Vol 3 Chapter 33 (2/2)

“Selena-sahtest You’re a lovely person”

Selena opens her eyes wide

“… No one has ever said anything like that todumbfounded

I smile widely

“Then I’ll say it as many times as you want from now on So, won’t you please become my friend?”

She spent all her tih she looked so much worse She said that she didn’t care if she was thrown in jail if it was for the person she loved She looks like a frail little aniirl

Perhaps it’s strange for a kidnapper and their victiirl called Selena during the short tiether

I really feel like we’ve gotten closer after talking like this I feel like we could be good friends

I hold out my hand to Selena with a smile

“… To say such things to your kidnapper… Katarina-sama, you truly are just like the ruazes at the hand I hold out

Huh? What does she mean by ruirl?

“… If you’re alright with soladly beco my hand in hers She then looks back at me and continues, “… Katarina-sama… I think I should properly talk with Ian-sa about the people around me, like you said”

“Yes, let’s start from there!”

“Yes”

There were no longer any tears in her eyes, and while she still looked sickly, her expression was bright

“But before that, I need to end this idiotic kidnapping I did I need to repent for the crimes I’ve committed thus far”

“I can keep it all a secret if you’d like”

She didn’t do anything I didn’t like – actually, I had a rather heavenly experience I can just say I got lost while out for a walk and no one will ask any questions

Selena lets out a wry laugh

“Just how kind can you be, Katarina-sama? But I’m afraid I cannot take you up on your offer I must repent for the crimes I’ve committed,” says Selena with a brave expression

Oh, this girl was really gracious and strong She looks so adorable from the outside but her inner personality enthralls me

“Well then, I’ll ioto the door

But the ainst the door, she slowly collapses to the ground

“S – Selena-sama!”

Before I could run to her to see rong, I realize that soh the door

“So you slipped away to so s early”

He smiles incredibly beautifully as he puts a hand on Selena’s shoulder Selena is still collapsed

“W – what did you do to Selena-sama?”

It is incredibly obvious that he did so and what he just said I glare at the man

“I’ her sleep for a bit She still has a role to play, after all”

“A role?”

“Yes Her role is to take responsibility for this kidnapping and any other such cri with Prince Ian”

I’m shocked

“You have a role to play too Lady Katarina Claes – I’ll have you disappear with Prince Jared,” says the lady-killer butler Rufus who had been serving Selena

He laughs so very cheerfully

I, Selena Burke, first met him when I was nine

He was a handsome boy like no one I had ever seen before I had been nervous enough just being in front of hiid

“N – nice to meet you M – my n – n – name is Selena Burke”

I had practicedso many times, but thanks to my nervousness it came out horribly The adults around me snickered

I was embarrassed –that, I grew even more embarrassed and unconsciously looked doard

“Nice to etting along with you from now on,” responded Ian with a serious face He held out his hand to me

He didn’t laugh atthat everyone around us had snickered at, nor at ht red face

My younger self immediately fell in love with that warm hand he held out to me

That was the first time I met Ian-sama

I had been born into a Duke’s faic For those three reasons, I, Selena Burke, was chosen as the fiancée of this country’s second prince, Ian Stuart Our wants and desires played no part in the engagement

But afterlove that was born on that day just grew and grew He’s earnest, works hard, and is aardly kind Every tier

Today, over ten years since I became his fiancée, I now hold Ian-sama dearer than anyone else

But despite how gered our engagerow at all

No matter how hard I work in ic remains weak No rades don’t reflect my effort

I was able to enroll in the ic, but I wasn’t able to become a member of the student council admired by the student populace

Geoffrey-sama, Suzanna-sama, Ian-sama – they were all chosen, but I alone was a terrible student

To s worse, Geoffrey and Suzanna often spent time with each other and seemed pretty close… but Ian and I did not Ian wouldn’tHe wouldn’t touch me unless he needed to, and even e met, I felt like there was a distance between us

Seeing the state of our relationshi+p, everyone around us gossiped that Ian-sama hated his stupid, useless fiancée

And when Ian and I graduated the acadeer twin brothers Jared-sa with their fiancées Both of the with Alan’s fiancée Mary-sama

Jared’s fiancée Katarina-sama wasn’t chosen as a student council member, but it was said that she was loved by the student populace so much she had her own fan club

After hearing the stories, ht be better for someone else to be the prince’s fiancée

The wonderful princes and their fiancées… in that group, the only one who didn’t belong was me Why am I such a failure? No e - it’s natural that Ian-sama would hate me

Despite all that, I wanted to help him… no matter hoanted to pay him back somehow for all the trouble I’d caused him up until now…

Thatbut helping Ian

“I shall aid you with your desires”

Saying that, he toldeven I could do to help Ian