2 (2) A Villainess?

"Fuck.."

Claude felt his side sting a bit from the injuries that appeared on his body when he woke up into this mess.

Claude felt tired, he felt weak and just wanted to sleep right there but the situation he is in right now isn't the best time to take a nap.

He is wondering who kidnapped him and left him in the middle of a random forest all tied and beaten up.

Thankfully, the rhythmic bounce he is feeling from the horse running calms him down a little and makes him forget a bit of the pain. Sitting on the horse that is currently running made him feel like he is sitting on his vibrating chair back in his local spa, it felt really nice.

While Claude is enjoying his time riding the horse towards somewhere he doesn't know, A rustle could be heard in the bushes on his right side.

*Rustle*

He looks to his right and saw the bushes he is passing by swiftly rustling. He felt like something bad is gonna happen, so he readied his sword in his right hand while the horse is still advancing.

He kept his eyes locked to the bushes. He saw a dark figure moving and following them. He saw that it was a creature running in all fours while staring at him like he is prey. The creature had gray fur with a furry tail and its teeth were showing from its mouth with a bit of drool seemingly like it is hungry.

"A husky? no, wait... THAT'S A WOLF!"

Surprised by his conclusion of what the creature was, Claude couldn't help but feel his heart start to beat faster. The wolf who saw him become a bit slightly nervous went for the kill. It lunged towards Claude with great speed startling him a little. He lifts his sword with his hurting arms to block or at least stop the wolf from chomping on him.

"Guak!"

Claude let out a groan of pain from the pain in his arms. He blocked the lunging wolf with his sword putting the blade into its mouth horizontally. He was able to stop the wolf from biting his shoulder off with his sword only to fall down the horse from the momentum of the hungry wolf.

Claude fell to the ground abruptly rolling on the soil. After tumbling down and getting up with his sword still in his hand even though he fell. The horse that he was on left him after sensing danger if it stayed for long. Getting up, Claude hears soft dog-like whimpers a few meters to his side. He saw the wolf that lunged at him with its mouth almost hanging off with only a few muscles holding it up.

"Grrrr.."

The wolf felt immense pain from the injury it took from Claude. The growling wolf felt great anger towards him and glares at Claude, now wanting to kill him even more. Claude who felt the wolf was about to attack again raises his sword to his chest while pointing it at the wolf.

The wolf again launches itself to Claude's neck with its mouth hanging. Claude seeing the wolf only knows how to jump forwards dodges to the side making the wolf miss him completely. He calmly lifts his sword high up and bringing it back down to the wolf's body swiftly cutting the wolf's body in half, blood starts to spurts out of the poor animal's lifeless body.

"I.. huff... lived."

Claude has no idea how he survived an encounter with a wolf while injured. He has no experience of slashing swords but when his hands made contact with it, he felt like it has always been natural for him to be holding a sword.

His breathing was ragged and tired but he felt no exhaustion from the adrenaline he felt when his life was in danger. He was not that scared of dying but he felt scared that he will feel extremely gruesome pain if he lets the wolf munch on him while he is still alive.

"I'm just.. a musician.. why do I have to... fight animals of the wild."

He slowly and painfully exits the forest. What greets him is a large brick wall. It was a giant wall with a large entrance at the side. He saw a bunch of people going in and out of what looks like a kingdom in medieval times. He saw people wearing robes, riding extravagant carriages, and people with swords on their hips. Their hair color fascinated Claude, he saw some green, red, blue, and brown. He was thinking if this place is a giant cosplay center or he is really in a different world but judging from the wolf he fought moments ago he can only trust the latter.

He was walking on a stone bridge that leads to the entrance of the kingdom. before he went there he took off his bloody shirt and discarded his also bloody sword away to not make anyone assume he is a serial killer. He wasn't an exhibitionist that will show off his body anywhere, it was also the fact that some of the cuts in his body were tangling with the cotton shirt which made it hurt more.

He made it through the entrance without getting stopped by the guards that were guarding the entry of people in the kingdom since they thought he was just a poor guy judging from his dirtied body that is full of bruises.

What he meets made his eyes widen when he saw the things that met his eyes while walking around sightseeing the unexpected scenery.

He saw people wearing frilly clothes that look like they are from the 1800s. He saw shops that were selling sharp swords of different kinds, noble-like clothes, food he has never seen, and more.

He wasn't able to see it because of him being in awe but the bruises and cuts that were on his body were now slowly disappearing not leaving scars. He arrives at what he assumes is the center of this city from how many people there are and because there is a fountain in the middle with a statue in the middle of the area.

*brrr~*

Claude heard his stomach growl from hunger seeing there were so many food stalls near him. He sees a middle-aged lady selling apples on her stand and started approaching her. He was about to ask if he could have maybe one apple to satisfy the hunger he was feeling until he felt like he was about to puke. He looks around and immediately went to an alley nearby and puked dark red substances from his body. Tasting rusted iron on his lips, he assumes that he just puked up blood to which he doesn't know why.

Claude felt his legs starting to get weaker and weaker up until he knelt to the ground. Claude supports his tired body with his arms on the ground doing his best not to lose to exhaustion. He felt a headache going through his tired head which makes him lay down on the hard ground face first. He just let it be and rested for a bit since he was tired but doesn't want to fall unconscious since he is somewhere he thinks might be dangerous.

[??? POV ]

"Sigh."

'If only I could hire assassins to kill the trash prince bastard.'

Melissa thought while walking around the street looking for clothing that she would wear in the masquerade ball.

She was looking around the street while browsing for clothes she could see through the store windows she is passing by. While she is window shopping, she saw a shirtless homeless person with golden hair laying on the ground.

"Yona what's that over there?" She asks the stoic white-haired maid she is next to while pointing at the homeless person.

"I can't tell what it is." the maid says while her hand was on her cheek.

"Hmm..." Melissa then walks towards the beggar.

"Lady Melissa don't get too close to him." Yona tells her boss.

Melissa arrives in front of the beggar and stopped in front of him.

'What a nasty stench.. I see some scratches and blood on him, is he a beggar? should I help him?' Melissa was carefully analyzing the golden-haired beggar.

'Wait...Fufufu.. HAHAHAHA! I just came up with a genius idea. A simple and humiliating way to fuck over that bastard.'

Melissa crouches down and stretches her hand to the beggar with a bright smile.

"Hey there. Why are you down there on the floor? are you hungry? let me help you."

"?" Claude was wondering what she wants.

"My lady.." Yona closes her eyes, annoyed at her boss' antics.

Claude tilts his head and grabs Melissa's hand that was in front of him.

"Got Ya!" Melissa shouts as she lifts the beggar to his feet with one hand. 'HEHEHE~ My eyes can see it all! I can feel it. this guy is much more handsome than that prince. No, he might be the most handsome person I will ever meet in my life!'

The thing about Melissa was that she always meet extremely handsome guys like the crown prince, her brother that was somehow blessed with handsome looks, heck even her servants at her estate was good-looking. As such Melissa has naturally developed a good eye at judging how others look.

Even if the beggar was dirty and ragged he can never hide his inborn natural beauty.

"My lady have you gone mad? are you seriously going to take in a beggar when we should be looking for a new dress for you to wear? Seriously I just..." Yona was saying with annoyance to Melissa. She was about to continue until Melissa walks close and whispers in her ear.

"Quadruple Raise."

Hearing what her boss told her, the annoyance she had was now gone and replaced with a bright confident expression.

"Of course my lady! How could I stop you from helping people in need! You are so benevolent and the perfect noble in this kingdom! I, Yona will help you to the fullest!" Yona says with a determined look while sparkling light was surrounding her face.

"..." Melissa just looks at Yona with a deadpan look on her face because of how materialistic her maid can go.

"Come here mister beggar!" Yona says while pushing Claude inside their carriage.

Melissa just sighs and also heads inside while telling her coachman where to go.

"Take us back to the Podebrat estate, quickly."