could brag about. She noticed that Wilma was as well seated among them not too far away. When she noticed Lucien's gaze, she sends a warm smile and back to her peer group again.

There was nothing interesting and so far nothing happen. She stood up about to excuse herself to find a way to explore this greenhouse. Not a second enough, a clap was heard from the front seat.

"Pardon, ladies, may I have your attention please," Cresella unexpectedly interrupted, and soon everyone was quiet. Lucien couldn't leave at this moment so, she got down on her seat again.

"I am so delighted to have everyone around here and I'm truly grateful that every one of you has accepted this evening's tea." Cresella didn't try to hide her emotion of contentment and charm. Everyone was allured and began to speak humbly towards her as though her status was much higher than anyone.

"I possess several things to share with you all as you are aware of my ability," her expression suddenly turned into an anxious look as she was laying her head low. "Regardless of that, I am unsure if I should speak about it."

'Ability? What ability?' Lucien raised her eyebrow. She didn't like the sensation at this point. After all, that last incident with her for tea didn't end well.

Everyone muttered with a little apprehensive look however, they assures Cresella that it was okay for her to let them know.

'So, everyone knows about her ability? Is she making up?' As much as Lucien didn't want to get involved, she was curious about what Cresella was about to do next.

"Will it be alright, Lady Lucien?"

"P-pardon?" Unexpected enough, Cresella called her name gaining everyone's attention.

"Will it be alright if I let them know about what I saw and heard?" Cresella repeated as though she was a little frightened.

'You turned me into bait right from the beginning.'

Lucien could feel everyone's gaze upon her which was nothing but hatred. 'Alright, let me see what you are about to turn me into. I'm sure these are all your allies.'

"Please go ahead, Lady Cresella. You don't need to inquire an approval from someone like me unless it concerns about me," Lucien cheerfully answers back with a smile.

"A-ah, y..yes..yes... I apologize," Cresella clears her throat from turning into an awkward situation. "As what I am about to say, it pertains to everyone here."

*chatters*

"I hope you've heard what has happened to lady Merly?" Cresella continues. Everyone nodded their head murmuring back and forth.

"She admitted that it was her mistake that every one of us began to condemn Lady Lucien." Everyone turns silent. Neither of them faced Lucien, particularly those who were present at the scene.

'What is she trying to pull?'

"Lady Merly was banished from the kingdom including her entire family." It was something Lucien didn't even know about that.

"Are you satisfied now, lady Lucien?"A question suddenly raised toward Lucien, startling her.

Everyone was more confused asking each other one or the other question. Even before Lucien could question, Cresella cuts in to continue her sentence. "Her verdict could be pardoned if only you had received her apology."

'Wait, what?'

"Lady Merly came running to me saying you even declined to receive her at the door. She stayed the entire day regardless, you never showed any remorse." Lucien was more bewildered when she heard such unheard news. Cresella didn't stop but continued with her tears falling across her cheeks.

"How could you be so cruel? I am clearly aware that you despised us but how could you fall so low to crush us like Lady Merly? She regretted her action."

.

.

.

"Seriously? She was like that?"

"I was about to make amend and become her companion but she is so disgusting."

"Same here, I was reckoning of understanding her today but, I change my mind."

"She is nothing but an empty vase."

"Lady Lucien, how could you treat her like that when she just wanted to apologize?" A lady who sat the opposite of her questioned with a glare.

"You shouldn't even be here if you only wanted to look us down?"

'Look down? Me?'

Lucien held back her rage which was nearly about to blow up. She chanted in her mind calming herself down but they wouldn't stop.

"Lady Lucien, we are all here as a consort to be chosen as an empress. We are doing what we could to let us not put our pride away." Cresella continues with a pitiful look, her hands clutching tight together. "We even followed the rules of not meeting the emperor, however, just for a prior boat ride with His Majesty and a tea in the garden. Don't think that you have a high opportunity. Seducing someone isn't going to help."

This was more than enough to rage the anger among the ladies. Even before Lucien knew, her gown was spluttered with cream cupcakes.

'When?'

"I apologize, Lady Lucien," the lady who was sitting beside her suddenly uttered in panic. "It was an accident...I didn't mean to." However, the lady suddenly began to grin slyly. "I hope you aren't furious."

Everyone was quiet when they all began to stare at Lucien and suddenly, erupted into laughter.

"Lady Lucien, did you expect that we would let you into our circle when we are drinking tea together?"

'Let's just move out from here before–'

"Don't even dream about that," the lady who sat on the other side stood up and walk towards her interrupting her thoughts. She was close to heading to madness "You are nothing but an insanity here." Her hand reaches toward the crystal jar filled with ice, lemon, and other fruits pulp and pours it into her head until emptied.

They laugh again while some started to throw pastries at her.

"Come on, you can weep. Let out your tears. We will take care of it."

"You can get furious as much as you want or you could scream as loud as you could."

"Or do you wanna run away? You can go back home and cry all out to your father."

A little string that held her patience the entire time snapped away. Everyone went voiceless when they saw what had just happened. The lady who poured the cold fluid on Lucien was laying on the ground, groaning in pain holding her stomach. She kicked her.