Reincarnating into a Beautiful Woman

Chapter 38

"I saw you, and the generous joy flowed upon me from your sweet glance.

My heart was wholly at your side,

And every breath I drew was for you.

Rosy spring sunshine surrounded your delightful face and tenderness for me."

A young scholar stood underneath an altar, reciting a western poem for the crowd of noblemen and women. The noblewomen swooned over his delicate features, moved by his tender words. The lyrics permeated into their hearts, dazed by the beautiful words flowing out of his mouth.

Lady Yasna gazed meaningfully at Sir Vigos, unable to contain the sweetness in her eyes. Many women stole glances at Prince Laith with flushed cheeks. Zavia especially smiled softly in his direction.

Celine could only watch with ridicule in her eyes, giving Zayden a sidelong glance before they sneered in unison.

This was the first gathering Celine had attended since her reputation had fallen. She was curious to hear the well known poems of this time period and was dismayed to see a group of fangirls drooling over the young scholars. The scene before her was rather embarrassing to watch.

However, in the depths of her soul, Celine was greatly disheartened. The thought of love was extremely complicated for her.

Once I leave this empire and begin anew, will I be able to find love again?

Celine believed that she was most likely destined to wander the world alone with Draco for the rest of her life. She wasn't disappointed by this idea, yet she felt a wave of loneliness washing over her.

She found herself looking at Prince Zayden, and chuckled to herself.

If I can't find someone, I don't think Zayden will be able to find anyone either. We'll both be lonely.

At that precise moment, Celine widened her eyes as if she had a shocking rumination that shook her to the core. She avoided his questioning gaze, disturbed by her presentiment.

***

"I'm telling you that she covets the Second Prince too! Didn't you see her gaze soften towards him?"

"She is the Crown Prince's fiancee! She holds such a prestigious title of the empire, yet she dares to bewitch the Second Prince!"

Zavia stood in the midst of the gossip, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"It really is too much.." She whispered silently.

Celine's lips twitched in annoyance. She had been returning from the desert after spending the day with Oren and Zayden, clearly exhausted from the long journey. To her disgust, Zavia and her supporters were gathered near the end of the crystal hall, slandering Celine's name.

Celine had endured countless insults throughout the years and had managed to ignore every one of Zavia's jabs. Nonetheless, she was particularly impatient that night. In truth, hearing someone insult her name was never a pleasant feeling.

Why do I have to hear this right now?

Draco seemed to understand her sentiments and slowly climbed out of her shadows, ready to scare the flashy women on his master's demand. Celine didn't want to call for Draco since she didn't want to insult the Crown Prince's concubine. The society would interpret Celine's actions as an act of jealousy, and she did not want to be labeled as that kind of woman. 

Since Prince Laith resided within the crystal hall, he could clearly hear Zavia's idle chatter. He had left his chambers to clear Celine's name, when a sharp pain pierced the right side of his head.

"Laith?" Zavia noticed the prince immediately, and the crowd gravitated towards him.

He masked the discomfort and nodded politely with a slight grimace. Then, the prince noticed Celine in the corner of his eyes, and his desire to reprimand the women increased. He hoped that she would appreciate his good will and see him in a more favorable light.

"I-"

Zavia placed a hand on his arm, and the pain seemed to spread instantly. He struggled to think properly, vigorously massaging his forehead.

"Your highness?" Zavia frowned as she sensed his stiffness, clasping his arms with a tighter grip. "Perhaps you aren't feeling well. Why don't you retire to your chambers for tonight?"

Her sweet, coaxing voice made her supporters blush in surprise by the daring words.

"Yes, it is time to leave now! We will see you tomorrow, Zavia." The supporters lowered their heads and soon dispersed, fully aware of the couple's intentions.

By the time Prince Laith had fully recovered his senses and cleared his headache, it was much   too late. Celine had slipped away, and he had failed to mend their relationship once again.

Should I catch up to her and explain why I didn't defend her? 

His gaze lingered on an empty spot, where that woman had previously stood just minutes ago.

He shook his head and smiled bitterly. 

I am a pathetic fool. My presence will only bother her. 

Prince Laith lowered his head despondently as Zavia supported him into the dark chambers.