The Villianess story: A 100 ways to kill your husband
Chapter 470: Unlucky encounter

Chapter 470: Unlucky encounter

Ariel stopped by the bakery to pick up some bread, just as Claire had instructed. The small shop was unusually crowded, and she ended up waiting much longer than she’d planned.

As she stood in line, her mind wandered back to what the seamstress had said about the nobles visiting town. Why would nobles, especially from the capital would have any interest in their little village? Even the Duke and Duchess of Vesper rarely made appearances here.

In the past two years, Ariel could count the number of times she’d seen the Duchess on one hand. The townsfolk always grew giddy with excitement whenever she visited. Duchess Rebecca, with her kind smile and ginger hair, was beloved by the people. It was a shame she hadn’t yet had a child despite years of marriage.

Still, Rebecca was young. There was time.

Ariel herself was already of marriageable age, though Claire had never once brought up the idea of her getting married. That, in hindsight, was a little strange. She hadn’t thought about it until now.

The bakery buzzed with chatter about the performance scheduled for that night. Ariel’s curiosity only grew. She wondered if Claire would want to attend it might be something special.

"Tell your mother I asked after her!" the baker’s daughter called out cheerfully as Ariel finally left the shop.

Ariel was still waving goodbye when the door swung shut behind her and she walked straight into someone.

The acrid stench of alcohol and vomit hit her first.

She stumbled back, and her basket slipped from her hands, spilling its contents across the dusty street. "I’m so sorry," she said quickly, not even looking up as she dropped to her knees to gather the fallen bread.

As she dusted off the loaves, a rough, slurred voice growled, "Watch where you’re going, witch."

Her eyes flicked upward. A drunk man glared down at her, swaying slightly as he took another gulp from the bottle clutched in his hand. It wasn’t even midday.

"I..I’m sorry..." she started to apologize again, but her words were cut off.

His hand flew, striking her sharply across the cheek. Pain bloomed across her face, her head jerking to the side. Her pale skin flushed red from the impact, and she tasted blood in her mouth.

Dazed and stunned, she barely had time to react before the man’s grimy hand yanked her scarf, pulling her hair painfully.

"Let go of me!" she spat, struggling to free herself. Her scarf slipped from her head, revealing her thick waves of Raven black hair.

People nearby saw the altercation, but no one stepped in. They recognized the man. He was one of the magistrate’s sons, a well-known drunk who often stirred trouble. No one wanted to get involved.

Still gripping her hair, the man forced her to look at him. His face was scarred and mean. "I was going to ignore you, but then I realized you’re actually a looker. You’ll have to pay for ruining my day," he sneered. "You’re the weaver’s girl, right? They say you’re pretty. Didn’t expect you to be this charming up close."

He reached for her face, and Ariel recoiled in disgust. Fury surged through her. Without thinking, she raised her leg and kicked him hard in the groin.

"I said let go of me!" she yelled.

The man howled in pain and released her, doubling over as he clutched himself.

Ariel didn’t waste a second, she grabbed her basket and bolted. She hadn’t gotten far when she heard him yelling behind her.

"Guards! Get her! That little witch attacked me!"

Panic raced through her chest. If they caught her, she knew that bastard would make her life miserable.

She sprinted toward the town square, pushing through the narrow alleys. Her heart pounded. She wasn’t fast enough to outrun guards, but maybe—just maybe—someone could protect her.

The square was packed. A crowd had gathered around a group of knights, their polished armor gleaming in the afternoon sun. Most people were there to catch a glimpse of the visitors, but Ariel wasn’t interested in spectacle she was desperate.

She pushed through the crowd, ignoring the stares, and stumbled toward one of the knights. Dropping to her knees, she clutched at the hem of his armor.

Startled, the knight turned to her. Around him, the other soldiers stiffened. Their hands moved to their weapons, some stepping forward as if to pull her away.

Before Ariel could explain, the magistrate’s son burst into the clearing, red-faced and still staggering. "Unhand her! She must pay for what she did!"

The magistrate, who had been standing nearby, turned pale at the sight of his son and his outrageous behavior.

The knight Ariel held onto was still crouched, looking down at her with a mix of confusion and concern. His eyes softened as he saw the fear in hers.

He raised his hand, silently commanding the other knights to hold back. They froze in place, clearly unsettled. This wasn’t a man who bent easily. That he was kneeling at all was enough to silence them.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently, his hand resting just above her bowed head.

Ariel shivered at the sound of his voice. It was rich, deep, and strangely familiar like a song she couldn’t quite remember. She slowly lifted her gaze.

Her breath caught.

For a fleeting moment, she didn’t see the knight at all. She saw someone else. Someone breathtakingly beautiful from a distant, fractured memory. Her heart skipped.

She blinked, and the illusion faded. Before her knelt a striking young man with refined features and strawberry blonde hair that caught the light like gold.

"I—I’m fine," she managed.

He smiled faintly. "That’s good."

Then he turned to face the drunkard, his expression cooling. "Get him out of my sight."

Judging by the stench of alcohol, the knight didn’t need details to piece together what had happened.

The magistrate’s son puffed out his chest, still too drunk to understand who he was speaking to. "Who do you think you are, touching me like that? My father’s the magistrate! You’re just a knight you have no power here!"

The surrounding knights bristled, outrage flashing across their faces. The town guards who had been chasing Ariel moments ago suddenly dropped their weapons and bowed, pleading.

The knight chuckled softly. Then his voice dropped. "Raise your voice at me again," he said coolly, "and your entire family will be scraping crumbs off the gutter."

The magistrate panicked. He shoved his way forward and fell to his knees before the knight. "Please forgive my foolish son, Your Highness," he begged, voice trembling.

Ariel stiffened.

Her eyes snapped to the man she had clung to the one with golden eyes and hair kissed by sunlight.

"Your Highness..." she whispered, stunned.