Forced to Play the Villainess

She’d told Jade she would cut her own food in response to his continued consideration, but when he said not to take away his enjoyment, she quietly accepted what he gave her.

From Rosana’s perspective, she couldn’t quite understand what part of this he found enjoyable, but seeing his pleased smile left her speechless. Not speechless in a bad way. Her chest felt ticklish, making it hard to continue speaking.

Lately, being with him made her chest feel ticklish.

‘Should I see the palace physician……’

She’d never experienced this before, so she wondered if something was wrong. Or was it a cold symptom?

The climate of Diovaha, growing colder by the day, was full of surprises.

The chilly wind made her fingertips cold and her cheeks sting. She’d heard it would snow soon. Rosana turned her head to look toward the window.

“Your Majesty!”

“Mm?”

When Rosana suddenly cried out while eating, Jade looked up. Rosana was staring intently at something, her eyes sparkling.

“It’s snowing!”

Rosana saw the scene of snow falling heavily. White cotton balls were falling from the sky. Jade let out a hollow laugh. She looked like a child seeing snow for the first time, unable to take her eyes off it.

“Is snow rare in Astrot?”

Jade asked Rosana, who was watching the scenery outside. Noticing Jade’s amused laughter, Rosana cleared her throat. The excited tone from moments ago disappeared, replaced by calm words.

“Yes. Snow itself is hard to see.”

Even when it snowed, it fell briefly and disappeared.

“That’s unfortunate. Snowy days have quite a charm. Of course, that’s only when your body can handle it. Don’t leave the palace for a while. You’ll catch a cold if you go out for a walk.”

“……Do you think I’m a puppy who gets excited seeing snow?”

“Apparently not. But from where I’m sitting, you look like you want to run out right now.”

Rosana flinched, hit right on the mark.

“There’s been a lot going on lately. I forgot to prepare.”

Jade pressed his hand to his head. The dress wasn’t the problem. Warm clothes to protect her from colds were urgent.

“I’ll prepare things gradually, but more importantly, are you doing well?”

The words held many implications. Rosana quietly nodded.

Whether thanks to the changed rumors or because they’d seen with their own eyes that she’d changed, the maids’ attitudes were clearly different.

The maids always greeted her with smiling faces. Several maids in particular approached her warmly. So she felt somewhat triumphant, thinking the atmosphere surrounding her had changed considerably.

Jade didn’t want to ruin Rosana’s mood as she smiled faintly, so he held back his words. The servants’ attitudes toward Rosana completely changing after just a few days wasn’t a good sign.

Rumors were still rampant. People’s outsides and insides were different.

Was it because she’d never received proper goodwill?

Rosana looked extremely happy. Then he’d have to make the first move.

Jade quickly looked around. Though there were many servants in the palace, there were no knights who could protect her. He should start looking for a guard knight soon.

Before that, there was an immediate problem to decide.

“Rosana, how do you want to proceed with the wedding?”

“The wedding?”

“Yes.”

“Did something go wrong with the preparations? When you mentioned moving palaces last time, I thought it would proceed soon.”

When Jade casually asked about moving palaces, she’d thought the wedding preparations were in their final stages.

Of course, as Rosana thought, if Jade didn’t change his mind, things would proceed smoothly.

But the wedding preparations had been overturned recently. Rosana worried that perhaps the wedding was being delayed because of her.

Jade cleared his throat, feeling unnecessarily guilty.

“I decided to change the procedure a bit.”

“I see.”

“Sorry for the continued delays.”

“What? No, it’s fine.”

Rosana waved her hands. The delayed wedding didn’t negatively affect her.

“As you said, Malek had prepared wedding procedures, but…… thinking about it, isn’t it ridiculous to follow what Malek prepared when he’s not even the one getting married?”

“I don’t mind……”

“Besides, marriage is an important matter, isn’t it? For both me and you. Yet I’ve never once heard your opinion.”

Rosana’s words were cut off. Jade rested his chin on his hand and asked Rosana.

“Rosana, what kind of wedding do you want?”

Rosana didn’t particularly have romantic notions about marriage, nor did she attach great meaning to it. This was because of the Duchess’s words from childhood that her marriage partner was already decided. Looking around, there was no one who felt favorably toward her.

Naturally, she thought marriage with someone she loved was impossible. Would there even be someone who loved her in the first place? In reality, no one had confessed to loving her.

Naturally, she waited for the political marriage the Duchess mentioned. That’s why she didn’t even have the typical evil fiancé.

However, when she went out into society, young ladies with fiancés would rattle off dreams about their future weddings. Amy was the same.

Once her engagement to the Crown Prince was arranged, she expressed various wishes. She had someone to listen to her, someone to make it happen for her.

Rosana envied Amy and envied the young ladies. She felt that if someone loved her abundantly, she too could smile brightly and speak like that. Someone had said that on the wedding day, at least, you were the protagonist.

For Rosana, who had never once been the protagonist of her own life, this was important.

“If there’s something I want…… I’d like to be the protagonist, at least on that day.”

“That’s obvious. You’re the protagonist that day, and you’re also the most beautiful person.”

Jade chuckled, saying it was obvious.

“Anything else?”

He probed Rosana, saying he’d grant anything.

“Like the location, or something you definitely want to do at the wedding. Hm? What’s wrong?”

At the gaze staring at him intently, Jade rubbed his face. Rosana knew. Though his face looked somewhat cold at first glance, she knew how warm the warmth that flowed from him was when he smiled.

Rosana suddenly became curious. Had she gained someone who gave her affection and attention?

Going further, she wanted to know her own truth and his truth. He looked at her completely and considered her. Did he love her? Did she love him?

She couldn’t tell yet. Rosana smiled slightly. However, there were definitely moments when her heart warmed at his consideration. What reaction would her family, would her mother show seeing her current self? What would they say seeing the wedding?

She was someone Rosana never wanted to meet again, never wanted to recall. But she wanted to show her. She wanted to show her mother.

That the marriage partner she’d disparaged as a barbarian, as a murderer, was such a kind person. She wanted to show Amy. That she too had met someone who made her dream of the future.

“The wedding will be held in Diovaha, right?”

Rosana asked carefully.

“……Do you want to hold it in Astrot?”

“No. I was wondering if I could…… invite my family.”

Jade’s eyes widened. Then he narrowed them as though gauging something. She would have found the ducal family tiresome, yet she wanted to invite her family?

“……Of course, if you wish, I can send invitations.”

Jade didn’t particularly ask why, but Rosana, who had been lost in thought, opened her mouth on her own.

“I want to show my mother. I sent back the gifts, but she won’t believe it.”

She was always like that. She believed things flowed according to how she thought. In reality, things did flow as she said.

“Mother said this place was the end of my life. So I’m going to show her. That it’s not, that I’m doing well here. That I will continue to do so.”

Rosana didn’t realize it, but her hands were trembling slightly. Even so, she didn’t back down.

For her to speak up directly.

Jade swallowed a sigh inwardly. Rosana didn’t ask for much. It was countable on a few fingers. Jade replied curtly, displeased.

“……It’s possible.”

“Thank you.”

There was a sense she’d spoken impulsively. Thinking of her mother still made her feel endlessly small. But if she didn’t face her squarely, nothing would ever change. The Duchess was an existence she couldn’t simply ignore.

“Inviting family is easy. Tell me when you’re ready.”

Though he’d granted Rosana’s suggestion, her request was different from the answer Jade had expected. He was curious what kind of wedding she wanted.

However, he’d gained nothing and instead only burdened Rosana with worries. He clicked his tongue briefly. The pleasantly started meal atmosphere had dampened somewhat.

Nothing good comes from getting involved with her family. The end of her life…… Who decided to spout off about the end of her life?

Jade couldn’t understand Rosana’s mother, whom he kept hearing about. He had no desire to understand her either.

Though the investigation into Rosana had stopped, the investigation into her family continued. At his order to investigate thoroughly if there was more to dig up, his intelligence agents were being worked to the bone.

What kind of mindset would allow someone to treat her as worthless?

Jade hacked at the meat in front of him like it was his enemy. He’d thought the wounds ran deep, but unless Rosana told him, he didn’t know exactly what had happened.

Jade held back his inner thoughts and made his eyes triangular. Though he was clearly dissatisfied, Rosana’s lips didn’t open. Right now, even voicing her own thoughts was difficult.

‘Let’s take a little more time.’

The rift with her mother, who had ruined her life, ran deep and deeper. She didn’t want to show weakness anymore. She wanted to overcome it confidently and speak with a voice that didn’t tremble.

“More than that, I’d like to hear your opinion about the wedding venue or dress?”

With her mind at ease, Rosana seriously pondered the wedding venue. However, no matter how much she thought, she didn’t particularly want anything.

“I don’t mind whatever Your Majesty wants.”

“That’s not the answer I wanted.”

“Um, then…… could you make the bouquet something other than red roses?”

“I wouldn’t know what flowers you dislike. Think about it more. Today isn’t the only day.”

“Yes. I’ll tell you when something comes to mind.”

The gloomy atmosphere flew far away. Rosana stared intently at Jade, who wore a slightly sulky expression.

He tapped the table with his brow furrowed, seemingly displeased with Rosana’s answer. She felt sorry seeing him sigh slightly, seeming to have many thoughts, but she truly didn’t want anything. That’s why she wanted to follow his wishes.

Just as Jade wanted to follow Rosana’s opinion, Rosana wanted to follow his opinion.

The imperial palace would be best after all. With many people.

‘Hmm, I should visit after a long time. I need to prepare Rosana’s clothes too.’

Jade grumbled and muttered to himself.

Rosana took a bite of the delicious-looking food in front of her. The words “it’s delicious” circled in her mouth. Everything she did with him was truly different.

‘Yes, I want to show her. That I’ll live well here with you.’

Rosana muttered inwardly. Just imagining it was delightful. The future had been no different from a dark alley, but now the path she should take was clearly visible.

“By the way, Rosana.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know my name?”

Rosana tilted her head, saying he was asking something strange.

“Of course. Aren’t you His Majesty Emperor Jade Diovaha?”

“……That’s long.”

Jade let out a short sigh. Seemingly resigned, seemingly requiring much effort. Yet his lips wore a smile and his eyes shone gently.

“I often call you by your name. But you show no signs of calling me by name. ‘Your Majesty’ is a form of address no different from a stranger’s.”

“Ah……”

Jade shook his head regretfully. Rosana raised her hand to cover her mouth. She hadn’t thought of it. Jade was the Emperor of Diovaha. So wasn’t it natural to call him ‘Your Majesty’?

Moreover, she wasn’t even Empress yet. Rosana rolled her eyes.

“Um…… Your Majesty, there are many relationships between couples that maintain formality.”

“I see.”

Jade sent Rosana a melancholy gaze.

“We’re not that close. To dress up the words ‘we’re not familiar’ so nicely.”

“N-no!”