Please Fall in Love with Me! – A Villainess on Her Second Loop, using 'Seduction' to Avoid Ruin! - Chapter 2.6

“Th-That is…”

“I may have struck you hard, but it was just a slap from a woman’s slender hand. It shouldn’t have hurt that much. But Lady Fiona’s wounds—both on her body and in her heart—are nothing compared to this!”

Count Cristel fell silent.

But unfortunately, his expression didn’t show even a hint of regret or remorse for his actions. Instead, it was filled with nothing but humiliation—resentment at being lectured by a mere girl, protected by the unshakable status of the Kishtaria Ducal House.

What a hopeless man. If he had shown even a shred of repentance here, perhaps the outcome could have been different…

I sighed inwardly and gently stroked the heroine’s back.

“Let’s go.”

“Fi… Fiona… You won’t abandon me, will you…?”

“……”

Even now, all he could think about was himself. I was too dumbfounded to even respond.

The heroine must have felt the same way. She didn’t look at her father. She simply kept her head down.

“Oh?”

As we stepped out of the room, I spotted the elderly butler standing a short distance away, watching us with concern.

“M-My lady…”

“Sebastian…”

From behind the closed door, Count Cristel’s voice rang out in despair. We should leave quickly.

I turned to Sebastian with a warm smile.

“Could we borrow a drawing room while we wait for the carriage? Also, could you bring some disinfectant and something to cool her cheek?”

“Ah… Y-Yes, of course. This way, please.”

The elderly butler—Sebastian—led us to a reception room on the first floor.

As soon as the heroine sat down on the sofa, Sebastian left the room to fetch the necessary supplies for her treatment.

I stared at the now-closed door, clutching my head internally.

Oh no, I did it again…!

First, that whole “Please fall in love with me” incident with Lord Siegwald—now this?! What was I thinking, slapping the heroine’s father right in front of her!?

I had been acting recklessly today. Maybe I hadn’t fully regained my composure after this unexpected second round began?

This was bad. Every little action I took at this moment could lead straight to a disastrous ending.

Flustered, I rushed to the heroine’s side and bowed my head deeply.

“L-Lady Fiona, um… I sincerely apologize. I—I acted completely on my own impulse…”

“Huh?”

“No matter how angry I was, it was not my place to act that way toward your father…”

As I mumbled an explanation, the heroine let out a soft “Ah,” then smiled and shook her head.

“No, please don’t apologize. Actually… I feel a little relieved. If anything, I’m grateful. Thank you.”

“But…”

“No, really. It’s fine.”

The heroine waved her hand with a reassuring smile.

But her lips had lost their color, and they were trembling.

It was painful to watch.

Please, don’t force yourself to smile.

You don’t have to do that anymore.

You can say that it hurt. That it was scary. That it was painful. That it was miserable.

It’s okay to say it now.

There’s no one left who will hit you or get angry at you for speaking your truth.

I sat beside her and gently wrapped her trembling hands in mine.

“You don’t have to smile. It’s okay to be angry. It’s okay to cry, to resent, to speak your mind. You’re safe now.”

“…!”

“You were afraid, weren’t you? And you suffered so much. There’s no one else here, just the two of us. No one else will see or hear. So it’s okay.”

“I… I…”

“If my actions upset you, please be honest with me. I will sincerely apologize.”

I tightened my grasp around her hands, looked straight into her eyes, and continued.

“You don’t have to suppress your feelings anymore. You don’t have to swallow your words.”

“…Ugh…”

Tears welled up in her emerald-green eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

“I-I’m sorry… I’m really… only grateful for what you did… I wasn’t upset at all…”

“I see. I’m glad to hear that.”

“Because… I’ve been suffering for so long! It was so painful! And earlier… I was scared! It hurt! I was sad! But that’s why… it felt so satisfying…!”

Transparent teardrops streamed down her face.

I nodded and gently embraced her.

“E-Even as the Saint, will my father still not cherish me!? Will he never love me!? Does he only think about using me!? Why!? Why!?”

“Lady Fiona…”

She clung to me, sobbing uncontrollably.

In a way, a tragic past only made the heroine shine brighter.

This wasn’t just true for otome games.

Cinderella stories, at their core, were built on this principle—misfortune and injustice were deliberately set in place so that the miracle that followed, the love and happiness attained, would shine all the brighter.