“Don’t forget to review our lesson today. We will have a test tomorrow. Class dismiss.”

   My classmates immediately groan at our teacher’s words.

   “Great! Test again. I’m tired,” I heard one of my classmates said the moment our teacher went out of the room.

   Well, I cannot blame them, though. The whole morning, every subject we have has a quiz. Some are long quizzes, but most are short quizzes.

   “I think my brain just got fried. I don’t think I could survive the test tomorrow.”

   I heard one of my classmates replied. It’s been a week now, and I could pretty much say that my week is pretty tight.

   I have been taking all those quizzes I missed for the whole month I was away. I think I’m the one who should complain because the moment I stepped into the dormitory, I immediately took several quizzes.

   It’s a good thing I just finished them all yesterday. However, I don’t think quizzes will leave me because tomorrow we have another quiz to take.

   Great! Another sleepless night for the villainess.

   I walk towards the cafeteria to eat lunch. It’s already past twelve, and I’m already starving. I didn’t get the chance to eat breakfast in the morning because I was preoccupied reviewing for the quizzes.

   This is the only thing I like about Csille. She is naturally intelligent. I just need to read it seriously, and I could mostly remember everything.

Is this some sort of consolation for being the villainess?

   I was about to enter the cafeteria when I saw Prince Fraser eating with his classmates. I immediately froze on the spot and ran to find somewhere to hide.

   The last time I saw him is in the palace. Although up until now, I’m still not sure if what happened in that room did happen.

   I don’t know if it’s just my dream or what because when I woke up, Prince Fraser was not in the room. I tried talking to my mother if she saw someone went in, but she said no one enters that room except for her.

   After the feast, I got so busy with finishing my school works that I didn’t have time to stroll around the city or to visit Prince Fraser.

   Although I kind of doubt if he wants to be with Csille. The last conversation Csille and Prince Fraser had in the garden end up not good. He’s still probably irritated at me. Well, it is what is supposed to happen. I couldn’t do anything about it.

  However, there is one thing I’m really concerned about. Is what happened in the room in the palace really happened, or is it just part of my dream?

   Something bizarre happened that night. Prince Fraser froze in the middle of the conversation, and after that, he was gasping for air like he has an asthma attack. A minute after, when he tried to talk to me, some blinding light burst out of nowhere.

   It’s like what happened in the house of the writer. I also passed out after that. However, it’s different because when I woke up, I am already the fourteen year old Csille. Gone is the nine year old Csille Lauretré.

   Is it the same thing that happened the last time?

   “Hey!”

   Someone taps my shoulder, and I immediately jump out of shock because of it. I look back and see Leander Smythe smiling at me.

   He is wearing the uniform for medical students of the Royal University of Vrawyth. He is my senior who gave the music box to me before the summer break.

   What is he doing here?

    “I was looking for you everywhere. Good thing I found you.”

   Looking for me? I frowned. Why is he looking for me? After the summer break, I thought I wouldn’t see him anymore because he is already a university student, but what is he doing here?

  Brother? Didn’t I make it clear to you the last time? Why do you still court heartbreak? Are you a masochist?

   “Can I talk to you?”

   Talk to me? I instinctively take a step back. Oh no, dear! I’m already having trouble with my villainess role, and then this senior brother like to add up?

    Can any one of you give me a break? Not just because I am the villainess, it means I want a messy life. If I only have a choice, I wouldn’t want to be a villainess.

   “Csille?”

   I look at Leander and nod. Well, do I have a choice? I guess none.

   Leander looks around. “In private, please.”

   I frown. I really don’t like where this is going. In private? I am already traumatized by the private conversation with Prince Fraser. I don’t think I would want to talk to anyone in private anymore.

   “It’s something important.”

    Important? Important to whom? To you or to me? I was about to ask him that when an arm suddenly comes out from behind and hugs me at my shoulder.

    “Hey! If it isn’t the infamous Leander Smythe. What’s up? What does the son of the Royal Physician doing in here?”

   I look back and saw Rufus smiling at Leander. Although he is smiling, I could sense a tinge of irritation in his voice.

   Oh great! Here comes another one. When will my life be peaceful? Can all of you give me a break?

   Can I resign from being the villainess? I think being an extra character is better. At least I wouldn’t get tangled up with all of this.

   “Prince Rufus Astalieu,” Leander bows slightly at Rufus before he looks at me. “I was just talking with Lady Lauretré, your majesty.”

   Rufus looks at me and looks back at Leander. “Oh, I see. If that’s the case, I will now take Csille. Your conversation with her is already finished, right?”

   Leander was about to say no, but Rufus cuts him off. “We will be going now, Leander. Have a great day!”

   Rufus immediately pulled me out of the building. He then walks towards the back of the main building, where our usual hangout place could be seen.

   Based on the memory of Csille, the moment she stepped on the dormitory school, Rufus tour her around the school and showed her this hangout place.

   There’s a small little shade here. It’s just made of wood. There’s a roof and four wood on each corner serving as a pillar of the shade. In the middle, there is a hanging hammock tied to a branch of a tree on top of shade. There’s a table for two on one side and a cabinet on the other side.

   There’s a wall on each side, but there’s no door or anything enclosure in front. But since the place is known as hunted, no one really comes in here.

“What is Leander wants from you? I didn’t know you’re close to him.” Rufus raised an eyebrow at me.

“I’m not close with him, and I also don’t know what he wants. I already talk to him before. Hinting that I don’t really want anything from him, but I guess he didn’t understand it.”

I shake my head and take a snack in the cabinet. Rufus always makes sure to have someone refill the cabinets with food every week. Since I always love to spend my vacant time here.

It’s peaceful in here, and I love to have some peace for a moment. Especially Prince Fraser back then love to tease Csille.

“Should I teach him some lesson for you? So, he will stop bothering you?”

Rufus sits beside me. The hanging hammock could fit two, so it isn’t a problem if he sits.

“Why bother? He’ll stop when he realized he couldn’t get something from me. Also, what will you do? Remember, he’s the son of both Royal Physician and also a future Royal Physician.”

Rufus scoffs. “So, what if he is? If he dares to bother you, why would I care? Just because he is the son of the Royal Physician, he thinks he could hit on you if he wants? What does he think about me? Am I a ghost? How dare he try to hit on you? Does he forgets that you and Fraser are engaged?”

I immediately look around. “Hey! Your words.” Good thing no one really goes here. I want to thank those people who spread the news that there is a ghost in here. Or else, everyone will know now that Prince Fraser and I are engaged.

“What? Why are you so workup Csille? Isn’t what I am saying true? Nobles already know that you are the fiancé of the Crown Prince. Although the King didn’t officially announce it, but it’s still already decided. Do you need to be that cautious?”

Rufus doesn’t understand. If Csille and Prince Rufus will end up together, I wouldn’t mind since everyone already had the assumption.

However, the ending doesn’t work that way. How could Prince Fraser choose me, the Villainess?

“Rufus, there’s a lot of things that could happen. As long as the King hasn’t officially announced anything about it, I want not to brand myself as the fiancé of Prince Fraser.”

“I don’t think the King will change his mind. So, why are you so cautious? Although the King hasn’t officially announced it but didn’t the Count and the Countess already have a conversation with the King regarding the engagement? I don’t understand why you still think it will change.”

Of course, you will not understand for now because Prince Fraser doesn’t still know about his feelings for Sir Farren. However, time will come, and Prince Fraser will start to decline the engagement between us.

So, it’s better not to let anyone talk about it. What will happen to Csille after that? She will look like a fool. Branding herself as the fiancé of the Crown Prince, but in the end, Prince Fraser will choose someone instead of me.

I don’t want that. I’m not dumb like Csille. I wouldn’t want to push myself on someone who doesn’t appreciate my existence. If he doesn’t like me, then don’t. Simple as a pie.

“Never mind that. It’s still early to talk about that. Let’s just talk about it when we get there. Anyways, what are you doing in here, Rufus? I thought University students are busy by now?”

“Oh, yeah. Do you remember the letter I sent you after the shooting incident in the western region?”

Letter? The one where he mentioned that he wants to talk about something important?

I nod my head at him. “I remember. I was about to find you for that. What about it? What are the important thing you mentioned in the letter?”

“Didn’t you ask me to look for the writer of The Parallel Universe before?”

My heart suddenly leaped when I heard him mentioned the writer. How could I forget about the writer? The person who could be the only answer about what is happening with me.

Did he found the writer already? Is that the important thing he wants to talk about me?

“I have someone look for him, and last month that person sent me an update. He said he found where the writer could be, and guess what?”

I raised an eyebrow at him. I think Rufus’ following words will be a piece of good news for me. “He is a professor in a small university in Wrurphia City.”

   Wrurphia City? It’s a small city on the outskirt of the capital of Vrawyth. In the novel, I didn’t mention anything about that City or any outskirts City. Only when I came here, I know the other city names.

   What is he doing there? As far as I remember, it’s one of the smallest city on the outskirts. Although it’s small, it isn’t that left behind.

   However, there’s one thing I don’t understand. That writer is already known in the Kingdom, and based on Rufus’ information before, many universities want to take him as their professor. So, what’s with Wrurphia City that he would want to stay there?

   “So, what’s your next plan, Csille?”

   I look at Rufus and shake my head. “I don’t know. The Wrurphia City is on the outskirt of the capital. It will take a day or two before I get there, and as you know, I just came back from the western region. I don’t think the Vrawyth High School of the Nobles will let me take another leave.”

   It’s my problem. As much as I want to go there immediately but I cannot. There are things I need to consider first.

   “How about after the prelim? We have a few days break after that, right?”

   I look at Rufus. It’s actually right, although I have a problem. Something will happen by that time.