As a Villain I Really Don’t Want To Be Pursued by the Heroine

39

The royal griffin, with golden-red fur entwined with flames, escorted by a grand convoy of at least ten carriages and a hundred knights, and the noble carriage adorned with a crimson and gold-embossed crest—the roaring lion amidst the flames.

All of this symbolized the distinguished arrival.

The crowd instantly forgot the quarrel between the two young scoundrels, greeting the royal family member with awe, anticipation, and reverence.

The carriage door slowly opened, and a black silk-clad foot in deep red high heels delicately touched the ground. Following was the girl’s slightly plump, beautifully curved leg. Finally, her bright red hair cascaded down like flames, revealing a face as exquisite as the kingdom’s treasures to the onlookers.

In an instant, a fervent atmosphere spread wildly among the crowd.

At the duke’s banquet, it was natural for a member of the royal family to visit.

But no one expected the visitor to be the youngest princess of the kingdom, the ruby of the Lionheart Kingdom, Charlotte Reinhardt!

It was well-known that Charlotte hardly ever showed her face at a lord’s banquet!

Even rarer was the sight of the girl’s splendid dress.

In the martial Lionheart Kingdom, it wasn’t that women couldn’t wear military uniforms to banquets. But military attire also implied a subtle meaning, suggesting that a woman did not wish to get close to men at the banquet, preferring minimal social interaction. And if men invited a woman in military attire to dance, it would be considered rude.

But today, Charlotte had shed her usual military garb!

As the girl moved with lotus steps, her knee-length wine-red skirt unfurled like a fine grape wine, revealing the graceful curves of her legs sheathed in black over-the-knee socks. The off-shoulder bodice of the dress highlighted her budding chest, and her bare shoulders and arms shone under the lights.

Her slightly immature face now bore a hint of the pride befitting a sovereign. As she stepped into the venue and surveyed her surroundings, she resembled a monarch inspecting her subjects.

The girl’s stern and proud demeanor made her peers seem insignificant, instinctively making them shrink back and lower their heads, yet they couldn’t help but continue to steal glances at the princess, who shone brighter than the lights under the starry night sky.

The murmurs of the crowd drifted on the wind, unable to conceal their fervor for the princess.

Frankly, there wasn’t a young person in the Lionheart Kingdom who wasn’t smitten with the princess.

“It’s the princess!”

“She’s wearing a formal dress today; could it be she’s planning to find a dance partner?”

“Heavens, I’d be willing to die if I could dance with the princess!”

“Then why don’t you go?”

“Are you out of your mind? His Highness dumped me in less than three minutes during the last matchmaking!”

Despite their longing, most were still daunted by Charlotte’s presence and dared not make a move.

“Your Highness, you are as beautiful as the rumors say, I am from the Carter family…”

“I know who you are. The banquet hasn’t officially started, and I need to visit Duke Raymond. Could you please step aside?”

A few bold souls stepped forward, attempting to invite the princess, only to be rejected in a matter of words with her cold tone.

The world-stopping princess was right before their eyes, yet they couldn’t catch even a moment’s pause from those ruby-like eyes, leaving many men quite disheartened.

However, Charlotte was not indifferent to everyone.

Her gaze passed over the peripheral servants, the clusters of nobles of her age, and finally settled on a spot right in front of the manor.

With a slight bend in her graceful brows and eyes, the young girl’s steps quickened, and Charlotte unconsciously let a faint smile ripple across her face.

Who had caught the princess’s eye?

Could it be that he was the lucky one for whom the princess had dressed up?

Curiosity drove the crowd to follow Charlotte’s gaze, only to find that the princess’s attention was on those two ruffians from before!

Leanne was stunned for a second, then overjoyed.

She’s looking at me!

Indeed, the rejection that day was nothing but the princess’s reserve and pride, perhaps even a small test! In fact, she had already taken a liking to me!

Heh, how adorable. Is this what they call tsundere?

The frustration and humiliation Roy had caused Leanne these past few days were swept away in an instant.

What did it matter if he posed as a noble gentleman?

To someone with the discerning eyes of a princess, the difference between us was clear as day.

Leanne cast a mocking and scornful glance at Roy, then straightened his clothes, basking in the shocked, curious, and incredulous stares of the crowd, he held his head high and chest out, striding towards the fiery princess.

“Oh! My dear Charlotte, you look simply stunning today…”

Leanne naturally extended his hand to Charlotte.

But Charlotte, just as naturally, didn’t pause for a moment and walked right past him.

Leanne was momentarily embarrassed but not annoyed, and followed her: “Charlotte? Are you shy? There’s no need to avoid me.”

Charlotte sighed and finally turned back, casting a look of impatience and disdain at him.

Her lips parted slightly, but what came out was not the sweet nothings Leanne had imagined.

“Leanne Raymond, since when did I allow you to call me by my name?”

“Ha ha, I won’t call you if you don’t like it. I know Your Highness is shy. I came especially to accompany you,” Leanne once again stood in front of Charlotte, bowed slightly, and extended a hand, performing the gentlemanly gesture of inviting a lady.

“Could you please not flatter yourself? When did I ever say I was here to see you?”

Charlotte left her final words with impatience, then, wrapped in the fragrant breeze, her skirt swaying, she once again passed by Leon.

Under the public eye, being rejected repeatedly, the surrounding snickers turned Leon’s face shades of red, but what he couldn’t comprehend even more were Charlotte’s words just now.

Not here to see me? Then what was that gaze just now…?!

Leon finally came to his senses and turned his head abruptly.

And the nobles watching, they too couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

The red-haired princess finally stopped in her tracks.

And the man who made her pause was none other than the other ruffian who had just argued with Leon, Roy Ainsworth!

“The princess came to see the lad from the Ironblood family!”

“Ah, I’ve been dumped!”

“Why does that good-for-nothing ruffian get to be close to the princess?!”

“But compared to that Raymond guy, Roy is a bit better, isn’t he?”

“Em… to be fair, indeed.”

“And I heard the princess and Roy got along quite well at the previous matchmaking event, it seems the rumors are true!”

Actually, by process of elimination, this result wasn’t so unexpected.

Disregarding the annoying Leon, the highest in status present was the Marquis’ son, Roy.

But when this scene actually unfolded before their eyes, it still made people marvel at how magical reality could be.

People excitedly discussed Roy’s great change and gossiped about his relationship with Charlotte.

As for that pale-faced Leon Raymond, frozen in place, alone and disheveled in the wind, no one cared anymore.