《I Will Protect You This Time》 Chapter 1 - Political Marriage (Part 1) Episode 01 (Isabella Von Hagen Loire) XX20 Imperial Year. Loire Empire The Royal Palace The 2nd Princess''s Bedroom. "Father! No! I will not do that! I will never marry a heinous werewolf! You can not do that to me, father! You can not force me!" A girl with pink hair sobbed while lying in bed. "Ruby, My Dear. Calm down! It''s for the sake of the peace between our Loire Empire and that Fellmirr! We can not let them get more powerful than they are now." A middle-aged man with pale-yellow hair consoled the girl with a warm voice. "But still! How can you marry me off to a heinous monster!" The room of the 2nd Princess Rubena Estella Von Loire was in chaos. As she was set up to a political marriage with the Crown Prince of the Fellmirr Empire, Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr. Fellmirr¡­ A huge empire where all kinds of Beasts, Monsters, Beastmen, Wizards and muggles reside. It was founded by a powerful Alpha known as Elizar Fellmirr to strengthen their kin and for the safety of the Beastmen from the Dark Wizards. After generations, it has turned into the most powerful empire of all continents. Many empires tried to take them down, but never was there one who won against them. On the other hand, the Loire Empire is mainly known as the Land of Wizards. As for centuries, Wizards with different kinds of Magical abilities like fire, water, ice, thunder and many more reside there. And some Wizards use spells to cast magic. Another reason is the late Emperor Johannes Von Allen Loire. He was the greatest Wizard who was fluent in Light Magic, Spatial Magic and Spell-Casting. And all of them are rare traits of Magical Ability. Because of him, the Loire Empire reached the peak of its fame and prosperity. The werewolves and other Beastmen never got along well with Wizards other than those of Fellmirr. As in the past, the Dark Wizards used them as guinea pigs for different magical experiments, as ingredients to make high-grade potions and as sacrifices for their Dark Magic. They were tortured and used as slaves. But after getting tired of being used and tormented by greedy humans, the werewolves stood up and together with other beastmen, they hunted down the Dark Wizards. Then they built the Fellmirr Empire. As time passed by, dark Wizards were eradicated. Those who were alive hid somewhere. The current Emperor of the Fellmirr Empire is Theobald Cedric Carados Fellmirr, also the current Alpha of the werewolves. For some reason when all the empires and kingdoms of the Waldor continent brought out the Peace Accord by Political Marriage, he seemed to agree quite easily. Everyone was surprised when Emperor Theobald agreed as the Beastmen didn''t like to communicate with Wizards other than those of their empire. And Fellmirr is not one that can be called a Friendly Empire. Although there was a condition that the princess would have to be from the Loire Empire. It was quite evident as it is the largest compared to the other empires of the continent, even though the Loire Empire is not as large as the Fellmirr Empire. And it will be a great opportunity for the Loire Empire to rise to power and put a leash on them. It is hard to find information about the Fellmirr Empire as the only way to get into their empire was a portal, which was controlled by their magic tower. Anyways, the second princess was chosen as the designated bride, as the first princess Isabella Von Hagen Loire was already engaged. But the second princess is totally against this. "Calm down, Ruby." "No! I can''t! How can I calm down!" "Ruby-" "I will never marry a monster! Never!" Rubena was crying and screaming in her room. Seeing her beloved youngest daughter like that, Emperor Mathias Von Goldrudder Loire pondered for a while. After a few thoughts, he changed his mind. "Sigh~. Albert." Mathias sighed and called his aide. "Yes, Your Highness." A young man with long brown hair replied. "Ask Isabella to come to my study." "As you wish." * * * Isabella Von Hagen Loire, the first Princess of the Loire empire, is the first Empress''s daughter. Her mother, Empress Roxanne died because of an illness when she was very young. She has beautiful pale white skin, shimmering golden hair that reaches till the ankle and reddish-purple eyes. Her mesmerizing Golden hair seemed like a flare of Sunshine. It''s as if you touch it, it will break right away. Her reddish-purple eyes are like Amethyst. She also has a kind personality. But the people, mostly the Emperor hated her. She was treated lowly in the palace. Even the servants and the maids working in the palace looked down at her. The Emperor hated the first Empress as he was forced to marry her by his father, the previous emperor Johannes. Emperor Mathias hates Isabella as she resembles his father, the previous emperor, Johannes Von Allen Loire. On the other hand, unlike her brilliant blonde hair, he had pale-yellow hair. As a result, he felt inferior. And his monstrous behaviour towards Isabella makes him nothing less than a monster in the guise of a human. Even her fiance Grand Duke Roberto Silverwind gave her the cold shoulder. And it is rumoured that he secretly likes Princess Rubena. So the poor girl was looked down upon by other Aristocrats too. There was another reason why she was mistreated. She couldn''t use magic. All the members of the Royal Family use Light Magic. But Isabella couldn''t even create a ray. The empire has two princes and two princesses. Isabella is the second child of the Emperor. Among her siblings, only the first Prince William Von Travis Loire, doesn''t mistreat her. Although he still ignores her after a light greeting. On the other hand, the second prince Daniel Luth Loire causes trouble for her a lot. And Rubena, the youngest child, treats Isabella with heartfelt sincerity. She wanted to be a good sister to Isabella. But that''s only what others say. She is no less than her father, Emperor Mathias. They are both monsters wearing the mask of innocence. In the Royal Palace, Isabella has a small room. When the Emperor summoned her, she was reading a book while leaning on the side of the window seat. She was wearing a baby-pink coloured nightgown with beautiful white flower-patterned laces. Sunlight was coming out of the window reflecting on her golden hair. Both of her cheeks had a light pinkish glow and her lips were red as blood. Whoosh~ A cold breeze fluttered her hair. Her leaning figure on the window seat while holding a book with both hands was so beautiful that one will forget to breathe just by watching that. * * * Tap* I slowly closed the book I was reading. It''s about Ancient Magic. My grandfather, the previous Emperor, gave it to me secretly when I was young. He was the only person who genuinely loved me besides my mother in this palace. Although I don''t remember anything about my mother as she died when I was really young. < Isabella was sitting on her grandfather, Emperor Johannes''s lap in his private library. He used to call her ''Bell'' affectionately. "Do you know Bell Ancient Magic is the mother of all magic?" "Moder(Mother) of all magic?" "Yes. It includes time magic, dark magic, spatial magic and many more complicated magical powers." "Wow~" "But now it is a forbidden realm of magic. Although there isn''t any Wizard alive in this empire who can cast such complicated magic. Hahaha~ " "You can''t use anshint(ancient) magic, Granpa(Grandpa)?" "Well, I can. Not all of them though." "Aww~ Why not?" "Hahaha~ Well, I can''t. But there are Wizards in the Fellmirr Empire who can still use Ancient Magic. But sigh~" "What ish(is) it, Granpa?" "Because some people used it for their selfish purpose, people are not allowed to enter the Fellmirr Empire. It was great magic whose purpose was to make mankind a better place. But because of those selfish people, it''s now bygone here." "People can not enter da(the) Fermirr(Fellmirr) Empire?" "No, child." "Why?" "Because they were hurt by our people." "Aww~ I hope they won''t be sad anymore." "Hahaha~ I hope so too. I wish there will be a day when both kinds can live in harmony. Oh! This old man completely forgot. Look at this" Emperor Johannes brought out a book from his mantle. "What ish(is) dis(this), Granpa?" "This is a book about Ancient Magic." "But I can''t read." "Hoho~ Read this when you grow up. Until then I''ll keep this with me. But don''t tell anyone about this. Let''s keep it our little secret, okay?" "Okay!" > Whoosh~ The sudden cold breeze brought me back from reminiscing. It was the time when my grandfather first showed me this book. I miss my grandfather. Isabella thought while stroking the book with a beautiful black-velvet cover decorated with gemstones. "Haa~ It''s getting colder... Winter is near." Isabella exhaled a long breath and said while looking outside the window. Knock* Knock* Suddenly I heard someone knocking on my door. I hurriedly hid the book under a pillow. "C-Come in." Creak~ It was Albert. Although he is just 25, he became His Highness the Emperor''s aide because of his talents. He will probably serve my brother, Crown Prince William when he ascends to the throne. He is a man of few words and a very mysterious person. After giving a slight bow, Albert said, "Good afternoon, Princess. His Highness, the emperor asked you to go to his study.". Isabella flinched. "H-His Highness? To his s-study?" "Yes." "I-I see. I''ll be there in a few minutes." "Yes. Then please excuse me." Albert then slightly bowed and left the room. ''I wonder why that person is looking for me.. I didn''t do anything this month. So why?'' Chapter 2 - Political Marriage (Part 2) Episode 02 (Still Alive) ! Warning ! This episode contains strong language, violence and abuse which might be traumatizing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. Huff* Huff* Isabella started breathing loudly. What should I do? What if he¡­ No! No! No! That cannot be. I haven''t done anything at all! I haven''t disobeyed any of his words! Huff* Huff* I feel so suffocated. Ching* Suddenly a blue light glowed brightly from the necklace she was wearing, creating a barrier that was circling her. And Isabella froze. As if frozen in time. She wasn''t even blinking. And after a minute, the barrier slowly faded away. And Isabella turned back to normal, being unaware of the thing that just happened. Haa~ Haa~ No! I have to calm down. I can''t delay. He will get angrier if that happens. Phew~ Isabella let out a deep breath. I should hide the book first. After that, she took out the book that was under the pillow and got up from the window seat. She then hurriedly walked towards the bed and hid the book under her bed. After that, she took the bell that was on the bedside table and shook it. Ring* Ring* And in a few minutes, a brown-haired maid with freckles showed up. "You called, My Lady." "Yes. I have to prepare for an audience with His Majesty. Help me to get prepared, Anne." "Okay." Then Anne brought a bowl of cold water for Isabella to get fresh. "Here you go. Wash off your face. Do you know how hard it is to bring water to this place? Tch! So many stairs." The weather was already chilly. Isabella didn''t say anything and washed her face, trembling in the cold. She was used to it and already grateful to Anne for serving an abandoned princess like her. ''She must also be suffering for serving someone like me.'' After washing off my face, with the help of Anne I wore a simple brown gown with long sleeves and wrapped a shawl around my shoulder, then went towards His Majesty''s study room. The hallway was also cold because of the weather. As always the maids and the servants'' disgusted look added. I walked forward pretending not to notice. After a while, I reached His Majesty''s study. After noticing me, the knight on duty knocked on the door and announced my presence. * * * Loire Empire The Emperor''s Study. Emperor Mathias was sitting on his desk. He seems to be thinking about something deeply. Tch! ''I can''t believe I was going to send my beloved Ruby as that disgusting monster''s bride. Whereas I could just send that wretched girl. I will just break off her engagement. Roberto is too good for that wretch. And I need to use him more anyways. Although it will be hard to control him without that wretch. Well, whatever. It''s better to send that wretched thing far away from this empire. Disgusting animals suit each other anyways.'' While thinking, a cruel smirk was visible on his face. Mathias never treated Isabella well. Not even once. Isabella lost her mother when she was just 11 months old and her grandfather at the age of 6. After her grandfather''s death, Isabella tried her best to get attention from her only remaining family member, her father. But what she got was a look filled with loathe and disgust. Mathias behaved well with her in front of other Aristocrats and only when he needed to use her. And she did whatever he asked her, as she thought, ''If I listen to father, probably this time he will pat me, as he pats Ruby. And also hug me. And he might love me, at least a little bit, like he loves Ruby.''. Although that was just a little girl''s happy delusion. But she still kept listening to whatever her father said. But only once did she disagree with her father but that woke her up from the childish delusion and made her life a hellish nightmare. < Once she was 13, she didn''t listen to one of his words. "Your marriage partner has been decided." "What?" "It is King Bowman Buckman Taf of the Taf Kingdom." "But father, he is 60 years old!" "Age doesn''t matter. As long as you marry him and give birth to a prince, we can seize that kingdom." "No! I will never marry an old man like him." Mathias snapped. His expression became heinous as if he was possessed by a gruesome demon. Or perhaps he is one. "What? What did you just say?" Isabella flinched. "That-" "Repeat what you just said." "I-I don''t want to m-marry an old man¡­" Isabella said hesitantly while trembling in fear. "Hah! It seems like I have been going easy on you." Mathias scoffed. "It is high time to teach you a lesson." Mathias smiled cruelly. He took the whip that was set as a decoration in the wall and started whipping Isabella cruelly. "You ugly wretch! How dare you try to defy me!" Whip! Whip! Whip! "Arghh~ Father, What are you doing! It hurts! Sob*" "Shut your cursed mouth!" "Aghh~ I am sorry! I was wrong! Forgive me! Arghh~" "You need to learn your lesson!" Whip! Whip! Whip! "Argh~ Forgive me! Argh!" "How dare you defy me!" "Argh~ Please stop! It hurts! It hurts so much!" "How dare you! You disgusting wh*re!" Whip! Whip! Whip! "Arghh~ I''m sorry. Please stop! Argh! It hurts! I will marry whoever you want! Please stop! Father!" "Don''t say Father with that disgusting mouth of yours! It makes me want to kill you! Know your d*mn place!" Whip! Whip! Whip! "Argh~ I was wrong! Please stop! Someone! Anyone! Please~ Save me!" "No one will save a wretch like you!" The whole room was filled with Isabella''s desperate scream and the sound of a slashing whip. No one came to help her that day. She was beaten until she didn''t have the energy to even scream. After that, she was locked in a dark room for 2 days without food or water. From that day onwards, Isabella gave up on receiving his love or attention and never called him Father again. She had to listen to whatever he said, or else she was beaten till bleeding. After beating her, he would call a healer and heal her scars, so that people wouldn''t know about his monstrosity. It was a living hell for Isabella. But the memories with her grandfather made her live. She had to live to keep her promise. And in the end, she didn''t marry the King of Taf, as his dead body was found in his garden after a few days which was in a gruesome state. No one knew who brutally murdered him that day. > Knock* Knock* "Your Majesty, Princess Isabella is here." Hearing this, Mathias''s smirk grew bigger. "Let her in." * * * "Greetings Your Highness. You asked for me." "Yes. Your engagement has been annulled. " My eyes opened wide in surprise. For a moment, I forgot about my fear. I became speechless. What? What did he say? "..." "Did you hear me?" Mathias said loudly. "What? Pardon me. Perhaps I misheard you." "No, you did not. Your engagement with Grand Duke Roberto Silverwind has been annulled." I felt dizzy. This can''t be. How long do I have to be trapped in this place? I hate this place. It''s so suffocating here. I feel so small and useless. I want to get out of here. My engagement was my only escape. Now even that is gone! It can''t be. No way. "Instead you will be engaged to the crown prince of the Fellmirr Empire." Fellmirr Empire?! The empire that grandfather talked about! "Tha-" "You should shut that mouth, you wretch. Are you trying to defy me?" I flinched. There''s no way I can. As long as I am here, I will always be his puppet. "No, Your Majesty. I will do as you say." "Good. You will depart for that place the day after tomorrow. Albert will inform you about other things. Now get out of my sight." After bowing to him, I left that suffocating room. * * * My room is on the top floor of the palace. So it takes a while to reach there. I was walking alone in the hallway. The hallways had huge windows. It''s the upper floor of the palace. So normally servants don''t come in here. I was feeling disgusted. Loathe myself for being so useless and pathetic. I can''t even use magic! If I could, I might have had some freedom. "Ahh¡­." A small scream came out of my mouth. I want to die. But I can not. I promised grandfather to survive in this hellish place. Why God! Why me! Whoosh~ Suddenly a gentle cold breeze was blowing from the hallway windows as if to console me. It was so gentle that my tears started flowing. Haa~ Sob* Sob* Isabella dropped on the floor and started crying while covering her face with both hands. "I am still alive, Grandfather!" I cried there for a while.. After settling down my pent up emotions, I slowly returned to my room. Chapter 3 - Political Marriage (Part 3) Episode 03 (Political Marriage Now, Political Marriage Then.) * * * After returning to my room, I saw food prepared on the table. Although I said it''s food, it''s just a week''s old hard bread and soup. Sigh~ Ring* Ring* I removed the shawl from my shoulder and rang the bell. After a while, Anne came in. "What is it?" "Take the food away." "What? Do you know how hard it is to bring food from the kitchen to this floor! No one will get you food like this. You would have starved if it wasn''t for me." "Anne. I am not hungry. So kindly take this food away and help me to get changed." "Hmph!" Anne took away the food angrily. After a while, she returned and helped me change into a nightgown and returned to the Maids Quarter. I was all alone in my room. As I had nothing to do, I went to sit on the window seat which had a white furry mattress and some cushions. It''s my favourite place in the room. As my room is on the top floor and my window is quite wide, the entire capital can be seen from here. It''s a beautiful view that helps me to calm down. Caw~ Caw~ Caw~ All birds are returning to their nest. It''s a beautiful evening with a purple-blue sky. Everything in my room seemed Bluish because of the light that is coming out of the window. The crickets from faraway grass can be heard buzzing. After a few minutes, it became dark. In the palace, the maids were getting busy lighting up the lanterns. It was warm scenery to see lanterns lit up in the darkness. I leaned on one side of the window seat and enjoyed the scenery for a while. * * * After a while, I got up from the seat and lit a lantern in my room. Then I started the fireplace. My darkroom was lit by the golden light of the fireplace. After that, I lay down in the bed and started thinking about all the crazy things that just happened. Annulled engagement¡­. Grand Duke Roberto¡­.. Fellmirr Empire¡­. So many things happened in so little time. Political Marriage¡­ My engagement with Grand Duke Roberto Silverwind was also a political move from the Emperor. The Silverwind Duchy is the only Grand Duchy of the Loire Empire. And their knights are on the same par as the Royal Knights. The Duchy was powerful from the beginning but it rose to its peak when Duke Roberto inherited the title of Grand Duke. Grand Duke Roberto Silverwind is the best Ice Wizard and a great Swordsman in the Loire Empire. He is also the leader of the Silverwind Knights. He was the illegitimate son of the previous duke. The duke had 4 other legitimate sons. But because of Roberto''s mastery of ice magic and swordsmanship, he was chosen as the heir to the Silverwind Grand Duchy. He became famous after beating the Orc Lord of the Bloodhorn Forest. The Bloodhorn forest is a dark forest that is filled with different types of monsters. During their breeding season in mid-autumn, the monsters migrate to the border of Ashoron Territory which is just a few kilometres away from the capital of the Loire Empire. And if the monsters somehow reach the border it would be a nightmare because of the large and especially the newborn monsters. As they are just born, they have a massive appetite. Thousands of people can die. So they have to be eradicated before breeding. Therefore, every Aristocrat sends their elite knights and one of their family members to the Ashoron Forest to slaughter the monsters before winter every year. And they had to stay there until the first snow of Winter. Because of the cold, the monsters return to their den in Bloodhorn Forest during winter and hibernate. Even for an elite group of knights, it takes hours to beat the Orc Lord. And sometimes some of the Knights became seriously injured. But Grand Duke Roberto beat that elite monster in a few minutes without the help of any of his knights. That''s how he became the legendary Knight of the Loire Empire. And after he joined the expedition no knights ever got injured. I was told that I would be betrothed to him when I was 15 in Imperial year XX17. That time he hadn''t joined the expedition yet, so he wasn''t as famous as he is now. He was an infamous Illegitimate son of the Duke. But still, to me, he was my fiance, whom I will marry and spend the rest of my life with. < I still remember the first time I saw him. It was spring. I was waiting for him in the Royal Garden. It was a sunny morning. Beautiful flowers were blooming everywhere. I was very nervous at first. But the moment I saw him, all of my nervousness went away. All there left was admiration and love in me for him. His beautiful white hair was shining in the sunlight and his red eyes were so deep that I forgot to breathe. He is the most beautiful man I have ever seen. It would be a white lie if I say I didn''t love him. I loved him¡­ And wanted him to love me¡­. I chased and chased after him. In the hope that he would love me... That he would save me from this hell. But he never received my feelings. I still dreamed that one day he will definitely love me. So I chased after him again and again and again. In parties, in his training ground, everywhere..¡­ But perhaps I was being too greedy... In the winter of Imperial Year XX18, he joined the Winter Expedition to the Ashoron Territory. There he beat the Orc Lord and became a legendary Knight in the Loire. After that, he would always be surrounded by brilliant people and beautiful ladies. Then one day¡­ "Did you see the Captain? He looked so cool when he used Ice Magic." "I know right! He is perfect! He will match perfectly with the second princess, don''t you think so?" "I know right. Why did he get engaged with someone like the first princess?! She doesn''t deserve him." "You are right. She is so clingy." "Yeah. Oh! Wanna hear some spicy news?" "What is it?" "I heard that Grand Duke Roberto likes the second princess and wanted to annul his engagement with the first princess." "What?! Really! That would be great!" "I know! Oh, Crap~! We are late. Captain will kill us. Let''s hurry back to the training ground." Two knights of the Silverwind Duchy were talking to each other while taking a break. As usual, I was on my way there to give him my greetings and to give him a fruit basket. And I overheard their conversation. At that time, my heart felt like it was falling apart. My legs felt numb. It was not like that was the first time I heard such rumours. Nevertheless, it hurts. I slowly walked towards the training ground with uneven steps. I didn''t completely believe what they said and went to him. More like I couldn''t believe it. No¡­ I mustn''t believe it. Cause if I do¡­ I will lose myself completely. As he was the only person I wanted. My only wish. My everything. But¡­ "Don''t come here from now on. You don''t need to do this.". He took the basket and said. My whole body felt cold. I couldn''t move a muscle. I tried to open my mouth but couldn''t¡­ "Princess." I mastered all my energy to smile. "It''s okay. I want to-" "No! You don''t have to." After that, I wasn''t able to meet him. I was worried¡­ Anxious. Worried that the rumours might be true. Worried that he would abandon me. Worried to death... But after months, I finally saw him at a ball. He was surrounded by many people. I tried to go to the place he was in. But¡­ "Grand Duke, why are you engaged with the first Princess?" "....." "Well, he is too shy to say anything." "Hahaha. Don''t you know he likes the second princess?" In all that time, he never uttered a single word. I can feel a lump in my throat. It''s cold. I can''t hear anything anymore. I hurriedly went out of the ballroom. Reality hit me hard again. I am a fool to expect love from him. "Hahaha! I am such a fool! Hahaha~ What did I expect?! Him to love me?! Ha ha ah aghh~" Sob* "Why? Why? Ahhhh! Why am I like this!" Why did you¡­?! Why? Don''t abandon me. Not you too! Please~ I am so pathetic. Never did once you said you loved me! But I¡­ I foolishly kept loving you. Greedily kept clinging onto you¡­ Yes, I am¡­ too greedy! I am evil. I am a wretch. Ughh~ Sob* Isabella crouched down and cried while covering her face with both hands. I cried a lot on that day. From then on, I stopped visiting or bothering him. I give up on love entirely. I swore to myself to never love anyone or expect anything from anyone. But still, I had to marry him to get out of this hell. And would have divorced him, if he wanted to marry Rubena. I would have run away. > I never expected it to end like this. He went on an expedition to the Ashoron Territory last month. He will probably be very happy when he returns, after finding out about this. "Fellmirr Empire¡­." I mumbled to myself. Maybe it''s for the best. I can get out of this hellish empire. From the beginning, it was a Political Marriage with Duke Roberto and now it''s still the same. My fiance just changed. Haaa~ "Yes¡­ It''s for the best." Isabella mumbled. While thinking about all that, I fell asleep without realising. Chapter 4 - Into The Realm Of Myths (Part 1) Episode 04 (A Place That Can Only Be Seen In The Dark) * * * I woke up from sleep at the sound of someone knocking on my door. I rubbed my eyes and looked outside. It was still dark. Looking at the fireplace, I probably slept for an hour or two. Knock* Knock* I got up from my bed and wrapped a shawl around my shoulders, as I was wearing a nightgown. Sigh~ I wonder who is knocking so many times. Knock* Knock* "Come in." And two girls showed up. They were Anne and Rubena. Rubena was wearing a beautiful lemon yellow gown filled with diamonds and beautiful laces. Her pink hair was braided beautifully. "What took you so long? Do you have any idea how long the princess had to wait?" Anne grumbled. "It''s okay Anne. I can wait." Rubena said to Anne with a pitiful voice. "I apologize for that. Anne, go bring some refreshments." "It''s okay, sister. That won''t be necessary as I won''t be taking too much of your time." "I see. But you did come all the way here, drink some tea at least." "I said, I don''t need anything. Anyways, is it true that your engagement with Roberto is annulled?" I flinched when I heard Grand Duke Roberto''s name. Then I looked at Anne and said, "Anne, leave us alone.". "It''s okay, she can stay." I see why she''s here. She wanted to make sure that I am not resisting His Majesty''s order. And Anne didn''t move an inch as Rubena said. "So sister, is it true?" "Yes." "Are you really going to get married to a monster?" "You shouldn''t say that. He will be the next Emperor of the Fellmirr Empire." "Whatever he is not here." "Sigh~ Yes." "It''s okay sister. You don''t have to do it for me. Do you want me to talk to father for you?" "It''s okay. It is for the sake of our empire." "Well, if you say so. I heard you will be departing from here the day after tomorrow?" "That seems to be the case." "Sob* Oh, my poor sister. My heart aches for you." "..." "Princess Rubena is such an angel worrying about her sister like that." Anne said with full of admiration in her eyes. "It''s okay. Don''t cry Rubena." "Don''t you worry, sister. I will take good care of Roberto." Ah. I see now. It was true that she loved Grand Duke Roberto too. I guess I was just a third wheel between them. "Anyways you should rest now. As you will have a busy day tomorrow. I will be taking my leave then." Rubena got out of my room. Her two knights that were standing outside my door escorted her back. After that Anne got out of the room too. And the atmosphere was peaceful again. "Sigh~ I guess I am going." I have a lot to do tomorrow. Hmm. "I should go ''there'' tonight. I have to wait for the night to get deep." I took a book about the Fellmirr empire from the bookshelf that was beside my table and the lantern, then went to the window seat to read. * * * Fellmirr Empire was founded by Elizar Fellmirr, the then alpha of Werewolves, hundreds of years ago. At that time, Wizards who used dark magic were very popular. Thalrenor Gladshore was the most famous one of them all. He was known as the Master of all dark Wizards. He was a very handsome man with black hair and glowing purple eyes. It is said that he seduced many young women with his devilish smile and later sacrificed them for power. Dark magic is not the power of one''s own. It uses other living creatures'' life forces or different organs to generate magical power. Through dark magic, the Wizards could produce different kinds of forbidden potions and other forbidden spells or skills, which could harm living beings greatly. The emperor of that time couldn''t stop them as almost every Aristocrat supported them. There was a reason behind that though. The aristocrats were regular customers for the dark Wizards. Anti-ageing potion, love potion, manipulation magic and for many other secret reasons Aristocrats had used Dark Wizards. In return, they paid them a handsome amount of gold and supported them in their research which was nothing less than torture. At first, they used organs from monsters or goblins, but as time passed by they became greedy. They started to use different mythical beasts or beastmen. As they had more powerful effects and their organs could be used to make an elite class potion. They crossed the limit when they started to sacrifice beastmen including werewolves, different other shapeshifters and normal people to summon dark creatures. So the alpha of the Werewolves, Elizar Fellmirr, alongside other beastmen fought against them. After a long battle, the beastmen won the war. They eradicated almost every one of the dark Wizards. But somehow Thalrenor and some of his followers hid somewhere. No traces of them were found to this day. And from then on, dark magic became a forbidden art of magic. After defeating the dark Wizards, Elizar Fellmirr and his fellow other beastmen founded the Fellmirr Empire. It''s a place where all kinds of shapeshifters, beastmen, werewolves and many other living creatures live in harmony. But that place is restricted for some human Wizards. And rarely do some people and Wizards get permission to enter their empire. Haaa~ I sighed deeply and closed the book. It seems like without any special occasion, they normally didn''t interact much with other empires. And one of those special occasions is The Annual meeting of the Empires and Kingdoms of Waldor. Every year, the rulers of each reign gather together as a sign of peace. Although some take advantage of this and invade their rival country. But the last time that happened was a century ago. Consistently a month ago, this year''s meeting was held. And that''s when the other rulers suggested developing a good relationship with the Fellmirr Empire through political marriage. Although they suggested the same thing many other times, the emperor of Fellmirr never agreed to that. So it was a shock when he agreed this year, although it was with the condition of marrying a princess from the Loire Empire. As I was already engaged, Rubena was chosen as the bride. I overheard all that from the maids on my way to the library a few weeks ago. The palace was in chaos for a few days. "Sigh~ How did it come to this?" I put my head on the side of the window frame. It''s midnight. The sky is filled with thousands of stars. The moon is high up in the sky. Soft moonlight is coming out of my window. I closed my eyes. The touch of the cold breeze on my skin feels warm. I stayed like that for a while. * * * "It''s time." I got up from the window seat and wrapped a shawl around my shoulders. Then I took the half-lit lantern and stepped out of my room. I started walking in the empty hallway. Unlike before, it''s silent and peaceful now. A gentle breeze is coming alongside the moonlight creating a mysterious beauty. In the distance, only lit up lanterns can be seen. It''s the time when everyone''s sleeping. After walking down the hallway, I turned off my lantern so that I wouldn''t be noticed by the patrol knights. After a moment, I managed to get outside the palace without anyone noticing. My destination is the Greenhouse. It is in the desolate part of the palace grounds. It was grandmother, the previous Empress''s favourite place. After her death, my grandfather was the only person who came here. He brought me here often. This dome-shaped greenhouse is filled with magical trees. Glowing flowers plants, flower plants that pours glowing glitters, the giant crystal tree, vines filled with blue roses that reach the top of the glass ceiling and many more. It has a pond filled with luminous purple lotus flowers. But sadly this beautiful place is abandoned now. So there are rarely any knights guarding the way to the greenhouse which is of course, good for me. I reached the greenhouse without any trouble. Because of the huge luminous blue cherry blossom trees, everything is visible there. So I don''t have to light any lanterns. "So beautiful! Haa~ But I won''t be able to see it anymore." One might wonder why such a beautiful place is abandoned. Emperor Mathias hated his father, the previous emperor. He was the only son of Emperor Johannes. And he was born with pale-yellow hair, whereas all the Royal Family members had gorgeous blonde hair. So he had an inferiority complex from the beginning. Emperor Johannes made him do different things he didn''t want to do and didn''t let him do what he wanted to. And Mathias obeyed Johannes''s words because he was scared of him. Johannes was the strongest and most renowned Wizard of his time. The beautiful wizard with Golden Hair and Burning yellow eyes and always with a kind smile, Johannes Von Allen Loire. He was everyone''s beloved Emperor. Johannes was one of the people who were able to go to the Fellmirr Empire. He was respected and loved by everyone including the arrogant aristocrats of that time. Whereas Emperor Mathias wasn''t allowed to go to the Fellmirr Empire. So he detested Fellmirr. The people disliked Mathias because of his greediness. Even though he acted kind in front, he actually detests commoners. To him, commoners are just annoying bugs and a way to earn more tax revenue. This greenhouse was the dearest place to Johannes. So Mathias wanted to destroy that place. But he couldn''t. As it was Johannes, the strongest Emperor of Loire''s last wish to let the Greenhouse stay as it was. And the Aristocrats didn''t allow him to destroy it either. So he left it as it was and severely punished anyone who went there. But there is also another reason why people were interested in the Greenhouse. As this place was the dearest to Johannes, he didn''t allow anyone to enter here. Sadly, he knew that Mathias would do something terrible to this place after his death. So he cast a magic spell here. Only a heart with goodwill will be able to see the inside of this beautiful place. On the other hand, those who have even a little bit of evil in their heart will only see dried up dead trees and mud. But no one came here in fear of Mathias''s punishment. And Isabella could only come here at midnight when everyone''s asleep. Sadly this is a place that can only be seen in the dark. Chapter 5 - Into The Realm Of Myths (Part 2) Episode 05 (The Secret Of The Greenhouse) I looked around the garden for a while. As it might be my last time to visit this place. After a while, I walked towards the Giant Blue Crystal tree. The crystals of the tree were glowing brightly creating an alluring beauty. I removed my shawl, then untied the chain from my neck. It''s a platinum vine-shaped chain with a beautiful sapphire pendant, which was given to me by my grandfather after my birth. While holding the chain in my hand, I said out loud, "Reveal Thyself that connects two realms!" Suddenly with rustling sounds, the Crystal tree started moving. In a few minutes, it took the shape of a huge gate made of blue crystals and wood. And- Thud* With a loud noise, the gate started to open. Creak~ A bright light started to come out of the still opening gate. I started walking towards the light. It was so bright that I had to close my eyes for a bit. Whoosh~ A gentle breeze touched my skin. The smell of fresh grass tickled my nose. I slowly opened my eyes, and what appeared in front of my eyes was familiar yet breathtaking¡­ I am standing in a beautiful grass field. The green grasses were dancing at the flow of strong yet gentle breeze. Beautiful Golden-light butterflies were flying around everywhere. The grass field was filled with small red and blue flowers. Different kinds of small and cute magical beasts were running around and playing in the field among themselves. The branches of different kinds of trees that were more than hundreds of years old, were moving in the wind creating a playful union of light and shadow. Beautiful large and small magical beasts were flying over the giant floating island. I looked at the front. Giant floating mountains with fountains of different sizes... Sparkling clear water was flowing down from those fountains creating beautiful rainbows. At the peak of the tallest mountain, a beautiful Golden Castle is shining brightly because of the Sun. Whoosh~ A strong breeze fluttered my hair. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Yes. I am here. On the other side of the gate. Into the Realm of Myths. The Realm of Myths¡­.. A realm that is actually an assemblage of many big and small floating islands. It is located somewhere above the sky. It is the meeting place of the GUARDIANS. The Guardians¡­ A group of the Strongest Elderly of the Beastmen. Whenever a disaster falls upon the world, the guardians join together to stop that disaster. But they are just as cruel as they are strong. If one hurts something or someone they truly care about, they will be the ones who will become a disaster. The Realm of Myths is under the control of the Guardians. Only the strongest and the eldest of each Beast Clan can enter here with the permission of the Guardians. But the existence of this place is nothing but a Myth for the people. So there aren''t many who entered here. There are 13 Guardians. Rae, the Leader of the Guardians, the Dragon of Light and Thunder. He is a majestic White dragon with gorgeous white gems like scales and purple eyes. Zylbon, the wisest and oldest of all the Guardians, is a wisdom tree. He has knowledge about both the past and the future. But he''s always sleeping. Rae said he wakes up only at special events. Manatsu Yasuji, the trickster of the Guardians, a Nine-tailed Red Fox. He uses illusion and fire magic. Zen, the angry bird of the Guardians, a Phoenix. Aldous, the majestic sarcasm master, a Griffin. He has platinum blonde fur. His magic is Enhanced Strength. Laura, the Earth-Dragon. Brarvug, the calmest guardian, an Ice Phoenix. Loves his wife. Raul Iydril, the Water Dragon. Erwin West, the Panther. There''s always a fight between Aldous and Erwin about who''s the strongest and whose granddaughter is the cutest. Lars Prestcote, the Fire Serpent. And the most sophisticated one of the guardians. But they never told me about the other 3 Guardians. Nor did I ever see them. I often come here to meet with all of the guardians. They are like family to me. Especially Rae. I tied back the sapphire chain and started walking towards the Golden Castle. As that is the meeting place of the Guardians. After a while, I reached the place. The castle is really beautiful. But for some reason, the Guardians don''t like to stay inside the castle. So they always sit on the Round Table outside the castle. And the Round Table is beside the Wisdom Tree, Zylbon. Zylbon¡­ a magnificent tree that is covered with beautiful blue flowers all around the year. He is thousands of years old and the wisest of all the Guardians. It is said that when Zylbon wakes up, a face appears in the main branch of the tree. Anyways I don''t really know that, as I have never seen him awake. And this time too, he was asleep. Rae and the other Guardians were talking among themselves while drinking tea. Although some of the Guardians weren''t present here. "Yesterday my granddaughter made an apple pie for me! Can you imagine? She was practising for weeks to make that for me! My Granddaughter Leila¡­ so adorable!" Aldous, an elderly with platinum blonde hair, bragged proudly. Bang* "What the f*ck are you talking about? My grandsons are the best magical knights of Fellmirr. And they are just kids, only 25 years at that! And your granddaughter is 27! Sheesh! Grow up already, you Dumba*s. Even my grandsons are more mature than you." Zen said angrily while banging the table. "Anyways, will you guys shut up! You guys look like old goofers more than guardians!" "Well, you will never understand us, Rae. Forget about Grandchildren, you are not even married." Aldous said sarcastically. "Mhm. You are absolutely right." Raul agreed while nodding his head. "Tch~" Aldous, Zen, Raul and Rae, all of them were in their human form. It seems like the others are not here today. "Bell, you have come! Why are you standing over there? Come here!" I was standing at a distance while watching them. But Rae seemed to have noticed me. "Rae¡­." Rae came close to me and touched my forehead with his as if to check up on me. "Are you okay child? You didn''t come here for almost a month. Is everything alright?" "Oh! Yes. Everything''s fine. I was just stuck with some work in the palace." "Hmm~ I see. So you couldn''t even find a single day to meet this old man. I''m hurt." "I apologize." "Pfft~ I was just making fun of you." The others were still fighting about who''s grandchildren were the best. "Don''t mind those old fools. You know what they are like. Sigh~" "Hey! We can hear you!" Zen said loudly. "Bell, you just remembered us now? Do you know how much we have missed you!" Aldous said while coming towards us. Zen: "I know, right?! Did you forget us old people!" Raul: "Were you alright child?" Aldous: "I don''t know why you always disappear without saying anything, every once in a while." "I apologize. I was stuck with some work." All of them came up from their seats. They were right. I would suddenly stop coming here for a month or two. There was a reason for that. It''s because of His Highness the Emperor. He often beats me. And I don''t want them to see me in that state. None of them knows anything about that nor do I want them to know. And I couldn''t come here this month because of Rubena''s marriage talk with the Crown Prince of Fellmirr. Because she refused to marry him, the whole palace was in chaos. The palace was so heavily guarded that I couldn''t move easily. So I couldn''t visit here even if I wanted to. Today I came here to see them for the last time. As I might not be able to come tomorrow. I have to tell them now. It will be dawn soon. "Umm~ Rae¡­ I have something to say." "Hmm~ What is it, child?" "I won''t be able to come here anymore¡­" Zen: "What?" Raul: "Why?" Rae: "Everyone! Stop!" Everyone there shut their mouth at Rae''s word. Then Rae said, "And what could be the reason, my dear?". "..." I told Rae everything that happened today. He listened to everything attentively. "I see. The Fellmirr Empire¡­. Hmm~ It feels just like yesterday when you came here with Johannes. You were so little then. And now you are getting married." < It was a few months before my 6th birthday, I was sitting in the garden with my grandfather. "Child, Let''s go." "Where, Grandpa? "Somewhere magical." Then he took me in his arms and started heading towards the greenhouse. "Wow~ Are we going to da(the) greenhouse, grandpa?" "Yes and also No." "Huh?" "Hahaha~ Just wait." "Okay." After we arrived at the greenhouse, grandfather took me near the Crystal Tree. Then he cast the spell. And the crystal tree transformed into a huge gate. "Wow~ Grandpa look! The tree ish(is) moving!" "Hahaha! Yes! Isn''t it amazing?" "Yes!" "Don''t tell anyone about this? It''s between you and me." "Okay!" Grandfather only told me about this place. No one else knows about the secret of the greenhouse to this day. After that, grandfather took me to the Guardians. I can''t remember much afterwards. It''s all a blurry memory. Probably because I was too young. To be honest, it''s amazing that I remember so much despite being a kid. > Aldous: "Child¡­ Don''t worry. I''m sure we will meet soon in the future." "Oh! Yes. I hope so." Zen: "Remember child, we love you. And we will always be with you." "Yes." After greeting them all, I returned to the greenhouse through the gate. And it returned to its original state in an instant. Thankfully, it was still dark outside. "Sigh~ I wanted to spend more time with them. But that''s just my silly wish¡­" I took the lantern and put on my shawl. It''s getting really cold. I should return to my room before anyone finds out that I''m not in my room. I sneakily got out of the greenhouse and after a while, I returned to my room. I removed my shawl. It was really chilly. So I started the fireplace. After that, I blew out the lantern and closed the window. Then went to bed. Crackle* The crackling sound of the burning firewood is really calming. It makes me forget everything. "I should sleep now. I have a lot of things to do tomorrow." I was exhausted.. Shortly after closing my eyes, I fell asleep. Chapter 6 - The Banquet (Part 1) Episode 06 (Bring Your Bride) * * * Fellmirr Empire The Royal Palace The Emperor''s Study. A week after the Waldor Annual Meeting. "So did you take care of those rats?" "Yes, Your Highness. They were easy to kill." "Yes! Yes! For your Knights, it must''ve been." (=_=) "Yes, it was." "But still. Turning into burning ashes! And they even showed up during winter!" "Yes. It''s quite bizarre indeed." "Sigh~ Strange! How did they even get in on our empire..." The Fellmirr Empire is in the Northern part of the Waldor Continent. As a result, the Winter in Fellmirr stays longer than any other place of Waldor. At this time of the year, it''s already snowing in Fellmirr. And monsters roam around the most during Mid-Autumn. They come out of their den and hunt down the nearby towns and villages. So it''s dangerous for normal people. As there isn''t just Beastmen who reside in Fellmirr. The monsters come out of Dark Forests situated in different regions but the ones from the Nuglobar territory in the North-East region are the most ferocious. So some knights from each Aristocrat family along with their family''s successor go hunting them down. It''s like a fun game of hunting for the beasts. The expedition group generally stays there for a month, just to make sure there isn''t any monster left. As Winter approaches, the weather gets colder. As a result, the monsters start to return to their den in Early Winter. So there were never any monsters approaching or attacking people at the time. That''s why it''s safe from the Early Winter. This year was the same. Until that thing showed up. It was a new kind of monster. Strangely they had the shape of a dog but were much bigger. They didn''t have any faces. It had sharp teeth and saliva was coming out of its mouth, it was dark grey coloured. It was a menacing creature straight out of hell. And it stopped coming right before snowfall. Although it wasn''t that hard to kill them for the Knights, it wouldn''t have been the case with ordinary people. So this time they had to eradicate all of those monsters to make sure everyone would be safe. And that''s what Emperor Theobald Cedric was talking about with the Crown Prince Leonus. As he joined the hunt this year. It was dark outside. The dancing flame of the fireplace was making a mysterious play of light and shadow. Emperor Theobald was sitting on a couch in front of the fireplace. While Leonus was standing in front of him. He was wearing a black shirt with his wet black hair. He just returned from the hunt today and was giving a report to Theobald about this year''s Hunting Expedition. "Anyways you should go back and rest now. You have to depart for the Loire tomorrow... While I have to handle all this work. Damn it! I want a break too! I wanted to go to the Hunt too." Emperor Theobald said in a crying tone. Leonus was looking at him with an expressionless face. His father has always been like that. He''s cheerful most of the time and hates paperwork. His aide has to suffer the most for that. "..." (-_-) "Shit! I will just go back to Alicia. Go back to your room, so that I can go back too!" "Yes, Your Highness." "You don''t even say father now. Do you hate me that much?!" "Yes, father." "Anyways You must be happy to bring your bride." The calm deep blue eyes were like burning blue flames. There was a small smirk on Leonus''s face that was almost invisible. "Yes..." "Aghh! Don''t smile like that." "How am I smiling?" "Like a sly wolf." "I am one though." "Nevermind. Just go back. I will go back to my wife." "Sure." "And¡­ Be sure to come back before ''that''." Theobald suddenly said in a serious tone. "Yes." "You know what will happen if you don''t, don''t you?" "Yes. I am well aware." "Good. Now leave." Leonus then bowed to Theobald and returned to his room. And the next day he departed from Fellmirr with his knights and two companions to bring his bride. * * * Fellmirr Empire. The day before the departure. I woke up early this morning. Sunlight was coming out of the window. Ring* Ring* After ringing the bell, Anne came with a bowl of water. While washing my face, I heard someone knocking on my door. Knock* Knock* "Princess, may I come in?" It was Albert. Come to think of it, the Emperor did say that Albert will come and inform me about everything. After washing my face, I changed my nightgown and wore a peach-coloured dress. I let my hair down. Then sit on the couch. "Come in." Creak~ With a creaking sound, the door opened. Albert bowed and said, "Greetings, Princess. Here is your full schedule for today. As you might know already, you will be departing for Fellmirr tomorrow.". Snap* With the snap of his finger, a magical scroll started floating in front of me. When I took the scroll and opened it, glowing blue letters started revealing themselves on the scroll. I calmly started reading the content of the scroll. "A banquet?" "Yes. It''s a Welcome Banquet for the Crown Prince Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr. He will be here in the afternoon along with his Knights and companions." "I see¡­" "And this is the dress you will be wearing for the banquet." Albert waved his hands and some maids came in with a gorgeous black dress with off-shoulder sleeves. It had sparkling Diamonds and glittery Gold on it. I guess His Majesty wants to show off. "The maids will prepare you. " "Okay¡­" "There will be knights guarding outside your room. It''s for your safety." More like, to make sure I can''t run away. Sigh~ "And you can order the maids to prepare the things you need to take from here." "Alright." To be honest, I don''t have anything I can take from here. Just some books that Grandfather gave me and my mother''s keepsakes. "Then I will be going. If you need anything, feel free to ask the butler. Oh! You can take one of the maids to the Fellmirr Empire." "Okay." "And after choosing a maid, please inform the butler about that." I nodded my head instead of replying. After that, Albert bowed and left the room. * * * Loire Empire. The Imperial Garden. Clink* Clink* Emperor Mathias, princess Rubena and Crown Prince William were having a tea time. "Father, I want to go to Grandfather''s place." "Hmm? Duke Krynt Greycastle¡­" "Yes." "Why?" "I don''t want to be here when those beasts of Fellmirr arrive. What if that Beast prince falls for me after seeing my beauty and refuses to marry my sister! I don''t want to marry an ugly monster!" "You should let her go, father." "Yes. Oh! Daniel''s there, right?" "Yes. He is staying there with his friends from the academy. And will go on the Hunting Expedition to Ashoron Territory sometime later. He probably has reached there by now." William said while taking a sip from the cup of tea. Daniel Luth Loire is the second prince of the Loire Empire. He is good at fire magic and also mastered swordsmanship. He has red hair and golden eyes like his mother. And famous among all the Ladies of the capital. He is the one who troubled Isabella the most of her siblings. "Hmm. Then I assume you will go there today." "Yes. I''ll be leaving in an hour." "Good." Clink* After that, Mathias took a sip from the cup of tea and continued their chitter-chatter for a while. Chapter 7 - The Banquet (Part 2) Episode 07 (Even Flowers Wither Without Care) ! Warning ! This episode contains strong language, violence and abuse which might be traumatizing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. * * * After a while, Rubena returned to her room. Her maids were already informed that she will be going to the Greycastle Duchy. So they started to prepare her. She had already taken a bath. And as she was sitting on a chair, some maids were giving her foot massage and cutting her fingernails. "Clara." "Yes, My Lady." "Call Anne." "Yes." After that Rubena''s personal maid, Clara bowed and left the room. She has a neat appearance, unlike the other maids. Shortly after, Clara came with Anne. Knock* Knock* "Come in." Soon after, Clara entered the room and stood behind Rubena. "Greetings, princess." Anne greeted Rubena while bowing. "Hmm. Raise your head." "You asked for me, princess?" "Yes. Inform me about everything she did after waking up." "She didn''t do anything in particular. After she woke up, I brought water for her to wash her face. Then-" "Was it cold?" "Yes." "Good. Continue." "Then His Majesty''s aide came and informed her about her schedule for today." "Pfft! Ahahahhah! Can''t believe it''s her last day here! It would have been nice if I could see her getting out of this empire! But alas! Hahahaha~" The room filled with Rubena''s laughter. Anne was actually working for Rubena to spy on Isabella. Rubena wanted to make Isabella''s life a living hell without dirtying her hand. Rubena made sure she couldn''t eat anything and asked Anne to always bring her rotten food. Giving her cold water to bathe, wash or drink. Putting wet firewood in the winter so that she couldn''t light the fireplace. Even stamping out the fireplace on a cold snowy night. And one day at a banquet, she crossed her limit¡­ < That time Isabella was still chasing after Roberto. And some Aristocrats were talking about how Isabella didn''t deserve Grand Duke Roberto. "How is it that Lady Isabella is engaged to Grand Duke Silverwind, not you Princess!?" "I know right. She doesn''t deserve him!" "Princess Rubena is so beautiful and innocent! Whereas Lady Isabella is so evil! Princess Rubena matches perfectly with the Grand Duke." "Oh, Ladies! You mustn''t say that. My sister will hear you. She will be disheartened!" Rubena replied to the other ladies with an innocent face. "You are such an angel caring about such a person!" "She knew you and the Grand Duke loved each other but were still trying to seduce him." Isabella was then having a drink, standing at the corner of the banquet hall. Of course, she heard them all. It was nothing new for her. Suddenly she saw Rubena coming towards her. "Sister, don''t mind them! They were just jesting." In reality, Isabella knew it was nothing like that. A Joke about a Royal family member is considered a capital offence. And the Aristocrats never even addressed Isabella as a princess. "It''s fine." "Oh, sister! Are you having a drink?" "Umm. Yes." "Can I see the glass?" "Sure." But when Isabella was giving her the glass, Rubena jerked Isabella''s hand and the drink splattered on her face. "Ahh! Sister! How can you do that?! I was just apologizing. I understand that you are angry but still! How can you splash your drink on me!" Rubena started screaming and crying loudly to gather everyone''s attention. "What? I-" "How evil!" "Shameless!" "Poor princess Rubena!" "She was apologizing even though it wasn''t her fault." "Our poor princess." Mutter* Mutter* The whole banquet was filled with everyone muttering and disgusted look. That day when Isabella returned to the palace. She was beaten badly by Mathias. Whip* Whip* "I didn''t do anything! Aghh!" "You disgusting creature! How dare you lie!" Whip* Whip* "Aghh~I am not lying! I promise!" Whip* Whip* "Shut your disgusting mouth!" Whip* Whip* "How dare you do that to my precious Ruby!" "Aghh~" "I didn''t! Sob* Sob* Aghh!" "You''re still lying!" Whip* Whip* "Aghh~ I''m sorry! I won''t do it again." In the end, she had to apologize for the thing she didn''t even do. She was beaten until Mathias was out of energy. Her skin was ripped off from different places. After beating, she was locked in a dark room without any windows. There wasn''t any source of light or air to get in that room. They didn''t give her any food or water for days. After a few days, she was taken back to her room. Then a healer came and healed her wounds. From then on, she apologized for things she didn''t even do. > After Rubena laughed her heart out and asked Anne, "Make sure to give her the BEST food today. It''s her last day here. So Let''s make it memorable, shall we?". "Yes, Princess." "Oh, and make sure that she takes you to Fellmirr with her." "Yes." "I wish Mother was here. She would have been so happy!" Rubena''s Mother the second Empress Helena was on a vacation in the Royal Family''s Beach Villa. She is a terrible person. Mathias had another concubine and they had a son. But Helena murdered both of them cruelly. "Anyways that Fu*ing bit*ch is finally leaving this place. Roberto can finally be mine. That wh*re, who knows how she seduced Roberto." Snap* Suddenly a maid that was cutting her fingernails cut one nail a bit longer. Her distorted expression that looked like an angler fish turned into an innocent face in an instant. "Ah! Forgive me, princess! I have committed a great sin!" The terrified maid kneeled and started asking for forgiveness. "Sigh~ Anne, go back to her room. And make sure she takes you with her." "Yes, Princess." "And keep an eye on her. Who knows when she will try to run away! I will never marry a monster! They are ugly and fat! That bitch and that monster suit each other perfectly, don''t you think so? Hahaha!" "You are right, Princess." "And if she runs away, you will have to pay for that, Anne. Now go." "Y-yes, princess." Then Anne bowed and left the room. After that, Rubena looked at the maid and said, "Oh, dear! It''s okay! Clara, take this poor girl outside. She appears to be very nervous.". "Yes, My Lady." "Thank you, princess. Thank you so much for forgiving me. I won''t make such a mistake again." "Oh, don''t mind that." After that Clara took the maid away from Rubena''s room. The next day the maid quit her job. It is rumoured that her fingernails were ripped apart by someone and she was in a devastating state while leaving the palace. Shortly after Clara left with the maid, Rubena departed for Greycastle Duchy. * * * After Albert left the room, the maids started to bring pieces of jewellery and other accessories to my room. "You should eat something first, princess." "I am not hungry." "You are not allowed to eat for the rest of the day. We need to make sure you look perfect." A middle-aged maid said firmly. "Still-" "Princess, His Highness ordered you to look perfect." "... Bring me some fruits." "Yes." After that, some maids brought some fruits in a tray. I ate some apples and grapes. Shortly after, Anne came to the room with a trolley filled with food. "I brought food for you, My Lady." "She can''t eat now." The middle-aged maid replied. She was a Senior maid. The other maids who were working here were under her authority. "Why not?" "I don''t think I have any obligations to inform you about that." "But My Lady, I worked so hard to bring these for you. How can you not eat?" "I-" Before I could say anything, the senior maid said, "If you want to lose your job, go ahead and give it to her.". "I-I apologize." "It''s okay. You don''t have to scold her. Anne put these here and go." "Yes!" Anne replied with joy. Actually, even though the foods look like delicacies, Anne mixed a potion on the food that will cause severe stomach ache. "Oh, My Lady. I want to tell you something in person." "Hmm. Leave us alone for a minute." The senior maid glared at Anne for a moment, then left the room with other maids. "What is it, Anne?" "My Lady, please take me with you in Fellmirr." "What? No." I can''t take her to a dangerous place like that. "No! You have to. I want to serve you for the rest of my life. I can''t leave you alone to go to an unfamiliar place." Anne started to act all pitiful. She was pretending to cry. Sob* Sob* "Sigh~ Okay. Go and let the butler know that you will be coming with me." Hearing that Anne was overjoyed. If she goes to the Fellmirr Empire with her, she can do whatever she wants with Isabella. And Rubena won''t be there to order her around. She could take Isabella''s jewellery as much as she wanted. "Yes. I will go and tell the butler right away." Saying that Anne left in a hurry. After that, the maids who were outside, came in right away and took away the food Anne brought. ''Well, I''m not that hungry, so it''s fine. And Anne isn''t here, so she won''t know.'' "Princess, you need to take a bath now." "Okay." Then the maids started massaging my body using different kinds of ointments, oils and herbs. After that foot massage, hair massage, face massage and many more massages using herbs and ointments I''ve never seen before. First, they gave me a bath using milk, then Rosewater. I had to bathe two times. Then they put perfume on my hair and body. It took 6 hours to complete all the massages and bathing. I was exhausted. But the result was visible. My skin was glowing. It was soft like cotton and smooth like silk. It''s as if I touch my skin, it will melt. And my slightly curled hair became straight. I couldn''t recognise myself after seeing the mirror. It''s like I am another person. Rubena is famous for her innocent face. She has baby pink hair and puppy eyes like her grandmother, Dora Greycastle. Male aristocrats of Loire are head over hills for her. Although in reality, Isabella is the prettiest. But without care, even flowers wither. However today after all that care, her beauty blossomed like flowers. Her rosy cheeks, red lips, her golden hair, long golden lashes¡­ everything about her was mesmerizing. So much so that, even the maids who looked down on her, were blushing. Maybe because of that, they were preparing her gently. It was afternoon. Suddenly the sound of trumpets and drums were heard. I guess the Crown Prince of Fellmirr and his group have reached the capital. Sigh~ I really am leaving this place tomorrow. Chapter 8 - The Banquet (Part 3) Episode 08 (Entering The Capital Of Loire) * * * The front gate of the Capital was bustling. Hundreds of Knights riding horses, along with many carriages were entering the Capital. People were gathering at the side of the road to see the Beastmen coming to their Empire. "Wow~" "I thought they would be like some human-shaped furry creature!" "I know, right?! I thought they would be fat and ugly like goblins!" "But they are nothing like that! They look like normal humans!" "What do you mean by ''Human''? They look like angels!" "Kyaa~ Even the Knights are all handsome!" "Did you see their body?" "Their dresses fit them perfectly!" "Kyaa~ Did you see that? That person just waved at me!" "Who?" "That blue-haired handsome!" "What? He waved at me, bitch!" "Kyaaa~ He just winked at me!" "The one with silver hair! Ahh~! Gosh! He just winked!" "Tch~ What the hell? What do you even see in them? They look normal to me." A boy meddled in the conversation of young girls. "Shut up, you ugly! What do you know about this?" "Go look at the mirror first before talking about others." "Yeah. Just go away. Why are you even here?" "Yeah. Are you a pervert! Why are you eavesdropping on girls'' conversations?" "Ughh! Shut up! I am going." The boy ran away in embarrassment. "And did you see that orange-haired knight! Aghh! Why are they all so handsome! Kyaa~" "And the one with black hair¡­" "Yes. He isn''t showing any expression¡­" "But that''s what makes him cooler!" "I know right! Like a mysterious beauty!" "Wait, he is probably the Crown Prince of Fellmirr!" "Probably. He is at the forefront." "Ughh~ They are magnificent! I wish I could marry even one of the Knights." The whole Crowd was filled with girl''s cheering and chattering. And some kids were also admiring the Knights. "Mother! Mother! Look! They are so big! And strong too! I want to be like them when I grow up!" "Yes! Yes! My dear!" And some people were admiring their magnificence. "Their clothes are well-made." "Yes." "The Knights are really disciplined." "Did you see how many carriages were there?!" "Yes! Almost 20 carriages!" "I wonder what''s in there!" Leonus was at the front. Behind him were his friends Lorenzo Iydril, Randall Erlshade and then Blaine Ainsworth. And behind Blaine, other knights and carriages were following. Lorenzo is from the Iydril Duchy, the Water Dragon Clan. And Randall is from Erlshade Duchy, the Silver Werewolf Clan and also Leonus''s cousin. Blaine Ainsworth is the Vice-Captain of Leonus''s knights. He is a Swordmaster and good at space magic. And he is a human. Leonus was wearing a gold embroidered navy blue coloured Royal suit with white trousers. A red scarf was tied to his waist. He also wore a gold embroidered navy blue and white coloured velvet Cloak. It is the Royal attire of the Fellmirr Empire. "Guess we are popular! Hahaha~" Randall said while waving and smiling at the crowd. "You don''t ask. Well, what can they do? I am just too handsome. Sigh~ What am I supposed to do, if they propose to me! Haaa~ So pitiful! I have to break their poor hearts!" Lorenzo said narcissistically. Randall: "Come on, man! They are not going to do that." Lorenzo: "What! And how do you know that?" Randall: "Did you see Leon''s expression?! I bet they will get scared to even come near us!" Lorenzo: "Tch! That damn wolf! He didn''t let us rest for weeks!" Randall: "I guess he can''t wait anymore!" Lorenzo: "Pfft~ Hahahaha!" Randall: "Hahahaha~!" "You guys better shut up. Or I will make sure to send you two to the Nuglobar territory for investigation." Leonus warned them in a calm voice while looking at the front. Randall: "Come on, Your Highness. We were just joking!" Lorenzo: "You wouldn''t do that to your friends, right?" Then Randall and Lorenzo continued waving at the crowd. Kyaa~ Kyaa~ And the ladies'' cheers at the crowd continued. After a while, they reached the entrance of the Royal Palace. Albert and the butler along with some Royal Knights and servants were there to greet them. Except for Blaine and some Knights with the carriages, the other Knights went on another route where a nearby manor was arranged for them to stay. Leonus got down from his black horse first. Then Randall, Lorenzo and Blaine. The Knights and other servants then bowed to them. "Greetings, Prince Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr. I am His Majesty the Emperor''s Aide, Albert Lynchfield. I hope you had a pleasant journey." Then Albert greeted Lorenzo and Randall. "Greetings, Young Master Iydril and Young Master Erlshade.The palace chef has prepared a grand feast for you." "We''d rather rest first. My Companions and Knights are exhausted after that long journey. We will have lunch later." "As you wish. The servants have prepared a palace for you. The butler will guide you there." "Yes." "His Highness the Emperor is waiting for you at the Royal Court, Crown Prince." "Blaine, come with me." "Yes, Your Highness." "Lead the way." "As you wish." Then Lorenzo and Randall followed the butler to the palace that was prepared for them. And Leonus and Blaine followed Albert to the Royal Court. After a few minutes, they reached the Royal Court. Poo~ With a loud horn, A Knight announced Leonus''s presence. "The Crown Prince of Fellmirr, Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr is entering the Royal Court." "Greetings, Crown Prince Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr." "Greetings, Your Highness the Emperor." "Welcome to the Loire Empire. I hope you had a pleasant journey." "It was. Thank you for your consideration." "How is Emperor Theobald Cedric Fellmirr?" "His Highness is in great health." "Good to hear that. You should go and take some rest now. You had a long journey." "I suppose so. But before that allow me to present something. Blaine." "Yes, Your Highness." Snap* With the snap of his finger, different sizes of treasure chests filled the Royal Court. Then Blaine opened all of those chests with magic. And they were filled with silver, gold, jewellery, silk clothes and many more treasures. Gasp* Mutter* Mutter* The whole court was in awe. The Royal Court Officials were muttering between themselves with disbelief at such wealth. But the thing they were amazed at the most was Blain''s magic, as spatial magic is very rare. "This is just a little present from our Empire for the marriage." "I-I see." Being flustered, Mathias changed the topic. "Anyways a banquet is arranged for your arrival in the evening." "I see. Then, please excuse us." Saying that Leonus and Blaine left the court, leaving everyone in awe and disbelief. "I can''t believe they just sent an Aide to welcome Your Highness." Blaine said with annoyance. "..." "Even though he is Emperor Johannes''s son, he''s nothing like him. Bastard." "Well, the look on his face in the Royal Court was quite amusing." "He was so flustered. Pfft~ He didn''t expect all those gifts I guess. Hahaha!" After a while, they reached the palace that was prepared for them. * * * The Royal Palace Isabella''s Room. After a while, the sound of trumpets and drums stopped. I guess they have reached the palace. The banquet is in the evening. And it''s already afternoon. The maids started to dress me up. The dress was black with sparkling Diamonds and a little bit of glittery gold. It was quite heavy. Suddenly a maid started to untie the chain that Grandfather gave me. "What are you doing?" "Princess, you have to untie the chain." "Wait. I will do it myself." < It was a precious chain that Grandfather gave me. He was really sick before his death. I went to visit him daily as he couldn''t even get up from his bed. But that day he was extremely sick. I started crying after seeing him. "Listen, Bell. I am going to say something very important. You must always wear that chain." Sob* Sob* "Grandpa, don''t leave me." "Listen to me, Isabella. This is very important, my child. Promise me. Promise me that you will wear it every day." Sob* Sob* "Bu-but¡­" Sob* Sob* "Listen, dear. Think of it as me. As long as you wear it, I will always be there for you. It will protect you from harm, my child." Sob* Sob* "Bell, my dear. I am not going anywhere. I will always be there for you child. Don''t cry. Promise me that you will wear it every day." Sob* Sob* "Now you don''t even want to listen to me?" "Ahh~ I will. Sob* I promise." "Good girl. Come here." Then Johannes took her in his arms and hugged her tightly. The poor girl then burst into tears. Bohohoo~ "Aghh~ Grandpa~ Are you going to leave me? Don''t~" "No. My child. I am not going anywhere." Sob* Sob* After a while, she fell asleep in his arms. That day, they both slept together. It was a heart-warming moment. And after a few days, Johannes died. > I untied the chain and kept it in my hand. It took a while to wear the dress. It was gorgeous. After that, the maids started doing my hair. My hair was left untied with a gorgeous headpiece made of white diamonds. Then I wore an earring and a choker necklace which were made of laces similar to the dress. At the time, I was finished dressing up, it was already evening. When I looked in the mirror, I couldn''t recognise myself. I guess they really don''t want to send Rubena. Sigh~ "I want to be alone for a bit." "As you wish, Princess." The maids then bowed and left the room. I looked at the chain in my hand. There is a secret to this chain. Grandfather made it so that it can take any jewellery shape. As I put it on my figure, it took the shape of a ring. Sigh~ I looked outside my window. The moon is bright. I can hear music coming out of the Royal Ballroom. "The Banquet has started¡­" Chapter 9 - The Banquet (Part 4) Episode 09 (The Start Of The Banquet) Knock* Knock* "Come in." It was Albert. He stopped after getting a step in and didn''t say a word. "¡­" "¡­" "Umm~ Albert¡­" "¡­" "Do you have something to say?" "...." "Albert?" "Pardon my insolence. Greetings, Princess. You look marvellous today." "Ah¡­ Thank you." "..." "So why are you here?" "Oh, Yes. His Highness the Emperor is waiting for you on the 2nd floor. You have to enter the banquet hall with him." "I see. Lead the way." "My pleasure, Princess." After that, Isabella got out of her room. Gasp* The 3 knights outside her room were stunned after seeing her. As if being under a spell, they were blankly staring at her. But soon came back to their senses as Albert glared at them. "P-Pardon us. Greetings, Princess." The Knights then bowed and started following them as they were ordered to guard and keep an eye on her. But as a matter of fact, it would be hard for them to take their eyes off of her. It was not just the Knights. As she was walking down the hallway, all the servants gasped at her beauty. They couldn''t believe their eyes. Even some maids blushed after seeing her. "Is that really the 1st Princess?" "Was she always this beautiful!" "So beautiful~" "Princess Rubena is nothing compared to her." "I know, right?!" The servants were whispering among themselves. After a few minutes, they reached the 2nd floor. Emperor Mathias was standing in front of the banquet hall door with his escorts. He was wearing a royal red suit with golden embroidery, the Royal Cape and his crown. After seeing Isabella, he frowned. "Greetings, Your Highness." The Knights bowed and greeted Mathias. Then Mathias waved his hands and the Knights backed off. After that Isabella bowed and greeted him. "Greetings, Your Highness." "You''d better not cause any trouble and be useful for once." "..." "Did you hear what I said?" "Yes, Your Highness." "Please excuse me, Your Highness. I have to prepare for tomorrow''s ceremony." "You are excused." Then Albert bowed and left for his work. "Give me your hand." Isabella put her hand on Mathias''s hand. Then Mathias showed a sign and a servant announced their presence and opened the door. * * * Royal Banquets are held only for special occasions. Every Noble of the Empire gets an invitation. And the nobles start preparing for that banquet months before. Today the banquet is held to welcome the Crown Prince of Fellmirr and as a farewell to Isabella. But in reality, it''s held to show off Loire''s wealth to Fellmirr and it has nothing to do with Isabella. As a result, the banquet was really grand. All kinds of food, drinks, and famous musicians were arranged. The Nobles, especially the Noble ladies, didn''t want to join today''s banquet. As they think lowly of Fellmirr. And if somehow a fat, ugly beastmen likes them, they will have to marry him. And the noble ladies didn''t want that to happen. But they changed their mind after hearing today''s rumours about the Beastmen who are said to be the most handsome and manly. The aristocrats started gathering at the banquet hall before evening. And by evening every noble family was present. They, especially the ladies, were waiting to see the Beastmen from the Fellmirr Empire. "Did you hear the rumour?" "The one about the Beastmen?" "Yes." "Yes. I heard they are very charming and handsome." "Yeah. But it''s still hard to believe." "You are right. We can''t just believe whatever the commoners say." "Yes." "And how can some beast be a gentleman?!" "I know, right! But Lady Isabella and that beastman will suit each other well." "Hahaha! You just said my mind." "Both wicked and disgusting!" POPOO~ With the loud horn sound, the Grand Chamberlain announced their presence. "Glory of the Fellmirr Empire, Crown Prince Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr is entering!" "Glory of the Iydril Duchy, Lorenzo Iydril is entering!" "Glory of the Erlshade Duchy, Randall Erlshade is entering!" "Glory of the Carados Knights, Blaine Ainsworth is entering!" Following Leonus, Randall, Lorenzo and Blaine entered the banquet hall together. Leonus was wearing a black royal suit with gold embroidered on it and his hairstyle was formal as usual. Randall, Lorenzo and Blaine were also wearing dark coloured suits. They became everyone''s centre of attention, as soon as their names were announced. The lady''s jaw dropped after seeing them. Gasp* "Wh-what!" "How can this be!" "Dear Lord! They are the Beastmen!" "Oh my! They are so charming!" "Aghh! I can''t believe someone as ugly as Isabella will be marrying such handsome beauty!" "Shhh! Watch your mouth! What if they heard you!" Murmur* Murmur* The whole banquet hall was filled with people''s chitter-chatter. The noble ladies were blushing and fanning themselves after seeing them. After a while, many nobles approached them and introduced themselves. Some ladies tried to seduce them, but couldn''t get anywhere. Many ladies approached Leonus, but because of Leonus''s stern expression, some backed off quickly. But some ladies just didn''t learn their lesson. "I feel bad for you, My Prince." "..." "You were supposed to be betrothed to the second princess. " Hearing that, Leonus flinched and frowned. His stern expression cracked for the first time. Pfft~ Lorenzo, Randall and Blaine spitted their drinks at the same time. Cough* Cough* ''Does she wanna die?!'' The three thought at the same time. "What do you mean ''supposed to''?" Seeing the angry Leonus, Lorenzo hurriedly asked the lady with an awkward smile. The lady thought, ''Hah~ He must have thought that he was going to get married to the second princess. Pfft! Who would want to marry someone like Isabella! Well, it''s good for me anyway. I can just make him mine.'' "Oh! You don''t know? The bride has changed. It will be Princess Isabella." Leonus''s expression came back to being stern. "Princess Isabella''s betrothal was annulled. So she is the one you will get betrothed to." "She was betrothed to someone else?" This time Leonus asked the lady. She then smirked and said, "Yes. But don''t worry about that. Her fianc¨¦ didn''t like her anyway.". She meant that she was so unsightly that his betrothed hated her. "Hah!" Then Leonus scoffed and went near a servant who was holding drinks. "Please excuse us." "Huh! Wait¡­" Randall and the other two smiled and excused themselves. Then they went to Leonus. "You okay?" "Yes. I am absolutely fine." Holding his drink, Leonus replied. Seeing him like that, the three didn''t ask anything further. But that lady came towards them again. "You were just getting a drink. You could have just asked a servant. I wonder when Lady Isabella will come. She''s so late!" ''Ugh! She really wants to die.'' "You-" Randall was going to say something, but then- POPOO~ A loud horn rang. The huge door on the second floor opened with a loud noise. "Glory of the Loire Empire, His Majesty the Emperor Mathias Von Goldrudder Loire and Flower of the Loire Empire, Princess Isabella Von Hagen Loire is entering!" And everyone''s attention was gathered on the second floor. Gasp* The whole banquet hall turned silent. Everyone''s jaw dropped for the second time after seeing Isabella. They couldn''t believe their eyes. She looked so gorgeous that every man in the banquet hall forgot to take their breath. Her mesmerising beauty as she was getting down from the stairs caught everyone''s attention. It was like an angel descended on earth. When she lifted her eyes, every man in the banquet hall blushed hard. "Welcome to tonight''s banquet! It''s for welcoming our guests from the Fellmirr Empire and to farewell my dearest daughter. Let the banquet begin! Enjoy!" Clap* Clap* The nobles came back to their senses.. And the whole banquet hall again filled with everyone''s murmur and clapping sound. Chapter 10 - The Banquet (Part 5) Episode 10 (It''s Winter) ! Warning ! This episode contains strong language, violence and abuse which might be traumatizing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. * * * I entered the banquet hall while holding His Majesty''s hand. After the announcement of our arrival, the whole banquet hall became silent. I was getting down the stairs. Suddenly His Majesty sprained my wrist hard and whispered. "Don''t you dare make any sound. If you do anything stupid here, you know what will happen. And this time it won''t be just two or three days. I won''t let you come out until I find any use of you. Understand?" "Yes." "Now smile and look forward." "Yes." My eyes were teary because of the pain. I held back my tears and lifted my eyes. There was pin-drop silence in the banquet hall. And everyone''s attention was here. He continued to sprain my wrist until we reached the 1st floor of the banquet hall. The wrist of my left hand was bruised and a bit swollen. Although that won''t be noticed unless someone looks carefully. It was really painful. I felt weak. It''s probably because I didn''t eat much for the last two days. Anyways after letting go of my wrist, he made a small welcome speech. "Welcome to tonight''s banquet! It''s for welcoming our guests from the Fellmirr Empire and to farewell my dearest daughter. Let the banquet begin! Enjoy!" Clap* Clap* Then the silence broke. And soon the Aristocrats started murmuring among themselves. Many Aristocrats gathered around us. His Majesty was talking with some of them. I was standing behind him. I can feel them staring at me. This happened in the hallway too. Sigh~ Suddenly I felt an intense chill behind my back. I looked behind instinctively. And he caught my eyes. A black-haired man with deep blue eyes. While drinking from his glass, he glared at me so deeply that I had shivers down my spine. I hurriedly looked away. ''Who is he? I have never seen him before. Aghh~ Is he someone from Fellmirr?'' I again looked behind. He wasn''t there. "Greetings Emperor." I flinched and hurriedly looked in front of me. It was him. "Greetings, Crown Prince Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr. Hope you will have a pleasant evening." Without replying to His Majesty he said, "Greetings, Princess.". He slightly bowed and extended his right hand. I give him my hand. He bowed towards my hand and frowned. Then he lightly kissed my hand. Aghh~ He is the Crown Prince! He probably knows that he was supposed to marry Rubena. He hates me for sure. So that''s why he was glaring at me. I tried to smile as naturally as possible and replied, "Greetings.". Seeing that, Emperor Mathias frowned. He then tried to control his expression and said with an awkward smile. "You must be still tired." "Oh, did you say something? Apologies, I didn''t notice." Leonus said in a tone that didn''t sound apologetic¡­ at all. "It''s okay. Anyways let the music begin!" Mathias changed the topic. The music started to play. Many Aristocrat couples started waltzing in the middle of the hall. "May I have the honour to dance with you, Princess?" I didn''t expect him to ask me for the first dance. Roberto rarely danced with me at any ball. Now that I think about it, Rubena isn''t here. Guess she didn''t want to be seen. Well, it''s normal for him to ask me for a dance. It''s general etiquette to dance first with one''s fianc¨¦e. And I am his fianc¨¦e. He probably asked me in order to not ruin his reputation. "It will be my pleasure." Then he took my hand and reached the dance floor. He grabbed my hand gently as we began to waltz around the floor. When I looked at him, I could see his beautiful deep blue eyes. Ah! There is a mole under his right eye. Pretty. "Princess..." Leonus said in a low tone while looking at me. I hurriedly looked away in embarrassment. As I was wearing high heels and my body felt weak, I was quite clumsy at dancing. But he took care of my every move skillfully. Tch* Aghh~ He is probably annoyed. I don''t want to cause any trouble today. And my hand was hurting a lot too. Suddenly my head was dizzy and my leg felt weak. I was going to fall. But he caught me on time and pulled my body closer to his. Then he came close to my ear and whispered, "Princess, do you want to stop?". I could feel his breath near my ear. I felt really weak. I couldn''t continue dancing even if I tried my best. So I nodded my head slightly. He is probably really annoyed. "As you wish, My Princess." Huh¡­? Did he just say MY princess? No way. I probably heard wrong. Yes. That''s it. I am feeling weak, anyways. Gasp* The music of the banquet hall reached its peak. Suddenly he grabbed my waist and lifted me. Kyaa~ The ladies in the banquet hall squealed and gasped with surprise. But I couldn''t notice anything as I was shocked when he did that. I put my hand on his shoulder and closed my eyes tight. "Princess¡­ are you scared?" Chuckle* Ahh. He''s probably enjoying seeing me so scared. "Can you put me down?" "Sure, princess." Then the music of the banquet hall ended. Clap* Clap* While everyone was clapping, he grabbed my hand and sneakily took me to the balcony. The balcony was empty. There are red curtains on the balcony door. He dropped the curtains, so no one would notice us. The silver light of the moon made the whole balcony brighter. Two lanterns were hanging around the balcony. It was really cold. I could hear other music playing in the hall. He sat me on the bench at the corner of the balcony. A cold breeze fluttered my hair. He then got on his knees, then said, "Princess, give me your hand." I flinched. Did he notice? But when? I gave him my right hand. "Not this one, princess. Left hand." "What? Why do you want my left hand, Your Highness? I don''t want to." I can''t be a pushover here. I can''t live as I do here. His deep blue eyes then gazed at me. I flinched. "Is it true you weren''t the one whom I was supposed to marry?" He knew. Aghh~ What am I supposed to say! "What are you talking about?" "Were you engaged with someone else, princess?" "Tha-" "Who is he? Do you love him?" "Wai-" Then suddenly a servant came to the balcony. "Princess Isabella, His Majesty is looking for you." He bowed and said. "I see. Excuse me. I will have to go." I hurriedly got up and left the balcony. When I looked behind, I saw his burning deep blue eyes gazing at me. * * * His Majesty was in one of the special rooms on the second floor of the banquet hall which was made for the Nobles to rest or to chat with each other. And sometimes couples go into that room for some quality time. The Royal Banquet was strict with privacy. So a soundproofing spell was cast on the rooms. "First Princess, Isabella Von Hagen Loire is entering." When I got into that room, I saw his majesty with healers. Is he going to heal my hand? That''s unexpected. He usually doesn''t summon a healer after a week of my injury. I guess if anyone notices, it will be a problem for him. "Get out." The healers bowed then got out. "Give me your left hand." I gave him my hand. And- Stab* He stabbed my hand with a knife. Blood flowed out of my hand. Ahhh~ My hand was already sprained. It felt like hell. "You b*tch! You are now seducing beasts! You were so clinging onto him." Stab* Stab* Aghh~ "I didn''t." Stab* Stab* "How dare you lie! You think you can get rid of me if you seduce him!" Stab* Stab* Aghh~ "Please stop!" Sob* Sob* Stab* Stab* "Please stop! Stop it already!" "You think that monster will love you! He will treat you just like that of a dog you are. Your life will be hell there too." Stab* Stab* Stab* Aghh~ "I was wrong! Aghh! I shouldn''t. I shouldn''t have done that. Please forgive me." Stab* Stab* The whole room filled with her helpless cry. After a few minutes, Mathias left and the healers got into the room. Gasp* And what they saw was horrible. Blood was coming out of Isabella''s left hand. Her left hand was in a horrible state. Isabella''s dress was stained with blood. And she was lying back in the corner of the room. The healers hurriedly started healing her. As if it''s a little late, it would be impossible to heal her hand. It took half an hour to heal her. After a while, she was sent to her room. * * * In the Banquet Hall. Mathias went outside the special room and removed blood stains from his cloth using magic. Then he went to the hall and said, "The princess isn''t feeling good. So she left the banquet early. But please don''t worry, she will be fine. So continue enjoying the banquet without worry.". "He looks quite happy for someone whose daughter is sick." Randall said to Leonus. He came back from the balcony a few minutes after Isabella left. "You don''t say." Lorenzo replied. ''I smell blood.'' Leonus''s eyes were glowing like fire, as he thought. After a while, he and his group left the banquet hall. * * * When I came back to my senses, I was lying in bed. My hand was hurting badly. I was too exhausted to even open my eyes. I could feel someone touching my hand. But I couldn''t see him. Even though I tried to stay awake because of exhaustion, I fell asleep again. After a while, I woke up. Surprisingly I had my strength back. I opened my eyes and found myself alone in my room. The door of my room was closed. But I could hear some knights talking outside my door. Was that one of the Knights who came into my room? I was a bit confused about how I ended up here. My dress was changed into a nightgown. Then suddenly I remembered the horrible memory. I flinched while remembering those horrible memories. How am I still sane?! Why won''t I die! When can I get out of this hell? "Why me? Wh-" Ching* Her sapphire ring glowed brightly and a barrier started circling around her. Isabella froze. After a minute, the barrier disappeared and her ring stopped glowing. Ah¡­ What was I doing? I touched my face as it felt cold. Water¡­ No tears? Was I crying? But why? After thinking for a while, I remembered. Ah! Was it because the Emperor beat me?! But he always do that. That''s not something to cry about. I will get out of this place tomorrow anyways. That nightmare won''t ever happen again. I won''t have to get beaten by the Emperor again. I wiped my tears and went to the window seat. The window was already open. Probably a maid left it open. It was really cold. I looked outside. It was already midnight. The banquet hall was still lit. I could hear music playing in the hall. I leaned my head on the window frame, then put my hand outside the window. Suddenly a cold white thing fell on my hand. And in a minute, it started snowing. I murmured to myself. "It''s winter...." Chapter 11 - [Bonus ] The Legend Of The Realm Of Myths (Part 1) (Names) A long long time ago, there were eight friends who were orphans. Three of them were girls and the rest boys. They had always passed their time together by playing and roaming around from one place to another. They didn''t have any place to live, yet they owned the whole world. While exploring different places, one day the friends found a strange forest. It was Strange, yes¡­ but beautiful. It was strange as most of it was covered with thick fog. The curious friends went towards the part of the forest that was covered with fog. They roamed around there for days. And after a week, they ended up reaching the middle of the forest. Strangely there wasn''t any fog there. The place was filled with things they had never even imagined before. Large beautiful trees filled with pink and purple flowers, trees that were made of Crystals... And under the shades of those beautiful trees, there was a beautiful giant golden lizard sleeping peacefully. There were different kinds of beautiful creatures playing surrounding the giant lizard. The friends were all in awe. Suddenly the Giant lizard opened its eyes. It had four sparkling golden eyes as bright as the sun. "Humans! How did you get in here?" The giant lizard said with a majestic voice. "We apologize. We ended up here while roaming around." Among the friends, the one with black hair replied nervously to the lizard. "Hmm. That''s strange. A mere human shouldn''t be able to get here." "Ex-excuse me, Mr Lizard. Are you a lizard? How can you talk?" The friend with white hair asked the lizard with eyes filled with curiosity. "What? How ridiculous? A lizard? How dare you compare me to a mere lizard? I am no Lizard. I am more handsome and majestic than those tiny things." The lizard replied grumpily. "Then what are you, Mr Lizard?" The friend with silver hair asked. "Tch! Don''t address me. For that, I am a Dragon." "A wagon?" The friend with red hair asked while tilting his head. "Fools! A dragon." The dragon replied with full annoyance. "It''s Dragon, moron." The friend with golden hair corrected his friends. "You are a smart one." "Yes. I am. That''s what the others say. FuFu." The friend with golden hair replied proudly while rubbing her nose with a finger. "Hmm. Strange. Are you not afraid of me?" "How can we be afraid of a lizard?" The golden-haired friend replied with a smirk. "I told you I am a Dragon." The dragon replied angrily. And that was the start of their close friendship with the Dragon. The friends stopped roaming around and started staying with the Dragon and the other beautiful creatures. One day- "So what is your name?" "Name? We don''t have one. We are orphans you see." The black-haired boy replied. "Hmm. I will give you one." The mighty Dragon then grants each of the friends a name. "You. Red-haired boy¡­ Your name will be Igneel." A bright red light surrounded the boy right after the dragon named him. And that''s how the first human received Magical Ability. As what the dragon granted him wasn''t just a name, it was the blessing of the Guardian Dragon. "Whoa~ What''s happening?" "FuFu! You can use magic now Igneel." "What? Really? Like you?" "Of course not as awesome as me. Anyways, try using it." "But how?" "Just think of something." "Something what?" "Anything. Anything magical." "Okay. I will try." And a beautiful fireball was created in front of the boy. "Whoa~" "Fufu." That was the first Fire Wizard¡­ Igneel. "That''s a cool name!" "Of course, it is. I am the one who granted you that." The dragon replied narcissistically. "Silver hair boy will be¡­ Tempest." And a silver light surrounded the boy. "Whoa~" He was the first Air Wizard¡­ Tempest. "The white one¡­ Hmm~ What should I name this boy¡­" The dragon pondered for a while. "Aha! Ijiraq." A bright Bluish light surrounded the boy. And thus he became the first Ice Wizard¡­ Ijiraq. "Hmm¡­ Golden¡­ Ordona." A bright golden light surrounded the girl. And she was the first Light Wizard. "Blue¡­ Your name will be Janet." A beautiful blue light surrounded the girl. She was the first Water Wizard. "Hmm¡­ Brown¡­ Earth." "Wow! Earth! That''s so cool!" He was the first Earth Wizard. "Hmm. Last one. What should I call you? Hm~ Zalcoatl." A greyish light surrounded the boy. "What should I do?" "Think of something boy." "Umm. Poem?" And thus Zalcoatl became the first Spellcasting Wizard. "Purple Eyes¡­ Lucia." "It''s beautiful. Thank you for the name." "Really?! Ahem- So think about something, girl." "I don''t know what to think." "Then what would you like to do the most?" "The most? Hmm~ I want to talk to you and the others. I want to understand them all." And a beautiful purple light surrounded the girl. She was the first beast tamer¡­ Lucia. Chapter 12 - Into The Bloodhorn Forest (Part 1) Episode 11 (Disgusting Rats) * * * Few days before the Royal Banquet Somewhere in the Bloodhorn Forest. The forest of Bloodhorn... Muddy ground, damp weather, dead trees, muddy reservoirs, deadly monsters are what describe this dead forest. One can hear crows cawing as if announcing death itself. Owls hooting, insects squeaking, darkness even in the middle of the day¡­ Makes this forest a place of horror. The forest remains covered by thick fog most of the time. Sometimes one can hear monsters growling. Normal people cannot survive a second there. It''s a place of ''No Return'' for them. Normally in the morning, the monsters that show up don''t have any intelligence. And they are not very difficult to slaughter. But some monsters like Orc Lords and Goblin King have low-level intelligence. They are not very difficult to slaughter but take a lot of time. But there have never been any monsters with mid or high-level intelligence in this forest in the morning. Mid-Autumn... The breeding season of the monsters. In that season, they migrate to the border of Ashoron Territory. Many commoners live there and that place is not far away from the capital. As it''s breeding season, the monsters need more food. So if they somehow cross the border and reach the Ashoron territory, it will be a bloodbath there. Even if it''s not the breeding season, some knights patrol the border of Ashoron Territory regularly, to make sure no monsters can get in. That''s why different Aristocrats send one of their members and their elite group of Knights to slaughter or make these monsters return to their den before they can give birth. So the Knights and the members of aristocrats go there before Mid-Autumn. The monsters can''t withstand the cold. Therefore as Winter approaches, they start to return to their den in Bloodhorn Forest. So at the end of Autumn or early Winter, there aren''t any monsters approaching the Ashoron Territory. The three Ducal families along with other Marquise families and 10 of their family Knights divide into three squads. The West Squad includes the Bersk Ducal Family, The South Squad includes the Falck Ducal Family, The North Squad includes the Angelman Ducal Family, The East Squad includes The Silverwind Grand Ducal Family and the Royal Family. And this year it''s the same. The expedition team made their camp in the Ashoron Territory. They go to their designated place after sunrise and come back before Sunset. At night as the darkness increases, some monstrous creatures become active. And they are almost invincible in the dark. Some of them have high-level intelligence. They remain inactive in the morning. So the members of the Aristocrats and the Knights go to their nests in the morning and destroy them. That''s the only way to beat those High-Level nocturnal monsters. * * * Bloodhorn Forest Near the western border of Ashoron Territory. Grrr~ Rat-like monsters are growling while running towards the Knights. Slash* Slash* "Eww~! What the heck are these!" Gellius, a young boy with lemon-green coloured hair said while slashing the monsters in disgust. Screech~ The monster screeched as it took its last breath. Whoosh~ As soon as the monster took its last breath, it turned into burning ash and disappeared. Slash* Slash* The other knights continued slashing through them without a chance to breathe. "Aghh~ There''s no end to them!" Screech~ The monsters continued running towards them. "Shit! Get the heck away from me!" Gellius screamed with disgust. Slash* Whoosh~ "Aghh! I''m just gonna use magic." Saying that Gellius dropped his sword and closed his eyes. His body started to float in the air. Biiiiing~ Suddenly all of the rat-like monsters stopped and a small bright light started to glow surrounding them. And- Boom! The monsters exploded into burning ashes. Then Whoosh~ Explosion¡­ The magic of the Bersk Family. Gellius Bersk, the Young Master of the Bersk Duchy came this year to slaughter these monsters. Sigh~ Gellius slowly got down on the ground while sighing. "What the fu*k are these anyways?" "I know, right? We''ve never seen these kinds of monsters before!" "Just how in the world?" Other Marquise Family members, Gellius and the Knights were talking among each other. "And there was no end to them." "I don''t understand. We just slaughtered them yesterday! So where are these coming from?!" "Shit. Aghh~ When is it gonna SNOW~~~~~?" Gellius screamed with annoyance. * * * Bloodhorn Forest Near the Southern Border of Ashoron Territory. Screech* Screech* The monsters screamed as swords sliced through their bodies. "Shit." Slash* Slash* "How are these still alive?!" As one monster died, another two appeared. There was no end to them. So the Knights had to strike their sword even if they didn''t have any strength. Even if they were out of breath. Slash* Slash* Screech* Whoosh~ As always, the monsters turned into burning ash after getting slaughtered. "Damn it!" Lambert Falck, the blue-haired man, cursed while slashing his sword. Growl~ Another swarm of rat monsters started dashing towards them from the forest. "Aghh! Not now!" "Shit!" "This sucks!" "I don''t have any energy left, damn it!" The Knights and the others said with a face of exhaustion. "Tch! What the fuck! Get off of my leg." Lambert said while shaking his leg. The rat-like monsters were getting on Lambert''s, the other Marquise Family members and the Knights. There were thousands of them in number. "Young Master Falck! What should we do?'' "Why are you even asking? Let''s just use magic." "Okay, Sir." Lambert used water magic, the members of the Marquise Family used their magic, and the Knights used their sword aura to exterminate them. Biiiing~ As soon as Lambert activated his magic, a wave of water crushed the monsters. Splash~ Screech* Screech* Whoosh~ And soon they died and turned into ashes. Sigh~ "Until when do we have to kill these shits!" "We will have to discuss this with the others." "Tch! Let''s just go back to the camp for now. It will be dark any minute now." "Yes, Sir." * * * Bloodhorn Forest Near the Northern Border of Ashoron Territory. Grr~ Slash* Slash* "Just use magic. Or else it''s never going to end." Morth said while slashing his sword fiercely. "Yes, Master Morth." Morth Angelmen, the second son of Angelmen Duchy, came to this year''s expedition. Biiiing~ Morth closed his eyes while holding his sword with both hands. And in a minute, the sword electrified. Zaaaaap~ Morth, standing in the middle, swung his sword in a circle and all the monsters burned into a crisp. "What should we do, Master Morth?" The Knights took a breath of peace and asked Morth. Huff* Huff* "I don''t know either." "..." "Let''s just go back to the camp now. It will be hell if it becomes dark." "Yes, Master." * * * Bloodhorn Forest Near the Eastern Border of Ashoron Territory. The east is the most dangerous part of the Bloodhorn Forest. That''s why Silverwind Grand Duchy and The Royal Family take care of this part together. Unlike the other parts, this part was not only infested by the rat monsters but also other low-level monsters. Slash* "Shit! I''m taking care of the Orc! You guys go and take care of those rats!" Roberto said loudly while slashing his sword. Grrr~ "Yes, Captain!" Roberto jumped up and slashed the Orc''s throat. Then rebounded and cut the Goblin King''s throat. After that, he gracefully got down on the ground and started slashing the rat monsters again. Slash* Slash* Whimper* "Tch! This is getting annoying!" Roberto mumbled annoyingly. Biiiiing~ He used his ice magic to freeze the big rat-like monsters and the Knights blasted them off. Freeze* Bam-! Unlike the orcs and goblins whose bodies were lying on the ground, the rat-like monsters turned into burning ashes and flew away. Huff* Huff* "When the heck will Prince Daniel come? Tch!" "Thankfully there weren''t many goblins or other monsters today." "The situation is getting worse." "At the very least the Royal Knights are here!" "Let''s head back before sunset!" "Yes, Captain!" The Knights replied synchronously at Roberto''s command. Chapter 13 - Into The Bloodhorn Forest (Part 2) Episode 12 (My Beloved) * * * During the Winter Expedition to the Ashoron Territory, the Aristocrats set their camp in a plain land near the Ashoron Territory Forest. Every Family set their camp lavishly to boast their status. Normally the Aristocrats and their knights come back before sunset. At night, a Magic Barrier gets activated around the Bloodhorn Forest, so any monster cannot get out of there. It''s hard on the spell caster if the barrier remains active both day and night. They can run out of magic power. And because high-level monsters become active at night, it will be harder for the caster to cast a magic barrier that can keep up with those monsters. So in the daytime, the Knights and others take care of the monsters, so that the spellcasters can focus and put all their magical energy into the Night Barrier. But this year''s expedition is messed up because of the newfound monster. They are easy to kill but are countless. They look kind of like rats but nothing like them. Big size, spiky teeth, strong muscles and smelly. On the first day, all of the four squads were surprised after seeing those but managed to slaughter them all. Or that''s what they thought. The next day when they went to hunt the monsters down they were bamboozled after seeing those rats. The problem was not the rats, but their numbers. This time they were double the number than the previous day. And the weirdest thing was the way these monsters turned into burning ash and flew away as if dust were flying in a storm. And their bodies have a nasty stench. It has already been a month since the Aristocrats and the Knights came to the expedition. After Roberto beat the Orc Lord in a few minutes, he taught all of his knights the monster''s weak spots. So if it was normal, the Knights would''ve already been done slaughtering all of the monsters by this time. And there wouldn''t be any monster left to slaughter as they would''ve already returned to their den. The expedition team would''ve already started preparing to go back. But Alas! * * * Gallop* Gallop* Neigh~ Roberto and the Knights were going back to the camp while riding their horses. Knight 1: "Captain seems to be grumpy nowadays." Knight 2: "I know right." Knight 3: "It''s probably because of those rats." Knight 2: "I guess." Knight 1: "Sigh~ There was no end to them." Knight 3: "Sigh~" Knight 4: "Hoho~" Knight 2: "Why are you laughing like that?" The knight asked with a look of disapproval. Knight 4: "You guys don''t have any idea, huh?" The knight asked while shrugging his shoulders with a smirk. Knight 1: "About what?" Knight 4: "FuFu" Knight 3: "Will you say it already?!" Knight 4: " You sure are impatient. Anyways, Every day when the Captain returns to the camp, he asks a servant if any letter was sent." Knight 1: "What?" Knight 4: "He and Princess Rubena probably exchanged letters." Knight 2: "Oooh~" Knight 4: "If it weren''t for that Lady Isabella, both of them could be together." Knight 1: "Shh~" Knight 3: "Ah! Yes. If he heard that we are talking about Lady Isabella, he''s gonna kill us." Knight 4: "I know, right." Knight 1: "Why does he get angry when we talk about Lady Isabella and Princess Rubena?" Knight 3: "He probably hates thinking about Lady Isabella." Knight 1: "Probably." Yawn~ Knight 4: "When we go back I''m gonna jump on the food and then sleep like the dead." Knight 1: "Me too." The Knights then stopped chattering among themselves and continued riding horses silently. As they kept fighting with the monsters since morning, they were all exhausted. Gallop* Gallop* After a while, they reached the camp. Roberto pulled the lash off his horse. Neigh~ The horse stopped. Swoosh~ Thud* He jumped out of the horse. "Take him back to the stable." "Yes, Master." After ordering a servant, he returned to his tent. Another servant was following him. "Master, should I prepare your bath?" "Did any letter come?" "Huh? From whom?" "Just answer what I asked you." The servant flinched. "No." Roberto frowned. "Prepare my bath." "Yes, Master." After a while, the servant prepared a warm bath for him. While taking off his bloody armour and clothes, his wide shoulders and muscular naked body became visible. There were many scars throughout his body. "Leave." "Yes, Master." The flustered servant hurriedly left the room. Roberto slowly got into the tub. Haaa~ He groaned. ''Why isn''t she sending me any letters? If it was before, she would''ve sent dozens by now. Even if I didn''t reply to them. Is she angry?'' Tch! "How annoying!" He is already annoyed because of the newfound monster. But what''s making him paranoid is that Isabella isn''t sending any letters to him. Pitter-Patter* After a while, Roberto relaxed and leaned on the tub. He was exhausted. After a few moments, he dozed off in the tub. Then he had a short, yet beautiful dream. The day he first met his beloved Isabella¡­ < It was my 20th birthday. I was told that I would be betrothed to the 1st Princess, Isabella Von Hagen Loire. And I will have to meet her the next day. I didn''t think much about it. To me, she was just a person I will get married to¡­ Nothing more, nothing less. I was just announced as the heir of the Silverwind Duchy. As for the Aristocrats, I was a disgrace. A dirty bast*rd with a commoner mother. An illegitimate basta*rd child who somehow inherited the title. She was a princess, a Royal family member, the highest rank for an Aristocrat. I thought she would think of me the same as the other Aristocrats. And I probably won''t care much about it. As I was used to it. That is until I saw her. It was a beautiful spring day. All kinds of flowers were blooming. Beautiful butterflies were flying around to have a taste of those pretty flowers. She was wearing a peach-coloured dress. Her fluttering golden hair¡­ Her Crystal-like Amethyst eyes¡­ Her Rosy cheeks¡­ Her whole being¡­ She was so lovely¡­ It was as if Spring came just for her¡­ As if she was the Sun itself... Thump* Thump* My heart couldn''t stop beating¡­ I fell for her at first sight¡­ What would she think of me? I wished she wouldn''t be like the others. Even if she was like the other Aristocrats, I will still want her. Thousands of questions and thoughts were swirling through my mind. And then when she first talked and smiled at me... "You have beautiful eyes, Duke." Thump* Thump* Thump* It was the first time someone said that to me. The first time someone smiled so genuinely at me. The first time my heart was beating so fast. It felt like it would burst out of my chest at any moment. My whole body turned red. I hurriedly looked away. She didn''t once mention anything about me being an illegitimate son. But rather, gave me a warm smile. I loved her from that moment¡­ I love her now¡­ I will love her¡­ Forever¡­ That day I dedicated my whole being to her. I wanted to be the duke to get out of poverty in the past. But from then on, I worked hard for her sake. To be a person who deserves her. Her warm smile, her beautiful hair, her whole being¡­ She is my salvation... My Lovely Isabella¡­ > Pitter-Patter* Roberto slowly opened his eyes at the sound of water droplets falling in the tub. "Isabella¡­" "Bella¡­" "My Bell¡­" Roberto blushed and covered his mouth with one hand. "This time¡­ for sure. After returning to the capital, this time I will marry her. No matter what that bastard Mathias says. I will tell her everything this time..." Roberto got up from the tub. Then took the towel and tied it around his lower body. ''But before that, I have to take care of this troublesome matter.'' Sigh~ She must be. She must be angry with me. Why won''t be she angry? She has every reason to be. But still. Even after all the things I have done to her¡­ I want her to love me. This wicked and selfish me¡­ I hope you are not angry with me¡­ "Isabella¡­" Chapter 14 - Into The Bloodhorn Forest (Part 3) Episode 13 (End Of The Long Battle) Drip* Drip* Droplets of water were dripping from Roberto''s wet hair to his shoulder. He took another towel and brushed his hair. A set of casual clothes were already prepared for him in his bed. He went near the bed and put them on. Then he tied his scabbard on the waist and put his sword there. After that, Roberto went outside of his tent and went to the meeting tent. Chirp* Chirp* When he went out, it was already dark outside. The moon was full. All the fire torches were lit. Cricket''s chirping was heard. It was a beautiful night. * * * The Ashoron Territory Ashoron Forest Plain Land Camp Site Meeting Tent. Murmur* Murmur* The meeting tent was already full. All the Aristocrats already gathered there and sat on their designated seats. All of them were wearing casual clothes. And they were all talking about the newfound monster. The Loire Empire has 1 Grand Duke, 3 Dukes, 6 Marquis and 15 Barons. Barons are not allowed to have their Military power or Knights. They don''t even have the right to take part in the Royal Assembly or the weekly Aristocrats gathering. Anyways, among Marquis families, the Belet family is now the top. Wendell Belet, the next heir of the Belet family is known as the best strategist living in the Loire Empire. His magic is telekinesis and trajectory. He can control the path of any weapon he uses using trajectory. There is a rumour that the Belet family''s rank will be raised as Duchy. The Marquises and the others were talking among themselves. "Sigh~ Never in my life have I encountered such a thing." "I know how you feel." "It could be considered a bad omen." "You are right." "They were so nasty. I have seen so many disgusting monsters but not like that one." "As if it came straight out of hell." "Sigh~" "Well, whatever the case is, we will have to deal with it." While adjusting his glass, Wendell said. "Yes Yes." Gellius said while rolling his eyes. "But until when-" "Grand Duke Roberto Silverwind is entering." And everyone became silent. "Greetings, Grand Duke Roberto." Wendell greeted Roberto. "Greetings." Wendell: "Now that the Grand Duke is here, let''s start the meeting." Morth: "So from what we know, it is a new kind of monster of unknown origin." "And there''s no way of knowing that. I mean, they turn into friggin ash!" Lambert said with annoyance. "Yes. So there''s no way to study their corpses." Morth said worriedly. Marquise 1: "That seems to be the case." Marquise 4: "So we don''t have much information about them." "Hmmm. Gellius, did you notice anything today?" Wendell asked Gellius. Gellius: "The stench. It was worse today than yesterday. Yuck. Even remembering it makes me disgusted." "And it seems like their number increased by double than yesterday too." Lambert added to Gellius''s statement. "But other normal monster numbers have decreased normally as the temperature is decreasing." Morth said while touching his chin. "Damn it! Don''t tell me they are gonna be there even when it snows!" Gellius said with a look of horror on his face. He has Bromidrophobia. Although more than fear, he seems to despise bad smells. Marquise 3: "But that doesn''t make any sense!" Marquise 2: "They don''t even seem to be pregnant!" Marquise 1: "You''re right!" "Then why the fuck are they even trying to get out of that forest?!" Lambert said angrily. Murmur* Murmur* The whole room was in chaos. Roberto stayed silent the whole time. Then he suddenly said, "It seems like we have no other choice but to wait until it starts snowing. What do you think, Wendell?". The whole room became silent. "That seems to be the best we can do for now." "All right. It''s settled then. We will wait until snowfall and will decide what to do and what not to. Any objection?" No one said anything. "All right then. Return to your tent." Morth: "I assume that is for the best." Sigh~ Marquise 3: "Yes. Then please excuse us." "Oh, Wendell. Stay here for a bit." "Yes." After everyone left Roberto asked Wendell, "So when is Daniel coming?" "Sigh~ Don''t ask me. I have sent him letters a hundred times. But there wasn''t any reply." "Tomorrow join my squad to slaughter the monsters." "Ah- Okay." "Tch! The situation is getting serious¡­" "Hmm¡­" "I have a feeling it''s going to get worse in a few days." Roberto said with a serious tone. * * * The Day of the Royal Banquet Bloodhorn Forest Near the Western Border of Ashoron Territory. Screech* Slash* Slash* The Western part was filled with the sound of slashing swords, monsters deadly growl and- "Aghh! Shit! Go away!" Gellius''s curse-filled with disgust. Biiing-* Gellius activated his magic as the monsters started to get closer to him. And- Boom* All the rat monsters exploded and- Whoosh~ Turned into burning ashes. "I should have used magic from the beginning." Screech* Screech* Suddenly more rats started coming out of the forest. "Aghh! I hate these motherf*king rats!" Gellius screamed angrily. Slash* Slash* The Knights continued to slaughter the monsters while slashing their sword using auras. Biiiiiing-* Boom* Boom* And Gellius continued to use Explosion¡­ * * * Bloodhorn Forest Near the Southern Border of Ashoron Territory. Screech* Screech* "Damn it! Why are there so many of these bast*rds!" Lambert said while slashing his sword fiercely. Grr~ Slash* "This is never gonna end! Let''s finish them using magic." Lambert said at the increasing number of monsters. "Yes, sir!" Biiiiiing-* Splash* Lambert used Wide-ranged water magic. A wave of water crushed the rats. Screech* Whoosh~ It killed every rat in sight. But suddenly- Screech* Screech* Another wave of monsters started running towards them from the Forest. "What the fu*k? This is too much! Where in the hell are they coming from?" Lambert said with annoyance. Aghh! Biiiiiing-* Splash* Whoosh~ And this continued until evening. * * * Bloodhorn Forest Near the Northern Border of Ashoron Territory. "Sir Morth, there''s too many today!" The Knights said while slashing their swords. Slash* Slash* Screech* "Tell me something I don''t know." Morth said loudly while slashing the monsters. After a while, he activated his magic. Biiiiiing-* His eyes turned bright yellow. And Zaaaaap~ Lines of lightning simultaneously struck the monsters. Screech* Whoosh~ The monsters died in an instant and turned into ashes. Morth and the others used both magic and swordsmanship from the beginning. As they have to use magic anyways to slaughter them. If it were previous days, they would''ve all been slaughtered by now. But today their number seems to be the same as it was in the beginning. And in the previous days, if a group of monsters was slaughtered, it took half an hour or so for another swarm to reach the Knights. But that''s not the case for the past 2 days. "Let''s just continue using magic and swordsmanship. We have to continue until they are all gone." Slash* Slash* "Yes, Sir." The Knights replied while slashing their swords. * * * Bloodhorn Forest Near the Eastern Border of Ashoron Territory. Slash* Slash* Screech* It was the same on the Eastern border too. No¡­ It was worse. Besides those rat-like monsters, there were goblins and other monsters too. "Are you serious? There are too many! Aghh! And this nasty stench!" Wendell said while slashing his sword. Slash* Slash* Screech* One monster turned to ashes and- Growl* Another appeared. "That f*king Daniel! When the heck is he gonna come?!" Unlike his usual calm self, Wendell cursed Daniel while fighting the monsters. "Shit!" Grrr~ The monsters continued growling. Slash* Thud* Thud* Suddenly with a loud stomping noise, an orc lord appeared. Growl~ "Tch!" Wendell''s eyes started glowing up. Biiiiingg- And the orc lord stopped. Wendell used telekinesis and started controlling the orc Lord. He then made the orc Lord fight the rat monsters. And in the process both the Orc Lord and the rat monsters killed themselves. Thud* Thud* Thud* Suddenly more orc lords started approaching them. "Shit! Roberto!" "Don''t worry! I''m gonna take care of them!" Roberto assured Wendell. "But there''s too many!" Wendell warned Roberto. But despite Wendell''s warning, Roberto jumped up using his ice magic. And started slaughtering them using his ice sword. "Shit! That bastard never listens." While cursing, Wendell increased his pace of slaughtering the monsters. But they were coming from all directions. Suddenly an orc lord attacked Roberto from behind! "Roberto!" Wendell screamed with his telepathy to make Roberto aware. Before Roberto could look behind, the monster attacked him. And- Flare* Whoosh~ Growl~ Whimper* Suddenly that monster caught on fire. Everyone knew what that meant. "Ahahaha! Apologies for my tardiness!" Red hair, bright golden eyes¡­ And brilliant fire magic. It was Daniel. "Why are you so late, damn it!" Wendell said angrily. "Don''t be so angry! I brought some comrades. Hahaha!" Daniel replied with a silly smile. Roberto got down on the ground after killing the rest of the Orc Lords and continued slashing monsters with his sword aura. Slash* Slash* Daniel''s companions were slashing the monsters skillfully. Screech* Flare* Daniel used his fire magic and started burning the monsters. Growl~ Daniel: "Anyways, what are these?! Yuck-" Wendell: "Well, this is what we''ve been dealing with since day 1." Daniel: "Umm¡­ I guess it was better to be late then." Wendell: "...." After coming to Ashoron, Daniel and his companions came to the border right away. They divided into 4 groups and joined the other squads as reinforcement. Screech* Slash* Slash* "Tch! Annoying." And Crackle* Roberto used a wide range spell and froze the whole ground along with the monsters. Whoosh~ Among the monsters, the rat one''s soon turned into glittering powders. There weren''t any monsters left, nor were there any coming out of Bloodhorn. Same for the other squads. With the help of reinforcement, they also eradicated the monsters. Huff* Huff* Everyone was silent for a moment. They had been fighting since the morning. Suddenly Roberto felt a cold tingling sensation on his face. Roberto looked up and forwarded his hand. It was snowing. Yaaayy~ The Knights started cheering as it started snowing. It''s over. ''I''m coming. Please wait a little more¡­ Isabella.'' * * * Near the Northern Border of Ashoron Territory. Yaaayy~ The Knights were cheering. "Yes! It''s snowing! It''s snowing! Aghh! There won''t be any nasty smell! The smell of snow! Yes~" Gellius was overjoyed while watching the snow. Everyone laughed while watching him. Ahem* "Anyways, thanks for joining the fight." Gellius thanked the comrades that joined as reinforcements. "Nah~ We were late anyway!" They replied shyly while scratching their head with one hand. * * * Near the Southern Border of Ashoron Territory. Hurray~ The Knights cheered with joy. Lambert: "Yess~ No more of those nasty rats. Anyways thanks for joining the battle. You guys were of great help." "No worries." "Anytime." "And we were late anyway. Hahaha!" * * * Near the Northern Border of Ashoron Territory. Slash* Slash* Screech* "What are these! We''ve never seen these before!" "And we''ve been dealing with this shit for a month now!" Suddenly it started snowing. The rat-like monsters, every single one of them, became dust as soon as it started snowing. Everyone was silent for a moment. Yaaaay~ The Knights screamed with joy. Huff* Huff* "Finally! We can return now! Thank God we don''t have to fight them in the snow." Sigh~ Morth sighed with huge relief. "Anyways thanks for coming. Although you guys were late." "Ahh~ Ahahaha." And the reinforcement knights laughed awkwardly. Pfft! Ahaahahaha! The whole squad burst into laughter.. And it was the end of their month-long battle. Chapter 15 - Departure To The Fellmirr Empire (Part 1) Episode 14 (Wedding in Loire) * * * The Loire Empire Capital The Royal Palace. Swoosh~ Beautiful crystal-like snow was falling on the ground. It was beautiful, yes¡­ but cold. I closed the window and went near the fireplace. I sat on a furry mattress that was placed in front of the fireplace. It was freezing. So I took my shawl and wrapped it around me. Crackle* The firewood was burning while making popping and crackling sounds. It''s warm. I don''t know but seeing a burning fire gives a strange strength. I want to live¡­ Haa~ "I will have to fulfil my promise¡­" But why am I so obsessed with fulfilling a promise? Well, it was Grandfather''s last wish. Come to think of it, I can''t remember what happened¡­ Aghh! Suddenly I felt an aching pain in my head. It hurts so much. I can''t think about that time. I can''t remember! Now that I think about it, it''s not only that time- Ouch! My head started aching again. Huff* Huff* I had trouble breathing. Aghh! Ching* Just like before, Isabella''s sapphire ring glowed brightly and a blueish transparent barrier started circling her. The barrier was there for a minute. And in those minutes Isabella didn''t even wink her eyes. But in a minute the light on her ring stopped glowing and the barrier disappeared. Isabella returned to normal. Ah- I- What was I thinking again? I forgot. It was something important. Suddenly- Knock* Knock* It''s the middle of the night. Who could it be? Don''t tell me¡­ Is it the Emperor? I flinched. I won''t be able to bear the beating again. I asked nervously, "Wh-who is it?" "Princess, it''s time for you to prepare for the ceremony." Oh! I completely forgot about that. There will be two wedding ceremonies. One in the Loire and the other in Fellmirr. The Loire''s ceremony will be tomorrow morning before my departure to Fellmirr. The ceremony will be held in the Royal Hall as the wedding was very important for the two nations. And the Emperor himself will officiate the wedding. Phew~ I got up from the mattress. "Come in." Creak~ "Greetings, My Lady. We have prepared a warm bath for you." "Yes." Then the maids started to undress me. After that, I got into the bath. It was really warm. It felt good. And there were different kinds of massages in the process. After hours, my bath was completed. It was already dawn. As I took a bath in Rosewater, my whole body smelled like Rose. After getting out of the bath, the maids got busy drying my hair and doing my makeup. The maids braided my hair. They put different kinds of flower-shaped crystal accessories on the braid. Then they brought the ceremony dress. A white dress filled with crystals. It was an off-shoulder dress with puffy sleeves. It took a while to put on the dress. It was already morning. The maids hurriedly put the remaining accessories on me. A headpiece made of crystals, a chain, and an earring. After everything was finished, they put on the veil. It was a really long white veil with crystals on it. And after a while, it was time for me to go to the Royal Hall. It''s weird. Two years ago I never imagined marrying someone who isn''t Roberto. But here I am¡­ While walking down the hallway, I felt heavy, nervous. Not because of all the accessories nor because of the heavy crystal-made dress. But at the thought that I can get out of this place, from this hell. However, the place I am going to¡­ Is it another hell for me? Or will it be my heaven? Thousands of questions were swirling inside my mind. And in a while, I reached in front of the Royal Hall. "First Princess, Isabella Von Hagen Loire is entering the hall!" Creak~ With a loud noise, the giant door opened. Step* Step* I slowly entered the Royal hall. The Emperor was at the very front. Then Crown Prince. Every Noble family joined the ceremony. But the hall was totally silent. I walked forward to the front podium looking down. Then I stood facing him¡­ Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr. Strangely when I looked at him, all my nervousness went away. He is beautiful. Black hair, deep blue eyes and a beauty spot under his right eye. His deep blue eyes gazing at me¡­ takes my breath away. I looked down. "Today making the Sun as the witness, I, Emperor Mathias Von Goldrudder Loire, is tying First Princess of Loire Isabella Von Hagen Loire''s and The Crown Prince of Fellmirr Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr''s fate together. May your union bring peace upon the two Empires. May you stay beside each other in both happiness and sadness, both hard times and happy times. May your fate intertwine for eternity. Now seal these vows with a kiss." I felt overwhelmed with all the vows and a bit shy too. A kiss? Suddenly the Crown Prince removed the veil from my face. Even though I wasn''t looking at him, I could feel his intense gaze. All of a sudden, he pulled me close to him and said, "Princess¡­ May I?". I slightly nodded and tightly closed my eyes. He then kissed my forehead. "The Rings." As the Emperor''s order, a Royal servant handed over a ring to me. It was a beautiful platinum ring with amethyst. "Princess¡­" Oh! I forwarded my right hand. While holding my hand gently, the Crown Prince kissed my hand. Then he put the ring on my ring finger. It was a platinum ring with a sapphire stone on it. It''s the colour of his eyes. I heard that the rings were brought from Fellmirr. Soon after, The Crown Prince forwarded his right hand. I put the Amethyst ring on his ring finger. "May this glorified union remain in history for eternity." Clap* Clap* Murmur* Murmur* The whole room filled with applause and chattering. The Emperor then moved from the podium. "Princess, are you ready? We will have to depart now." Ready? Well, there is no one left for me to want to stay here. "Yes. But can I visit my grandfather''s grave before that?" "Sure, Princess." ''I am not a princess anymore.'' Even though I wanted to say that, I stayed silent. I don''t have anything left here. Nothing. * * * After greeting all the Nobles, I went to my grandfather''s grave. He was buried beside Grandmother. To reach there, one had to walk across the Royal garden. It was snowing. I slowly started walking across the garden. It made me remember all my memories of this place. All of them¡­ The good ones and the bad ones. After walking for a while, I reached there. The surroundings of his grave were filled with different kinds of red flowers. So beautiful. "So this is Emperor Mathias''s grave, Princess?" I flinched and looked back. It was him. "Why do you look so surprised, Princess? I''ve been with you from the very beginning." "Uhh~ I didn''t notice. I apologize." "Apologize? Princess, do you not want me to come here?" "It''s not that. I didn''t expect that you would want to come here." "Well, I have to give my greetings to the once greatest magician and also my princess''s grandfather." "Ah- I see." Then he closed his eyes and showed his respect to grandfather. Suddenly the necklace that my grandfather gave me, the one I am wearing as a ring now, started glowing brightly. A strong wind started blowing. The snow of that place stopped flowing. And it blew all the flower petals. The red petals were swirling around us. ''What''s going on?'' I looked around with surprise. Then I looked at Leonus. He was still giving his respect with his eyes closed. Is it a sign grandfather...? Did you give him your blessings? What am I supposed to do? Chapter 16 - Departure To The Fellmirr Empire (Part 2) Episode 15 (Farewell) After a while, Leonus opened his eyes. And the ring stopped glowing and the swirling flower petals dropped. And it started snowing again as if it never stopped, to begin with. "I should go back now." Saying that Leonus started going back. "Okay. Let me show you the way." "It''s okay. You don''t have to." "But-" "I can go back on my own." Then Leonus hurriedly left the place. I saw him disappearing in the cold snow. Haa~ It was so cold that I could see my breath. This place is cold just like the people here. "I''m leaving this place, Grandfather. I hope it won''t be another hell. Give me your blessing..." * * * After a while, I returned to my room. The maids hurried up to change my dress to a comfortable one. It was a green dress. After changing the dress, I wore emerald head jewellery. The maids then did my makeup and left the room. I was alone in my room. All of my stuff were already taken out. It felt really empty. Even the bed and other furniture were taken out. It made me realize how insignificant of a creature I am here. "Wait¡­ they took the bookshelf too! Where is the book that grandfather gave me?" Now that I think about it, I kept a book under the bed the other day. But the whole room is empty. I started searching for the book that I brought recently from my grandfather''s library. Knock* Knock* While searching, I heard Knocking on the door. "My Lady, May I come in?" It was Anne. Come to think of it, I haven''t seen her since yesterday morning. "Come in." Creak~ "My Lady, I''ve prepared my luggage. And yours too." "I see. What about my books?" "Tch! Shut up! I''ve already packed all of your belongings." "Are you sure you''ve taken the book and mothe-" "Don''t worry. Nobody wants anything of yours here." Scoff* "And why didn''t you eat your food yesterday? Do you know how hard it is to bring food here!" "Ah! That-" "Anyways I brought food now. Eat it." "Leave it here. Take the luggage that you''ve prepared to the Knights. They''ll place it in the carriages." "Yes. Yes. I have to do all your stupid work." Anne replied while rolling her eyes. "Anyways make sure to eat the food today." "Hmm." After that, Anne left the room. Sigh~ I should eat the food. It will be a long journey to Fellmirr anyways. Anne brought some hard bread with butter and water. As I was really hungry, it didn''t really matter what I was eating. After finishing my food, I heard Knocking on my door. Knock* Knock* "Princess, It''s time for you to leave." It was the Knights. "Okay." As I was leaving this room, I felt empty. Even though this room isn''t glamorous like other Noble ladies'', I loved it. How many nights have I passed in this room! So many memories¡­ The window seat¡­ the view¡­ "I am leaving¡­" Step* Step* And I slowly walked out of the room after greeting it for the last time. Even though not the people, I hope the things of this place will bid me farewell. * * * The Knights escorted me to the front gate. Albert was standing in front to supervise everything. "Greetings, Princess." "Greetings, Albert." "I hope you will have a happy life in Fellmirr, Princess." I could feel the generosity from his voice and expression. "Thank you." "And His Majesty said he couldn''t come because of work." "It''s okay." I hoped he wouldn''t come. The front of the gate was almost filled with horses and carriages. And there was a gorgeous carriage standing in the middle. Suddenly the Crown Prince started walking towards me. Then he forwarded his hands and said, "Princess, Let''s go.". "Yes¡­" "Farewell, Princess." "You too Albert." I then put my hand on Leonus''s hand. Leonus escorted me to the carriage. "Princess, we will have to continue the journey in the carriage." "Okay." "I will ride the horse. If you need anything, just give a sign." "I will." "And don''t get out of the carriage, Princess. It''s dangerous." "As you wish, Your Highness." "Leonus, Princess. You don''t plan on calling your husband ''Your Highness'', right?" "Huh? But how can I-" "It''s only you, Princess." "Huh?" "You are the only one who is allowed to call me that, Princess." I was speechless for a moment. My face felt hot. Ahh~ What is wrong with me? I hurriedly looked away. "So call me Leonus from now on, Princess." I slightly nodded my head. Then Leonus kissed my hand and closed the carriage door. The carriage was as comfortable inside as it was glamorous outside. Bam* Suddenly Anne opened the door and got in. "Princess! I can''t ride those shabby carriages! If the Knights ask, tell them that you want me here. My back will break while riding those things." "O-Okay." "It''s so comfortable here. I can''t believe you were going to ride this carriage all by yourself." "That-" "Whatever. I don''t need any of your excuses. You should be grateful that I am accompanying you to that place." "I am." I was really grateful. I know how hard she worked for me. How she is leaving her family to go there with me. She really cares a lot about me. "Good." Neigh~ And suddenly I heard the horses starting to move. And in a minute, the carriage started to move too. Rustle* Rustle* I looked through the carriage window. The Knights were riding on their horses. Some knights were at the front and some behind. The carriage I was riding was in the middle. Leonus was riding his horse just next to the carriage. "My Lady! What are you doing? You mustn''t look outside like that! You are a lady! And they are just some knights!" "But I was just looking at the view." "I told you to not look outside. They will think of you as an unmannerly lady! I am saying this for your own good, My Lady." "Ah. Okay." Then Anne closed the curtains of the carriage. I could hear people cheering outside. I wanted to see that, as I''ve never been outside before. But I can''t let them think I''m an uncultured lady. Sigh~ Guess I will have to continue my journey like this. I leaned on the side of the carriage and closed my eyes. Cheer* Whistle* Clap* Clap* I could hear everyone''s cheering and chattering. Guess I just have to be happy with listening. And this is how my long journey to the Fellmirr Empire begins. Chapter 17 - Departure To The Fellmirr Empire (Part 3) Episode 16 (Red Eyes) * * * When we reached the capital front gate, it was already afternoon. It will be evening in an hour or so. Suddenly the carriage stopped. I wonder what happened¡­ "Why did they suddenly stop?" Anne asked. "I have no idea." "Well, whatever." Saying that Anne started to sleep in her seat. I slowly removed the curtain a little bit and saw 3 or 4 people were talking with the Fellmirr group. Although I couldn''t see their faces. Judging by their outfits, I could tell they are from Aristocrats. I wonder who they are. Regarding my curiosity, those people got out of the front gate. And the carriage started to move again. And we passed the Capital front gate. I could see those Aristocrats who went out of the front gate a while ago, were waiting outside the gate riding their horses. There were Knights too. "Lady Isabella! What are you doing! I told you not to look outside. Can''t you stay still?" "Anne-" "Don''t give me your excuses and sit still." Sigh~ "Can''t even sleep peacefully." "I was just curious. I won''t do it again." "You''d better." I leaned on one side. This is the first time I''m out of the Capital. I wonder what the outside world is like. I closed my eyes. And in a while, without realising I fell asleep. * * * A few moments ago. Outside the Front Gate of the Capital. All the Nobles that went on the Winter Expedition to Ashoron Territory have returned. Although Daniel didn''t return. He went to the Greycastle Territory. Anyways The nobles who have returned will have to report their expedition to the Royal Court first. Then a banquet will be held for them. After that, they can return to their territory. "I apologize, Young Master. You will have to wait a little bit." The Knight guarding the front gate said. Lambert: "What? You do know who you are talking to, right?" "Pardon me! The Crown Prince of the Fellmirr Empire will be returning through this gate in a moment." Gellius: "What? The Crown Prince of Fellmirr?" Lambert: "Where is he? I want to meet him." Gellius: "Lambert, let''s go together." Roberto: "Tch! Just let them go. It will just take more time talking with them." Wendell: "But Grand Duke, aren''t you curious how they look?" Roberto: "No." Lambert: "But we are." Morth: "Who knows what the Crown Prince looks like!" Gellius: "And the Knights too." Roberto: "Tch! Just go. And hurry back. The Knights are tired." Gellius: "What? You are the one who made all of us return to the Capital in hurry, Grand Duke." Roberto glared at Gellius. Roberto: "You said something?" Gellius: "No." Morth: "We will just go. Don''t worry. We will hurry up." Wendell, Gellius, Lambert and Morth hurriedly went to talk with the Knights of Fellmirr. And they were obviously surprised. After a while, they returned and got back on their horses. Wendell: "I never imagined that they would be this good." Lambert: "I know right!" Morth: "Their manner, clothes¡­ everything was very sophisticated." Gellius: "And I thought they would smell as they are beasts. But nothing like that." Roberto: "Well, you guys sure look surprised." Lambert: "You will be surprised when you see them too." Wendell: "Certainly." Roberto: "Anyways why did they come to our Empire?" Wendell: "Oops! Totally forgot to ask that." Roberto: "(-_-). Ah! Whatever." After a while, the main Front gate opened and Leonus and his group got out of the Capital. Morth: "I wonder why they need a luxurious carriage? Lambert: "Yes. They surely didn''t bring any lady with them." Wendell: "I asked if they brought any Lady with them from Fellmirr. And they said ''No.''" Gellius: "Well, if you say so." Roberto: "Whatever. It has nothing to do with us. Let''s just go. Or are you planning on standing in front of the gate the whole day?" Gellius: "Yes. I''m exhausted." Then they started moving their horses towards the Capital while side-crossing Leonus and his group. Roberto was riding his horse just next to the carriage, where his beloved Isabella was. What Roberto didn''t know was that his Isabella, for whom he is so eager to return, was on that carriage. * * * Aghh! After a while, I woke up. My stomach was aching badly. It felt like someone was reaping it apart. Aghh! "What happened now?" "My stomach¡­ It hurts." "What? How bad can it be? Stop acting." "I am not-" Aghh! "Princess, are you okay?" Suddenly Leonus asked from outside. "Ye-" "She is alright." Isabella''s words got cut off by Anne. "..." Suddenly the carriage stopped. Leonus opened the carriage door. "Greetings, Your Royal Highness. I am Ann-" "Get out." "What?" "I told you to get out. Don''t make me repeat myself." "But the princess told me to stay with her." "I will stay with her. So get out." ''Shit! What am I supposed to do? What if he finds out I mixed something to her food?'' "You''re gonna get out or not?" Suddenly Leonus''s eyes turned Red. He seemed furious. "I am getting out." ''If I don''t get out now, I have a feeling I will die.'' Anne hurriedly got out of the carriage. Then Leonus got in. "Princess, don''t stay with her too much." "I apologize. I shouldn''t have done that. It will probably damage your reputation as I was staying with a maid." "That''s not it, Princess." "Huh? I apologize. I-" "Sigh~ Why are you always apologising?" "I-" "Where is it?" "Huh?" "Where does it hurt, Princess?" "Huh? Nowhere. I am fine." "Is it your stomach?" "Huh?" "You are holding your stomach, Princess." "That-" Suddenly Leonus came close to me then put his hand over my stomach and mumbled something. Suddenly his eyes turned Red and my stomach stopped hurting. "Goodnight, Princess." "What?" I felt really drowsy. I couldn''t keep my eyes open and fell asleep over him. * * * "We will set our camp here." "But Your Highness, if you go just a little bit we can reach the portal." "No. We will continue in the morning." "As you wish, Your Highness." And the group stopped and made their camp in the forest. Lorenzo: "Pfft! He can''t wait anymore." Randall: "Hahaha. Shh! He will hear you." Lorenzo: "Well, she is really beautiful." "I''ll kill you." Lorenzo: "What? Why are you threatening me, bro?" Lorenzo looked at Randall. He thought Randall said that but Randall was sweating. Lorenzo: "Aghh! Crap!" "If I hear one more word, I''ll kill you." Lorenzo: "I apologize, Your Highness." Then Randall and Lorenzo hurriedly went away from the carriage. All the soldiers made their camp away from the carriage. Blaine: "Nobody is allowed to go near the carriage." "Yes. Hahaha." The Knights then laughed and started chattering. They were sitting around a bonfire.. It was a cold yet warm atmosphere. Chapter 18 - Departure To The Fellmirr Empire (Part 4) Episode 17 (Embarrassing Morning) * * * Chirp* Chirp* I can hear bird''s chirping. It''s probably morning. Something is different from usual. I can feel a strange warmth. I don''t want to wake up. Rustle* Isabella was feeling the BED by touching it¡­ or that''s what she thought. ''What is this? It''s definitely not a pillow. And it''s too sturdy for a bed.'' But wait¡­ Where am I? "Princess, are you awake?" I flinched and opened my eyes. I saw Leonus''s face right in front of me. I panicked and tried to jump up but Leonus held me tightly. "Princess, calm down. You are gonna fall." I tried to look behind. Aghh! We are lying on the right seat of the carriage. It was such a position that if I move even a little bit, I am gonna fall in the middle for sure. "I apologize, Your Highness. I can''t remember how I fell asleep." "Princess, Leon." "Huh?" "I told you to call me Leon." "But I''m still¡­" "Still?" "Umm¡­" "What is it, Princess?" "I''m still not comfortable." "I see. Then just call me Leonus." "Huh? But how is that diffe-" "It is different, Princess." "But-" "No buts, Princess. Now call me." "Huh?" "Call me Leonus." "Ah~ Now?" "Yes. I''m not gonna let you move until you do, Princess." "What?" "Yes. So you''d better hurry up." "Okay. L-L...us." "What? I didn''t hear, princess." "Leo¡­.us" "Huh?" "Leonus." I closed my eyes and said softly. My face turned red. Aghh! I''ve never called someone by name like that. Kyaa~ Suddenly Leonus lifted me and got up. Then he sat me on the carriage seat and got out of the carriage without saying anything. Haa~ What a relief! But why did he leave suddenly? Did he not like it? He really hates me. Anyways, how did I even fall asleep? So embarrassing! I can just die! Anyways, the carriage is really big. It''s like an entire room. 8 people can comfortably sit here. It has two seats on two sides like a normal carriage but is much bigger. The seats were covered with white furry mattresses. It''s really soft and comfortable. The windows were quite large too. Knock* Knock* "Princess, the Crown Prince sent me to help you get prepared." "Come in." Creak* "Greetings, Crown Princess." "Greetings. Raise your head." The maid then brought a bowl of warm water and helped me freshen up. My accessories were already removed. The maid probably removed them. The maid then started to put on the necklace. "Don''t. I don''t want to wear it. Just put on the head jewellery." "As you wish, Crown Princess." The maid did a high ponytail with a red ribbon. Then she put on the headpiece. "Umm. Do you know where Anne is?" "Oh! That maid with freckles?" "Yes." "She is cooking for everyone." "I see. Can you call her?" "Pardon me, Princess. The Crown Prince himself ordered her to do that." "Oh. I apologize for bothering you then." "No way. It''s an honour to serve you, Princess." "..." I am grateful. It''s the first time someone said that to me. I smiled without knowing. The girl blushed after seeing Isabella smile. ''She is so beautiful! She must be an angel.'' "Then excuse me. I will be back in a moment." The girl then bowed and got out of the carriage. I removed the ring that Grandfather gave me from my finger and put it on my palm. And in the blink of an eye, it turned back to a chain with a beautiful sapphire pendant. It''s amazing no matter how many times I see this! I wonder how. How it changes to the exact thing I imagine. But I guess I will never know. Since I¡­ Haa~ Nevermind. I shouldn''t think about things I can not change no matter what. After a while, the girl returned with breakfast. It was as usual bread, butter and soup. But it was delicious. I forgot how delicious bread can be. I finished my breakfast happily. "What is your name?" "Ella." "When will we continue the journey, Ella?" "After the Knights finish their meal." "I see. Can I go out for a bit?" "Of course, Crown Princess. But wait here for a bit." Ella got out of the carriage and brought a shawl. Then she started wrapping it around me. "Your pendant is beautiful, Princess." "Ahh- This¡­ My grandfather gave it to me. So I try to wear it every day." Isabella touched the pendant with one hand and said with a gentle smile. "You must love your Grandfather very much." "Yes. I do." "Anyways Princess. You are done. You can go out now." Ella said after wrapping the shawl around me. After that, I got up and went out of the carriage. "Greetings, Crown Princess." "Greetings." "Greetings, Crown Princess." All the Knights bowed and started greeting. "Greetings! Please raise your head." The Knights then raised their heads. "How are you feeling, Your Highness?" "I am feeling better. Thank you." Everyone then asked about my whereabouts. It was the first time anyone asked about that after my Grandfather''s death. I felt overwhelmed. "Greetings, Princess. I''m Blaine Ainsworth, Vice-Captain of the Carados Knight Squad." "Greetings, Vice-Captain." "Are you looking for His Highness the Crown Prince?" "Umm. N-" "He is on the lake." "Lake?" "Yes. It''s on that side." Blaine pointed at the right side of the forest. "You just have to walk straight. And you will be there in a minute." "I see. But I don''t want to go there. I just want to walk around here." I don''t want to make him uncomfortable. "Oh, I see. Then please let me escort you." "Ah, But I want to be alone." "But, Princess¡­ Captain will kill me if I let you go alone." "Ahh~ Okay." I started walking around. Swoosh~ The smell of the fresh wind... Pure white snow was falling from the sky. Everything I can see is covered with white cloak snow. The pine trees, the green grass, everything. The carriage probably stopped in the middle of a forest. "How beautiful!" Suddenly I felt a breath behind my ear. "What, Princess?" I flinched and tried to look behind. But he held me back. Then put his head on my shoulder and hugged me from behind. "You didn''t tell me, Princess. What''s beautiful?" "Uhh- That-" "Yes?" "Th-the snow." Chuckle* "The snow?" "Yes." "You''re prettier, Princess." "Huh?" "Nothing. Let''s go back. You will catch a cold." "Yes." Then Leonus escorted me back to the carriage. On my way back, I didn''t see Blaine anywhere. He probably went back to the camp. "We will go to the Portal now, Princess. From there we will reach the Fellmirr Empire''s Border." "I see." "If you feel unwell, let me know right away." "Okay." Then Leonus took a strand of my hair and kissed it. "See you in a while, Princess." I blushed and hurriedly went inside the carriage. Aghh! Something is wrong with me! Why does it feel so hot?! It''s probably because the inside of the carriage is warm. I fanned myself with my hand. After a while, I looked through the carriage window. The Knights put out the bonfires. They already disarranged their tent. Neigh~ The Knights started to ride their horses. Rattle* After a while, the carriage started to move. Swoosh~ The cold wind started to get into the carriage.. I shut the window off as it was getting too cold. Chapter 19 - Departure To The Fellmirr Empire (Part 5) Episode 18 (The Portal) It''s warm inside the carriage. I wonder why? Even with the fireplace, my room in the Royal Palace was never this warm. Is it some kind of spell¡­? No way. If that was the case, this carriage would cost thousands of gold. Does everyone in Fellmirr use this kind of carriage? They sure are wealthy. Rattle* Rattle* The carriage was moving through the pine forest. As the carriage window was made of glass, one can see everything outside clearly. The snow wasn''t so intense that it could freeze the window. Looking through the window, it seemed like the trees were running backwards. Huge trees covered with a cloak of snow. But I didn''t see a single living creature there. Is it because of the Beastmen? Are they afraid to come out? I wonder... After an hour or so, the carriage reached a strange place. In a beautiful place in the middle of the pine forest. Although there was not a single pine tree! It was a round-shaped place. Bushes of Red Roses made the round shape. The whole area was surrounded by thorny vines which had beautiful red flowers. And in one corner of the area, there was a ruined architect covered with thorny vines. It''s probably really old. The Knights and the Carriage stopped at the centre. How strange! I''ve never been to this place before. But it seemed strangely familiar. [ An elder man with long white hair and a child were talking. "Isn''t it be¡­.l?" "Yes!" "Hahaha" "Let''s¡­" ] Aghh! My head hurts! It aches so much! What is happening to me? Who was that? I can''t remember his face. Aghh! My head! It feels like someone is hitting it with nails. Huff* Huff* I lay on the carriage while holding my head with both hands. Suddenly- "Princess!" "What''s wrong?" "Does your head hurt?" Leonus got into the carriage. He then sat on the carriage and took me in his arms. Huff* Huff* "Calm down, Princess." In a minute, my headache stopped as if it wasn''t aching to begin with. How strange! This happened the other day too. What''s happening to me? "Are you okay now, Princess?" Aghh! I totally forgot! He was hugging me! I hurriedly got up and sat on another seat. "I apologize! I am causing so much trouble!" "Princess! Don''t!" "I-I apolo-" "Don''t apologize! Do you think I will kill you if you don''t apologize?" Leonus held my hand and said. "No¡­" "It was painful, wasn''t it?" "..." Sigh~ "I can''t leave you alone for a moment." Leonus then sat beside me. "Anyways Princess, we have reached the portal." "Huh?" "There." Leonus opened the window and pointed at the ruined architect. Vice-Captain Blain was doing something in front of that architecture. And the other Knights were lighting fire torches and lamps. I wonder why? It''s daytime. Even with snowfall, it''s not that dark. Is it because of the cold? It''s not even that cold here. I read that Winter in Fellmirr is nothing compared to that of Loire. Strange... Suddenly- Ching- Rumble~ The empty wall was glowing bluish light. And in a minute, it turned into a cloudy thing with thunder inside it. "That''s the portal, Princess." Neigh~ Blaine got on his horse. Along with two other people Blaine went through the portal and disappeared. Rustle* Neigh~ After a while, the Knights went through the portal one by one. And in a minute, it was time for the carriage to enter the portal. Rattle* Rattle* The carriage started moving towards the portal. Rumble* The portal was like a round-shaped door made of cloud and thunder. Swoosh~ When the carriage entered the portal, it was glowing brightly. I closed my eyes tightly because of the light. "Princess. Open your eyes. We are in Fellmirr." I slowly opened my eyes. Whoosh~ Everything was dark. I couldn''t see anything. Probably because it was too bright a few moments ago. But I could hear the sound of heavy snowfall. "It''s evening here, Princess. Welcome to the Fellmirr Empire." After a minute, I started to see things little by little. It was really dark. And because of the heavy snowfall, I couldn''t even see the nearby trees clearly. And the horses in front of me- Wait, the horses¡­?! When I saw those on the Loire, they looked like any ordinary horse. But now, all of them are beautiful pitch-black coloured. Their eyes, heels and mane were on fire. Wherever they put their feet, the snow of that place melted down. And because of that fire, the place around them lit up. "They are called Speranza, Princess. They reveal their original form only in Fellmirr." Speranza¡­ I read about them in a book. In Loire, they are called ''The Hell Horse''. But in Fellmirr, they are called ''Hope''. I didn''t understand why. But now I understand why they are called that. In a while, all the Knights passed the portal. Rumble~ Then the portal closed with a loud rumbling sound. Then it turned back to an old ruined wall. The Knights then took the lamp they lit before passing the portal and hung it on the corners of the carriage. "Princess, I will be back in a minute." Leonus then kissed my hand and got out of the carriage. Knock* Knock* "Greetings, Princess. May I come in?" "Yes." I wonder who it is. Creak~ It was Ella. She came in with a beautiful light coloured dress and shawls. "Princess, is the temperature warm enough for you?" "Yes." "His Highness, the Crown Prince used fire stones in this carriage." Fire Stones?! They are extremely hard to find and cost thousands of gold. And here I thought it would be some kind of spell. "Princess, you need to change clothes." "Ah. Okay." She then helped me change my dress. It was both beautiful and comfortable to wear. "Here, Princess." Ella wrapped a furry shawl around me. She tried to wrap another one. "Wait. I don''t need another one. You take that one, Ella." "But Princess-" "It''s okay. It''s warm inside the carriage. You can use this shawl instead." "Thank you, Princess." Ella said in a crying tone. After a while, Ella got out of the carriage and Leonus came in. He was wearing formal clothes. "Princess, we will go to an inn now. And you can''t call me, ''Your Highness'' there." "What? But there will be a lot of people." "Yes. So that they cannot recognise us, Princess." "Ah, I see. Then what should I call you?" "Leon." "What? But¡­" "I will call you ''Bell''." Bell¡­ My Grandfather called me that. "Princess! Are you okay?" "Ah- Yes." "Okay. Then it''s decided. You will call me Leon." "Bu-" Rattle* Suddenly the carriage started moving. Leonus then put his head on my shoulder. "Don''t say anything now, Princess. I''m tired." Aghh! What am I supposed to do! I screamed silently. Chapter 20 - To The Capital (Part 1) Episode 19 (I Am Here Now) ! Warning ! This episode contains strong language, violence and abuse which might be traumatizing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. * * * The rattling sound of carriages can be heard. Neigh~ The horses are neighing now and then as if to break the depressing sound of the blizzard. It is moving on the dark snowy road. If it wasn''t for the Speranza Horses, it wouldn''t have been possible to move an inch in this weather. As their fire melted up the snow. Darkness is covering the whole forest. I wonder how the Knights are moving in this darkness. Even though the horses'' fire lit up the area a bit, it''s still not enough to see what''s ahead of the road. Probably because they know this forest very well. Or is it because of their eyesight¡­ They are beastmen after all. Their eyesight is better than ours. A low-lit lamp is hanging inside the carriage. The lamp is swinging because of the carriage''s movement and making shadows play around. Whoo~ The sound of a blizzard¡­ I can hear one thing more than the rattling noise of the carriage or the horses'' neighing or howling of the blizzard. Huff~ Huff~ The calm breathing of Leonus¡­ As he put his head on my shoulder, I could hear his breathing clearly. His breath that touches my neck sometimes makes my whole body tremble. Even though I was nervous at the moment he put his head on my shoulder. But now¡­ I don''t feel anything. His dark black hair, his bewitching deep blue eyes that turn red sometimes¡­ makes him so mysterious. Why are you behaving so well towards me? Is it because I am important for the two nations? Is it because I am the First Princess of Loire? Do you know that I can''t use magic? Do you love Rubena? I don''t know¡­ I don''t know anything! I feel so lonely! Even though you are beside me! Even though I feel the warmth of another person! I feel so miserable! * * * Huff~ Huff~ I am lying on a soft fluffy thing. But it''s really cold. What is it? I want to know. But I am so tired! I don''t even have the strength to open my eyes! After a while, I opened my eyes. It felt like it took everything¡­ every ounce of my strength just to open my eyes. I looked above and saw only a white sky. Where am I? What is this place! I was inside the carriage a moment ago! Is this a dream? No matter where I look, all I can see is plain land covered with white snow till the horizon. I am wearing a white dress with untied hair. I hurriedly got up and started wandering around. But wherever I go, it''s still the same. There''s no end to this place. Whip* I flinched! A familiarly terrifying sound¡­ No way! I must have misheard it! "You b*tch!" No! It''s not possible! I tightly closed my eyes and covered my ears with both hands. Whip* Whip* Aghh! It hurts! I opened my eyes! No way! Why am I here? I was in the Emperor''s study. Emperor Mathias¡­ was there while holding a whip. He was looking at me with a disgusted look. As if he was looking at a heinous monster. "You Fu*ing wh*re!" Whip* Whip* Aghh~ Sob* Sob* "Shut the f*ck up!" "Why?" Why am I here? How am I here? I left this hell! This hellish place¡­! So why am I still here?! "''Why''? ''Why'' you say? Hahaha!" Whip* Whip* My skin was ripped. Warm red blood was flowing out of that ripped place. "Aghh!" "Shut up!" Sob* Sob* "Why? Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you? Just why?" I screamed and said. The Emperor then clenched my hair with his one hand and said, "Hahaha! Do I need any reason to beat a monster like you?!". Whip* Whip* "I apologize! Forgive me!" Whip* Whip* And the Emperor continued beating me with his whip! Sob* Sob* Suddenly the beating stopped! I was in that white place again. But this time it was snowing. "Princess Isabella!" I heard a familiar voice. A voice which I loved dearly once. "Grand Duke!" "Princess, you don''t have to come anymore." It was his training ground. I brought a fruit basket for him. I always do. So that I could see him more often. I loved him. I hoped he would love me too. So I tried to show my sincerity in any way possible. Even though everyone spoke Ill of me¡­ Even though everyone else hated me¡­ As long as he doesn''t hate me, I am okay. As long as he doesn''t ask me to stop, I will continue coming here. But- "Don''t come here from now on. You don''t need to do this." I felt cold. No! Don''t say that! Don''t! I love you! I love you so much! "It''s okay. I want to-" "No! You don''t have to." Suddenly the place changed! And I was in a banquet hall! Some Noblemen were speaking Ill of me in front of the Grand Duke. But he stood there silently. I broke! I was broken badly. I rushed outside and cried. Suddenly some ladies come and- "Have some shame Lady!" "Yeah! Don''t you have any shame?" "You know that the Grand Duke loves Princess Rubena! But you are still clutching on him like a parasite." "No! That''s not true! I-" "Tch! You''ve got the nerve to deny it!" "Just leave those two alone! Annual the engagement already!" Splash~ A noble lady splashed her drink on me. That night I went to His Majesty''s study. "Why are you here?" "Greetings, Your Majesty! I have a-" "Just hurry up and say whatever you want to. My mood was already bad! Now you made it worse with that cursed face of yours!" "Please annual my engagement with the Grand Duke." I bowed and said. "What? You have the nerve to say something like that!" "Please, Your Highness! I will do whatever you say! Just annual my engagement with the Grand Duke." Hahaha~ "It seems like I''ve been too good to you recently. You need to learn your lesson." He took the hot fireplace poker and started to beat me with that. Bam* Sizzle* Wherever the poker, it burnt her skin. Aghh~ "Please! Stop!" "Shut up!" Sob* Sob* Bam* Bam* "You can kill me if you want to. But please Your Highness break my engagement with the Grand Duke. Aghh~" "Shut the fu*k up! You can only marry the Grand Duke in this lifetime." Bam* Bam* Aghh~ Sob* Sob* My whole body turned blue. There were burning spots here and there. I couldn''t bear it anymore. Suddenly the place changed. I was in that place again. Now it started to snow heavily. Sob* Sob* Why? Why am I here! What is happening to me? Why is it me? Why? Suddenly the place changed into the special room of the Royal Banquet Hall. Stab* Stab* "No matter where you go you can never feel peace! A monster like you!" Stab* Stab* Aghh~ Sob* Sob* "Do you think that monster Crown Prince loves you? He is just using you! No one can love a monster like you! No one!" Stab* Stab* Aghh~ "Wherever you go! Everyone will use you! You will be hated everywhere!" Stab* Stab* Splatter~ The whole room was filled with blood. I want to die! Someone kill me! Help me to get out of this place! Someone! Anyone! Please~ I returned to that place again! Now there was a blizzard! I lay there with my body filled with blood! Stabbing pain, burning pain, ripped skin¡­ My white dress turned red! I feel so cold! Aghh~! Sob* Sob* Please! Help me! I cried loudly. My tears couldn''t stop! No one was there. I was all alone! "...ss." "...cess." "P¡­cess." "Wak¡­" "Wake up¡­" "Princess! Wake up!" Sob* Sob* Aghh~ "Princess! What''s wrong!" "Wake up! Please!" Whoosh~ I opened my eyes! I was in the carriage. My eyes were filled with tears. I can''t stop crying. Sob* Sob* My whole body was trembling. "Princess!" Aghh~ Sob* Sob* Slap* I slapped and jerked off his hand. "Go away. Don''t touch me! Stop!" Leonus hugged me tightly. "It''s okay. It''s okay! Everything''s okay!" He patted my back. I tried to push him back. But he held me even tighter. "Everything''s fine now, Princess." Pat* Pat* "I am here now." Chapter 21 - To The Capital (Part 2) Episode 20 (My Dear Granddaughter) * * * Rustle* I can feel someone brushing my hair. Such a careful and gentle touch. I wonder who it might be¡­ I feel so safe. It''s like I am sleeping in Grandfather''s embrace. Wait a second¡­ I was in the carriage with the Crown Prince. I hurriedly opened my eyes. "Princess." Leonus said while gazing at me intensely. I was asleep in his arms. I hurriedly got away. All of my disgraceful behaviour came to my mind at once. I fell asleep in his arms while crying. Aghh! So embarrassing! His shirt is wet. Wait¡­! Did I drool? Ughh~ Someone kill me! "I-I apologize! Your shirt is wet because of me!" Ughh~ I want to dig a hole and hide. "Well, it can''t be helped. It''s already wet, Princess." "Uh-umm. Wh-What should I do?" "Well, you have to do something. How about you wipe it for me." "Of course." I hurriedly took out my Handkerchief and started wiping the part of the shirt that covers his chest. I can feel his chest becoming stiff. Ughh! I''m crazy! I said yes without even thinking about anything. "Princess¡­" Leonus said in a hoarse voice. I slowly looked up. He was covering his face with his left hand. He slowly removed his hand revealing his blood-red eyes. He seemed to be having trouble breathing. I flinched. "I-" Suddenly Leonus took the handkerchief from my hand and said, "Princess. Remove your hand. You don''t have to do that.". He must be angry at my stupidity! "P-pardon me!" I hurriedly removed my hand. "I am sending a maid." Saying that Leonus left the carriage. A maid? But why? Now that I think about it, the carriage isn''t moving. I tried to look outside through the carriage window. But the window was completely frozen. As a result, everything looked blurry. Whoosh~ I can still hear the howling of the Blizzard. It''s probably freezing outside. Will he be okay¡­ Suddenly- Knock* Knock* "Princess, may I come in?" "Yes." Creak* It was Ella. She was wearing the shawl I gave her a while ago. "Greetings, Princess." Ella bowed and said. "You must be tired." "No, I am fine." "I understand." Ella replied while smirking. I don''t understand. Why does she think I am tired? Truly. I wasn''t tired at all. Instead, I was feeling quite refreshed. It''s been a while since I felt this way. I wonder how long I was sleeping? "Ella, how many hours has it been since we have passed the portal?" "4 hours." What?! 4 hours! I remember being in the carriage for 30 minutes. "Where are we now?" "We have reached an inn in a small town in the Amsterrade Territory." Amsterrade¡­ The coldest Territory of Fellmirr. No wonder the weather is so bad. This place is surrounded by forests and icy mountains. And it''s filled with beautiful ice beasts. I wonder why I haven''t seen even one. Was the information in the book wrong? Anyways I can think about that later. "When did we arrive at the inn?" "1 and a half hours ago, Princess." Ella smiled and replied. I''m doomed! I have been sleeping in his arms for that long! How shameful! Aghh! Someone just kill me! I screamed internally. * * * As I was crying and sleeping for so long, my hair and my makeup were messed up. Ella combed and braided my hair. She then rearranged my dress and started putting on white furry scarfs. "I don''t need so many, Ella. It''s really warm here." "But it''s freezing outside, Princess. You have to wear more clothes. Or you will freeze to death, princess." Ughh~ "Okay." Then she made me wear loads of warm clothes too. I feel stuffy. I probably look like a furball. Anyhow Ella is an excellent maid. She doesn''t talk too much or too little at that. Anyways, after preparing me she left the carriage. Knock* Knock* "Princess, come out." A knight opened the carriage door. It was snowing heavily. The carriage was in front of a three-stored inn. It was in the middle of a small town and was probably the tallest building in the entire town. There were probably 15 or 20 houses on both sides of the street. All of them were covered with layers of snow. And everything was still dark. Probably because it was still night and the people were sleeping. I couldn''t see the other Knights or the horses. They are probably already at the inn. In front of the carriage, Leonus was standing. He was wearing a black furry cloak. His eyes turned back blue. I guess he was really angry back then. He reached out his hand and helped me to get down from the carriage. "Your Highn-" Leonus came close to my ear and whispered. Chuckle~ "Princess, can you move?" "Huh? What? Of course, I can." "Well, you look kind of¡­ stuffy." Ah- Is he making fun of me!? "Anyways, remember what I said before, Princess" What? "We will have to stay incognito until we reach the Capital. So you have to call me Leon." Uhh~ I totally forgot about that. "Y-Yes. (T-T)" Chuckle~ "Then shall we go, My lady?" Leonus chuckled and said. "Y-Yes." After that Leonus escorted me to the inn. The owner was already at the front gate to receive us. He guided us to the reception room. "Welcome to the Fiddler Inn, Young man and beautiful lady. " He was an elderly man. Long white beard and hair. And strangely he had crystal-like Amethyst eyes¡­ Just like me. Aghh! My head started aching again. "Princess, what''s wrong?" I staggered because of the pain. But thankfully Leonus held me tightly and asked. Is it just me or does he look a little bit anxious? "N-Nothing." "It must have been a tough journey." The elder said while looking at me. Strange! I am feeling a strange sense of relief. Is it because he looked like my grandfather? My headache disappeared too. "I am Cale Mercer, a beast tamer and the owner of this inn." Beast Tamer?! They are extremely rare. They have the ability to speak with beasts and with their magic they can tame them(beasts). I can''t believe I am in front of such a person. "Except for some knights, no one generally comes to our small town." "I see." Leonus replied coldly. "It''s a cold place, you see. Only some townsmen come to my inn. It''s a pleasure to finally see some guests. Hahaha~" The owner laughed and said. He didn''t stop his chattering even though Leonus answered all of his questions coldly. He must be excited to see new people. He probably thinks we are some rich commoner. Seeing how he is speaking so comfortably. "You seem to have come with a beautiful young Lady. Is she your mate?" "Yes. She is." Hohoho~ "To be young. Uh. Where are my manners! Can''t keep a Lady waiting, can I? Hahaha. Your room is ready. The other knights are already in their room. Your horses are kept in a warm stable. So you youngsters can rest now. Your room is on the second floor." "Okay." Then a servant guided us to the room. And the reception room became empty. "The child has grown into a beautiful young lady. Don''t you think so, Pascal?" Cale said while patting a beautiful dragon-like baby beast. Its skin looked like a blackish-purple galaxy filled with stars. And eyes sparkling black. Purr~ "Oh. So you''re saying she looks like Johannes? Hmm~ Nahh. Johannes was an ugly cry baby." Hohoho~ After a while, Cale stopped laughing and said with a sad face. "She is like her mother." Purr~ The baby dragon purred in a joyful voice. "That''s what I was saying from the beginning. She is beautiful." "Anyways, where are the others?" Purr~ Pascal purred playfully. "In the stable? Tch! Those scaredy cats." Purr~ "Well, true. His aura was really intense, even though he was concealing it. Well, He is the next Emperor of the Fellmirr after all." Cale was talking about the other beasts. As there was a blizzard outside, the small young and baby beasts took shelter at the inn. But they disappeared as soon as Leonus took his step in the inn. It''s because of the aura he gives. Every beastmen has their own aura. The beasts were alarmed by his aura and left the inn. Because of the same reason, Isabella didn''t see any beasts in the forest or anywhere in the town. "Anyways I hope he will be able to heal that child." Purr~ "No. You can''t meet her now." Growl~ "Don''t be angry. You have waited for so long. So wait a bit more. It''s not the time yet." Growl~ Hohoho~ "Come on now! Don''t be so angry. We will see the child tomorrow. Let her sleep for now." Cale said with a smile. Purr~ "Wait-" Poof* And the beast disappeared into thin air while creating a dark glittery mist. Cale sighed and said, "I hope he won''t cause any trouble. But it''s not like I don''t understand him. I missed her too. So much.... My dear Granddaughter¡­". Chapter 22 - [Bonus ] The Legend Of The Realm Of Myths(Part 2) (Love) It has been five years since they came to the forest. All the friends are now adults. As days passed, they became more attached to the place. It''s not just them. But the other beautiful creatures too. Lucia was sitting under the shade of a tree speaking with the Guardian Dragon. "You can use magic, right? I wonder if you can be like us?" "You mean this?" Gasp* The beautiful dragon then transformed into a human with long golden hair and golden eyes. Lucia: "Y-You¡­ How are you a human?" Pfft~ "Are you surprised?" "I-I didn''t know you could do that!" Lucia flushed and said. "Is that so? There''s nothing I can''t do.." "Y-Yes." "But why are you red, Lucia?" "I-I am not." "Oh, really?" "Y-Yes." "Look at me. Am I not handsome?" "You are beautiful." "Emriar." "Huh?" "Call my name, Lucia." "Em-Emriar." Lucia blushed and said. Chuckle* "Yes. Like that." Emriar took a strand of her long purple hair and kissed it. That was the start of the love between a beautiful human girl and the Guardian Dragon. * * * After Emriar transformed into a human, the other magical creatures also learned to transform. Zalcoatl: "Now that you all have Human form, we should call you Beastmen." Igneel: "That''s a cool name! Right, Jenet?" Jenet: "Yes. It is." Earth: "True! I think we should also build houses. We can live there together." Ijiraq: "Right! Earth can make the base. Igneel can make it strong using fire." Zalcoatl: "I can create the structure." Emriar: "I can turn it into Gold." Ordona: "I can make it look shinier." "We can help you build the shape." The shapeshifters added. Like that, they build the Golden Castle of the Realm of Myths. * * * "What are you thinking, Lucia?" "I think we should plant a tree here." "A tree?" "Yes." "Is this okay?" Emriar grew a large tree using magic. "Not like this!" "Huh? Then how?" "Let''s plant one together, with everyone." "Okay. As you wish." After that, all of them planted a seed. And everyone blessed it with their magical energy. Emriar: "Grow Gracefully." And the seed soon turned into a beautiful tree. Igneel: "Be happy." The leaves of the tree started rustling. Ordona: "Be the light, when it''s dark." Jenet: "You will have beautiful flowers." Blue flowers bloomed and filled the tree. Ijiraq: "You will survive no matter what the surroundings are like." Lucia: "..." Emriar: "What did you say, Lucia?" Lucia smiled and replied, "That''s a secret." After that, everyone gave their blessings one by one. And soon it was his turn. Zalcoatl: "Can I name it?" Emriar: "Sure." Zalcoatl: "Zylbon¡­ the Wisdom Tree." A bright light shone and soon a face was seen on the Wisdom Tree. Gasp* Everyone gasped in surprise. "Wow~" "Amazing!" "It has a face!" "It''s cute~" "I know right." "Th-Thank you for the blessing." Zylbon said shyly. "Uwaa~ It can talk too!" "Cool~" "You are a genius, Zalcoatl!" "I know right!" After that, to celebrate the birth of the Wisdom tree a feast was held. * * * It''s night. Wohoo~ But the area under the wisdom tree was filled with everyone''s cheer and chatter. Some were eating. Some were singing and some were dancing. Some were drinking their heart''s content. And some were confessing their feelings to the one they loved. "Lucia!" "Emriar." "Let''s go." "Huh? But where?" "Just come with me." "Ah. Okay " After that, Emriar grabbed Lucia''s hand and took her to a distant place. "Everyone looks so happy?" "They do." Kyaa~ Suddenly Emriar took Lucia in his arms. Lucia tightly hugged Emriar''s neck. "What are you doing?! Put me down! Hurry!" "No!" Kyaa~ And both of them started floating in the air. "It''s scary!" "Lucia. Look." "No!" Said Lucia while tightly closing her eyes. "Just open your eyes and see." "Ah! Okay." Lucia slowly opened her eyes. Gasp* "Wow~ So beautiful!" "Isn''t it?" They were under a large glowing cherry blossom tree. Bam* Lucia punches Emriar in the chest. "You- Why did you fly then?" "I wasn''t flying." "What?" "It was necessary to teleport here." "You mean, you can''t teleport without flying in the air?" "I can." "You-" Bam* Bam* Lucia kept punching Emriar in the chest. Ouch* Emriar groaned while clutching his chest. "D-Does it hurt? I- I am sorry." Lucia panicked and said. "Yes. It does." "Uh. Wh-What am I supposed to do?" "There is only one thing. But I don''t think you can do it." "Tell me what is it? I will do it." "Sure?" "Of course!" "Close your eyes." "Huh? But-" "See~ I told you that you couldn''t." "Okay. Okay. I am closing my eyes." Emriar went close to her and put his lips on her. Lucia''s eyes widened. Her entire face turned red. "Mmm¡­" But instead of letting her go, Emriar tightly held her waist. "Mm¡­ Emri-" Lucia grabbed his hair. But Emriar didn''t budge. Soon she gave up and started responding to his kiss. They started taking deep breaths after the passionate kiss. Huff* Huff* "You are drunk." "No! I am not." Huff* Huff* "Lucia¡­" Emriar whispered near her ear. "I love you¡­" And then they started kissing again. "Emriar-" "Shh~ Don''t talk. You will be mine today, Lucia¡­" And they passed a passionate night under the lovely cherry blossoms tree. Chapter 23 - To The Capital (Part 3) Episode 21 (Husband Who Adores His Wife Dearly) * * * A servant guided us to a room on the third floor. The room was bigger than I expected. It was as wide as my room in the Royal Palace. And here I thought every inn generally has small rooms. I wonder what more things I will learn from this journey. Anyways, the room had a wide window, a large bed, a desk, a fireplace, a couch and a beautiful large mirror. I could see the blizzard through the window. And the room was really warm compared to the freezing temperature outside. "Please, ring the bell if you need anything." After saying that the servant bowed and left. Creak~ Thud* And the door closed. I was alone in the room with Leonus. "Princess. Seat here." Leonus said while standing beside the couch. It was Infront of the fireplace. The couch could fit three people easily. "Yes." I did as he said and sat there. It was quite comfy. Rustle* Suddenly Leonus brought the blanket that was in the bed and wrapped it around my shoulder. "Wait here, Princess." "Huh? Are you going somewhere?" "Why? You''re missing me already?" "What? No!" "No? You hurt my feelings, princess." "Uhh~ I mean, Yes¡­?" "No? Or yes? What is it, Princess?" "Huh- Ahh. I¡­ I am just worried. It''s cold outside." Chuckle* "D-Don''t laugh." Isabella slowly said while pouting. "I''m sorry for worrying you, my dear wife. I am just going downstairs. And don''t forget your husband is a beast." Leonus then took a strand of my hair and kissed it while looking at my eyes. Aghh! Why does he always stare at me like that? It feels like he is looking deep inside me. Trying to know every little secret. Such intense gaze! It makes it hard to breathe! Feels like he''ll swallow me whole with his gaze. I hurriedly looked away. After that, he went outside the room. Creak~ Thud* I lay on the couch and covered my face with both of my hands. Aghh! Why does he always make me flustered?! * * * After a while, he brought a tray and put it on the small table that was beside the couch. As it was covered, I didn''t know what was in the tray. He then removed his cloak and sat beside me. Clang* Leonus then removed the metallic cover which revealed hot-steaming food. Leonus started to put the food in a bowl. He then took a spoonful of soup and forwarded it towards my mouth. "Here Princess, drink the soup." "Your Highness! You don''t have to do that. I can eat myself." "Princess, I am a husband who adores his wife dearly." "Huh?" Sigh~ Leonus then came close to my ear and said, "Leonus. Call me Leonus, Bell.". I blushed hard. "Or do you want to blow our cover?" "N-No." "There are people outside the door, dear. So you''d better hurry up and eat from my hand. We are acting like a loving couple, remember?" "W-We are?" "Yes." "But you didn''t say that bef-" "I told you that when you were lying on my shoulder on the carriage, remember?" Kyaa-! I hurriedly put my hands on his mouth. "Don''t say that! I will eat from your hand. So don-" I hurriedly put away my hands. What did I just do?! He is the Crown Prince! It was so disrespectful! Aghh! What if he is angry?! I slowly looked at his face. He had a surprised look on his face and was completely standstill. Aghh! Is he so angry that he can''t even think?! What am I supposed to do? "Y-Your Highness¡­" I said slowly. "Y-Yes." "I apologize." "Ap-apologize? Sigh~ Don''t dear." "Here open your mouth." "Uhh~" "It''s getting cold." I then closed my eyes tightly and opened my mouth. Leonus then put the spoon in my mouth. My neck and ear felt hot. Like that, Leonus fed me soup, steamed vegetables and some bread. "Aren''t you hungry?" "Yes. So feed me, dear." "Bu-. Okay." He fed me. So it would be rude of me to refuse. I fed him the same way he fed me. After a while, we finished eating. Ring* Ring* Then Leonus rang the bell. And a servant came in. "Greetings! How may I help you, sir?" "Take all these away." Leonus ordered the servant while pointing at the table. "Yes." The servant then took away the tray along with the leftovers. And I was alone with Leonus. Wait¡­ Why is he not leaving? When is he going to leave? Uhh! Don''t tell me he''s going to sleep with me! Well, I am his spouse. And I heard spouses have to sleep together. But still- Knock* Knock* Suddenly someone knocked on the door. "Come in." It was Ella. She bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Highness. Her Ladyship needs to change into her nightgown.". "Oh, Y-Yes. I am going out." After that, Leonus left the room. Phew~ He finally left! After Leonus left the room, Ella greeted me and started to take off my gown. After that, I changed into my nightgown. But why is it so revealing?! The nightgown revealed my chest skin. "Umm¡­ Ella." I looked at Ella. Somehow she looks flustered. "Yes, Princess." Isn''t the dress too revealing? ¡­ Is what I want to ask. But it''s too embarrassing. "N-Nothing." ''The Princess is too pretty and cute! So beautiful! I can''t take my eyes off of her. Anyways, I should go now. Or else- '' Ahem! "Have a good night, princess. Excuse me." "You too." After that, Ella bowed and left the room. I guess I am alone now. I looked outside the window. "It''s dark." Sigh~ I should go to bed now. I slowly got into the bed and covered myself with the blanket. The bed''s too big for one person. I feel exhausted. I wonder why. I didn''t even do anything and was sleeping in the carriage the whole time. Yawn~ I closed my eyes.. And after a while, I fell asleep without realizing. Chapter 24 - To The Capital (Part 4) Episode 22 (Nothing Less Than A Storm) * * * Tok* Tok* And just as I fell asleep, I heard a sound. What was that? Did I perhaps mishear it? That must be it. Uhh~ I''m so sleepy! Isabella was thinking all that while lying on the bed. She was too sleepy and tired to get up and look around the room. And the time she was about to fall asleep again- Tok* Tok* Again?! Tok* Tok* This time I opened my eyes and got up. I looked around the room. Where is the sound coming from? Tok* Tok* The sound is coming from the window. I hurriedly turned around the window. Gasp! Something was tapping on the glass window from outside. I hurriedly went there and looked through the window. There was a baby beast tapping the window with its head. I hurriedly opened the window and took the beast in. The beast was covered in white snow. It was trembling. Poor thing! Why was it outside in such weather!? It must have been suffering because of the freezing cold. I quickly removed the snow from its body and wrapped it with a blanket. I hurriedly went near the fireplace. Then sat on the couch and put it on my lap. Purr~ Wow~ It''s beautiful. Is every beast of Fellmirr that beautiful?! Shiny Blackish-Purple skin, beautiful round sparkling black eyes. It looked a little bit like Rae''s Dragon form. Wait¡­ Is it a dragon? Purr~ The beast touched my hand and started rubbing its head against my palm. Kyaa~ So cute! I started patting its head. Purr~ I looked at the baby-beast. It was looking at me with puppy eyes. Is it looking for my attention? So cute~ Somehow it looks strangely familiar. Where have I seen it? Was it in a book? But I would''ve remembered if that was the case. Where was it¡­.? And ching-- My head started aching again. Aghh! What is wrong with me?! It hurts so much! This aching pain- Purr~ Poof* Suddenly the baby beast created a black sparkling mist. "What is this-?" I suddenly feel so sleepy. Agh- My body feels heavy! What is going on- And Thud* I lay on the couch and lost my consciousness. * * * I was lying in bed with my eyes closed. It''s probably morning. Whoo~ I can still hear the howling of the blizzard. But somehow I feel warm. Yesterday was an exhausting day. I can''t remember when I fell asleep. Wait a minute, now that I think about it I brought in a baby dragon inside the room. I remember black mist coming out of the baby beast and losing my consciousness. I hurriedly opened my eyes at the thought of the baby beast. I have to check it. But what came into my sight was rather- Gasp~ "Y-Your Highness!" Leonus was on the bed right next to me. He was lying half-naked in bed while facing me with one hand under his head and with the other touching my hair. I can see his naked firm chest. His dishevelled black hair. His eyes like burning blue flame. I was feeling dizzy at the sight of it and couldn''t think of anything else. It''s my first time seeing a half-naked man. While smirking, Leonus kissed the strand of my hair that he was already holding with his other hand. His burning blue eyes were looking at mine while doing all that. I hurriedly looked away. ''D-Don''t look at me like that.'' I cried inwardly. "Good morning, my dear.". I hurriedly got up and sat on the bed. "G-good morning." "Did you sleep well?" "Y-Yes." ''Just when did you come to the room?'' "Good for you." "Huh?" "I came to the room in the middle of the night. I thought my dear wife must be feeling lonely. So I came running to spend time with my dear wife. But guess what? She was already sound asleep on the bed. She doesn''t even care for me." Leonus said while making a sad face. "I-I apologize. I didn''t know you would come." "Did you forget that you are my mate now, M Y D E A R P R I N C E S S." Leonus got up and came close to Isabella''s ear and said with a seductive voice. Isabella''s face turned red. Seeing her, Leonus had a grin on his face. Then he took a strand of her hair and kissed it. I can feel his breath. Why is it so hard to breathe all of a sudden? "Princess¡­" "Y-Yes?" "Look at me." I was looking the other way while tightly closing my eyes. "I-" "You won''t?" I don''t know what face he is making. His voice doesn''t sound sad or happy. A soft but firm voice. It makes me enchantingly want to do whatever he says. I then slowly turned my head towards him. "Princess. Open your eyes." I slowly opened my eyes. Gasp- I forgot to breathe. I can''t move. He is so close to my face. There is just an inch gap between our lips. And his eyes were red. Is he angry? Flinch* ''Why is he coming so close to me? Is he going to do something to me?'' I tightly closed my eyes. As Leonus was moving forward, the gap between their lips lessened. "Breathe, Princess." Leonus said slowly. I can feel him breathing roughly. Haa~ And just he was about to taste her lips- Knock* Knock* "Good Morning, Sir. You need to come outside for a moment." Tch! "Damn it." Leonus blurted out a curse word. I opened my eyes in surprise. He is angry. What if he beats me?! "Princess. We will continue later." He then kissed my forehead. ''Continue what?'' After that Leonus got up from bed and wore his shirt. I was sitting on the bed. He then came close to me again and kissed my forehead again. "I will be back soon." Then he hurriedly got out of the room. Creak~ Thud! ''He is nothing less than a storm.'' Chapter 25 - To The Capital (Part 5) Episode: 23 * * * I was sitting still for a few minutes before finally getting out of bed. Even though it was freezing outside, the room was surprisingly warm. I went near the fireplace and sat on the couch. I think I forgot something¡­ What is it¡­ What did I... Gasp! The baby beast! Aghh! I was so surprised to see Leonus beside me that I totally forgot about that. I got up from the couch and looked around the room. I searched every nook and cranny of the room but still couldn''t find it. "Not a single trace of it¡­ Was it a dream?" Now that I think about it, Leonus did say he found me asleep on the bed. Then was it really a dream? But it was so vivid. I still remember the beast''s purring, its beautiful colour, the dark eyes¡­ Everything. I can remember everything clearly. Sigh~ I shouldn''t think about it anymore. Suddenly- Knock* Knock* "My Lady, it''s me, Ella. May I come in?" "Yes." Creak~ "Greetings, My lady. I brought water for you to freshen up." Ella bowed and said. Then she put a water bowl in front of the table. "Uh¡­ Yes." I then washed my face and my mouth with the water. As the water was lukewarm, it felt good while washing up. After that, Ella brought a warm breakfast. I finished it happily. "Thank you for serving me such a delicious meal, Ella." "Oh my! Don''t say that, Princess. You don''t know how happy I am to serve you." I smiled awkwardly. It was the first time someone said that to me. Never did Anne- Wait¡­ Anne?! I totally forgot about her. "Umm¡­ Ella." "Yes, My Lady?" "Do you know where Anne is?" "Don''t worry about her, My Lady. She is travelling comfortably." "What?" "Oh! You didn''t know?" "Know what?" "A group of knights were already sent yesterday to inform the people about our arrival beforehand. So that people can prepare to welcome you in the capital. And the others are staying here in order to protect the Princess in case of emergency." "I see." "Anne was sent to the capital to prepare and organize your things beforehand. His Highness wants you to feel comfortable living here, Princ- I mean My Lady." ''How come I don''t know any of that? Why would he tell something like that to someone like me, to begin with? Well, it''s not like I can do anything knowing that. But why does my heart feel so heavy?'' "....Lady." "My Lady!" "Oh yes. What is it?" "Are you okay?" "Yes. I was just thinking about something useless." "Hmm. Do you want to take a bath? You will feel better if you do so. Should I prepare your bath?" "Yes." I replied slowly. "Yes. I will prepare your bath right away." * * * After a while, Ella prepared a warm bath. Then she started taking off my nightgown. I then got into the tub. The water was warm. Haaa~ It feels so good. It makes me forget about my worries. Ella was right. Ella then washed me with different kinds of ointments and fragrant oils. Although it was not as excessive as the maids used in the banquet or the wedding day in the Loire. "Your hair is gorgeous, Princ- I mean My Lady." Ella keeps forgetting that we are incognito. That''s a cute side of her. Chuckle~ Ella froze there for a moment. Because it was her first time seeing Isabella''s smile like that. Her slightly curved wet long hair, long eyelashes, red lips, rosy cheeks¡­ "Are you a human?" Gasp! Realizing what she said, Ella covered her mouth with both hands. ''I must have gone crazy! What did I just say to the Princess! What if she-'' "I am. I am a mere human." Isabella said slowly. ''Somehow she looks sad. Why? I should have been careful opening my mouth. Stupid me!'' "My Lady, do you know there will be a festival in the capital to welcome you?" "What? A festival?" "Yes! The people and beastmen can''t wait to see their Crown Princess." "I see." I smiled softly. ''Phew~ Thanks to the Lord! She seems better now.'' After a while, I finished bathing. I feel so fresh now. Ella brought a light yellow dress and started to help me wear it. After that Ella braided my hair, then put on a hair chain and an earring. "You look beautiful, My Lady." "Ah- Is that so? Thank you." It''s embarrassing when someone says that to me. I looked in front of the mirror. I guess I do. "Then please excuse me." "Ah. Yes. Thanks for your hard work, Ella." "It''s my pleasure, Princess." Ella then bowed and left the room. * * * Ella was walking in the hallway of the inn. She remembers the first time she saw Isabella. It was snowing. Although it was nothing compared to the snowfall in our Fellmirr. His Highness ordered me to serve the Princess that morning. I wonder why? Even though I heard the Princess brought a maid with her from the Loire. Isn''t it better if that maid serves the Princess instead of me? I mean, she will be more comfortable if a familiar person serves her. But it''s not like I can ask or say that. I sighed and agreed with His Highness. Well, to begin with, I came here to serve the Crown Princess. But before that, I wanted to meet her maid. So that, I could know about her like-dislike before serving her. But to my surprise- "What? What does she like you say?" Scoff~ "Just give her anything. She will be fine with anything." "Oka-" But the maid cut my word in the middle and said- "No. Bring her bread, butter and soup. She is an extremely selfish person. Sob* She beats me up if I don''t listen to one of her commands. You don''t have any idea how cruel she is! So be careful." The maids'' attitude totally changed. She was sobbing and saying everything with a pitiful voice. Is she telling the truth? The maid with freckles then told many horrific stories about her. Like how she tortures maids of the palace. Ripping of nails, skin, hair, cutting off fingers, beating till the person bleeds and so on. Ughh! So horrible! What if she really is like that! What if she beats me too! Then I carefully prepared her breakfast and went to the carriage. "Princess, the Crown Prince sent me to help you get prepared." Gulp* "Come in." ''Well, she has a pretty voice! Sigh~'' A knight then slowly opened the carriage door. Creak~ And I got in the carriage and bowed. In the whole process, I only looked down. Aghh! I don''t want to look at her! "Greetings, Crown Princess." "Greetings. Raise your head." Sigh~ Life never goes the way I want it to be. I slowly raised my head. And Thump- Slightly curled long golden hair, reddish-purple eyes, long golden lashes, red lips¡­ How can someone be so pretty! She looks like an angel! Hard to believe, someone with such angelic beauty can do something so cruel! After a moment, I came back to my senses. Then I helped her freshen up. Her skin was soft as a feather. Anyways, I tried to put on her jewellery. She didn''t want to wear them for some reason except for the headpiece. I then did a ponytail with her hair. Her hair was really silky. It reaches her ankle. So it was kind of hard to do her hair. As I was nervous, I once pulled out one of her hair. But to my surprise, she didn''t say anything to me. "Umm. Do you know where Anne is?" "Oh! That maid with freckles?" I didn''t know her name was Anne. "Yes." "She is cooking for everyone." "I see. Can you call her for a moment?" "Pardon me, Princess. The Crown Prince himself ordered her to do that." "Oh. I apologize for bothering you then." ''What? Is this for real? Why is she apologizing! Is she really a bad person!'' "No way. It''s an honour to serve you, Princess." The princess smiled softly. So pretty! I blushed without even realizing it. She is so beautiful! She must be an angel. Please step on me! Ahh- I can''t say that. "Then excuse me. I will be back in a moment." After that, I brought her breakfast as the maid Anne said. She seemed to be enjoying her meal. Anyways, after a while, she finished her meal. Then she asked what my name was. "What is your name?" "Ella." "When will we continue the journey, Ella?" "After the Knights finish their meal." "I see. Can I go out for a bit?" Is she bored? Well, it is normal to be. She has been staying in the carriage for so long! And she does look a bit lonely. "Of course, Crown Princess. But wait here for a bit." I then got out of the carriage and brought a shawl. Then wrapped it around her. I don''t want her to catch a cold. "You can go out now, princess." I don''t know why. I don''t know if she is a bad person. But that day for some reason I felt sympathetic for her. I wanted to take care of her. After that, I went to serve her several times. She never raised her voice at me. She always talked to me gently. Even gave me a shawl. Even my own family doesn''t treat me that well. My family is raccoon-beastmen. Those shits! It was a good idea to leave those thieves and work in the Royal Castle. That damn Anne! She must have lied. But why? Why would she frame such a sweet person! She is so sweet and loveable! I love her. Uhmm. Don''t get me wrong! I don''t love her that way. Even if it was that way, anybody will fall in love with her after spending time with her. Tch! That cold and expressionless prince doesn''t deserve her! It was a good idea to send that damn Anne to the capital. Suffer in the cold you b*tch. Anyways, My Lady looked sad for some reason. Her eyes¡­ That seems soulless sometimes. Her eyes¡­ That seems like it''s in despair. Her eyes¡­ That drowns in sadness. Hmm~ What should I do to make her happy? I don''t know much about her. Even though she is gentle, there seems to be an iron wall that surrounds her. No matter though. I will always be loyal to her. I hope one day she will open up to me. Oh, my dear Lady¡­ How I wish for you to be happy. Chapter 26 - To The Capital (Part 6) Episode 24 (Like My Granddaughter) * * * It has been a while since Ella left the room. I was sitting on the couch and enjoying the warmth of the fireplace. I wish I had my books on me. I wonder where Anne put my books. Sigh~ I shouldn''t be thinking about useless things. I can read them when I reach the palace. Anyways, I hope Anne is alright. So she will be reaching the Capital of Fellmirr earlier than me. I got up from the couch and went near the window. The corners of the window were frozen with beautiful frost patterns. How pretty! I looked outside. The entire town was covered with white snow. It''s like I entered a white fantasy land. Now that I think about it, the forest is right behind the town. No. More like the town is surrounded by the forest. Hmmm¡­ What a strange place to build a town. It''s in the middle of a forest. How do people even find this place!? Well, they are beastmen after all. It''s probably because of their eyesight or their sense of smell. Anyways I wonder when we will continue the journey. The weather seems to have gotten better. It seems like the blizzard has stopped. "Princess." I flinched and looked behind. It was Leonus. He was right behind me. And his eyes are blue now. Phew~ Chuckle* "Were you surprised? I apologize, my dear. I have called you so many times but you didn''t respond." Leonus put his head on my shoulder from behind and said. "Anyways, what are you looking at?" "N-Nothing." "Hmm. Is that so? Anyways let''s go. We have to leave this place now, Princess." "Okay." After that, Leonus escorted me downstairs. * * * "Greetings. So you kids are already leaving?" Cale said with a sad face. He was in the reception room. "Yes. We should continue as the weather is a little better now." Leonus replied to Cale with a straight face. "Yes. Yes." Cale sighed and said slowly. "Young Lady, come here for a bit." I was standing beside Leonus while holding his hand. I was quite surprised when he called me. "Yes?" "Won''t you listen to this old man?" I looked at Leonus. He was glaring at Cale. But then he softened his expression and looked at me. As if giving permission, he nodded his head. I went near Cale. He then put his hand on my head and was murmuring something. And in a minute a bright light filled the whole room. I closed my eyes as it was too bright. "I hope you will choose the right way, child. And I hope you will be happy here." Cale said while patting my head. My eyes widened. A low and gentle voice. I looked at him. He was smiling gently. Why does he look so familiar?! There was still a bright light in the room. "Isabella!" I can hear Leonus shouting. He then hurriedly came to me and grabbed my shoulder. "Isabella! Are you alright?" He asked anxiously. Is he worried? Well, it will be a problem if something happens to me. "Yes. I am fine." "Are you sure?" "Yes." He then glared at Cale and grabbed him by his collar. His eyes turned red. "You old snake! What did you do to her?" Cale smiled softly and said, "Calm down, young man. You really love your mate, huh? Don''t worry. It was just a blessing.". "What?" "She is like my granddaughter. So I gave her my blessing." "You-" "Leon!" Leonus halted and looked at me. "Don''t. He is telling the truth." "But Bell-" "Please. And he is an elder. You should be respectful to him." I said nervously. I don''t know what he will say. Is he going to beat me for that? Well, at least the elderly will be safe. I can bear a bit of beating. "Tch! Sigh! What am I supposed to do with you?" He then let go of Cale''s collar and came near me and was going to put his hand on my cheek. Is he going to slap me? I closed my eyes tightly. "Are you sure you are okay?" But contradictory to my assumption, he put his hand on my cheek gently and asked me. I opened my eyes. His eyes were blue again. Phew~ I sighed in relief. "Isabella, are you really fine?" I nodded my head and said, "Yes." "Tch! Let''s go." "Wait." I then greeted Cale and said, "Thanks for everything.". Cale smiled and replied, "Anytime, my dear.". How strange! I feel like crying. "Bell, what''s wrong?" "Nothing. Let''s go." After that, they went outside the inn. And Cale was left alone¡­ once again. * * * Whoosh~ A cold wind struck my skin. It''s really cold outside. But that didn''t seem to affect anyone. The outside of the inn was bustling. Everyone was busy preparing for the journey. Now that I see, Ella was right. Almost half of the Knights were absent. I hope they are safe. "Bell, let''s go." "Uh- Yes." A knight opened the door of the carriage and Leonus helped me to get in. "I will be back in a minute." "Oh- Okay." Then he closed the carriage door. It''s so warm inside. I sat comfortably. Suddenly- Thud! The carriage door opened with a loud noise. I flinched at the sudden noise. "Go! Check her." It was Leonus. He brought Sir Blaine with him. It hasn''t been a minute yet. "Yes. Yes. I am going." Sigh~ Blaine sighed and got in the carriage. Leonus followed him to the carriage and sat beside me. Sir Blaine sat in front of me. Why did he bring Sir Blaine? I heard Sir Blaine is a magician. Wait¡­ Is he going to beat me and then ask sir Blaine to heal me? What am I supposed to do? "Greetings, princess. Can you give me your hand?" Sir Blaine forwarded his hand and asked me. I was going to put my hand over his hand. But suddenly Leonus grabbed my hand and glared at Sir Blaine. "What did you just say?" Even though Leonus said that with a smile, Blaine knew that he was pissed. "Captain, you do know I need to be in physical contact with the person to cast magic." Sir Blaine sobbed and said. "Shut up! Do it without any contact." Sob* "Yes." Then Swoosh~ A bright light surrounded me. Although it wasn''t as bright as it was in the Reception room of the inn. Sir Blain''s eyes were closed and he was murmuring something. "So? Is she okay?" ''Don''t bother me while I am casting magic. I need to concentrate. Damn it! I wish I could say that.'' "Princess is better than before. She is a little bit weak but she will be okay after resting and eating well. But nothing is-" "Tch! Is there any strange flow of mana in her body?" ''Aghh! Stop interrupting me! I was going to answer it anyway.'' "No. She-" "Okay. Then get out." ''Sob*'' Blaine sobbed inwardly. "Yes." And Blaine left the carriage. "Princess, we will continue our journey now. Our destination is Dedra territory. We will stay there for a day. And from there we will continue until we reach the Capital." "Oh. I see." "I am going to ride my horse now. Just say my name, if you need anything." After that Leonus kissed my hand and got out of the carriage. Rattle* And in a minute the carriage started to move in the white street of snow. Chapter 27 - To The Capital (Part 7) Episode 25 (Making Me Crazy) * * * It''s been a while since Leonus and Isabella left the Fiddler Inn. Cale was sitting alone on a couch in the reception room. "Pfft! Hahahaha! He is tamed. I can''t believe this. That stubborn wolf! Hahaha!" Cale said to himself. After a while, he stopped laughing and made a serious face. "But still it''s all your fault. To me, you are the greatest sinner. And I will never forgive you. Never¡­ Johannes." Sigh~ "Pascal." And Whoosh~ The Black Baby-Dragon appeared creating a black mist. "Why did you go to her yesterday?" Cale asked with an annoyed expression. Purr~ "Tch! I don''t care. I am warning you! Don''t even think about stopping them." Purr~ "Stop your nonsense. Anyways, the others have already returned. It''s about time we should too. Bring those cowards." The young beast glared at Cale and disappeared. After a while, he appeared with 5 young ice-beasts. Beautiful blue eyes, sparkling skin of white and blue colour. Each one of the beasts had different skin patterns but the same colour. Purr~ Growl~ Purr~ Each of the beats started purring as if they were making excuses. "Scared of his aura? You-" Sigh~ "Forget it. We will leave now anyway." Purr~ "I know. They have left the town. We should go now." Purr~ The beasts then purred in affirmation and vanished using their magic. The room was empty. "I should go now too." Snap* As soon as Cale snapped his finger, the inn disappeared along with the whole town. And Cale, who was standing in the reception room of the inn a minute ago, was now standing in a white forest covered with snow. Cale was looking at the gloomy sky that was covered with grey clouds. Haa~ His breath could be seen because of the cold weather. Sigh~ Cale sighed and looked down. "We will meet again, child. Hang in there." Cale said in a sad tone. And whoosh~ A bright light shined and Cale disappeared. * * * Rattle* Rattle* The carriage is moving on the snowy road. It''s been a few hours since we left the inn. I can''t even sleep. Is it because I was sleeping all night yesterday? Yesterday¡­ Aghh! Whenever I think about yesterday, only Leonus comes to my mind. How shameful! He saw me in a nightgown! When did he even come to the room? And what does he mean by ''Mate''? Does it mean ''Spouse''? Judging by the conversation between the elder and Leonus, they probably use ''Mate'' instead of ''Spouse'' in Fellmirr. His Spouse¡­ My face feels hot. I fanned myself. Why does it feel so hot in this cold weather? Sigh~ I wonder what kind of person Leonus is. He doesn''t look like someone who will beat a person. Or is he? I don''t know. It''s not even a week since I have known him. I hope you are not like them, Leonus¡­ Leonus¡­ does it mean Sun? A bright person¡­ Hmm~ "Leon¡­" And the carriage stopped. Have we arrived? Suddenly- Creak~ Thud* Leonus burst open the carriage door and got into the carriage. My eyes widened. Did something happen? "Princess. Is everything okay? Are you alright? Are you hurt somewhere?" He then started asking me questions anxiously. "Ah-" "Princess?" "I am fine." "Are you sure?" "Yes." Phew~ Leonus then knocked twice on the carriage door and it started moving again. Rattle* Rattle* He then sat next to me and put his head on my shoulder. "Why are you always doing this?" "Huh? Doing what?" "Sigh~ Nevermind." "Why did you call me, Princess?" "Huh?" I remembered something he said before getting off the carriage. [ "I am going to ride my horse now. Just say my name, if you need anything." ] Don''t tell me he got into the carriage because I just muttered his name?! And how did he even hear it? My face turned red. I covered my face with both hands. How embarrassing! "Princess? Why are you covering your face? Are you crying?" "No." "Then what is it?" "It-" "What?" "I didn''t know you could hear me." Chuckle* "Are you shy?" Uhh~ He is making fun of me. "I am glad." Leonus muttered something. Huh? What did he say? I couldn''t hear him. "I didn''t know Princess missed me so much. You could have just told me not to go." Aghh! My face turned even redder because of embarrassment. Hahaha~ Is he smiling?! "Princess¡­" "Princess¡­" "Isabella¡­" "Bell¡­" Uhh~ Why is he calling me like that! Leonus then grabbed my hands and removed them from my face. I didn''t even have the chance to say anything. He then kissed both of my hands while looking into my eyes. "Princess¡­ You are making me crazy." "Huh? How am I making you crazy?" I said slowly. Chuckle* "Nevermind." He then put his head on my lap. "So what were you thinking?" "Huh?" "You called my name, didn''t you?" "Ah- that. Can''t you just forget that?" "No way. Tell me, Princess." "I was just thinking what your name meant." Leonus then took a strand of my hair and started twirling them with his finger. While doing that he said, "Leon refers to a Lion. And Leonus¡­ Hmm~ it''s similar to Lionis which means a person born during a period when the sun is in this sign. Albus means White. Carados¡­ You can say it''s like our Clan name. And the direct lineage of the Royal Family of Fellmirr has ''Fellmirr'' as their last name.". Wow~ "Princess too." "What?" "Your name. Isabella Albus Carados Fellmirr." "Ah." "You are my mate after all." "Is that so?" Pfft! Hahaha~ He sounds like a child saying that. "..." After a minute, I stopped laughing. Leonus didn''t say anything from the moment I started laughing. Did he get offended? I looked at him. He looks surprised for some reason. "Your Highness." "..." He didn''t say anything. "Crown Prince." "..." "L-Leonus." "Ah-." Chuckle* He then covered his face with one hand. "I am going crazy, Princess." "What?" "Nothing." He then removed his hand and looked at me. "You should smile more." "Oh. I will try." "Hmm~ Is there anything else you are curious about?" "Um. There is." "Ohh~ I didn''t know you were so curious about me, my dear Princess." Chuckle* I blushed. He is making fun of me again. I looked away from him. "Princess¡­ Are you pouting now?" "No. I am not." "Okay Okay. I won''t tease you again. For now." I looked at him and said, "Huh?". Chuckle* "I am joking. Sorry." Sigh~ I sighed. Anyways he looks so handsome when he smiles. "So what is it that you are curious about, Princess?" "It''s nothing." "No. Tell me what it is." "It''s really nothing." "You''re not going to tell me?" Aghh! Why is he making that puppy face?! Sigh~ "You are a werewolf, right?" "Yes." I looked away and said, "I was just curious about your beast form.". "Just that? Do you want to see?" "I can?" I looked at him excitedly. I have never seen a werewolf before. Chuckle" "Of course. You can see everything, Princess. But don''t get flustered later, Princess." And poof* Chapter 28 - To The Capital (Part 8) Episode 26 (His Beast Form) Isabella''s eyes widened. In the blink of an eye, Leonus turned into a wolf. A huge Wolf with black fur and red eyes¡­ I saw Rae in his dragon form. He had a majestic presence! But Leonus¡­ I don''t know what to say. His eyes look calm but somehow dangerous. Ahh¡­. What in the world... I was befuddled for a moment. Is this really him?! Did he really transform into his beast form because I told him so!! He was standing in the space between the two seats. But suddenly Leonus sat down and put his head on my lap. Wait a second¡­..?! No matter what, he is a Royal and a Crown Prince at that. Can he sit down in the carriage like that! "Your Highness?! What are you doing?! Please get up!" But instead of doing anything, the wolf was staring at me with his red eyes. "Your Highness!" It''s him, I guess. Even though he is in his beast form, he is looking at me the same way he always does. Aghh! What do you want me to do! "L-Leonus?" He then started wagging his tail. What am I supposed to do?! Does he want me to touch him? I slowly forwarded my hand and touched his head. In response, he started rubbing his head with my hand. S-So cute~ I started patting him without realizing it! I didn''t know that their furs could be this soft! I can''t stop touching it! So fluffy~ I could feel his body become stiff whenever I touched him. He must be feeling uncomfortable. What is wrong with me! I then stopped touching him and removed my hand. Leonus didn''t move and kept sitting on the carriage while lying his head on my lap. Is he asleep? Is he going to continue the journey in this form? It will be uncomfortable though. Anyways, where are we even? I wonder how long we will have to stay in the carriage¡­ No sooner had I started thinking about that, the carriage stopped. Hmm? Why did the carriage stop? Wait a second¡­ What if someone sees Leonus like this?! Suddenly- Knock* Knock* "Your Highness, we have arrived at the Portal." Huh? Another one?! I looked through the window. This place also had a round ruined architecture. It was covered with layers of snow. And there aren''t any flowers like there were on the first portal. It is a portal situated deep in the forest of Amsterrade Territory. Fellmirr sure is a blessed Empire. In our Loire, some magicians can use Teleportation but there isn''t any single portal there. Only ancient magicians are able to create such complicated magical structures. Knock* Knock* Ughh! I got sidetracked. I should wake Leonus up. I turned away from the window. "Leo-" Gasp* Knock* Knock* "Your Highness?" The Knight from outside asked curiously. "Tch! Shut up! I am coming." Wha- Wh... Chuckle* "Princess? Are you interested in this form too? " Leonus said while smirking. Aghh! Why is he naked! "Well, don''t stare like that. You are making me shy, Princess. I mean, I did tell you that I will show you everything. But I didn''t know Princess is this much interested in my body." My face turned red! I hurriedly looked away and covered my face with both hands! What did I just see?! Dear lord! I have sinned! I have just seen a man''s naked body! Chuckle* He is smiling! Aghh! He must be thinking I am weird or something. Aghh! When did he even transform back to his human form!? Was he even asleep? How shameful! I can hear a rustling sound. He must be wearing his clothes now. Ahh! What am I even thinking! Suddenly Leonus came close to my ear and said slowly, "Princess... Are you sure you don''t want to see?" Why would I even want to see that?! I nodded rapidly. "Am I that ugly?" What? What is even talking about?! Knock* Knock* "Y-Your Highness?" "Tch! Didn''t I tell you to shut up!" Eek~ The knight shivered at Leonus''s scold. Sigh~ "Princess." "¡­" Why are you calling me? "Princess¡­" "W-what is it?" "Look at me." "N-No!" "Princess¡­ please." Aghh~ I can never disobey his words. I slowly removed my hand from my face and turned around. Phew~ He is wearing his clothes now. "I can''t believe this. You were pe-" "Your Highness! We can''t activate the portal without you! So please come out!" "Sh*t. I will be going, for now, princess." Leonus said while kissing my hand. After that, he got out of the carriage with a smirk. Aghh~ Why is this happening to me! I can just die out of embarrassment! I covered my face with both hands while thinking about my most shameful memory. * * * After a while, the portal activated with a huge rumbling noise. Unlike the previous portal, this one was covered with mist. I wonder why they couldn''t activate it without Leonus. Is it because he is a Royal? I wonder. Anyways this time everyone passed through the portal quickly. It was foggy inside the portal too. After passing the portal, Ella got in the carriage. ["Princess, His Highness, the Crown Prince ordered me to accompany you through the rest of the journey." "Ah- Is that so?... Sure~."] I guess he has some work to do. "Ella." "Yes, Princess." "Where are we now?" "We are in the Dedra Territory now, Princess." "I see." I read about this in a book. Although it wasn''t much. I just know that this is the nearest Territory to the Capital of Fellmirr. And it is in the south of Fellmirr, totally opposite of Amsterrade. The portals sure are useful! If it weren''t for it it would''ve taken months to reach the Capital. I wonder who rules this Territory. "This Territory is managed by the Lion Beastmen. And the territory we were in, Amsterrade, is managed by the Snow Bear Beastmen." "Oh. Thanks for informing me about that, Ella." "What are you saying, Princess?! It is my pleasure to serve you." It feels awkward when someone says that. "Anyways Ella. Are we going to stay in the Lion''s mansion then?" "Oh, No. It will be the opposite then. You see they stay in the south part of Dedra Territory and the Capital is next to the North part of the Dedra Territory." "I see." That must be why they didn''t go to the Snow Bear''s mansion. I mean, if a Noble visits a territory that is managed and owned by another Noble, the Noble who is visiting the certain Territory normally stays as a guest in the care of the Noble that owns that certain Territory. "Instead we are going to make a camp in the forest for tonight, Princess." Ella smiled and said. "Is that so?" "Yes!" Well, it is not that cold here compared to that of Amsterrade. I guess it will be okay. Chapter 29 - To The Capital (Part 9) Episode 27 (Want Me To Come In?) * * * It''s been a few hours since we had continued the journey. And the Knights along with the rest of the group have stopped to take a break and to have lunch. It''s noon, I guess. Even though it was snowing the sky was pretty bright. Knock* Knock* "Princess, may I come in?" It''s Ella. She went outside the carriage to bring the meal. I guess she is back. "Come in." Ella came in with a tray. She then put down the tray and removed the cover. It was the usual soup and bread. "Did you have your meal, Ella?" "Oh, no. How can I eat before you, My lady?! I will have my meal after you are done." "Come here. Have some of this." I pointed at bread and said to Ella. "But Princess! How can someone like me ha-" Mmf- I put a loaf of bread in her mouth. "Shh~. You shouldn''t speak while eating." Ella''s eyes were teary. She lowered her head and ate the bread. After that, both Ella and Isabella finished the meal together. After a while, when everyone was finished having their meal, the journey continued. Rattle* Rattle* Ella fell asleep in her seat. She must have been tired. I wonder if Leonus had his meal. He hasn''t come inside the carriage since the morning. I hope he is okay. * * * Neigh~ I woke up at the sound of horses. The carriage wasn''t moving. I looked outside. It''s already dark. How long have I been asleep? When did I even fall asleep! Sigh~ "Good Evening, Princess. You are finally awake." "Ella¡­ Where are we?" "In a forest of the Dedra Territory, Princess. His Highness ordered us to rest here for the night." "I see. When?" "It was an hour ago Princess. It has been an hour since we stopped here." "Oh¡­" "Princess, please excuse me for a moment." Ella bowed and said. "Ah- yes." She then left the carriage. I looked outside through the window. The camp was made in an open ground of the forest. Darkness gradually covered the whole forest announcing the arrival of night. The Speranza''s fire was blazing as if rejecting that darkness. What a breathtaking sight! Hahaha~ I can hear the laughter and chattering of the Knights. Everyone was busy with their work. Some of the Knights were setting up the tent, some were carrying firewood, some knights were making bonfires and some were busy chatting and laughing among themselves. How lively! It was a warm atmosphere. Although I can never be a part of it. Just like now, I will always be alone... Knock* Knock* "Princess. I am coming in." His Highness? He opened the carriage door and came inside the carriage. There was a shawl in his hand. He gently wrapped it around my shoulder. "Princess. Let''s go outside". "Huh? Okay." I wanted to ask why but didn''t say anything in the end. Leonus got down from the carriage first and forwarded his hand. He then helped me to get down from the carriage. "Princess¡­ You don''t look so good." Leonus said while swiping my hair. "Huh? But I slept for almost half of the journey." And I am eating well too. What is he saying? "That''s not what I meant." "Huh?" "Sigh~ Nevermind. Come with me." Leonus then grabbed my hand and led me towards a tent. It looked more extravagant than the other tents. "Get inside, Princess." "You are not coming?" Chuckle* "If you still say that after getting inside the tent, I will definitely come running, my dear." Leonus came close to my ear and whispered while smirking. Why is he saying that? What is inside the tent? "So hurry up and get inside, princess. Let me know if you want me to come." "I-I am going." I hurriedly went inside the tent. This- "Oh, princess. You are already here? We have prepared a warm bath for you." There were 2 other maids beside Ella. Ah- A bath¡­ "Princess, What do you think now? Should I com-" "No!" No way! I had no idea that there could be a bath here. Chuckle* "Sure~ Let me know if you change your mind. Well then, I am going." My face turned red. I can''t believe he said that when others were around. "Princess! Come this way." After that Ella and the other maids took off my dress. They then wrapped a white piece of cloth around my chest. It was short and covered till my thigh. Anyways after that, I got into the tub. The water was really warm. Uhh~ This is so relaxing! "I want to be alone now." "As you wish, My Lady." Ella and the maids then left the tent. I leaned on the edge of the tub and closed my eyes. The warm water swept all my tiredness away. Haa~ Did Leonus arrange this for me? Is that the reason he didn''t come inside the carriage since the morning? I should thank him. Come to think of it, he did so many things for me. But I never thanked him. Anyways, I feel a little thirsty. I looked around. There was water on a table that was a little bit away from the bath. I got up to get the water to drink. But while walking I slipped on the ground. Kyaa~ Ouch! My back hurts! "Princess! Are you okay? Ah-" Huh?! Aahhh~ I screamed. "G-get out!" "Y-Yes. But you are-" "Just get out!" "Yes. Yes." Leonus then hurriedly got out of the tent. After a minute, Ella and one other maid came in. "My Lady! What in the world just happened? Are you okay?" "Yes." Ella then helped me to get up. After that, I got into the bath again. This time Ella and the other maid helped me clean up. Ughh~ How shameful! What am I supposed to do! Good thing that Ella wrapped around that cloth. But still- How can he just burst in like that! I can never look at his face¡­ Ever again. Haa~ After the bath, Ella and the other maid helped me change into a light coloured dress. "Princess." "Yes?" "The Knights have arranged a feast tonight." "Oh?" "So will you come to join us on that?" "Huh?" I don''t want to. What if Leonus is there? "Please, Princess." "Ok-okay." Ahh! This mouth of mine. "Really?! Thank you so much, Princess!" Sigh~ I just dug my own grave.... (T-T) Chapter 30 - To The Capital (Part 10) Episode 28 (Pathetic) * * * After a while, Ella finished combing my hair. "Princess, should I do a braid?" "No. Just let it be like this." "As you wish." After that Ella brought a shawl made out of white fur and wrapped it around my shoulder. The shawl was really soft and silky. "Shall we go now, Princess?" No! I don''t want to! "Y-yes." I then got up from the stool and slowly started getting out of the tent. Ella and the other maid were following me from behind. As soon as I got out of the tent, a cold breeze tickled my nose. It was snowing lightly. I looked in front of me. There were small bonfires here and there in the area of the camp and a huge one in the middle. There was a long table under a shade, filled with different kinds of food and fruits I have never seen before. Some knights were sitting surrounding the big bonfire and were chatting with each other. Some of them were having their meal. Some of them were standing in front of the table with worried faces as they couldn''t choose what to eat. Some were drinking liquor from a wooden mug. Three maids were sitting in a corner basking the heat from a small bonfire and chatting among themselves while eating. The whole atmosphere was full of laughter and chattering. My heart felt warm just by seeing that. I had a smile on my face without knowing. "Greetings, Princess." "Oh, it''s the Crown Princess!" "Her Highness is here." "Greetings!" "How are you feeling, Crown Princess?" "I am fine. Thank you." Everyone stood up and greeted me while bowing. They then started asking different questions. Their words were full of worries and care. I lowered my head. Do I really deserve this? Someone like me? They are so kind. "Are you looking for His Highness, Princess?" "Ah-" "His Highness and Sir Blaine went somewhere. Don''t worry, Princess. They will be back any minute now." "I see." I wonder what happened. "Anyways Princess, thanks to you we can rest a bit." "Yes! We are really grateful!" (T-T) A knight said while wiping his tears. "Huh?" "You don''t know how much he tortures us, Princess." Another knight said with a horrified expression. "T-torture?" "Yes. When we were travelling to the Loire he didn''t let us rest, even for a bit." (T-T) "Yes. He even made us run for hours in this cold weather." "Oh? Is that so? I guess I have been easy on you guys these days." Leonus said from behind. "Ca-Captain!" "Eek~" "When did he come?" "We are doomed!" "You should have thought about that before opening that mouth of yours." "Sir Blaine!" A knight said Blaine''s name eagerly as if waiting for him to say anything. "D-Don''t drag me into this." Blaine said nervously while looking the other way. "Princess! You''ve gotta help us!" A knight said tearfully. "I-I¡­" "Princess, come here." Uhh! I can''t! I still haven''t forgotten what happened a while ago! I am still standing nervously. Suddenly Leonus grabbed my hand and dragged me near the carriage in a hurry. "Princess. Get in." "But-" "Princess. Do as I say." "Ah. Okay." He is angry¡­ His eyes are red. I hurriedly got into the carriage. After that Leonus closed the carriage door. Thud! I wonder what happened. Does he not want me to stay there? But I promised Ella that I was going to join the feast. Sigh~ Isabella sighed and leaned on the carriage seat. Hahaha! Suddenly she burst into laughter. But a moment later she stopped. "¡­" ''I am pathetic!'' Isabella thought with a sorrowful face. * * * After half an hour, Ella came in with different kinds of foods. "I don''t feel like eating right now, Ella." "But My Lady-" "Please. Take them back." "At least have some of these." Ella said while forwarding some fruits. "Ella-" "Please, My Lady." Sigh~ "Okay. Keep the fruits and take back the rest." "Yes." After that, I slowly finished the fruits. I feel like vomiting. But I have to keep them in my stomach¡­ [ "No matter where you go, you can never be at peace! A monster like you!" "Do you think that monster Crown Prince loves you? He is just using you! No one can love a monster like you! No one!" "Wherever you go! Everyone will use you! You will be hated everywhere!" ] The words of that day stabbed my mind like thorns. My heart feels so heavy. It feels like there is a lump in my throat. I clenched my chest with one hand. Yes. That''s right. How can I forget! I am a monster. * * * That day I was alone in the carriage. I couldn''t sleep at all. And the next morning the Knights woke up early and started to set off the tents. After finishing that, they hurriedly had their breakfast and continued the journey. It''s been two weeks since then. In all that time, Leonus never came to visit me. As we continued the journey, the amount of snowfall seemed to decrease magnificently. I can see the sky clearly today. What a strange place this is! One side of this place is a deep forest and the other a valley of the desert. It''s the middle of the night. I can''t sleep. Is it because I slept in the carriage for almost half of the journey? It was already evening when the Knights stopped and set up their camp here. We will stay here for the night. Sigh~ I feel a bit lonely. I have been staying alone in the Carriage for two weeks now. The first two days Ella did accompany me in the carriage. But after that, she only came to give me food and help me to bathe or dress up. I looked outside the window. I opened the carriage window as there wasn''t much snowfall here. Whoosh~ A fresh cold breeze touched my skin creating a tingling sensation. I looked at the sky. It''s a red full moon¡­ The light of the moon reached the inside of the carriage. I rested my head on the side of the carriage window and closed my eyes. The cold breeze somehow felt relaxing. My heavy heart feels a little better now. Howl~ I opened my eyes in surprise. The cry of a wolf?!.. Not only that I can also hear many other monsters howl and cry. What is going on? Should I go out? Aghh! Suddenly I remembered Ella''s words. At the time of dinner- [ "Greetings, My Lady." Ella bowed and said. "Here''s your dinner." "Umm. Yes." "..." "Ella¡­" "Yes, My Lady?" "When will we reach the Capital?" "Tomorrow, My Lady" "I see." "And My Lady..." "Huh? What is it?" "His Highness the Crown Prince ordered you to not get out of the carriage today no matter what." "What?" "Please don''t get outside of the carriage no matter what happens, My Lady." Ella bowed and begged eagerly. Huh? Why is she behaving like that? "Okay. I won''t." "Promise me." Huh? Isn''t that a bit excessive? I don''t go outside the carriage anyways. But whatever if it reassures her- "Okay. I promise I won''t go out." "Thank you so much." Ella replied with a sigh of relief. "And My Lady, keep the windows closed." "Huh? What''s going on?" "Uhh¡­ It''s nothing. I just don''t want My Lady to catch a cold." Ella replied nervously. "Is that so?" "Of course." "Sigh~ I will." ] I totally forgot about that! I hurriedly closed the carriage window. What should I do? Is everyone okay? Now that I think about it I can''t see anyone around here. Neigh~ I can hear Speranza''s desperate neighing in the distance. Aghh! What''s going on? Sigh~ Why did I promise Ella? If I didn''t promise her, I would''ve gone outside- But to do what? What can someone like me do? I remembered something. As Leonus wasn''t coming I went to him 5 days ago. I was worried that something might have happened to him. < It was night. Leonus was in his tent. He was standing in front of a table filled with different papers. He seems worried about something. But anyways he looks healthy! I sighed in relief and was going to enter the tent slowly. "Princess!" Leonus looked in the direction I was coming and said. How does he know I am here? I slowly entered the tent. "Why are you here, Princess?" Leonus looked a bit surprised at first but soon came back to his usual self and said while looking away from me. "Uhh. I was worried about you and-" "Princess, you don''t have to." Leonus said loudly while covering his face with his hand. Flinch! I can see his red eyes between the gaps of his fingers. Is he angry? But why? I didn''t do anything! "Princess! Don''t come to find me from now on!" Thump! My chest hurts! Are you angry just by seeing my face? "I-I apologize." I feel like crying. I was just here to see you. I was just worried that something had happened to you! Am I not allowed to do even that? "Sigh~ You are not helping! Please return to your carriage. And don''t come outside unless you are told to." "I-" "Hurry up and go back, Princess." "Okay." > That''s right. I can''t do anything! Nothing! Chapter 31 - The Guardian Trees Of Fellmirr Episode 29 (The Guardian Trees) * * * Dawn came in pushing off the Darkness of the long night. The passing light of dawn touched Isabella''s doll-like face as if caressing her. Chirp* Chirp* Flinch* Ah! It''s finally dawn. My head hurts. I couldn''t sleep at all last night. The cry of a Wolf¡­ The growl of ferocious beasts¡­ The sound of beasts fighting¡­ And The terrible memories of the past that haunted me like nightmares¡­ It was a dreadful night. I was lonely¡­ afraid. I was in despair... I thought they abandoned me. Creak~ "Greetings, My La-!" Flinch! It''s Ella. Now that I think about it, I can hear everyone''s bustling outside. Then was it just a nightmare? "My Lady! What happened? You look terrible!" "Do I?" Isabella said while looking outside the window. There were dark circles under her eyes. "My Lady, are you okay? Are you feeling sick?" Ella asked nervously. "..." "My Lady?" I am exhausted. "Should I go call His Highness?" I flinched. "No! Don''t! I don''t want to meet him. Please No. Don''t call him." "Ok-okay, My Lady. As you wish." "Ella." "Yes?" "Can you please bring me a glass of water? You see, I am thirsty." "Of course." Saying that Ella hurriedly got out of the carriage like a storm. She came back with the water in less than a minute. "Here, Princess!" Ella poured water into a glass and forwarded it towards me. I grabbed the glass from her hand. But I couldn''t hold it... My arm felt weak. I don''t have any energy. As soon as the glass dropped from my hand, Ella caught it. "My Lady! You are definitely not okay." "I am fine. I just feel a bit weak." "Here drink the water." Ella helped me drink the water. "Ella." "Yes, My Lady?" "Don''t tell anything about me to His Highness." "But My L-" "Please." Ella bit her lips. "Yes." "Thank you." "Please excuse me." Ella bowed and went outside the carriage. She soon came back with a bowl of water. "My Lady, let me wash-" "I will do it." "As you wish." I feel a little better after washing off. "I will bring your breakfast." "Just bring some juice." "But Princess, You had just fruits at dinner yesterday." "I will eat lunch properly." "I- I understand." Ella said slowly while clenching her fist. * * * Rattle* Rattle* The carriage is moving in a wide street. It''s been an hour since we had continued the journey. At first, we were passing by just a forest or a desert valley in the snow flurries. But after an hour, we entered a bustling town. It was filled with kids'' laughter and people''s chitter-chatter. People were crowding the street to watch the group. They were all wearing warm clothes made of wool. I can''t distinguish between the Beastmen and the normal people except for the young children. They can''t control their power properly. As a result, their transformation is not completed. The kid with long pointy ears¡­ is probably a rabbit shapeshifter. Another kid has a long furry tail¡­ Perhaps a fox? Another kid with cat ears¡­ Definitely a cat shapeshifter. There were different kinds of young Beastmen. I had a fun time guessing their kind. It was really fascinating. The kids were watching us with sparkling eyes filled with curiosity. They were asking different kinds of questions to their parents. "Mom! Mom! Who is on dat(that) big carrge(Carriage)?" "It''s the princess." "Gasp! A prinshes(Princess)!" "Hahaha! Yes." "Can I shee(see) her, mom?" "We can, but after a few days." "Aww! But why?" "Because the Princess is tired. She had a long journey." "Ohh~" "Grandma, look! It''s the Crown Prince!" "Yes." "So cool! I wanna be like him when I grow up!" "Hohoho! Is that so?" "Yes! I am gonna be as big, strong and cool as him!" "You must be joking, fatty." "What? You!" "Did you see the Crown Prince? He is so handsome~" "You girls won''t understand." "Is that so? Humph! Look at your belly! It''s gonna burst." "My mom said it''s my baby fat." "Yeah. Yeah." Hahaha! I burst into laughter. So cute~ Kids are so pure and innocent! Be it a Beastman, a normal human or a Wizard! Phew~ Thanks to those kids, I feel so much better now. Suddenly the carriage stopped. I looked through the window. We were in front of a huge wall. Gasp* Is it made of trees?! Huge trees with red flowers. Some of them even touched the clouds. The trees were standing adjacent to each other. Even though it was snowing, the leaves of the trees were still beautiful green in colour. Beautiful flowery vines were wrapped around those trees like accessories! I stopped breathing at the marvellous sight. The trees are around 100 feet tall. But among them, there was one tree that surpassed the others. It was probably 150 feet tall. It was in the centre. The colour of that tree was vivid green. And it was filled with different colours of flowers. Every one of the trees must be thousands of years old to be that long! Marvellous! Knock* Knock* "Princess, May I come in?" "Yes." Creak~ After that, Ella came in. "Greetings, Princess." Ella bowed and said. "I am here to inform you that we reached the Capital of Fellmirr." "The wall¡­" "You mean The Guardian Trees." "The Guardian Trees?" "Yes, Princess. They are known as the Guardian Tress of Fellmirr, Princess. And the big one is known as the Mother of the Guardians, Oakia. It is said that it is part of the legendary Wisdom tree." The wisdom tree? The one in the Realm of Myths?! Zylbon? Sigh~ There are so many things I don''t know. Anyways- "They are beautiful." "Yes. They are." Ella said with a smile. ''Phew~ She looks much better now.'' "It will take half an hour to reach the Royal Castle of Fellmirr." "I see." "Then please excuse me now." "Yes. And thank you, Ella." "It''s my greatest pleasure to work for you, Princess." Saying that Ella bowed and got out of the carriage. After a minute, the carriage started moving towards the Guardian Trees. * * * There is a huge area under the trees. The carriage is moving on a road that was built in the middle. And the rest of the areas were covered with different kinds of trees. It was almost like a forest. It will probably take half an hour to pass the area under the Guardian Trees by carriage. Snow seems to have stopped flowing here. Probably because it can''t pass the Trees. How magical! It''s as if the Guardian Trees are protecting this place. Bushes with Red flowers were in both corners of the road. Red flower petals were flowing down from the Guardian Trees almost as if they were welcoming us. Different colourful birds were flying around the area. And different kinds of beautiful beasts were seen. They are probably staying here because of the cold weather outside. Amazing! It''s like I am in another world. A world filled with love, care and life. I went away from the window and leaned on the seat. Haaa~ Chirp* Chirp* It''s been a while since I have heard this¡­ The sound of life¡­ It''s peaceful.. I slowly closed my eyes, losing myself in the realm of sleep. Chapter 32 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Ritual (Part 1) Episode 30 (The Sound Of Annoyance) * * * PoPoo~ I woke up to the sudden noise. It''s the sound of a horn. I hurriedly looked outside. It''s snowing. A huge crowd was surrounding the street. A group of knights were struggling to keep them away from the streets. "His Highness the Crown Prince, Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr has returned to the Capital along with Her Highness the Crown Princess, Isabella Albus Carados Fellmirr." Yaaay~ Woohoo~ "The Crown Prince!" "Welcome back!~" All the girls were screaming in joy after seeing the Knights. "Kyaa~ Look at the Knights! They have finally returned!" "D-Don''t cross the barrier." A knight who was in charge of handling the crowd, said while trying to stop the girls. "Sir Blaine~" "Tch! Go back to the line." Another knight said while doing the same thing. "Yaay~ Sir Blaine~!" "Damn it! They are possessed by the dark spirit or something! Go back already!" But despite their efforts, the girls continued their cheering while trying to cross the line. "Hmm~ Where is the Crown Princess?" A woman said while looking at the crowd. "She must be in the carriage." "Well, I guess~. Fellmirr is colder than the Loire after all." "Mmm-hmm." An elder agreed while nodding his head. Pfft* The people here sure are lively. Anyways I looked at the front. An enormous Castle can be seen at a distance. Loire Castle is nothing compared to this. It was a huge Black Castle. I wonder how many people live in such a big castle. * * * It took half an hour to reach the border of the Royal Castle and another 15 minutes to actually reach the Castle. There was a huge area surrounding the castle. It was covered with different kinds of trees which were all covered in snow. It was almost like a forest. There were hundreds of servants standing In front of the main gate of the Royal Castle to welcome us. Creak~ Suddenly Leonus opened the carriage door. "Princess¡­" Leonus said while forwarding his hand. It''s been two weeks since he talked with me. For some reason, he looks really tired. I put my hand on his hand and was trying to get down from the carriage. But my legs felt numb and I was going to fall. I closed my eyes tightly. It must be because I was sitting for hours. Ughh! Now everyone will see me falling! How humiliating! And to add to my embarrassment, I ended up falling into Leonus''s arm! "Princess, are you going to stay like this?" Leonus said while coming close to my ears. I blushed and hurriedly got away from him. Embarrassing! "Welcome to Fellmirr, Princess." Leonus smiled softly with his tired face. For some reason, my heart aches a lot. I looked at the front to avoid his gaze. And the servants came to my view. They all had a surprised look on their faces. They must be surprised to see me falling. Aghh! So embarrassing! Suddenly a maid with light brown hair came in front of me with a smile on her face. "Welcome to Fellmirr, Princess! I am Cande! I will guide you to your room. Please follow me!" "Y-Yes." I looked behind. Leonus was still standing while looking at me with a tired gaze. "Princess, shall we go?" "Oh, yes. Lead the way." "Yes. This way, please." * * * I am walking in the hallway on the sixth floor. The hallway is really long. From one end one can not see the other end of it. The white walls of the hallway were decorated with flawless designs of Gold. Different paintings of beasts, trees, dragons and people with Gold frames were hung on the walls. Who knows how many years of history they are carrying? There were just windows on the right side of the hallway. Some of them were open. Crystal-like white snow was coming out of them. Beautiful~ "Princess, this is the room you will be staying in." The maid suddenly stopped Infront of a large door. The door itself was made of Gold, revealing the importance of the person who will be residing there. Two knights were standing on both sides of the door. They bowed their heads after seeing me. "His Highness, the Crown Prince himself prepared this room for you, Princess." "Is that so?" When though? Before going to the Loire? Then is it for Rubena? My heart started aching again. Suddenly the door opened with a loud noise. Thud! Creak~ " You a-- H-- Hi-- will be residing here tog-- from now on. Then please excuse me." The maid bowed and left. What did she say? I couldn''t hear properly as I was looking at the door. How is it opening with anyone pushing it? Magic? Probably. I slowly walked inside the room. Gasp* A huge room¡­ No room is not the right thing to say. It was like a chamber. There were like 4 rooms. Each room was divided by beautiful doors with gold works. First, there is a parlor room. After that, a walking space. There were two rooms situated parallelly on two sides of the walking space. One room is like a library and the other is like a study. And at the end of the walking space, is the bedroom. I was really excited to see the bookshelves¡­ No more like huge walls filled with books. There were so many books I have never seen before. And there were many windows, so the room was really bright. I can''t wait to read here. The bedroom was the biggest one. A huge mirror, a large bed in the middle, a candle holder on different sides of the room, a beautiful chandelier, a huge fireplace and a large window. The thing that made me happy the most was the balcony. As soon as I saw the door to the balcony, I hurriedly opened it. And- Swoosh~ A cold wind struck my entire body. Gasp* A wide balcony, almost the size of my room in the Loire Royal Palace. There is a large couch and a fireplace on the balcony! But the most beautiful thing was the view. I can see the Guardian Trees clearly from here. How beautiful! I can see the Royal Garden, more like the Royal Forest from here. Everything is covered in white. As if I am seeing a painting of Black and White. But when I look at the Guardian Trees, the white world covered in the snow seems like a lie. In the white world Green trees with Red flowers¡­ I will never get tired of seeing this. Is this really my room?! I can''t believe this! Haaa~ I wish it''s not for her- My eyes widened! What did I just think?! For her! No way. Well, it''s not like I am jealous or anything. I just don''t want to be treated the same way I am treated in the Loire. Yes¡­ That''s it! Yes¡­ Definitely. "My Lady!" Flinch* I looked back in surprise. "My Lady~! I missed you so much!" "A-Anne." "Do you know how much I have suffered?!" "A-" "Forget it! You don''t, do you? I had to work for the Knights! I had to do everything!" Anne said while jerking Isabella''s shoulder. "An-" "You must have been travelling in warmth and comfort on that Carriage! Do you know how much I have suffered!" "I-" "You don''t, do you? I have come all the way here, to Fellmirr, just for you, My Lady! How could you abandon me! How could you!" "Anne, I-I apolog-" "Apologize? Don''t. Just let me stay with you from now on." "O-Okay." "Good job. My Lady. You are the best." ''More like dumbest.'' "Ah-" "Anyways I will prepare your bath now." "I will bathe after resting for a bit. I am ti-" "What? What are you saying, My Lady? Hah!" ''Did she learn to defy me now! I should have stayed with her. Da*n it! I will have to stay by her side from now on.'' "An-" "My Lady! How are you even tired?! You just ride a carriage all the way. And a luxurious carriage at that! All you did was sit on it! How are you tired?" Anne said with bloody eyes. "Do you know how much I have been working ever since I came here?!" "I-" "Don''t say anything and just take a bath." Chapter 33 - [Bonus ] Anne ! Warning ! This episode contains strong language, violence and abuse which might be traumatizing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. Hello there! My name is Anne. I serve that 1st Princess Isabella. Umm¡­ You know, that dumb Female Lead of this novel. How the f*ck is that dumb bit*ch even a princess. I fit in that place more than her. Humph! Anyways I am actually working under the 2nd princess now. < One day the 2nd Princess called me to her room. I was already annoyed as I had to work for that dumb Princess. I wonder why she called me. Anyways, I went to her room and saw the 2nd Princess sitting on a luxurious couch. ''Shit! I wanna sit there too!'' But it''s not like I can. How tragic! Anyways I bowed and greeted her with a smile on my face, despite the fact that I am crying inside. "Greetings, Princess." "Oh my, you don''t have to bow. Raise your head." ''You don''t have to bow! As if! You bit*hes gonna beat the shit outta me if I don''t bow.'' I slowly raised my head and said like an obedient servant, "No way! It''s my greatest pleasure that I can bow to the great Princess of Loire!". ''Spit- As if!'' "Oh, dear! How sweet of you!" The second Princess covered her face with a fan and said happily. Tch- Bit*h! Anyways, who is that gorilla standing behind her? "Clara, bring the things I told you about before." "As you wish, My Lady." The maid behind the Princess bowed and said. After that, she left for somewhere. Oh! So that gorilla is Clara, the second princess''s personal maid! Tch! I am thousands of times better than her. "I have a favour to ask you, Ane." It''s Anne, bitch. "Oh, dear! How can someone so lowly like me give something to the Princess." Sigh~ Give me money first. Don''t you even know the basics?! "Don''t say that. Only you can do that." ''Bit*h! What is it that you want? Hurry up and Fu*ing say it already! And also the money.'' "Oh my, Princess! It''s my greatest luck to be able to do something for you. Just give me the order." "Such a sweet girl. Watch over my sister for me! I am so worried about her! Sob* Sob* Please tell me everything she does! I don''t want to see her in any trouble!" What the fu*k! You were just smiling a minute ago! Oh my god! She is one level ahead of me in acting. "Of course, Princess." At that time, the Gorilla had already come back with a small pouch in her hand and gave that to the 2nd Princess. The second Princess then handed it over to me. "Take this, Ane." What is this? "Thank you, Princess!" "Open it." "Okay." I opened the pouch and a golden light shone out of the pouch! Oh my god! Is this friggin gold! The light of gold! Sob* Sob* Ughh~ It''s turning me blind! "Princess! Thank you so much!" "No need for that. Just inform me about my sister every day! You will receive more of this." "I will." After that, I left her room in a great mood. > She ordered me to watch over that dumb bit*ch and inform her of every move. I don''t understand why though. Why does she want to know that nobody''s info? Anyways at first, I did watch over Isabella and inform her day to the 2nd Princess. But after some time I got bored. All she does is sleep, wake up, eat like a pig, walk in the garden and read freaking books. So I just inform the 2nd Princess about those things. And she believes whatever I say. Humph! Another Dumba*s. But my thoughts of the 2nd Princess totally changed after one day. That day I went to the 2nd Princess''s room to inform her about Isabella''s day as usual. < It was afternoon. I was walking in the hallway towards the 2nd Princess''s room. Sigh~ What a pain! To inform about a dumba*s to another Dumba*s! If it wasn''t for the gold, I wouldn''t have gone to that 2nd Princess anyways. Sigh~ I should hurry up. After I receive the gold, I will go to that bit*h Marigold. She works for the second princess. Probably she stole a ring from someone in the palace. How dare she show off that ring! It was made of stone anyways. I will show her what the real thing looks like. I can just take one from Isabella. She won''t even notice! Fufufu~ Anyways, I can''t serve her dinner tonight. After a few minutes, I reached near the 2nd Princess''s room. "Aghh~" "Forgive me!" What the heck! Who''s screaming like that? Am I imagining things now! Pfft~ Haha! Silly me! Anyways the Knight who was guarding her door opened it for me. And what I saw made me regret coming here. I slowly entered her room! Thud* Oh shit! That scared me! Can''t he close the door slowly? Sigh~ Anyways, why is the screaming sound increasing? Whip* Whip* "Aghh! I won''t do it again! I promise!" Shit! What the fuck! Why is there a whipping sound? Sh-should I go back? Gulp! I slowly removed the curtain! Gasp* The second princess was covered in blood. That gorilla was holding Marigold and the 2nd Princess was beating her with a whip! Marigold''s entire body''s skin was ripped except for her face. It was perfectly fine. Without a scratch! Oh my God! Don''t tell me you stole the ring from this psychopath! Wait a second! Does that mean that ring was made of diamond for real?! Whip* Whip* "Aghh! Princess! Forgive me!" But Rubena hit the maid without care. After a moment that maid passed out. Shit! Did she not see me? Should I go back? And how in the world is she hitting her with a smile! Oh my God! She is creepy as hell! And here I thought she looked innocent! Innocent my a*s! Sh*t! Sh*t! What should I do? "Oh! Anne¡­ You came? So tell me! About my dear lovely sister. Hahaha~" Rubena said while laughing like a madman. Her entire face was covered with blood. Anyways How is it that now she is saying my name right! She is a psycho! Anyways I should act normal. "The first Princess¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­" I told her everything the first Princess did as normally as I could. The second princess was sitting on her couch and listening to me eagerly with her crazy eyes. "I see. Anyways that girl stole a ring of mine you see. So I teach her a lesson. Tell me, am I wrong to do that?" You are not wrong! You are f*king crazy! "Of course not, Princess! You can never be wrong! It was her fault to steal your thing, to begin with." Anyways, why is she saying that to me! Does she know that I steal things from that Dumba*s! "I know, right? That bitch Isabella too! She stole Roberto from me, you see. So I should also teach her a lesson, right?" Phew~ So she hates her! Damn! I was scared there for a moment! " So will you help me?" Sh*t b*tch! Don''t drag me into your mess. "Of course, Princess." "Make her life hell. Make her so miserable that she begs for death every day! But I can''t die!" Rubena said with shiny eyes. Sh*t! That''s dark bi*ch! "A-As you wish, Princess." Princess my foot! She is a demon! "Anyways I quite like you, Anne. Clara." "Yes, Princess?" "Give Ane twice the amount of gold from now on." "Yes, Princess." "Oh my God! Thank you so much, Princess!" "No worries. And if the words about what happened here gets outside this room, sadly I will be forced to teach you a lesson!" "No way, Princess! What are you talking about? I don''t understand." "Pfft, ~ Hahahah! I like you. Anyways, go back now." "Yes, Princess." "Clara, get this body out of my room. Call a magician and remove her memory!" "Yes, Princess." Damn! I hurriedly got out of the room. > Sigh~ From that day onwards my life was a mess. I fu*king had to go to her every time she called me. Damn it! It''s not like I can refuse her request. Anyways my luck returned one day when the 2nd Princess asked me to go to Fellmirr with the first Princess. Yes! I don''t have to see her face anymore! And that gullible Isabella¡­ She will believe whatever I say! I will be the head maid there. Anyways the day of the departure a Fu*ing knight told me to get in a normal carriage. And whereas that dumb bit*h was sitting in a luxurious carriage. No way! I will sit there. If Isabella says that she wants me to sit there, no one will refuse. FuFu* I went inside her carriage without anyone noticing. It was so warm and comfortable there! I have never seen such a luxurious carriage in my life. This dumb Princess doesn''t deserve this! I was travelling on that carriage comfortably. Except for the time that Isabella bothered me! She was removing the curtains which disturbed my beauty sleep. But suddenly that Crown Prince came out of nowhere and asked me to get out. I couldn''t say no to him, as his eyes turned red. Well, no matter what, beasts are beasts. Anyways after that, they made me work with maids to serve meals to the Knights! No way! I didn''t agree to come to Fellmirr for this. It got worse when they made me continue my journey to the Capital of Fellmirr! No f*king way! I was the only maid there. What if a Knight goes crazy at my beauty and proposes to me! Sigh~ I guess I will have to accept that! It won''t be bad to get married to a Royal Knight. But nothing like that happened! Those drunkards made me work so hard! I had to wake up early and prepare their food! Wash their dirty clothes! Wash their plates! Screw it all! I will just go back to the Loire! Sob* Sob* But I can''t do that! That psycho Rubena will kill me for that. Rattle* Rattle* And now I am riding a freaking carriage. Shit! My back hurts! Damn it! That Dumba*s must be riding on that beautiful carriage! Sh*t! Anyways I already told a maid that she is cruel and also an example of her cruelty. Of course, all of them are true! I was talking about Princess Rubena, duh! If that maid misunderstands me, that is her fault! FuFu! The rumours about her must have already spread! Ouch! This damn road! It''s gonna make me disabled. Ouch! Sh*t! It hurts~! Sob* Sob* This isn''t what I was hoping for~ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Anyways, so yes! I am still alive, bitc*es! Ya think I will die that easily! No friggin way! I will come back to haunt you all! Mwahahahahah~ Ouch* Sob* My back~ ~ END ~ Chapter 34 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Ritual (Part 2) Episode 31 (Angry Ella) * * * Drip* Drip* Water droplets were slowly falling on the white marble floor creating a calming sound. Haa~ Isabella breathed out. As it was cold, her warm breath was visible. She was leaning on the side of the bathtub while resting her head on her arms. The steam of the warm water is covering her naked body as if to hide her mesmerising beauty. Her long wet golden hair was floating on the water. What an enchanting sight! I slowly opened my eyes. I wonder when I fell asleep. Well, it can''t be helped. I should get up now. Suddenly a ray of blue light came to my eye. I looked at my hand. The wedding ring was shining. It''s the colour of his eyes¡­ Leonus¡­ Sigh~ I should go back now. Ring* Ring* I rang the bell that was on a table near the bathtub. . . . I wonder what''s taking Anne so long. I rang the bell again. Ring* Ring* I should wait a few more minutes. I looked around the bathroom. It''s really beautiful! The whole bathroom is made of Beautiful white tiles. I have never seen a bathroom as large as this! The bathtub is so big that it can fit 4 people easily. There is a wide window covered with satin curtains and beautiful candle holders beside the tub. Haa~ Why isn''t she coming yet? Ring* Ring* I got up and walked out of the tub. Suddenly- "Princess! You called?" I flinched. Ella suddenly burst into the bathroom. Haa~ I sighed in relief. "Ella! It''s you!" "Oh! Pardon my rudeness, Princess. Greetings!" Ella gasped and bowed in a hurry. "Don''t worry about it. Get up." "Thank you, My Lady. Oh my! You are wet! You will catch a cold standing like this!" Ella then hurriedly got a towel and started wiping me. "Dear lord! Princess! How long have you been standing like this! I can''t believe this! When did you even come to take a bath?" "It''s¡­ Umm¡­ After we reached the palace¡­" "What? Princess! It''s already afternoon!" What? Afternoon! How long have I been sleeping?! And why didn''t Anne wake me up? Aghh! "I can''t believe this! Where is Anne! Tch! That¡­ Ughh! My Lady! You have to call me from now on! I can''t believe this¡­ ¡­ ¡­" Ella kept on fussing. I can''t believe she is so worried about me! Somewhere in my heart, it feels warm¡­ * * * "So why did you come here, Ella?" "Oh, that! I am assigned as your Personal Maid, My Lady." Ella said while drying off my hair with a towel. "I see." Well, she seems happy to serve me. And she is a good person too. It shouldn''t be a problem. "And I came here mainly to inform you about the Mating Ritual. But heard you ringing the bell. Honestly, I thought you were resting. But-" She''s going to nag again. "Mating Ritual?" "Huh? Yes. It''s a sacred ritual of the Royal Family of the Fellmirr. You can think of it as the Wedding Ritual of Fellmirr." "Oh. I have never heard about it." "Don''t worry, My Lady. It''s nothing that complicated. The Ritual will be at night. And it will be like the wedding in Loire¡­ Umm, there are some differences but that''s not something you should worry about. And there won''t be many people either." "Oh- Okay. At night¡­ You don''t mean ''Tonight'', right?" "Yes. It will be held tonight. At first the Ritual. Then a banquet. It will be a busy night today. So you should rest while you can." After a while, Ella helped me change into a nightgown. "My Lady, what do you want to eat?" "Nothing really. I am tired¡­" Yawn~ "But My Lady¡­" "And sleepy too¡­" "Ah- Okay. You can sleep." "Yes." "Then please excuse me." After that, Ella bowed and left the room. And I jumped into bed. The fireplace is burning while making crackling noise. It will be evening soon. I pulled the blanket. Haa~ It''s so warm. The bed is really soft too. I don''t understand. I just slept. And yet I feel sleepy again- * * * Ella was walking in the hallway. I can''t believe this! That b*tch Anne! How dare she! I have to give her a piece of mind. Poor Princess. What if she catches a cold! What if she drowned herself in the water! Aghh! I can''t even imagine! That b*tch! Not only did she lie about the Princess but also she neglected her. And here the Princess thinks so much about her! Sigh~ Well, I have to teach her a lesson in a way that she can''t even think of doing something like this again. I can''t let the Princess know about that though. But where is that b*tch anyways? After that, Ella started looking for Anne. * * * "My Lady! Tch! Wake up!" "Oh. Anne¡­ What is it?" Isabella got up while rubbing her eyes. "My Lady! I heard you have another maid!" "Are you talking about Ella?" "Yes! That one! How can you! How can YOU have two personal maids!" "She was assigned by the Crown Prince to be my maid, Anne." "What? That- Refuse her." "What?" "Say that you don''t need another maid." "Anne. You do know I can''t do that. And Ella is a good person." "You- How- Aghh! Forget it." Saying that Anne burst opened the door and got out of the room. Thud* "Why is she angry again?" Sigh~ I looked outside. It''s evening. Now I am not sleepy anymore. What to do... Well, I can read some books. I slowly got up from bed and started heading towards the room that had a huge bookshelf. Or should I call it my small library? * * * ''That f*king b*tch! How dare she! I can''t believe this!'' Anne was walking in the hallway. She was furious thinking about Ella. ''How dare she threaten me! That animal!'' < The Maid''s Quarter Half an hour ago. Bam! Ella burst open the door and said angrily, "You! Hey, you! Get up!". The Servant''s Quarter¡­ It''s on the East and West sides of the ground floor of the Royal Castle. It''s a place where the workers of the Castle stay. The east side was used by male workers. And the west was used by the female workers which was mostly known as the Maid''s Quarter. The maids quarter had almost 20 rooms. Each room has 4 beds. Except for the night, it remains empty most of the time. As the maids remain busy working most of the time especially in the morning and evening. Only on rare occasions like if a maid is sick, does she stay in her room. It''s evening. One of the busiest hours for the maids. As they had to light up the whole Castle and prepare dinner for everyone. But today is the busiest day for all the servants of the Castle. It''s because of the Welcome Banquet for the Crown Princess. All the servants were busy since the morning decorating the banquet hall and also preparing food for all the guests who will be present at the banquet. But one person was sleeping peacefully in her bed. And she wasn''t sick. It was Anne. "Tch! What is it? How can you enter my room like that?" Anne said angrily while rubbing her eyes. "You-! How dare you! How can you leave the Crown Princess unattended!" Ella said angrily. "What''s wrong with that? She was sleeping anyway." "What? You- She was sleeping in the tub! And you left her there like that!" Ella said while clenching her fist. "Tch! Shut up! The water was hot anyways. She won''t catch a cold." "You- Are you dumb?" "What? Did you just call me Dumb?" Anne angrily got up from bed. "What if she had drowned herself in the water? What would you do? Do you know what you have just done?" "She didn''t really drown, did she?" "...Hah! I can''t believe this!" Ella scoffed. "Wh-" Ella interrupted her in the middle and grabbed her by the neck. She then said in a bloody tone, "Do you know what you have done? She is the Crown Princess, the Future Empress of our Fellmirr. Not only have you failed to serve her properly, but also you neglected your duties as her personal maid¡­ Negligence towards a Royal Family Member. Because of you, she could have died. Do you know it''s nothing less than Capital Offense, an attempted murder of a Royal!" "What? A-Attempted murd-" "You don''t probably know this, but I am a Beastman too. You know what¡­ I want to kill you and rip you to pieces right at this very moment. And if I do¡­ No one will say a thing to me. You know why? Cause I will reveal everything you have done until now. You think I don''t know anything. Her Highness, the Crown Princess told me everything you did to her. What will happen if the Crown Prince knows that? Do you want to know?". Anne collapsed on the floor while trembling in shock. "From the looks of it, you probably don''t¡­" "..." "I am warning you! If this happens again, I will let everyone know what you have done until now. And also the fact you lied to me on the first day." "Y-" "Oh! Another thing. I am also the Crown Princess''s personal maid now. So don''t forget, I will always be watching you." Saying that Ella left the room. > "Aghh! That f*king animal!" Haa~ Calm down, Anne! You have to think about something! Something that will break the trust between those two. Here I thought I won''t ruin her reputation here. But I guess I will have to do that. Hahaha~ I am sorry, My Lady! But you brought this upon yourself! An evil smirk was visible on Anne''s face. Chapter 35 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Ritual (Part 3) Episode 32 (The Empress) * * * Hmm~ Which book should I read? There are so many! Every room was already lit when I came outside the bedroom. I was really happy, as in the Loire I had to light up all the candles including the fireplace of my room. Although I didn''t mind doing that. But sometimes when it got really dark and cold, It was really hard to do that. As I hate dark places. I feel suffocated whenever I am in one. Sigh~ I shouldn''t think about that. After that Isabella started looking at the books again. And after a while, a book caught her attention. That book¡­ It was a book with a blue velvet cover. For some reason, it was sparkling. But it''s at the top¡­ Hmm~ I looked around the room and found a wooden ladder. I moved the ladder in front of the shelf where the book was. As there were wheels under the ladder, it was easy to move around. I was getting up, suddenly- Knock* Knock* I flinched at the sudden noise. "Your Highness, the Crown Princess. It''s me, Cande. May I come in?" I hurriedly got down from the ladder. "Yes. Come in." "Greetings, Princess." Cande bowed and said. "It''s time for you to prepare for the Ritual." "Okay. Let''s go." "Yes, Princess." * * * When I reached my room, 10 maids including Ella were already there. Although I couldn''t see Anne anywhere. They were preparing my dress and the other accessories. As soon as I entered my room, the maids bowed and greeted me. "Greetings, Crown Princess. We are here to prepare you for the ceremony." "Ah- Okay." After that, the maids started to undress me. "My Lady! You will be wearing this for the Ritual." Ella said and showed me a white dress. It was a long white sleeveless dress. It wasn''t puffy. But it was too revealing! The dress was backless. "Umm. Ella." "Yes, My Lady? "Isn''t the dress too revealing?" "It is traditional attire for the Ritual, Princess. Honestly, the previous ladies wore dresses more revealing than this." What? How can it be more revealing than this?! "But don''t worry, Princess. Your back will be covered by your hair. So there won''t be any problem." "I guess." After that, the maids helped me wear the dress. Ughh! So shameful! It''s revealing too much skin on my chest. Gasp* The maids of the room gasped at Isabella''s beauty. "You look beautiful, Princess." "Do I?" I''m uncomfortable though. "Yes! You really do!" Cande replied with enthusiasm. "Absolutely, My Lady! You are the prettiest!" Ella added. "Yes!" "You are like an angel, Princess!" The other maids started praising too. Ah. My face feels hot. "Th-Thank you, everyone." ''She is so cute~'' Everyone in the room thought at the same time. "Ah! We haven''t done her hair yet." Cande suddenly remembered. "Ha! Yes! And the accessories too." Ella added. After that, the maids started doing my hair. As planned, my hair was left untied. And a beautiful head chain was put on my wavy hair. "The necklace-" "Don''t. It''s a gift from My Lady''s grandfather. She cherishes it a lot." Ella informed Cande. "Oh, I see. Then the Princess doesn''t have to change it." "I apologize. But if it''s necessary I will change it." "No way, Princess. No need to change that. I should have known that the chain was important to you from the beginning." Cande said eagerly. They are so considerate. "Thank you." Isabella said with a gentle smile. "Princess, Your hand." "Oh, here." I forwarded my hand. Then a maid tied a Golden bracelet that had a beautiful crystal that looked like a burning fire. "It''s a Fire Stone, Princess. Her Highness, the Empress designed it especially for you. To make sure you stay warm." "The Empress?" "Yes." "I see." It took an hour for me to prepare for the Ritual. Suddenly the Knight outside my room announced a presence. "Her Highness, the Empress Alicia Cedric Carados Fellmirr is entering the room." Wha- The Empress?! Every maid in the room bowed their heads. I hurriedly got up from the chair. And in a minute, the Empress entered the room. So pretty~ She is probably the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Silver hair¡­ Silver eyes¡­ She looks kind of familiar. "Greetings, Her Highness, the Empress." Isabella gracefully bowed and greeted the empress. "Greetings! Everyone, leave us alone." "As you wish, Her Highness." The maids then bowed again and left the room. "You¡­" The empress said with a loud voice and slowly started walking towards me. I looked down. Is she going to hit me? What am I supposed to do? Isabella gulped. Step* Step* As she walked closer, it became hard for me to breathe. My hands were shaking. And in a minute, she was right in front of me. Suddenly she grabbed my shoulders and pulled me towards her. "Kyaa~ You are so cute~" Alicia said while cuddling Isabella. Wha-What? "Oh, dear! I can''t believe this! How come my stubborn son got a Pretty mate like you! Are you an angel? Kyaa~ You are so cute~ But why are you so skinny?! Aghh! You have to eat more! That Leonus! He can''t even take good care of his one and only mate¡­ ¡­ ¡­" Huh? Huh~? What''s going on? * * * When the Empress entered my room she looked so dignified. But now- She won''t stop cuddling me! "Oh my! Pardon me! It''s just you are so cute that I can''t stop cuddling you. I always wanted a daughter like you! But ended up having an arrogant son." Alicia said while resisting her urges to cuddle Isabella. I see. Now that I think about it, Leonus is the only child of Emperor Theobald. "To be honest, I came here to check up on you. I wanted to see you so badly. When I heard you reached the Capital I came running. But that son of mine didn''t let me see you and sent me back. Can you believe it! So I sneaked out when he was busy preparing for the ritual. Fufu~" "Oh-" "Oh my gosh! He probably reached the Sacred Ground already!" "Huh? Sacred Ground?" "You know where the Ritual will take place." "I see." "Now that I think about it, you are already prepared. And here I am wasting your time." "Oh No! I am really happy to meet you, Your Highness." "Your Highness?!" Huh? Did I say something wrong? "Then Empr-" "Your Highness?! Call me Mother." Ah- "But how can I?" "Listen, dear. From the moment you were tied up with Leonus you became my child too." Ah- "Dear Lord! Why are you crying, dear?" What- I touched my cheeks. It''s wet. I am crying? "Don''t cry! You don''t like calling me ''Mother''? It''s okay! You don''t have to." Alicia said in a panic. "N-No. I-" Suddenly the Empress hugged me tightly. "It''s okay dear. If you don''t hate me, then I assume you miss your mother. It''s okay, Isabella. Shh~ Don''t cry." Like that, the Empress consoled me until I stopped crying. The whole time, she patted my back gently. After a while, I stopped crying. And my senses returned. Ughh~ How disgraceful! How can I cry in front of the Empress! "Have you calmed down?" "Yes. I-I apologize! You had to see something unsightly." "What are you saying! Listen Bell. Whenever you are sad, I am always there for you. Understand?" I nodded my head. "Huhu~ Then shall we go?" "Yes, Empress." "Mother! Call me ''Mother''." "But how can I? It will be disrespectful of me to do that." "Sigh~ This child. Alright then. Call me ''Mother'' when we are alone." "Yes." "We are alone now." Ah- Pfft! Hahaha~ She is like Leonus. No. More like, Leonus is like the Empress. He was also like this. "Yes, Mother." "Uwaa~ You are so cute~ I can''t help it. This is the last time, I promise." Saying that, Alicia again cuddled Isabella. Knock* Knock* "Your Highness! Sir Blaine is here." "Oh my! It''s time. Are you ready, child?" "Ah. But do I have to walk outside wearing this¡­?" "Pfft! No! Blaine will teleport you there." "I see." Phew~ "But you look beautiful in this dress though." "Thank you. You look beautiful too, Mother." "Oh my! Stop flattering!" Empress said while putting one hand on her flushed cheeks. "Oh! You should go now." "Yes." "Blaine." "Yes, Her Highness." Blaine replied from outside. "Do it now." "As you wish." Whoosh~ A strong breeze struck me out of nowhere. Then a bright light glowed. I had to close my eyes because of the brightness. Suddenly everything went silent. Instead of the strong breeze, there was a nice gentle breeze. "Princess." Hearing the voice, I opened my eyes in surprise. Standing in front of me, it was him. Leonus.... Chapter 36 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Ritual (Part 4) Episode 33 (The Ritual) ! Warning! This Chapter is suitable for age 15 years and above. * * * Drip* Drip* Water droplets are dropping steadily from an artificial spring. Isabella was standing in a large bath that could fit 20 people easily. The water of the bath reached her waist. Her beautiful long Golden hair was floating in the water. It''s dark. But I can clearly see his burning blue eyes. "Princess." Leonus said while walking towards me. I was surprised to suddenly hear his voice. "D-Don''t come!" "What are you talking about?" He walked even faster and stood in front of me. "Are you cold?" "No. It''s not that." "Then what?" "D-Don''t look." "Huh?" "The dress-" I don''t want him to see me in this revealing cloth. "What is it, Princess? Is something wrong with the dress? Let me see." "No! Don''t." "Huh?" "I am too shy." Isabella muttered while covering her face with both hands. "Princess¡­ You look beautiful." What is he talking about? Uhh! Did he see me? But it''s dark here. "Princess." "Isabella¡­" Don''t call my name. Aghh! I am too embarrassed to talk. "Look at me." Leonus then grabbed my hands and removed them from my face. I couldn''t do anything against his strength. "To begin the Ritual, you have to look me in the eyes, Princess." "O-Okay." I slowly looked towards him. He was wearing a white top. But the upper half of the top was unbuttoned! So embarrassing! I tried to focus my mind on his face. His eyes are red now. He is looking at me intensely! It''s so hard to look at him! I covered my chest with a hand. I can die of embarrassment right now. "You are red, Princess." Leonus whispered in my ear. I can feel my ears burning. Chuckle* Why is he laughing?! Here I am dying out of embarrassment! "Shall we begin, My Princess?" "Y-Yes." I said while nodding my head. "Alright." After that, Leonus grabbed my both hands with his. Then said in a serious tone, "Begin the Ritual." Suddenly the lights of the room lit up and a beautiful barrier circled the entire bath. I can see him clearly now. Thud* Suddenly with a loud noise, 7 young men entered the room. They were all wearing long white Robes. Dear Lord! What if they can see me?! "Don''t worry, Princess. They can''t see us because of the barrier." Phew~ Suddenly all of them started chanting something while closing their eyes. And a gentle wind started blowing around us. Among them, the one with Silver-hair opened his eyes and said, "Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr, making the Light Spirit Ordona as the witness, are you willing to take Isabella Albus Carados Fellmirr as your mate?" "I am. If I break this vow, my life shall be covered with Darkness." What? What is going on?! How can he vow something like that?! I tried to remove my hand. But Leonus held my hands even tighter. "Princess?" "You can''t do that, Your Highness! How can you promise something like that? For someone like-" "Princess. Are you thinking about betraying me?" There was a spark in his red eyes. "What? I can never-" "Then I don''t see the problem." "But-" "Say no more, Princess. Continue the Ritual." Leonus said while cutting my words in the middle. "Yes." After that, the one with Blue hair opened his eyes and said, "Making the Water Spirit Janet as the witness, are you willing to take Isabella Albus Carados Fellmirr as your mate?". "Yes, I am. If I break this vow, I shall die of thirst. " After that, the person with red hair opened his eyes and said, "Making the Fire Spirit Igneel as the witness, are you willing to take Isabella Carados Fellmirr as your mate?" "Yes. If I break this vow, I shall burn in the depths of hell." One by one, all of the 7 men said the same thing and Leonus vowed, making the other Elemental Spirits the witness. After that, all of the 7 men forwarded their right hand and said together, "I, Randall Erlshade, the future head of Erlshade Duchy, the Silver-Wolf Clan." "I, Lorenzo Iydril, the future head of Iydril Duchy, the Water Dragon Clan." "I, Samuel Yasuji, the future head of Yasuji Duchy, the Nine-tailed-Fox Clan." "I, Nicholas Astorio, the future head of Astorio Duchy, the Earth-Dragon Clan." "I, Adler Leerstrom, the future head of Leerstrom Duchy, the Ice-Phoenix Clan." "I, Drake Hornraven, the future head of the Hornraven Duchy, the Griffin Clan." "Today as the witness, we are announcing the union of Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr and Isabella Albus Carados Fellmirr. Now seal your vow." All of them said simultaneously and disappeared. "Princess, we have to seal the vow now." "Do I have to do anything?" And why are you even saying that! It''s not like you listen to any of my words. What am I supposed to do if anything happens to- "Princess. You have to bear with me." "Huh?" "Don''t be nervous." Leonus finally let go of my hand and said. "What?" What is he talking- Slash* Suddenly, out of nowhere, Leonus cut her wrist with a dagger. "Wha- What are you doing, Your Highness?! Blood- There''s blood in your hand! What am I supposed to do?!" I hurriedly grabbed his hand. Huff* Huff* Isabella breathed loudly at the sight of blood. I can''t breathe. "Princess! Calm down. It will heal right away." "But-" "Princess. It will be healed right after the Ritual is over. So it''s okay." "R-Really?" "Yes." "So shall we continue?" "Yes. Hurry up." I don''t want it to bleed for long. "As you wish, My Lady." Saying that, Leonus put his hand on my chest. "Whaaa~ What are you doing?!" Isabella said with a flustered face. "You told me to hurry up, Princess." "Yes. But¡­" "This is part of the Ritual." "Really? T-Then continue." I have to bear it. "Sure." I tightly closed my eyes. "Isabella Von Hagen Loire, are you willing to give me your heart?" My eyes widened at the sudden question. But I don''t have time to think. "Y-Yes." After that Leonus grabbed my right hand with his bloody hand and covered it with his blood. I feel sick at the sight of blood. But that emotion soon got covered in his next action. He then put my hand in his bare chest. What is he doing?! Aghh! I am touching his bare chest! I can''t think of anything! "Are you willing to take me as your partner for eternity?" "Yes!" I blurted out loudly. Chuckle* "You are mine now, Princess." "Then shall we seal the vow?" "You mean, we haven''t done that yet?" "Yes, we haven''t yet. So shall we?" "Yes." Just do whatever you want. At this point, there''s nothing more to be surprised about. But destroying my thoughts like a storm, Leonus suddenly pulled me close to his body. There isn''t a single space between us. Ah- I- Wha- My mind went blank. Chuckle* "You are cute, Princess." Saying that Leonus kissed my forehead. I tightly closed my eyes. After that, my right cheek, then left cheek, then my neck. I can''t breathe. What is going on? My body feels hot. Huff* Huff* I can hear Leonus''s rough breathing. Then Leonus grabbed both of my hands and kissed them. "Princess¡­" Leonus muttered in a hoarse voice and kissed my ear. I can''t breathe. What is wrong with me?! Why does it feel so hot? I feel so weird. Suddenly Leonus let go of my hand and started to move. I opened my eyes in surprise. But he was already behind me by that time. "Your Highness¡­ Is it done?" "Not yet." Saying that he suddenly removed my hair from the back. Kyaa~ He can see my back. "Your Highn-" "Beautiful¡­ You are beautiful, Isabella." What is he- Suddenly he touched my back with his hand. My whole body trembled. After a while, he kissed my back. I can feel his hot lips. Huff* Huff* I can''t breathe. I can''t move. Then a bluish light glowed and brightened the whole room. I hurriedly turned behind. "Y-You. How can-" "Just one more." "What?" "Kiss me." "What?" "Kiss me and it will be done, Princess." "How can I-" "My hand hurts. So hurry up." "O-Okay." I looked at his face. His eyes are red like blood. It looks like he''s also having some trouble breathing. Is it because of the Ritual? Yes. That must be it! "Princess¡­" "Oh, yes." I closed my eyes tightly and got on my tip-toe. Then kissed his cheek. "..." There was silence for a moment. I opened my eyes in curiosity. Leonus''s eyes were wide open. Did I do wrong? "Y-Your Highness?" "Ah- Yes." "Was it not right?" "No. It was great. No, I mean it wasn''t." "Then what am I-" "Lips." "Huh?" "You have to kiss my lips, Princess." "But-" "Ouch* My hand hurts. It''s okay if you don''t want to. I won''t die from bleeding. Probably I will have to be bedridden for the rest of my life. It''s okay. You don''t have to worry." "I-I will kiss you." Isabella said loudly and got on her tiptoe. There was a smirk on Leon''s face. After that, Isabella kissed his lips. Aghh! My ears are burning. Anyways, that should be it. I hurriedly backed away from him. But suddenly Leonus pulled me closer and kissed my lips. "Mmph-" My eyes widened. What is he- No what am I - Leonus continued to suck my lips. "Mm- Your High-" I can''t breathe. "Mm- Stop-" Suddenly he pushed his tongue in her mouth and started tasting her. "Mm- Leonus!" Isabella pushed him with all her might and said loudly. Huff* Huff* Leonus was breathing roughly. His eyes are burning. "I apologize. It''s done now, Princess. You should go back." Snap* And I returned to my room. Chapter 37 - The Seed Of Misunderstanding (Part 1) Episode 34 (The Imprint) * * * Huff* Huff* Isabella was breathing hard. Her whole body was flushed. What just happened?! My legs are numb. I feel so weak. Thud* I collapsed on the floor. "Oh my God! My Lady!" "Princess!" The maids in the room gathered around me. I looked down. I am too ashamed to see anyone right now! "My Lady, grab my hand." Saying that Ella helped me to get up. "We have prepared a warm bath for you, Princess." Cande said gracefully. Yes! I need a bath for sure. My entire body feels so hot. I might feel better after a bath. "Yes. Let''s go now." "As you wish." As I was feeling weak, Ella and two other maids helped me reach the bathroom. After that, the maids undressed me. Gasp* "Whaa~" "Princess, your back-" The maids gasped as if they were shocked about something. Don''t tell me! Did they find out about the kiss?! "Wh-What is it?!" I asked nervously. "Blue-" "Huh?" "Blue Roses, Princess!" "What?" "The imprint on your back, My Lady..." Ella said with a surprised look. "Imprint?" What are they talking about? Ella composed herself and said, "Ahem! When the Ritual is done, normally the imprint of a beautiful Red Rosebud will appear in the back of the Female Partner. But My Lady, yours¡­". What?! Really! I never heard of something like that. Now that I think about it, when Leonus kissed my back a bluish light brightened the room. "But Princess, your imprint¡­ It''s not one bud." Cande said with a surprised expression. "And it''s definitely not Red!" "It''s beautiful¡­" "Is there something wrong with that?" If there is, what- Cande: "We don''t know, Princess. This has never happened before." Ella: "Don''t worry, My Lady! Something so beautiful can never be wrong!" I hope that is the case. After that, I got into the tub. The maids are washing my body that was covered with Leonus''s blood. After kissing me Leonus touched that place with his bloody hand. So my cheeks, neck, back had his bloody handprint. And my lips¡­ Ughh! I feel hot again. While thinking that, Isabella unconsciously touched her lips with her fingers. "Princess, you are blushing!" Saying that the maids started laughing together. Ughh~ They are all teasing me. "Hey! Don''t tease My Lady anymore." Ella scolded the maids. "Yes. We apologize, My Lady." "It''s okay." After that, the maids became silent and started washing me properly using different kinds of fragrant herbs. Now that I think about it, they weren''t surprised to see me covered in blood. They didn''t even ask whose blood it was. Perhaps they knew about the Ritual from the very beginning. Ella should have warned me about this. Dear Lord! Don''t tell me, they knew about all those intimate actions. Those ki- Ughh! I can never forget about this! Never! * * * After the bath, I came back to my room. The maids were preparing my dress for the banquet. I was standing in front of the mirror. I didn''t understand what Ella meant when she said the imprint was beautiful. But now that I am seeing it, I understand what she meant. It''s gorgeous! It was a long imprint in the middle of my back. Beautiful rose vines with blue rosebuds¡­ I wonder if it has any meaning¡­ "My Lady, you will be wearing this in today''s banquet." Ella showed me a beautiful blue dress with long sleeves. It was covered with beautiful red and white laces. Phew~ It''s not a revealing dress. After that, the maids helped me wear the dress. Then they started doing my hair. As my hair was a bit wet, it was let loose. Then the maids put a sapphire head chain and a round sapphire earring. They didn''t change my chain for some reason. Well whatever the reason is, it''s good for me anyway. After a while, I was prepared for the banquet. Knock* Knock* "His Highness, the Crown Prince is entering." Hearing that all of the maids stood at the corner of the room while bowing their heads. What? Leonus?! Oh my gosh! I can''t! I can never face him after what happened! Suddenly with a loud noise, the door opened and Leonus entered the room. He was wearing a suit that had a similar colour as mine. There was a red scarf tied to his waist. "Princess." Leonus said while walking towards me. He looked so tired in the morning. But why does he look so full of energy now?! "You look beautiful, Princess." Leonus said with a smile. "Th-Thank you." Aghh! Why is he smiling?! "How do I look?" "You look handsome." "Really?" "Yes." "Then why are you not looking at me?" Is he really asking that?! I looked at him in disbelief. Chuckle* "Ahem* Sorry! I won''t tease you anymore." Liar! "Then shall we go now, My Lady?" Leonus said while forwarding his hand. "Yes." I put my hand in his. After that, Leonus grabbed my hands tightly and escorted me to the banquet hall. * * * Murmur* The Royal Banquet Hall of the palace was bustling with people. Almost all the Aristocrats joined the banquet. They were all curious about the appearance of their Crown Princess. Clink* "I heard the Crown Princess is really beautiful." Sarah Yasuji said excitedly. "Well, me too. Ever since brother Randall returned home, he wouldn''t stop speaking about the Princess." Azleza Erlshade said while sighing. "Even brother Lorenzo said she is pretty! Can you imagine! He even said the Crown Prince smiled whenever he was with her." Madeleine Astorio said with amazement. "What? He did?!" Azleza said loudly with a befuddled expression. But soon she composed herself and covered her face with a fan. "Ahem. Pardon me!" "Now I can''t wait to see her!" Kayleigh Astorio said with eagerness. "Me too!" Druella Hornraven agreed with Kayleigh excitedly. Some Young Ladies were gossiping together while drinking. They were the ones who literally ruled the social circle of the Capital after the Empress. And Azleza Erlshade has the most power in this group. As she is related to the Royal Family Members. Anyways, another group of Ladies were chatting among themselves. "Did you see Young Master Randall? He looks so handsome today!" The lady with green hair said excitedly. "I know right!" Another girl with brown hair agreed enthusiastically. "If you ask me, Young Master Samuel is more handsome! He has that bad boy aura in him!" Another girl with yellow hair said while nodding his head. "But Young Master Adler is more handsome." A girl with light brown hair said dreamily. "As usual. He is a hunk! His icy hair and his icy look! Kyaa~ He just stole my heart!" The green-haired lady said. "But No matter what, the Crown Prince is the most handsome." The lady with pale-orange hair said. She was silent the whole time. And is the leader of this group of ladies. "You are right, Lady Raina. We all can agree with that." The lady with brown hair said while nodding her head. "But-" ''But a mere human from the Loire stole him from me! My dear Prince. He must be so sad.'' "But what, Lady Raina?" "Ah¡­ pardon me. It''s nothing." Poo~ Suddenly a loud horn rang. And everyone present in the hall became silent. Thud* With a loud noise, the giant door of the Banquet Hall opened. "The Crown Prince Leonus Albus Carados Fellmirr and the Crown Princess Isabella Albus Carados Fellmirr are entering the banquet hall." And Leonus alongside Isabella entered the banquet hall gracefully. * * * One hour ago. Isabella''s Room. Clap* Clap* With Alicia''s clap, the maids entered the room. "Hurry up and bring the dresses and the jewellery Isabella will be wearing to the banquet." Alicia ordered the maids. "As you wish, Your Highness." After a minute, the maids entered the room with different kinds of extravagant dresses. "Hmm~ Not this¡­" "Yes." The maids removed the dress. "Not that¡­" "Okay-" "Remove the black one¡­ She just wore a white one so remove that one. That one¡­ Too many stones. That one¡­ too dark. Remove the green one." ''Aghh! Slow down, Her Highness!'' All the maids screamed internally as they were running around to remove the dress. After 20 minutes¡­ "Yes! This one! Beautiful! She should wear this one!" ''She will look so beautiful!'' Phew~ The maids sighed in relief. "Now! Bring Leonus''s clothes of the same colours!" Alicia said with a bright smile. ''No~ Not again!'' The maids cried inwardly. After a while, Alicia selected Leonus''s attire. ''They will look so cute wearing this! Now I should go too! I have to wear clothes of the same colour! We are a family after all. I will also have to choose clothes for Theo. I should hurry.'' After that, Alicia got out of Isabella''s Room. ''Phew~ She finally left.'' Maid 1: "I am dying to see My Lady''s imprint!" A maid said while arranging Isabella''s dress. Maid 2: "I know right?" Imprint¡­ It''s a special mark that appears in the Female Partner''s body as the Ritual ends with the blood pact from the Male Partner. And It''s a ritual only for the werewolves. Normally it''s a bud of Red Rose. The shape and design differ from person to person. The bud will bloom once the couple bears the seed of their love. So the maids'' excitement was understandable. Clap* Clap* Ella gathered the maids'' attention and said, "Well, whatever. We can see that when the Princess returns from the Ritual. But right now, we should prepare a warm bath for her. And don''t say anything after seeing blood in her body.". "Yes. She is right. Try to avoid talking about that as much as possible. We don''t want to cause her unnecessary worries. So don''t ask anything and take her to bathe right away." Cande said while agreeing with Ella. "Yes." The other maids agreed simultaneously. ''Sigh~ She must be scared seeing the blood. Should I have warned her about the blood pact? But then she would''ve been even tenser. Aghh! You have to be okay, My Lady.'' Ella prayed inwardly. Chapter 38 - The Seed Of Misunderstanding (Part 2) Episode 35 (The Banquet) "By the way, El." "What is it, Can?" "Where is that maid who accompanied the Princess from Fellmirr?" Cande asked in a low voice so that the other maids couldn''t hear. Ella replied while rolling her eyes. "Aghh! Don''t ask!" ''Tch! That b*tch.'' "What? Now you are making me even more curious!" Cande and Ella are roommates. The other two of their roommates work for the Empress. Anyways both of them are working in the Castle for the past 10 years. So one can say they are like sisters. Moreover, because of their excellency in work and loyalty, they were promoted to Senior maids 2 years ago. And now both of them are assigned to serve Isabella. "I will tell you when we return to our room." "Sure. You promised." "Wait. When did I- Sigh~ Okay." After a while, Isabella was teleported back to her room and we all know the rest. * * * Gasp* "So pretty~" "An angel?" Everyone'' in the Banquet Hall widened their eyes at Isabella''s beauty. The ladies fan themselves upon seeing her. And the faces of the young man turned red. They couldn''t take their eyes off of her. "Wasn''t there a rumour that she was the ugliest Princess?" "Where? Are they blind?" "Shut up! I am turning blind because of her beauty!" The men talked among themselves. But soon shut their mouth at Leonus''s glare. The group of Lady Raina was the same. Raina''s eyes were also wide open when she saw Isabella. "Wh-What?" "Is she the Princess?" "So pretty-" "What did you say?" "I mean, she isn''t as pretty as a princess should be." But the girl soon changed her opinion at Raina''s sharp eyes. In this group, Raina had the highest Rank. She was the daughter of a Viscount. And the others were from the Baron family. So they had to listen to her and appease her from time to time. ''She is beautiful, all right. But that''s all there is to it. She must''ve seduced the Crown Prince. What a vixen!'' Raina thought while covering her face with a fan. Suddenly the Emperor got up from his throne and everyone became silent. "Welcome to Fellmirr, Princess Isabella Von Hagen Loire. No, I should address you as the Crown Princess Isabella Albus Carados Fellmirr. Hahaha~" Isabella let go of Leonus''s hand and bowed gracefully. "Greetings, the Emperor." "I hope you will enjoy the Banquet." "It would be my pleasure to." "Very well then. Let the Banquet begin." After that, the music started playing. I was nervous at first. But somehow I wasn''t afraid. It was reassuring to have Leonus by my side. But I still can''t look at his face. Haa~ Isabella started fanning herself with one hand as her face was getting red. "Princess." "Uh- Yes?" "Shall we dance?" Leonus asked while forwarding his hand. "Yes." After that, Leonus grabbed my hand and walked towards the dance floor. Soon we reached the middle of the dance floor and started waltzing in the dance following the music. "Princess, are you nervous?" Leonus whispered in my ear. Agh~ My ears are burning. It''s already hard dancing with him. If he does this now¡­ "Princess¡­ Are you angry?" "No, I am not." "Then why are you red?" Aghh~ My face turned even redder. Don''t say such things! Chuckle* ''What the- Did he just laugh?! The cold-hearted Crown Prince!'' Everyone in the banquet hall thought at the same time. "Don''t laugh!" "If you get any redder, I will mistake you for an Apple." What? "And probably eat you up!" Leonus whispered in a serious tone. "Pfft! How can you get even redder, Princess?" "Please stop!" I am going to die from heatstroke in this cold weather and will be written in history. "Okay. Okay. I won''t tease you anymore." After a while, we finished dancing and other couples began dancing on the dance floor. "Princess, are you tired?" "Yes?" "Okay. Let''s go outside." Outside? Well, the banquet hall is on the first floor. "Ah- Okay." After that, we went outside. It was snowing. The snowflake that fell on my skin felt good. I feel refreshed. It was a beautiful garden. And in the middle, there was a beautiful Gazebo. Leonus took me there and made me sit on a bench. "Princess, seat here." "Okay." After that, Leonus sat next to me. He was silent for a while. I guess he is tired too. "Princess¡­" "Yes?" "I apologize." "Huh? For what?" "For kissing?" "Kyaa~ What?!" "You know how I kissed-" "I-Its okay! It was for the Ritual. And you were hurt too." Ughh~ Don''t mention it again. "But still I shouldn''t have sucked your lips-" Kyaa~ "S-Stop." Isabella said while blocking Leonus''s mouth with one hand. At her sudden action, Leonus''s eyes widened for a bit. Aghh- What am I doing?! Leonus tightly grabbed my hand as I was trying to remove my hand from his mouth. "Really? It was okay?" "Yes!" So now let go of my hand! "Then it won''t be a problem if I kiss you again." "Wh-What-" But before I could say anything else, Leonus put his lips on mine and started kissing me. Wh-What?! My eyes widened at his sudden action. What are you doing? No¡­ What am I supposed to do! I can''t breathe! Suddenly our eyes met! Was he doing this while keeping his eyes open all along! As I felt shy, I tightly closed my eyes. "Mmph-" I tried to push him away! But all my efforts were in vain. After a while, he stopped. Huff* Huff* His eyes are red. "Princess¡­" Leonus said in a hoarse voice. "You have to learn how to breathe while kissing." What is he talking about?! "You are red again." It''s all your fault. "Pretty¡­" After whispering that, he suddenly bit my ear. Kyaa~ "What are you doing?" "Princess¡­ You are tired, right?" "That-" "Let''s return to our room." What? OUR room? What is he talking about?! But without saying anything, Leonus grabbed my hand and we returned to the Banquet Hall. After that, he went in the direction where the Emperor and the Empress were standing. After that, he whispered something to her. Now that I think about it, both the Emperor''s and the Empress''s attire are of the same colour as our attire. Is it a coincidence? Anyways they look so good together. The Empress with silver hair and the Emperor with pitch-black hair just like Leonus. I guess Leonus is more like his father. The Empress¡­ Oh my! The gentleman from the journey. What was his name again¡­ Randall Erlshade¡­ Yes. They look similar. I started looking around. Sir Randall was standing next to a beautiful lady who looked just like the Empress. Is she his sister? The Empress, Sir Randall and that beautiful girl¡­ All three of them have silver hair and silver eyes. Are they from the same family? That must be it! Come to think of it, Sir Randall was a witness in the Ritual. "What are you looking at, Princess?" Suddenly Leonus whispered in my ear from behind. I looked behind in surprise. Wasn''t he with the Empress a minute ago! I looked at the Empress. She was waving at me with a smile. "Princess, you didn''t answer. What are you looking at?" "N-Nothing." "Is that so?" Leonus said slowly with a smile while looking in Sir Randall''s direction. " Anyways Princess, let''s go." "Ah- wait." I silently bowed to the Empress. "Are you going to come? Or I am going to take you myself?" "Yes! Let''s go." After that, we left the banquet hall. * * * "Apologies! You all might know that My son and daughter-in-law just returned to Fellmirr today. So they are really tired. As a result, they returned to their room. But please do enjoy your time here." The Emperor announced. ''That''s impossible! Out of everyone, the Crown Prince can never be tired!'' Everyone thought at the same time. "Someone is impatient!" And the hall burst into laughter. . . . Chapter Extra: Randall and Azleza were standing in the corner of the banquet hall. They were drinking and talking among themselves. ''Ughh! Why is it suddenly so chilly?'' Randall thought while rubbing his nose. He looked behind. ''Eek~ Why is he looking at me like that?!'' Leonus was looking at him with a smile. ''What the fu*k?! Why is smiling like a devil! Ughh! Did I do something?! Shit!'' "What''s wrong, Brother?" Azleza asked her brother worriedly. "N-Nothing!" Randall said while crying inwardly. The next time he sees me I will die for sure. "Az¡­" "Yes?" "Pray for me." "What are you talking about?" "Nothing." "You are being weird, brother." "Tch! You big meanie! How can you call your brother ''Weird''?" "Stop it! You are embarrassing me!" "What are you saying? I am as Graceful as ever!" "What?" Azleza asked while frowning. "You won''t understand. I will just have to show you." Saying that Randall winked at a girl. "Kyaa~ Sir Randall!" "See~ You understand what I mean?" "Ughh! Yes." "Hoho! Don''t be so jealous, Azy!" "Shut up!" ~ End of Chapter Extra ~ Chapter 39 - The Seed Of Misunderstanding (Part 3) Episode 36 (Everything) ! Warning ! This Chapter is suitable for age 15 years and above. * * * | So, you are telling me that my sister is having a good time there! And people trust her there?! | Rubena said with a gentle smile. "Yes, Princess." | Hahaha! | Rubena suddenly started laughing like crazy. ''Sh*t! Why is this b*tch laughing like that?'' Anne thought inwardly. | Then what the f*ck are you doing there?! What did I send you for b*tch! | Rubena suddenly stopped laughing and cursed with a loud voice. Anne was sitting in the bed of her room. She was talking with Rubena through a Magical mirror and informing everything that happened till now. The whole maids quarter was empty as they were all busy working for the banquet. So it was a perfect opportunity for Anne to talk with Rubena. | You b*tch! You haven''t even contacted me for months! Because of you, this has happened. | "I apologize, Princess. But the Crown Prince send me to the Capital before Princess Isabella. I was forced to listen to-" | Don''t give me your cr*p. | ''Aghh! This b*tch has lost her mind!'' Anne thought while sweating. | Now listen, you piece of sh*t! You said that the Crown Prince send you to the Capital, right? | "Yes." Anne replied while sweating. | And he also behaves well with that b*tch? | "Yes." | And the maids too? | ''Why the f*ck are you repeating what I just said a minute ago?'' "Yes." | Hahahaha! | ''Why the f*ck is this creep laughing now?'' | Listen carefully Ane. | ''It''s Anne, you psycho.'' | Here is what you are going to do¡­ | . . . | You understand? | Anne''s eyes were wide open. "Princess, do I really have to do it?" | Then are you trying to defy me? | "No way." ''She is crazy! How am I supposed to¡­'' | I will make your life h*ll there too, you f*king Isabella. Hahahaha~ | The room filled with Rubena''s cruel laughter. | What are waiting for, Ane? Go! Before it''s too late. | "Yes." Bling* And the mirror turned to normal. "Shit! That Psycho b*tch! Aghh! Telling me to do something like that." Anne screamed with annoyance. "It doesn''t matter if I do that or not, I will die either way. I will make you pay Isabella. Because of you, I have to suffer now." Saying that Anne got up from her bed and started heading out. * * * Leonus is walking in the hallway while holding my hand. We are already on the third floor now. And the hallway is empty. There''s not even a single servant. I guess all of them are busy working for the banquet. "Your Highness! Slow down¡­" I asked Leonus as he was walking too fast. "Princess." Leonus stopped walking and said while looking back at me. His eyes are red. He was walking in front of me, so I didn''t notice until now. Is he angry that I asked him to slow his pace? Isabella gulped in fear. "Princess, you have to call me ''Leonus''." Is he angry about that? Now that I think about it, he is breathing roughly. Is he okay? "Okay." "Then you better do it now." "Now?" "Yes." "Leonus." Isabella mumbled. "Princess¡­ I reached my limit." Leonus said in a hoarse voice. "What-" But before I could say anything he took me in his arm and started walking fast. Kyaa~ "Y-Your Highness? What are you doing?" I said while holding him tightly. "..." "Your Highness?!" "..." "Leonus!" I closed my eyes said his name loudly. I hope he will respond now. Chuckle* "That''s better." "Please put me down!" "I can''t." "But-" "It''s faster this way." "But what if someone sees us like this?" "Don''t worry, my dear wife. No one is here. And even if they were here, it doesn''t matter. We are married. And I wanna see which bast*ed has the guts to say anything about us." Leonus said with a smile on his face. Ughh! He is not listening to me at all. "Shit! Why is it taking so long!" Leonus cursed with annoyance. I don''t understand. Why is he in such a rush? Is he really that tired? Bling* In the blink of an eye, we were already at the front door of my room. What''s going on? "Y-Your Highness, the Crown Prince!" The Knights in front of my door said with wide eyes. They must''ve been surprised to suddenly see us like this. So embarrassing! Isabella closed her eyes in embarrassment. "What is it?" Leonus asked with an annoyed expression. "N-Nothing! Pardon us! Greetings the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess." The Knights said as if they were flustered. "Get lost." "Huh?" "You don''t need to guard the room. I will be staying here. And no one is allowed to enter the sixth floor today." "Uh. Yes, Sir! We will let everyone know." The Knights agreed and hurriedly went away. Then Leonus entered the room. Seeing him, all the maids were flustered at first but hurriedly got out of the room and the door closed. Ughh! They saw everything! Why is this happening to me! Leonus then laid me down on the bed. "Princess¡­" Saying that he untied his coat and waistcoat then threw them away. After that, he got into the bed while untying his shirt button. "Wha-What Your Highness¡­" Aghh! I can''t even speak properly! I hurriedly covered my face with both hands. Huff* Huff* Leonus was breathing roughly. "Princess. I can''t wait anymore¡­ You don''t know how hard I was trying to hold back during the journey¡­" What? Hard time? Holding back? What is he talking about! "So please¡­" Leonus said¡­ No, almost as if he was begging. "Give me the permission¡­" Leonus said while kissing my right hands. My hands are hot. "Look at me¡­" He again said while kissing my left hand. Then he removed both of my hands from my face and said while looking me in the eyes. "Want me¡­" His eyes are burning. I can see his breath. "What-" What am I supposed to say! I don''t even know what he is asking permission for. "D-Do whatever you wan-" But before I could say anything he put his lips on mine. I tightly closed my eyes. "Mmph-" He is sucking my lips roughly. His lips are so hot! I''m afraid my lips will melt away. Suddenly he pushed his tongue inside my mouth. "Mm-" I can''t breathe! Huff* Huff* "Princess¡­ Breath." Leonus said while breathing roughly. His gaze¡­ it''s as if he will swallow me whole. Huff* Huff* My body feels so hot. I looked away from him. I am dying. "You are too beautiful." Saying that he bit my ear again. Ughh! What is he- Suddenly he started kissing my neck. My whole body shivered. I tightly closed my eyes. Huff* Huff* His warm breath is touching my skin. I feel weird. Suddenly Leonus sat and pulled me up. He then put me in his lap and started kissing my lips again. Ahh- This position. It feels weird! "Mmm-" "Isabella¡­" Leonus whispered in my ear. Then he removed my hair from the back and kissed my shoulder. I trembled at the touch of his lips. Suddenly he untied the string of my dress. Kyaa~ Chuckle* "Loosen up, Princess." My dress¡­ I hurriedly put my hand on my chest so that the dress wouldn''t fall off. "Isabella¡­ let me see¡­" What do you want to see?! "Everything¡­ Let me see everything." "I am embarrassed¡­" "Don''t be. We are a married couple, Princess. This is going to happen every day. Every night from now on." Leonus said while kissing a strand of my hair. What is he- "I want to see your imprint¡­" "O-Okay." Leonus held me up as if I was an infant. Then he put me in his lap. But this time, my back was facing him. "Blue Roses¡­" Leonus said while touching my back. "It''s beautiful." Saying that he kissed my back. "Haa¡­" Isabella breathed out. Her body was trembling. Suddenly- Knock* Knock* I flinched at the sudden noise. "Who the fu- Who the hell dares to enter our chamber! I clearly said no one could put their step in here!" Leonus scolded angrily. "My Lady¡­" ''Anne?'' "You! You''ve got guts still standing there! Shit! Wait here, Princess! I will kill that bastard and return right away." Leonus said while putting me down from his laps. He then kissed my forehead and got down from the bed. "Le-Leonus. D-Don''t¡­ She is my maid." "Sigh~ I won''t kill her." Leonus wore his shirt and got out of the room. Huff* My whole body is still burning. Anyways Anne¡­ Why is she here at this time? Did something happen? Chapter 40 - The Seed Of Misunderstanding (Part 4) Episode 37 (I Won''t Bother You Anymore) * * * It has been almost half an hour since Leonus left the room. He still hasn''t returned yet. I hope he didn''t do anything to Anne. I am so worried. I wonder if something has happened to him. I should go and check. Isabella got down from the bed and organized her dress. After that, she got out of the room. I started looking around. It''s dark. Only some candles are lit up in the corners of the rooms. He is not in the library. Not in the parlour room. I went to the room that looked like a Study. Leonus was sitting in the chair while keeping his head down on the table. Is he okay? I hurriedly went near him. His eyes are closed. Is he asleep? He looks so innocent when he is asleep. The table was next to a window. As the window was open, a cold breeze was getting into the room while gently fluttering his hair. As if enchanted, Isabella forwarded her hand to touch his hair but then stopped. But suddenly Leonus opened his eyes and grabbed her hand. Isabella flinched. "Y-Your Highness! You were awake?!" "Princess¡­" Leonus said in a pitiful voice. His eyes are blue now. Somehow he looks sad. "Are you¡­ afraid of me?" My eyes widened. What? What is he talking about? "Y-Your Highness, What are-" "Is that why you don''t call me by my name?" What? What is he saying! I don''t call him by his name because I am still a bit uncomfortable around him. And I barely know him! "That-" "I am sorry! I-" His voice broke. Tut* Leonus gritted his teeth. "It was never my intention to force you to do something you didn''t like." "Your H-" "I am sorry! I am sorry for forcing myself on you. I''m sorry for not being able to protect you! I am no different from him! You must think I am a monster too." What? My heart aches for some reason. And HIM? Who is he even talking about? But whoever it is- "No! That''s not true!" "Then tell me. Tell me that you were never afraid of me." "That-" It would be a lie if I say I never was. Sometimes I still am afraid of him, his Piercing gaze¡­ "I see. I am sorry! This is the last time I will be acting this way with you. I promise." "..." "Forgive me. This is the last time." Saying that Leonus got up from the chair and pulled me towards him. Then he put his lips on my lips and started sucking them. But this time the kiss wasn''t as intense as the other kisses. A gentle kiss that felt like it would melt my entire existence. I closed my eyes. For some reason, I didn''t feel like resisting him this time. After a while, he stopped. Huff* Huff* "Princess¡­" Leonus said while gently brushing my hair out of my face. I looked into his eyes. "I won''t bother you from now on. And your maid is safe too. So don''t worry." Saying that Leonus kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes. And Snap* He disappeared. Leaving me alone in the cold room. * * * I was restless all night. I couldn''t sleep at all. I wondered what happened to him. Why did he suddenly look so sad? Anne must''ve said something. I can''t find any other reason. I have to ask her. What in the world did she say to him? "Good morning, My Lady. Oh, You are already awake." Ella greeted me with a warm smile. "Ella, Good morning. " "I brought warm water for you to fresh up." "Ah, Yes." After that, Isabella got up from bed and washed up. Then Ella helped her to change dress. "Ella." "Yes, My Lady?" "Can you call Anne for me?" "Ah- Yes." Ella bowed then got out of my room. * * * Ella was walking in the hallway. ''I wonder why My Lady asked for that b*tch!'' Sigh~ "Where is that b*tch anyway?" Hah* Ella scoffed. ''I am so stupid. That lazy sh*t can only be in one place.'' After that, Ella went to the Maid''s quarter. Bam* She kicked open the door of Anne''s room. "Hey!" What the?! Look at her! B*tch is still sleeping. "Hey, you! Get up!" Ella said while kicking Anne. Thud* Because of the kick, Anne fell from her bed with a loud noise. Ouch* "I am sorry, Princess Rubena! I was just-" "What the heck are you talking about?" Ella said angrily. "Huh?" Anne rubbed her eyes and looked at Ella. "It''s you! You b*tch! How dare you kick me!" "Shut your mouth and get up! My Lady is looking for you." "Tch!" Anne clicked her tongue. "Hurry up!" "Okay. Okay. Wait outside for a minute." "Tch* You better hurry up. And don''t you dare do anything rude to My Lady! Remember, I will be watching you." Saying that Ella got out of the room. ''Sh*t! Why is she calling me? Is she going to ask me about yesterday? Da*n it! I guess I have to do what that Psycho told me to do.'' Then Anne slapped herself hard. Ouch* ''Sh*t! It hurts. B*tch Isabella. Because of you, I have to do this.'' Slap* Slap* ''Da*n it!'' Anne kept doing that until her face was swollen. Bam* Bam* "Hey! Are you dead or what?" Ella shouted while punching the door. "Shut up! I am coming!" After that, she combed her hair and wore her uniform. Then got out of the room. "Took you long enough!" Pfft* "Ahahaha! What''s wrong with your face! You look like an ugly gorilla!" "What did you just say?! How dare you call me ugly!" "Don''t tell me! You think you are pretty! Pfft* Hahaha!" "What-" "You are the ugliest person I have ever seen. Now shut up and start walking." Ella suddenly stopped laughing and said in a serious tone. "Y-You-" "Oh and! I hope you didn''t forget my warning! If you make the Princess sad, I will kill you!" Ella warned in a low yet bloody tone. * * * After a while, Ella entered the room with Anne. "My Lady. I brought her." "I see. Ella, leave us alone for a while." "As you wish, My Lady." "Why did you call me?" As soon as Ella left the room, Anne said with an annoyed expression. "Anne. What did you say to him last night?" "What?" Anne frowned at the question. "Don''t let me repeat my question." "Are you interrogating me?" "That''s not it." "Then why are you asking me such a question?" "Anne. I''m tired. So please. Don''t say anything else and answer the question." "I can''t believe this! Sob* Are you doubting me? I came all the way here to Fellmirr because of you! And now-" Anne sobbed. "So you are not going to tell me?" Isabella asked while sighing. "I didn''t say anything!" "Then why did you come to my room last night?" "I just wanted to check up on you. Yesterday was your first night in Fellmirr. I was afraid you would be lonely." "What?" "But then I heard a man''s voice. So I thought it was an assassin! But then I saw it was His Highness! He was really angry to see me. I even told him that I was just worried about you! But still¡­ He slapped me then beat me up!" I flinched hearing that. "What? Leonus?" No way! He can never do that! Not him¡­ "Yes. As you can see I have beating marks on my body and face!" Now that I see, Anne''s face was bruised and swollen. "I-I see. Anne¡­ You can return to your room and rest for the day." Anne left as soon as Isabella finished saying. Thud* Isabella collapsed on the floor. Huff* Huff* I can''t breathe! No way! Leonus can never do that! Not him! Is Anne lying? But why would she lie to me? Huff* Huff* Then did Leonus¡­ No. Who should I trust? The person I have known for years. Or the person whom I have known for only a month¡­ who showered me with kindness¡­ Huff* Huff* I don''t know¡­ I¡­ Huff* Huff* Isabella was breathing loudly. Lie¡­ I hate lies. But what if she really lied? Aghh~! Suddenly Isabella''s eyes were glowing purple light. How dare she! Why did she lie! Isabella got up and started walking towards the door! She was enraged. Chiiing- Suddenly her pendant started glowing! And again a bluish barrier started circling her. And Isabella froze. Her eyes were still glowing. And as time passed by her eyes turned normal. And the barrier vanished. Her pendant also stopped glowing. Ahh- Why am I standing here? What¡­ What was I going to do? I don''t remember¡­ I can''t remember. And thud* Isabella again collapsed on the floor. What''s going on? I can''t see clearly. I am losing my consciousness. "My Lady!" Ella? Why does she look so terrified? Is she worried? But I am okay. So don''t worry. But I didn''t have the strength to say that.. And in a moment, I lost my consciousness. Chapter 41 - The Seed Of Misunderstanding (Part 5) Episode 38 (The Seed Of Misunderstanding) * * * Leonus was sitting in his study doing some paperwork with his aide. For some reason, the atmosphere of the study was gloomy. "Is he okay?" Adler whispered to Blaine. Adler Lynx¡­ Leonus''s aide. He is from the Lynx Clan that has been serving the Royal Family since the beginning of the Fellmirr Empire. And all the members of the Lynx Clan have beige white hair. "What do you mean, Adler?" Blaine whispered back. "Can''t you tell?" "Tell what?" "Look. He is fully focused on his work." Blaine looked at Leonus. He was signing the papers at the speed of light. "Huh? What are you talking about?" Blaine said with a look of disapproval. "Tch! Normally he will never do these works. He would always make me do all the work." Adler said while clicking his tongue. "You-" "Shut the f*ck up!" Eek~ Both Blaine and Adler flinched at Leonus''s cold voice. "Yes!" Both of them said at the same time. ''He is definitely angry! He uses foul language only when he is in a bad mood or when he trains the knights. So what made our Cold-hearted Captain angry?'' Blaine thought to himself. ''What the heck?! I was here dying doing his paperwork while he was visiting the Loire. So what is he angry about? D*mn it! I couldn''t sleep for a month.'' Adler cried inwardly. "Then I am going to the training ground." Blaine said while bowing. "Wait. I will go with you." "But Your Highness! There are many documents that need your approval." Adler said eagerly. "I will check them later." "But-" Bam* A knight burst opened the door. "Your Highness! The Crown Princess! She collapsed-" Chiiing- Leonus disappeared from the room. "Ah-" "Where did he go? Was he not here? But I did see him. Was I mistaken?" The knight asked with a confused face. "Don''t worry. He was here." Blaine replied calmly. ''Then was he in a foul mood because of the Princess?'' * * * "Don''t worry. Nothing serious happened. She will wake up after recovering her energy. It''s just that she is extremely weak and malnourished. She needs to eat more healthy food." The Royal Physician said while healing Isabella with his magic. Phew~ Everyone in the room sighed in relief. "I will send the necessary herb from my chamber. Be sure to feed her the herbs every night." The physician said while looking at the maids. "Yes." Ella and Cande replied simultaneously. "But I don''t understand! How is the child malnourished?" Empress Alicia said with discontent. She was sitting next to Isabella. When she heard that Isabella lost consciousness, she came running to Isabella''s room. "..." Everyone in the room became silent. Chiiing- Suddenly Leonus teleported to the room out of nowhere. "Princess?! What happened to her?" Leonus asked ''Ah- the Prince?'' Although the maids were startled at Leonus''s sudden appearance, they soon composed themselves and bowed their heads. "Ah- Prince." "Didn''t you hear what I said?" The physician flinched at Leonus''s cold voice. "Ah- Pardon me! The Princess collapsed because of weakness. Don''t worry. She will wake up soon." "Leave them alone." Empress Alicia got down from the bed and ordered all the servants. "Yes." Saying that everyone left the room. "Don''t worry. She will be fine." Alicia reassured Leonus then got out of the room. Leonus sat next to Isabella. "Princess¡­ I don''t know what to do when you are like that." Leonus said weakly while touching Isabella''s cheek. But soon halted and clenched his fist. * * * Haa¡­ I feel so weak. I can hear someone talking. "When she wakes up, make sure to feed her the herbs." "Yes, Her Highness." "Sigh~ I hope the child wakes up soon." ''The Empress? What is she doing in my room? I tried to open my eyes. But couldn''t. "I will be leaving now. If anything happens, let me know." "Yes, Her Highness." I can hear footsteps getting further away. I guess she is leaving the room. "Princess. Please be okay." Ella said while holding Isabella''s hands. Ella? I want to say that I am okay now. But I am so tired. * * * Huh? When did I fall asleep? I slowly opened my eyes. A beautiful white ceiling with Gold works came to my view. I slowly got up from bed and sat down. Ella was sitting on the floor while resting her head in the bed. It must be cold! How long has she been sitting like this! "Ella." "Dear lord! Princess! You woke up! You have no idea how worried everyone was!" "I see. I apologize for causing so much trouble." "What are you saying, My Lady? No way. No one gets sick purposely." Ella blurted out nervously. "Is that so?" Isabella said with a smile. "Of course!" "Anyways Ella. Get up. You will catch a cold if you keep sitting like that." "Y-Yes, My Lady!" Creak~ "Oh my gosh! Princess! You are awake!" Cande said excitedly while getting in the room. She entered the room with glass. "Hey! Slow down! You are going to drop it!" Ella scolded Cande. "Oops! My bad. I was just happy to see My Lady awake!" Cande said with a silly smile. "Thank you for taking care of me. I caused so much trouble for everyone." "No way, Princess!" Ella and Cande said at the same time with a serious expression. Pfft! Hahaha! They are so cute. Ella and Cande''s eyes widened at her smile. ''She looks so beautiful while smiling!'' Both of them thought at the same time. "Anyways what time is it?" "It''s midnight, Princess." "Midnight?!" Ughh! I was asleep for the whole day. Sigh~ "Yes, My Lady." Cande replied. "My Lady. You have to eat now." Ella said with a serious expression. "Now? But-" "No way, My Lady! You have to eat regularly from now on. You mustn''t skip any meal. The physician said you lost consciousness because you are weak!" "Ah-" Isabella''s eyes widened. "Ah- Pardon me for my rudeness, Princess." "It''s okay. I was just happy. It''s the first time someone is worried about me¡­" "Oh My Lady~" Cande said with teary eyes. "Sniff* Don''t worry, My Lady! Both of us will always be there for you! Always!" "Yes! You can count on us!" Cande agreed with Ella. "You two¡­ Thank you. I am really grateful." After that, Ella brought warm food. I had to finish it to reassure her, even though I didn''t feel like eating. "Here, My Lady! Drink this." Cande said while forwarding the glass she brought before. "What is this?" "It''s made of herbs that help to replenish energy." "Do I have to eat this?" It looks bitter! I can''t even imagine what it will taste like! "Yes! You have to." Ella assured me with a smile. "O-Okay." Then I finished drinking the¡­ herb juice? Anyways it was really bitter. "By any chance, did the Empress visit my room when I was unconscious?" "Yes. She did. And also the cr-" Cande was going to say something but Ella nudged Cande with her elbow. Huh? "What is it?" "Nothing Princess! She was just saying that the Empress almost cried seeing you unconscious!" Ella said with an awkward smile. "Yes. That''s right!" Cande said while nodding her head. I see. I should visit her tomorrow. I have to thank her. "How about the Crown Prince?" "Ah- The Crown Prince was busy working on paperwork! You know how he couldn''t work while visiting the Loire." "I see. He is the Crown Prince, after all." Yes. He must''ve been busy. But¡­ Why do I feel a little sad¡­ "Don''t worry, Princess! His Highness will visit you soon!" "Yes, My Lady! Don''t be upset!" "Oh, I wasn''t upset. A-Anyways you two should return to your room. It''s already midnight. You have to sleep." "But Princess-" "It''s okay. I am fine now! So go to sleep without any worry!" "Alright. We will leave after you fall asleep." "But I just slept." "Don''t worry. The herb you just drink also helps to fall asleep." "Sigh~ Okay. I will try to sleep." After that, I lay on the bed. I fell asleep after a few minutes, even though I thought I couldn''t. * * * Ella and Cande are walking together in the hallway while holding a candle. Ella: "Thank God! She fell asleep quickly!" Cande: "I know right!" Ella: "Anyways you idiot! You almost said that!" Cande: "Ughh! It was just a slip of tongue." Ella: "And because of that slip of tongue you might have lost your real tongue." Cande: "Anyways, I still don''t understand." Ella: "Understand what?" Cande: "Why did the Crown Prince order that?" Ella: "That''s true." Cande: "I don''t understand why he told us not to say anything about his visit to the Princess. He was so worried." Ella: "I know right?! Did something happen between them?" Cande: "I don''t know. Everything was fine until yesterday." Ella: "Sigh~ When I entered her room today, I was a little shocked to see the Princess alone." Cande: "Poor Princess. She is so pure and innocent!" Ella: "I know. How can she not understand that her own maid is like that! I wonder how she will feel if she knows that Anne is trying to spread rumours about her. My Lady trusts that b*tch so much!" Cande: "Tch! Don''t talk about that vixen." Ella told everything that happened during the journey to Cande. She was shocked to hear that and also despised Anne for her wickedness. Ella: "Anyways, we have to be careful about her. We can''t let her do any mishap here." Cande: "Yes." Ella: "Tch! If I could, I would''ve kicked her out of Fellmirr. But I don''t want My Lady to be upset." Cande: "I know what you mean! She was so happy to see us worried about her. Sob* I can''t even imagine what she went through in the Loire!" Ella: "I know right! But don''t worry! We will take care of her with our heart!" Cande: "Sniff* Yes. But for now, let''s keep an eye on that b*tch" Ella: "Yes." The two maids promised each other, then continued walking. But at that time, they didn''t know that amid all chaos Anne already sowed the seed of misunderstanding¡­ Chapter 42 - Fall (Part 1) ! Warning ! This episode contains strong language, violence and abuse which might be traumatizing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. Episode 39 (Rumours) * * * "Hey, did you hear the rumours about the Crown Princess?" "Which one? I mean, there are so many rumours about her." "I know right! I heard she beat her own maid! Can you imagine!" "Yes! I heard she beat that poor soul until bleeding!" "Poor thing! She even followed her to Fellmirr¡­" Some ladies were talking to each other in the street market. "Hey! Do you have any idea what you are talking about? You are assaulting a Royal Family Member. It''s a serious crime, don''t you know?" Cande said while frowning. She was in the town''s market to buy something and heard a group of ladies gossiping about Isabella. "Wha-What? We are just discussing what we heard!" A lady said, panicking. "Yes! And it''s not just us!" "Yes! The whole town''s talking about the Princess!" Cande: "What? Where did you guys even hear such a thing?" "What do you mean ''where''? Of course, from a maid of the Castle!" Cande: "A castle maid?" "Yes. You don''t know anything do you?" "A castle maid was beaten up badly by the Princess." "Yes! It is said her face was badly bruised and swollen." "And there is also another rumour. Come here." The lady gestures to Cande to come closer. "It is said the lady had many affairs before marriage!" The lady whispered. "What? How outrageous!" Cande burst into anger. "Shh! Hey, lower your voice!" "Phew~ Don''t say this to anyone but they also said that she slept with different men every night!" "What the-" "That''s not all. A castle maid said that she slept with a knight, that''s why her imprint had blue rosebuds instead of red." "Yes! They also said that the Crown Prince despises the Princess!" "Yes! He never slept with her after their marriage." "I know right! It is said that she despises Beastmen and refused to marry the Crown Prince at the beginning!" "I heard that''s the reason she didn''t even show up at the Festival." ''What is going on? I don''t understand. Why is everyone acting so weird? They are not like this? And who is even spreading all these vicious rumours?'' Cande thought worriedly. Cande: "Hey, listen. There is nothing like that. The Crown Princess is really kind. She treats her maids like sisters!" "What? What are you talking about?" Cande: "Look, I work in the castle. And Her Highness never mistreated me!" "Tch! You- You don''t have to lie like that." "Yes. Sigh~" ''What the- They are not even trying to listen to me. There''s no use talking to them. I should talk to Ella about this. Meanwhile, we have to hide this matter from the Princess at all cost! Poor Princess. She suffered so much! I was so shocked when I heard how that b*tch Anne treated her. Sigh~'' After that Cande hurriedly bought what she needed and returned to the Castle. * * * "Remember that an Empress plays an important role to control the Aristocrats. In the Royal Court, the Empress''s opinion is highly respected." Maria Lynx said while fixing her glasses. She is Adler Lynx''s sister and also wants to be Isabella''s Lady-in-waiting. "I see." "Then that''s it for today''s class. Then we will meet again in the next class, Your Highness." Maria said while bowing. After that, she started walking out of the parlour. "Princess! Don''t forget about that!" Maria halted halfway then spoke loudly. Isabella flinched at her sudden action. "Huh? What?" "See~ You forgot again! You have to make me your Lady-in-waiting!" Maria sighed. "Oh that~" Isabella averted her eyes from Maria. "Princess!" "I will think about it." "Okay! It''s a promise then. Don''t forget. Bye~" Maria waved her hand with a smile, then left the room. Phew~ Thank God she left. Maria is a kind and cheerful person. She is also very knowledgeable and good at her work. I really like her. But I don''t think someone like me deserves her. It will be a waste of talent if she works under me. Sigh~ "I am so tired." Isabella sighed while stretching her arms. It has been 6 months since I have arrived in the Capital. Many things have happened since then. The common people held a week-long Welcoming Festival for me. But I couldn''t attend as I was suddenly sick at that time. Anyways now, I am taking Lessons about the duties of a Crown Princess and an Empress from Maria. I also have to do a lot of paperwork. Although I had to face some troubles for the first few days, I soon got the hang of it. To be honest, now I quite enjoy doing this. I feel like even I can be useful. Anyways I also have regular tea-time with the Empress. No¡­ Mother. Both the Emperor and the Empress treat me like their own daughter. I am blessed to meet them. And also Leonus¡­ Sigh~ He has been cold to me since that day. He is so busy that I can barely see his face. Even if we meet somehow, he always ignores me after a greeting. "My Lady. Here. Drink some tea." Ella said while giving Isabella a cup of green tea. "Thank you, Ella." "You''ve worked hard, My Lady." Anne said with a gentle smile. ''My foot. You were just reading some paper.'' "Where is Cande?" "She is at the town market to buy something. Anyways My Lady! It''s almost time for your tea-time with the Empress. "Ah-Yes. I assume I should get prepared." "Yes." After that Ella and Anne helped me change my dress into a yellow one with short sleeves. Then they braided my hair. "My Lady, I will accompany you to the Empress today." Anne said vigorously. "Oh. Okay." "Then me too. I will accompany you too." "You should work instead of running around here and there." Anne scoffed. "What did you say?" "Anne. You shouldn''t say that. Ella, take some rest today. Don''t worry. I will be okay." "Yes. I will be taking care of My Lady." "Then I will be going now." "A.." Ella tried to say something but didn''t. "Okay then. Oh Anne, take good care of My Lady. You didn''t forget what I said, right?" Anne frowned and said, "No. I didn''t. Let''s go, My Lady." "Yes." * * * Isabella and Anne were walking on the Corridor of the ground floor which was open on one side. It''s a beautiful afternoon. I can smell the nostalgic scent of grass through the breeze. The sky is cloudy. "My Lady." "What is it, Anne?" "There are some rumours that have been circulating in the castle." "Rumours?" "Yes. It''s said that the Crown Prince loved his previous fiance." Isabella halted. Anne smirked at her action. What? What did she just say? His previous fiance? "You probably don''t know but for a long time, the Empress is always from the Silver-Wolf Clan. Empress Alicia is also from the Silver-Wolf Clan. Everyone thought that Lady Azleza Erlshade would be the Crown Prince. But you came between them just like you did to Grand Duke Roberto and Princess Rubena." Thump* Thump* My heart is beating so fast. "There are more. But I don''t know how to tell you that." "It''s okay. You don''t have to." I don''t want to listen. "No. Let me tell you what people think about you." Anne said with a creepy voice. "They say you are a wh*re who slept with different men every night." No stop! I don''t want to listen! Huff* Huff* Isabella was breathing roughly. Her eyes lost all light as if she was in despair. She was sweating. "And because of that, you have Blue Imprint instead of Red. Because the Crown Prince hated you from the beginning. The buds of the imprint bloom as the couple gets closer. But guess what? The Crown Prince detests you. " Isabella covered her ears with both hands. "What are you doing? You have to listen." Anne said while tightly grabbing Isabella''s hand. She had an evil expression on her face. As if she was a demon rather than a human. Isabella instinctively jerked off her hand from Anne''s grip. "Ouch* My Lady! What are you doing? It hurts! Sob*" Isabella flinched at Anne''s scream. "I-I am sorry." Gasp* "So it was true!" "She really beats her maid." "What a monster!" The servants who were present nearby started whispering. What? No that''s not true. "Oh! I forgot to tell you another one. It is also rumoured that you beat your maid." Anne said in a low tone so that only Isabella could hear it. She had an evil smirk on her teary face. Isabella had goosebumps all over her body at the creepy sight of Anne. Who is she? I don''t know her. Huff* Huff* I can''t breathe. I can feel everyone''s disgusted gaze. It''s so suffocating! Why? Why does it feel like I am back to Loire again? I want to get out. Isabella hurriedly ran away from the corridor. * * * "What? That''s outrageous! How the fu*k such rumours spread?!" Ella exclaimed with a loud voice. "What should we do now, El?" Cande said while biting her fingernails. "I-I don''t know. It''s not something we can control, Can. Not only the Castle''s servants but also the town''s people." "I''m scared. It was as if they were possessed by something! No matter what I said, it seemed like it wouldn''t reach out to them." "F-For now we have to make sure My Lady doesn''t know anything about it! She has just started getting better." "But El¡­ Where is the Princess?!" "She went to visit the Empress with Anne-" Ella stopped as if realising something horrifying. "What? With Anne?! El, are you serious?!" "Sh*t!" Ella hurriedly ran out of Isabella''s room while cursing. ''Please~! I hope I am not too late! Please let her be okay!'' Chapter 43 - Fall (Part 2) ! Warning ! This episode contains strong language, violence and abuse which might be traumatizing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. Episode 40 (Despair) * * * Isabella is walking under a long beautiful pergola trailing with glorious climbing red roses. [ "A wh*re who slept with different men every night." ] I didn''t do such a thing! [ "So it was true!" "She really beats her maid." "What a monster!" ] No! That''s not true! [ Lady Azleza Erlshade would have been the Crown Prince. But you came between them just like you did to Grand Duke Roberto and Princess Rubena." ] I didn''t know! I¡­ didn''t know. Why? Why does everyone keep blaming me for everything?! Even though I didn''t do anything. It''s the same everywhere. I guess he was right. [ "Wherever you go! Everyone will use you! You will be hated everywhere!" ] Isabella staggered. "Isabella! Why are you late, child? Hurry up and sit." Isabella flinched at Alicia''s voice. Haa~ I came here without realizing. "Bell, Come here." "Y-Yes." After that, Isabella walked towards the Gazebo where Alicia was. Now that I think about it, another person is sitting at the table. Seeing his back and hair¡­ Leonus. It has been a month since I last saw him. To be honest, I was worried about him. I wanted to see him. But I don''t want to see his face. How can I! When I know the reason he has been avoiding me. "Isabella, hurry up." "Yes." Isabella answered in a low voice. A maid pulled out a chair for her to sit on. "Tha- Greetings, Empress." "Mother!" "Yes, Mother." "Greetings Your Highness, the Crown Prince." Isabella greeted Leonus without looking at his face. "Greetings." "Are you two still fighting?" "No." Leonus replied in an instance. "Sigh~ You kids! Anyways Isabella today we have some important matters to discuss." "Important matter?" "Yes. Significantly important." "Hurry up, mother. I have work." "Tch! You ungrateful son! Shut up and sit tight. Don''t even think about any work until I am done discussing it." Alicia clicked her tongue. "Anyways as you know it''s already Monsoon. Soon it will be time for The Hunting Festival." The Hunting Festival¡­ A Grand Competition where the Aristocrat Beastmen compete with each other to kill as many animals as possible. It''s held for a week in the Beaulow Forest. Beaulow Forest is a deep forest situated on the east side of the Capital. Every Aristocrat family is obliged to join the competition. It''s a great opportunity for the Beastmen to show off their strength and skill to others. And the winner of the competition may have the opportunity to raise their rank. "And this year we will invite Aristocrats from every Empire and Kingdom of Fellmirr." What? E-Every Empire? Then- "So Bell you can soon meet your family." Alicia added with a smile. "Ah- I see." Isabella said with a pale face. "What''s wrong, dear? Are you not feeling okay?" "Oh No! I am fine. It''s just that I am a bit tired." "Oh my! Then I should hurry up. So the thing is you have to help me with the preparation for the Festival. You see, normally we don''t invite other Empires. But this time is an exception." Help her? Someone like me?! "The Aristocrats from other empires will probably arrive in Fellmirr a week before the festival. We haven''t even started giving the invitations yet. Ughh! There''s so much to do! So you have to help me, Bell!" Alicia said in a crying tone. "Me? But I have never-" "Mother. She has just started recovering. She is too weak. You can''t assign her such an important task." Leonus said, cutting off Isabella''s word. He was silent the whole time until now. Uh¡­ He is right. But why does my heart ache so much? "Ah. That¡­ You are right. I apologize, dear. I totally forgot about your health. Sigh~ I was so excited to work with you." "You should return now." Leonus said in a cold tone. "Y-Yes." Isabella got up from her chair, then started walking after a slight bow. * * * The sky is getting darker with thick clouds. I don''t want to return now. I want to hide somewhere¡­ where no one can find me. I feel so guilty¡­ Why? This huge guilt¡­ I never wanted this. Why am I always the reason¡­ Because of me people always get separated. I hate this! I hate this feeling. An Abuser... A wh*re... Third wheel¡­ A monster¡­ I¡­ Why am I even alive¡­ Isabella looked up at the dark cloudy sky with soulless eyes. Tap* A drop of water touched Isabella''s face. Rumble~ Suddenly with a clap of rumbling thunder, it started to rain. Ah¡­ It''s raining¡­ Isabella thought while forwarding her hand. It''s cold¡­ I closed my eyes and started feeling the rainwater. It feels good. "What are you doing?" I flinched at the sudden voice. I hurriedly looked behind in surprise. "Do you want to catch a cold?" Leonus said while frowning. The Crown Prince¡­ He is drenched because of the rain. "Come." Saying that Leonus grabbed my hand and took me inside a Pergola nearby. I followed him without saying a word. I can''t look him in the eyes. I feel suffocated. This guilt¡­ It increases as each second passes by. Why are you so good to me? Even though because of me, you can not be with your loved one. Don''t. Please¡­ This kindness¡­ It''s sweet yet poisonous. "My Lady! Goodness! You are drenched! You will catch a cold." Suddenly Ella came running out of nowhere and started grumbling worriedly. "Ah¡­ Greetings, the Crown Prince." "Why wasn''t anyone attending her?" "There was one. But she¡­" "Don''t give any excuse." "I apologize." Ella apologized while bowing her head. "I was the one who told her not to come." Isabella said in a low voice. "Sigh~ Return to your room. And you. Take good care of her.." "Yes, Your Highness." After that, Leonus snapped his finger and teleported both Ella and Isabella to her room. * * * "Oh my goodness! Princess! Why is she drenched?!" Cande exclaimed after seeing Isabella. Her shoulder was covered with a towel. "She was walking alone in the garden." "In this rain?!" "Yes." Cande hurriedly bought dry towels. "Let me dry her hair. You should get changed, El. Or you''re going to catch a cold too." "Yes. I will be right back." Saying that Ella hurriedly left the room. "Goodness My Lady! How are you so drenched! What were you even doing in the rain?" Cande grumbled while drying off Isabella''s hair with a towel. "..." "Come to think of it, where is Anne?" Isabella flinched at Anne''s name. "My Lady¡­ Are you okay?" "..." ''She is trembling! She must be feeling cold.'' "Wait a minute, My Lady." Saying that Cande hurriedly went near the cupboard and took out a nightgown. Then she started undressing Isabella and noticed her wrist. Gasp* "Goodness, My Lady. What is this?" Isabella''s wrist was bruised blue and black where Anne grabbed a little while ago. "H-How? It must''ve hurt!" ''Sh*t! What the h*ll just happened?!'' Cande thought while clenching her fist. But soon she composed herself and changed Isabella''s dress into a nightgown. Then hurriedly brought an ointment and applied it to her wrist. After that, she went near the fireplace and lit it up. Then she put a stool in front of it. "My Lady. Please sit here." Isabella sat in the tool without saying a word. "My Lady, how are you feeling now? Does it hurt?" "..." ''Why isn''t she replying? Ughh. Something must''ve happened¡­ She looks so pale. Tch! And this weather. Sigh~ For now let''s just keep my mouth shut.'' After that, Cande started combing Isabella''s hair without saying anything on that thunderous gloomy rainy evening. * * * < Half an hour ago. Rumble* As the dark grey clouds are obscuring the sky, continuous thunders are striking with rumbling noise. ''Ughh~ The sky is getting darker. It will rain anytime. Where the hell is My Lady?!'' Ella thought while hurriedly looking around the huge garden. ''D*mn it! I shouldn''t have left her alone with that b*tch.'' "The Crown Princess left a few minutes ago. Soon after her the Crown Prince and the Empress also went back to the castle." A maid said while cleaning the Gazebo. "Is that so?" ''But I didn''t see her on my way back.'' "Yes. And why didn''t anyone accompany her?" "What?" "Yeah. The Princess came here unattended. Now that I think about it. She looked kind of pale." ''Damn it!'' Ella cursed as she thought about what could happen. "Which way did she go?" "Umm¡­ That way probably." The maid replied while pointing in a direction. ''But that is in the opposite direction of the Castle.'' "Okay. Thank you." Ella said while running. "Ah- okay¡­ Well, she sure is in a hurry." Saying that the maid continued doing her work. After that, Ella started looking around the garden for Isabella but couldn''t find her anywhere. Rumble~ Suddenly Thunders crackled loudly and it started raining heavily. ''S*it?! Where are you, My Lady?'' Soon after she found Isabella and Leonus were under a pergola. ''There she is.'' Anne sighed with relief then soon ran towards Isabella. > ''My Lady¡­ Why did she look like that? Such soulless eyes¡­ S*it! Did that b*tch tell her everything? D*mn it! I was late.'' Ella thought while gritting her teeth. "I should bring her some hot soup." Ella said while drying her hair with a towel.. Soon after she changed her dress and walked out of her room. Chapter 44 - [Bonus ] The Legend Of The Realm Of Myths (Part 3) ( THE OUTSIDE WORLD) * * * "Father~" "What is it, dear?" "What is the outshide(Outside) like?". Little Julie said with eyes full of curiosity. She is Emriar and Lucia''s 4 years old daughter. She was sitting on Emriar''s lap under the Wisdom Tree and watching the stars. "The outside?" "Yesh(Yes)!" Julie answered with sparkling Golden eyes. "It''s ugly." "Ugly?" "Yes! Very ugly! There are people with no magic." "No magic?" "Yes. And there won''t be any of your Beast friends." "Really? Not even Rea or Ray or Roel?!" Julie gasped and answered with a surprised look. "Yes. And the people there are very bad." "Bad people?" "Yes. And they are ugly." "You said ''Ugly'' twice." Zelbon said with an amused look. "Shut up." "Then ish(is) Mother ugly too?" "Wh-What?" Emriar asked while choking air. "What are you three doing? Lucia asked worriedly. "N-Nothing." "Is that so?" Lucia said with a look of disapproval. "Anyways Julie. Come inside. It''s time for you to sleep." "Okay~" Julie hopped down from Emriar''s lap and jumped into Lucia''s arm. "Emriar, why don''t you let poor Zelbon rest." "Okay." "Thanks for saving me, Lucy." Zelbon said with a teary voice. "You-" "Poor thing¡­ You better rest now, Zel. Because you won''t be able to when the kids wake up." "Yes." After that, Lucia and Emriar returned to their bedroom along with Julie. Then she laid Lucy down on the bed. "Sleep now, child." "Yesh(Yes), Mother." After a while, Julie fell asleep. "She was talking outside again." "Sigh~ I am worried, Em. The outside world is nothing like here. It''s dangerous." Lucia said while leaning on Emriar''s shoulder. "Don''t worry, Lucy. It''s just growing curiosity. She will forget about it as time passes by." "I hope so too." * * * "I wonder what outside of this forest is like?" Julie said while looking at the sky. She was playing with her friends. Her golden hair was shining brightly because of the sunlight. "Huh? I don''t really care." Roel said with a shrug. He is the son of Ordona and Igneel. "Yeah. Me too. I love playing with everyone here." Rea agreed with Roel. She is the daughter of Janet and Ijiraq. "Why do you think so much about outside, Julie?" Ray asked while tilting his head. His black eyes were sparkling as he spoke. He is the son of Zalcoatl and Alethra who is a Silver Werewolf. "I want to go outside." "Well, I will follow you wherever you go. So it doesn''t matter." Ray said with a smile. "Sister! Are you talking about outside again?! I will tell, Mother!" Lian grumbled. He is Julie''s 10-year-old brother. Julie, Lian, Roel and Rae are 15 years old. "Shut up, Lian! Do you want me to die?" "Then you should listen to her, to begin with!" "You little- Julie said while chasing after Lian as he was running away from her. "Meta! Come here! Give me a ride!" Then a white beast flew towards him. Lian got up on the beast''s back and they flew away. "You can never catch me. Blaa~" Lian said while making faces at Julie. Lian had the Beast taming ability. On the other hand, Julie had her father''s ability. She could also grant magic power to others. * * * One year later¡­ "Father!" Julie spoke loudly. "What is it?" "I want to go outside!" "Pfft~" Emriar spitted out the tea he was drinking. "I-Is that so?" He then said with a cold sweat. "Yes!" "Alright. I will let you when you grow a little more." "Really?! Yes!" Julie gasped with happiness. * * * 3 Years Later¡­ "Father! When can I go outside?" "Grow up a little more." "Little more¡­ Is that so?" "Yes." Emriar replied while avoiding her gaze. "So when is this little more?" Julie asked with a smile. "5 or 10 years later¡­ Maybe?" Emriar mumbled. "What? Are you serious! I will go outside when I am 20. If you don''t, I am just going to run away." "Julie! How can you! Don''t you love your Father anymore?!" "It''s not like I am going out forever. I will return soon anyways." "Sis! Stop bothering father, will you?" Lian grumbled angrily. "Sure you can go." Lucia said calmly while drinking tea. "Yes!" Julie exclaimed with joy. "Lucy!" Emriar said in a crying voice. "Em, she won''t learn until she gets hurt. So let her just go." "Tch! So Annoying!" Lian Clicked his tongue. * * * "Be careful, sweety. Come back soon." Emriar said while struggling to stop his tears. "I will." "Don''t worry. I will take good care of her." Ray assured Emriar. "You take care of yourself too, Ray." "Yes, Mother." "I will miss you two. Sob* Just a few days ago both of you were running and playing under my shade." Zelbon sobbed. "We will return soon, Zel. So don''t cry." Julie assured. "Take care of you two." "Return soon." "The outside world is dangerous. So be careful." "Don''t trust anyone easily." "Did you take the book?" "Yes, Father. I took it with me! You don''t have to worry." Every Beastman and Wizard gathered under the Wisdom tree to bid Julie and Ray farewell. "Just go already." Lian said with an annoyed face. "Aww~ Don''t be sad. You can join me too, you know." Julie said with a smile. "Shut up! Who''s upset?" Lian sobbed. "My dear little brother. I know you are worried but I will be fine." Julie said while hugging Lian. "You would better return soon." "Yes. Yes." Julie patted Lian''s head. "By the way, why don''t you guys join us?" Julie asked Rea and Roel. "Not interested." Roel replied instantly. "You heard him. Anyways don''t get into any trouble, you troublemaker." Rea said with an annoying look. "Don''t worry. I won''t." After that, both Julie and Ray left the forest riding a magical beast. "Bye Everyone~" Julie bid farewell while waving her hands. "Bye~ Take care." "Emriar, Don''t worry they will be fine." Lucia consoled Emriar. "Yes. Those children are strong." "Yes. It will be nice if they don''t blow up any place." "I know right!" "And even if they make mistakes, we are here." "Yes. We are their guardians after all." * * * Julie and Ray flew around for a few days. They crossed many mountains and forests. And finally, after a week they reached a town. "Oh my gosh! Ray! Look! There are so many people living there!" "Yeah." "And their houses are weird too." "Yes." "Let''s go down there." "Yes. But Julie, I think it will be better if we keep Lan here and walk down to the town from this mountain." "That¡­" "It might be dangerous if someone spotted him. What if they hunt him down, as Lan is a beast." "You are right. Let''s do that. You stay here nicely Lan. We will be back soon." Purr~ Lan agreed while nodding his head. After that, the two left Lan in the mountains and Ray cast an invisible spell on Lan. Then the two walked towards the town. "Whoa~ There are so many people!" Julie mumbled as they were walking in the town market. They were wearing a cloak so that they wouldn''t stand out. "Yes. You are right." "There are so many beautiful things too!" "Yes." Ray replied while looking at the items of different shops. "The foods here look delicious!" Aghh~ Suddenly a scream attracted both of their attention. The scream came from the front of a shop. But the two couldn''t see anything as there was a crowd in front. "You old geezer! Bring money then ask for food!" A middle-aged man cursed while kicking out an old man. The old man''s body was so thin that even his bones were visible. "Please~ I am really hungry¡­ I haven''t eaten for days. Just a piece of bread." "Tch! Go away already." "What the heck¡­" Julie''s eyes widened at the cruel sight. She then looked around the street alleys. There were many people sitting on the street with dark eyes filled with despair. A mother with 3 children, many kids and many elderly... All of them were skinny. Their dresses were worn-out. The children were crying because of hunger. ''What kind of place is this?! Hidden underneath the weird buildings and shops¡­'' Julie thought while looking down the street which was made of small stones. "Julie, don''t do anything. We aren''t to interfere with others here, remember?" Ray warned Julie in a low voice. "Hey, you!" But Julie already went towards the middle-aged man before Ray''s warning! "What the- Sigh~" Ray sighed deeply. "What is it!" The man replied in a harsh tone. "How can you behave this way towards an elderly! Apologize now!" "Pfft! Hahahaha~" The man laughed out loud then said, "And why should I do that, Miss?" "What?" Julie asked with a look of disapproval. "That old man doesn''t have any money. So he can''t get food." "You-" Julie slapped a piece of gold bar at the man''s face and said, "Is this enough?" Gasp* "Whaa~ G-Gold?!" Everyone at the market gasped at the sight of the gold bar. "Didn''t you hear me?" "Y-Yes, Miss! It is enough to feed all the beggars." "Then hurry up and prepare the food!" "Ah- Yes." "Thank you for the help, Young Lady. I will never forget this." The elder sobbed and said. "Haha~ Don''t worry and eat your fill today." Julie said with a silly smile. "Julie~!" Ray said with a cold tone. Eek~ "S-Sorry. I got emotional for a moment. "Sigh~ You will blow our cover." "Ahahaha-" After that, the two gave food to the hungry people on the street. "Thank you so much, beautiful sis!" "Thank you, miss and young man." "We don''t have to starve today because of you!" Everyone sobbed and thanked them with tearful eyes. After giving them food, the two roamed around for a while then returned to the mountain. * * * It''s night. The two were sitting together in front of a bonfire while looking at the sky. "It''s strange, Ray¡­" "What is?" "The sky is the same as it is in our home. But this place is so different from our home." "It is¡­" "There are so many things we don''t know." "That''s true." "The outside is beautiful but harsh." "Well, everyone warned us about this before, didn''t they?" "Yes.." Julie replied in a low tone. "So do you still want to continue the journey?" "Yes¡­ I want to. I want to see more. I want to know more about this part of the world." "Sigh~ Whatever you say." After that, the both of them stayed in that area for a week then left for their next adventure. Chapter 45 - Fall (Part 3) ! Warning ! This episode contains strong language, violence and abuse which might be traumatizing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. Episode 41 (Fear) * * * "My Lady, I brought hot soup for you." Ella entered the room with a bowl of hot steaming soup. "..." "... My Lady?" "The Princess isn''t-" "I want to be alone." Isabella said while cutting Cande''s words in the middle. "But please drink the soup first." Ella insisted. "Put it on the table. I will drink it later." "Ah- Okay." After that, Both Ella and Cande bowed and left the room. Isabella got up from the stool and walked near the balcony door. As soon as I opened the balcony door, a gust of strong wind struck my body along with raindrops. Rumble~ What a loud thunder¡­ Shaa~ It''s raining cats and dogs. Because of the thunder lightning, the dark world becomes blindingly bright for a flash. But then it becomes dark again. That''s right. I am in the dark world. I got swayed away by the sudden thunder¡­ Hah! To think that, I became a little useful¡­ How foolish of me! [ "She is too weak. You can''t assign her such an important task." ] His words stabbed like thorns¡­ That''s right. I am nothing more than a burden¡­ Sob* Sob* Why? I can''t do anything other than crying?! Why do I always end up hurting others¡­ Isabella cried while covering her face with both hands. "What the h*ll are you doing? Do you want to catch a cold?" I flinched at the sudden voice. I hurriedly looked behind. It was Anne. She was slowly walking towards me. "Well, you might as well do that. What else can you do instead of causing trouble for others." Anne scoffed. "Anne¡­" How can¡­ "Why are you looking at me like that? Are you surprised? Pfft! Hahaha!" "Anne¡­ You-" "I what?" "You weren''t with me in the afternoon, right?" Isabella asked, trembling. Yes. It wasn''t her. I am sure I was mistaken. Yes. I must have been tired. Anne can never speak to me like that. Yes. That must be i- "You mean when you were going to the Empress?" ''Seriously? Does she still not understand? Pfft! How foolish!'' "Yes, My Lady! I wasn''t with you." Anne said while sobbing. Phew~ Thank goodness! It wasn''t her. "It wasn''t me who told you all those rumours!" Isabella''s eyes widened. "Pfft! Hahaha! How stupid can you be?!" Anne said while laughing like a madman. "Did you really-?" "Yes. I was the one who told you all the rumours. You know everything about you being a wh*re sleeping with different men. About how you beat me till bleeding. And how much you hate Beastmen. Pfft! Hahaha~ And you know what? I was the one who started those rumours." Anne said with an eerie voice. She then grabbed Isabella''s left hand tightly which was already bruised by her. It hurts! But I can''t say anything! My head is empty. I can''t think about anything. Ah¡­ I remember now. It was the same in the afternoon too. I didn''t want to believe it. I feel so betrayed! I trusted you. You¡­ "How can you betray me?" "Pfft! Hahaha! Are you serious? Betray? You mean you trusted me. You naive girl. Did you seriously believe I was loyal to you, Isabella? From the beginning, it was the 2nd Princess whom I worked for. Whom I am loyal to. And in Loire too. I was the one who spread rumours about you." Anne said while pinching Isabella''s already bruised wrist with her nails. Anne''s sharp-long nails pierced Isabella''s skin and drops of blood started flowing out. Aghh* Isabella cried in pain. "Are you in pain? You deserve it! Do you know how much people suffered because of you? Because of you, Princess Rubena couldn''t be with the Grand Duke. Because of you, the Crown Prince wasn''t able to be with his fated mate. All because of you. Because of you, I had to suffer so much! I had to leave my hometown and work day and night! So, don''t you dare cry, Isabella. Live! You have to live with this pain for the rest of your life. Don''t even think about dying. You don''t deserve the mercy of death." Ramble~ A thunder strike with a crackling noise. In the sudden light of the thunder, Anne''s bloodshot eyes along with her disgusted face were visible. Tap* Tap* Drops of blood were flowing from Isabella''s hand. "Now I am just doing the job that was given to me by my REAL lady. She told me to remind you about your FATHER. Don''t worry though. You will be able to see him soon. Hahaha" Anne let go of Isabella''s hand and laughed eerily while walking. "I see. I am a sinner. I had caused so much suffering. But I never wanted this. I never spoke harshly to anyone. I never mistreated you. But it doesn''t matter. Yes!. I am cursed! I am a monster." Isabella mumbled to herself while looking down. Her eyes looked like that of a dead person. It was as if she was hypnotized. "What are you mumbling about?" ''Has she finally gone mad?'' Thinking that Anne went towards Isabella. ''What the hell! Why is this bitch looking down like a ghost? Well, is she bowing?! Pfft! How pathetic can a person be? I feel so great! A Princess is bowing to me! Hahaha!'' Anne laughed inwardly. "Well, if you are going to bow, do it properly." Saying that Anne was going to put her hand on Isabella''s shoulder and make her kneel. But suddenly- Gasp* "Ughh! What are you doing?!" Isabella grabbed Anne by her neck and looked at Anne. Her eyes were Ivory instead of the calm purple colour. Her hair was fluttering in the wind. "Thou unsightly muggle! How dare thee! Thou dare say I am Cursed? I am a Sinner? Then what does that make thee? I harassed thee? Then is thy blood upon my hand? Outrageous!" Saying that Isabella lifted Anne by grabbing her neck. Cough* Cough* "L-Let-" ''I can''t talk! I can''t breathe. Am I going to die!'' Anne thought while trembling in fear. Her face turned red as she couldn''t breathe. "Let what? Let thy go! Why aren''t thy speaking now? Thy mouth was running astoundingly a few moments ago. Why aren''t thy speaking now!" Isabella said all that without moving a muscle. Her face was expressionless as that of stone. But her eyes were burning with hidden anger. Bam* Suddenly Isabella tossed Anne to a wall. Thud* Anne fell to the ground with a loud thud. Cough* Cough* Anne coughed while touching her neck. Huff* Huff* She then started breathing roughly. "Consider it my disgust towards thy that I am sparing thy life. I don''t want to taint my hand by thy blood. Get out of my sight right now!" Anne got up from the ground in a rush then ran out of the room for life. But Anne didn''t notice one thing. That is, from the beginning Isabella''s necklace was glowing. And now the blue sapphire necklace is turning as red as a Ruby. As soon as Anne got out of the room, the pendant turned fully red and a red barrier started circling Isabella. And she froze in time. It was after half an hour that the pendant turned blue. Isabella''s eyes were also turned back to normal. The barrier gradually started to fade. And in a moment everything turned back to normal. "Ah- I¡­ What happened? Aghh! My head hurts. I can''t remember anything." Rumble~ A thunder crackled. Isabella flinched at the sound. Then she looked outside through the balcony. Shaa~ It''s raining heavily. I should close the door. Why is it open to begin with? After hurriedly closing the balcony door, Isabella went towards the bed. I feel so sleepy. Yawn~ After that, Isabella lied in bed and fell asleep in an instant. * * * Huff* Huff* ''Shit! What the fuck was that? H-How did that weak thing get so powerful! Damn it all! It hurts! It hurts like hell!'' Anne thought while running in the hallway. She was breathing roughly. Soon she returned to her room. As it was an hour after the evening, the maids were all busy preparing for dinner and doing other work. So the room was empty. Bam! Anne closed the door after getting in her room. "My neck-" Her voice was hoarse. ''My voice¡­ The mirror. I have to check.'' Soon after Anne brought out a mirror and looked at her neck. It was badly bruised. The place Isabella grabbed was blue. ''Damn it! What am I supposed to do now? Should I say everything to the Second princess¡­'' Anne thought while biting her nails. ''No way! Considering that b*tch, she will probably order me to kill her. If I don''t kill her, that psycho will kill me. If I kill her, the beasts will rip me to pieces. And If I go to kill her, who knows she might kill me this time.'' Thinking about what happened a moment ago, Anne had shivers down her spine. ''But what am I supposed to do¡­ I should keep my mouth shut for a while. But now that Isabella knows everything about me¡­ What if she tries to send me back? Damn it! Damn it Damn it!'' "Curse you, Isabella!" Anne cursed in a hoarse voice while throwing away the mirror that was in her hand. Chapter 46 - Fall (Part 4) Episode 42 (WHO DARES?) * * * Skrr~ Ella removed the curtains from the window. The ray of sunlight touched Isabella''s face. "Uh-" ''So bright¡­'' Isabella thought while covering her face with one hand. "Good Morning, My Lady." Ella greeted Isabella with a warm smile. "It''s already morning¡­?" Isabella said while slowly getting up from bed. "Yes, My Lady. I have already prepared water for you to freshen up, My Lady." "Okay." Saying that Isabella got down from her bed then started washing her face. "Ahh-" My wrist¡­ As soon as I touched the water to rinse my face, my wrist started to sting. "What is it, My Lady?" Ella asked anxiously. I looked at my hand. My wrist is badly bruised and a little bit of skin was ripped in the middle. It hurts. "Oh my goodness, My Lady?! How did this happen?" Ella said while grabbing Isabella''s wrist. Isabella flinched at her touch and jerked off Ella''s hand. Ella''s eyes widened at Isabella''s sudden action. "Ah¡­ That¡­" Why did I do that? "I¡­ I apologize for grabbing your hand without consent, My Lady." Ella bowed and said. ''I must have grabbed her wrist too tightly. Sh*t!'' "No! I apologize for that. I don''t know what came off me¡­" "No, My Lady. It''s definitely my fault. But how did you even get hurt?! It was just a bruise when I checked yesterday. But this¡­" Ella said while frowning. Isabella''s wrist was in a gruesome shape. It was swollen and turned blue. Dry blood was sticking on the ripped part. "Please excuse me for a moment." Ella then hurriedly ran out of the room. Haa~ Isabella breathed out. My wrist hurts! But when did this happen?! I can''t remember. Ella said my hand was already bruised yesterday. Yesterday¡­ What was I even doing yesterday? After Maria left, I was supposed to visit the Empress... Did I go? I can''t remember. "Aghh! My head¡­ It hurts." Isabella staggered and sat on the couch. "My Lady!" Ella entered the room running with a medical kit. "My Lady, please sit here." Ella said while pointing to the couch. "Yes." After that Ella carefully cleaned the dry blood. ''Aghh! It hurts.'' Isabella thought while tightly closing her eyes. Sob* "I am sorry." Ella sobbed. What? Is she crying? Isabella opened her eyes in surprise. "I am sorry, My Lady." "Wh-Why are you crying?" Is something wrong? Did I do something¡­ I don''t know what to do... "I should have been there for you. I am your personal maid. But still¡­ I didn''t even know when it happened." Ella sobbed. Warm tears were dropping from her eyes. Isabella''s eyes widened. What? She is crying for me? For someone like me? "It must be hurting so much. I am sorry." Ella cried while wiping off the dry blood. I can''t believe this¡­ Someone is crying for me¡­ I am truly wicked. She is crying but for some reason, I feel so happy¡­ Happy that someone cares for me... Happy that someone can also cry for me. "It''s okay. Thank you for caring for me, Ella." Isabella said with a warm smile while patting Ella''s head. "My Lady! I brought Sir Allen!" Cande entered the room while bursting open the door. "You-!" Ella hurriedly got up and took a shawl. Then she wrapped it around my shoulder. After that, a young man with half black and half white hair entered the room. "Greetings, Your Highness, the Crown Princess. I am Allen, the apprentice of the Royal Healer." Allen greeted while bowing. "Greetings." "Please heal her hand quickly!" Ella begged. "Well, I am here for that. Please give me your hand, My Lady." Allen said while forwarding his hand. "Oh, Okay." Saying that Isabella put her hand on his. Gasp* "This is¡­" Allen''s eyes widened seeing Isabella''s wrist. Cande also had the same expression. "How did this¡­" "Sir Allen, can you hurry up?" Ella said with an annoyed expression. "Ah. Yes." After that, Allen closed his eyes and started chanting something. In a minute a bright light shone around my wrist and it was healed in an instant. "It''s done." Allen said after opening his eyes. Wow. My wrist is completely healed. "Thank you." Isabella said with a smile. "D-Don''t, Your Highness. It''s my duty to serve you." "And I have a favour to ask." "Please say anything, Your Highness. I will try my very best to fulfil it." "Can you please keep this a secret from everyone?" "What? But why?" "You have already healed me. So there''s no need to inform others about this. It will just make them worry." I don''t want to be a nuisance. "But, Your Highness-" "Please." "Ah¡­ Sigh. Okay." "Thank you very much!" "Sir Allen, is My Lady really alright?" "Yes." Allen replied while nodding his head. "Then please return. My Lady needs to have breakfast." "Oh. Yes. Then please excuse me." Saying that Allen bowed and walked out of the room. "My Lady! How did you get hurt anyways?" Cande said worriedly as soon as Allen walked out. "I don''t know. I can''t remember anything that happened after yesterday afternoon." "That¡­ Nothing happened, My Lady." "Really?" "Yes. You went to visit the Empress with me and then after talking we hurriedly returned as it was raining." "I¡­ I see." "And I don''t think you will be able to visit the Empress anytime soon." Cande said with caution. "Huh? Why is that?" "Her Highness, the Empress will be busy with the preparation of the Hunting Festival." "Oh. I can''t remember." "It''s okay, My Lady. It must be because you were so tired." "Yes. Probably." "..." "..." "Ella and Cande?" "Yes, My Lady?" Both Ella and Cande replied simultaneously. "Don''t tell anyone about today, okay?" "Well, of course." "Don''t worry, My Lady. Our lips are sealed." "Thank you." Isabella said with a smile. "Anyways My Lady, we have prepared breakfast for you." "Oh, yes. I am quite hungry." After that, Isabella washed her face then ate the breakfast that Cande prepared. * * * Allen is walking in the hallway thinking about something with a serious face. ''I can''t believe someone dared to hurt the Crown Princess. Are they not afraid of dying or something? Tch! What if that person attacks her again? Aghh~ I shouldn''t have promised her anything. Well, I was taken aback by her wound¡­" Sigh~ Allen sighed deeply thinking about what happened just minutes ago. < I was sitting idly in the Royal Physician''s Chamber. To be honest, it was early in the morning. I was sleepy. Yawn~ Suddenly a maid burst open the door and entered the chamber without any announcement. I flinched as that happened out of nowhere. "Anyone here?! The Crown Princess is hurt!" The maid asked anxiously. "What? Well, the Royal Physician still hasn''t arrived yet." "What? Then what am I suppose to do? She is badly hurt." The maid said while biting her nails. "Well, I am his apprentice." "What? Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and come with me!" "Ah- Yes. Let''s go." ''Well, if something happens to the Crown Princess, Master will be scolded by the Prince. Ughh! I can''t forget how he lashed out at Master about how the Princess didn''t wake up yet. Ughh! My nap!'' To be honest, I was quite annoyed. I didn''t understand why the maid was so anxious either. Is the Crown Princess going to beat her or something? Well, there are some nasty rumours about her. Anyways after literally running, I reached the Crown Princess''s Chamber. "Greetings, Your Highness, the Crown Princess. I am Allen, the apprentice of the Royal Healer." "Greetings." She is so beautiful~ Honestly, no one can tell that she is so vicious seeing her face. Honestly, how hurt can she even be? It might be just a scratch. "Please heal her hand quickly!" The maid standing beside the Crown Princess literally begged. Honestly, how bad can it be? Sigh~ But my thought was completely destroyed after seeing her wrist. "This is¡­" It was badly bruised and swollen. Some parts of the skin were ripped off which were small but deep. "How did this¡­" How the hell did this even happen?! Who did it? This is gruesome! "Sir Allen, can you hurry up?" The maid standing next to the Crown Prince said with an annoyed expression. "Ah. Yes." > She was gentle too. The rumours must have been false. Her personal maids looked genuinely worried for her. She must be an amazing person to earn trust of a Beastman like that. But then how did such rumours spread, to begin with? Anyways after I healed her she thanked me with a gentle smile. She is too beautiful! I mean how can I say no when a beauty like her asks me for a favour! ( ?? ?? ?? ) Aghh! Now I won''t be able to rest today thinking about all this. Sigh~ Chapter 47 - Fall (Part 5) Episode 43 (CONFLICT) * * * Shaa~ It is raining heavily in the lonely darkness of the night. Although the sky was clear in the morning, it became dark again at noon. And soon it started raining again. "I am worried, El." Cande said while walking in the hallway. "Hah~ Me too." Ella replied worriedly. She was walking next to Cande while holding a hurricane lamp in one hand. The reason for both Ella and Cande''s worry was Isabella. Soon after eating breakfast, she fell asleep saying that she felt tired. After that, Cande woke her up at noon to take shower and have lunch. But even during those times, she was constantly dozing off. < "I don''t have any strength left to work today. I will do all of them tomorrow, Ella." "As you wish, My Lady!" "I want to sleep now. Don''t wake me up." "Okay. But what about dinner?" "It''s okay. If I am sleeping, don''t wake me up. Even for dinner. I have already eaten a heavy lunch." "But My Lady, you had already skipped dinner yesterday." "Ella¡­ I am really sleepy now. I am having a hard time keeping my eyes open, let alone speaking." "I¡­ I see, My Lady." "Thanks for understanding, Ella." Saying that Isabella laid on the bed and fell asleep in no time. > "I wonder what happened to her¡­" "Mhmm." "And who bruised her so brutally?" "We should mention this to His Highness." "I know, right? It''s could be an assassination attempt." "Yes. But the Princess told us not to say anything to anyone." "Then why did you agree?" "Well, we have to assure her. If it''s the Crown Princess, she was probably thinking-" "That she will be a nuisance." "I know, right! We were thinking the same thing." "Yes. She should be a little bit selfish and have more self-confidence." "Yes. Then we wouldn''t have to worry about her so much." Sigh~ Both of them sighed deeply and continued walking silently. And after a while, they reached in front of Leonus''s study. Two knights were guarding the door. "We wish to visit the Crown Prince." Cande said to one knight. "Your Highness, the Crown Prince. Two maids are requesting a visit." The knight announced with a loud voice. "..." There was no answer from inside. "You guys should probably go back. His Highness'' temper is really bad nowadays." The knight whispered to Ella and Cande in a cold sweat. "Please tell him it''s very important. It''s about the Princes-" "Let them in." And a voice came from the room. The Knights and the two maids looked at each other awkwardly. "Did you not hear me?" "Y-Yes." A knight flinched at Leonus''s cold voice. After that, one knight opened the huge metallic door and both of them entered the room while bowing their heads. "Greetings, Your Highness." Ella and Cande bowed simultaneously. "Raise your head." "Yes. Thank y-" Both Ella and Cande halted seeing a familiar face. Ella frowned and asked while pointing fingers at the suspicious person as if confronting a perpetrator, "Y-You! What are you doing here?!" "Ahaha." The person in question laughed awkwardly. * * * Half an hour ago... "Allen~! You ruined the potion again!" The Royal Healer, Dalton Dexter screamed with annoyance. "Ah! I am sorry, Grandpa. This won''t happen again! I promise!" Allen apologized in a crying tone. He always addresses Dalton as Grandfather when he is in trouble. Allen''s full name is Allen Dexter. He is a member of the panda Clan. "Sigh~ This is the 20th time!" Dalton said nicely while holding back his anger with all his willpower. ''Wow! You are even counting, old man?!'' Allen thought inwardly. "Don''t let this happen again." "Yes, sir." Allen agreed in a serious tone. Dalton sighed and explained the potion to Allen for the 10th time today." "Look. First, take the Ginkgo, then Ginseng root and lastly the Lunar herb. After that apply your magic power. It''s as simple as that." "I understand!" "And DON''T USE TOO MUCH MAGIC POWER, you stupid grandson. You are burning my precious Lunar herb." Dalton threatened with a smile. "Y-Yes, Sir!" After that, Allen put the herbs in a test tube as instructed, then put his hand above the tube and carefully dispersed his magical energy. "Yes. That''s right. You are doing a good job, Al." "Hahaha! Thank you, Grandpa!" Crack~ The room became silent. The small sound of glass cracking was all that could be heard. "T-That¡­" Cold sweat was running down from Allen''s forehead. Rumble~ "Get the hell out of my chamber!" More than the thunder, Dalton''s angry voice was heard. * * * ''D*mn that, old man. Kicking me out like that.'' Allen thought while pouting. He was walking in the corridor on the first floor. "This depressing rain¡­ D*mn it!" Allen screamed with annoyance. ''What should I do? I couldn''t tell Grandfather what happened this morning. I promised after all. The reason I couldn''t concentrate on making potions¡­ Should I tell Gramps? Nahh! If I return now he will beat me up for sure.'' Allen thought deeply while looking at the raindrops. "''But I should tell this to the Crown Prince, at least. The Princess is his mate after all." Allen mumbled to himself. ''And it is a serious matter. Her wound was horrible. What if she gets attacked again! I will be tortured by the Crown Prince then. Yes. I shouldn''t think much about this anymore. '' After thinking the entire day, Allen made a firm decision. "Let''s just inform the Crown Prince about the Crown Princess." Saying that Allen started heading towards Leonus''s study room. "I am the apprentice of the Royal Healer, Allen Dexter. I have an urgent matter to speak with the Crown Prince." After that, a knight announced Allen''s Presence. "His Highness, the Crown Prince. Allen Dexter, the apprentice of the Royal Healer requests you for a visit. He mentioned that it''s an urgent matter." "Let him in." After that, a knight opened the door and Allen entered the room. "Greetings, the Crown Prince." Allen bowed and greeted Leonus. Leonus was sitting in the chair doing paperwork. His Aide, Adler was standing next to him helping him with the work. "Raise your head." "Yes. Thank you, Your Highness." "So what is the urgent matter that you spoke of?" "That¡­" Allen hesitated while looking at Adler. "You are excused for today, Adler." "Yes. Then I will be going back, Your Highness." Saying that Adler bowed then left the room. "So what is it?" "That¡­ The pr¡­" ''How am I supposed to say it to him? What if he asks why I haven''t informed him earlier. Sh*t!'' Allen cried inwardly. "Hurry up and tell me before I lose my patience." Leonus said with a glare. Allen flinched at Leonus''s word. ''Ughh! Whatever!'' Thinking that Allen blurted out, "It''s about the Crown Princess. She-" "Your Highness, the Crown Prince. Two maids are requesting a visit." The knight from outside announced Ella and Cande''s presence. ''Phew~ I am saved for a while.'' * * * "Why are you here?" "I can ask you the same question!" "Are you betraying My Lady?" "What are you talking about?" Ella and Allen started arguing with each other. "You promised her. So how can you break your Promise like this?!" "You are also here. Did she not make you promise?" "Yes. I mean, No." "Humph! You came here too." "Hey you two, His Highness is here." Cande whispered to Ella and Allen with cold sweat. Both of them flinched at the murderous gaze of Leonus. "Why did you stop? Continue arguing. Go on." "We apologize, Your Highness." "Pardon us, Your Highness." "Please forgive us." ''But why am I apologizing?!'' Cande thought to herself. The three apologized while bowing. "Will you keep wasting my time like this? Or will you say whatever you came here for?" "Ah. Yes. It''s about the Crown Princess." Allen said while looking down. He feels less nervous now because of Ella and Cande''s company. "What about Isabella? Is she okay?" Leonus jumped up from his chair and asked with a worried face. "Yes. Her Highness is fine. She is sleeping now. But¡­" Allen halted in the middle. ''How am I supposed to say this to him?'' "But she was attacked yesterday." Ella said while closing her eyes. Leonus: "What?" The three flinched at Leonus''s bloody tone. Leonus: "And you are telling me about this just now." Ella: "We apologize, Your Highness. The Princess told us not to tell anyone." Leonus: "Then why did you come?" Allen: "That¡­" Ella: "It''s because of her that we came here, Your Highness. For some reason, she couldn''t remember anything that happened yesterday afternoon." Leonus: "What?" Cande: "And when she returned after visiting the Empress yesterday, we noticed a bruise on her wrist." Cande said, almost sobbing. "Yes. But in the morning, it was in a horrible state¡­ Her wrist was red and blue. And some part of her skin was ripped off." Ella described while frowning. "I can''t believe this much has happened and you three didn''t even say a word. Should I be amazed at your loyalty?" Leonus said while glaring at them with bloody eyes. "We apologize, Your Highness." Cande apologized while closing her eyes. "We will accept any punishment." Ella added while bowing. "Yes. We deserve punishment." "It''s good that you know. Now get out of my side." "Yes." The three replied simultaneously and left the room after bowing. "D*mn it!" Leonus cursed loudly while punching the top of the table. The table broke in half because of his strong punch. After that, he snapped his finger and disappeared. * * * "Phew~" The three signed in relief after coming out of the room. "I apologize for arguing that time. I was out of my mind that time." Ella apologized while bowing. "Oh, no. It''s me who should apologize. I shouldn''t have made a promise that I couldn''t keep." "No. I think I would''ve done the same if I were you." "Yes. Your action gave the Princess some peace of mind." "Yes¡­" "Anyways it''s late now. We should return to our rooms." "Yes. Goodbye then." After that, Allen walked towards the Royal Healer''s Chamber. Ella and Cande walked towards the maids quarter. "Can, we have to stay with her every moment from now on." "Yes. I don''t really know what happened. But I think it had something to do with the rumours and that b*tch Anne." "I think so too. We can''t let her hear any rumours from now on." "Yes¡­" The two maids vowed inwardly.. Then continued walking in silence. Chapter 48 - Fall (Part 6) Episode 44 (I LIKE YOU) * * * I can feel someone''s soft touch on my cheek. I wonder who it might be. I slowly opened my eyes. "Princess¡­" Leonus was lying on his right side next to me while supporting his head with one hand. He was wearing a white shirt. "Leonus?" For some reason, he looks surprised. But soon, he gently smiled and said, "Yes. What is it, Princess?" "Am I dreaming? I must be." Yes. He will never come here. He hates me. "Who knows? Maybe you are." Leonus said while kissing a strand of my hair. Shaa~ I can hear the sound of steady rain. It''s depressing¡­ "...I want to wake up." I don''t want to stay in this depressing atmosphere. No. More than that, I don''t want to see him. Or else, I will become greedy... "Why? Do you hate me that much?" "What? I don''t dare. How can I hate you¡­" Although you have every reason to hate me¡­ "Really?" "Yes." "Then do you love me?" My eyes widened. Love¡­ Love whom? Leonus? "Why aren''t you saying anything, Princess?" Leonus said while gazing at me with his bright red eyes. He then took a strand of my hair in one hand and kissed it. Then said with a smirk, "You love me, don''t you?" "That¡­" "That?" My face feels hot. Aghh! What''s wrong with me?! "I don''t hate you." "Just that?" "And like¡­" I like you... "I didn''t hear you." Leonus grumbled. "Come on, Princess. It''s a dream. So no matter what you say or think, it doesn''t matter. No one will know. So tell me." "I- I like you." Isabella said while covering her mouth with one hand. Her face was flushed. Chuckle* Leonus chuckled and touched my left cheek. "I guess that''s enough for now." Leonus said with a gentle voice. "Princess¡­" "Yes?" "Can I kiss you?" Leonus said while caressing my cheek. "Nevermind. I don''t want to force you to-" "You can." "Yes. I apologize. I- What? I can? I think I misheard you." Leonus asked excitedly. "I said that you can¡­ kiss me." Aghh! What am I saying?! "Sure then. Don''t forget that you agreed." Saying that Leonus put his lips on mine and started kissing. I closed my eyes as it was too embarrassing. He was kissing gently at the beginning but soon he started roughly licking my mouth. "Mmf-" Huff* Huff* After a while, he stopped and started breathing roughly. "Princess¡­ Don''t seduce me¡­" "What?" "Nothing... Your face is red. You have to learn how to breathe while kissing, my dear." Leonus said while kissing my forehead. "Sleep now, Princess." As soon as he said that, I could feel my consciousness drifting away. Soon I closed my eyes and fell asleep. "...dy!" "My...y." "My Lady! Wake up." Gasp* "Ella?" "Yes, My Lady?" "You are here?" "Huh? What do you mean, My Lady?" Ella asked with a confused look. "N-Nothing¡­ I was just dreaming¡­" "Dreaming? About what?" "About Leo-" Leonus? I was dreaming about him! Oh my goodness! I even kissed him in my dreams! And did I say that I like him? Do¡­ Do I really like him? "My Lady? Is something wrong? Your face is flushed." "Ah. It''s nothing." ''Why does my face feel so hot?'' Isabella thought while fanning herself with one hand. "A-Anyways Ella. What time is it?" "It''s morning, Princess." "I see. Wait. Morning?" "Yes." "You mean I slept the entire day yesterday?" "Yes." "And night too?" "Yes." Sigh~ "Well, it can''t be helped. Help me to freshen up, Ella." "Of course, My Lady. I have already prepared warm water for you." Rumble~ A thunder crackled. I looked outside the window. "It''s raining¡­" Was it raining yesterday too? "Yes. It''s been raining cats and dogs since yesterday afternoon." "I see." After that, I got up from bed and washed my face. Then Ella helped me change the nightgown. Soon after, Cande came in with breakfast then I finished eating. After that, I started working on my study. There was a lot of paperwork about the Castle''s management. As I didn''t do any work yesterday, I was drowning in the sea of papers. "My Lady, here''s your tea." Cande said while putting a cup of tea at the side of the desk. "Thank you, Cande." "It''s my pleasure, Princess." "Come to think of it, I haven''t seen Anne for a while." I didn''t see her yesterday either. Is she okay? "That¡­ She caught a cold." "A cold?" "Don''t worry, My Lady. It''s just a mild fever." "How is she now?" "She is resting in her room, My Lady. That''s why she is unable to serve you." Ella said with a calm voice. "Tell her that she doesn''t have to serve me until she gets better." "Yes, My Lady." * * * "It''s done! Finally." So tiresome. It took me all morning to finish all this. So tiresome. I really need to do some stretching. "I have prepared a warm bath for you." "Thank you so much, Ella. I really need to take a bath now." "My pleasure, Princess." After that Ella and Cande helped me to take a bath. Then they helped me wear a peach coloured dress. "I want to take a walk." "But it''s raining outside, My Lady." "Hmm. Where is the Maid''s Quarter?" "It''s on the first, I mean ground floor, My Lady." Cande replied. "Then let''s go there." "Huh? But why, My Lady." "Well, I want to take a walk and Anne is sick. If I go there I can both walk and visit Anne at the same time. " "I see. As you wish, My Lady." Saying that Ella prepared a shawl and wrapped it around my shoulder. "Cande, we are going." "Yes. Return soon, My Lady." "Yes, I will." After that Ella took a hurricane lamp in her hand then we started walking in the hallway. Shaa~ It''s raining heavily. I can smell the wet scent of soil. Frogs are croaking in the distant garden. It''s already dark even though it''s just evening. "Such bad weather." Ella said while looking outside. "I assume you are right." After walking for a while, we arrived at the Maids Quarter. Although except for one or two maids the entire place was empty. "This is it, My Lady. Let''s get inside." Ella stopped in front of a door and said. She then opened the door and we entered the room. It was a room with four beds and four desks. There was a large window in that room. It''s quite large compared to my room in the Loire. Anyways Anne was sleeping in one bed. Hmm. Should I call her? I shouldn''t bother her as she is sleeping. "Anne." Ella called her without any hesitation. "Tch! What is it?" Anne replied with annoyance. "My Lady is here to check up on you." Anne jumped up hearing that. Her eyes widened as if she saw a ghost. "What is it, Anne? Are you not feeling well?" "Th-That¡­ I apologize for that, My Lady. I am a little sick, that''s why I can''t serve you." "It''s alright. You can rest until you are healthy." I said with a smile to reassure her. "Yes." Anne said with an awkward laugh. "My Lady, now that you''ve seen her, we should return." "Oh. Okay. Let''s go. You can sleep now, Anne." "Y-Yes. My Lady." After that, we got out of the Maid''s quarter and returned to my room. * * * "Anne." Ughh! This voice. It must be that wr*nch! "Tch! What is it?" So annoying! Can''t she see I am sleeping? D*mn it! "My Lady is here to check up on you." Yeah! I get it! So shut up! Wait¡­ My Lady? You mean that crazy Isabella?! I jumped up from bed in surprise. D*mn it! Is she here to beat me up again? D*mn! I am trembling! I can''t believe this! "What is it, Anne? Are you not feeling well?" Yes, I was feeling terrible, thanks to you. Although now I am totally fine using your ointment. Thanks to me. It was good that I stole one from her. "Th-That¡­ I apologize for that, My Lady. I am a little sick, that''s why I can''t serve you." "It''s alright. You can rest until you are healthy." What the heck?! Why the f*ck is she smiling for? "Yes." Anyways, it''s better for me. I don''t have to see her face anymore. And I can rest for as long as I want to. "My Lady, now that you''ve seen her, we should return." Yes. Just go away. "Oh. Okay. Let''s go. You can sleep now, Anne." That''s what I am planning to do. "Y-Yes. My Lady." After that, those two pests left my room. "What the hell? Why was she acting so nicely?! Is she possessed or what?" Wait a minute! Don''t tell me! Did she forget everything?! Hahaha~ That''s the only possible explanation. Goodness! Even God is on my side. And here I was scared to death because of that idiot?! But still. I can''t be too sure. I have to check up on her later. She sure got some crazy power. I can''t believe the Royals of Loire don''t know anything about it. Or do they know? Is she that big of a deal? Nahh! No way. It''s stupid Isabella, I am talking about. No way. Yawn~ I should sleep now. Tch! How can they wake me up from my beauty sleep like that? Hmph! I hope they die¡­ Chapter 49 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 1) Episode: 45 (ANXIOUS NIGHT) * * * "So he will return after the Hunting Festival is over?" Isabella asked after taking a sip from the teacup. She was having tea-time on the balcony table. "Yes." Ella replied with a composed expression. She was standing beside the table. "... I see." Isabella said while looking at the tea in her cup in a daze. After a while, she took another sip from the cup and looked outside. From the balcony, the evergreen Guardian Trees could be seen. The trees were filled with red flowers as usual. Except for the Oakia Tree. Unlike other times, it was filled with blue flowers. ''I understand why it is said to be part of the Wisdom Tree, Zylbon¡­ Zylbon also is covered with blue flowers all around the year.'' Isabella thought while looking at the Guardian Trees. "The Guardian Trees look beautiful, aren''t they, My Lady?" Ella asked with a smile. "Yes. They are breathtakingly beautiful." Saying that Isabella took another sip from the cup of tea and finally put it on the table. "We should get inside now, My Lady. It will be evening soon." "I suppose so." Saying that Isabella got up from the chair and went inside her room. * * * For the past month, things have been quite hectic here. That''s all because of the preparation for the upcoming Hunting Festival. Maria can''t visit me nowadays as she has to help arrange and prepare many things for the Hunting Festival. All the Aristocrats are busy preparing for their tent and other things for the Hunting Festival. The maids of the Castle are also busy cleaning the Castle and preparing food for the guests. They all stay up late at night doing different works. Even Ella and Cande seem busy for the past few weeks. They come to my room early in the morning. After serving me breakfast, the two go out in a rush to do their assigned jobs. But no matter how busy they are, they always come to check up on me from time to time. They return to my chamber at noon with lunch then help me to bathe. After that, either Ella or Cande go to work. One of them always keeps me company after I finish lunch. They are always done with their work by evening. So from the evening, the two keep me company until I fall asleep. And of course, their faces reveal how tired they really are. But they are always reluctant to leave me alone. < A week ago¡­ "You two¡­" To me, they always look cheerful and full of energy. So I was kind of befuddled to see their tired faces for the first time. "Go. Return to your room and sleep. Did you look at yourself? It''s as if you guys will pass out in any minute." Ella: "We are alright, My Lady." Cande: "Yes. Don''t worry, My Lady." Both of them replied in a tired voice. "How can I not worry when you two look like this?!" They had dark circles under their eyes. They were so exhausted that they couldn''t even open their eyelids properly. Seriously?! How can they say they are okay! "We are Beastmen, My Lady. We are stronger than you think." Ella said in a reassuring tone. "But still¡­" "My Lady, do you hate us?" Cande said with a pitiful look. "What? No way." "Then please let us serve you. Or else we will think you hate us." Aghh! They put me in a situation where I am unable to refuse. "Sigh~ Do whatever you want. But first, come eat with me." "How dare us!" "Why? Do you hate me?" "No way!" Pfft~ "Then you better join me." I wonder how they feel to fall into their own trap. "Y-Yes." > After that day, I told them numerous times to leave and take a rest. But of course, they refused to leave. They are really kind-hearted. Although they don''t seem to like Anne for some reason. Whenever I bring up Anne, I can see a fire in their eyes despite their vain effort to hide their disapproval towards Anne. Speaking of Anne, after her fever she acted strangely for a few days. But soon she returned to her usual self. Although I didn''t see her anywhere for a week. Well, she already said that she will be busy this week and not to or look for her. So I didn''t try to pry. She is also busy with work, I guess. Seeing everyone working so hard¡­ I feel kind of useless. I wish I could help them somehow. Anyways it''s the middle of the night. I was standing on the balcony as I couldn''t fall asleep. A low lit hurricane lamp is hanging around the corner of the balcony. The fire of the lamp is moving around and struggling to keep its sparks in the wind. It''s a beautiful night with a full moon. The balcony is brightened up by the silver moonlight. I can even see the Royal Garden clearly. Chirp* Chirp* Crickets are chirping on the faraway grass. It''s so peaceful¡­ I slowly closed my eyes while leaning on the railing. Whoosh~ I can feel the gentle breeze. It''s so relaxing. Makes me want to forget about the Hunting Festival. To be honest, I am frightened¡­ Frightened to death. This year''s Hunting Festival¡­ Every Kingdom and Empire will attend. That means¡­ Loire too. I don''t think Emperor Mathias will do anything in front of so many people. And now I am the Crown Princess of the Fellmirr Empire. I have nothing to do with the Loire Empire anymore. But still¡­ I didn''t think he would do such things at the last banquet on the Loire too. Remembering the memories of that horrible night, I still get shivers down my spine. I can feel my heart dropping on my stomach. Haaa~ Relax. I took a deep breath. I shouldn''t worry. He wouldn''t do anything that will harm the reputation of Loire. And I will try to avoid him as much as possible. Yes. That''s what I am going to do! Whoosh~ I trembled at the sudden cold wind. It''s Autumn. So the temperature already started to decrease little by little in preparation to welcome the cold Winter. I should go back now. Soon after I returned to my room and laid down in the bed. I wonder how Leonus is. He went to the Beaulow Forest a month ago to check on the progress of the arrangements for the competition. I hope he is safe. Now that I realized that I like him, I can''t stop thinking about him. I looked at my wedding ring. The stone is shining brightly. It''s the colour of his eyes... It''s scary how a person''s feelings change so easily. I am such a wicked person. I even promised that I won''t fall in love with someone. To be honest, I was kind of scared of him at the beginning. Even though he behaved so well towards me, I didn''t do anything in return for him. Instead, I misunderstood him as a cold person. Well, it''s his fault to ignore me during the last days of the journey. Sigh~ It''s my fault too. I never tried to get to know him. He must have had some reasons to do so This time¡­ when he returns, I will apologize to him. I have to show him my gratitude. And if possible¡­ I will tell him that¡­ I like him. I hope he won''t get annoyed. To be honest, I am still afraid. I¡­ I am afraid when I think about Roberto. I wish he won''t hate me as Roberto did. Now that I think about it, does Leonus love someone? What if he loves someone like Roberto and I don''t know that¡­ Suddenly my head started aching. Ouch* [ Yes. I was ... who ... rumours¡­. a wh*re ¡­ men. ... beat ... bleeding¡­ Az¡­ Silver¡­ Clan¡­ Fiance¡­ Sinner... ] Ughh! My head¡­ Familiar yet unknown words started echoing inside my head. It''s like I forgot something important. What is it? Ughh* I groaned in pain. I should stop thinking about everything. Yes. Don''t think about anything. After a while, my headache subsided. Why do I feel like I am always forgetting something important... It hurts whenever I try to think about it. That day too¡­ The day Empress Alicia told me about the Hunting Festival. To be honest, I don''t recall anything she said that day. Nor do I remember visiting her. In the end, I had to learn everything from Maria, Ella and Cande. Something is wrong with me¡­ "Sigh~ Nevermind. I will have to think about everything later. Anyways 8 days¡­" 8 days until the Hunting Festival of the Fellmirr¡­ That means just 1 day until the people from the Loire enter¡­ Haa~ I took out a deep breath. It''s okay. Everything will be fine. I am not alone here. Phew~ I should stop thinking about useless things and sleep now. Crackle* The popping sound of burning firewoods is calming.. It made me fall asleep in a minute. Chapter 50 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 2) Episode 46 (To The Beaulow Palace) * * * "My Lady! Wake up!" Ella said firmly but with a low voice. "Yes. I am already awake." How can I sleep?! When I know I have to see those people today. < After many days, the Empress and I had tea-time in the Empress''s Parlour room yesterday. She looked really tired. Must be busy with all the work regarding the Hunting Festival. "I am sorry, Bell. We couldn''t meet for a week!" "It''s alright, Mother. You must have been busy with the preparation of the Hunting Festival." "Yes. So tiresome~" Empress Alicia replied with a sigh. "Anyways Bell, I have to inform you about something very important." The Empress said in a serious tone. It must be very important judging by her serious expression. "What is it?" "Please Bell. You have to welcome the Aristocrats of other Kingdoms and Empires with me! It''s tiresome talking with those people." The Empress said in a crying tone. Ah- Huh? What? Welcoming the Aristocrats?! "I know that you are supposed to go to the Beaulow Palace before the day of the Hunting Festival. But still! Won''t you come with me? Pretty please~" "I¡­ That¡­" "You won''t~?" Empress Alicia said in a pitiful tone. "O-Of course, Mother. I will try my best." "Good! It''s decided then. We will wear matching dresses tomorrow. Fufu~" Her expression changed 360¡ã after hearing my answer. "Oh. Okay." Was it a trap? "Kyaa~ You are the best!" The empress said while cuddling me. "Then we will be departing tomorrow morning from the Castle. Normally we go to the Beaulow Palace 2 or 3 days before the Hunting Festival. But this time, as we are giving access to outsiders, we will have to go there before them to check on the security. So that, no one can do any harm to our Empire. That''s the reason why Leon and Theo already went there." "I see." So that''s why. It''s reasonable I guess. The Fellmirr Empire has restricted access to other empires and kingdoms for centuries. So this is a big deal. If the security is not tight, some of the Empires or Kingdoms might do something bad. "So the males will check the outside security. And we will check the inside." "Inside?" "Yes. We will have to keep the Aristocrats in check. Don''t worry though, we are not alone. The ladies of our Empire are more terrific than you can think." Empress Alicia said with a wink. "I see." "So be bold, my girl. You have to act like the Crown Princess of Fellmirr who doesn''t care about anything. Do you get it, child?" "Yes." > Sigh~ And here I was planning to avoid them. "My Lady, we have already prepared a warm bath for you!" Cande informed me after bowing. "Already?" Isn''t that too fast? "Of course! There are so many things to do today! You are going to welcome the Aristocrats of other Kingdoms! So of course, you have to suppress them with your beauty! Of course, you are beautiful even without any makeup." Ella chattered excitedly. "Yes. But we will do our best to bring out all your beauty today, My Lady!" "Yes. Just you wait." "And the Empress already sent the dress you will be wearing today." "It''s beautiful~" "Is it? Let me see." I asked as I was wondering what dress she would send. "Of course. Wait a minute." Saying that Cande ran out of my room then came back with a Royal Green coloured dress with white laces. The Empress''s choice is gorgeous¡­ "Now My Lady. Shall we go to the bath?" "S-Sure." I can literally see a fire in their eyes. I-I hope I will survive today. * * * "Hurry up. Bring the Jasmine Fragrance! It''s not here." Ella asked a maid rummaging through a basket of fragrance bottles. "Yes." A maid replied while running out of the room. "Where are the roses I asked for?!" Cande asked while fixing my hair. "Here." Another maid gave a basket filled with blooming red roses. Then Cande tucked some roses to one side of my hair. "Her dress is a little wrinkled down below." Cande ordered a maid. "Already fixing it." Two maids replied simultaneously while fixing the dress. That''s not all. Some maids were rushing throughout the room bringing this and that. Some maids were busy removing unnecessary dresses and jewellery. Some were busy adjusting my dress. Sigh~ It''s been like this since dusk. They made me bathe for 2 hours! With all kinds of massages, herbs, potions and many more things I haven''t seen or even heard the name off. After the bath, I had my breakfast. Then this war began. "The necklace? Where is the pearl necklace?! Oh. And the earrings too! Where are they?" Ella asked in a hurry. "It''s in the box next to you." "I see. Don''t worry My Lady. You don''t have to untie the chain." "Oh. Okay." I wasn''t worried though. Seeing them so nervous and full of energy, I feel a lot better now. Yes. I shouldn''t be nervous. The Empress will be there with me. The Aristocrats will stay in a place near the Beaulow Forest. They will arrive at noon. So we will have to reach there before that. And Leonus is there too¡­ "Phew! It''s done." Ella sighed with relief. "Look, My Lady!" Cande said while moving the mirror in front of me. Wow~ I can''t even recognize myself. I look really pretty. "Thanks for your hard work everyone!" I thanked them with a smile. "It was our pleasure to work for you, My Lady!" "Yes, My Lady!" "And you look really beautiful! Like a Goddess~" A maid said with a cheerful voice. Knock* Knock* "Her Highness, the Crown Princess. The Knights are here to escort you!" A knight announced from outside. "Yes. I am coming." "We will go there by another carriage in the afternoon. So don''t worry, My Lady. " Ella said with a smile. "Yes." After that, I got out of my room. 5 knights were already waiting outside. I see some familiar faces. "Greetings, Her Highness!" The Knights bowed and greeted me after seeing me coming out of my room. "Greetings. Ah¡­ Sir Blaine?" "Yes, My Lady?" "You are here? Weren''t you supposed to be with Leo- I mean with the Crown Prince?" "Ah. Yes. His Highness the Crown Prince sent me to escort you there." "Oh. I see¡­. Umm. He will be there, right?" "Yes. Both the Crown Prince and the Emperor are already there. As a result, their Aides are dying doing their work here." Blaine replied in a crying tone. "Anyways, we should go now, My Lady." "Ah. Yes. Let''s go." After that, we walked downstairs. The Empress was already standing in front of the Courtyard. She was also wearing a Royal Green coloured dress. "Greetings, Her Highness. I apologize for my tardiness." "It''s okay. You look marvellous today, Crown Princess." "Thank you. But I am nothing compared to your beauty." It was true. She looked gorgeous as always. Her silver hair and Silver eyes¡­ They are bewitching. "Pfft~ Such sweet talk. We can talk in the carriage. So let''s get in for now." "As you wish, Your Highness." After that, we got in the beautiful carriage that was in front of us. And in a minute, it started moving. Rattle* Rattle* "I knew it! You look so good in this dress." Empress Alicia said in a cheerful voice. She was sitting next to me. "Thank you for choosing this for me. It made me really happy." "What are you saying, child?! I am the one who should be thankful. I always wanted a daughter like you. Then we would wear matching dresses together. But¡­" Empress Alicia became silent for a while. "Mother?" "Ah. I apologize. I was lost in thoughts for a moment. Nevermind that. Just forget what I said just now." "Oh. Okay." To be honest, I am curious. But I don''t want to make her uncomfortable. "You know when I first heard Leonus would be mated to someone from another Empire¡­ I wasn''t so sure about it. I was wondering what kind of girl you might be. But I was excited at the same time. To be honest, I thought you would hate me. As you know how some Wizards think lowly of Beastmen." "What? I dare not to. How can anyone hate you! You are so kind." "Is that so? You are a kind child. When I first saw you, do you know what I thought?" "No. What did you think?" "I just thought you are too beautiful and good for my arrogant son. Pfft~'' Empress Alicia said with a chuckle. "Ah¡­ Th-Thank you." I feel shy now. "And cute too. The aura around you is so pure and calming." "Aura?" "Ah. Nevermind that. So what I am saying is, I am happy to have you as my daughter-in-law. And it feels nice to have someone to talk to." Empress Alicia said with a gentle smile. "And you didn''t even complain when I said we would wear matching dresses. When I ask Leon to do so, it doesn''t even take a second for him to refuse. Sigh~." Empress Alicia added vigorously. She must''ve been lonely in this place. "Anyways we will wear matching dresses there too, okay?" "Alright." "By the way, Isabella. When can I see my grandchild?" My eyes widened. Child-Children? "I want to see my grandchildren soon." "Why are you blushing, dear? It''s just a matter of time. If possible, I want to have at least 6 grandchildren." "That-" Ughh! What am I supposed to say?! "Pfft~ You will turn into a tomato if this goes on. Hahaha~ Don''t worry. I won''t tease you anymore." "..." "But. I am serious about Grandchildren. Have as many cubs as you can have. I will take care of them, if necessary." Empress Alicia said with a smile. And like that, we continued our journey. It took us 3 hours to reach the Palace near the Beaulow Forest. And during those times, the Empress and I talked about a lot of things. I feel like we grew a lot closer. I am happy. I hope we can continue living like this. Everyone here is so nice. I want to make them happy. I hope things will go on like this from now on¡­ But at that time, I didn''t know the tragedy that was going to happen at the Festival. The tragedy that will change my life¡­ And will change me to the core¡­ The tragedy that will kill the naive Isabella.... Where I will lose him and her and her¡­ Chapter 51 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 3) Episode 47 (The Beaulow Palace) * * * The Beaulow Palace is a beautiful blue palace that is a few miles away from the Beaulow Forest where the Hunting Competition is held. The Royal family stays in the palace until the start of the Hunting Competition. It is also used for different kinds of emergencies during the Hunt. Generally, the Royal family and the other Aristocrats arrive at the Beaulow Forest a day or two earlier than the Hunting Festival. So that there can''t be any delay to the Hunting Festival. The Beastmen enjoy hunting a lot and they are really competitive about the Hunting Competition. And a minute late to the Hunting Ground means a minute more for the rival clan. Anyways the Aristocrats stay in the palace they own near the Beaulow Forest. As entry to the Hunting Ground aka the Beaulow Forest before the designated day of the Competition is restricted. When the Hunting Festival starts, every Aristocrat including the Royal family stays in their tent in the plain land near Beaulow Forest until the competition is over. Of course, all of those tents are extravagant. Anyways this year the Aristocrats from the other Empires and Kingdoms will also reside in the Beaulow Palace until the start of the Hunting Competition. The Portal to the Fellmirr Empire opened for the other Empires and Kingdoms a month before the Hunting Festival. And it would take at least 23 days for the Aristocrats of other Kingdoms or Empires to reach the Capital. So that''s the reason why Isabella and the Empress had to come to Beaulow Palace a week before the Hunting Festival. * * * "Take some rest in your room now, Bell. It will still take an hour or so for the other Aristocrats to reach here. So we should get as much rest as we can have before their arrival." Empress Alicia informed with a tired expression. Well, I guess it''s normal to be tired. We had to ride the carriage for 3 hours no less. And we just got down from the Carriage and are standing in the courtyard. "Yes. Mother." "This servant will guide you towards your room, dear. So you can follow her." The Empress said while gesturing at one maid to come closer. "Okay." "Greetings, Her Majesty the Empress and the Crown Princess." The maid greeted us while bowing. "Guide the Crown Princess to her room." "As you wish, the Empress. This way, Your Highness." The maid said while elegantly showing me the way with one hand. "Yes. Let''s go. Then I will be going, Mother." I said while slightly bowing. "We will meet in an hour then. Bye~" Empress Alicia waved her hand with a smile. "Yes." After that, I walked inside the palace following the maids'' guidance. The interior of this palace has beautiful blue and golden decorations. Beautiful golden lanterns were hanging on the walls of the hallway. It''s a breathtaking palace. After walking for a while, the maid stopped in front of a room on the 3rd floor. "This is the room where you will be residing, Her Highness." The maid said while pushing the door of the room in the front. "I see." In a moment, the door opened with a creaking noise. I slowly entered the room. "Then I will be taking my leave now, Princess." The maid bowed and said. "Yes. You can go." The maid then left the room. As I was alone now, I started looking around the room. It is a beautiful room with blue walls and golden decorations. There is one wide window and a balcony at the front. And a large bed in the middle of the room. There''s also a fireplace, a large mirror, a couch, a table and all other necessary things. Although it''s not as large as my room in the Castle. I then walked towards the balcony. Whoosh~ A gentle breeze struck me. I lost my breath for a moment seeing the scenery in front. Wherever my eyes go all I can see is plain land and hills covered with trees that turn yellow, orange and red due to Autumn. Some of them were still as green as they could be. Different colourful birds are flying here and there. There are some palaces standing a few miles away from each other. Must be owned by the Aristocrats. I guess I will be staying here for a week now¡­ Knock* Knock* I returned to the room hearing someone knocking on the door. "My Lady, may I come in?" A maid? "Yes. Come in." "I brought some refreshments, Crown Princess." A maid came in with all kinds of juice and fruits on a tray. "Ah. Thank you." "It''s my pleasure, Crown Princess." The maid replied with a smile. Then she put the tray on a table. "Please enjoy." "Yes." After that, I sat on the single couch and drank a glass of orange juice. As it was a little cold, it felt a bit refreshing to drink. Then I tried some fruits. Mmm~ So tasty! Fruits are better than any other meal. Popoo~ Knock* Knock* "Your Highness, the Crown Princess! The Royal Family of Melonia Kingdom will be arriving shortly. The Empress asked you to join her downstairs." A knight announced from outside the door. "I see. I will be there in a moment." I guess they arrived sooner than expected. I hurriedly got up from the couch. The maid present there fixed some parts of my dress that were wrinkled up. And soon I got out of the room and walked downstairs. * * * "Bell¡­ You sure came down quickly. Sigh~ Who knew they would arrive so early?! Here I thought it would take an hour for them to arrive. Such a pain~" Empress Alicia grumbled. She was standing in front of the stairs of the ground floor. "Anyways, let''s go to the Courtyard. From the sound of it, they have already arrived." Well, true. I can hear the sound of horns and drums "Yes " "Just letting you know, there is nothing serious about them that you should know, dear. The King, Queen and some concubines will cine. So just be yourself. Be the Crown Princess of Fellmirr, okay? And you don''t have to do anything, just chin up and stand straight, okay dear? You will be like my Knight, Hahaha~." "Yes, Her Majesty, the Empress." "Good." Saying that we continued walking in towards the Courtyard. A group of knights silently followed us from behind. At the time we arrived there, the carriages had already stopped in front of the front gate of the Beaulow Palace and people started to get down from it. "Greetings, Her Majesty the Empress and the Crown Princess of Fellmirr. I am Calvino Ramirez, I will work as the interpreter between the Empress and the Aristocrats from Melonia." "I see." The Empress answered with an arrogant expression. "H-His Highness the King of Melonia Kingdom, Chico Monroy Melonia." Calvino said in a cold sweat while showing the King. "Greetings, King Monroy Melonia. Welcome to our Fellmirr Empire." Calvino translated what the Empress said in Melonia language to the King. Then he nodded his head and said something in Melonia language. Soon after Calvino interpreted what the King said then said it to us. "His Majesty the King said, ''Greetings to the Empress and the Crown Princess. It''s an honour to get welcomed by the two most gorgeous and powerful women of Fellmirr.'' " "I see. Thanks you." "Yes." Then he said something to the King and continued introducing the Queen and the concubines. "Next to him is the Queen Bryssa Hernandez Melonia." "Greetings, Queen Hernandez Melonia. Hope you will enjoy your visit here." Then the same way Calvino interpreted what we said and informed the Queen. "The Queen greeted the Empress and the Crown Princess." Calvino said. After that, the other Concubines. There were 3 concubines in total. After their introduction Empress Alicia said, "You must be tired now. You had to come all the way here to the Capital by carriage. So please rest. The servants will guide you to your room. And we have prepared a feast for lunch today. Hope you will enjoy your time today." After that, they followed the servants and entered the palace. Phew~ "Let''s get inside, Isabella." Empress Alicia said with a sigh of relief. "Yes." But as soon as we started walking towards the palace, another group of Aristocrats from the Viche Empire reached the palace. "Ughh! I guess we can''t rest today." After that, we went near their carriage and greeted them the same way we did to Melonia Kingdom''s king. But after them, the other Aristocrats of the country continued to enter the palace. "Ughh! We have already welcomed 10 groups of Aristocrats from other Kingdoms." "I think we can return to our room now." "Yes. It''s already evening now. And I apologize." "Huh? About what?" "I thought your family would arrive by today. But they didn''t. You must''ve hoped and waited for them eagerly." Empress Alicia replied in a sad tone. No way! If anything I am happy that they aren''t here! "It''s okay, Mother. You didn''t do it on purpose. And they are probably busy sightseeing in Fellmirr. I mean it''s the most beautiful Empire of Waldor after all." "Really?" "Yes." "Phew~ Then it''s good. Anyways dear. Return to your room now. It''s already dark. You must be very tired." "Yes, Mother." After that, I bowed and left for my room. Chapter 52 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 4) Episode 48 (Miss Me?) * * * Caw~ Caw~ The crows are returning to their nest saying goodnight to the world. Although it''s dark outside, there are still red traces of the sun. I am walking in the hallway on the third floor. Mother said that the second and the third floor was only accessible for the Royals of Fellmirr. But a group of knights are still escorting me. Which is understandable. The security is tight as almost every Empire wants to bring Fellmirr down. And now I am a part of the Royal family of Fellmirr. There''s nothing to lose for being too cautious after all. Anyways I wonder what mother is doing on the first floor. She could just return with me. Her room is on the 2nd floor after all. I finally reached my room after walking for 10 minutes. "My Lady! You have returned!" Ella exclaimed with joy. So they have arrived. Now that I see Anne is here too. Ella, Cande, Anne and 5 other maids were in my room. "You must be tired." Cande said with a worried face. "Seat here, My Lady. We have prepared some snacks for you." Ella said while showing the couch. "Ah. Yes." Now that I think about it, I have to get prepared for the feast too. It''s more like a feast and a banquet. The first hours will have a banquet and then the feast. Sigh~ This will be my schedule for the next 7 days. Welcome the Royals of other Kingdoms and Empires and Join them at feasts and banquets at night. Well, I guess I won''t be very busy tomorrow. As there are only 5 Empires and 10 Kingdoms in Waldore Continent. We have already welcomed Aristocrats from 2 Empires and 8 Kingdoms. I don''t think all of them will arrive here tomorrow together. Or they might¡­ And there is that¡­ The Loire Empire¡­ "I wonder when they will arrive?" I mumbled to myself. "Do you need something, My Lady?" Cande asked anxiously. "Oh. That¡­ No." "So the Aristocrats from the Loire haven''t arrived today." Anne said with a smirk. "Huh? And how do you know that?" Ella asked her with a frown. "That¡­ I heard that from the maids working in this palace." "Is that so? I didn''t know the maids have so much time on their hands." "An-Anyways My Lady misses her family very much. so I was just curious if they had arrived or not. Isn''t that right, My Lady?" Anne said while smiling at Isabella. ''What Bullsh*t! Miss them?! She trembles whenever someone mentions her family or anything about the Loire. And if they really cared about her, they wouldn''t have sent Anne here as her personal maid.'' Both Ella and Cande thought while frowning. "Ah- Yes." Miss them? More like, I fear them. I am relieved to stay far away from them. "My Lady. Why don''t you see the dress you''ll be wearing now." Ella said cheerfully. "Ah. Yes. Show me." Soon a maid came in with an elegant red dress with works of golden laces. "It''s beautiful." "Yes. It will look wonderful on you, My Lady." Cande said with a smile. "Today when you and the Empress wore the same dress¡­ Both of you looked so adorable! Almost like a mother and daughter." Ella said gaily. "Is that so?" I am delighted. "Hey! You should watch what you say!" Anne complained loudly. "What do you want now?" "What do you mean? Do you want to make My Lady sad?" "What?" "Don''t you know her mother died when she was just 11 months old?! It was probably because she became sick after giving birth to her." Anne said with a pitiful voice. I flinched after hearing. Ah¡­ That''s right. How can I forget! I was the reason my mother- "You!" Ella cursed inwardly. ''That b*tch is doing this on purpose!'' "M-My Lady!" "Yes." "Let''s get you prepared for the feast." "Oh. Okay." After that, Ella and the other maids prepared me for the feast. As there were seven maids and they were very skilled, it took less time to get prepared. Although it still took 2 hours to put on the dress, tie up my hair, wear accessories like a head chain and earrings and so on. Knock* Knock* "Your Highness, the Crown Princess. It''s time for you to go to the feast" A knight from outside announced. "Yes. I am coming." I guess it''s already time for me to leave. "Then I am leaving." "Yes. Take care, My Lady." Ella said while bowing. After that, I left the room and headed towards the hall on the first floor. Of course, a group of knights followed me from behind. I wonder where Leonus is¡­ He was supposed to be in this palace. He must be very busy. Well, I will see him eventually. Even if it''s the Hunting Festival. After walking for a while I reached in front of the hall and a knight announced my presence. "Her Highness, the Crown Princess Isabella Albus Carados Fellmirr is entering the hall." * * * The hall was huge. The floor was made of beautiful white marble. A beautiful chandelier was hanging in the middle of the ceiling. It''s probably lit up with magic. At one corner there were tables filled with different kinds of sweets and drinks. Aristocrats from different Kingdoms and Empires were scattered around the hall and talking with each other. "Greetings, Crown Princess." A beautiful lady with brown hair and green eyes greeted me after a bow. A group of ladies did the same following her. She sure has good social skills or she must be the social butterfly of her Empire. "Greetings." "I am the Princess of the Thoria Empire, Vivian Alice Thoria. It''s a pleasure to finally be able to talk to the Princess freely." Vivian smiled and said. I have a bad feeling about this¡­ "It''s my pleasure." "You are really beautiful, Crown Princess." "Thanks for the compliment." "Oh No! What are you saying? You don''t have any idea how much I wanted to see YOU, THE FIRST PRINCESS of Loire." "Is that so?" "Yes. You are beautiful! So I understand why they choose YOU as their Crown Princess. Although I don''t think you are happy here either, Princess." No. You are wrong! I am happier than ever. I love living here. I''ve got two loyal maids who are like sisters to me. I have a person who I can address as Mother. I am respected here. And I have him... "You are wrong." "Huh?" "It''s Crown Princess. Rather than the first Princess of Loire, I am the Crown Princess of Fellmirr. And I am happier than ever." Yes. I can''t be timid here. If they disrespect me, it''s like being disrespectful to the Royals of Fellmirr. Vivian frowned and covered her face with a fan. "You-" She was going to say something but soon stopped and laughed. "I see. But it''s sad though." "Hu-" "You are the Crown Princess, yet you''ve entered the hall alone. Where is your companion?" Pfft~ The ladies who were following her giggled among themselves. I see¡­ They are not disrespectful¡­ They are mocking me. I thought I was used to it. But no matter what happens or how many times this happens, I can never get used to it. Their mocking gaze¡­ Their cynical laughter¡­ I want to disa- "Princess!" My eyes widened at the familiar voice. I hurriedly looked behind. Leonus was walking towards me in a hurry. He was wearing a red outfit that had Golden embroidered works. His hair was a little dishevelled. I guess he came here in a hurry. "There you are! I was looking for you everywhere." Leonus said while grabbing my shoulder from behind. "What are you doing here?" "Oh. These ladi-" "Greetings, Your Highness The Crown Prince! I am-" Vivian bowed gracefully and said with a pure smile. "Did I permit you to talk?" "Huh?" She looked confused hearing him. "Or you don''t have even the slightest manner? How dare you interrupt, when both of us are talking with each other! " "Th-That¡­" Vivian''s face became pale at Leonus''s cold voice. The same goes for the ladies who were following her. "I didn''t ask for your explanation. Apologize!" "Huh?" "Apologize, right this instance." "That-" "Tch! Don''t make me repeat myself. Or are you deaf too?" Leonus clicked his tongue and said with a cold voice. The other ladies trembled like rats in front of him. Vivian''s face turned red. She soon bowed and apologized with a trembling voice. "I apologize for interrupting your conversation." "Let''s go from here, Princess. This place stinks." "Ah. Yes." After that Leonus escorted me to a corner where there were fewer people. "Are you okay?" "Yes." "Tch! I asked mother not to bring you here." Leonus clicked his tongue and said while fixing his hair with one hand. "It''s okay. I agreed with her to come. She was really tired with all the preparations for the hunting festival." "That''s so like you." Leonus sighed. "And you were here too..." I mumbled. Leonus''s eyes shook for a moment. But soon he with a teasing voice, "Oh? Did you miss me? "Yes." Aghh! My face feels hot. I can''t believe I said that to him! Chapter 53 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 5) Episode 49 (Exhausted) * * * "..." Aghh! Why isn''t he saying anything! I looked at his face. He looks surprised. And for some reason¡­ Wait¡­ Is he... Smiling?! Leonus was covering his smile with one hand. Is he¡­ making fun of me? "Princess, you¡­ Did you really miss me?" Leonus asked while removing his hand from the mouth. "No." Humph! "What? But you just said you did!" Leonus asked with a look of disapproval. "I didn''t." "No. You absolutely did! "I didn''t." "No. Princess! You absolutely definitely did." "I don''t know what you are talking about." "Princess¡­ Sigh~ I guess you didn''t. I was just so happy that My mate missed me¡­ But¡­ It was just my delusion!" Leonus said as if he was a pitiful beauty of a tragedy novel. Wait. Is he sad?! "Huh? No. To-To be honest, I did miss you." "Really? You did?" Leonus asked with a sad tone. "Yes." "Really?" "Yes! Really!" "..." "..." "Sniff* It''s okay, Princess. You don''t have to lie like that. I understand you want to keep my heart." "Wait! No. That''s not it!" "What! You mean, you don''t even want to keep my heart?!" "Huh? That''s not what I meant!" Ughh~ How am I supposed to make him believe me! Pfft! Chuckle* Leonus suddenly laughed out loud while covering his mouth with one hand and another hand holding his stomach. Hahaha~ Wait¡­ What?! He is laughing now. (©`_©`) But he does look so handsome though... Huh?! No That''s not it! That''s not what I am supposed to think! "I-I am sorry, Princess!" Pfft! Hahaha~ Leonus continued laughing. Aghh~ Do what you want¡­ I don''t care anymore. Humph! After a minute, he was finally done laughing and asked while wiping his tears with one hand. "Oh my¡­ Now you are pouting?" "I am not." "Oh really?" "Yes." "Are you angry?" "How can I be angry with Your Highness, the Crown Prince?" "Oh my. My Princess is definitely angry." Suddenly the music started playing in the hall implementing the start of the Banquet. "Then My Lady, shall we?" Leonus asked for a dance while forwarding his hand. Sigh~ I don''t have any choice, do I? I put my hand on his. Then Leonus escorted me to the middle of the hall and we started dancing. After us, other Aristocrats joined the dance floor too. Now that I think about it, the Emperor and the Empress aren''t here yet. How can the banquet even start without them! "Princess. What are you thinking about?" "I was just thinking how did the banquet start without the presence of His Majesty, the Emperor and the Empress." "I can''t believe this!" Leonus said with a serious tone. "Huh?" Is there something wrong? Are they okay? "Princess, are you thinking about someone else in front of me?" Huh?... What?... He¡­ Sigh~ "Princess¡­ Tell me¡­ Am I not handsome?" "What?" "Just answer me." "..." "Princess!" "Actually, no. You are not handsome at all." "What? "Yes. My previous fiance was much more-" "Isabella." I flinched at his cold voice. His grip on my waist became tighter. He then pulled me close to his body and whispered in my ear, "Princess, don''t ever mention him again. You probably don''t know but Beastmen are very green eyed when it comes to their mates." Huh? He is definitely saying that with a smile. But his eyes¡­ I have a feeling that I shouldn''t provoke him any further. "Okay." At my answer, his stiff smile loosened a bit. "Don''t worry about the Emperor and the Empress. They are talking with other Kings and Queens or Emperors and Empresses of other Kingdoms and Empires in the feast room, My dear." Leonus informed me with a smile. "¡­" He could''ve just said that to me from the beginning. Now that I think about it, I can only see young Aristocrats here. After a while, the music reached its peak and we finished our dance. Then the music stopped too. "Greetings everyone! I, Emperor Theobald Cedric Carados, welcome you all to the Fellmirr Empire. I know you are all exhausted travelling all the way here. So I won''t drag the banquet any longer. Now then let the feast begin." Emperor Theobald announced while raising his wine glass. He was standing on the second floor of the hall. Empress Alicia was beside him. Clap* Clap* The whole room was filled with people''s claps and murmurs. After that, everyone entered the feast room that was just beside the Hall. The feast room had 5 long tables parallel to each other. All of them were filled with all kinds of food. At the main table, The Emperor sat at the very front and beside her the Empress. And at the opposite side of the Emperor, the other Emperor of another Empire sat. On the opposite side of the Empress, I and Leonus sat. Then the other Aristocrats sat according to their rank. I feel nauseous seeing all this food. But I have to hold it in. I ate some fruits and fruit salads just to keep face. "Princess, are you okay?" Leonus whispered in my ear. "No. I want to return to my room now." I am exhausted! "Please excuse us. We will be returning to our room now." "Oh, yes. Of course. You are excused." After that, we got out of the feast room and started walking in the hallway. "Princess, how are you feeling now?" "A lot better." The fresh wind swept away my nauseousness. "Good. Let''s walk towards the room then." Leonus said while putting his coat on my shoulder. "Yes. Thank you." I answered with a weak voice. I guess I am really tired. It was a beautiful night with a full moon. One can hear the rustling sound of the trees because of the wind. The crickets buzzing add another charm to the night. Sometimes I can hear weird noises. Must be the animals of the forest. I can hear this all day. After walking for a while, we reached in front of my room. The Knights guarding the door opened it after seeing us. "Get in, Princess." Leonus said in a gentle voice. On the way here, he didn''t utter a single word and escorted me in silence. "Yes. Good night, then." "Good night?" "Umm. Yes. Did I say something wrong?" "Sigh~ Nevermind. You will know later anyways." "Okay." After that, I entered my room and Leonus went away somewhere. "My Lady! You have returned!" Ella said with a smile. "Yes." "Oh my! You must be exhausted." Cande said, hearing Isabella''s tired voice. Cande and Ella came running towards me as soon as they saw me entering the room. Now that I think about it, from the moment I entered Fellmirr, Ella has always kept me company. Except for some special occasion, of course. And after entering the Castle both Ella and Cande. Honestly, nowadays I hardly see Anne. No. To be honest, she was like that in Fellmirr too. I don''t know why¡­ For the past month, I feel uneasy whenever I see her. Sometimes it''s fear, sometimes it''s disgust¡­ I don''t feel much sympathy towards her nowadays. Is there something wrong with me? Am I really a person whose feelings change so easily? I feel so wicked. How can I feel this way towards a person who left everything¡­ her friends, family, homeland¡­ for my sake. It''s disgusting. "Please wait a little longer, My Lady. We will change your dress in a minute." Saying that Ella brought out a white nightgown. "Ah, Yes." Meanwhile, Cande started to undress me. Both Ella and Cande hurriedly changed my dress into that nightgown then started to untie my hair. "Did you two eat?" "Not yet, My Lady. We will be eating soon with the others." Cande replied to Isabella''s question. "You two must be tired too." "Don''t worry, My Lady. We don''t get tired easily." Ella said in an assuring voice. "Is that so?" "Yes." After untying, Ella combed my hair then braid it. And Cande washed off my makeup. "You guys can leave now. I want to sleep." "Oh okay, My Lady." Saying that both of them bowed and left the room. I jumped on the bed as I was too exhausted. As soon as I lay on the bed, I fell asleep. * * * Yawn~ "What an exhausting day." Cande said while yawning. She was walking with a lamp in her hand. Ella: "Right~" Cande: "After eating, I am going to jump to bed." Ella: "Me too." Cande: "That b*tch Anne must be sleeping now." Ella: "I know, right?" Cande: "Why did she even come here?" Ella: "I don''t know. But we have to keep an eye on her." Cande: "Mhmm." After that day, both Ella and Cande kept an eye on Anne. At first, she acted a little suspicious but then returned to her usual b*tch self. The securities around Isabella increased tenfold. Of course, it was kept a secret from her. Before leaving the castle, a special knight squad was assigned by Leonus to keep an eye on her 24/7 without her noticing. And of course, they were all female. Ella: "Why did he order the Knights to return? I mean, shouldn''t they be keeping an eye on her more than ever? For other Empires, Princess is an easy target. And also his weakness." Cande: "It''s probably because he is here now." Ella: "Ah. Right." Yawn~ After that, they both walked in silence to the garden and returned to the Servants Annex. Chapter 54 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 6) Episode 50 (Menacing Arrival) * * * The Hunting Festival¡­ It''s held at the start of Autumn. The main reason for this was to hunt food before the Cold Winter. As Winter in the Fellmirr comes a month before it does in other Kingdoms or Empires. A competition is held among the Aristocrats to see who scores the most points by hunting animals or beasts in the specific time that is 1 week. The competition is held in the Beaulow Forest which is on the east side of the Capital. It is a deep forest filled with different kinds of animals from the friendliest to the vicious ones. The forest is divided into five zones. Green zone, Blue zone, Red zone, Purple Zone and the Black zone. The safest zone is the Green one. And the Black zone is in the deepest part of the forest and is the domain of the most ferocious beasts. Those beasts sometimes fuse themselves with other monsters. Killing a beast from the Black zone earns the most points. Anyways the winning clan of the hunting competition receives a Golden Trophy and a huge sum of money. And of course, the Winning Clan holds the title of the Strongest Clan'' of that specific year. After the competition, half of the hunted animals are distributed among the muggles or low-level Beastmen of one''s own Territory by the Aristocrat Beastmen. And they keep the rest. That''s the reason it''s like a festival for the Commoners. And a Competition to show off their strength to the Aristocrats. But this year, it''s definitely different for the Aristocrats. It won''t be just Clan Vs Clan. Instead Fellmirr Vs the other Empires and Kingdoms of the Waldor Continent. * * * It''s the day of the Hunting Festival. Phew~ I am worried. To be honest, I was anxious the whole week. Whenever I heard a group arrive, my heart pounded like crazy. I couldn''t stop wondering when the Fellmirr group showed up. But contrary to my thoughts they never did. I am relieved. As Ella mentioned that everyone generally comes to the Beaulow Forest at least one day prior to the Hunting Competition. And all the Aristocrats of Fellmirr came 5 days before the Hunting Competition this year. They must be excited to show off their skill to the aristocrats of other Empires. Anyways, that''s why I think they won''t come now. "Are you alright, Isabella?" Empress Alicia asked with an eagerly. "Oh. Yes, Mother. I was just wondering how the Hunting Festival will be." "I know right. I feel the same. I am so excited! This year''s hunt will be great!" Empress Alicia said with twinkling eyes. Our thoughts are totally different. Well, I am happy that she''s excited. At this moment, we are in the carriage heading towards the Plain Land near the Beaulow Forest where all the tents are arranged. We will be staying there until the Hunting Competition ends. Leonus and the Emperor already went there with a group of Knights. Suddenly the carriage stopped. Knock* "Her Majesty, the Empress and Her Highness, the Crown Princess. We have reached the Plain Land." A knight knocked the door of the carriage and announced from outside. "Yes. Let''s get down, Isabella." "Yes, Mother." After that, a knight helped us get down from the carriage. Wow~ I gasped at the sight that came to my eyes. This¡­ This is beautiful! The carriage before our tent. But is this really a tent? The outside shape looked like a tent. But the decorations¡­ It was surrounded by beautiful long bushy grasses with red flowers almost similar to willow flowers and was decorated with luminous orbs. It will look breathtakingly beautiful at night. At the top of the tent, there was a flag with a black wolf which was the symbol of the Royal Family. After some distance, there were other tents of the other Aristocrats family. Their decorations are different. They had the skull of a beast hanging on the side of the tent. And it was definitely ferocious. Seeing the flag, they are¡­ Umm¡­ Nine-tailed fox? Anyways there were huge bonfires surrounding the entire plain land. Two knights were guarding the entrance of the tent. "Let''s enter, Isabella." "Yes-" Popoo~ Suddenly I heard the sound of a loud horn. Did the Competition already start? But it was supposed to start at noon. "Crown Princess!" Suddenly Sir Blaine came running. "Sir Blaine?" I asked worriedly as he had a serious expression on his face. Did something happen? Alicia: "What''s wrong, Blaine?" Blaine: "His Highness, the Crown Prince send me to inform me that-" Alicia: "That what? Hurry up." Blaine: "The Aristocrats along with the Royal family of the Loire Empire have arrived!" Thump* Thump* My heart is beating loudly. I can feel my heart in my stomach. The Royal family of Loire?! Did I misheard it perhaps?! Blaine: "They arrived half an hour ago, Princess. The Crown Prince ordered me to escort you there." Alicia: "Isabella¡­ Are you okay, dear?" Alicia asked with a worried look. Isabella: "..." Alicia: "Isabella?" Alicia asked, putting her hand on Isabella''s shoulder. Isabella: "Ah. Yes. I am fine. I was just really happy hearing about their arrival." "Is that so?" Alicia asked with a slight frown that was almost invisible. "Yes." Isabella replied with a bright smile. "Good, then. Let''s go meet them." "Huh?" "Well, they are your family after all. I have to greet them, right?" "Ah. Yes." "Blaine, guide us to their tent." Alicia said in a commanding tone. "Yes. Please follow me." "Let''s go, child." Alicia said slowly while Patting Isabella''s back. "Yes." Isabella replied in a calmer voice. Probably because Alicia''s pat and firm voice calmed her down. * * * Half An Hour Ago... "Did you see the Crown Princess?" Kayleigh Astorio said with dreamy eyes. Azleza: "Yes. She is so beautiful!" "I know right!" Sarah Yasuji replied cheerfully. Druella: "She is gentle too!" Azleza and her group were sitting on a round table that was under a huge tree and were chatting among themselves. Madeleine: "Yes! Yesterday''s banquet, when I greeted her, she greeted me back with a gentle smile!" Sarah: "So pretty~" Druella: "And cute too." Madeleine: "The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess, when they dance together, honestly I couldn''t look at the dance floor." Azleza: "I know right! They are too bright!" Kayleigh: "Yes! Too dazzling" Pfft~ The ladies giggled among themselves. Azleza: "And that cold cousin of mine laughs with her too!" Kayleigh: "I know, right?" Azleza: "When I first saw him smile, honestly I got goosebumps. I mean I heard it before. But. It''s still creepy to see him smile." Druella: "True~ Someone like him can smile too." Madeleine: "Anyways. I feel kind of bad for the Princess." Sarah: "Huh? Why?" Kayleigh: "Didn''t you hear rumours about her?" Azleza: "Oh! Those vicious rumours?!" Sarah: "I can''t believe someone lied about such a gentle person!" Druella: "Yes." Madeleine: "To be honest, I knew they were wrong." Azleza: "I know right. We met her a few times at different banquets. She never had any malicious aura." Kayleigh: "True." Azleza: "And I wonder why the Royals of Loire didn''t come?" Sarah: "Humph! Because of them, she had to hear so many bad words!" Druella: "I know right! Those girls from who knows what kingdom!" Madeleine: "I know right!" Kayleigh: "They said she is the wicked Princess of Loire. And that''s the reason why they don''t want to keep any contact with her." Druella: "Those sh*t" "Watch your mouth, Dru." Madeleine said with an annoyed expression. Druella: "Aghh! Whatever~" Sarah: "I don''t know why but I already hate the Royals of Fellmirr!" Druella: "I know right?!" Azleza: "Anyways what time is it? Why haven''t the Empress and the Crown Princess arrived yet?" Druella: "Hmm~ True. I want to talk to the Crown Princess!" Kayleigh: "I don''t understand. She rarely joins any banquet." Sarah: "That''s why! This is our Golden opportunity to be friends with her, guys!" Azleza: "Aha." Popoo~ Suddenly a loud horn rang. Azleza: "Huh? What''s happening?" Druella: "I don''t know." "Biscuit, come here." Sarah waved at a maid who was standing a few steps away from the table. "What is it, My Lady?" "Can you check out what happened?" Sarah whispered to the maid. "Of course." Saying that the maid hurriedly went towards the source of the sound. After a while, she came back and whispered something in Sarah''s ear. "What?" Sarah said loudly with wide eyes. Druella: "What is it?" Kayleigh: "What happened?" Sarah: "They are here!" Madeleine: "Who?" Sarah: "The Royals of the Loire Empire!" * * * "This is it, Her Majesty." Blaine stopped in front of a huge tent and said with a slight bow. "Yes." Alicia replied while looking at the tent. "Let''s enter, Isabella. And Blaine, you follow us from behind." "Yes." Blaine replied. I don''t want to. I thought I would be fine. But now that the moment has come, I am afraid. My legs are shaking. My hands are shaking. I feel cold. All of those horrible memories are coming back one by one. I don''t want to meet them. "What''s wrong, dear?" The Empress asked with a worried face. "Ah. Nothing¡­" "Don''t be nervous, child. Let''s enter." "Yes, mother." "Her Majesty, the Empress Alicia Cedric Carados Fellmirr and Her Highness, the Crown Princess Isabella Albus Carados Fellmirr are entering the tent." A knight announced our presence from outside.. And we entered the tent. Chapter 55 - [Bonus Chapter: 5] Alicia Almost An Year Ago... The Fellmirr Empire Royal Castle. The Emperor and Empress''s Chamber¡­ It''s late at night. Alicia and Theobald are lying on the bed talking about something. "What?!" Alicia jumped up. "Yes, Al. Our Leo''s mate has been chosen!" "That-" Calm down, Alicia. It doesn''t matter who chooses. Don''t get angry about the fact that I didn''t know about my own Son''s chosen mate. "T-That''s unexpected." "Huhu. Is it?" Theobald replied with a goofy smile. "So which Clan is she from?" "Oh. She isn''t someone from our Fellmirr, Al." "Huh?" What the heck is he talking about¡­? "She is from the Loire." "Theobald. My son will be mated with a girl from the Loire...?" "Yes." "T-That''s unexpected." "Thanks for understan-" "You think I would say that?! How come you are telling me about this now, you d*mn wolf?!." Alicia said while grabbing Theobald''s collar. "I am sorry, darling. It was decided suddenly." "Tch!" "Come on now, Al. Don''t be angry." "Shut up!" "I am sorry." "What about, Leo? Isn''t he on an expedition in the Nuglobar Territory?" "Ah¡­ Don''t worry! He will agree, Al." "Y-You scum wolf! It''s about his mate! How come he doesn''t get to say anything?!" "Don''t worry, darling. He will agree." Are you serious?! My Son will marry after a month or so and you want me to not worry?! And you are letting me know this right before a month too! D*mn it! I should go for a walk. I need to calm down. "Honey! Where are you going?" "Your Majesty, the Emperor. Thank you for informing me about such an important matter so early. It wouldn''t have been a problem if you would have informed me about this just the day before the wedding. Honestly, it wasn''t necessary to inform me about this at all. I mean, what does it have to do with me, right? It''s between the Emperor and the Crown Prince." "Eek~" Theobald flinched at Alicia''s cold voice. ''She is smiling! But her cold eyes and voice¡­ she is definitely angry! But she looks so cool! She is so beautiful when she is furious!'' "I am going to the garden for a walk, Your Majesty." "What? In this dark night?" "Yes. Do you have any problem?" "No. Enjoy your walk, Hone-" Thud* Theobald flinched. "Sob* How can you leave me alone like this, Al?!" * * * D*mn it, Theobald. That sly Wolf! How can he do that? Aghh! It''s not like it''s the forest he is doing something like this¡­ Even though everyone says, Theo is a kind Emperor. But I know for a fact that in reality, he is nothing like that. Behind that goofy smile and innocent face, he is more sly and selfish than one Beastman can be. Sigh~ Thinking about Leo¡­ That ungrateful son will definitely agree. Sh*t¡­ I wish I had a cute daughter with whom I can share my sorrows. One might wonder, what about Azleza? She is my niece, after all. But she is just like Leonus! Sob* They are both cold towards me. When she was young, I gave her cute things¡­ But she¡­ < "No thanks, Empress!" She rejected without a second thought. "But you agreed to wear this yesterday." "Yes. I deserve to be punished. Please punish me to death." "Th-" What is this kid talking about... > Another time¡­ < "Look at this, Az! I have bought a matching dress for both of us." "Please stop, Her Majesty." "Huh? But why? Do you not like this?" "It''s nothing like that. It''s just if you keep doing this people will think that I am your daughter-" "What''s wrong with that? You are like my daughter." "I didn''t finish my sentence, Her Majesty." "Huh?" "They will think I am your daughter-in-law. And I am not least interested in the Crown Prince or the position of Crown Princess." > And Leonus¡­ That child would wear whatever I chose for him. Clothes didn''t matter to him at the beginning. He never said ''No''. But one day¡­ < "Mother. I won''t wear this." "What? How come! Why?" "It''s uncomfortable to wear this while training." "But.." "I said no. So no." > That stubborn son. Anyways I wonder what kind of girl she will be. I heard that the girls of that Empire hate us or something. I hope nothing like that happens. What if she is a spy? D*mn it! What if she knows Black Magic?! Aghh~ I am going crazy. Whoosh~ A sudden cold wind struck me. It''s getting colder. Well, it''s almost Winter. Hmm~ She is a human, right? Will she be able to withstand the cold weather of this Empire? Hmm~ I should prepare something¡­ Whoosh~ Aghh! What with this chilly wind?! I should return to the castle. * * * Like that, days passed by. Leonus returned to the Castle after his Expedition. And as I expected, he agreed without any complaints. Then departed to the Loire the next day. It was a plan that he will go there in a week and return to Fellmirr in a week. And that punctual son of mine will definitely do so. But contrary to expectations, he returned after a month and a week! No way! And in those times, I was super eager to see the girl. I wonder how she will be. Please don''t let her be a bad girl. "Your Majesty, the Empress. The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess have reached the Castle!" A maid hurriedly came running to my study and informed me. "What? They have?" I jumped up from my chair in excitement. "Yes." The maid replied. I then hurriedly left my study and started walking towards the main gate of the Castle. Uwaa~ Why am I so excited to see a human girl? Ughh! Nevermind. Let''s just check her out first. But when I got down, she wasn''t there. "Huh? Where is she?" "Her Majesty, the Empress. Greetings." "Leonus! Where is she? I want to see her." "I understand that Your Majesty is eager to see her. But not now. She is tired and needs to rest." My eyes widened at his words. What is he saying? Is this really my arrogant son who doesn''t care about anything or anyone else? Aghh~ This is making me even more interested to see her. But I had to hold it in until the evening. Honestly, why do these few hours feel like a decade! Although I was impatient until their arrival. But not like this. S*it! I want to see her badly. And when it was time¡­ "Her Majesty, the Empress Alicia Cedric Carados Fellmirr is entering the room." A knight announced my presence. Hmm. I wonder if she is too tired for the Ritual. Will she be okay? Thinking that I entered the room. My eyes widened seeing her for the first time! S-So pretty! Her pale skin, Red lips, and her lashes are long too! Oh my gosh! Her hair! It''s so long. She is just like a doll. Her face matched perfectly with her Golden hair and purple eyes. She¡­ I need to talk to her. "Greetings, Her Majesty, the Empress." Isabella gracefully bowed and greeted me. ''Oh, dear! Her voice is pretty too.'' "Greetings! Everyone, leave us alone." Yes. I need to see if she is a spy first. And when the maids left the room, I walked towards her. "Kyaa~ You are so cute~" I said while cuddling her. Dear lord! I don''t think I can judge if she is one. She is too skinny for one. And her aura¡­ It''s so pure... "Oh, dear! I can''t believe this! How come my stubborn son got a Pretty mate like you! Are you an angel? Kyaa~ You are so cute~ But why are you so skinny?! Aghh! You have to eat more! That Leonus! He can''t even take good care of his one and only mate¡­ ¡­ ¡­" After that, she went to the Ritual. I didn''t visit her after the Ritual, as she might be embarrassed. But anyway, I left a dress for her. Although I don''t know if she will wear it or not. But she wore it to the banquet! And later, she said she liked my choice a lot and wouldn''t mind if I continue doing so. So kind~ This is it! This is the daughter I wanted! But after the day of Ritual, she collapsed. I was so worried. How can such a young girl faint?! Is it because of the weather? Is it because she is a human? I have to take better care of her. After that day, when she recovered, I always had tea-time with her. It''s the best. Both of us can chat like real mother and daughter! Although she didn''t join any of the family meals. I sent a maid to inform her about the Family meal. But her maid stopped my maid from meeting her. And when I summoned that maid... < "Greetings Her Majesty, the Empress." "Hmm. Raise your head." "Thank you." "So, what''s your name?" "It''s Anne, Her Majesty." "So Anne. Why didn''t you let my maid meet the Crown Princess?" "It''s a sad story, but please don''t ask My Lady for any meal." "What?" How dare she! She is just a maid! Isabella has to say that herself. "She is used to eating alone in the Loire." "What? Alone?" Huh? What is she talking about? "Uh- That. That''s how every royal of Fellmirr has their meal. They eat in their room." "Is that so?" "Yes. Anyways as there were many people during the journey, she couldn''t eat properly and as a result, collapsed because of weakness." > Now that I think about it, whenever her family is mentioned she starts to tremble. At first, I thought she was really sad thinking about them and probably is trying to hold back her tears. But not anymore¡­ I can clearly see the terror in her face whenever her family is mentioned. To be honest, I wanted to deny that. It will be too tragic if it really is the truth. So I waited for their arrival before the Hunting Competition. I can be sure after seeing her reaction. And the first day, when we were welcoming the Aristocrats from the other Kingdoms and Empires, she looked so nervous. I thought that it was probably because she was seeing so many people together. Or probably But when the Royals of Loire didn''t show up, she looked relieved more than sad. D*mn it! Even though I don''t want to believe this. But it is the truth. They definitely did something to her. Honestly, I was glad they didn''t show up before the hunting competition. They probably won''t come. But contrary to my expectations, they did. And on the day of the Competition at that! Isabella¡­ Her face looked so pale hearing about them. S*it! I shouldn''t have invited them. "Isabella¡­" She didn''t say anything. "Let''s go together, child." Yes. I will protect you, dear. As long as I am there, nothing will happen to you. So- "Don''t worry, child." Your mother is here¡­ . . . Anyways that''s it for my POV. Honestly, my daughter-in-law is so cuteeee~. I hate to admit it but she is the best mate for Leonus. I mean, did you see how often he smiled when he was with her! He is definitely in love. And there is a secret about Werewolves, when they fall in love with someone¡­ ¡­ ¡­ Oh, what? You wanna know? Don''t worry you guys will know soon. Anyways now I want to see my Grandchildren as soon as possible. No matter who they look after, all of them will be cute! Although I said to Isabella that I want to have at least 6 grandchildren. To be honest, I want more. But of course, I can''t scare the child, can I? It will already be a year of their marriage this winter. How come there''s no sign of my Grandchildren! Should I teach her something about seduction and stuff? And I should give her some advice about Mating. Well, I definitely should If I want to see my grandchildren soon. Yes. I will do that when we return to the Castle after the Hunting Festival. Hmm. Hmm. I definitely should. Chapter 56 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 7) Episode 51 (To Do) * * * A Few Moments Ago¡­ The Main Tent of the Royals Of Loire¡­ Emperor Mathias, Empress Helena, Daniel and Rubena were conversing about something. "I still don''t understand why we had to come here a week late!" Daniel asked with a frown. "Why are you angry, dear? We made a grand entrance, didn''t we?" Helena said with a gentle tone to alleviate his anger. "Grand entrance?!" Daniel scoffed upon hearing such words. "Oh, dear! Was it not?" Helena said with a sad expression. "Seriously? You know, that''s not what I am talking about. No matter which day we arrived, it would have been a grand entrance, Mother. So don''t spout that nonsense to me." Daniel said with a voice that screamed of annoyance. "Fufu. Well, that is true." Helena said with a smile. "Seriously?!" Daniel clamoured with an expression that said he couldn''t believe the Empress. "Stop grumbling! We have arrived and that is all." Mathias said to shut his mouth. "Oh. Dear brother! Why are you so aggrieved? Calm down. We are here anyway, right? Before the start of the competition." Rubena tried to soothe him with an innocent smile. ''Two-faced snake!'' Daniel thought, feeling disgusted at Rubena''s smile. "I am going out. It''s suffocating here!" Saying that Daniel left the tent. "You better tell him to not do anything stupid, Helena." Mathias warned Helena with a glare. "Don''t worry. He won''t." Helena assured with a smile. "You can excuse yourself now. Go get some rest. It has been a long journey." Mathias said to Helena. "Yes. I should. Then, excuse me." Saying then Helena slightly bowed and left for the resting tent. "Everything is going perfectly. Even God is on our side." Mathias said while grinning. "You are right, father." Rubena replied with a smile. "The plan will be conducted before the last day of the competition." "Yes. I know, Father." "So make sure to keep that ''THING'' safe and hidden. It will be impossible to leave this place without that. You know that, right?" Mathias said in a serious tone. "Don''t worry, father. It''s safe. And no one will suspect that that ''THING'' is with her. She came here before us and stayed here more than half a year after all." "Right¡­ But where is she?" "She will be here somewhere. Don''t worry though. No matter where she is, she will be here soon..." "Her Majesty, the Empress Alicia Cedric Carados Fellmirr and Her Highness, the Crown Princess Isabella Albus Carados Fellmirr are entering the tent." A knight announced from outside. Hearing the announcement, a smile was visible on both Rubena and Mathias''s faces. * * * I slowly took steps into the tent. I am afraid! I am afraid! I am afraid! I feel so suffocated. I don''t want to be here. Their upsetting presence... I can feel their disgusted gaze towards me. "Sister~!" Huh? Rubena hugged me tightly after running towards me. "I missed you so much! So much!" Huh? What''s going on? "My dear daughter~! Dear Isabella~" His Majesty also came towards me in a hurry with a sad voice. What the¡­ Why is he behaving this way? Oh. It must be because mother is here. Ah! Right, Mother! How can they ignore her?! I looked at the Empress. She was frowning¡­ She must be angry at their behaviour. But soon she composed her expression and said in an elegant manner, "Greetings, the Emperor of Loire. Welcome to Fellmirr." "Ah-" His Majesty looked at the Empress. He seemed flustered for some reason. The same goes for Rubena. She also looked quite shocked. Did they not notice her? "Ah¡­ Greetings the Empress of Fellmirr. I apologize. I saw my dear daughter Isabella after a long time, so I didn''t notice you." "Is that so?" Empress Alicia asked with a look of disapproval. "Ah. Yes. Anyways this is my younger daughter, Rubena Estelle Von Loire." "Ah. G-Greetings Your Majesty, the Empress. It''s an honour to meet you!" Rubena said with a smile but was thinking something totally different. ''What the f*ck! How can a beast lady be so pretty?! Aren''t they supposed to be ugly and stinky?! And that wh*re Isabella¡­ Did they do something to her face? Why is she glowing?!'' "Hmm. Why aren''t you bowing to her?" Empress Alicia asked in a cold manner. "Huh?" Rubena had a confused look hearing her. It was as if she could believe what the Empress just said. "I understand that she is your sister and you probably missed her. But now she is the Crown Princess of Fellmirr Empire." "Her Majesty. It''s Alright." I don''t want her to be angry because of me. "It''s not alright. Disrespecting a Royal of Fellmirr means being disrespectful towards the Fellmirr Empire. Are you looking down on our Empire?" "What? How dare I?" Rubena became flustered hearing that. "Then bow now. Give your greetings to her." "That-" ''What? Bow to her?! That b*tch!'' "I apologize for her behaviour! She is still young." Mathias said with an awkward smile. "What are you waiting for? Bow!" Mathias whispered to Rubena. "Y-Yes. Greetings Her Highness, the Crown Princess." Rubena said while bowing. ''D*mn it! I will never forget this humiliation! Just you wait, you wh*re!'' Rubena cursed inwardly. "Anyways, we just came to greet you as a guest. You were supposed to arrive a few days ago. We could''ve had so much time to talk then. But you have arrived quite late¡­ Well, it can''t be helped. We have a tight schedule today. As it is the Inauguration Day of the Hunting Festival. It was quite hard to make time to greet you. Anyways, please excuse us. And don''t forget to enjoy yourselves. Let''s go, Crown Princess." "Ah. Yes, Her Majesty. Enjoy, Your Majesty, the Emperor of Loire and the Second Princess" After that, both Isabella and Alicia walked out of the tent. Aagh* "D*mn that b*tch!" Rubena screamed with annoyance. Mathias: "Arrogant s*it! Look at her guts! That- Hah!" "Father! Sob* You have to do something! That b*tch! Did you see how she humiliated me?!" Rubena sobbed while grabbing Mathias''s coat. "Don''t worry, Ruby. She will die after 5 days anyway. Let her do what she wants for her last week." Mathias said with a demonic smile while patting her head. * * * There is a five minutes walking distance from one tent to another. Each Aristocrat family has several tents. For example, one for dining, one was like a parlour room, one as a bedroom and many others. Anyways, Daniel, who left the tent a moment ago, was now walking in a hurry to go somewhere quiet. The part of plain land near the forest was empty as everyone was busy socializing near the centre. So he stopped under a big tree there. "D*mn it!" Daniel cursed inwardly while punching a fist in the tree trunk. I know they are scheming something. But what?... What he said in the Loire keeps coming back to my mind. < Mathias was sitting in his study. He summoned Daniel there a minute ago. "You''ve been fooling around a lot lately." "..." Daniel stayed silent without saying anything with a poker face. "Are you ignoring me?!" Mathias got up from his seat and slammed the table with anger. "How dare I, Your Majesty." "Y-You- " Mathias stuttered with anger seeing Daniel''s unaffected cold voice. "Can you kindly tell me why you summoned me, Your Highness?" Woosh~ Mathias threw the quill that was on the table towards Daniel''s face. The tip of the quill scratched his pale-white cheek from where drops of shiny red liquid started flowing out. But in all that ruckus he didn''t even flinch. It was as if he was used to it. "How dare you speak to me that way?!" ''How dare this arrogant piece of sh*t!'' Mathias rumbled. "Your Majesty, Emperor Mathias Von Goldrudder Loire. Would you kindly inform me the reason of your summon?" Daniel asked with a usual cold voice but his eyes were glaring. Mathias flinched at his glare but gulped his fear down. In reality, Mathias was nothing but a coward. He loved weak people. As he could do whatever he wanted with them. And they wouldn''t do anything. More like they were unable to do anything. It made him feel superior. But like that, he was afraid of many things. And the thing he was afraid of the most was¡­ Power. People who were more powerful than him¡­ Who were stronger than him... He was afraid of them¡­ Detested them¡­ He knew deep down he was weaker than them and could never actually win against them. But how can HE be weaker than them?! He never admitted it. So whenever he felt threatened or was angered by people who were stronger than him, he would scream like an animal and hurt that person. And among many who were stronger than him were his sons¡­ Yes. In reality, he was afraid of them¡­ Both Daniel and William... "Forget it! There''s no use talking to an animal." Mathias said while sitting in the chair. Even though he looked calm, he was actually trembling. Daniel: "..." "You will have to come along to the Fellmirr Hunting Festival with us." A slight crack was visible on Daniel''s cold face for the first time after a long time hearing about Fellmirr. Although Mathias was too blind to notice that. ''Fellmirr?! It''s where she is¡­'' Daniel thought about her. His heartbeat accelerated thinking about that place. Mathias: "You can''t say ''No''! You will-" Daniel: "I will go." Mathias: "What? You son of a b*tch! How dare y-" Daniel: "I said, I will go." "Wh- Alright." Mathias said in a dumbfounded expression. Mathias: "Ahem! Anyways, You have to behave well with that w*nch there." ''What? What is he talking about? Behave well with her?'' Daniel thought in disbelief. The Mathias he knows will never do that. "Even if there''s no one around. She must trust us. Considering what a fool she is, she will be wagging her tail like that of a b*tch she is after some pat and smile." Mathias scoffed thinking about the scenario. "Now what are you waiting for? Get out of my sight." Saying that Mathias dismissed Daniel. > Behave well with her? Scoff* It''s obvious he wants something from her. He is going to use her again¡­ But for what? Shit! I couldn''t find out even after a week. But one thing is for sure, Rubena knows what he is doing. She is his dog after all. "D*mn it! I hate this feeling. This feeling of being so helpless and useless..." Daniel thought while looking at his palm. "No. I am stronger now. I have to protect her this time." Daniel vowed while clenching his fist. "Yes. First thing first. I have to warn her about them" Thinking that Daniel turned around to the Campsite and started walking. Chapter 57 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 8) The Hunting Festival (Part 8) Episode 52 (THE BEGINNING OF THE HUNT) * * * I don''t want to see them. But It''s not like I can ignore them. They are the Royals of an EMPIRE after all. I have to greet them at least. And It''s just for a week. Yes. It''s not that long. Sigh~ I wonder who else came with them¡­ The Emperor, Rubena¡­ Did the Empress come? What about the Crown Prince? What about other Aristocrats? I mean, many Duke and Marquis came along with the Royals too. Then... "...Bell." "...bella¡­" "Isabella!" The Empress called me while putting her hand on my one shoulder. I flinched at the sudden touch. "Ah-" "Are you alright, dear?" The empress asked with a worried voice. "Yes. I am fine. I was just thinking about something. I apologize." "Is that so?... Well, it''s okay. Anyways we have already reached our main tent. Let''s get in." "Yes." Alicia: "You are excused, Blaine." "Yes, Your Majesty." Sir Blaine who was escorting us from behind, bowed and left towards the Gathering Place. After that, we went inside the tent. The Empress sat on a couch inside the main tent. "Come here, Bell. Sit with me." The Empress said while patting the seat next to her. Just a while ago she was so Strict and Elegant with the Royals of Loire. But now She looks¡­ so cute! She is so amazing! "Yes." I said, trying to hide my admiration. Then sat beside her. "Listen, Isabella. Probably half an hour later, the Hunting Competition will start. We will have to stay in front of the Gathering Place, which is the plain land right in front of the entrance of the forest. The ladies generally stay there gossiping the whole day. And the males go to hunt. Of course, some ladies of our Fellmirr also join the hunt." "Then will you join too, Mother?" "I want to join but I can''t. Not today at least. Anyways child, we will have to go there as we are the host after all. We also have to wish luck to our mates. Oh! I totally forgot!" Saying that the Empress took the bell that was on the table beside the couch and rang it. Soon a middle-aged maid entered the tent. "Greetings, My Lady. You called?" "Yes, Mona. Bring out the Amulets." Amulet? Mona: "As you wish, My Lady." Soon after the maid bowed and left the tent. "The Amulets are what a person gives to another male or female in wish for that male or female''s protection. Anyways the one who accepts the amulet dedicates his hunt to the person that has given the Amulet." Ah¡­ I see now. It''s like giving an embroidered handkerchief to a knight before the hunt. "So we have to give ours to our mates in order to encourage them. Honestly, if I give one to Theo, he will be too excited to leave even a rabbit for others!" The Empress sighed while remembering the past Hunting Competition. < "Oh, dear! You are giving me an Amulet this year, Empress?! Sob* Don''t worry. Even if you are not entering the Hunt this year, I will definitely make you the Queen of Hunting Competition, My Queen!" And Of course, that year Theobald won the Competition. Although Leonus didn''t participate in that year''s Competition. He wasn''t the least bit interested in things like Hunting competitions or social gatherings for that matter. > "Anyways A young lady generally gives an Amulet to the person she likes. Fufu. That''s so cute, right?" That¡­ I know that. I had also embroidered a handkerchief for Roberto before. But... "My Lady. It''s me, Mona. May I enter?" Suddenly Mona asked for permission from outside the tent. She sure is fast. Alicia: "Yes. You may." Soon Mona entered the tent with a beautiful red velvet box then handed it over to the Empress. Alicia: "You may go now, Mona." "Yes, My Lady." Then Mona bowed and left the tent. "Here. Check it out." The Empress said while giving me the box. The box itself was really beautiful. A square-shaped small red velvet box with golden embroidery on the top. "Open it." "Ah. Yes." As soon as I opened it a sparkling Hexagonal shaped Golden Amulet came to my eyes. It had perfect craftsmanship with beautiful Rubies and diamonds. But wait¡­ This¡­ "M-Mother¡­ The craft in the middle¡­" I asked with a forced smile. "Oh. You mean the heart shape? Isn''t it beautiful? It will be so romantic if you present this to Leo in your first Hunting Competition with him. He will be overjoyed." I really don''t think so. The amulet had heart shapes made of rubies in the centre. "But-" "Oh my! It''s time for us to go! Let''s go! We can''t be late, can we?" The Empress said while averting my gaze. Then she hurriedly got up from the couch. "Hurry up, Bell. We can''t delay any longer." Sigh~ She changed the subject. "Yes. Mother." After that, we got out of the tent and went towards the Gathering Place. * * * It''s noon. The Sun is just above our heads. But it''s not hot at all. The temperature is colder instead. Shaa~ The branches of the long trees are dancing in the Gast of the strong wind making a rustling sound. It made some of the leaves fall. So beautiful~ The Gathering Place at the outset of Beaulow Forest was crowded with Aristocrats. Many males were already riding their horses waiting for the starting signal. Some were talking and laughing with each other while riding horses. There were many white canopy tents here and there. I guess each family has their own Canopy Tents. Some ladies were sitting on a table under the shade of those tents, and talking with each other. Some Knights were guarding the tents. Some were guarding the starting point of the Forest. Some were riding horses. Hmm¡­ They must be there to accompany the Master they serve. Now that I think about it, Sir Blaine wasn''t wearing his knight uniform. Rather formal aristocrat outfit. And he is riding a horse too. He is probably an Aristocrat. It never occurred to me that he could be an Aristocrat. But it makes sense, I assume. He is the Vice-Captain of Leonus''s Knights. Speaking of Leonus, isn''t he supposed to be here? But I can''t find him anywhere. I started looking around for him. "Crown Princess, are you searching for someone?" Duchess Erlshade asked with a smile. "Ah- No." I was flustered at her sudden question. I was so lost in thoughts that for a moment I totally forgot that I was sitting on a table with the top Aristocrats of Fellmirr. "You don''t ask, Duchess. The Crown Princess must be looking for the Crown Prince." Duchess Yasuji added with a smirk. Wh-What? Thinking about him- How did they- So Embarrassing! My face feels hot! "Mother, don''t tease the Princess." Sarah Yasuji said while frowning. "Yes. You shouldn''t, Mother." Azleza added. Madeleine: "Princess! You should come with us!" Kayleigh: "Yes. They are older than us! It will be more appropriate if you join us in our tent, Princess." Druella: "Yes! Let''s go, Princess." All of them said enthusiastically. "Now Now, Ladies. You can talk to the Princess all you want after the Hunting Competition starts." Empress Alicia said with a calm tone. "Oh my! They are coming this way!" Duchess Hornraven said while looking behind me. Who are they talking about? I want to look behind! But why is it embarrassing to do even that?! Duchess Erlshade: "I assume we should return to our tent too. I have to see off the Duke too." "Yes, we should." The other ladies agreed. Sarah: "Th-Then we are leaving too. Princess, you will have to join us later! It''s a promise!" Druella: "Yes. You have to!" Azleza: "Then we will talk again after a moment." "Then please excuse us." Saying that all of them bowed and excused themselves. "Let''s get up too, Isabella." The Empress said while getting up from the chair. "Ah. Yes." Saying that I got up from the chair and looked behind. Gasp* He was right in front of me! To-Too Close! Chuckle* "Princess! You forgot to breathe again." Leonus craned his mouth to my ear and whispered. Ahh- As soon as my senses returned, I hurriedly stepped aside from him. I can''t believe this happened in front of the Emperor and the Empress! "G-Greetings! Your Majesty, the Emperor and Your Highness, The Crown Prince!" "Oh my! You are all red, Bell! Isn''t she so cute, Theo?" Empress Alicia said with a smile. Aghh! Red! So embarrassing! "Yes. She is. Although not more than you." The Emperor said while wrapping his arm around the Empress''s shoulder. "Don''t listen to the old man. You are definitely prettier, Princess." Leonus whispered to my ear. Aghh~ Don''t do that out of nowhere! It always makes me feel strange. I can definitely feel my face getting redder. "Pfft! Oh, dear! We shouldn''t tease her anymore! There will be no difference between her dress and her face at this point!" The Empress said while laughing. Alicia: "Oh, Leonus. Isabella has a present for you!" Huh? No way! Do I really have to give THAT to him?! And it wasn''t really me who brought it! Leonus: "Really? What is it?" Aghh! Why does it look like stars are coming out of his eyes! Alicia: "Show it to him, Bell!" "Y-Yes!" I said while sobbing inwardly! I can never win against this Mother-Son pair. Soon I brought out the box from the pocket of my dress. The box was small, so It fits inside my dress pocket without any trouble. "Here you go." I gave him the box. "Let me see-" Saying that Leonus opened the box. His eyes widened seeing what was inside! He must be embarrassed seeing it! "It-its okay, if you don''t like it! Just give it back!" I said reaching out to take away the box from his hand! "No way!" But at that moment, he flipped his arm. It was almost as high as it could reach. "It''s okay! You don''t have to lie!" Aghh! Why is he so tall! I tried to snatch the box, hopping on my feet. But as soon as I was about to take it, his hand went up again. I tried a few more times whimpering, but I couldn''t catch up with his huge height. I''ve been jumping into place the whole time. "Princess! I really like it!" Leonus said with a serious voice. "Huh? Really?" You are lying! "Yes! In fact, I love it!" "..." "I didn''t think you would give me your heart!" Leonus whispered to my ear. Huh? My heart? Aghh! My face is definitely red now. Leonus chuckled seeing my red face. But soon he got on his knees and took my right hand in his hand. "I will make you the Queen of the Hunt." He then kissed my hand while looking into my eyes. I can tell by his voice that he was serious. After that, he got up and kissed my forehead. Popoo~ Suddenly a loud horn rang. It must be the signal to start the Hunt. "Then I am going." Leonus said while taking out the Amulet from the box and attaching it to his chest. After that, he started walking away from the Canopy tent and got on his pitch-black horse. Then he waved his hand for the last time and went towards the entrance. I hope he will be safe. . . . Chapter Extra~ While Leonus and Isabella were playing catch with the Amulet The Emperor and the Empress were- "Let''s go away from here." Alicia whispered to Theobald. "Ah. Yes." Soon they sneaked out of the tent. "Anyways, Honey." Theobald asked with deer-like eyes. "What is it?" "Umm¡­" "Can you just say it?" "What about my Amulet?" Theobald asked while pouting. "Oh, dear! I totally forgot about you! I am sorry, honey." "Ah! How can you!" Theobald slumped and sobbed. "Pfft! Here you go!" Alicia soon brought out a red velvet box from her dress. "Wow~" Theobald soon reached out and took the box from Alicia''s hand. Then opened it. A beautiful golden Amulet with blue diamonds was shining brightly inside the box! "Kyaa~ I love it, Honey! Thank you so much! You are the best!" Saying that he took out the Amulet from the box and attached it to his left chest. "I promise my Victory to you, my Queen!" Theobald knelt the same way Leonus did and kissed Alicia''s hand. "Sure~ If you can beat Leo." "What?" "Oh my! Did you forget the first and the last time he joined the hunt?" "That-" "Yes. He didn''t receive any amulets from other ladies and said that His Victory belongs to Him only! And of course, he won that time¡­ Defeating you." Alicia scoffed while covering her mouth with a fan. "Aghh! I will win this time for sure! Did you forget you didn''t give me any Amulet that year!" "Yeah! Sure~" "Honey! I am serious!" And their little war continued. End~ . . . Chapter 58 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 9) Episode 53 (Humaliation) * * * About Half An Hour Ago¡­ "What? Then what have you been doing?" "..." "Why the f*ck did I send you here, to begin with?!" Rubena said while throwing a glass towards Anne. They were inside Rubena''s tent. Rubena was sitting on a couch that was in front of the bed. Anne was standing in front of her. "You can''t even stay close to that stupid pea-brain?! Hah!" Rubena scoffed. She couldn''t believe what Anne just informed her. Isabella, the person she despises and also the person whom she wants to suffer miserably, was getting along with people here! And she didn''t even trust Anne that much now! The people here treat her well too! How can she be happy! ''D*mn it! I am already angry that I had to bow to that stupid Isabella! And then this! And how the f*ck is that Empress so pretty?! Aren''t they supposed to be ugly and fat? Maybe she is using some kind of transformation magic to look like that¡­ Yes! That must be it! She must be too ugly!'' Rubena thought while biting her fingernails. On the way here, he saw many people. Not even one of them looked like what she thought they would. All of them were beautiful in their own way. Even the commoners! Rubena couldn''t accept it! She repeated inside her mind countless times that it wasn''t the Beastmen. It''s probably the people from another Empire or Kingdom in disguise. Yes. They must be looking around Fellmirr as it might be their first and last chance to visit this Empire! Or they must be so ugly that they were too embarrassed to show their real face. And used transformation magic. She didn''t want to admit it. But deep down she already started to regret not accepting the proposal to be betrothed to this Empire. But she could never admit it! < After seeing the Empress her heartbeat accelerated. ''This¡­ She must be powerful! Yes. Those beautiful Silver hair and eyes, her arrogant yet elegant gaze¡­ Those can''t be real. And Isabella¡­ She looked so beautiful in her red dress. She also seemed to gain weight! Her beautiful hair, her fair skin, everything was glowing. Did they use light magic on her too? And why are they wearing the same dress?! Is their relationship that good?! No way! But¡­ Her expression¡­ That of a scaredy-cat. She is still the same! Her appearance just changed.'' Rubena scoffed inside and ran towards Isabella. Then hugged her. She could smell the fragrance of Rose coming from her. A uselessly bewitching fragrance. ''Wh*re.'' Rubena cursed inwardly. But after a minute or less, she had to bow to Isabella. Empress Alicia made her do that. ''D*mn it! I want to kill her. I want to strangle her neck! I want to scar her face off! That uselessly beautiful face! But it''s okay! She will DIE soon! Hahaha~'' Rubena laughed cynically inside. > "Is that the reason why you haven''t been talking with me with that mirror? Is it because you are so dumb that you couldn''t control that f*king dumb b*tch!" "..." Anne stayed silent. She couldn''t utter a word. She was scared of Rubena. She couldn''t tell her that Isabella beat her! How can she?! It will hurt her useless pride. And Anne''s soul trembled just by imagining what Rubena would be like if she hears that Isabella has some crazy power and that Anne didn''t even inform her! ''D*mn it, Isabella! I swear I will make you suffer!'' Anne clenched her fists and cursed inwardly. "Don''t f*king stay silent and answer me!" "I apologize, Princess. I didn''t have any chance. The other maids were keeping an eye-" "Don''t give me that crap of an answer! You accept me to believe that?! You didn''t have time to contact me because some maids were watching you! You think I don''t know that You steal stuff from that b*tch? That time the others don''t watch you?" ''Tch! D*mn psycho b*tch! Shut the fuck up! Sh*t! Why is she here anyway?! And I don''t even steal here that much! More like I couldn''t. It''s not like those smarta*s maids let me touch anything.'' "Y-You-" Rubena was going to say something but then- "His Majesty, Emperor Mathias Von Goldrudder Loire is entering the tent." "Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor." Anne bowed and greeted Mathias. "Father!" Rubena smiled brightly and ran towards Mathias. Then hugged him. "Oh, my dear Ruby! What were you doing?" Mathias patted Rubena''s head and asked gently. "Nothing, father. I was just having a friendly chat with the maid." Rubena replied, smiling brightly. ''Her expression changed from north to south. What a psycho! Friendly chat, my foot!'' Anne cursed Rubena in disbelief. "Is that so?... Hmm~ So is she that maid?" "Yes, Father." "Hmm~ Raise your head." "Thank you so much, Your Grace!" ''Sigh~ Finally. Or else I would have died of back pain.'' "Did you bring ''THAT'' here with you?" "Yes, Your Majesty, the Emperor." "Where is it?" "I hid it safely in the Crown Princess''s tent." "Ah¡­ That thing''s tent¡­" Mathias frowned hearing Isabella''s name. Even though he hated to admit it, now Isabella''s tent was the perfect place to hide ''THAT''. Her tent was the most protected as she was part of the Royals of Fellmirr. For that matter, also the tent that will be searched the least, if something were to happen. "Did anyone see you with that?" "No, Your Majesty. No one saw me with ''THAT''. Not even Princess Isabella." "Is that so?" "Yes!" "You know what will happen, if someone saw you, right?" "..." "Not only those animals of Fellmirr, but we will also prepare a special gift from the Loire for you too " Although Mathias said it with a smile, but in fact, it was a threat. Anne gulped her saliva just thinking about what might happen. She will be held as a traitor on both sides. ''D*mn it! Why me?!'' "Yes. I know well, Your Majesty." "Hmm. Good. Bring that when I tell you to." "Yes, Your Majesty." "Now go. You are dismissed. And keep an eye on that thing." ''That Thing?¡­ Ah. He meant Isabella. Silly me!'' "Yes, Your Majesty." Saying that Anne bowed and left the tent. "Now, my dear Ruby! Go and accompany that thing. We can''t just leave it all to a lowly maid, can we?" "Yes, Father." Rubens replied while pouting. As she didn''t want to see Isabella''s face. How can she! After being humiliated by her! "Don''t be upset, my dear! She will be dead soon anyway. And I will let you play with her before killing her. How about that?" "Really?" Rubena asked enthusiastically. "Yes!" Mathias smiled and said. They were talking so lightly about killing someone. If someone saw them from afar, they would think of them as just a normal loving father and daughter pair. But¡­ if someone listened to their conversation it would make shivers down their spine. Such inhumane words behind those innocent smiling faces. "So, Ruby. Smile and don''t forget to treat her well." "Yes, Father." "Go now. Your mother will join you soon." "Yes. What about you?" "I am also coming after a minute. I have to wear my cape." "I see. Then I will be going!" "Yes. Go." After that, Mathias left the tent. Soon after Rubena called her maid Clara and redo her makeup and dress. Then she also left the tent confidently. * * * I was standing on the ground looking in the direction Leonus''s just disappeared in. The start of the Hunting Competition¡­ Hmm~ He will probably return in the evening. The Empress told me that on the first two days Competitors are obliged to return before night falls. And there will be a feast at night with the animals which were just being hunted. At night¡­ This place will look beautiful at night. I looked around the place. The gathering place looks empty now, although it was not empty in the least. It''s probably because almost every male Aristocrat ran off towards the Hunting Ground. There were just some elder Aristocrats who stayed here. They were chatting amongst themselves. The Knights were still there guarding the place. And the ladies continued their cheer and chatter. I wonder where the Empress is. She wasn''t here when Leonus left for The Hunting Ground. "My Lady! Why are standing there? Come here. I brought cold juice for you!" I looked behind hearing the voice. It was Ella. "Okay." I sit at a table that was under the shade of a canopy. Ella was standing beside me serving me cold juice and some light snacks. "When did you arrive, Ella?" "Half an hour ago, My Lady." "What about Cande? Is she not here yet?" "she is here. She is preparing My Lady''s lunch." "Is that so?" "Yes." "Did you guys eat?" "Yes." "And what about Anne?" "Ah. She came with us. But I don''t know where she is now." "I see¡­" "Isabella!" I flinched at the sudden voice. No way~ Did I hear it wrong? That must be it! I must be tired. Phew~ But breaking my hopes, that my voice called my name again. "Isabella!" I looked in the direction of the sound with trembling eyes. Rushing towards me with dishevelled hair¡­ It was him¡­ Chapter 59 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 10) Episode 54 (TRUST) * * * < "Hey! Stop crying!" A young boy with red hair and beautiful bright golden hair asked with a frown. He reached out his hand and passed a handkerchief to me. I was crouched down at a corner of a Pergola in the Royal Garden and was crying silently. It was probably days after Grandfather''s death. I was devastated. By losing the only family I can remember¡­ My Grandfather. I saw some people looking at me with cold eyes when Grandfather was alive. At first, I was scared. But Grandfather''s gentle smile and his gentle pat on my head made me forget everything about those people and their cold gaze. And at that time, there were more people who smiled at me than those who didn''t. But after Grandfather''s dead those people also started looking at me with a cold gaze. There were some maids who looked at me with pitiful eyes, but I didn''t see them again in the palace. My room was changed to the top floor of the palace or the attic. The maids didn''t bring any food to me. Or they brought bread which was too hard to eat for the child me. I was devastated by Grandfather''s death, devastated by people''s sudden change in behaviour. I was lonely. I was also hungry. I was afraid. So I ran away from my room and hid in a corner of a Pergola in the Royal Garden. It was wrapped around with dried up vines. But then he appeared¡­ Daniel. "Wipe your tears with this." A strange boy¡­ That was my first impression of Daniel. I sniffled and took the handkerchief. Then wiped away my tears. I was afraid that he would also scold me like the maids. "Here! Take this too!" The strange boy handed me cakes which were wrapped around by a handkerchief. I was surprised to see it. I looked up at him. "This¡­" "What are you looking at? Just hurry up and eat them. Are you not hungry?" The boy yelled. "That- Thank you." Saying that I started eating the cakes. I hadn''t eaten anything for a day and a half. So I started gobbling up the cakes. "Hey! Slow down! No one''s going to snatch them from you." Cough* Cough* I started coughing as I was just gobbling the cakes without breathing. "Tch! Didn''t I tell you to slow down?" The boy said while giving me a bottle of water. "Drink it." "Yes." I didn''t say anything and listened to him. I started drinking the water. Daniel: "H-Hey! Why are you crying?" Isabella: "Huh?" I cried without realising. It was the first time after Grandfather''s death, that someone behaved so kindly towards me¡­. That someone gave me something decent to eat. I was grateful¡­ sad¡­ angry¡­ disappointed¡­ Why are they behaving that way towards me? I didn''t do anything! Why did Grandfather leave me? Was it because I was crying? Was it because I was a bad girl? All kinds of emotions were storming inside my little mind. Soon I started crying loudly. Wahh~ Hic* "Hey! Shush! D-Don''t cry!" The boy flustered and said, panicking. But soon he started patting my head. "It''s okay! You are a good girl!" He said while wiping my tears with his handkerchief. Sniff* "Yes. Good girl, Isabella." He soothes me with a gentle voice. "W-Who are you?" I asked with curiosity. Who was that strange boy who helped me? Why is he helping me to begin with? Why did he give me delicious cakes? But hearing my question, he looked at me with sad eyes. As if he was hurt by the question. "It seems you don''t remember¡­" He mumbled to himself. "Hmm? Did I ask something wrong?" And I don''t remember? What is he talking about? Did I ever meet him? "Nothing. You don''t need to know. Now go back to your room." "But I am afraid to go there." "Hurry up and go. Or else I will tell everyone that you are hiding here." His tone changed. He said with a harsh voice. I trembled at the sudden change. Was I mistaken? Is he not a kind person? I hurriedly ran away from him and returned to my room. Of course, no one said anything to me. At first, I thought they didn''t care about what I do. But later, I found out they didn''t even know that I ran away. After that day, I saw him many times. But each time he only caused trouble for me. One day he pushed me to a lake that was in front of the garden. I was drowning as I didn''t know how to swim. But after several minutes he jumped down to the lake and took me to the ground. Another day he brought a small monster in a cage then released it in front of me. I was afraid of it. Was trying my best to run away. But while running away I stumbled on a rock and fell to the ground. The monster soon bit my leg. It hurt a lot. My leg was bleeding. But then he burned the monster with his magic with cold eyes right in front of me. To be honest, I was more terrified at the sight of a burning monster screaming for its dear life, than my wound. After that, he placed his hand on my wound and pressed it. Ouch* I cried in pain Daniel: "Does it hurt?" He asked with a cold voice dazing over my wound. Daniel: "Are you having a hard time?" Daniel: "Me too." He said with a sad voice then healed my wound with his warm fire magic. I resented him for the things he had done to me. But for some strange reason, I couldn''t hate him entirely. I never truly understood him to this day. To me, he is a strange person who loved playing with me. But then again because of him, I learned many things. It''s probably because of him, I wasn''t mentally broken after being beaten by the Emperor. After that day, he kept doing whatever he wanted and caused trouble for me. But then again it was him, who saved me in the end from that trouble. Soon after, I found out that he was the Second Prince who was a month younger than me. That means my little brother. But seeing his physique, it never occurred to me that he would be younger than me. > Time passed by¡­ Both of us grew up. He also started to avoid me as time passed by. And one day I heard that he joined the Royal Academy of Loire and left the palace to study there. Although he visited the palace occasionally from the academy, I never actually saw him. Still, I was relieved that I didn''t have to meet him. The last time I saw him was at the Birthday Banquet of Rubena. Although that was months before my wedding to Leonus. And now he is running towards me with dishevelled hair¡­ My Younger Brother¡­ Daniel. I can''t believe my eyes. I am afraid. I am shocked. I had never imagined that he would come here. " Huff* Huff* Isabella!" Daniel said while taking rough breaths. He is now standing in front of me. His eyes are wide open. He seems flustered. Is it because he ran all the way here? But why is he here? I don''t want to see him. "I-Isabella!" He called my name with a dazed expression. "Hey! Who are you? How dare you speak of My Lady''s name with your mouth?" Ella frowned and started scolding Daniel. He flinched hearing Ella. It seems like he returned to his senses. "Apologies! Greetings, Her Highness, the Crown Princess, Isabella Von Hagen Loire." Flustered, Daniel replied. "Hey! Are you serious? She is Crown Princess Isabella Albus Carados Fellmirr, not Isabella Von Hagen Loire!" Ella informed with an angry voice. "Ah. I forgot." Daniel said absent-mindedly. "My Lady! Should I send this person away?" Ella said with an annoyed expression. Isabella: "Yes. Please s-" "Isabella! Look. I know you are angry but I have something important to say." Daniel pleaded. "This guy- Hah!" Ella scoffed as if she could believe he was still calling me by my name. Daniel: "Please~" Ella: "You- How dare-" Isabella: "Alright." "What? But My Lady! You don''t even know who he is." Ella grumbled. Isabella: "No. I know him. He is the Second Prince of the Loire Empire. Daniel Luth Loire." "Oh¡­ Then he is your Brother, My Lady?" Ella asked with a cold sweat. Both Isabella and Daniel hardened hearing her. ''Brother¡­ Not anyone from the Loire acted like a family to me.'' Isabella scoffed inwardly. "Yes. He is." But soon she composed herself and replied. Then both Isabella and Daniel sit at a table. "So what do you want to say?" "Huh? That-" Daniel hesitated, looking at Ella. "I will stand in the corner." Taking the hint, Ella walked away from my side and stood at a corner of the tent. "So what is it that you want to say?" "How are you, Isabella?" Daniel asked hesitatingly. "I am fine. Why? Did you expect me to not stay fine?" "What? That''s not it!" "Why are you here? Are you going to cause trouble again?" "No, Isabella! That''s not it! Sigh~ I am just here to warn you about something." Huh? What is he saying? "Don''t trust Father, Mother or Rubena. No matter how well they behave. No matter what they say." "What?" What is he talking about?! "I can''t say anything to you now. But I promise to let you know soon. You don''t need to trust me. But please! Don''t trust anything they say! I am begging you." Daniel said with a desperate voice. What is going on? I don''t understand! I won''t understand if he doesn''t say anything to me. "Daniel¡­" Daniel flinched hearing my voice. He soon got up from his chair in a hurry and slightly bowed. "Then, I will be going. As you might know, I will join the hunt." Saying that he hurriedly got away from the tent and went towards the direction of his tent. Why did he say that? Is something bad going to happen? I feel so restless¡­ I hope Leonus will be fine. Madeleine: "Princess!" Kayleigh: "Crown Princess! Why are you still sitting here?" Azleza: "Yes. You said you will join us soon!" Suddenly the ladies came out of nowhere like a storm. Isabella: "Ah-Yes." "Come! Come~" Sarah said while pulling my hand gently. Isabella: "Oh. Yes. Let''s go." "But My Lady was just going to eat some light snacks." Ella said, protesting. Druella: "Don''t worry. We have plenty of snacks there." Azleza: "You can come along too. You can talk with Biscuit and the others meanwhile." "Ah. Yes. I would have followed her even if the Lady didn''t say anything." Ella answered with a calm tone. "Yes. Let''s go then, Princess." After that, Sarah took my arm and we walked towards their tent. Chapter 60 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 11) Episode 55 (Trigger) * * * Madeleine: "Princess, What snack do you like?" Kayleigh: "What about Cake?" Sarah: "Try this strawberry cake. It''s a delicacy in our Yasuji Clan." Druella: "Don''t listen to her. Drink this Wuyi Rock Tea. It mitigates weariness. You must be tired from all the recent events." Sarah: "Are you looking down on me?" Druella: "How can I look down on a fox?!" Sarah: "What? You d*mn bird-" I can see a spark in their gazes. Druella: "Hah! What did you just say? You want to fight?" Sarah: "Huh? Sure~ Come at me!" "Ladies! Compose yourself! You are embarrassing yourselves!" Azleza said gritting her teeth. Although she was smiling, it was such a stiff smile that one can say easily tell she was having a hard time controlling her anger. ''D*mn it! The Princess is here. What about us being delicate flowers!'' Azleza thought to herself. Druella: "Don''t put your nose in the middle of our fight!" Sarah: "Yeah! Shut up!" Both Druella and Sarah looked at her Azleza and said at the same time. ''The h*ck! Are they serious? What about us being friendly towards the Princess! They''ll scare her off!'' Madeleine and Kayleigh thought while having a cold sweat. Azleza: "You-" Azleza was going to get up from her chair and join their fight but that time- Pfft* Hahaha~ Being surprised by Isabella''s sudden laughter, the ladies flinched. They looked at Isabella with wide eyes without uttering a single word. Her laughing figure was truly mesmerising. "Ah. I apologize. It was rude of me to laugh like that." As if a spell just broke, the ladies come back to their senses. Madeleine: "Ah- No way." Kayleigh: "Yeah. It''s alright." Azleza: "It was our fault to argue like that, to begin with." Sarah: "Yes. We showed our bad side. It was rude of us to do that in front of you." Druella: "Forgive us!" "What? No. It was nice to see people getting along. All of you must be really good friends." Isabella said while twiddling her index fingers. "To be honest, I wish to befriend you¡­" Isabella mumbled while looking down. She was too shy to look at their faces. ''S-So cute~'' The girls thought to themselves. Isabella never had a friend. She was always afraid of the Aristocrats Ladies of Loire. And why wouldn''t she be?! The Ladies fight with their tongue and lips. They always utter something but it means the exact opposite. Isabella was afraid whenever she was in front of them. Afraid of what they were going to say... Of what she would have to reply¡­ Afraid of saying something offending¡­ the Emperor might beat her. As he was always waiting for an excuse to beat her. But here, the ladies were nothing like that. At least not them. They are such kind and caring people to think about someone like her. She could also feel their close friendship by that fight. As when she saw them at a banquet before, they looked and behaved so composed and elegant. Isabella was grateful that they opened up to her. She really wanted to be friends with them¡­ "Umm¡­ It''s definitely okay if you don''t want to! I-I would respect your deci-" "Wh-What?! No way! O-Of course we also-" Sarah jumped up from her chair and was going to say something but then- "Sister! You are here! I was looking for you everywhere!" Rubena came out of nowhere and interrupted their conversation. * * * I really want to befriend them. But¡­ Will they hate it? I mean, how can anyone want to be friends with someone like me? "Umm¡­ It''s definitely okay if you don''t want to! I-I would respect your deci-" "Wh-What?! No way! O-Of course we also-" Interrupting, Sarah jumped up from her chair and was going to say something. But then Someone else''s voice cut off Sarah''s words. A creepily bright voice¡­ "Sister! You are here! I was looking for you everywhere!" Rubena¡­ I flinched hearing her voice. Why is she here? "Oh my! Sorry for my interruption! May I join you, Ladies?" Rubena gasped looking at the others and said with an innocent smile. ''No! You can''t! The heck! Did she just come here unwelcomed and interrupted our conversation! D*mn it! I want to kick her out.'' Sarah cursed Rubena inwardly. "And who might you be?" Azleza asked coldly. I can see Rubena''s expression stiffened up a little. She must be angry with the sudden question. Well, she is the social butterfly of the Loire. But then she looked at me with a broad smile as if asking me to introduce her to the others. I don''t want to. "She is the Second Princess of the Loire Empire, Rubena Estelle Von Loire." I introduced her even unwillingly. It seems like I am still afraid of her. "Oh." The ladies replied with a dull expression. There was a cold silence for some time. "Anyways, Princess. We would be delighted if you join us from now on." Azleza said elegantly, ignoring Rubena. "Yes! We would be happy if you join our group." Sarah said with an elegant smile, unlike the cheerful smile. Now that I see, all of them seem so elegant now. Wow~ They changed their posture as soon as someone came! I truly admire them. Meanwhile, Rubena was standing awkwardly on the corner. She couldn''t sit until she got permission. And there wasn''t any chair left for her to sit. As we were sitting at a round table with six seats. Sarah and Azleza sat beside me. Then beside Sarah, Druella and beside Azleza sat Madeleine then Kayleigh. So there wasn''t any seat left for her. I can feel her glare stabbing a knife on me. She must be furious to be ignored like that. "Ahem*" Rubena coughed as if to get attention. "Oh my! Apologies! We totally forgot about you for a moment there!" Madeleine said with a tone that didn''t sound apologetic at all. "Oh! She was here!" Sarah gasped and said with an innocent look. "You can join us." Azleza said in a cold tone. "Thank you so much for inviting me!" Rubena said with a smile controlling her anger. "Biscuit." Sarah beaconed her maid. "Bring out another chair. It seems like we have an unexpected visitor." Sarah ordered her maid with a smile. "As you wish, My Lady." Biscuit bowed and left the tent to bring out another chair. After a while, Biscuit came in with a chair then placed it on one side. The others closed up their seats next to mine with the help of maids, isolating Rubena''s seat. "Umm¡­ Can I sit next to my sister? It''s been a long ti-" "No!" Sarah replied instantly. "I apologize but I don''t want to." Azleza said, looking coldly at Rubena. Rubena''s expression stiffened by the unexpected answer. "I-I see." Rubena said with a forced smile then sat on her chair. *Anyways Princess, did you give any Amulet to anyone?" Kayleigh asked with twinkling eyes. "That-" "If not, give it to me! I will join the hunt tomorrow!" Sarah said enthusiastically. "No! Give it to me. I can definitely hunt more than her!" Druella said, opposing Sarah. Sarah: "What? You must be mistaken! Princess! I am stronger than her!" Druella: "Don''t believe her, Princess! I am stronger than her!" "Ahem! You can give it to me! I assure you I am the strongest among them." Azleza said with a confident voice. "Amulet?" Rubena asked while tilting her head. ''Ughh! Da*n it! She is so annoying!'' Druella cursed inwardly. ''The heck! Can''t she tell we are ignoring her?'' Madeleine thought looking at Rubena with annoyance. "Ladies, let''s hear if the Princess has already given the Amulet to someone." Madeleine said ignoring Rubena. I can tell she is burning right now. "Ah- Yes. Princess, did you?" Sarah asked impatiently. "Ah. Yes. I gave it to the Crown Prince." Kayleigh: "What? The Crown Prince?" Sarah: "Aghh! He is going to join this year?!" Druella: "Ughh! Why~?" "Huh? Is there something wrong?" Azleza: "No. Nothing like that. It''s just he never participated in any occasion like that." "Really?" I didn''t know. "Isn''t he the Crown Prince? How come he didn''t?" Rubena asked with a curious look. She is trying her best to enter the conversation. Azleza: "It''s just because he is too strong, Crown Princess." Druella: "Yeah. That da- I mean, the Crown Prince is stronger than the Emperor, himself." Madeleine: "Mhmm. He defeated the Emperor and the other Beastmen the first time he joined the Hunting Competition." Kayleigh: "It was also his last time." And like that the ladies continued their chatter, ignoring Rubena. "Excuse me. But it''s time for My Lady to rest." Ella said, coming out of nowhere. "Oh my! It''s already afternoon." Sarah said looking outside. Azleza: "Oh, yes. How time flies¡­" "Then, My Lady. Shall we go?" Ella asked eagerly. "Ah. Yes. Please excuse us." "Yes. We should return to our tent too." Kayleigh said while getting up from her seat. "It was so much fun chatting with the Crown Princess. Please join us next time too." Sarah said with a smile. "Yes! You have to." Druella added. "Then see you at the banquet, Crown Princess." The ladies said with a bow "Yes. It would be my pleasure." The ladies kept talking, ignoring Rubena. And now she isn''t even trying to enter the conversation. She was looking at everyone with a creepy smile. "And the Princess of Loire. We will see you again." "Yes. Surely. I have recognised all of your beautiful faces. We will surely meet again. Then please excuse me." Rubena said with a smile, then excused herself. "My Lady! Let''s go. You have to eat too." Ella rushed. "Ah. Yes. Then please excuse us." "Yes. We will meet again at the feast then!" Kayleigh said with a smile. "Yes." After that, both Ella and I returned to our tent. Chapter 61 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 12) Episode 56 (The Feast) * * * "My Lad-" "My Lady! You have returned!" Anne asked, blocking Cande with an energetic voice. "Anne?" As soon as I entered my tent, I saw Anne welcoming me with a cheerful voice. I was quite surprised at her sudden behaviour. ''What the f*ck? Why is she behaving this way? If it was another day, she would''ve been standing at a corner looking at her nails.'' Ella thought looking at Anne with a disgusted look. "My Lady! I have pre-" "My Lady! I have prepared warm water for your bath." Again Anne interrupted Cande''s words in the middle and said with a smile. ''What the f*ck is she talking about?! It was me who had done all the hard work. She just put flowers on the tub!'' Cande thought inwardly at Anne''s white lie. "I-Is that so?" I asked awkwardly. Although Cande is smiling, I can see a fire burning through her. "Yes!" "Th-Thank you." "Anyways, My Lady! I have something to confess!" Anne said with a sad tone. I wonder what she wants to confess¡­ "Please forgive me, My Lady! I have been neglecting my duties as your Personal Maid for a long time! Sob* Please forgive me! I want to be your real Personal Maid from now on." Anne crouched on the floor and said in a pleading manner. My eyes widened at her sudden confession. Anne¡­ "I know it''s hard to believe me right away. Sob* But I will try my best to win back your favour, My Lady!" "..." Ella and Cande were also surprised at Anne''s sudden behaviour. "Anne. Get up." I reached out my hand and helped her get up. "It''s okay. I understand. To be honest, I was already grateful that you agreed to serve me. Even more, when you said you would accompany me to Fellmirr. I was truly happy. So thank you." I said while smiling as brightly as I could. I hope she understands my sincerity. It''s enough that she knows her mistake. "T-Thank you, My Lady." Anne sobbed. Both Ella and Cande shivered at Anne''s acting. ''Ughh! She is definitely acting!'' Cande thought to herself. ''A person can never change in a day! Just yesterday she was so full of herself. MEANS she disappeared the entire day! And now she is apologizing? What bulls*it!'' Ella thought with disgust. "Ahem! My Lady, it''s getting late. You should really take a bath now, or else you might catch a cold." Cande said while composing herself. "Ah. Alright." After that, the three of them helped me to take a bath. After the bath, I ate slightly then took a rest for a moment. "My Lady! It''s time for you to prepare for the Banquet." Ella informed with a smile. "Ah. Yes." Sigh~ What an exhausting day! Suddenly- PoPoo~ A loud horn rang. I wonder that is for¡­ "The participants are returning from the Forest." Cande said hearing the sound. I see. So that''s what it was for. Then did Leonus return? I wonder¡­ They will meet today. Leonus and Rubena¡­ Come to think of it, she was furious today. I hope she won''t do anything tonight. "My Lady! We should really hurry up! If the participants have already returned, that means there isn''t much time left before the Banquet!" "Ah- Yes." Saying that I got up from the couch. After that, Ella clapped her hand and 4 maids entered the tent with a beautiful Royal Purple dress. "This is the dress you will wear for the banquet." The dress had pearl decorations on the waist and pearl sleeves. So beautiful~ "Alright." "Then Let''s get started shall we?" Ella said with a smile. I can see fire in her eyes. Honestly, where does she get so much energy¡­? * * * Half an Hour Ago¡­ The Royal Tents Of Loire Empire. Princess Rubena''s Tent. Aghh~* "D*mn it! F*ck you, Isabella! How dare she! How dare she humiliate me in front of those filthy animals! And those d*mn b*tches! How dare they try to ignore ME! ME!" Rubena screamed and threw away the cups which were on the table she was sitting on. "Calm Down, Ruby." Helena took a sip from her cup of tea and said with a calm voice. "Mother! How can you say that?! Do you have any idea how I felt!" Rubena exclaimed while looking at Helena with exploding eyes. She couldn''t believe her mother took so lightly of her feelings. "Yes. I do." "What?" Rubena asked while frowning. "..." But Helena remained silent with a calm expression and continued drinking her tea. Seeing that, Rubena had a sudden realization. "Don''t tell me¡­ Those Fellmirr animals! Did they ignore you too?" A crack was seen in Helena''s calm face. "Those wretched Beastmen! Arrogant sh*ts!" Helena said with a cruel expression. Today she was also humiliated by the Aristocrats of Fellmirr. When Rubena was trying to get along with the Young Ladies of Fellmirr. Helena was also trying to do the same with middle-aged Ladies. She thought they would be like other Aristocrats of other Kingdoms and Empires. But she forgot that it''s FELLMIRR. The largest and the strongest Empire of the Waldor Continent. Even the Marquise Family of Fellmirr owns land like that of a small kingdom. And of course, they are stronger than them. As a result, they are that much Arrogant. So of course Helena failed miserably and ended up getting humiliated. "Mother¡­" "No matter though. I will make them cry tears of blood." Helena said while strongly grabbing the empty cup of tea. Her strong cracked the cup. "Yes, Mother. WE will make them cry tears of blood." Rubena said with a cruel smile. "Now let''s get prepared for the banquet." "Yes. I will. Just you wait, Mother. I will be the most beautiful person at tonight''s banquet. Pfft~ I can''t wait to see that b*tch Isabella''s face when his husband looks only at me. Although I have to bear with his ugly face for a while. But it will be worth it! Hahaha~" "Hahaha~ That''s my daughter!" And the two continued their laughter. * * * It''s half an hour past evening. Almost time for the banquet. Aghh! I have to see them again. Although for some reason, I am not as afraid as before. "It''s done, My Lady!" Ella said proudly. Ah. Finally! I have been sitting on a chair like this for an hour. "Look, My Lady!" Anne said while showing me the long mirror. Wow~ The maids sure have magic in their hands. Or else how can they make me look so pretty?! Ella: "You look be-" Anne: "Beautiful as usual, My Lady!" Cande: "You will be the most be-" Anne: "The most beautiful lady in the banquet." ''That b*tch!'' Ella and Cande cursed at the same time. "Your Highness, The Crown Princess. It''s time for you to join the Banquet." A knight announced from outside. It''s already time¡­ Phew~ Don''t worry, Isabella. Everything will be fine. "Then I will be going." Ella: "Yes. Take Care, My Lady." After that, I left the tent and started walking towards the Centre of the plain land where the Banquet will be held. * * * Young Lady 1: "You look beautiful as usual, Princess!" Young Lady 2: "Yes! How can you look so pretty!" Vivian: "Give us some advice too." "Oh my! Please don''t say that! You ladies are making me shy!" Some young ladies from other empires were praising Rubena. Vivian was one of them. There is a reason for that, of course. The Loire was the strongest Empire after Fellmirr. And Vivian was unable to gain favour from any ladies of Fellmirr. So she was now after Rubena. As all the ladies of other Empire and Kingdom were also sucking up to Rubena for the SAME reason. So now, Rubena was the lady who got the most attention at this banquet. Even Men from other Empires and Kingdoms were also trying to gain her favour. The first reason was that she was pretty and cute. She gained their interest by her innocent act. And the other reason was that Rubena is now the Only Princess of Loire and is also loved by Emperor Mathias. So it was their chance to connect with the Loire Empire. Of course, Rubena was happy about it. ''Hah! This is it! Those animals should''ve acted like this! Like dogs!'' Rubena thought to himself. "I don''t like her." Sarah said while frowning at Rubena. She and her group were standing on the opposite side of the banquet tent. Madeleine: "I know right! She is definitely rude!" Kayleigh: "Yeah! Like how she didn''t even greet the Crown Princess!" Druella: "True. If she really liked the Crown Princess as her sister, she would''ve respected her in front of us." Sarah: "I know, right? She is looking down on the Crown Princess." "And her aura¡­ It stinks." Azleza who was silent the whole time said while frowning. Kayleigh: "Yes. She is definitely acting innocent." After that, the girls became silent and continued drinking wine from the glass. "Her Highness, the Crown Princess of Fellmirr, Isabella Albus Carados Fellmirr is entering!" And soon Isabella entered the hall gracefully. ''What the f*ck! Why does she look like that! That wh*re! Did she also use transformation magic! Aghh!'' "Princess? Are you okay?" Vivian asked with a worried face. "Ah! Yes. I am alright." ''Calm down, Rubena! Look at her closely¡­ She is entering alone! Pfft! That''s right! She is entering alone!'' Rubena smirked inwardly. * * * Phew~ The banquet has just started but it sure is crowded with people. Both the Emperor and the Empress aren''t here yet¡­ "Princess!" I looked behind hearing the voice. Azleza and her group are here. "Greetings, Her Highness the Crown Princess!" All of them greeted me with a slight bow. "Ah. Greetings! You don''t have to bow from now on!" "That''s really kind of you, Princess. But, No. It''s our duty to show our respect towards the Crown Princess." Azleza replied with a calm tone. "Anyways, you are finally here, Princess! We have waited for you so long!" Druella said while shaking hands with Isabella. "Now you have to spend the rest of the time with us!" Sarah said while holding my hand. "That-" I was going to say yes but someone else interrupted my words in the middle. "That won''t be possible!" I looked behind hearing the voice. Standing right behind me, was Leonus. "As she is going to spend the rest of the night with me." Chapter 62 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 13) Episode 57 (KILL HER) "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince!" The girls greeted Leonus. "Hmm." Leonus nodded at their greetings. ''Aghh! Why is he here?!'' Sarah thought to herself. "I apologize, Princess. You had to come here without me." Leonus said while looking at me. "Ah. There wasn''t any problem though." Yes. The Knights escorted me just fine. "Is that so¡­?" Leonus said, looking at the girls with suspicious eyes. "Yes¡­" "I see, then. Anyways Princess. Come with me. I will show you something." "Huh?" Druella: "Cr-Crown Prince! The Princess was supposed to spend time with us!" "Huh? No way. I already told you that won''t be possible. She is going to spend the time with me." Leonus said with an aloof expression. Then he held Isabella''s hand and took her out of the tent. ''Aghh! That- D*mn it!'' Druella cursed inwardly. "Don''t curse." Azleza said with a plain look. Druella flinched hearing that. "What? No way! How did you know?" Druella said with a surprised look. Azleza: "You are easy to read, Lady Druella. I would be surprised if anyone didn''t notice." Druella: "N-No way." Sarah: "She is telling the truth, Lady Druella. You are too easy." "I have no idea what you are talking about, Lady Sarah." Druella said with a smile. Anyone can see the spark in their eyes. "Ahem! Anyways Lady Madeleine, how is Young Master Lorenzo?" Kayleigh asked to change the topic. Madeleine: "Ah. He is fine." Azleza: "Won''t he attend the banquet?" Madeleine: "No. He said he was tired, which was definitely a lie. He just wanted to sleep while he can." Azleza: "Sounds like him." Sarah: "Anyways why didn''t Young Master Randall attend the hunt anyways?" Druella: "Aha. It''s a good opportunity for him to flir- I mean get along with ladies from other Kingdoms." Azleza: "Ah. He couldn''t come because he is busy with a task the Crown Prince assigned him." Druella: "Pfft! Is that so? He must be crying and cursing the Prince then." Azleza: "Unexpectedly, no. He wasn''t. It''s something serious." Kayleigh: "Ohh." "Anyways, so¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­" And the girls continued their chatter. * * * A few minutes ago¡­ ''What? Th¡­ That is the Crown Prince?! No! No way! Wasn''t he supposed to be ugly! No! This can''t be possible! He is so elegant! Better than the low blood Roberto!'' Rubena thought while looking at Leonus with exploding eyes. Leonus who was standing beside Isabella looked behind. For a moment, Leonus''s eyes met with Rubena. But then he looked away and after a minute both Isabella and Leonus left the banquet tent. ''Ah! He was looking at me! Surely he fell in love with me! How can that b*tch Isabella steal him away from me?! That bitch knew from the beginning that the Prince was good looking! That wh*re! How dare you steal him from me?!'' Rubena sobbed and cursed inside. Vivian: "Umm¡­ Princess Rubena? Are you okay?" "Ah. I am¡­ a bit out of breath. So I will go get some fresh air. Then excuse me." "Princess! Let me escort you!" A young man from another Kingdom asked. "No! I would like to be alone!" Saying that Rubena hurriedly left the tent and started searching for Leonus. ''Just wait a minute, My Prince! I will be there. We will finally reunite. We, who are destined to be together!'' * * * "Where are we going?" "Just wait a minute, My dear Princess." Hah! He has been saying that from the beginning. It''s already been 10 minutes since we left the tent. And the whole time he has been holding my hand. Now that I think about it, we are heading towards the Royal Camps of Fellmirr. Is he going to see the Empress? Ah¡­ Probably not. He said he had something to show me. Sigh~ I shouldn''t think anymore. Now that I see, this place is breathtaking at night. The fire of the huge bonfires looks like glowing orange crystals. So beautiful¡­ The decorations of every tent are glowing so beautifully. To be precise, only the tents of Fellmirr. Whoosh~ The cold wind that touches my warm skin feels so nice. After a while, we finally reached the tent. Is he going to stop now? But contrary to my expectations he didn''t stop and took a left turn. What? Where in the world is he going to take me?! And there is not a single tent in that place. It''s near the forest too. Suddenly he stopped and said, "Princess. Are you tired?" "What? N-" "Okay, I understand." Huh? You understand what? You didn''t even let me finish my talk. But suddenly he took me in his arms. "Wh-What? Your Highness?! Please put me down!" "No." "Please." "Don''t worry, I will never drop you." "Huh? That''s not what I mean." It''s too embarrassing! "No." "Pl-Please. I am begging you." "Princess. If someone hears you they will think I am kidnapping you or something." "What? That-" "So don''t fuss and hold me tight." "..." Aghh! I can never win against him. I tightly put one arm around his neck. Although I don''t think that''s necessary, he is walking more swiftly than before. A-Am I that light? Chuckle* "Princess. Why are you pouting?" "What? I am not." "You are." "No." "Pfft. Hahaha~" Ah. My heart¡­ This man looks too handsome when he smiles. "Oh my? You are blushing now." "What?" "Are you falling for my handsome face?" Leonus asked with a smirk. Aghh! I hid my face in his chest. It''s too embarrassing! No matter where I look he will see me. "Princess¡­" Suddenly Leonus stopped and said in a hoarse voice. "..." "You shouldn''t do that." "..." "It will be hard for me to control." Thump¡­ Thump¡­ His heart¡­ it''s beating loudly¡­ I hurriedly removed my face from his chest. Aghh! Why is the situation even more embarrassing now?! "Princess¡­" "Yes?" I said while closing my eyes. "I will kiss you now." "Huh?" But before I could say anything he locked his lips with mine. "Mmm¡­" Why does he always do that so suddenly?! It always makes me out of breath. My heart is beating so fast! It feels like it will burst out of my chest at any minute now. He continued sucking my lips roughly then put his tongue inside my mouth. Wh-Where did he learn all this?! And how does he have so much strength?! He isn''t budging even though I am in his arms. And why in the world am I feeling weak? My whole body feels numb. I can''t even breathe. "Mm¡­" I tightly grabbed his chest as I couldn''t breathe. He removed his lips as if understanding my struggle. Huff* Huff* Both of us started breathing roughly. His eyes are red now. "It seems like I have to kiss you more often." What is he saying? My face feels like burning. "Why are you so beautiful¡­ Why do you smell so dangerous¡­ Why can''t I control myself in front of you¡­" Leonus said breathing roughly. My eyes widened hearing him. Wh-What is he trying to say? "It seems like I am no different than him¡­" Leonus mumbled in a low voice. His eyes also returned to the usual calm blue. Him? Now that I think about it, this also happened on the night of the Ritual. "L-Leonus¡­" Leonus widened his eyes hearing me saying his name. But he soon chuckled and kissed my cheek. "Well, I guess we should get going." Saying that he snapped his fingers and we teleported into an unknown place. Gasp* This is¡­ We are standing in the middle of a beautiful grassland. The long grasses were dancing through the gentle breeze. It''s filled with glowing blue fireflies. As if the grassland itself is blue. The beautiful light of the silver moon reflected brightly on the small lake beside us. The lake also had beautiful glowing lotus plants. "Do you like it?" "Yes." I replied instantly. Chuckle* "Then I will make a place for you here." "What? That won''t be necessary!" "Really?" "Yes. Our Castle is beautiful too." Leonus smiled hearing me. "You are right. OUR Castle is beautiful indeed." "Umm. C-Can you put me down?" "Huh? No. I don''t want to." "But I want to get down." "Well, I guess it can''t be helped if my Princess wants it." Saying that Leonus put me down gently from his arms. "Then let''s take a walk here, shall we?" Saying that Leonus locked the fingers of my right hand with his and we started walking around the beautiful fantasy land. * * * Rubena is walking fast. No¡­ almost running. ''Where is my Prince? It''s just been a minute since he left the tent.!'' Thinking about Leonus, she started looking around here and there. ''No! No! I can''t be late! Who knows what that wh*re will do to him? She is probably seducing him at this very moment. Where in the world did that b*tch take my Prince?!'' Rubena screamed inwardly. Suddenly she stopped realising something. "Wait¡­ Seduce¡­ Could it be?" Rubena hurriedly ran towards the Royal Tents of Fellmirr. And after running for minutes, Leonus came to his sight. ''Huff* My Prince! That b*tch really was taking him to bed. F*king wh*re! But wait why is he holding hand with that wh*re?'' Seeing the sight, Rubena hurriedly walked towards them. ''I have to separate him from that wh*re! That vixen! Huh? Why aren''t they entering the tent?'' Rubena halted, seeing Leonus taking a turn. ''Phew~ He is probably going to tell her that he doesn''t love her. Yes. That''s it. But I should still keep an eye on them. What if she does something shameless? And it would be a pleasure seeing her face when My Prince confesses his love for me.'' Thinking that Rubena again started walking towards the direction Leonus went. But soon stopped seeing a sight¡­ ''What? What? What? Th-They are kissing?! No! No! No f*king way! You f*king wh*re! How dare you seduce my Prince?'' Chuckle* Rubena flinched hearing Leonus''s distant chuckle. ''H-He is smiling?! Don''t- Don''t tell me he is seduced by that wh*re? No, I have to stop them!'' Thinking that Rubena started running towards them. But before she could reach near both Isabella and Leonus disappeared. "No! No! No! Where the f*ck did they go?! Aghh~" Rubena screamed with anger with her bloodshot eyes. "Rubena? What the heck are you doing?" Suddenly Daniel said coming from behind. Daniel: "Why the heck are you here in this empty place?" But Rubena didn''t utter a word. "Hey? What is wrong with y-" Daniel said, walking towards Rubena. Rubena: "Anne- I have to find Anne." "What are you talking about?" Daniel asked while frowning. "Shut the f*ck up!" Rubena screamed at Daniel then started running towards her tent. ''I can''t wait for the last day of the Competition. I have to kill her today.'' "Yes! I will kill her today. Then he will be mine." Rubena said with a grimace. Chapter 63 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 14) Episode 58 * * * Cande: "We are going out for a bit. You bring out My Lady''s nightgown in the meantime." Anne: "What? Are you guys slacking off? I can''t b-" Ella: "Shut up! You know perfectly well who is slacking off and who isn''t." Cande: "If you don''t want My Lady to know that you actually didn''t do a sh*t, you''d better do this perfectly in time without goofing around." Ella: "I don''t understand how you''ve got the guts to open your mouth after doing that today. You are dumb or what? You should be happy that we ignored your nonsense, to begin with." "You-" Anne clenched her fists in anger. Ella: "Let''s go, Can." Cande: "Yes." Saying that both Ella and Cande left the tent. As they were senior maids, they had some work regarding the feast. And that''s where they went. "D*mn those b*tches! H-How dare they threaten me!" Anne cursed in anger as soon as Ella and Cande left the tent. "Sh*t! Why do I have to do all the work?!" Anne cursed and started bringing out Isabella''s nightgown. But suddenly- "Anne." Anne flinched and looked behind hearing Rubena ''s voice. "Psy- Princess! What are you doing here?!" "Bring out ''That'' to my room." "What?" "Right now!" "But My Lady! That- What if someone see-" "Shut up! And bring ''that'' to my tent. Everyone is at the banquet now. No one will notice you." "Y-Yes." ''Ughh! She''s going to kill me! D*mn it!'' "So that b*tch is living in this luxurious tent! This was supposed to be mine! F*king wh*re." ''What the f*ck is wrong with her!'' Anne thought while looking at Rubena. "No matter though. I will own everything soon." Rubena scoffed then got out of the tent. "Aghh! Why me! D*mn it!" Anne grumbled and went towards the bed. Then she crouched down and put her hand under the bed. Then brought out a jewellery box. She tried to slightly open the box but stopped. "No. I better hurry up." After that, Anne hurriedly got up and left the tent. Knight 1: "Hey! Where are you going?" The knights who were guarding the tent asked. Anne gulped her saliva in fear. ''D*mn it.'' "To the Royal Tent of Loire." Anne replied with a nervous voice. "Huh?" Anne: "You saw the Princess of Loire enter the tent a minute ago, didn''t you? She is the Crown Princess''s Sister. The Crown Princess wanted to give one of her jewellery to her sister." Knight 2: "Oh. The Princess of Loire did say she came here to pick up a necklace or something like that." Anne: "Ye-Yes. I am just going to give this to her." Knight 1: "Hmm. You can go." "Yes. Thank you." Anne slightly bowed then rushed towards Rubena''s tent. ''Thank goodness I didn''t get caught. Or else¡­'' Anne gulped her breath thinking about what could have happened. Knight 1: "It''s still kinda weird." Knight 2: "Huh? What are you talking about?" Knight 1: "The Crown Princess didn''t inform us anything about allowing the Princess of Loire to enter the tent." Knight 2: "You are thinking too much. Her Highness is already busy dealing with all the guests. She might have forgotten. And they are sisters after all. What are you even worried about, man?" Knight 1: "Aghh! You are right! I am being paranoid." * * * It''s been a while since we have arrived in the grassland. This place is so beautiful~ The wind¡­ The long grass that reaches my knees... the gentle breeze... the fireflies¡­ The chirp of crickets¡­ Yes¡­ Beautiful¡­ Just think about all these¡­ Yes¡­ Aghh! I can''t think about anything straight! Why are we still holding hands! My heart! It''s pounding too fast¡­ And why is he so calm?! "Princess? Are you alright?" "Y-Yes." "Hmm¡­" Leonus then touched my cheek with his palm. I flinched at his touch. "Your face is burning. You are sick." "I am not." "You are." "No." That''s because you are holding my hand. I am too embarrassed! "Then why is your face burning?" "That-" "That-?" "Because of you." I mumbled while looking down. It was too embarrassing to say out loud. "..." There was silence for a moment. "What?" But soon Leonus asked with a trembling voice. "..." I looked at his face. His eyes are wide open. "Princess. What did you just say?" "N-Nothing!" I am too embarrassed to say that again! "It wasn''t nothing. You definitely said something, Princess!" "I didn''t." "No, You did. Say it again." Aghh! Why can''t he just let it go? "W-We should return now. The feast must''ve already started." "Don''t change the topic." Leonus said while pulling my waist towards his body. My hand instinctively grabbed his chest. "Y-Your Highness!" "Princess¡­" Leonus looked at me with his red eyes. Then soon kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes tightly. Soon he kissed my right cheek. "Say it. Or I am not going to stop." Saying that he kissed my left cheek. Aghh! He is so sly! "Are you going to say it?" Leonus whispered in my right ear then kissed it. "That¡­ Uh¡­ Umm¡­" Ughh! "Well, it doesn''t matter. I will continue kissing you. I didn''t know my dear mate liked my kisses that much." He soon bit my ear. "I- I said my face was hot because of you!" Leonus flinched hearing my loud voice. He then lowered his head and put it on my right shoulder. I was surprised at his sudden action. His hands are still hugging my waist. I can feel his warm breath. "Princess¡­ Don''t play with my heart¡­" Leonus mumbled something. Although I couldn''t hear it properly. "Your Highness?" "..." "Your Highness?" "..." "Um¡­ Leonus?" "Hmm?" "Are you alright?" Leonus nodded his head instead of answering. C-Cute! Aghh! What am I thinking! Anyways, what am I supposed to do? He looks kind of down. Ah¡­ His back¡­ I slowly put my hand on his back to comfort him¡­ But he flinched at my touch. "Leonus?" He didn''t answer. "Leon?" "Princess¡­" Leonus said in a low voice. "Yes?" He then moved his head from my shoulder and looked into my eyes. "Princess¡­ Am I good looking?" My eyes widened at his question. "Pfft! Hahaha~" Oh my God! Is he really asking that? "I apologize. Pfft! Hahaha." I can''t stop laughing! Hahaha~ My stomach hurts from this. After a while, I finally stopped laughing. "Why did you stop? Continue laughing." Oh my goodness! Is he pouting? So cute~ I never thought I will ever think of him as cute. "Ahem. You are." I said while wiping my tears that came from laughing too hard. "Really?" "Yes." "Tell me that ''I Am The Most Handsome Man You Have Ever Seen.''" Pfft! Ah- No, Isabella. You can''t laugh now. "Yes, My Prince. You are the most handsome man I have ever seen." I said while trying my best to hold back my laughter. "Mhmm. Then let''s return now." Leonus said while kissing my forehead. "Alright." He then snapped his fingers and we teleported in front of the banquet tent. After that, we entered the Banquet tent. The Emperor and the Empress were already there. The feast had also begun. To my surprise, I didn''t see Rubena anywhere. Anyways after having dinner, I greeted all the guests. Then Leonus escorted me to the tent. "You go inside, Princess. I will be back soon." Back soon? "For your information, We will sleep together." Ah- "Oh my! No need to blush so hard!" Leonus chuckled then kissed my forehead. "I- I will go then." Saying that I hurriedly ran inside the tent. "M-My Lady! You have returned!" "My Lady? Are you alright? Your face is red." "Uhh. I am okay. It was just hot outside, so-" "I see. Anyways we have prepared your nightgown, My Lady." "Ah. Yes." I should hurry up and sleep before he comes. Soon Ella and Cande changed my dress into a nightgown. Then Ella started braiding my hair. "Umm¡­ Ella." "Yes, My Lady?" "Where is Anne?" "Uhh, that... < An Hour Ago¡­ Ella and Cande returned to the tent after finishing their assigned tasks. Cande: "What the- Aghh~ That freaking- Ughh- Where did she run off to now?!" Ella: "D*mn you, Anne!" "Sigh~ Never mind, let''s just do the job ourselves! It''s not like we really expected her to do anything." "Yes." Ella agreed, clenching her fists. > "She went outside for a moment." Ella said while closing her eyes to suppress her anger. "I see." "Anyways, it''s done, My Lady. You can rest now." "Ah. Yes." Soon I got into bed then Cande tucked the blanket. "Have a good night, My Lady." "Yes. You too." Then both Ella and Cande bowed, then left the tent. "Haa~ Such an exhausting day! So many things happened today." I met Emperor Mathias, Rubena and Daniel too. And then I went to such beautiful grassland¡­ Grassland¡­ "He is too cute!" Aghh~ What am I supposed to do? The more I get to know him, the more I can''t stop thinking about him. "No! I should sleep before he comes. Stop thinking Isabella." Saying that I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep. . . . Aghh! I can''t sleep! It''s probably midnight now! What am Zi supposed to do? I am exhausted but still can''t sleep! "My Lady!" I jumped up from bed hearing the voice. "Anne? What''s wrong?" "Ahh- That-" "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" "Ahh. His Highness, the Crown Prince." "Huh? Leonus? What about him? Is he okay?" I jumped down from bed hearing about Leonus. Did something happen to him? "Oh, No. His Highness, the Crown Prince asked me to bring you somewhere." "What? But he didn''t say anything about that." "Ah- That. It''s a surprise." "Surprise?" "Yes." "But-" "My Lady! Hurry up. The Crown Prince is waiting for you." "Alright. But I am in my nightgown." "That-" Anne hurriedly brought a shawl and wrapped it around my shoulder. "Done. Let''s go now." Anne said while grabbing my wrist tightly. "Wait. Anne-" But without listening to me, she dragged me outside the tent and walked towards somewhere. "What is going on, Anne? Where are we going?" But without replying she continued walking fast. I don''t understand. Where is she taking me? And why is it so dark here? I can''t see a single soul here. I have a bad feeling about this! "Anne?" "Princess! Quite down! You will wake up the other Aristocrats!" "But-" "Please shut your mouth and continue walking." She is grabbing my wrist too tightly. It hurts! I looked at the front. Wait¡­ This direction¡­ No way¡­ It''s where the Tents of Loire is¡­ "Anne! Let go of my hand." "Princess! Please! My family will die if you don''t go! Please don''t be a murderer!" "What?" What is she talking about? "But-" "Do you want to kill my family?" "N-No." "Then shut up and follow me!" No! I don''t want to! . . . Chapter Extra~ "That b*tch screams so much! Didn''t the people from outside hear it?" Anne asked annoyingly. "What did you say!" "Oh my goodness! Princess Rubena! I was just saying that Isabella screams too much! People from outside should know how uncultured she is!" "Right! Too bad that A barrier is cast on every tent. That''s why people from outside can''t hear anything that is spoken inside the tent. So one can scream, cry, laugh as hard as they want. It''s so that no personal information can leak outside. Like moaning¡­ Aghh! That wh*re Isabella¡­" ''What the f*ck! What happened to her all of a sudden!... What a psycho!'' ~End~ . . . Chapter 64 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 15) Episode 59 (Anger) ! Warning ! This episode contains strong language, violence and abuse which might be traumatizing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. * * * A Few Hours Ago¡­ "Princess, it''s me, Anne. May I come in?" Rubena: "Yes." "Greetings, Princess." Anne bowed and greeted Rubena. Rubena: "Did you bring it?" ''D*mm it! Can''t she even ask me to get up?!'' Anne cursed inside. Anne: "Yes. Here." Saying that Anne handed over the jewellery box to Rubena. "Yes. Good." Rubena tried to open the box but then- "Rubena?! What the f*ck are you doing?" Rubena got up from her chair hearing Mathias''s angry voice. "Fa-Father!" "I came here to see why you were not at the banquet. But what the heck are you doing?!" "Father, that-" "What? Why is ''that'' in your hand?" Mathias asked while frowning. "Father! We have to kill her today!" Rubena said with a desperate voice. "What?" Mathias asked as he couldn''t believe what Rubena just said "We can''t do it on the last day. It will only be possible today." "What are you talking about?" "The participants are obligated to return before night only on the first day." "Your point?" "That means we can''t be sure if the Crown Prince will be here on the last day." "That-" "So if we kill her today, no one will notice it as everyone is exhausted and resting in their tent. After her body is discovered, it will create an uproar between all the people. And at that time, we can use ''That''... The Ezarruin." Ezarruin¡­ The Legendary Dark Orb that is said to be created by the Lord Of Dark Magicians, Thalrenor Gladshore himself. Legend says all kinds of magic powers (like lightning, poison, fire, space and many more) are stored in it. It activates automatically at the time of need. Or can be used by specific spells. Mathias has been brewing this plan from the moment he got his hands on the Orb years ago. He finally got the opportunity when Theobald agreed to the Peace Agreement through marriage. He knew that one day he would get the opportunity to enter Fellmirr after the marriage. And he did get it¡­ The Hunting Festival. He sent the Dark Orb with Isabella''s baggage beforehand, as previously any outsider who entered Fellmirr had to go under an inspection. And Isabella was the same. But Anne¡­ she hid the Jewellery box that contained the orb under her dress and went past the inspection. The jewellery box was made with anti-magic detection material. So it didn''t get caught until now. Although there''s a catch, the moment someone opens the box, an enormous amount of negative energy will be emitted from the orb. And with their sense, the Beastmen could easily detect that. That''s why the box was closed until this time. "Your dream will come true, Father. We can destroy the Fellmirr Empire." ''And I can make him my concubine¡­'' Rubena thought with a smirk. "Yes. I will destroy this d*mn Empire and rule over it!" "Yes. You will be the Strongest Emperor that history has yet to see." "Yes. Ahahaha~" Mathias laughed out loud just thinking about him sitting on the Throne of Fellmirr. He can''t wait to see the Beastmen begging for his mercy. He wanted to see their desperate cry. The cry of those who denied his entry to Fellmirr before. Those arrogant Beastmen¡­ "Then I should prepare. Give me the box." "Yes. Here, Father." Rubena handed over the box to Mathias. Mathias then left the tent with the box in his hand. "Anne. You stay here now. Go back to Isabella''s tent in the middle of the night and bring her here somehow." "Huh? But how? What if she refuses?" "Tch! Useless! Say that the Prince asked you to bring her somewhere. That wh*re will come running hearing that." "Yes. But what if-" "Shut up! Don''t ask me anything else. Use that d*mn brain if yours." "Y-Yes." ''But what the f*ck am I supposed to do if the Crown Prince stays there. D*mn psycho!'' Anne cursed Rubena. "Here." Rubena said while throwing a small potion bottle at Anne. "This?" Anne asked while catching the bottle. "Go, give this to the Knights guarding that wh*re''s door. Mix it with tea or something then make them drink it. It will make them fall asleep. Or something worse..." "But. What if they refuse to drink?" ''I don''t know why. But for some reason, I can''t get along with the Beastmen easily. I had to use the Brainwashing Potion to spread rumours about Isabella too.'' "Then brainwash some other maid and make them take this to the Knights." "Yes, Princess." After that, Anne got out of the tent and followed Rubena''s order successfully. As a result, there weren''t any knights outside the tent. And Anne was able to bring out Isabella from her room without any trouble. * * * Huff* Huff* What am I supposed to do? I am afraid! I don''t want to go. But Anne''s family¡­ because of me¡­ Huff* Huff* It hurts! I can''t breathe. No. No. I can''t be like this now. I have to make sure Anne''s family is safe. It''s okay. They will just beat me anyways. I can endure it. Yes. It''s just for a moment. And after walking for a while, I finally reached the Royal Tents of Loire. "Princess Rubena, I have brought her here." Anne said while pushing me to the ground. "Ah! You are finally here, My dear sister!" Rubena said while walking towards me. Rubena! Did she ask Anne to bring me here? "Rub- Aghh!" "Don''t take my name from that filthy mouth of yours, you wh*re!" Rubena said while stepping on my hand. It hurts! The long sharp hills of her shoes are piercing my flesh¡­ "Please. Remove your-" But without letting me finish, she thrashed my wrist with her heels. "Aagh!" "Stop it, Ruby! You shouldn''t play with her." I flinched hearing the voice. Behind Rubena, the Emperor was standing looking down at me like I am some kind of bug. "Sigh~ Okay." Saying that Rubena removed her leg from my wrist. "Hurry up and kill her before anyone notices." What? Did I hear it wrong? Kill? Kill me? "B*tch! Why are you looking at me like that?" Rubena said while kicking my face. "Aghh!" I screamed in pain. It hurts! It hurts! Why? Why is this happening to me?! I hate this! I hate being in pain! Someone, please¡­ Help me! "My Lady!" Suddenly Ella barged into the tent. Ella? No! No! No! What is she doing here?! Please! Go! Run away! "Ella! Please get out!" I shouted desperately. "My Lady!" Ella said, looking at me with teary eyes. "Why? Why are you bearing with all this! Why didn''t you say anything to me?" Ella sobbed while walking towards me. "Oh my! I see you''ve got a loyal maid here. Too bad. She will die here." Rubena scoffed looking at Ella. "You- What did you do to her?!" Ella said with a furious voice and charged at Rubena. Ella was going to scratch Rubena''s face but Rubena blocked it with her hand. As a result, her hand was scratched instead. "Ughh! You- Pest!" Rubena screamed and attacked Ella with her lighting magic. But Ella transformed into a Racoon and started dodging Rubena''s attack. No! This has to stop! Or else Ella¡­ Suddenly a flash of lightning struck Ella from behind. "El-Ella! Behind you!" But before I could say anything, Ella ran towards Rubena and dodged the attack. No! Ella have to run away! But¡­ she is not listening to me! I have to get up! I have to get up from the ground but my leg¡­ No! Forget about the pain and just get up! You can do it, Isabella! I was trying to get up, but suddenly a bolt of lightning struck my leg. "Aagh~" It hurts! My legs! They are burning. "You f*king stay down!" The Emperor said while kicking my stomach. "Aghh!" No! Don''t! I can''t bear it! "Hiss~" Ella growled then jumped towards Mathias. But Mathias kicked Ella to the ground. "What an angry one! Hey, you! Bring me the box." Mathias ordered Anne. "Y-Yes!" Anne ran outside the tent. Box? What box? What are they talking about? "Father! Why are you asking her to bring the box now?" "Hah! I have a better plan¡­ I will attack everyone before they can wake up. The entire Waldor will be mine." Mathias said with an ominous laugh. No¡­ What are they talking about¡­ "But before that, let''s kill this Racoon. It''s creating too much noise." Saying that Mathias used her lighting magic but Ella dodged it skillfully. The tent was big but not big enough where Mathias or Rubena could use their full power. As the tent could burn and attract other people''s attention. And Ella could easily dodge their careful attack. "Your Majesty! I brought it!" Anne rushed inside and handed over the box to Mathias. "Yes. Good." "Father! Think about it again! If you open the box now, the Beastmen will know everything." "Doesn''t matter. We can kill them with this anyways." Saying that Mathias opened the box. And whoosh~ A strong wind started blowing. The entire tent was covered with pitch-black darkness. A black orb¡­ "Yes! Yes! This is it!" Mathias said with a smile. Then he took the orb in his hand and his eyes turned black. After that, he murmured something in an indistinct language. "¦Ò¦Ê?¦Ó¦Ø¦Ò? ¦Ó¦Ï, ¦¥¦Æ¦Á¦Ñ¦Ï?¦É¦Í!" Suddenly a howl was heard from the orb. And a dark creature came out from the orb. At first, it looked big but as it got closer it started to get bigger. The tent was ripped apart because of its height¡­ A dark stenchy four-legged monster¡­ With sharp teeth¡­ Pitch black eyes¡­ A monster from hell. It ran towards Ella and bit her with its long teeth. Then in front of my eyes, she was ripped in half¡­ Huff* Huff* I can''t breathe. My heart¡­ It''s pounding like crazy¡­ What just happened! Ella... No! No! No! No! Ella¡­ "No~!" I screamed. No! She can''t die! "What-What did you do! If you want to kill someone, kill me! What did you do to her, you monster!" I screamed and cried out. My lungs are burning! My throat is burning! My eyes are blurry! "Pfft! Don''t be angry now. You will meet her soon. Now, ¦²¦Ê?¦Ó¦Ø¦Ò¦Å ¦Á¦Ô¦Ó? ¦Ó¦Ç ¦Ì?¦Ã¦É¦Ò¦Ò¦Á!" Mathias said with a loud voice. Growl~ The monster growled and turned towards me. Then It jumped up towards me. I am finally going to die. Yes. I deserve this death. Because of me, Ella¡­ I closed my eyes to accept my fate. But then- Slash* The sound of ripping flesh¡­ Then the desperate growl of the monster. Am I dead? But why can''t I feel pain? I opened my eyes. Growl~ In front of me, a black flurry night creature was howling with its entire soul. An angry howl¡­ Soon the creature looked at me. A wolf¡­ Red eyes¡­ I know those eyes¡­ It''s Leonus... He is really angry now.... Chapter 65 - The Beginning Of The Disaster: The Hunting Festival (Part 16) Chapter 60 (Death) ! Warning ! This Chapter Contains EXTREME Violence Which might be traumatizing for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. * * * A Few Minutes Ago¡­ "She isn''t back yet." Ella said with a low voice while frowning. She was lying on a mattress and talking with Cande. "I know, right? I am worried. Who knows what she is doing right now?" Cande replied, worrying about Isabella. One tent was arranged for all the Royal Maids. So if Anne did return Ella or Cande would''ve noticed. Ella: "Mhmm. What if she creates trouble for My Lady?" Cande: "Let''s go and check if My Lady is alright." Ella: "Good idea. Or else we won''t be able to sleep." After that, both of them got up from their mattress quietly so that no one would wake up, then left for Isabella''s tent. ¡­ "What the¡­ Why isn''t any knight guarding My Lady''s tent?" "Something is wrong." Saying that both of them get inside Isabella''s tent but Isabella was nowhere to be seen. "What? My Lady isn''t here?!" "C-Calm down. We- Umm. I am going to check outside. Maybe Her Highness went to take a walk outside and the Knights are probably escorting her." "Y-Yes." "You stay inside in case My Lady returns." "Alright." After that, Ella ran outside. In their mind, both of them knew something wasn''t right. It was a possibility that Isabella was taking a walk outside. Or it could be that Ella did something to frame Isabella. What if they call the Knights and when they found her she would be with some other man. Judging Ella who spread rumours about Isabella sleeping with another man, it wasn''t impossible. That''s the reason both of them hesitated to call the Knights. Or it''s just them being paranoid, she could be taking a walk with Leonus. Anything could happen. While thinking of every possibility Ella rushed to find Isabella. She searched every nook and cranny of the area around the Royal Tent where Isabella might take a walk. But she couldn''t find her. "Aghh! Where are you, My Lady?" "Shut up and follow me." Suddenly she heard Anne''s indistinct voice. "Anne? But... that direction¡­" Ella looked in the direction from where Anne''s voice came. It was towards the Royal Camp Of Loire Empire. Ella started running in that direction. ''But why that direction? What if¡­ No! Stay positive. They are My Lady''s family, they won''t do something bad to her. No way. Yes. Maybe she went there to talk with her sister or something. Yes. That must be it!'' Thinking about all that, Ella continued running towards the Royal Tent of Loire. But when she went near their tent, her mind went blank hearing Isabella''s scream. "My Lady!" Ella screamed in fear of what might have happened. And when she entered Isabella''s tent, She couldn''t believe her eyes. Isabella was lying on the ground helplessly. In front of her, a lady with pink hair was standing with a bright smile. And Isabella... Her face was bruised. Her hand was bleeding. It reminded her of that day. When Isabella''s wrist was bruised badly. Then she noticed the person who was standing at the corner of the tent. Anne... ''It was her that time!'' Then she looked at Isabella again. ''She must have been in so much pain! Forget about her maid, her family is such a monster! Why?'' "Why? Why are you bearing with all this! Why didn''t you say anything to me?" "Oh my! I see you''ve got a loyal maid here. Too bad. She will die here." Hearing Rubena''s scoff, Ella''s rationality snapped. "You- What did you do to her?!" ''I will kill you!'' * * * Meanwhile in Isabella''s tent¡­ Cande was pacing around the tent restlessly. ''Why isn''t My Lady back yet? And Ella too? Aghh! I should inform the Knights now.'' Thinking that Cande was trying to get out of the tent but suddenly a large figure came in front of her. Cande looked up and hurriedly bowed after recognizing who it was. "G-Greetings Your Highness, the Crown Prince!" "Where is Isabella?" Leonus asked in a cold tone. "That-" ''Ughh!!! What am I going to say?'' "I asked, where is she?" "I don''t know, Crown Prince! When I was here, she was already gone." "Damn it!" Leonus cursed and ran outside. * * * Present Time¡­ ''What the! What is this monster?! How can it kill the monster of Ezarruin so easily! Damn it!'' Mathias cursed seeing the beast form of Leonus. ''No! Don''t panic! It was just a beginning level monster. "¦ª¦Á¦Ë?, ¦­?¦Ö¦Ó¦Á! ¦³¦Ï ¦Ó?¦Ñ¦Á? ¦Ó¦Ï¦Ô ¦Ò¦Ê?¦Ó¦Ï¦Ô?!" Mathias spelt loudly with the orb in his hand. Suddenly a dark and hit wind started flowing from the orb. And- Groooowl~ With a roar, a dark creature in the shape of a snake came out from a dark portal. But without flinching, Leonus jumped and ripped the monster''s throat. And the monster turned into burning ash. ''No! No! No! This can''t be happening! It was a mid-level monster! How can that beast kill it without a sweat!'' Mathias panicked! Suddenly Leonus looked at Mathias with Glaring eyes and roared. Mathias fell to the ground in fear. "Fa-Father! Wh-What''s going on? What are you doing! Kill it! Eek~" But Rubena also shut her mouth seeing the glare of the angry wolf. After that, Leonus slowly walked towards Isabella and started licking her. "L-Leonus¡­" Isabella said while crying. "Leon! Ella¡­ hic* she¡­ hic* Aghh! She was-" Isabella sobbed. Meanwhile, Mathias still didn''t give up. ''No! No! It can''t end this way! And Leonus?! That means it''s the Crown Prince! D*mn you! I will kill you!'' "¦¢¦Ã¦Á?¦Í¦Ø ?¦Î¦Ø! ¦²?¦Ï¦Ô¦Ñ¦Ï¦Í! ¦¯ ?¦Ñ¦Ö¦Ï¦Í¦Ó¦Á? ¦Ó¦Ï¦Ô ¦²¦Ê?¦Ó¦Ï¦Ô?! ¦¨¦Á ¦Ò¦Ï¦Ô ¦Ð¦Ñ¦Ï¦Ò¦Õ?¦Ñ¦Ø ¦Ó¦Ç¦Í ¦×¦Ô¦Ö? ¦Ó¦Ï¦Ô ¦«¦Ô¦Ê?¦Í¦È¦Ñ¦Ø¦Ð¦Ï¦Ô! ¦²¦Ê?¦Ó¦Ø¦Ò¦Å ¦Á¦Ô¦Ó? ¦Ó¦Ï ¦Ð¦Ñ?¦Ã¦Ì¦Á!" Mathias screamed out a spell. Leonus hurriedly looked back at him. But as soon as Mathias cast the spell the air became heavy! The beautiful night sky that was filled with stars was covered by pitch-black clouds. And Rumble! With a loud noise, a portal opened. From there, a human-shaped long creature came out. It was wearing a pitch-black cloak. And all that happened in a second. "???????! ? ?? ????!" The creature said in an indistinct heavy voice. And whoosh~ In the blink of an eye, a purple light struck Leonus. And Leonus fell to the ground without making a noise! * * * What is that creature?! It looks so much like a hum- It wasn''t even a second since it came out from the portal. It wasn''t even a second¡­ But¡­ In the blink of my eye, Leonus¡­ who was standing right in front of me is now lying on the ground frozen. What?... Leonus? My mind went blank. And whoosh~ A golden light came out of Isabella''s body. Her eyes are ivory! It was glowing! The light was so blinding that the darkness seemed like a lie. In that blinding light, the dark human-shaped creature disappeared. And Isabella was now standing¡­ But her feet didn''t touch the ground. She was floating in the air. "You! I will kill you all!" Isabella said in a heavenly voice looking down at Mathias. But suddenly, Ezarruin shined a black light and all the people from the Royal tent of Fellmirr disappeared. Including Isabella¡­ And everything became normal in Fellmirr. As if nothing happened to begin with. But as the trace of what just happened, Ella and Leonus''s frozen bodies were lying on the ground¡­ * * * Splash~ I opened my eyes with a splash of water on my face. Everything looks blurry. "So you finally woke up!" A girl said with a smile. Ughh! Who is it? I can''t see her face. Ughh~ My head hurts! I tried to touch my head with my hand but- Ouch* It hurts. Someone tied my hand with the chair handle. I jerked my hand to set my hand free. "Are you trying to set yourself free? Pfft! Ahahaha! You won''t be able to. So stop it!" The girl said while pulling my hair. "Aghh*" I screamed in pain. Suddenly another figure splashed water on my face. And slowly everything became clear. In front of me, Rubena was standing pulling my hair. And the figure that splashed water on me was Rubena''s maid, Clara. I looked around. A small room¡­ So small that it was hard to even breathe. The walls were made of stone. It had a nasty stench. I was sitting on a wooden chair. In front of my chair, there was a table in which there were all kinds of torture tools. "What are you doing, Rubena? Where am I?" "Oh my! Are you asking me where? Pfft! Hahahaha~ It seems you forgot! Let me remind you¡­ Because of you¡­ Your maid died. And also my dear Leonus!" My eyes widened hearing Leonus''s name. And the maid¡­ Ella! Aghh! That''s right! They died because of me! "Oh my! Are you crying? Not yet! I have so many gifts for you!" Rubena said while taking a tool from the table. Then she ripped the nail from my hand. Aghhh~ It hurts! It hurts! It hurts! "Waaaah~ Yes. That! That''s right! Scream!" Rubena said while laughing like a maniac. "I will slowly pull out your dirty nails¡­ One by one¡­ I will cleanse you!" Saying that Rubena started her cruel torture. First her nails¡­ She ripped them slowly so that Isabella could feel every inch of the pain. The poor girl''s desperate scream echoed in the walls of the cell. "Oh! I forgot that face! You wh*re! You seduced my dear Crown Prince with that face, didn''t you?" Saying that Rubena took out a knife. "No! No! No! Please Rubena! Not anym-" But before she could finish her words Rubena Slashed her cheeks. "Aghh~" Isabella screamed. That''s all she could do! As Rubena didn''t give her any second to think. "Pfft! Scream! Scream more! After all, this might be the last time I can hear that. Hahaha~" Saying that Rubena started stabbing Isabella''s face, arm, chest, and leg. She stabbed and stabbed. But not deep enough that Isabella would die. After stabbing, Rubena took a thorny whip and started whipping Isabella with that. "Aghh! Stop! Stop it! I apologize! For everything! Please~ Just stop!" Isabella sobbed and begged Rubena to stop. But Rubena didn''t. Stab* Stab* "Scream~ Scream in agony! Scream you b*tch!" She only stopped when she herself felt tired. ''I don''t understand! What did I ever do to her? Why is she so angry at me? Why is she beating me like this? And why? Why did they kill him?! I want to know. Know the reason for their hatred. '' "Why did you kill him...?" "What are you talking about? It''s you. You are the one who killed him! Because of your wretched luck, he had to suffer! Because of you, my beloved Prince died! You f*king tricked me and married my dear Prince! You f*king wh*re!" Saying that Rubena continued beating Isabella like a maniac! Wherever the whip touched, blood gushed out like a stream. "Why? Why me? What did I ever do to you all? Why? I never did anything harmful to you?! I just wanted to live in peace!" Isabella sobbed in a weak voice. "Pfft~ Hahaha~ Why? ''Why'' you say? I can''t believe you are asking such a stupid question. Do I need a reason to hate a monster like you? Yes. You are a monster, Isabella!" Saying that Rubena cut Isabella''s finger. "Aghh~" "Yes! Aghh! I love it! Why didn''t I do this to you before! Hahahaha~" Rubena laughed like a maniac. "Haa~ I am tired now. I should go and rest now. Tomorrow is a big day after all. You, clean her blood. Father will come soon." Rubena said to Anne who was standing outside. "Yes, Princess." Anne bowed. Soon Rubena left and Anne entered the room. Isabella was leaning forward. She was too weak to move. "Oh my! Look at you! So pathetic!" Isabella''s heart came to her stomach hearing Anne''s scoff. ''She betrayed me! But why? Why? What did I do?'' "Why¡­? Why did you... betray me?" Isabella asked with a weak voice. "Seriously?! You are asking me that?! I was never loyal to you, to begin with. But you are so foolish that you believed whatever said! Did you really think I cared about you?! Pfft! Oh and, I don''t have a family, you stupid!" ''Ahhh¡­ I am really foolish! I¡­ I can''t think anymore! I want to stop thinking!'' Isabella thought with her lifeless eyes. Then soon closed her eyes. After a while, Mathias walked in. "Hah! Look at you! You look just like him! Both of you! Pests!" Mathias scoffed. Isabella: "..." "Because of you, my grand plan was ruined. Doesn''t matter though. I killed their Prince. The only descendent to the Royal throne. They can''t do anything now!" Hearing about Leonus, tears flowed endlessly from Isabella''s eyes. ''Aagh! He died because of me! Sob* Why? Why did all my precious people leave me?! "So pathetic!" Mathias said while slapping Isabella''s face. "D*mn it! Why aren''t you screaming?! Scream!" Mathias slapped Isabella relentlessly. But Isabella was too weak to make any sound. After a while, Mathias finally gave up! "D*mn! You will die tomorrow anyway!" Saying that Mathias left the cell. ''Why? I never thought about it during the past years. But¡­ I am your daughter too, father. So why? Why just me?'' Isabella sobbed inwardly. And after a while, she lost consciousness. * * * Murmur* Ughh! What''s all this noise?! I opened my eyes. But because of the bright sun, I had to keep my eyes closed for a moment. And after a while, I opened my eyes. I was standing on a balcony. I could see crowds of people standing just below. In front of me, there was a guillotine. "Kill her! Kill that Monster!" "Kill her!" "Behead her already! That witch!" People are screaming at me with anger. I see¡­ I am in the Loire. Suddenly one person from the crowd threw a stone at my face. And after that, a shower of stones started hitting me! "Kill that Monster already! Because of her, we can''t keep peace in our Empire!" "Kill her!" Drops of blood keep flowing from my head! Why? Have I ever hurt any of you? I have never wanted anything from anyone! Sob* I just wanted to live peacefully! But why do you all have to take that too! There''s so much I can endure. I am a human too! Just like you all! So Why? Why~? "Yes. We will kill this sinner! To prove that, even if the traitor is from the Royal family, I won''t spare her!" Emperor Mathias said with an elegant voice. "Yaayy" "Wohoo~" The crowd cheered up hearing his voice. "Today! I, the Emperor of Loire, Mathias Von Goldrudder Loire, am sentencing Isabella to be beheaded, for the crime of betraying her country, for assassinating the innocent Crown Prince of Fellmirr, for using dark magic." "Yes~!" "Kill her!" "Sob* Sister! How can you do that?!" Rubena sobbed, covering her face with both hands. Although I can clearly see her demonic smile. "Oh! Poor Princess!" "I feel bad for her!" "Such kind-hearted Princess!" The crowd sympathized with Rubena. "Oh, my dear Ruby! Don''t cry!" Mathias patted Rubena. I hate everyone! Rubena¡­ Mathias¡­ The people who are cursing me without even knowing the truth! I want to kill you all! I want to curse this wretched land! I want you all to suffer the same pain as me! No... More pain than I had endured. "Execute the witch!" The Emperor finally ordered the executioner! "No~ Isabella!" Suddenly Daniel came running with dishevelled hair. But the Knights blocked him. "Stop this! What are you doing, father! Isabella~" Daniel screamed. The Emperor frowned seeing Daniel. Then gestured to the Knights to take him away. But the Knights couldn''t keep up with him. "Isabella!" From the crowd, Roberto was screaming while coming towards me. But there too, the people blocked him. "What are you waiting for? Kill her!" Hearing Mathias''s voice, the executioner hurriedly put my head on the guillotine. "No! No! No! Isabella!" Both Roberto and Daniel screamed and used their magic then dashed towards me. Both Daniel and Roberto were too late. Bam* Isabella was already beheaded! Chapter 66 - Back To The Past (Part 1) Episode 61 (I Will Protect You This Time) It''s dark¡­ Cold¡­ I am lonely¡­ Afraid¡­ Sad¡­ Furious... Why? Their hatred¡­ [ Mathias: "You f*king Monster!" Rubena: "You Wh*re!" ] Their Curses¡­ [ "Kill her!" "Kill that, witch!" ] Their Cruelty¡­ [ "Scream! Scream More!" "D*mn it! Why aren''t you screaming?" "Throw stones at that witch!" ] What did I ever do to deserve all that? I was your daughter too! There''s so much I can endure. I am a human too! Just like everyone else! So Why? Why did I have to suffer so much? Why did the people I love so much die? I hate them¡­ I want to kill them¡­ I didn''t do anything wrong! I never hurt anyone! So why me? Why? Why did they all kill me? But¡­ Was it really not my fault? Because of me, they died. No! More like, they were murdered. "Why~?" I screamed¡­ Screamed my heart out in the endless void of Darkness. "Are you angry?" An angelic voice filled with warmth and kindness spoke out of nowhere. "Yes!" "Do you want revenge?" "Yes." "Are you sure that''s what you truly want?" "Yes¡­ But¡­" But¡­ You¡­ The one who gave up your own life to save this wretched me... Forgive me! Sob* I am sorry! Sob* I couldn''t save you! I couldn''t save anyone I love! You had to die because of me... Both You¡­ And her¡­ I am¡­ I am so pathetic¡­ If... If I had one more chance¡­ Just one¡­ I won''t let you die. "But?" "..." "What is it that you truly want, child?" "I¡­ want to Protect. I want to protect the people I love. I don''t want to be useless anymore. I am tired of not being able to do anything¡­Sob* So please! Just one more¡­ Give me one more chance¡­" "I see." Then a bright light glowed, pushing off the darkness. I am lying on a soft fluffy thing. I can smell the sweet scent of Roses. It''s peaceful. I don''t want to open my eyes. I am afraid to open my eyes. What if I go back to the nightmare... "Bella¡­" "Isabella¡­" A warm voice is calling my name. "Oh, my dear Bell. Open your eyes, child. It''s okay. It''s okay. Everything is alright now." Such a reassuring voice¡­ I slowly opened my eyes. And the first thing that came to my sight was¡­ A beautiful woman with purple hair¡­ And eyes just like mine. I am lying under the shade of a huge tree with white leaves while putting my head on her lap. And she is gently caressing my head. "You woke up, dear." The woman said with a warm smile. I had never seen her before. But.. Why does she feel so familiar? "You have grown so much¡­ My sweet little girl¡­ Your father would have been so happy to see you¡­ " My father? What is she talking about? "He was so eager to see you¡­ He always wanted a daughter¡­ You look just like him." "Like My father? Eager to see me? Hah!" I scoffed while covering my face with one arm. "Oh my! My dear is angry." The woman said with a chuckle. "Who are you?" Why are you talking to me as if you know everything about me? "Oh my! You are so angry that you can''t recognise your mother?" "Mo-Mother?" MY mother?! "Oh, dear. Don''t cry, Isabella." I am crying? "There. There. You have gone through a lot, haven''t you?" She said while patting my head. Sob* Sob* "Mother!" I burst into tears while hugging her. "My sweet child. It''s okay. Everything is okay now." After crying for a while my mind calmed down. "You have gone through a lot, my child. And that is what will make you truly strong. Now. Get up. Remember, ¡­. ¡­. ¡­." "What? What did you say, Mother? I can''t hear you. Mother!" And whoosh~ I am standing in the middle of a beautiful blue rose field. And Infront of me, a person is standing. His body and face are covered with a beautiful white cloak. His presence itself was majestic and calming. "So child, have you decided what you want?" His heavenly voice was the same voice I heard in the dark space. "Yes." "What is it?" "I want to be strong enough to be able to protect the people I love. And I will be cruel to the people who hurt me or the people I love." "Good. You already are strong enough, the ¡­. ¡­. ¡­." Again something I can''t hear. "Now! Wake Up." The person said while kissing my forehead. * * * "Wake up!" Gasp* I opened my eyes in surprise. Huff* Huff* I touched my neck. My head! It''s attached to my body. My hand¡­ There are no cuts! It''s perfectly fine. What is this? Where am I? The ceiling¡­ N-No way! It''s my room at the Loire Royal Palace. "D*mn it! Why do I always have to wake you up? And why are you acting so surprised?" This voice¡­ I jumped up from bed. Anne? "You!" "What is it? Why are you screaming at me?" I want to kill her. No. Calm down, Isabella. I hurriedly got down from the bed and looked around. The bookshelf, the table, the bed¡­ Everything was just like before I left for Fellmirr. The mirror¡­ I have to look in the mirror. I hurriedly ran in front of the mirror. My face¡­ It''s perfectly fine¡­ No way! Did I return to the past?! "Hey! Are you avoiding me?" "You-" I looked at Anne while frowning. Now that I think about it, how blind was I? How can a loyal person behave this way? "Are you frowning at me?" Anne said with a look of disapproval. Hah! Although I want to kill her right now. But it will be an easy death. Not like this. I won''t kill you here. "You-" "Did you just call me, ''YOU''?! My Lady, it''s Anne." "Is that so?" I slowly walked towards her. Then- Slap* I slapped Anne''s cheek with every ounce of my strength. "You- How-" Anne looked at me with explosive eyes. Then Slap* I slapped her again. "How da-" Slap* "How dare you talk to me that way? Did you forget who your master is? How dare a commoner like you!" Anne looked at me with confused eyes. I again slapped her then said, "You still are looking at me in the eyes. Look at your feet while talking." "Yes." Anne hurriedly looked down. "My Lady. Do I have to remind you to call me that too?" "N-No, My Lady." "Good. Now go bring WARM water for me to wash my face." "Y-Yes." Anne said while bowing and running outside. Phew~ That was necessary. Ouch* My hand¡­ It''s bruised. Must be because I slapped her too hard. Nevermind though. I feel a little better now that I have slapped her. Anyways, I have really come back to the past¡­ "This time for sure, I will never let my family use me. And I will protect you this time... Leonus!" I clenched my fist and vowed. * * * After a while, Anne entered Isabella''s room with a bowl of water then put that on the table. "My Lady, the water is ready." "Hmm." Saying that Isabella walked near the table then put her fingers to test the water. "Hah!" Isabella scoffed. "She won''t learn her lesson so easily. The water¡­ It''s too hot." "You! Come here." Isabella said while frowning at Anne. "Yes. My Lady." Anne walked towards her with a smile. As soon as Anne stopped in front of Isabella, Isabella took her hand and put it in the hot water. "Aagh!" "Oh my? Why are you screaming?" "It''s- It''s burning! My hands!" "Is that so? But didn''t you bring this water for me to wash my FACE? So how can your HAND burn?" Isabella asked while tilting my head. "I- I am sorry, My Lady. I made a mistake." "A mistake?" Isabella asked with a cold tone. "I-I¡­ I apologize." "I don''t need a maid who doesn''t even know can''t even do such a simple job. You are fired. And I will make sure you don''t get another job." "I- I am sorry, My Lady. Please forgive me. I won''t do it again." Anne said while begging on my feet. "Why should I? I don''t need a worthless maid." "Please! Please! I will starve to death! You can''t do that to me, My Lad-" "I can. And I don''t care if you die." Anne flinched at Isabella''s cold voice. "Pl-Please! I will work nicely from now on!" "I will just hire another maid who will work better than you." "..." "Get out." "Give me another chance. Just one. I will prove my worth to you." "Is that so?" "Yes." "And how is that?" "I will inform you of everything the Second Princess does." "Oh my? How? How can a maid like you?" "I am¡­ Actually, the second Princess tortured me to work for her! She asked me to inform everything you do to her. It was also her who ordered me to give you cold water every day." "And you agreed so easily?" "N-No! At first, I refused. How can I betray, My Lady?!" "Is that so?" "Yes. But then she started beating me up. Then even threatened to harm my family. So I had to agree with her. Please forgive me, My Lady." "Hmm¡­ Poor you. I am sorry that I wronged you. Get up, Anne." "M-My Lady!" Anne said with a cheerful voice. "So I hope you will behave knowing your place from now on. Okay?" Isabella said with a bloody tone. "I mean, you have to act like you still work for Rubena. You know if you don''t she will beat you again, right? I don''t want Anne to be hurt because of me." "Y-Yes. My Lady." "Now Go. And BRING ME THE PERFECT WATER TO WASH MY FACE." "Yes." Anne gulped her saliva.. Then bowed and left Isabella''s room. Chapter 67 - Back To The Past (Part 2) Episode 62 (Destructive Power) * * * Huff* Huff* "D*mn it! D*mn it! D*mn it~" Anne cursed while running in the hallway. ''Why? Why did that stupid Isabella change?!'' "Ouch* My cheek hurts." ''D*mn you, Isabella. I will teach you a lesson. You wanted hot water? I will give you the HOT water you wanted.'' Anne thought with a smirk. ''I can''t wait to see you screaming and begging to me.'' "Anne! My face. It burns! Please! Help me! I was wrong! Pfft! Hahahah~" Anne said while acting pitiful then burst into tears. Although the outcome was the opposite of what she thought. "I don''t need a maid who doesn''t even know can''t even do such a simple job. You are fired. And I will make sure you don''t get another job." ''What? Fired?! No! No! No!'' Anne thought with a devastating look then begged Isabella, "I- I am sorry, My Lady. Please forgive me. I won''t do it again." "Why should I? I don''t need a worthless maid." "Please! Please! I will starve to death! You can''t do that to me, My Lad-" "I can. And I don''t care if you die." Anne flinched at Isabella''s cold voice. ''D*mn it! How can she change so suddenly?!'' "Pl-Please! I will work nicely from now on!" "I will just hire another maid who will work better than you." "..." Anne didn''t say anything. Because she knew Isabella was right. Even though Isabella was neglected as a Princess, her Extravagant dresses and her Jewellery were enough to buy an entire estate. It would be easy for her to have a maid from the town. And if she is fired, Rubena won''t give a d*mn about her. She will just make the new maid work for her. More than that, she can''t steal any more jewellery from Isabella. "Give me another chance. Just one. I will prove my worth to you." Anne said with eyes filled with resolve. "Is that so?" "Yes." "And how is that?" "I will inform you of everything the Second Princess does." ''I can have more money from her jewellery than the Psycho Princess. And that Psycho won''t even notice that I am lying to her. I mean, who will believe that someone like Isabella can change?!'' "Oh my? How? How can a maid like you?" "I am¡­ Actually, the second Princess tortured me to work for her! She asked me to inform everything you do to her. It was also her who ordered me to give you cold water every day." "And you agreed so easily?" "N-No! At first, I refused. How can I betray, My Lady?!" "Is that so?" "Yes. But then she started beating me up. Then even threatened to harm my family. So I had to agree with her. Please forgive me, My Lady." ''Although she has changed, I don''t think she is smart enough to catch my lie.'' "Hmm¡­ Poor you. I am sorry that I wronged you. Get up, Anne." ''Phew! She finally agreed. Yes. That''s right! She is a fool after all.'' Anne sighed with relief then said with a cheerful voice, "M-My Lady!" "So I hope you will behave knowing your place from now on. Okay?" Isabella said with a bloody tone. But soon changed her voice and said with a smile, "I mean, you have to act like you still work for Rubena. You know if you don''t she will beat you again, right? I don''t want Anne to be hurt because of me." "Y-Yes. My Lady." "Now Go. And BRING ME THE PERFECT WATER TO WASH MY FACE." "Yes." After that, Anne bowed and left the room. She was smart enough to know how she should behave in front of Isabella. ''I shouldn''t mess with her anymore. I have a feeling¡­ That next time it won''t just end with firing me.'' Anne gulped and continued walking. * * * I can''t believe she did that even after being slapped. "I guess habit doesn''t change easily." Anyways, I didn''t have any intention to fire her though. She will be a good spy for me until I go to Fellmirr. Fellmirr¡­ I really want to see you¡­ Leonus. I wonder what day is today? Suddenly- Knock* Knock* "My Lady, May I come in?" "You can." Soon Anne entered the room with a bowl of water. Then I washed my face. The temperature of the water was also perfect. "What day is today?" "Pardon?" "I asked what day is today?" "Early Autumn of XX20 Imperial Year." It seems like I have returned a year before all that happened. "Any upcoming events?" "Yes. Just a week left until the Second Princess''s Birthday Banquet." Anne said while bowing her head. "I see. Anyways, go bring breakfast. I am hungry." "Yes, My Lady." "And don''t even think about doing something funny again." "Y-Yes, My Lady." After that, Anne left and brought a healthy breakfast. I also ate my fill. Then I took a bath and changed my dress into a good one with Anne''s help. Now I am sitting on a stool in front of the mirror. Anne is brushing my hair gently. "Wait a minute¡­ Where is the pendant that Grandfather gave me?" No way. It''s not tied to my neck nor is it on my hand or fingers. "I-I don''t know, My Lady!" Anne said with a helpless voice. "You don''t know?" "No. I promise I don''t, My Lady!" "Or did you steal it?" Anne flinched. "N-No way! How can I steal something from My Lady?!" "Hah! I know better than anyone else about how many things you have stolen from me." "M-My L-" "I didn''t care about other stuff but you dare to steal the Gift my grandfather gave me?" "N-No!" "How dare you lie again?!" "I-I swear, My Lady! Even though I did steal before but not anymore. I swear on my life that I didn''t steal your pendant!" Anne sobbed while kneeling. It doesn''t look like she is lying¡­ But then where did it go?! "Get out now. I don''t want to see your face." "T-Thank you, My Lady. Thank you." Saying that Anne bowed and rushed to leave the room. "And don''t you dare go to Rubena now." "Of-Of course. I go to her only in the evening." Anne assured. "Now, get out." "Y-Yes." Saying that Anne again bowed and left the room. Sigh~ The pendant¡­ Now that I remember, that time too¡­ It was just for a moment, but I remember that night. I started glowing brightly and the pendant¡­ It turned red¡­ What was that? And why did I glow¡­ I looked at the mirror¡­ N-No way¡­ M-My eyes! What is this?! It''s white! No¡­ not white. It''s bright yellow¡­ so much that it looks like white¡­ Am I dreaming? I touched my eyes¡­ It seems real¡­ But why did it suddenly turn white¡­ Is it magic? Can I use light magic?! I looked at my hand. It''s still bruised. It''s not¡­ Light magic has healing power but my hand isn''t healed. Now that, I think about it, even at the time of using magic, Daniel''s eyes stayed golden. Daniel¡­ He was there at that time. I wonder why he looked so desperate. Hah! Whatever he looked desperate or anything else, that has nothing to- Suddenly- [ "I am sorry! Please forgive this useless sinner! Sorry! Sob* Sorry!" Who is that? An elder? I can''t see clearly. Why is he crying? And why does his voice... ] "Ughh! My head!" It hurts! It hurts so much! Stagger* I can''t stand properly. Huff* Huff* [ "Isabella! Run! Runaway!" A little boy with red hair screamed desperately. ] "Ughh~" What is happening?! My head! [ "Yes. It''s said that the Crown Prince loved his previous fiance." A maid said while snickering. Previous fiance? Crown Prince? "You came between them just like you did to Grand Duke Roberto and Princess Rubena." "They say you are a wh*re who slept with different men every night." No! No! Shut up! I don''t want to listen! "What are you doing? You have to listen." The maid said while grabbing my hand. ] No! Stop it! Stop it! My head! It''s going to explode [ "Thou unsightly muggle! How dare thee! Thou dare say I am Cursed? I am a Sinner? Then what does that make thee? I harassed thee? Then is thy blood upon my hand? Outrageous!" That¡­ Those eyes¡­ Is that me? ] "Aghh! Stop all this~!" I screamed then fell to the ground. And Whoosh~ Strong wind blew around me. Suddenly the floor started shaking. Thud* The bookshelf fell on the ground with a loud noise. Crash~ The mirror in front of me and the window glasses broke into pieces. Everything became messed up just in a moment. "M-My Lady! Are you al-" Anne barged in my room and asked with a worried face. Gasp* "What is this? Why are you sitting on the floor like that? There was an earthquake, so I came to che-" "Get out!" "Yes?" "Get the heck out of my sight!" I screamed. Anne flinched hearing Isabella''s bloody voice. "Y-Yes." She then hurriedly bowed and left the room. Huff* Huff* My hands are trembling¡­ The pieces of the broken mirror that fell in front of me reflected my face... My eyes¡­ It''s purple again¡­ Huff* Huff* My headache is a lot better now too¡­ I looked around my room. Everything looks messed up¡­ I did this¡­? This destruction... I looked at my hand with trembling eyes. Also those visions I just saw¡­ My headache¡­ What is wrong with me? Chapter 68 - Back To The Past (Part 3) Episode 63 (The Butler) I tried to get up but- Thud* I am too weak. My body feels numb. Is that because of that power? What is that power? How did I Suddenly¡­ No, it''s not suddenly, Isabella. This also happened that night¡­ And in those visions¡­ Or was it a memory? No! That can''t be¡­ I shouldn''t jump to conclusions without even knowing anything. It might be something to do with that power. Yes. That might be it. And that power¡­ I have to know what it is. There might be some records on Grandfather''s book. I should check out Grandfather''s Library. But for now... I looked around my room. Haaah~ Anyways, What am I supposed to do now? My room is a mess. Suddenly- Creak~ An old man with grey hair entered my room without knocking. He is the butler of the Royal Palace, Kelvin Brown. The Brown family served as the Butler of the Royal Palace for generations. "Princess, what are you doing?" An aloof person who devoted himself to serve the Royal family. Although that is true for the other Royal family members. But for some reason, he disliked me and of course, was disrespectful towards me. It''s obvious, he didn''t even Knock on my door before entering. How stupid was I in the past to think he was a good person. "Hah! Can''t you tell? Or have you lost your eyesight because of your age?" Kelvin flinched hearing Isabella''s scoff. "Why are you sitting on the floor? As a lady you must-" "Pfft! Hahaha~" I can''t believe he is saying that! "So you are aware that I am a lady." "What?" "How dare you barge in a Lady''s room without knocking. A Princess at that." "I was just worried about the Princess''s safety!" "Pfft! You barged into my room because you were worried and then asked me what I was doing. Do I look like a fool to you?" "P-Princess!" Kelvin said with shaky eyes. I guess he didn''t expect me to say that. If it was previously, I would have thanked him for worrying about me. "Shut up! I will inform the Emperor about your behaviour. That despite being a man, you entered my room without permission." "The Emperor isn''t here. And even if he was, he wouldn''t listen to you." I flinched hearing that. Ah. That''s right. He is one of the few people who knew that Mathias beat me. "Is that so? Then I guess I will just inform his aide." "Wh-What?" "What do you mean ''what''? I will tell Albert that the butler is so discourteous that he didn''t even think about knocking before entering my room at NIGHT." "What? When did I-" "Pfft! Who do you think he will believe? You, a mere butler? Or me, the Princess?" "P-Princess! Please, I won''t do it again!" Kelvin said desperately. He knew that Albert was nothing like the Emperor. And now that the Emperor isn''t here Albert will surely kick him out. "Huh? You sure are an expert in changing your tone soon. Anne." "Y-Yes, My Lady?" Anne slowly entered my room. I knew she was standing outside. "Help me, get up." "Y-Yes." Saying that Anne hurriedly rushed towards me then helped me get up from the floor. "Please!" "Oh my? Is that a request?" "Y-Yes." "Then kneel." "What?" Kelvin asked with explosive eyes. Pfft! So satisfying. "What do you mean ''What''? Aren''t you begging for my mercy? So do it properly. Kneel and say, ''Her Highness, the First Princess. Please Forgive me!''" Kelvin clenched his fists then knelt on the ground. "Her Highness, the First Princess. Please forgive my insolence." Kelvin said, gritting his teeth. "Good. Now get up." "Thank you, Princess." "Hmm. Do you know what to do from now on?" "Yes." "And that is?" "I won''t enter your room without knocking." "And?" "Huh?" "It seems like you forgot. Well, you are old after all. Let me help you remember, you didn''t greet me. Me, a Royal." "I-I apologize." "Good. Now clean my room before afternoon." "What? But that''s too-" "Don''t make me repeat myself. Clean my room before afternoon. Everything should be just the way they were. Even a single book. And if you can''t, arrange another room for me on the Fifth floor." The Fifth floor is where the Prince and Princess rooms are. Although Rubena stays on the fourth floor. It''s probably because of her ego or something. "Tha-" "Alright." Suddenly Albert said, entering my room. "Pardon my intrusion. Greetings, Princess. Your maid informed me that you were injured badly." "Is that so? I looked at Anne. I guess she is smart. She must have gone to him when Kelvin entered my room. "Yes. Don''t worry, My Lady. The butler will order the maids to arrange a room for you on the Fifth Floor. And the butler will also make sure that Everything from your room is transferred properly. You will do that, right butler?" "Y-Yes." The butler said with a trembling voice. "Good. Then I will be leaving my room. Oh, and if you find a Sapphire pendant, inform me about that right away." "Yes." The butler said while bowing. After that Isabella got out of her room with Anne. Only Albert and Kelvin were inside her room. "Th-Then I will be leaving." "Not so soon, old man." Albert changed his polite tone into a bloody voice. "I heard about everything. I can''t believe a mere butler talked to a Princess that way." Kelvin flinched hearing his voice. "You are lucky that the Princess is kind enough to forgive someone like you. But not me." Albert craned his mouth near Kelvin''s ear. "I will keep a close eye on you from now on. If this happens again, I myself will inform the Emperor. And no matter how much the Emperor hates the Princess, if he learns that a Commoner like you insulted a Royal. What do you think he will do? He won''t just kick you out of the palace. He will punish you to make an example out of you. I mean, you probably know by now that the Emperor detests dogs like you." Kelvin''s eyes trembled. He gulped his saliva in fear of what the Emperor might do. "Anyways, you should go, Butler Brown. You have to prepare the Princess''s room before afternoon." Albert said in a polite tone. "What are you standing for Butler?" "Ah¡­ I-I am going." Kelvin bowed and hurriedly left the room. Sigh~* Albert sighed while sweeping his hair behind with one hand. "What an annoying pest¡­ Well whatever the case is, it''s better now. Princess can finally move to her room." Saying that Albert slowly walked out of the room. * * * "H-How?! How can that coward change like that?!" Kelvin thought while walking fast. As he was the butler he already knew how Isabella was treated by the Emperor. How she was beaten and locked up in a room. Today he entered Isabella''s room to see how she was trembling in fear. Although his intention was to help her sometime later. No matter what, Isabella had Royal Blood flowing through her veins after all. But he never imagined that Isabella would talk back to him. < "Hah! Can''t you tell? Or have you lost your eyesight because of your age?" What? Did she just- No! I must have misheard. "Why are you sitting on the floor? As a lady you must-" "Pfft! Hahaha~" What the? Did she lose her mind? "So you are aware that I am a lady." "What?" "How dare you barge in a Lady''s room without knocking. A Princess at that." What? She never cared about that before so why suddenly?! If it was before she would''ve thanked me for checking on her. "Shut up! I will inform the Emperor about your behaviour. That despite being a man, you entered my room without permission." "The Emperor isn''t here. And even if he was, he wouldn''t listen to you." Yes. That''s right. The Emperor hates her. "Is that so? Then I guess I will just inform his aide." "Wh-What?" What is she talking about? And Albert? That arrogant brat! "What do you mean ''what''? I will tell Albert that the butler is so discourteous that he didn''t even think about knocking before entering my room at NIGHT." Outrageous! I never entered her room at night! "What? When did I-" "Pfft! Who do you think he will believe? You, a mere butler? Or me, the Princess?" "P-Princess! Please, I won''t do it again!" D*mn it! Aghh! I was wrong, to begin with. So let''s just apologize. "Huh? You sure are an expert in changing your tone soon. Anne." "Y-Yes, My Lady?" What? This maid?! She was outside all along?! That didn''t really matter. But then she asked me to apologize kneel Infront of that maid?! Aghh! "Her Highness, the First Princess. Please forgive my insolence." > ''This should never get out of that room. I will make sure no one knows about this! And that brat of an aide¡­ Aghh! Even though I hate to admit it¡­ He is right. If the Emperor hears about this¡­ Instead of Firing me, he will definitely kill me so that the words about him beating the Princess don''t get out. Even the Princes don''t know anything about that¡­'' Sigh~ "I wonder what I will say to the Emperor if he asks about changing the Princess''s room. Haah~" Kelvin sighed deeply. ''Anyways I will have to work on my manners¡­'' Sigh~ Albert sighed looking at the heavy sky. ''It will probably rain soon¡­'' "I should arrange her room quickly." Chapter 69 - Back To The Past (Part 4) Episode: 64 * * * Isabella and Anne are walking in the Hallway. "M-My Lady¡­" Anne called Isabella nervously. ''Is she angry that I called the aide? Aghh! But that old man-'' "Good job, Anne." "P-Princess!" Anne replied cheerfully. "Here, take this." Isabella untied her pearl necklace from her neck and handed it to Anne. ''I have to give her things from time to time. It will be good if she stays loyal to me even for the money. I need her to get information about Rubena.'' Isabella thought to herself. "M-My Lady! How can I?!" "Just take it, while I am giving it to you. It''s not like you haven''t taken anything before." "Ah. Thank you, My Lady." Anne slumped and took the necklace. "Anyways, what happened today shouldn''t reach people''s ears. If I hear any rumours about people talking about today, I will know exactly who did that¡­ Anne." "Y-Yes. Princess." "Now, go." "Huh? But where?" "Did you not hear anything? Go check on the servants who are transferring things from my room. Make sure they are working properly. I am counting on you." "Yes. I will try my best." Anne replied cheerfully and rushed to Isabella''s room. * * * I looked outside. It''s cloudy. It will rain soon. I wasn''t even a little bit scared talking with the butler. Scoff* It will be weird if you are scared of a butler after bearing all that torture, Isabella... Whoosh~ A cold breeze struck from the hallway windows making me tremble¡­ Or is it the sudden memories of those horrible tortures¡­ When I think about that, I get furious¡­ and also scared. I don''t want to go through that hell again¡­ Where all the people I love died in front of me¡­ Sigh~ Let''s not think about that anymore. I have to find out about so many things. About why I returned¡­ Now that I think about it, after dying I just remember laying in a dark place¡­ But then¡­ I can''t remember. But I know something happened¡­ Why can''t I remember? Haa~ There are so many things I don''t know. The best place to find all that is Grandfather''s private library. But I can''t go there now. Hmm~ Let''s just go to the Royal Library for now. After that, I continued walking towards the Royal library that was on the first floor of the palace. The Library door sure is huge. Although it''s nothing like that of Fellmirr. I never got the chance to enter here as I was too scared then. Well whatever, at least now I don''t have to think about meeting Mathias. Soon I tried to enter the library but then the Knights guarding the door blocked my way with their spear. "W-Who are you?" A knight asked with a flustered face. And the other one just looked at me with his eyes wide open. "I didn''t know anyone else had Golden hair other than the Royal family. Anyways it will be troublesome if you can''t even recognize the first Princess, don''t you think?" I said with a smile. I am too tired to argue with someone. "Ah. Ap-Apologies, Princess!" The two knights soon bowed then removed their spear from the front. "Thank you." Saying that I finally entered the library. "Wasn''t she supposed to be ugly?" "What the?! I totally forgot to think after seeing her!" "She is kind too." "Shh~ We shouldn''t talk anymore here." "Ah. You are right." After that, the flustered knights stopped talking and quietly guarded the door. * * * "Wow~ It''s humongous!" So many books! Now that I see, the librarian isn''t here. Well whatever, it''s better this way. After that, I started walking and checking out each and every section. Hmm~ There are so many. There''s an entire section about the History of Loire. What the?! Emperor Mathias?! I can''t believe he made so many books about himself! What a creep! Anyways, I need to find books about magic. After searching for a while, I finally found the Magic Section at the corner of the library. Hmm~ There are so many books. But I think I already read about those in Grandfather''s Library before. Hmm? That one¡­ A book on the upper shelf caught my eyes. It had a dark purple cover. But how am I supposed to get up there? I looked around and found a ladder. Ah. Found it! Soon I dragged the ladder in front of the shelf where that book was. But¡­ Why is it so heavy?! Sigh~ Soon I got up and took the book. "Origin Of The Beasts." I didn''t think I would find a book about beasts here. Although it''s not what I was looking for¡­ Well, whatever. I took the book then looked down. Aghh! I don''t want to get down. I will have to get up to put the book back in place anyways. Let''s just sit here. I started reading the book sitting on the top of the ladder. [ It is said that in the Beginning, the Beastmen were mere animals without any strength or magic power. But then the Moon Goddess took pity on them and blessed them with Celestial Power. Soon the Beasts could use magic and those with high-level magic could transform themselves into humans. But soon they turned Arrogant and greedy. Because of their greed for power, they killed the Celestial Goddess to gain her power. At the time of her death, the Goddess cursed them that they would drown in eternal Darkness until death. And that''s how they became the dark and ugly creatures. That''s why humans from the Loire don''t get near the Fellmirr Empire. The Beastmen are ruthless and ugly creatures. Some say that they look like Goblins. Their tummy springs out like melons.] What the heck is this? All this information¡­ How ridiculous! It''s filled with wrong information. Why is this kind of book even in the library?! It just has some interesting covers. Sigh~ I guess you can''t judge a book by its cover. And I read this for hours! What a waste of time! Rumble! I looked outside at the loud rumbling of Thunder. Shaa~ It''s raining. "I should go back now." Saying that I placed the book back and started getting down from the ladder. It must be because I was sitting for a while, My legs feel numb. Sigh~ Whatever let''s just get down carefully Isabella. But- My legs slipped a step! Here I just thought of getting down carefully. My legs will break today for sure! "Kyaa~" I screamed while tightly closing my eyes to get prepared for a broken leg. But it didn''t hurt a bit? Wait¡­ I did fall on the floor, right? Did I not fall? I slightly opened my eyes. "Are you okay?" My eyes widened at the sight of the person. "William? Oops! I mean, Greetings, the Crown Prince." He caught me. But when did he even come here? "P-Please put me down." "Hmm." But he didn''t say anything and started walking. What the? What is wrong with him? It''s already embarrassing that I am in his arms. "I said, put me down." But William continued walking with an aloof expression. Then soon put me down on a bench. "T-Thank you for catching me, Crown Prince." "What were you doing in the library?" "Reading books." "Books about magic?" "Am I not supposed to read it?" "..." William didn''t say anything and just looked at me. "Anyways, Thank you so much for your help, Crown Prince. Now please excuse me." Saying that I got up from the bench but- Stagger* Ughh! My legs must have been twisted. I was going to fall but William caught me again. "Sit." He again made me sit. Then he bend his knees and touched my legs. "What are you doing?!" "Your ankle-" "I don''t need your help! Please just get up! I am thankful that you noticed but I can handle myself." "Is that so?" But without listening to me, he used his magic and healed my ankle. "Are you feeling better?" Aghh~ I just told him I would be okay! Now I owe him one. "Yes! Thank you so much, Your Highness, the Crown Prince." But without saying anything, William continued looking at me. "Then I will be going." Saying that Isabella hurriedly left the library. And William silently stands there looking at his hands. "I hate this¡­" William said with a frown then clenched his fists and walked towards the entrance of the library. * * * Sigh~ How frustrating! Why did I have to see his face¡­ William¡­ I can never understand that person. Why did he even heal me? Now that I think about it, he wasn''t there on the day of my execution. Hah! What a hypocrite! He never said anything when other Aristocrats insulted me. And now trying to help¡­ Ughh! I hate to admit it but I really owe him one. Rumble~ It''s raining cats and dogs¡­ "Haa~ What a gloomy weather!" Anyways, I am hungry. I should ask Anne to prepare Steaks for me. Thinking about that, Isabella continued walking towards her room. Chapter 70 - The Wisdom Tree (Part 1) Episode 65 (THE ABANDONED ANNEX) * * * Ah¡­ I walked back here out of habit. My room on the top floor¡­ It looks so empty. The floor is filled with pieces of broken glass. It''s noon. But because of the heavy cloud, it''s dark as evening. Rumble~ The loud thunder lightning reflected on those pieces filled the room with hundreds of light reflections just for a moment. Shaa~ Drops of rainwater are coming out the broken window. It looks like a room that has been abandoned for years. "My Lady! You are here. Your room on the fifth floor is already prepared." Anne said, suddenly entering my room. I looked behind and replied. "I see." They sure are fast. "Did they take everything?" "Yes. I personally looked over the maids who were working. They transferred everything to your room." "Good job." "T-Thank you. M-My Lady, you shouldn''t go there. You might get hurt with the broken glass." Anne thanked me in a cheerful voice then said with an expression as if she was worried about me. Hah! As if. "Let''s go." "Ye-Yes. My Lady." Soon I left my messed up old room and walked towards the fifth floor. * * * Ha~ah! "Wh-What is it, My Lady?" Of all the rooms why did it have to be in between the Princes room. "Nothing. Let''s just enter." I sighed and entered the room. "Hurry up. The Princess will co-" Gasp* "The Princess is here." The maids working in my room gasped seeing me for some reason. "Hey! Why aren''t you greeting the Princess?" Anne asked the maids with an angry voice. Hah! If anyone sees her now, they will think she is my loyal maid or something. You didn''t even greet me until the slaps this morning. "Apologies, Princess. Greetings." The maids apologized and bowed. "Hmm. Get out of my room now." "Ah. Y-Yes." The maids flustered then bowed again. Soon they left the room. "Anne." "Yes, My Lady." "I am hungry. Bring me steaks and steamed vegetables." "Okay, My Lady." "And I hate if someone plays with my food." "Ah. I-I will be careful, My Lady." Anne replied with a nervous voice. "You''d better. Now hurry up and go." "Yes." Soon Anne bowed and left the room. Hah~ I lay on the bed and looked at the ceiling. The room has a sky blue colour. And of course, it''s bigger than the room on the top floor. The corner of the ceilings has beautiful Viney golden art. "Hmm~ I want to check out the balcony but it''s raining." Knock* Knock* "Princess, May I enter?" Sigh~ I can''t even lie down peacefully. I got down from the bed and sat on the couch. Then said, "Yes." Creak~ "Greetings, Princess." Kelvin bowed and greeted politely. I guess he has learned his lessons. Anyways- "Why are you here?" "Ah, that. I wanted to ask if you liked your room? Is there anything you dislike? I will ask the maids to change it right away." "What If I say I don''t like the room at all?" "Ah- That¡­" "Don''t be so tense. It was just a joke. Anyways I like the room¡­ For now at least. If I want to change anything, I will inform you through my maid." "That''s kind of you, Princess." "..." "Oh. The maids searched every nook and cranny of your room but didn''t find the Blue pendant you mention, Princess." "What?" "I-I apologize, Princess." Sigh~ I wonder what happened. I don''t think Anne stole it. If she did, it would''ve been the same in the past. But that didn''t happen the previous time. I have a feeling the necklace will have some clue about my return and also my power. "Umm¡­ Princess. Should I call the jeweller? You can order him to make one like the Blue pendant." "No need for that¡­ In another thought, do call him. I will need some new jewellery for Rubena''s birthday." "Yes, Princess." Unlike the other times, I will try my best to outshine you¡­ Rubena. "Anyways, Why are you still standing here?" "Umm... Princess that..." "Don''t beat around the bush. Hurry up and finish whatever you want to say." "A-About this morning¡­" Kelvin said with a cold sweat while bowing his head. "Huh? What are you talking about?" "Princess, that-" "Because of the earthquake, my room was completely messed up. It''s beyond repair. That''s why you changed my room. Was there anything else?" Isabella asked with an innocent face. As if understanding what I meant, Kelvin bowed and said, "No. Nothing else happened. Then I am taking my leave, My Lady." "Just go." I said while waving my hand. Soon after, Kelvin left the room. I got up from the couch and walked towards the bookshelf. It seems like they brought all my books. There are also other books. "Let''s see if there''s any interesting book to read here." "What the heck?! What are all these?!" Haah~ All these are useless to me. Tch! I guess Grandfather''s Library is my only hope. Knock* Knock* "My Lady, May I enter?" Anne knocked on the door. I guess my food is ready. "Yes. Come in." Creak~ Anne entered my room with a tray. Then put it on the table. Hot Steaks¡­ Steamy Vegetables¡­ And Soup¡­ Soon I started eating my lunch. Mmm~ So delicious! The juicy steaks¡­ Anne did a good job bringing delicious lunch¡­ After eating my fill, Anne took everything back then returned to my room. "You are excused." "Huh? But-" "You have worked hard today. So rest for a while. If I need something I will ring the bell." "Alright." "And don''t go to Rubena today." "Huh? But if I don''t then she-" "Go to her, the day after tomorrow. You just have to say that I didn''t let you go out of my sight after the earthquake as I was too scared." "A-Alright, My Lady. Then I will be taking my leave." Anne then bowed and left the room. Hmm~ I should sleep too. I have to stay awake at night, anyway. Soon after, I lay on the bed and fell asleep. * * * Anne: "My Lady. Wake up." Anne: "My Lady." "Tch! Shut up! I heard you." Sigh~ I can''t even sleep peacefully. "S-Sorry, My Lady. It''s just¡­ It''s time for your dinner." "What?" "I-Its already way past dinner time, My Lady. I came to your room in the evening to light up the lamps, I didn''t wake you up as you were sleeping peacefully. Bu-But you have to eat now." I looked outside. It''s still pitch dark outside. Rumble~ The weather is also the same it seems. But¡­ Did I really sleep the whole afternoon and evening? I wasn''t that tired though. Is it because of using that power? "M-My Lady?" "Did you mix something on the food?" "Wh-What? How can I?" "Pfft! Don''t make me laugh. You have done it several times in the past." Anne flinched hearing that. "I-I apologize. But I swear in my life that I didn''t mix anything with the food. If you want, should I show you? Should I eat the food?" "So that I have to eat your leftovers?" "What! T-That''s not what I meant, My Lady." Anne answered with panic. "..." I can''t believe a thing that she says. "I really didn''t mix anything, My Lady!" "Alright. I will eat the food." "Th-Thank you for believing me, My Lady." After that, I finished my dinner. And it seemed like Anne didn''t lie. The food was perfectly fine. Soon after, Anne took back all the dishes and returned. Now she is changing my dress into a nightgown. "Braid my hair." "As you wish, My Lady." "Anyways, where did the Emperor go?" "He might have gone to the ''Shadowmoss'' Territory for an expedition." "Is that so?" Shadowmoss Territory¡­ It''s in the North of the Loire, the totally opposite of the Capital. Because of this, he couldn''t attend Rubena''s Birthday in my previous life. Something more important than Rubena¡­ I have to find out about that place¡­ "What time is it, Anne?" "Few hours until midnight." I see. Everyone else must be sleeping by now. "Anyways, get out now. I am sleepy. Don''t even think about bothering me again." "Alright, My Lady. Have a good sleep." Saying that Anne bowed and left the room. "I should also get going." I got up from the stool and wrapped a shawl around my shoulder. Rumble~ Tch! I will get wet for sure. Haah~ Stop fussing and let''s just go, Isabella. Soon I got out of the room and started walking sneakily. Hurry up and go to the stairs. Phew~ I sighed with relief after reaching the stairs. Thank goodness no one saw me. Then I started walking towards the first floor and got out of the Castle. Grandfather''s library is on an Annex behind the Royal Palace. It is an Abandoned place now. No one would think that there is a Library in a place like this. Even though I said it''s BEHIND the Royal Palace, I still have to walk for 10 minutes to reach the Annex. Rumble~ What a loud thunder. I am glad that there are so many trees here or else I would be completely wet by now. Anyways, after walking for 10 minutes, I finally reached the front of the Annex. A three-story mansion covered with vines. Rumble~ The sudden thunder lightning made the annex look like a haunted house. Well, the annex is like a mansion in the middle of a forest. Even at day, the servants are too scared to enter here. Which is good for me, of course. Anyways, I should enter now. I walked up the stairs that lead to the main gate of the mansion and pushed the door. Creak~ With a loud creaking noise, the door opened. Haa~ It really looks like a horror house. Chapter 71 - The Wisdom Tree (Part 2) Episode 66 (GREATER THAN ANCIENT MAGIC) * * * It''s so dark here. Hmm¡­ "Let''s see... there should be a lamp around here somewhere." Saying that I started searching for a lamp on the cabinet beside the door. "Found it." I took out the match and the hurricane lamp from the cabinet then lit it. "It''s better now." The little golden light of the hurricane made the area around me a little brighter¡­ At least I can see where I am going. Soon I started to climb up the stairs. Creak~ Whenever I took a step, the old wooden stairs made a creaking noise. The house has a wet wood smell. Green slippery mosses are covering the stair handle. Thank goodness it''s not on the steps or else I would''ve slipped and broke my ankle. Soon I entered the third floor. Unlike other floors, this one is completely fine. It''s because Grandfather cast a spell in this place. Anyways, after walking in the hallway for a minute or so, I stopped in front of a wooden door. As I pushed the door, it opened with a creaking noise. And Whoosh~ As soon as I took a step in, the Fire Torches of the room lit up by themselves. This is also because of Grandfather''s spell. The most impressive thing about this spell is that from the outside people will see only a Darkroom. This means they would never guess that I am here even if they pass by this Annex. Anyways, after entering the room, I closed the door then removed the shawl from my shoulder then put the hurricane on a nearby table. The Library itself is divided into different sections. Each section contains all kinds of rare books. Some of the books are about Rare and Complicated Magic, different kinds of legends. And also some silly books like ''How to teach a frog swimming.'' Uhh~ Where did Grandfather even find such a book?! Anyways, I shouldn''t waste my time. I need to find a book about Magical Ability. I started walking between the empty spaces between the rows of the bookshelves. It''s hard to find a specific type of book as the library is really disorganized. I didn''t care about it before as I picked up any random book with me and read them in my room. But now I think I should''ve organized this place. I already read every book in the front row. Let''s go to the last row. I haven''t read them yet. Hmm¡­ < LEGEND OF THE REALM OF MYTHS > < MYTH OF THE NINE TALE > < DARK MAGIC AND ITS EFFECTS > < MANA > Whoa¡­. So many books I haven''t read. But I don''t have time to read them. After searching for half an hour, I finally found a book on the corner of the middle row. If I hadn''t looked carefully I wouldn''t have found it. It was hidden behind some books. Why though¡­ Why is it hidden like that? No¡­ Let''s not think much about it¡­ The Book has Black Velvet Cover. And strangely it didn''t have any name written on it. I took the book and went to sit at a table. Let''s read it first. It might be an ordinary book. < There are different kinds of Magic. Fire, Earth, Water, Thunder, Air, Light, Ice and so on. > "Sigh~ I know about this." Let''s see the next page¡­ < People learned how to use magic after being blessed by the Spirits of Nature. > Not this either¡­ Next page¡­ < Bloodline magic is when people inherit magic from one''s family. > Not this either¡­ I turned a few more pages and all of those had the information I already know. < Ancient Magic¡­ > Hmm. Let''s read this. < All Kinds of Complicated Magic like Time Magic, Spatial Magic and many more are parts of Ancient Magic. Although now there''s any Wizard alive who can completely master this Magic. There might be few who can master one or two types of Ancient Magic. But they are extremely rare. About time magic, the highest level of this Magic is TIME TRAVEL. And in history, there was one Wizards who travelled back to the past but what he did was just destruction. And that''s why all the books related to Time Travel were burnt by the Wizards. The Higher Rank Wizard of that time hid the matter from the eyes of people. > Wait¡­ What?! I never heard of this! This book¡­ Who wrote it?! And how did I travel back to time¡­ I want to know¡­ No! That''s not important. I am here to learn about my power. Yes. Let''s focus on that, Isabella. < And the Wizard who did that was¡­ ### > What?! Why is the name scribbled like this?! Aghh! Haaa~ Calm down. You can''t do anything even if you know the name. < But¡­ There is one magic that is more powerful than Ancient Magic. > What? Powerful than Ancient Magic?! < No! It''s not magic. It''s far more than that. And it''s called¡­ > I turned the page to read the next line but- Flare~ The book suddenly caught fire by itself. "No! No! No!" I tried to snuff out the fire with my hand. But something was strange! The Fire¡­ Why is it not hot? It doesn''t burn my hand. But then how is the book burning? And in a moment, the entire book turned to fire and the fire took the shape of a face. [ Not Yet. It''s not time yet. ] The fire face said with a heavy voice and disappeared. What? Not time yet? "What do you mean not time yet?! I was so close. But¡­ Why? Why did it burn like that?!" I am angry. Why? Why did the book burn? Was it a spell? That must be it! That must be why my hands didn''t burn. It wasn''t a real fire. But then why did the book burn. And who cast it¡­? G-Grandfather?! No way! That can''t be possible! But then why was the book hidden? But if he really didn''t want me to read it, he could''ve burned the book before. So why didn''t he do it? I don''t understand. What''s going on? Why? Why am I the one who doesn''t know anything? Sob* No. I can''t cry. I have to find out about my power before I go to Fellmirr. I don''t have much time left. There is only one month before the WALDOR ANNUAL MEETING. After that, the Royal Palace will be in chaos because of Rubena. I have to find everything before that. Ah¡­ I can go to the Realm of Myths¡­ Yes¡­ But not today¡­ It will be morning soon. I have to wait for tomorrow night¡­ Yes. Let''s calm down. We will definitely find some answers there. Let''s just go back for now. After that, I took the hurricane from the table and left the annex. Rumble~ It''s still raining. I couldn''t hear anything from the library though. Haa~ Ah. I forgot my shawl. Tch! Let''s just return to my room. I will just change my nightgown. And also¡­ I don''t have the heart to go back to the library now. Soon after, I returned to my room. Fortunately, there wasn''t anyone guarding my room. So I didn''t have any problem getting in. Then I changed my nightgown as it was wet because of the rainwater. After that, I lay on the bed and started thinking about all the things. Magic that is far superior than Ancient Magic¡­ And Grandfather¡­ What were you trying to hide from me that you even had to cast a spell? And what were all those visions I saw today? Haaa~ I can''t think anymore. Let''s sleep now. Tomorrow will be another big day. I will have to fight with them tomorrow too. I can''t get weak. If not for them, then for Leonus. I want to show him my strong side this time. Yes. Let''s just sleep. And after tossing and turning for a while, I finally fell asleep. * * * Chirp* Chirp* "My Lady! It''s morning. Please wake up." Anne said while removing the curtains from my window. The bright ray of light reached my eyes. Ah. So annoying. I covered my face with one hand. "My Lady. You have to get prepared before the Jeweller arrives." "Sigh~ I am getting up." Saying that I got up from bed. I looked outside. Seems like the rain has finally stopped. It''s so bright. "Greetings, My Lady. Hope you had a good night." Anne bowed and said with a smile. Good night, My foot. "M-My Lady? D-Did I do something wrong?" Anne asked with a nervous voice seeing Isabella''s annoyed expression. "No. You didn''t. Anyways I need to wash my face." "Yes. I have already prepared the water on the table." "Good." Saying that I got down from the bed and washed my face. Then I started eating the breakfast Anne brought. Surprisingly, both the Water and the Breakfast is perfect. She didn''t mix anything like salt or whatever. Now that I think about it, she didn''t ask anything about my change of Nightgown. She must''ve noticed. Well, I guess she is smart. "My Lady? Is the food not to your liking?" "It''s okay." "I am glad." Well, let''s enjoy the food. I will buy her something good today. Knock* Knock* "Princess Isabella, May I come in?" Kelvin? Why is he here this early morning? "No. Wait outside. I am having breakfast right now." "B-But Princess, it''s urgent." "Tch! Anne, go and listen to what he has to say." "Alright, My Lady." Soon Anne went outside the door and talked with the butler. Then she burst into my room and said, "My Lady! He is here!" Who is she talking about? "Who?" "The Grand Duke." My eyes widened. "What?" "Yes, My Lady! Grand Duke Roberto is here and is waiting for your visit!" Chapter 72 - The Wisdom Tree (Part 3) Episode 67 (Unspoken Words) Isabella: "What?" ''Why is he here? Forget about visiting, he avoided me whenever I went to visit him before.'' Isabella thought while frowning. "My Lady? Are you not happy about it?" Anne asked, seeing Isabella''s frown. "..." But without saying anything, Isabella just glared at Anne. "I-I apologize, My Lady." Anne stuttered. "It doesn''t matter. He came here unannounced, so let him wait." Saying that Isabella continued eating her breakfast. "I-I understand, My Lady." After a while, Isabella finished her breakfast. "Prepare for my bath." "Ah-" "What? Do you have any problems?" "Wh-What? No way! How dare I?" Anne said while bowing. "Then hurry up and go." "Y-Yes." Saying that Anne rushed to prepare Isabella''s bath. And Isabella randomly took a book from her bookshelf and continued reading it. After a while, Anne came in. "My Lady, Your bath is prepared." "Hmm. Let''s go." Isabella said while closing her book. After finishing her bath, Anne brought a blue dress for Isabella. "Hmm. I don''t like this one. Bring out another one." "W-What?" "Tch! Are you deaf? Why do I have to keep repeating myself?" Isabella said, clicking her tongue. "I-I apologize, My Lady." Saying that Anne brought out another dress. "Not this one either." "O-Okay! I will bring another one." And this continued for a while. After what feels like an eternity to Anne, Isabella finally chooses a red dress. "This looks good. I will wear this one." "Okay!" ''Thank God she finally chose one!'' Anne sighed in relief. After that, she helped Isabella put on the dress then did her hair. "Let''s go then. Shall we?" Isabella said with a smile. "Alright." After that, both Isabella and Anne got out of the room. And headed towards the parlour room where Roberto was waiting. * * * I hope he loses his patience and just goes back. I tried my best to waste enough time. Ughh. Why is he here anyway? After walking for a minute or so, I finally reached the front of the parlour room. Two knights were guarding the door. I guess he didn''t leave. Tch! So annoying. "Open the door." "..." The Knights who were guarding the door didn''t say anything and just dazed at me. Sigh~ Why do I have to yell every thirty minutes? "Hey! Did you not hear what My Lady said?" Fortunately, Anne did the scolding instead of me. "I- Apologies, Princess." The Knights bowed and apologized with a flustered face. Sigh~ "Hey! Open the door already. You are wasting My Lady''s time!" What the- She just said what I was going to say. She is too smart¡­ "Her Highness, the First Princess, Isabella Von Hagen Loire is entering the room!" The Knights announced my presence and opened the door. "You stay here, Anne. I will enter alone." "Alright, My Lady." Anne bowed and stood in one corner. Soon I entered the room. Sigh~ I don''t want to see his face. "I-Isabella!" Roberto stood up from the couch seeing me. What the- Why do you look so surprised? It was you who wanted to see me, wasn''t it? Anyways- "Greetings, Grand Duke Roberto Silverwind. Apologies for the delay." I hid my displeasure and greeted him politely. "Oh. Greetings. And you don''t have to apologize, it was me who came here unannounced." Roberto replied, fixing his composure. It''s good that you know. Anyways, why does he look so tired? Well, whatever, it has nothing to do with me. After that, I sat on a couch and said, "So what is the reason for your sudden visit, Grand Duke?" "That¡­" I hope you didn''t come here to waste my time¡­ Is what I want to say. "I haven''t been- Uh." "Can you hurry up? My schedule is tight today." "I just wanted to see how you have been doing?" "Well, as you can see, I am just fine. So you don''t have to worry. So is there anything else you want to mention?" "That¡­" "Grand Duke, if there is nothing, then please excuse me." I said while getting up from the couch. "Wait. I- I haven''t been feeling well, so I-" "Ha!" Roberto flinched hearing Isabella''s scoff. "So Grand Duke, do you want me to heal you? I apologize, but I am really useless. Did you forget that I can''t use magic? I will not be able to heal you." "Isabella! T-" "What? Why did you come to me instead of going to Rubena? She can heal you with her heartfelt love." "What?" "That''s not it, either? Then what do you want me to do? Should I try to soothe your pain? Do you want to hear my sweet words?" "Isabella¡­ " Roberto said with a heartbroken face. "Why are you here, Grand Duke? Please tell me quickly so that I can be done with it and leave." "...Are you angry?" My eyes widened at his question. This man¡­ How can he ask that? Y-You¡­ "No. How dare I get angry with the Great Grand Duke? I don''t deserve to worry for you." "No. You¡­ Y-" Roberto bit his lips then stopped whatever he was going to say. "On the day of the Second Princess''s birthday¡­ Will you be my partner?" "What?" I asked while frowning. What is he up to? Why is he behaving differently from the past? "Well, you are my fiance, so isn''t it normal for us to join the Second Princess''s birthday together?" "Ha! Grand Duke¡­ It was you who always declined my request to be the companion at any banquet." Roberto flinched at Isabella''s sarcastic laugh. "And apologizes but I will have to decline your kind offer, Grand Duke. I think it will be better if you take your beloved Rubena as your Companion on the day of her birthday." "Is... Isabella¡­ Is that what you really want?" Roberto said with a weak voice. "Ha! You cease to break my expectations today, Grand Duke. And since when did you care about what I want?" Huff* Huff* I am angry. Why is he behaving this way? Just be like what you usually are. Stop acting like you actually care about me. That way it will be easier to ignore you. "Isabella¡­ I apologize." My senses snapped hearing that. "What? You did all that to me and now you are apologizing?! Do you know you sound like a hypocrite now? Do you know how much and to what extent you broke my heart? You¡­" "Isabella¡­" Roberto said while getting up from his chair. "Don''t come here!" My eyes are teary. "Your every action and every word was nothing less than stabbing, Duke? I probably was, no I was clinging on to you, wasn''t I? I apologize! I apologize for every inconvenience I have caused you until now! I apologize for disgracing your honour! I apologize for foolishly loving you¡­" Isabella said with a sarcastic smile. But her eyes looked sad. She was crying. "Isabella¡­" Roberto called my name. His eyes were wide open. But then his expression changed. He said with a broken look, "I¡­ I didn''t know¡­" "Hah! You didn''t know? A girl who was foolishly following you around day and night, you didn''t know that she loved you? Or did you not know all the harsh things Your Knights were saying about me behind your back? Or did you not know what the Aristocrats were saying about you and Rubena? How they were making me a villain when all I did was love my Fiance? Was I really wrong?" "Isabella¡­" Roberto called my name with an almost broken voice. His face¡­ looks like it will burst into tears any minute. Why? Why are you making that expression? Why did you come at that time? The time of my death¡­ Did you want to see me die? Then why did you look so desperate? Don''t¡­ Don''t do that. Don''t make that expression. I got up from my seat. "I truly loved you, Grand Duke. But don''t worry. I won''t bother you anymore and I hope you will do the same. And I apologize for what I just said. Then please excuse me." Saying that I slightly bowed and left the room without looking back leaving Roberto all alone. Chapter 73 - The Wisdom Tree (Part 4) Episode 68 (THE JEWELLER) * * * "Loved? Not, Love?" Roberto said with a low voice. He had a desperate expression on his face. "Isabella¡­" He looked up but Isabella was already gone. Roberto hurriedly got up from his seat to follow Isabella but then an unexpected person entered the room. "My Goodness! Roberto?! I apologize. It took me so long to come here. I had to prepare myself, you know." Rubena said, pouting. She was wearing a pink dress. And as always she had an innocent expression on her face as if she didn''t know a thing. "How can you visit without any announcement? You probably don''t know this because you were a commoner but it''s mannerless to visit a Lady without any prior notice." "..." "You meanie! Why aren''t you saying anything? Roberto?" Rubena grumbled while pouting. Then she touched Roberto''s hand. And slap* Roberto slapped Rubena''s hand. "Don''t touch me." Roberto said with a cold voice. His eyes were almost burning with anger. His face had a disgusted look. "Oh my?! Are you angry? I am sorry!" Rubena sobbed. "Stop your acting! And I didn''t come to visit you. And Don''t even think about following me!" Saying that Roberto hurriedly left the room. * * * Bam* Rubena kicked the table. "How. How dare he reject me! Me!" She was furious. As soon as Roberto left the room, she started showing her real expression. "F*king Isabella! How dare she seduce my Robert! How dare she go there before me?! She must have said something to my Roberto! Or else how can he be angry with me?!" "Aghh*" Rubena screamed. "Don''t worry, My Lady. You can teach her a lesson in your Birthday Banquet." Clara assured Rubena. "Yes. I will show her who the real Princess is. That vixen!" Rubena said with a smile. " Just you see Clara. I will make Robert fall for my beauty. He will come to me begging for love." Clara: "Yes." "Anyways, where is that Anne? Why didn''t she come yesterday? From tomorrow, I will be busy preparing for my birthday." "Don''t worry, My Lady. If she doesn''t come today, I will go check up on her. And will call her tonight." "Hmm. Alright. Anyways, when will Daniel come?" "The Prince will arrive tomorrow or the day after tomorrow." "Is that so?" "Yes, My Lady." "And father?" "I don''t know about that, My Lady. His Majesty didn''t say anything about his return. But don''t worry. How can he miss YOUR birthday." "I know right. He will return before my birthday. He has to." "Anyways, did the butler do as I said?" "About the Jeweller?" "Yes. He was so Arrogant! How dare he send the Royal Jeweller to that b*tch, when it''s MY birthday after a few days. All his new jewellery collection will be mine. She can take my old ones as always." "Don''t worry, My Lady. That b*tch don''t even deserve those. So I asked the butler to send the Princess a commoner jeweller." "Pfft! Hahaha~ Really?" "Yes, My Lady." "Pfft! Serves her right! A commoner is perfect for her!" "Yes, My Lady." "Good job, Clara." "It''s my duty to make you happy." "Right¡­" Rubena said with a smirk. "I can''t wait to see her worn out jewellery on my birthday. Pfft~ Hahaha~" Rubena''s wicked laughter filled her room. * * * Isabella After Getting Out Of The Parlor¡­ "Anne, Let''s go." "Ah... Yes." Anne, who was standing outside, soon rushed to follow Isabella. Haa~ I was too emotional. I shouldn''t have said all that. Sigh~ Well, whatever. I feel better after screaming at him. Anyways- "Did the jeweller come?" "Yes, My Lady. The jeweller is waiting in your room." "In my room? When did I give permission?" "I ap-apologize. You were talking with the Grand Duke when the butler came and informed me about the Jeweller. I didn''t want to bother you, so I let the jeweller enter your room." "Without my permission, even You can''t enter my room. Don''t you know something as simple as that?" "P-Pardon me." Anne said while slumping. "Sigh~ Don''t do that again." "Yes. I will never do that again. I promise." Anne said enthusiastically. Like that, we walked in the Hallway for a few minutes then I finally entered my room. "G-Greetings, Her Highness, the First Princess, Isabella Von Hagen Loire." The Jeweller bowed seeing me. I didn''t think that the Jeweller would be a female. She doesn''t look much older than me either. And her worn-out dress... "Hmm. Sit down." I said while sitting on my couch. "Th-Thank you, Princess." The Jeweller said with a nervous smile. "So¡­?" "Y-Yes?" "Your name?" "Ah! I apologize! Please don''t kill me! I totally forgot to mention my name first." What the¡­ Is this her first time meeting an Aristocrat? That Kelvin¡­ Hah! It seems like I was too easy on him. Sigh~ Let''s not judge her by looks. She might be a good jeweller. "Don''t worry. I won''t kill you." Anyways, I feel like I saw her somewhere¡­ But where? "My name is Rachel. I am a commoner, Princess. B-But I promise, my jewellery won''t disappoint you." "Is that so?" "Yes." "Anne, go bring some refreshments for her." "Yes, My Lady." Anne bowed and left the room. "So, Rachel." I said with a smile. "Y-Yes?" "Show me. Your best pieces of Jewellery." "Yes." Rachel replied enthusiastically. She then put her briefcase on the table and opened it. Wow~ All kinds of beautiful pieces of jewellery are glowing brightly. Some of them seem familiar and some are absolutely new. But familiar or not, all of the jewellery look extremely extravagant. Is she really a Commoner? How can she afford to make such jewellery? Did Kelvin pay her beforehand? Yes¡­ That must be it¡­ But then¡­ How can she prepare all these jewellery in such short time? "You really craft all those?" "Fufu~ Yes." Rachel said with a proud smile. Am I overthinking? Yes. That must be it. If she really is a commoner, it would have been a great opportunity for her to show off her skills. I guess she worked really hard. Or she could''ve just took some help from someone. "So beautiful~ You really are an amazing jeweller, Rachel." I am not lying. They really have amazing designs. "Th-Thank you, Princess." "I will keep all of them." "Wh-What? Really?!" I nodded my head instead of replying. "Thank you! Thank you so much, Princess!" Rachel said with tears in her eyes. I forwarded a handkerchief to her. "Here. Wipe your tears." "Uwaa~ Thank you so much, Princess." She is kind of cute. "P-Princess. I have a request." "A request?" "Yes." "What is it?" "That¡­ Actually I ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­" "What?" "Can I? I won''t disappoint you! I promise!" "Sigh~ Alright. You can do it. I am counting on you." "Thank you! You won''t regret your decision, Princess." We will see about that. Soon after, Anne entered with refreshments then served them to Rachel and me. After that, Rachel bowed. "Then we will meet again soon, Princess." "Yes." Soon after, Rachel left the room and Anne started cleaning the table. "Anne." "Yes, My Lady?" "Get prepared." "Huh?" Anne asked with confusion. "We will go outside." "What?!" Anne exclaimed with surprise. Chapter 74 - The Wisdom Tree (Part 5) Episode 69 (Dress And Cakes) * * * "What?! Outside?! Really?!" "Why? Can I not?" "N-No. That''s not what I meant, My Lady. It''s just that¡­" "That?" "It''s just that you have never stepped outside the Royal Palace." "Yes. That''s why I want to go." My mood was already ruined seeing that man. So I wanted to fresh my mind by going outside. Who knows I might find something interesting. And I will just go THERE today and finish the work. "I understand, My Lady." "Anyways call Kelvin." "The butler?" "Yes." "Alright." Saying that Anne bowed and left the room. Hmm¡­ I have to go to a library, then I do have to buy some dresses. But then what¡­ Well, I will know after going. Knock* Knock* "My Lady, I have brought the butler." "Hmm. Come in." Creak~ "Greetings, Princess. Did you call me?" Kelvin greeted politely with a bow. "Yes. I definitely asked you to send the Royal Jeweller." Kelvin flinched hearing that. "Are you looking down on me?" "What?! How dare I!" "Then, what was the reason for your action?" "That¡­" "Don''t waste my time." "The Royal Jeweller is busy preparing Jewellery for the Second Princess. I apologize, Princess. He couldn''t come." I see. It was Rubena. "But I promise, My Lady. The Jeweller I sent had excellent pieces of jewellery. Even the Royal Jeweller won''t be able to craft some of them." "Is that so?" "Yes, Princess." "Hmm. I brought everything, so make sure to pay her." "Yes." "Ah. I totally forgot. I will be going outside." "Huh?" "..." "Ah- Pardon me. I was surprised as you never wanted to go outside. I-I will arrange a group of knights to escort you." "That won''t be necessary." "Huh?" "I will go only with Anne." "What? But Princess-" "As a commoner." "Huh?" "I will wear a Commoner dress then go. So you don''t have to worry about my safety." "But-" "No buts. I didn''t call you here for permission. My allowance." "Ah." "2 bags of Gold and 5 bags of silver will be enough for now." "I-I see. I will prepare your dress and the allowance." "Good. Then hurry up and go." "Alright." Kelvin said while bowing. ''Haa~ She''s so moody nowadays!'' Kelvin cried inwardly. After a while, Kelvin came to my room with some maids. One of the maids had a round-shaped tray in her hand. It was covered with a red cloth. "Princess, here is the gold and silver coins you asked for." Kelvin said while removing the red cloth. Soon bangs of Gold and Silver Coins were visible. "Hmm. Good." "Please choose an outfit from here." As soon as Kelvin said that, the maids presented racks filled with different kinds of dresses. "Hmm." So many to choose from. Ummm¡­ "The peach coloured dress." I like the colour of that dress. "Alright." After the maids left with other dresses. "You can go now too, Kelvin." "Princess¡­" "What is it?" "Just one escort-" "No." I replied instantly. I don''t want anyone to follow me around. "Sigh~ Alright. Then please excuse me." Kelvin bowed and left the room. After that, Anne helped me change my dress. As for accessories, I wear pearl earrings. "My Lady, Your hair?" Hmm¡­ It''s too long. It will stand out. "Do a ponytail so that it looks short." I don''t want to cut my hair for now. "Alright." After a while, I finished preparing. Now, I can finally go out. "Let''s go, Anne." "Yes, My Lady." Anne replied with a smile. ''She is happy. Nowadays, she looks too attractive for me to refuse any of her orders. What the- A spell? She looks too pretty. She will definitely stand out.'' Anne pondered. "What are you thinking?" "N-Nothing." Anne flinched then answered with a flustered face. "Then let''s go." After that, I walked out of my room. Kelvin was standing outside my door. "Princess." "Why are you here, butler?" I asked with a frown. "Don''t worry. I will just escort you till the main gate." "Is that so?" "Y-Yes." Kelvin replied with cold sweat. "Whatever. Let''s go, Anne." "Yes, My Lady." After walking for a while, we reached the palace''s main gate. A carriage was already standing in front of the gate. "Princess, then-" Kelvin forwarded his hand then said. But I already got in the carriage by myself. "I didn''t see your hand." I really didn''t think he would forward his hand to help me get in the carriage. "Pfft!" Anne laughed at Kelvin. But before he could say anything, she hurriedly got in the carriage. Embarrassed Kelvin, coughed then returned to his composed self. "Please have a safe trip, Princess." "Yes." Then a knight closed the carriage door. And soon the carriage started moving with a rattling noise. I looked outside. It''s my first time¡­ I am going somewhere alone in the Loire. I hope everything will go well. * * * After a while, the carriage stopped in front of a commoner town. And we got out of the carriage and started walking. We are now walking on a wide mosaic road. There were different big and small buildings on both sides of the road. "This is where rich commoners live." "Is that so?" "Yes, Princess." "There are so many people here." ''That''s because you are standing out too much.'' Anne thought inwardly. "Anyways, let''s go to a dress shop." Although I want to sightsee, first I should complete my work. "Huh?" "Which one is the most famous dress shop here?" "The Desantis Boutique. I will take you there." "Alright." After that, we both continued walking and after a while, Anne stopped in front of a two-storied building. "This is it, My Lady." I can see the Nameplate from a distance. ''Desantis Boutique'' "Let''s enter." Saying that I entered the boutique. "Yes, My Lady." Anne followed me behind. "Wel-" A girl with glasses halted and looked at us with wide-open eyes. She looks much older than me. Does she want something? Do I have to give her something? "The Lady is here to buy dresses." Anne said with a frown. "Ah. Pardon me. Welcome to the Desantis Boutique." The girl welcomed me inside with a smile. "I am Carlotta, the owner of this shop." "Hmm." It''s so not that crowded here. "Bring out your best dresses." The girl widened her eyes at my words but then fixed her composure and said, "Yes." She brought out different kinds of dresses adorned with different kinds of stones, pearls and ribbons. "Please come here. The servants will help you change." "Yes." I tried on a blue dress first. Gasp* The servants who helped me change gasped. "Wh- Wow~ You look beautiful in this, Lady!" Carlotta said excitedly. "Ah. Thank you." "Then please try the next dress." "Alright." After changing¡­ "It suits you perfectly. Please try the next one." "Yes." And like this, I changed dresses for more than an hour. "Lady! Do you want to be my model?" Carlotta asked with sparkling eyes. "What?" "I will pay you a handsome amount of money." "No." Haa~ I am already exhausted after changing dresses for an hour. "Aww~ That''s too bad." "Anyways bring out some dresses that will suit her." I said pointing at Anne. Carlotta: "Sure~" "What?!" Anne gasped. "My Lady, I don''t need anything." "..." I don''t really need her opinion. I know how greedy she can be. Don''t worry I will make sure to That you pay back later. After that, Anne tried different dresses. "Hmm. We will buy those 3 now." I said choosing three dresses. "Yes. I will ask the servant to pack the dresses right away." "Oh and about the dresses I tried. Take my measurements and fix the dress before the second Princess''s birthday. And send it to the Royal Palace. The bill too." "Th-The Royal Palace?!" "..." Without saying anything, Isabella smiled at the boutique owner. "Then¡­ You-" Carlotta then stopped as if understanding something. She is smart. Well, she is a businesswoman after all. "Here are the dresses." A girl said while handing over 3 bags. "Anne, take those." "Yes. Thank you, My Lady." After that, I paid for the dresses. Phew~ Finally, I can go out. "Please come back again, Lady." "I will try." Sorry but I won''t. I have already bought more than enough dresses. And I will go back to Fellmirr soon. There I have a lovely mother who loves to choose my dress and wear matching dresses with me. I want to see her¡­ Anne: "My Lady? Are you alright?" "Ah-Yes. Let''s go out now." "Yes." "Please come visit us again." I nodded my head and left the shop. "Where do you want to go next, My Lady?" "Hmm. I heard there is a famous bakery here." "Ah. Red Cherry Bakery?" "Yes. Let''s go there. I want to eat chocolate cake there." "Yes. But that place might be¡­" "Huh?" "Nothing. Let''s go, My Lady." After that, we walked for a minute then reached in front of the bakery. But what the- Such a long line! I guess, it really is famous. "My Lady, I will go and inform them that you are the Princess. Then we can enter easily." "No, Anne. You stand in the line and buy the cake. I don''t want ANYONE to know that I am the Princess." "Then what are you-" "I will look around some shops. Here, take these coins and go. I want to eat it as soon as possible." "Al-Alright, My Lady." Saying that Anne hurriedly took the money and stood in the long line of people. "I should go there now." I have to come back before she is done with the cake. Thank goodness, I saw that place on the way here. I don''t have to waste time finding the place. I hurriedly started walking.. And after a minute, I was finally there. Chapter 75 - The Wisdom Tree (Part 6) Episode 70 (A Day Outside) * * * "I hope you didn''t waste my time.'' Isabella said with a frown. "Please believe in me." "Sure~ After I see your work." Isabella said with a shrug. "Yes." The girl said, slumping her head. "Later, then." Saying that Isabella got out of a flower shop. Sigh~ Why am I even here? I didn''t know why but I want to trust her. Anyways I should go back now. It has been a while. Anne must be looking for me. Soon I started walking fast but suddenly- "Isabella?!" Huh? I looked behind. What the? What is William doing here? He was wearing his knight uniform. And behind him was a group of knights wearing the same purple knight uniform. Is he patrolling the area? Aghh! What luck! "Why are you alone? And why are you here?" William asked with a worried face. "Greetings, Crown Prince." "You still didn''t answer. What are you doing here?" What is wrong with him? Since when did he care where I go? "Why? Am I not allowed to get out of the palace?" "What? When did I say that? You can get out but where are your escorts?" "I don''t like to be surrounded by people." "Don''t tell me you came outside without even one knight?" "..." "Sigh~ You don''t know what the outside is like." I frowned hearing him. Sigh~ I shouldn''t talk to him. Let''s just ignore him. I continued walking without saying anything. "Hey! Where are you going?" William said while following me from behind. Isabella: "Wherever I want." William: "Sigh~ I will escort you." What? No way! "That won''t be neces-" "Allen, you are in charge now." Aghh! This guy is not listening to me at all. "Ah-Yes, Captain." The knight with green hair replied. "Let''s go now." Isabella glared at William. But then continued walking as it would be a waste of time to talk to him. And William followed her silently without saying anything. Knight 1: "Whoa~ That''s the First Princess?!" Allen: "You heard the Captain, right? He called her Isabella''. So she must be." Knight 2: "Sh-She is so pretty." Knight 1: "I know, right!" Knight 4: "But I didn''t expect to see her here. And without any escort at that." Knight 3: " Even the Captain was shocked to see her here." Knight 1: "Come to think of it, it was the first time he showed such vivid expression." Knight 4: "Well, if I had such a pretty sister, I would''ve been too." Knight 3: "Mhmm." The knight agreed while nodding his head. Knight 2: "And Vice Captain too." Knight 1: "Aha~ He blushed so hard seeing the Princess.'' "Ahem. We should continue our work, guys." Allen said with an embarrassed look. "Yes, Vice-Captain The Knights replied instantly. After that, the Knights continued their work. * * * "My Lady! Where have you been? I have been looking for you for a while now. Ah-" Anne grumbled worriedly but then stopped looking at William. "G-Greetings, Crown Prince." Anne bowed and greeted William. But William just ignored her. "Did you buy cake, Anne?" "Yes, My Lady." Anne replied, nodding her head. "You can go back now." "Huh? But-" "Can you walk like that?" Isabella said, looking at Anne. Her hands were filled with bags of dresses and cakes. "Ah." "Don''t worry. The Prince is here. So I will be alright." Isabella said with a smirk. "Ah. If you say so." "The coachman is probably waiting where we got off. So return to the palace using that." "Huh? Then what about you?" "The Crown Prince is here. So I shouldn''t have any problem, right?" Isabella said, looking at William. "Yes. So the maid should just listen to her Master." William said coldly looking at Anne. Anne flinched at his word. Then she bowed then hurriedly left for the carriage. * * * "So where do you want to go next?" William asked with a straight face. "To a library. An old one." "A library? But every book is available in the Royal Library." No. There isn''t. "If you don''t want to, you can go back." "Sigh~ Let''s go. So, where is that Old Library you mentioned?" "Follow me. I saw it on my way here." Saying that I started walking without waiting for his reply. After walking for a while, I finally stopped in front of an old building. Whoa~ it''s really old. Ring~ A bell rang as soon as I opened the door. "Welcome." An elder said while sitting on the front desk. "Choose whatever book you want to buy. Then bring it here. You have to pay for it here." "Alright." Saying that I walked towards the old wooden bookshelves. "Hmm~" I have read some of these books. And some of the books are totally irrelevant. Haa~ Was it a waste of time after all? William: "What kinds of books are you looking for?" "You don''t have to know." I replied without looking at him. Tch! Why is he being so annoying! Sigh~ Let''s just buy a random book and return. "You came here to buy ''THAT''?" Huh? What is he talking about? I looked at the book- < Twinkle Twinkle Little Star > Th-This is a kid''s book! "Pfft! Hahaha~" William started laughing while holding his stomach. "Aghh! S-Stop laughing! Do you have any problem if I want to buy this?" Saying that I walked towards the desk where the elder was sitting. Aghh!! So embarrassing! Why did I have to pick this book out of everything! "Here. I want to buy this book." "Hmm~ Is this for your child?" The elder said while looking at both William and me. "What? We are no-" Both of us said at the same time. "Hoho~ It''s okay. It''s okay. I understand." What? Understand what? Ughh! Why is today like this! After correcting the Elder''s mistake we left the library. William paid for the book, Of Course. "Where do you want to go?" "The town''s market." "Sure. Let''s go." * * * The Town''s Market¡­ "My shop''s vegetables are the cheapest and fresh!" "Try out these beautiful accessories. These are beautiful and cheap!" "Try out our spicy kebabs! You can''t find it anywhere in the town''s market!" Whoa~ It''s so lively here¡­ There are all kinds of shops¡­ stalls on each side of the road. People are gathering in each shop to buy different things. "I want to try the kebab." "Huh? But-" "Are you going to pay or not?" "Sigh~ Come on." William sighed and went to the stall then bought the kebabs. It feels good to see his agitated face. "Here." William said, giving me one skewer and he started eating the other one. It smells so good. I took a bite. Mmm~ So delicious! I love meat. We continued walking while eating. "Beautiful young lady! Check out these accessories. They will look good on you." I looked at the stall. Different kinds of accessories with different kinds and colours of stones. Although they are nothing compared to the expensive pieces of jewellery I have. Suddenly a pendant caught my eye. The colour of that pendant¡­ It''s the colour of Leonus''s eyes. Ah¡­ I miss him. I want to see him. "Do you want to buy this, Young Lady? It will suit you." "Will it?" "Yes. You can ask your husband." The lady said with a smile. Isabella: "He is not my husband!" William: "I am not her husband!" Sigh~ Nevermind. Let''s just go to another stall. "Sorry. I don''t want to buy anything." Saying that I continued walking. After that, we went to different shops. And tried different things. Unexpectedly, it wasn''t that bad of a day. IF I forget some embarrassing things. Like how many stallholders mistook us as couples! Are they blind? Anyways, after roaming around for a while, we finally got in the carriage to return to the palace in the afternoon. Rattle* Rattle* It''s awkward as both of us are in the same carriage. Sigh~ Let''s not think about it. I looked outside. There are so many people. They look so kind and loving. But I know that at times¡­ They can be crueller than any monster. How can I forget the people who called me a witch and mercilessly threw stones at me, cursed me to die? Hah! I hate them¡­ * * * "Isabella." "..." "Isabella. Get up. We have arrived." "Ah-" I opened my eyes at William''s voice. We are still inside the carriage. I guess I fell asleep. Isabella: "Hmm." At first, William got down then forwarded his hand. But I was already down. Sigh~ This happened in the morning too. Let''s not just make this even more embarrassing. "Thanks for accompanying me, Crown Prince. And I apologize for wasting your time." I slightly bowed and said. "It was nothing." "Then I will be taking my leave now." Saying that I slowly walked and returned to my room. "My Lady! You have finally returned!" "Yes. I want to take a bath." "Huh? But you already took a bath in the morning." "Shut up and prepare a bath. I am not in the mood to talk." "Ah- Yes, My Lady." Anne bowed and rushed to prepare a bath for me. After a few minutes¡­ "My Lady. Your bath is ready." "Hmm. Let''s go." Anne undressed me then I got into the bath. The lukewarm water is so satisfying. "Anne. Massage my shoulder." "Yes, My Lady." "Ah. You should go to Rubena''s place today." "Huh? Al-Alright. Bu-But what am I supposed to say if she asks about today?" "Make something up. You are the best at lying after all." Anne flinched hearing Isabella''s sarcastic voice. "Anyways, go now. I want to be alone for a while. Return after 10 minutes." "As you wish, My Lady." Saying that Anne left the bathroom. Haa~ I will go there today. If it''s the Guardians¡­ They will surely know something¡­ Yes. Surely.... Chapter 76 - The Wisdom Tree (Part 7) Episode 71 (THE WISDOM TREE) * * * "My Lady. Get up or you will catch a cold." Anne said to Isabella who was sleeping in the tub. "Hmm." Isabella nodded her head and got up from the tub. Splash~ As she got up, water splashed from the tub. Her long wet golden hair covered her pale body. Her drowsy eyes looked so mesmerising. That even Anne who always hated her couldn''t help but blush. After Isabella got up from the bath, Anne wiped her with a white towel. Then she wore Isabella a nightgown. Then she dried her hair with a towel as Isabella was sitting on a chair in front of a mirror. The red rays of the afternoon sun fell on her hair, making her golden hair look red. A cold breeze entered the room fluttering the transparent curtains of the balcony door. The bird''s sweet chirping filled the quiet afternoon. It was a calm afternoon. "Princess, should I bring your food?" Anne said after brushing Isabella''s hair. "Yes." "Yes. Please sit here for a while, My Lady." "Hmm." Then, Anne hurriedly left the room and returned shortly after. "My Lady, here is your food." Anne placed the food on a table and said. Isabella then finished her food by evening. And Anne cleaned the table and took all the dishes away. As the sun went down, darkness covered the whole place. Anne lit up the lamps and the fireplace of Isabella''s room. "Anne." "Yes, My Lady?" "Did you go to Rubena''s place?" "No. I haven''t, yet." "Then, you should go now." "Alright, My Lady." "Oh, and you don''t have to return." "Huh?" "I won''t be having dinner." I already had so many snacks on the market. It''s a wonder how I still could eat more... "But My-" "If I need anything, I will ring the bell." "Ah. Alright." Anne bowed and left the room. Then Isabella went to the balcony. * * * Whoosh~ The gentle breeze fluttered my hair. It has the beautiful scent of burning meadow grass. What a pleasant smell. I leaned on the balcony wall and looked outside. The scenery is really beautiful. The old beautiful trees are dancing along with the breeze. Some maids are walking outside holding a lamp in their hand. Now that I see, the balcony is well-built too. I touched the concrete railing. It''s sturdy. Hmm~ I sat on the railing while putting my legs outside the balcony. Haa~ It feels better. "What are you doing?!" I flinched hearing the voice. I looked in the direction of the voice. Haa~ Why do I keep bumping with him nowadays?! It was William. For a moment, I totally forgot that My room was beside his and so was our balcony. Let''s just avoid him. I turned away my head from him and looked outside. "You are going to fall. Move from there." "..." Haah~ Shut up. I can''t even enjoy my alone time. "Isabella." "Please shut your mouth, Crown Prince. Do you think I don''t care about my life?" "B-But what if you fall?" "I won''t. So shut up." "Sigh~" "..." There was silence for a moment. "Isabella." "Tch!" I got down from the window and went inside my room. Bam* Then loudly closed my balcony door. Sigh~ I should read some books. * * * I read different books about magic until late at night. But found nothing new. Well, I should get going now. I took a lamp and went outside. The Knights are patrolling the other side of the hallways. I should hurry up and get down. I hurriedly closed my door and low-lit the lamp. Soon I got down the stairs then went outside. Thank goodness that there are so many ways to enter and get out of the palace. The last corridor of the first floor has the lowest security. So it wasn''t really hard to get out of the palace without getting caught. After getting out of the palace, I started walking towards the Greenhouse. It took me 10 minutes to reach the Greenhouse. Haaa~ It''s the same as ever. The Giant Crystal Tree, the glowing flowers... Everything is the same. I should enter now- Wait. I don''t have the pendant! How can I get in without it! It was like a key to enter. Aghh! What am I supposed to do?! Ca-Calm down. At least, I should speak out the spell. Then if it doesn''t work, I have to think about something else. Phew~ "Reveal Thyself That Connects Two Realms!" Huh? I knew it won''t wor- Rustle* The giant blue crystal tree¡­ is moving. And soon it took the shape of the huge gate. The gate to the Realm Of Myths. But¡­ How? Is it because of my magic? Then, what was the pendant for? I had this magic in the past too. It''s just that I never realised it. Thud* The huge gate made of Blue Crystal and woods started to move. Creak~ Soon it opened and a bright light filled the greenhouse. I have to go. If I want to find my answers. The Guardians are my only hope. I slowly walked towards the light. After a minute, I finally entered the Realm of Myths. The pleasant smell, the gentle light, the breeze and the purring of small beasts¡­ I am here. Haa~ I took a deep breath. Let''s go, Isabella. It''s time for some answers. I slowly took my steps towards the Golden Castle. The guardians are probably sitting at the round table chatting with each other. But when I reached that place, no one was there. Not a single soul. No. No way. You must be mistaken, Isabella. They must be inside the Castle. Yes. I hurriedly rushed inside the Castle. But no one was there. I searched every nook and cranny but it was all in vain. No. Where did they all go? I slowly walked outside. The Wisdom Tree is still here. But¡­ What am I supposed to do? "No one is here. How am I supposed to find out? Sob*" I fell on my knees in front of the tree, losing my strength and started crying. What am I supposed to do now? Those memories, my unknown power, my return¡­ "I don''t know. I don''t know what to do. I don''t know anything about myself." "Don''t Cry, Child." My eyes widened hearing the voice. I looked up. The wisdom tree¡­ Its wide trunk has the shape of an old human face. And it has real eyes. Just as the colour of its petals. "Zelbon?" "Mhmm." "You are awake?" "Well, I can''t sleep if you cry like that in front of me." "I-I apologize." "Hahaha~ Don''t worry, child. I was just having fun." "R-Really?" I asked with a teary voice. "Yes." "So¡­ Where are the others?" "They are resting. Don''t worry, child. They will be back when the time comes." "But¡­ then what sob* am I supposed to do?" "About your power?" How did he know? "You are thinking how did I know?" What? C-Can he read my mind? "Don''t worry. I can''t read your mind." He definitely can. "I truly can''t." I frowned as it was hard to believe him. "Then how do you know about my power?" "I am the Wisdom Tree. Of course, I know." "Sniff* That doesn''t make any sense." "A-Anyways, you have to learn the name of your power to be able to use it." "What? I came here because I can''t. I don''t know where to find it. At-At least you can give me a clue. Please." "It''s something that is far beyond light, darkness, time or space." "Huh? You mean it''s not one of those magics?" "Hoho. Could be. Could be not." "Why are you making riddles now?" "That''s because you have to find it by yourself." "Tch!" "Oh my! You sure have become an angry one after your return." My eyes widened. What? What did he just say? "My return?" "W-What? I didn''t say anything?" "Did you know?" "Know what?" Zelbon said with cold sweat. "You know that, don''t you? You know that I have returned to the past. Then you do know what I had to go through!" I screamed. Why? "Then why are you still hiding things from me?" "Child, Calm down." "Calm down?! How can I calm down? Everyone¡­ Every one of you knows about me, more than myself. And here I am trying so hard¡­ Sob*" "Listen, child. I know that you have returned. But¡­ I do not have any knowledge about what happened in the future of that past. I swear upon myself." "You expect me to trust you?!" "Anger is never good for oneself, child. It clouds one''s judgement. Throughout history, many great souls have fallen because of this emotion." "Then what should I do? How much longer do I have to bear everything silently? How much do I have to endure? I can''t even reveal my anger?!" I am a living being too. "If you want to know about yourself, find the silver shapeshifter with blue eyes." Blue-eyed shapeshifter? "And to know about your magic¡­ You have to love your magic." "Love my magic? What does that suppose to mean?" "You are afraid of your magic." I flinched hearing that. "At the time you overcome your fear, the fire spirit will reveal it for you." "The fire spirit?" "That is all I can say." "Wait¡­ Then the blue-" But before I could say anything, Zelbon already turned into the normal sleeping tree. Hah! You know everything but you can''t say? Don''t make me laugh¡­ Chapter 77 - The Birthday Banquet (Part 1) Episode 72 (The Art of Midnight) * * * A few Hours Ago... Anne''s way to the maids'' quarter¡­ "Sigh~ What am I supposed to say to that Psycho?" Anne pondered while walking in the hallway. "Hey, you!" Suddenly Anne heard someone''s voice from behind. ''Aghh! I know this voice. So annoying.'' Anne smiled and looked behind. ''As expected, it''s Clara.'' Anne thought to herself. "Why didn''t you go to report the Princess?" Clara asked while frowning. "I was going to report to her today. I was just on my way." "Is that so?" "Yes." "I didn''t know THAT is the way towards the Second Princess''s room." ''Aghh! Sh*t!'' Anne cursed inside. "Well, I can''t just go to the Princess this way. I stink now." ''Although it hurts my pride. But my life is more important than my pride.'' Anne thought to herself. "Ah. Now that I think about it, you do." Clara said while frowning and covering her nose with one finger. ''Da*n this Gorilla. You are the one who stinks.'' Anne thought angrily. "Anyways, hurry up and clean yourself. My Lady is waiting for you." "Yes." Then Clara turned to the other side of the hallway and started walking. ''B*tch!'' Anne cursed while pointing her middle finger at Clara. Of course, Clara didn''t notice anything from behind. After that, Anne returned to the maid''s quarter then shortly after went to Rubena''s room. "Greetings, Her Highness Princess, Rubena Estelle Von Loire." Anne bowed and greeted Rubena. "Hmm. Ane." Rubena said while tilting her head. She was sitting on a chair and as always Clara was standing behind her and was glaring at Anne. ''It''s Anne, b*tch.'' "Yes, Princess." "Why didn''t you come yesterday?" "Actually, after the earthquake, the first Princess started acting crazy." "What? Really??" Rubena asked excitedly. She almost got up from her chair with excitement. "Yes. Yesterday morning, she was crying and begging me not to leave her side. And she also threw a tantrum saying she didn''t want to stay on the top floor because she was scared." "Pfft! Hahahaha~" Rubena started laughing hysterically. Rubena: "Did you hear that Clara? That wh*re has gone crazy?! Pfft! Hahaha~" Clara: "That''s such good news. She deserves it." Rubena: "Aha. Anyways, tell me more." Anne: "Because of her tantrum, the butler was forced to give her a room on the fifth floor." "That doesn''t really matter. She is not on the same floor as me. She can never me." Rubena said with a wicked smile. "Certainly, Princess. She even cried to buy new jewellery. But instead of the Royal Jeweller, she bought them from a Commoner." Rubena: "Pfft! A Commoner! Hahaha! That will suit her perfectly!" Anne: "Today she threw a tantrum like a kid. She wanted to go outside. The poor butler had to let her go as she was crying too loudly." "Aha?" "Yes, Princess. I went with her too. She brought a lot of dresses from a Commoner shop." "Pfft! Oh my goodness. A Commoner''s shop?" "Yes." "Pfft! Those must be ugly, right?" "Some of them are." "Some of them?" "Y-Yes." "Hmm~" Anne gulped her breath at Rubena''s gaze. ''Ahh. Actually, all the dresses were good. But I can''t say that. I mean, his can a crazy person select all the best dresses?!'' "Alright. You can go now." Rubena said with a smile. "Yes. Thank you, Princess." Anne sighed in relief inside. "Oh, and you don''t have to come from tomorrow. I will be busy from tomorrow. I have so many things to do for my birthday. So I won''t have any time for that vixen." "Yes, Princess." Anne then bowed and left the room. "Clara." "Yes, My Lady?" "Make sure to rip all of her new dresses." "Alright." "Anyways when will the¡­ ¡­ ¡­ ¡­" And they continued their chatter. * * * At present¡­ Sigh~ At least I found some clue. For now, I have to think about those. I don''t have time to waste. I have to find the answer to the riddles that old tree has given me. Sigh~ Thinking about this and that, I finally returned to the palace. Right now, I am walking in the hallway of the fifth floor in a daze. It''s still dark. Ah. I forgot the lamp. Sigh~ Nevermind. "Hey! Who is there?" Suddenly two knights came running in the direction I was walking. They must be patrolling the area. "Hey! Who a-" The Knights stopped after seeing my face. They couldn''t see my face until now as it was dark. But because of the golden light of the lamp on their hands, they are able to see me. "..." Are they going to stand like this? Aghh. I am already in a bad mood. "Move aside." The Knights flinched hearing my voice. Knight 1: "Ah. Apologi- I mean who are you?" Knight 2: "Wh-What are you doing here in the middle of the night?" The two knights asked, stuttering. Aghh~ I wish I could slap them too. But I am too tired to speak now. "My room is here." Knight 2: "Ah. Oh my! That means you must be the First Princess. G-Greetings!" Knight 1: "Greetings, Princess. And please pardon us for our rudeness." The Knights bowed and greeted me. "Sigh~ It''s alright. Raise your head." Just get out of my way. "Thank you, Princess." "Thank you, Princess. But What are you doing in the hallway in the middle of the night?" "I was taking a walk as I couldn''t sleep. Now move aside." "Y-Yes. Apologies." The Knights flinched at Isabella''s cold voice then apologized while stepping aside. Bam* I then hurriedly walked inside my room and closed my door. Poof* Then I threw myself on the bed. "Hah~" [ "You have to learn the name of your power to be able to use it." . . . "It''s something that is far beyond light, darkness, time or space." . . . "If you want to know about yourself, find the silver shapeshifter with blue eyes." . . . "At the time you overcome your fear, the fire spirit will reveal it for you." ] I wonder how am I supposed to find all these answers¡­ Well, one way or the other¡­ I have to find a way. I have to. * * * Skrr~ Anne removed the curtains from the window. Ahh~ So bright~ I woke up because of the bright sunshine that touched my eyes. "Greetings, My Lady. I hope you had a great night." No. I didn''t. Anyways after waking up, I washed my face then had breakfast. After that, I took a bath. Now she is brushing my hair. "Anne." "Yes, My Lady?" "Did you go to Rubena''s place, yesterday?" "Yes." "Hmm. So what happened?" "Ah. That¡­" "That?" "I-I said that you were shocked by the sudden earthquake and started behaving strangely." "So in other words, you said I went crazy?" "What? Tha-That-" Anne looked down in cold sweat. "A crazy person¡­ Hah!" Well, I might as well be a crazy person in her eyes. It will be good if Rubena forgets about me until her birthday. I have to prepare a surprise for her after all. ''Wh-Why is she smiling like that? Aghh! She definitely wants to punish me!'' Anne thought in a cold sweat. "Anyways, You can leave now." "Huh?" "What? Do you want to be punished?" "What? N-No." "Is that so?" I asked with a smirk. Isabella: "It looks like you want to though." "No way, Princess." Don''t worry. I am preparing a grand one for you too. "Sure~ Go now." "Yes." After that, Anne bowed and left the room. Hmm~ I should go to the Royal library now. After that, I got up from my chair and started heading towards the Royal Library. I should take some books to my room. It''s bothersome to walk all the way there. * * * After a while¡­ "Greetings, Princess." The Knights guarding the door bowed and opened the door for me. I didn''t say anything and went inside. Hmm~ The Magic section was there. I walked towards the magic section and started seeing some books. I have to learn the name of my power to be able to use it¡­ Learn the name of my power? That means it''s something I don''t know. Is it part of Dark magic? I don''t know much about dark magic, after all. Let''s see if there are any books related to dark magic. I looked for a while but didn''t find anything related to Dark Magic. Let''s just take some books that are related to magic. I started taking some books based on their names. And suddenly a name caught my eye. < The Art Of Midnight > The name seems interesting. And this book was also on the corner. I don''t think any person goes to the corner. Hmm¡­ Someone definitely didn''t want other people to see this. I opened the book. Let''s see. Huh? My eyes widened seeing the contents¡­ What? What are these?! My face feels hot. "Isabella?" Suddenly William asked, popping out of nowhere. Thud* The books that were on my hand fell. Kyaaa~ Did he see that? I hurriedly started taking all the books from the ground. "Are you okay? Let me help you." William said while getting down. Nooo~ If he sees the book, I will die out of embarrassment. "No. I-I am fine." Saying that I hurriedly took all the books in my hand. "I-I will be going." I slightly bowed and ran outside the library. Aghh~ What kind of book is that?! Those drawings¡­ Man and woman lying on the bed¡­ Naked?! And their bodies... Aghh! It wasn''t just that. Oh my gosh! Stop thinking about all that, Isabella. Aghh~ But how can I forget about that? Ju-Just think about something else. Yes. That''s right. Beautiful flowers¡­ Birds¡­ Flower¡­ Bird¡­ flowe... < "Princess¡­" A sweaty Leonus bit Isabella''s ears and whispered with a rough voice. He was lying above her. Breathing roughly. He was gazing deeply at Isabella''s eyes with his blood-red eyes. > Kyaa~ Why did I suddenly think of that?! Oh my goodness! I am ruined! I ran inside my room from the library holding different books in my hand. Burst* "M-My Lady? Are you alright?" "Yes." I replied instantly. Why is she here?! "But your face is red." Aghh! Now my face will be even redder. "G-Get out of my room now, Anne." "Huh? But-" "Hurry up." "Al-Alright." Anne bowed then left the room. I then hurriedly put down all the books on my table. Huff* Huff* Aghh~ What did I just see~! Chapter 78 - The Birthday Banquet (Part 2) Episode 73 (The Cursed Book) * * * "My Lady. I have prepared your lunch." "Come in." Creak~ Anne came in with a tray. Then she placed all the dishes on the table. "My Lady." "Hmm?" "You are holding your book upside down." Isabella flustered hearing that. "Ah. I was s-seeing if I could read a book while holding it upside down. Anyways, I am hungry." "Oh. I see. The food is on the table, My Lady." "Alright." Saying that Isabella closed the book she was reading, or perhaps just holding. Then she got up from the couch and sit on the table and started eating her lunch. And Anne started organising the room. "Ah. My Lady?" "What is it?" "Where should I keep this book?" Isabella looked behind to see what book Anne was talking about. Pfft~ She spits the water she was drinking seeing the book Anne was holding. "Ah. Put it on the table." "Huh? Alright." Anne said, tilting her head. "Anyways, I am done eating. You can take all these back." "Alright, My Lady." Saying that Anne bowed and left the room taking all the dishes back to the tray. . . . As soon as Anne left the room... Kyaa~ It seems like I mistakenly brought this book from the library. It must have dropped with all the other books. And I carried this one here too. Aghh~ What am I supposed to do?! I can''t take it back. What if someone sees me with this¡­ I am doomed. Wait for a second¡­ I can just burn this book. "Yes! The fireplace." Saying that I took the book in my hand and went near the fireplace. Yes. Throw it away, Isabella. Yes. I will throw it into the fireplace. Suddenly- Knock* Knock* "Princess, It''s me, Kelvin. May I come in?" I flinched hearing the sudden knock on my door. Thank Goodness, I haven''t thrown the book in the fireplace yet. "W-Wait a minute." Saying that I hurriedly ran towards my bed and hid the book under the pillow. Then I sit on the couch and said, "Come in." Creak~ Soon the door opened and Kelvin entered the room. "Greetings, Princess." Kelvin bowed and greeted me. "Hmm. So why did you come?" Just hurry up and say whatever you want to say and get out! "I have come to inform you that the Crown Prince told you to join today''s dinner." "Alright. Now go." Just go. "Alright. I will inform him that you won-" ''Huh?! She agreed?!'' Wait¡­ Dinner?! "Wait a minut-" "Alright, Princess. I will go and inform the Crown Prince." Kelvin bowed and hurriedly escaped the room before I could say anything else. Sigh~ Now I have to join their dinner. Anyways¡­ I have to burn the book. I took out the book under my pillow and went near the fireplace to burn it. "Now burn." I said while throwing the book. Clatter* "W-Wait. Why is it burning like that?!" At first, the cover burnt, revealing all the scandalous art of the first page. "Kyaa~ L-Lets not look." Knock* Knock* I flinched hearing the knock. "Oh my goodness!" I looked at the book. It''s burning but revealing all that art¡­ Whaaaa~T?! Where is that man putting his mouth?! "My Lady, May I come in?" "No!" Aghh! Hurry up and burn. Dear lord! What am I supposed to do?! The book is burning so slowly! And those things¡­ Aghh! "My Lady?" "I told you to wait." Sigh~ Water. Where is the water? I looked around and found a jug of water on my bedside table. I hurriedly took the jug and splashed the water on the fireplace. Then I took the book and hid it under my bed. "C-Come in." Creak~ "My Lady, I came here to give you the cake." "Ah. Alright. Put it on the table." You came here just for that?! "Yes." Saying that Anne put the plate of cake on the table. Anne: "Huh? The fireplace." I flinched hearing that. "The fireplace is drenched¡­" "I put the fire out as it was too hot." "Is that so?" "Yes." I said while fanning myself with one hand. "I guess that must be it." "Anyways Anne. You can go now." "Huh? Alright." Anne then bowed and left the room. Phew~ She finally left. But¡­ How am I supposed to burn the book now?! The firewood is wet. Aghh!!! Why is such a thing happening to me?! * * * In the end, I had to burn the book using candles. And in the process¡­ I had to see the entire book¡­ That cursed book took my innocence. The entire day I couldn''t concentrate on anything. Haaa~ Now it''s evening. I am on the balcony enjoying the cold breeze of nature. The place looks so beautiful from here. The maids are lighting up the lamps and the torches outside. They look so tiny from here. Knock* Knock* "My Lady, May I come in?" "Come in." I said loudly as I was on the balcony. "Good Evening, My Lady." Saying that Anne started lighting up the candles and the fireplace of my room. "My Lady. You should get inside." "Later." "Ah. Okay. Anyways, My Lady. What dress will you wear for today''s dinner with the Crown Prince." "Any dress will do." "Alright." Saying that Anne brought out a purple dress and started preparing accessories that will get along with the dress. . . . After half an hour¡­ "My Lady, you have to get prepared for the dinner now." "Alright." After that, I went inside my room. Then Anne prepared me for the dinner. Knock* Knock* "Princess. It''s time for you to join the dinner." Kelvin announced from outside. "Alright." "Enjoy your dinner, My Lady." "Hmm." After that, I got out of my room. "Good evening, Princess. You look marvellous as always." Kelvin said with a smile. "..." I don''t want to say thank you. "A-Anyways, I will escort you to the Dining hall." "Alright. Lead the way." "Yes, Princess." Kelvin bowed then escorted me to the dining hall. * * * "Her Highness, the First Princess Isabella Von Hagen Loire is entering the Hall." It''s my first time coming here. "Isabella? You came?" William said while getting up from his chair. Ah. He is already here. "Should I not have?" "Ah. No. That''s not what I meant. I just thought you wouldn''t come." Well, that would have been the case. If it wasn''t for that cursed book¡­ Aghh~ My face is hot again. "Isabella? Are you not feeling well?" "I am just fine. Thanks for your concern, His Highness." "Ah. Anyways, have a seat." "Yes." I sat on the opposite side of where he sat. "Rubena won''t come. She doesn''t really join the dinner unless the Emperor is here." "I see. So you eat alone." Ah. I didn''t mean to say it out loud. "Yes." William said with a sad smile. Aghh. Now he is making me look like a bad guy. "Anyways, let''s have our dinner, shall we?" "Yes." Clap* Clap* As William clapped his hands, 6 maids entered the Hall and served different dishes. Whoa~ All of them look delicious. "Please enjoy your dinner." "Yes." After that, we started eating dinner. The food was so delicious. I could eat properly as William didn''t utter a word while eating. Anyways after dinner, the maids served some dessert. "Oh. I have something to give you." "Huh?" I wonder what it is. "Kelvin." As William called his name, Kelvin entered the hall. "You called, His Highness?" "Yes. Come here." Kelvin walked towards William. Then William whispered something to Kelvin. "Alright." Kelvin nodded then got out of the room. Well, whatever. Let''s just enjoy my dessert. After a while, the butler came in and handed over a small red box to William. "Here." William forwarded the box to me. "Huh? What is this?" "Ahem. Open it." Aghh. I don''t want it. I took the box and opened it. "This¡­" My eyes widened seeing the thing inside the box. It was the pendant with blue stone, I saw on the market yesterday. "I saw you staring at the pendant. Hope you will like it." My chest feels a little warm. How strange¡­ Ah¡­ It must be because it resembles His eyes¡­ Leonus¡­ I want to see you. "Thank you. I will keep it well." "Ah- It was nothing. I am glad that you like it." . . . ~Chapter Extra~ Phoo~ Phoo~ A knight is walking in the library while whistling. He seems happy for some reason. "Yes.!" The knight said excitedly. ''I can read the limited edition of ''THE ART OF MIDNIGHT'' today. I waited for so long to read that. I had to wait the entire day as the Prince and the Princess are coming to the library nowadays.'' The knight thought with teary eyes. "Let''s hurry up~ ?¡«(¡ä¦Å£à ) I will see those amazing art today." The knight walked towards the magic Section of the library while singing. ''I hid it here as it''s the corner of this huge Library. Hoho~'' "My book. Here I come." Saying that he went to the corner. "What?! What?!" ''Why is it not here?!'' The knight thought in a way as if his soul was leaving his body. ''No way! I hid it here so well. M-Maybe it fell somewhere¡­'' Thinking that the knight desperately started to search the empty place under the bookshelf. He also searched the entire shelf. Looked through thousands of books. "No~ My dear book~" The knight collapsed on the ground. "Where are you?" On the other hand, the book was burnt by someone¡­ Mr Art of the Midnight: ''At least I could teach her something.'' Author and the readers: "Rest in peace, "The Art of Midnight.". Thanks for teaching our Girl. And we are deeply sorry for your loss, Sir Knight." ~End Of Chapter Extra~ . . . Chapter 79 - The Birthday Banquet (Part 3) Episode 74 (Dream) * * * < "Princess." Leonus said with a hoarse voice and started roughly sucking Isabella''s lips. Mmph* Isabella struggled to breathe. Haa~* Unlike other times, he stopped kissing her lips while listening to her struggling. Huff* Huff* Isabella started breathing roughly. "Princess¡­ Do you hate it?" "...No." "Then kiss me back." "Huh?" "You don''t want to?" "That''s not it. I am just shy¡­" "What''s there to be shy about? I am your mate, after all. If you are shy just about kissing. What will you do when I eat you?" "Huh¡­ That¡­" Isabella said with a flustered face. Her face was burning red. "Well, you will get used to it. I will eat you every day, after all." Whispering that Leonus bit Isabella''s lips. > Gasp* I jumped up from my bed. Huff* Huff* Why am I having trouble breathing? And why is it so hot? Haah~ I¡­ What did I just dream about?! Leonus and me¡­ Kyaa~ I covered my face with both hands. I know there isn''t anyone in my room. But still¡­ I am so embarrassed¡­ My face and neck are burning. It''s all because of that Cursed book. I should get some fresh air. Or I could never fall asleep. Thinking that I got down from the bed and walked to the balcony. Whoosh~ A cold wind struck me. It''s so dark outside. Well, it is the middle of the night, after all. And I couldn''t concentrate on anything today. Sigh~ I have to think. Before anything, I have to know about myself. The Silver Shapeshifter with Blue eyes¡­ He didn''t say Beastmen but Shapeshifter. And Silver? Is it Silver hair? But if he can say Blue-eyed then why not Silver-haired? Aghh~ That old tree¡­ Sigh~ Rattle* Rattle* Suddenly I heard a carriage rattling from outside. I looked down. A carriage stopped in front of the Royal Palace. And someone got down. I wonder who it is¡­ Could it be¡­ Mathias?! I trembled at the thought. No. No way. It cannot be him. Yes. Calm down, Isabella. It can be Daniel. Ah. Yes. It must be Daniel. He must have returned from the Academy. Haa~ Let''s just get inside the room and sleep. I have to search for some clues about the Shapeshifter tomorrow. * * * "Good Morning, My Lady- Ah. You are already awake." Anne said while entering my room. I just woke up early today. Is it because I am worried? What if I can''t find it in time¡­ Haa~ "My Lady, are you alright? You look troubled for some reason." "I am okay. Oh. Anne." "Yes, My Lady?" "Prepare a bath for me right now." "But My Lady, please have breakfast before that." "Alright." After that, I got down from my bed and washed my face. Then I had a light breakfast. "My Lady. Your bath is ready." "Alright." I got up from my chair and went inside the bathroom. After that Anne undressed me and I got into the bath. "You can get out." "Ah. Alright, My Lady. I will be standing outside the door. Please call my name if you need anything." Saying that Anne bowed and left. "Haa~ The water feels so good." I miss Ella and Cande. I hope they are doing well. And also mother¡­ and the Emperor¡­ everyone¡­ Sigh~ I will meet them soon. But for now, let''s focus on the things on my hand. The silver shapeshifter with blue eyes, the fire spirit, and my magic. Fire Spirit¡­ Should I ask Daniel? He is a Fire Wizard after all. No. First, let''s read some books about fire magic. If I don''t find anything, then I will ask him, I guess. Sigh~ I sighed leaning on the bathtub. Knock* Knock* "My Lady. You should get up from the bath now. Or else, you will catch a cold." "Alright." Soon Anne entered the bathroom and wiped my body with a towel. After that, I went back to my room and Anne started dressing me up. "It''s done, My Lady." "Hmm." "My Lady, What do you want for lunch?" "Anything will do." "I see." "You can go now, Anne." "Alright, My Lady." Saying that Anne bowed and left the room. Hmm¡­ Let''s read those books I have brought. I got up from the chair and went towards the bookshelf. Then I took some books about magic and started reading them. * * * Haa~ There''s nothing new. I have been reading these books for hours now. Even my back is hurting now. Haa~ Let''s take a break for now. Let''s enjoy some fresh air on the balcony. As soon as I got up from my chair to go to the balcony, someone knocked on my door. "Princess, it''s me, Kelvin. May I come in?" Sigh~ "Come in." I said in an annoyed voice. Creak~ "Greetings, Her Highness, the Princess." "Why did you come here?" "It''s about today''s dinner. The Prince requested you to join the dinner." "No." "Huh? Bu-" "Don''t make me repeat myself. I said, No. So, get out." "Ah. Alright." Kelvin bowed and left the room. Haa~ I can finally go to the balcony now. I went to the balcony while stretching my hand. Whoosh~ Such a cold breeze. Now that I think about it, after her birthday, it will be time for the Mid-Autumn Expedition. William: "Isabella." Aghh! Does he not have any work? Let''s just ignore him. William: "Isabella." Don''t bother. Just ignore him, Isabella. William: "Isabella." "..." William: "Isa-" Aghh. "Oh my. Greetings, Your Highness, the Crown Prince. I apologize. I didn''t notice you earlier." I said with a smile. "Ah. It''s okay." "So do you need something from me?" "Oh, no. But¡­" But? "But will you not join the dinner tonight?" "No. I have already informed the butler." "I really wish for you to join me for dinner." "I ap-" "Please." Oh my goodness. What is wrong with him? Aghh. "N-" "Please, Isabella." "Alright." Ah. Why am I such a pushover¡­ "Thank you so much." "Then please excuse me." Saying that I hurriedly returned to my room. * * * Aghh~ He is so stubborn. Anyways¡­ What should I do now? The books I have here don''t have any necessary information. Aghh. I have to go to the library again. Knock* Knock* "My Lady, it''s time for your lunch." "Come in." I will go there after lunch. * * * Hmm. Which books should I take with me? Aghh. Please don''t let me find any cursed books. Thinking about this and that, I continued walking in the hallway of the first floor. "You-" Huh? I looked in front of me. Daniel¡­ I guess he was the one who was in that carriage last night. Anyways, why does he look so shocked? Whatever. Let''s just bow and pass him. "Greetings, His Highness, the Second Prince." Saying that I continued walking. "You? Is that really you? Did you really come out of your room? Alone?" "Why? Can I not?" "Huh? Of course, you can. I just didn''t expect you." "And it''s Isabella. Not YOU." "Ah. I apologize." Daniel flinched hearing that then apologized. He is weird. "I don''t need your apology." "I... I see." Daniel said in a low voice. Now that I think about it, he warned me about Mathias at that time. Although it was useles- [ "Isabella! Run! Run away!" A boy with red hair screamed desperately. Grrr* A growling monster is in front of me. It looks like a dog. But huge with sharp teeth. Poisonous Saliva is dribbling from its teeth. Huff* Huff* I have to run away. But I can''t move. "I will kill you this time." Huh? Mathias? He looks young. And what is he saying? Kill? Kill me? Huff* Huff* I can''t breathe. ] Aghh* My head! My head hurts! I staggered. "Isabella?!" But Daniel caught me before I could fall. Huff* Huff* I can''t breathe. It hurts. It hurts. Someone. Someone, please stop this. It hurts. My head. It will explode. "Aghh." "Hey! What''s wrong? Isabella! Isabella! Say something." Daniel said, panicking. "My head-" Aghh* Why? Why does it hurt so much? "Your head? Does it hurt? D*mn it! Say something." "Shut up!" I screamed. My head already hurts. His voice is making it worse. Huff* Huff* I can''t breathe. My consciousness¡­ It''s slowly fading. "Hey! Isabella. Open your eyes! D*mn it! Isabella~" The last thing I could hear was Daniel''s panicked voice. As I lost my consciousness right after that. * * * Haa~ I opened my eyes. It seems like I am lying on a bed. I slowly got up. Aghh* My head still hurts a little bit. I remember losing my consciousness. Anyways- "Where am I?" I looked around. This is not my room. And looking outside, it''s probably night. "You are in my room." I flinched hearing the voice and looked beside the bed. Daniel was standing right next to the bed wearing a robe. "Ah. I-I apologize for causing so much trouble." Aghh. Why am I in his room?! Now that I think about it, I was in his arms while losing consciousness. So embarrassing! "What are you saying?" "N-Nevermind. I will return to my room." "Huh? But the phys-" "Thanks for worrying about me. But I am alright now." I said while getting down from the bed. "And I apologize for bothering you. Then please excuse me." Saying that I slightly bowed and walked towards the door. "H-Hey. Wait. Isabella!" Ignoring his words, I hurriedly left the room. Chapter 80 - The Birthday Banquet (Part 4) Episode 75 (The Restricted Section) * * * Aghh* My head still hurts a little. Anyways thank goodness that I entered my room in a hurry. And it seems like that guy still doesn''t know that my room has been changed. Saying that I walked towards my bed. Suddenly- Bam* Anne burst open the door and got into my room. Then she started throwing away questions at me. "My Lady? Are you okay? When did you get here? Did you get here all by yourself?" "..." Ahh. I don''t have the energy to speak with another fool. "Ah¡­ I apologize for entering your room without permission." "..." I didn''t reply to anything and just looked at her without any expression. "Ah¡­ I will do it properly now." Saying that Anne went outside the room and knocked on the door. Knock* Knock* "My Lady. It''s me, Anne. May I come in?" Hah~ Is she serious? "Come in." Creak~ "Greetings, My Lady." Anne bowed and greeted. I waved my hand instead of saying anything. "Anyways, Why did you come here alone, My Lady? I was in the Second Prince''s room with you. But just went out to bring some cold water a minute ago." "Is that so?" "Yes. So I was surprised that you weren''t in the room. The second Prince is still searching for you." Aghh. What an idiot. "Go. Tell him that I have returned to my room and am sleeping now." "Alright." "And don''t tell him that my room is on the fifth floor." "Ah- Okay, My Lady." "But before that, help me change my dress." "Ah. Alright, My Lady." "And you don''t have to return after that." "Huh? But My Lady! What did I do wrong?! Please tell me so that I can correct myself. But please don''t fire me." Hah* What is this fool talking about?! "I said you don''t have to return to serve me today any more. You can go back to the Maids Quarter." "Ah¡­ I see. I a-apologize for grumbling nonsense." After that Anne changed my dress into a nightgown then left the room. Then I jumped to bed. < "Isabella! Run! Runaway!" "I will kill you this time." > Haa~ Those visions¡­ The more I think about it, the more it feels real. Are they really my memories? Then why don''t I remember? And that boy with red hair¡­ Was it Daniel? Does he remember? Should I ask him? Haa~ I turned and laid sideways. Thousands of questions are swirling inside my head. And I don''t know even one of those answers. What am I supposed to do? Will I ever find out? What if I don''t...? I feel exhausted... Soon Isabella fell asleep without realising. * * * Sixth Floor hallway¡­ "D*mn it! Where is she?" Daniel cursed. He looked around the entire hallway but couldn''t find a trace of Isabella. ''The physician said that she needs rest. And malnourished?! Hah! I can''t believe a PRINCESS is malnourished. Who am I talking about? It''s not like I don''t know why. It''s not like I don''t know how she is treated here. Hah~'' Daniel sighed and thought with a regretful expression. "Anyways, I have to find her But where could she be?" ''Wait. Is she in her room? That''s probably it. Let''s go there. But I still don''t understand how she can leave the hallway so soon.'' "Ughh. Whatever. Let''s just go." Saying that Daniel headed towards the stairs. "Your Highness, the Second Prince." Daniel looked behind hearing Anne''s voice. "You¡­ Aren''t you her maid?" "Greetings. I am Her Highness, the First Princess Isabella''s personal maid." "Did you see Isabella?" "Oh. I came to inform you that Her Highness is in her room. And she is sleeping." "Huh? Already?" "Yes. As you might already know she needs rest." ''I guess I was worried for nothing.'' "Alright. You can go now." Saying that Daniel started walking towards his room. "Yes. Have a good night, Your Highness." ''Hah~ I can''t believe the Princes got so worried for My Lady.'' < I was going to enter My Lady''s room just to see if she needs anything. But on the way¡­ "Hey! Isabella! Get up." The Prince said desperately looking at My Lady. She was in his arms. "My Lady?" What happened to her? "Hurry up and call the physician." The Prince ordered the Knights guarding his door. Then he entered his room carrying My Lady. Gasp* "My Lady!" I entered the Prince''s room to see what happened to her. Anyways after a while, the physician came in and checked My Lady''s health. "She is malnourished. Probably nowadays she overworked herself. And that''s why she lost her consciousness. So she needs to eat proper food from now on. And most importantly she needs rest." "Malnourished?" Daniel asked while frowning. "Yes, Your Highness." "A-'' He was going to say something but stopped. "I will ask the healer to come and heal her." Saying that the physician bowed and Suddenly- "Isabella?!" The Crown Prince burst open the door and asked with a loud voice. After that, he stayed in the room for an hour but then left as he had a lot of work to do. > ''I guess he is the Crown Prince after all.'' Anne thought to herself. Then continued walking in the hallway to reach the Maid''s Quarter. * * * "Hey! Hurry up and take that downstairs." "We have to bring those to the Royal Banquet Hall." "Did the maids clean the hall yet?" I woke up to the noise of servants working outside. Haa~ Her birthday is still two days away and they are this busy¡­ Well, she likes everything Grand after all. Sigh~ Suddenly Anne walked into my room. "Good M- Oh my. You are already awake, My Lady?" "... I want to wash my face." "Ah. Yes. I have brought the water." Saying that Anne put a bowl of water and put it on the table. After that, I washed my face and then Anne changed my dress. Then I had the breakfast Anne brought. Anyways I couldn''t go to the library because of Daniel. Today I have to. Thinking about that, I headed towards my door. "My Lady? Where are you going?" "The Royal Library." "Huh? Alright, My Lady." After that, I left my room and headed towards the Royal Library. * * * Hmm~ Dark magic¡­ Magic¡­ Memory Magic¡­ Sighh~ There''s nothing about those books I want to read. Daniel: "Hey? Why the h*ll are you here? You should rest." "..." Aghh! Here I thought I successfully avoided him today. "Hey. Isabella. Why are you here?" "To eat." "Huh?" "Why do people come to the library?" "Ah¡­ I see." Daniel replied awkwardly. I continued searching for my books, ignoring him. "What kind of book are you searching for? Tell me. I will help you find it." "Is that so?" "Yes." "Dark Magic." "What? Why are you looking for that?" "To kill you?" "H-Huh?" "Tch. Stop bothering me if you are not going to help me." "Ah- That. Sigh~ I don''t know why you are looking for that. But did you check the restricted Section of the Royal Library?" "Restricted Section ?" "Ah. It seems like you don''t know. That Section has restricted access to outsiders. Only the Royal Family Members and people who have their approval can enter there." "Take me there." "Huh?" "Won''t you?" "Ah. But didn''t you say you planned to kill me?" "What? When did I say that? I just said to heal you." "Huh?" "So are you taking me or not?" "Alright. Let''s go." Saying that Daniel started walking towards the corner of the library. Hmm¡­ It''s the opposite side of the Magic Section. Anyways Daniel walked towards the last bookshelf and stopped. It''s a dead end. What the? Is this it? I don''t see any other place where we can go from here. Sigh~ What a waste of time! "Hey! Don''t look at me like that. Just wait and see." Saying that Daniel forwarded his hand and took out the last book on the shelf. While holding it, he emitted his magical energy and a glowing seal revealed itself on his hand. The Royal seal of Loire. A lily. And A bright light glowed on the last shelf and the shelf moved itself. The Royal Library is the first floor of the Royal Palace. It has a large collection of books on hundreds of shelves. But the Restricted Section was even larger than that. The architect was also exquisite. Beautiful ceiling with Mahogany wood. And the details drawn on those woods¡­ Whoa~ So this is the restricted Section of the Royal Library. . . . ~ Chapter Extra~ Let''s return to a few minutes ago: "Isabella! Hey! Aghh* listen to me, d*mn it! The physician said you had to rest a bit more" Saying that he got out of his room. But Isabella was nowhere to be seen in the hallway. "Huh? Where did she go? She couldn''t have gone too far¡­" Saying that he continued searching for her. On the other hand, Isabella just closed the door and heard everything Daniel said. ''What a fool¡­ Well. He should roam around for a while.'' Isabella thought with a smirk. ~ End Of Chapter Extra ~ . . . Chapter 81 - The Birthday Banquet (Part 5) Episode 76 (Ezarruin) "Are you going to enter or not?" "Ah. I am coming." I was amazed by the architecture for a moment. "Oh. You have to hold my hand in order to enter." "Huh?" I asked with a frown. "Normally you have to take the Emperor''s permission to enter." I would rather hold his hand rather than seeing or talking with that person. "I see. Let''s go." I said while grabbing Daniel''s hand. Daniel flinched at my touch. He is just looking at me in a daze without saying anything. Is he shocked that I touched him? Ah. I should have taken permission first. "Ah. I apologize. I shouldn''t have touched you without permission." Saying that I was letting go of his hand. But before I could, he grabbed my wrist tightly with one hand. Isabella: "Ah. What?" I looked at his face as I was surprised by his sudden action. But he looks more surprised than me. "I-I am sorry. I didn''t know what came to me all of a sudden." Daniel said with a flustered face. But you are still holding my hand though. "A-Anyways. Let''s get in." Saying that Daniel entered the Restricted Section while holding my hand. As soon as we entered, the door closed from behind by itself. At first, it was dark for a moment. But then suddenly- Whoosh~ A huge chandelier of the ceiling lit up, brightening the entire room. Whoa~ It''s beautiful. I can see the architecture more clearly now. It''s truly breathtaking. Although I can''t see any windows, the room doesn''t feel stuffy. Not in the least. "Alright. You can try to find the book you want." "Ah. Okay. But¡­ That¡­" "Huh?" "I can''t go if you keep holding my hand." "Ah. Sorry." Daniel apologized with a flustered face then let go of my hand. Then without wasting a second, I started looking for the Magic Section. Unlike the normal library, there aren''t any unnecessary sections. But it''s not any rare section either. It wasn''t hard to find the Magic Section after looking for a while. As I was searching, a book caught my attention at first glance. < Legendary Dark Items > Without wasting a second, I took the book and started reading. And in the introduction, one name caught my eyes. < The Dark Orb¡­ Page 255 > Huff* Huff* No way¡­ It can not be that one. The one that¡­ No. Calm down. Let''s read it first. I hurriedly turned on page 255. And my suspicion was confirmed. It really is the orb Mathias was holding that night. The Dark Orb¡­ Ezarruin. * * * < Ezarruin¡­ The Legendary Dark Orb is said to be created by the Lord Of Dark Magicians, Thalrenor Gladshore himself. Legend says all kinds of magic powers (like lightning, poison, fire, space and many more) are stored in it. It activates automatically at the time of need. Or can be used by specific spells. Such an orb can''t be found anywhere. And more than anything, the thing that makes it even more intriguing is that¡­ It can summon dark monsters from the underworld. From low-level dark monsters such as Helldog. A dark stenchy four-legged monster with sharp teeth and pitch-black eyes. To Mid-level Dark Monsters such as Night. The monster of darkness. A monster in the shape of a snake. It is also said that Sauron, the soul of the Lord of Darkness is dormant in the orb. And that''s the reason why the colour of the orb is darker than night itself. Some people say that Sauron has the shape of a human. And it wears a dark cloak covering its face. > Thud* The book fell from my hand. Huff* Huff* My hands are shaking. No. No way. The Monster that killed Ella¡­ And the thing that killed Leonus¡­ It was this¡­ This dark orb¡­ Ezarruin. Huff* I can''t breathe. My head¡­ It''s blank. I can''t think of anything else. But I know one thing¡­ I am angry¡­ Terribly angry¡­ So much so that I am having trouble breathing¡­ Mathias¡­ I will kill you¡­ Suddenly the ground started shaking. "Isabella! Are you okay?" Daniel came running towards Isabella as the earthquake started. But he suddenly stopped. And looked at her with wide eyes. "Y-You¡­ Isabella¡­" Daniel slowly walked towards me while forwarding his hand. Slap* "Don''t touch me." I slapped his hand and passed by him. I don''t want to see anyone now. I have to get out of here. The door was still closed. "Open up!" As soon as I said that, the door suddenly slid open and I got out of the library. "Isabella¡­" Daniel slowly called out her name while looking at his hand Isabella just slapped. "Her voice¡­ It wasn''t normal. It was angelic but also resentful." Daniel said in a daze. When Isabella forbade him to touch her, he flinched. "Her eyes¡­ they were glowing! And that intense aura..." * * * I hurriedly walked towards my room. Fortunately, there wasn''t anyone on my way here or in my room. Haa~ My mind also calmed down after walking for a while. I can think properly now. It was good that I got out of my room¡­ That time the only thing I could think of was killing Mathias. That earthquake¡­ Was it because of me? I looked at my hand. Was it because of my power? "I need to control my emotions." While saying that, I clenched my fist. That orb¡­ Just thinking about that makes my whole body shiver¡­ "Haa~ Calm down." I took a deep breath. I don''t understand. Where did Mathias get that orb? And more than that, how did he enter the Fellmirr Empire with a dark object? Any dark object is forbidden in Fellmirr. And I am quite sure that Every Aristocrat including the Royals of other Kingdoms or Empires had to go through a check-up before entering Fellmirr during the Hunting Festival. So how? How did he get in with that orb? Just how? Why didn''t anyone notice the dark orb? Unless¡­ It wasn''t him. Unless the dark object was sent to Fellmirr before the Hunting Festival even started. I pondered for a while. Suddenly a thought struck me. Anne¡­ Now I remember, Anne was there that night. In fact, she was the one who brought me to the Royal Tents of Loire. But when did she bring that? Was¡­ Was it when I first went to Fellmirr after marrying Leonus? Now that I think about it, I didn''t see her on my wedding day or before that day. She disappeared after saying that she would accompany me to Fellmirr. And only appeared when it was time to go. Huff* Huff* I started breathing roughly. A horrible fact came to my mind. T-Then since when? Since when did Mathias start planning all that? Was it when he decided to send me instead of Rubena? Was it at the Annual Meeting of Waldor? Or even before that? Was he planning to kill Leonus from the beginning? * * * A few days ago¡­ Rattle* Rattle* A carriage is moving on a curvy road in the middle of a forest. It''s night. Darkness is creeping up on the road. The lantern on the carriage is somehow saving the carriage from that darkness. After a while, the carriage stopped in front of an old rundown mansion. In front of the front door, a middle-aged aristocrat along with some servants and maids were standing. It''s as if they are there to welcome someone. Creak~ Suddenly the carriage door opened. And a middle-aged person with pale yellow hair got down from the carriage. "Greetings, His Majesty the Emperor. I am glad you have arrived in time." The Aristocrat bowed and greeted. "Hmm. Get up, Lander." Mathias said with a smirk. It''s as if he is satisfied to see the man bowing before him. "So did you really find it?" Mathias asked with a smile. "Yes, Your Majesty." "Are you certain it''s ''That''?" "Yes. I am certain." "Hahaha~" Mathias laughed hysterically. After a while, he stopped laughing like a madman and said with a smile, "Good. Where is it? I want to see." "That is still in that place, Your Majesty." "What?" "I thought that you should have the honour to first touch ''THAT''" "Ah. I see. That''s right. I should take that out by hand." Mathias smirked while putting one hand on his chin. "You are the most knowledgeable person. But you must be tired after that long journey. Please rest inside for the night." "Yes. I think so too." Saying that Mathias started walking inside the mansion. "Anyways, Your Majesty, I heard that the Second Princess''s birthday is in a week." "Yes." "Are you not going to attend her birthday?" "Yes. I won''t. It saddens my heart. That child might cry and throw a tantrum. But it is for a greater cause." "I understand." "Anyways after I confirm ''THAT'' with my own eyes, prepare a meeting with the Royals of other Empires and Kingdoms of Waldor." "Yes. Your Majesty." "If we really found ''That'' orb, it''s high time to get rid of those disgusting beasts. Hahaha~" Mathias said with an evil laughter that rang through the walls of the dark mansion. Chapter 82 - The Birthday Banquet (Part 6) Episode 77 (Secrets) * * * No. I have to calm down and think of something. I have to know exactly when and how Mathias sent the orb to Fellmirr. And how and where in the world did he get that orb? Anger won''t do me any good now. Phew~ Yes. Let''s just calm down. "My Lady?! You are here! Are you alright?" Suddenly Anne burst into my room and said with a worried expression. "Anne." Anne flinched hearing Isabella''s cold voice. "How dare you enter my room without permission!" "Ah¡­ I apologize, My Lady I was just worrie-" Anne bowed and said while trembling. "Get out." I don''t want to see her face right now. I want to kill her so badly that¡­ I am afraid I will kill her right now... "Ah. Alright." Anne said while bowing. "And don''t come in unless I call you." "A-As you wish, My Lady." Saying that Anne hurriedly got out of the room. Haa~ My body feels weak. Stagger~ Feeling numb, I staggered and fell on the bed. I tried to move but it was in vain. Aghh* I can''t move a muscle. As I laid down straight, I looked at the ceiling. Now that I think about it, my power activates when I am angry. And that earthquake too¡­ And after that, My body feels numb. Haa~ I breathed lightly. I have to control my emotions¡­ Anyways¡­ I am so sleepy now. But I have so much work to d- Haa~ Like that, I fell asleep. * * * "Isabella." I can hear a gentle voice calling my name. "Isabella." But I don''t want to reply. I am too tired. "Isabella¡­" Aghh! I want to sleep. Stop bothering me. "My dear child¡­" The voice said while gently patting my head. "Get up, dear child." Haah~ I give up. I slowly opened my eyes. I am lying on a beautiful lady''s lap. She looks a few years older than me. Purple Hair and Purple Eyes¡­ I think I saw her somewhere¡­ But where? I can''t remember. "You finally woke up, child." The lady said with a gentle smile. "Who are you?" "Oh my! You forgot again?" Huh? Forget? That means I really know her. "I am your mother." My eyes widened. I hurriedly got up. Mother? Suddenly some forgotten memories kept flowing in my head. < "You have grown so much¡­ My sweet little girl¡­ Your father would have been so happy to see you¡­ " . . "There. There. You have gone through a lot, haven''t you?" . . "You have gone through a lot, my child. And that is what will make you truly strong. Now. Get up. Remember, ¡­. ¡­. ¡­." > Aghh* My head hurts again. "Breath. Breath, my child." The woman said while patting my back. After a while, my headache stopped as if it never happened to begin with. "Why, mother? Why did I forget? Why can''t I remember anything?" "That''s because you haven''t found the ¡­ ..., yet." What? Why can''t I hear some words? "Mother. I can''t hear your words. I didn''t hear you properly last time either." "That''s because You will find them out later." "Huh?" "You have to find them out by yourself, dear child." "What? I don''t even know what to find¡­ I don''t know what I am searching for¡­ I¡­ sob*... Don''t even know myself¡­" "Don''t Cry, baby. You will know soon enough." "..." I didn''t say anything and just continued crying. "Listen, child. Memories are important. Sometimes they are everything. Your existence itself lies within those. But sometimes they are just a burden. It will make your life hell. You will wish that you didn''t know the truth. The people you trusted, the people you think you know¡­ Sometimes things aren''t just what we see." Mother said with sad eyes. But why? Why do you look sad? "Things might look complicated to you now but... The key to your memories is right in front of you. So carefully observe your surroundings. You will find the answers soon enough. All your Forgotten Memories and all the Secrets¡­" Mother said with a smile. A smile that will burn one''s worries away. "Yes." "Now wake up." "But I am afraid. What¡­ What if I forget you again?" "You will." "Hu-" "But once you find the ¡­ ¡­, you will remember everything. Everything¡­ After all, you are his ¡­ ¡­" Huh? What? What did you say? Mother! Gasp* "Mother!" I woke up startled. Huff* Huff* What? What just happened? I dreamt about something important¡­ But I can''t remember. Aghh* My head still hurts a little. Anyways, what did I just say? Mother? But I don''t even remember a thing about her. Did I dream about my mother? Aghh* My head¡­ It hurts. I looked outside. It''s dark. Is it night already?! Ring* Ring* I rang the bell that was on a table beside the bed. And in a minute, Anne came in. "My Lady, did you call me?" "Yes. What time is it?" "It''s night, My Lady." "..." "T-Two hour past evening." "I see. Prepare a bath for me." "Huh?! But you will catch a col-" "Just do what I say. My head hurts. So don''t make me repeat myself, Anne." "Ah. Alright." Saying that Anne got out and prepared a bath. After a while, Anne came in and said, "My Lady, your bath is ready." "Alright." Saying that I got up from bed and went to the bathroom. After Anne helped me to undress, I got in the bath. Soon Anne started massaging my shoulder. "That won''t be necessary." "Huh?" "Go and prepare my food. I am hungry." "Ah. Alright." Saying that Anne got out of the bathroom. After that, I peacefully took a bath. Haa~ My head feels a lot better now. "My Lady, what should I do with your hair?" Anne said while brushing my hair. "Leave it like that." "Alright." After that, I ate my dinner. Then Anne left my room. Haa~ What should I do now? "Hmm, ~ Let''s go to the balcony for a moment." Saying that I walked towards the balcony. Hmm¡­ There is no moon tonight in the sky. But it''s filled with thousands of stars. I wonder if it''s like this in Fellmirr too¡­ Whoosh~ The wind is really chilly today. "Y-You You!" I looked in the direction of the trembling voice. Ah. It''s him. I forgot for a moment that his room is also beside mine. "How are you here!" Daniel asked with shaky eyes. "Why can''t I be here?"(©`_©`©a) He is so stupid! I can''t believe he still didn''t know that my room is moved. "I mean, aren''t you supposed to be in your room now?" "Well, is this your room?" "What? D-Don''t tell me! Did you move to this room? When?" Aghh! Forget it. I don''t want to talk to him. "Isabella!" Sigh~ I can never peacefully stand on the balcony. "Hey, did you ever see a monster when you were little¡­ like 5 or 6 years old?" "Huh? You didn''t rep-" "Are you going to say or not?" "No! You have to answer me first." "Is that so?" "Yes." "I see." Let''s just go back. Without saying anything, I walked towards my room. "Hey! Are you going back?! Aghh! Alright. I will tell you." Daniel said with a crying voice. Pfft! I can see tears in his eyes. "Well, while training I did fight with some." "I said when you were LITTLE, idiot." "What? Idiot?" "..." "Aghh. No." "Are you sure?" "Well, duh. How can I see a monster when I am just a child?" "Hmm. Who knows? Probably someone left a monster in the palace to kill you." "What nonsense! How can a monster enter the Royal Palace?" "They can''t?" "Of course not, silly." Judging by his reaction, it doesn''t seem like he is lying. Then that little boy I saw in my visions¡­ <"Run! Runaway, Isabella!"> Hmm¡­ Was it not him? Or perhaps¡­ He doesn''t remember¡­ "Hey, did you ever feel that you don''t remember something important?" "Huh? Something I don''t remember?... Hmm¡­ Now that I think about something like that did happen. A long time ago. But not now." "A long time ago?" "yes. The last time I felt like that was after Grandfather''s death." My chest clenched hearing that. That means¡­ He doesn''t remember. But why him? "Hey? Are you okay?" Daniel asked with a worried face. "What do you mean? I am perfectly fine." I said with an aloof expression. "Ah. Alright. If you say so." There was silence for a while. Hah~ I should get inside now. "Hey. Are you going back?" "Yes. I don''t plan to spend the night on the balcony. If you plan to, you can. That is if you are an idiot." Saying that I headed towards my room. "Ah¡­ You don''t have to say it like that." Daniel said with a pout. Without saying anything I just waved my hand and got inside. Click* I closed the balcony door and sat on the couch that was in front of the Fireplace. Anyways¡­ It seems like it is not just me who lost memories¡­ Daniel¡­ And Grandfather¡­ Why are you always there when I have some suspicion, Grandfather? I hope you are what I think you are.... Chapter 83 - The Birthday Banquet (Part 7) Episode 77 (THE ELDER STONE) * * * Silver Shapeshifter¡­. Is it Beastmen? Aghh! No. It can''t be. I have already thought so many times. A human shapeshifter? Appearance Changer¡­ Wait¡­ Does it have to be a living thing? Aghh! What are you thinking Isabella?! How can a non-living thing have eyes! Sigh~ But¡­ If by any chance¡­ If it''s not a living thing¡­ Then what? What could that be? A Silver Shapeshifter with blue eyes¡­ Silver¡­ Blue¡­ Colour¡­ Suddenly a sudden realization came to my mind. I stood up from my chair in shock. No. No way¡­ Can it¡­ Can it really be that? Can it really be what I think it is? No. Before assuming anything¡­ I need to be sure¡­ Be sure of What a shapeshifter is¡­ * * * I rummaged through different books on my desk. I found some books about Beastmen, but not a single one about Shapeshifter. And my night passed by searching and reading through books to learn about Shapeshifters. As a result, I couldn''t get a wink of sleep. Chirp* Chirp* It''s already morning now. Aghh. I have to find books about Shapeshifters soon. But I don''t have much time. Tomorrow is Rubena''s Birthday. There will be a Congratulatory Banquet in the morning which will go on till noon. And a Dinner Banquet at night. And after her banquet¡­ that person will return. I won''t be able to move around freely then. I don''t want to attract too much attention when he comes back¡­ If he gets suspicious, he might send Rubena to Fellmirr instead of me. That will be troublesome. Although I will never let that happen¡­ Creak~ Suddenly Anne came in while slowly opening the door. She has a bowl of water in her hand. "Ah. My Lady, you are already awake. But what are you doing on the floor? And what are all those books..." Anne said with wide eyes looking at Isabella who was sitting on the floor surrounded by mountains of books. Ah. I was sitting on the floor as it felt much more convenient. And I can concentrate more this way. "Hurry up and prepare my breakfast." I don''t have much time. I have to hurry up. "H-Huh?" "Tch! Don''t make me repeat myself." Isabella said while clicking her tongue. "Ah-Alright." Saying that Anne left the bowl on the table and hurriedly left for the kitchen. Then I got up from the floor and went to wash my face. After a while, Anne returned to my room with a tray. "Hurry up and put it on the table. I will eat my breakfast. And meanwhile, you prepare for my bath." "Ah- Yes, My Lady." "Oh and prepare a comfortable dress for me. A dress in which it will be comfortable to move." "Alright, My Lady." Saying that Anne hurriedly put down the plates of food on the table. Then I started eating my breakfast and Anne went to prepare my bath. I hurriedly finished eating then took a bath. Anne prepared a high collar white top with a long black skirt for me to wear. It''s really convenient to move, wearing this. "My Lady, your hair?" "Do a ponytail." "Alright." After my hair was done, I hurriedly left my room and headed towards the Royal Library. * * * Hmm~ This is not it either. Haa~ There aren''t any books about Shapeshifters. I found a book that had just a line about Shapeshifters. < Shapeshifters are those who change their shapes. > Aghh! I already know that. Sigh~ I have already read so many books. I don''t think there will be any book about Shapeshifters here. Then¡­ I looked in the direction where the Restricted Section was. I guess I have to there. But can I go there without permission? Should I call Daniel? Aghh. I don''t want to. Nevermind. Let''s try to get in first. Maybe this door will also open just like the Gate to the Realm of Myths. Yes. I should try first. Being hopeful, I walked towards the bookshelf where the door to the restricted section was. After that, I took out the last book on the shelf. Hmm. Then what? Now that I think about it, Daniel probably put his magical power in the book. Then a golden lily showed up on the back of his hand. Haa~ I don''t want to do it, but I guess I have no choice. I tried to emulate my magical energy in the book. Hmm¡­ A few moments later¡­ Kyaa~ I knew it wouldn''t work. So embarrassing! I covered my face with both hands after putting the book back on the shelf. I know my face is red now. So embarrassing! "What are you doing standing there?" Suddenly I heard Daniel''s voice from behind. Aghh! Why is he here?! "N-Nothing." "Pfft! Did you try to enter the Restricted Section on your own?" Daniel asked with a smirk. Aghh. So embarrassing! I closed my eyes in embarrassment. "Pfft!" Daniel stopped his laugh with a hand on his mouth. Aghh. I will return when he goes back to his room or wherever. "Let''s go. I will open the door for you." Daniel said while holding my wrist with one hand. Then he took the book from the shelf with the other hand. And whoosh~ A glowing lily revealed itself on the back of his hand. Grrr~ Then the bookshelf moved from the way. After that, we entered the Restricted Section. "So what are you trying to find? I mean which book?" "A book about Shapeshifters." "Huh?" "What?" "N-Nothing. You are searching for weird books. First Dark Magic then Shapeshifter?" "..." "Ah. Alright. I will give you one book." Seeing Isabella''s aloof expression, Daniel said with cold sweat. Then he walked towards a bookshelf and brought out a book. "Here you go." Daniel said while handing me over a book with a purple cover. < Transformation Magic Art > I took the book and went to the corner of the room. There I sat at a table and started reading its Introduction. < Chapter 11: Shapeshifters¡­ ¡­ Page 175 > I hurriedly turned on page 175. "Let''s see." * * * Transformation Magic is the Advanced Form of Shapeshifting Magic. In Transformation Magic, a Wizard can change his or her outer appearance the way he wants. In this magic, his Magical Ability or Power can be concealed. It''s best for an Assassin Wizard. On the other hand, Shapeshifting Magic is part of Ancient Magic. In this magic, wizards not only change their outer appearance but also their core. Although they can change into only one form. But in this magic, they have a boost on one or more of their Magical Ability. But it''s a lost art of Magic. Although there is a group who bear this ability in their blood. They are the Beastmen. When they shapeshift into their human form their Magical Ability increases. And when they turn into their beast form their core magic and strength increase. We know that Shapeshifters are only living beings. But there is a legend of a stone that can shapeshift. Although nothing more can be known of this legend. Just that, this stone can change into any shape it wants. < The Elder Stone > What? A stone that changes its shape. I knew it. My guess was right. But I still need to know about its appearance. And what''s the legend?! Aghh! These books always leave me in the middle of nothing. "Hey! Are you done reading?" "Daniel!" Daniel flinched hearing his name from Isabella''s mouth. "W-What?" "What is the legend of the ELDER STONE?" He might know. He is an Academy student after all. "Huh?" "What is it?" "That¡­" "Hurry up and tell me." "I don''t know." "What? You don''t know?" Isabella asked with a low voice. But then... "But I know a book that has the story." "Huh? Really?" I asked excitedly. "Yes. It''s in Grandfather''s Library." Really? Grandfather''s library¡­ Thank goodness he knows about that book. Wait for a second¡­ What did he just say? Grandfather''s library? "Y-You¡­" I looked at Daniel with wide eyes. "How did you know?" "What?" Daniel replied with cold sweat. ''D*mn it! My mouth slipped!'' Daniel cursed inside. "You. How do you know about the Library?" "What? Grandfather''s Library? When did I say that?" "I didn''t say that it was Grandfather''s Library though." What a lousy Liar. ''Aghh! D*mn it!'' "I-I went there once I was little." "..." "There I saw the book once. THE ELDER STONE." "..." How am I supposed to believe him¡­ "What? Why are you looking at me like that? I am telling the truth." "Is that so?" "Yes. I promise." Haa~ Whatever. At least, because of him, I can read the book now. "Alright. Then I will leave now." "Okay. Let''s go." Saying that Daniel holds my hand. "Huh? What are you doing?" I asked with a frown. "What? Why are you looking at me like that? We have to go outside together." "What?" Then how did I return alone yesterday? Ah. I guess because my power was activated then. Isabella: "Nevermind.. Let''s go." Chapter 84 - The Silver Shapeshifter (Part 8) Episode 78 * * * After getting out of the restricted section¡­ "I will go now. I have some work to do." Daniel said with a smile. I didn''t ask you to tell me though. "I don''t really care." I said with an aloof expression. Then started heading out of the library. "Bye, then." Daniel smiled and waved his hand. After getting out of the Royal Library, I started walking in the Hallway to return to my room. Aghh* My head hurts. It''s probably because I didn''t sleep last night. Hmm. I need to ask Anne for a cup of ginger tea. "Greetings, Her Highness the first Princess." Albert said with a bow. He seems to be walking towards the Royal Library. And he is wearing a glass it seems. "Hmm. Get up." "Thank you." Albert replied politely. Hmm. He looks tired. Well, he is busy doing all of Mathias''s work. Hmm. Does he know where Mathias is? "Albert." "..." Albert flinched hearing Isabella calling his name. He dazed at Isabella with wide eyes without saying anything. What is wrong with him? "Albert?" He still didn''t reply. Is he so tired that his head stopped working or something? "Hey, Albert." I said while poking his right arm with my finger. "Ah. I-I apologize, Princess." Albert said with a flustered face. "It doesn''t matter. You probably lost your mind taking care of all the Emperor''s work." "Ah. That''s my duty." "Is that so?" I asked with an aloof expression. "Yes." "Whatever you say." I bet you do Mathias''s work better than he does. "Anyways, I have a question." "Yes. Please ask me anything." "Do you know where Mathias went?" "Huh?" Albert asked with a confused smile as if he didn''t understand what I just said. "Huh?" Why is he looking at me like that? Did I ask something wrong? There was silence for a moment. "Princess. What did you just say?" Albert asked with a smile but his lips are definitely twitching. "Ah that¡­ I asked where the Emperor went." Aghh! My head also stopped working! I mistakenly called him by his name. "No. You definitely called the Emperor by his name." Haaa~! I guess I have no choice. "Wha~t? How can you say tha~t? Sob* How can someone like Me dare to take the Emperor''s name? Sob*" I sobbed with tearful eyes. I have to act pitiful. "Ah. Princess¡­" "I can''t believe you think I called His Majesty by his name. Sob* Me? How dare I? Sob* Well, I guess... It doesn''t matter. If you think I did, you can kill me right here. Such sin! Sob*" I sobbed while covering my mouth. "What?! No way, Princess. I-I must have misheard it." "Sob* You definitely did. Sob*" "Yes. It''s my fault." "Sob*" I can''t believe Rubena''s trick would help me someday. "Please stop crying. I will tell you where the Emperor went." "Really?" "Yes." "You don''t have to. But if you insist." I said while wiping my tears. "He went to the SHADOWMOSS territory." "I see. I was just worried that His Majesty won''t be able to attend Rubena''s birthday banquet. She will be so upset." "Ah. Yes¡­" Albert replied with a look as if his soul already left his body thinking about that. "Anyways I don''t want to bother you. So I will take my leave now." Saying that I hurriedly walked toward my room without looking back. Aghh! I hope he forgets about our conversation today. Albert watched the running figure of Isabella from behind. "Pfft* Hahahaha~" Albert burst into tears after he couldn''t see Isabella''s back in the hallway anymore. ''She definitely did call him Mathias. I can''t believe I let her slip out of my hand. It was a good opportunity to make her owe me one. And to think I was flustered seeing her crying. Although I know it was fake...'' Albert thought while removing his glass. "Weird¡­ I didn''t hate it for some reason¡­ Those fake tears... If anything... It was cut-" ''N-No way! What did I just say?!'' Albert thought while putting the fingers of his hand on his mouth. Hah!* Albert chuckled. "Anyways she looked like a squirrel running away after stealing a nut¡­" Albert said with a smirk. "The First Princess¡­" Albert said while sweeping his hair back with one hand. ''To think she also hates that bastard¡­'' "Interesting¡­" Albert said in a daze. His dark eyes seemed to be glowing. ''Anyways, I should get going. I have to deal with that troublesome Princess after all.'' Thinking that Albert put on his glass and put his hair down. Then continued walking. * * * "Ah. My Lady! You are here." Anne said, running towards me. She just got out of my room. "..." "I was just going to look for you, My Lady." "Why? What is it?" "Oh. The dresses from the Desantis Boutique have arrived." Anne said with a smile. "Is that so?" "Yes." "Alright let''s go. Oh, go prepare a cup of ginger-tea for me." "Huh? Ah. As you wish, My Lady." Saying that Anne bowed and headed towards the kitchen. And I entered my room. "Greetings, Princess." Kelvin bowed and greeted calmly. Carlotta: "Greetings." I see Carlotta brought the dresses herself. "Get up." Saying that I sit on the couch. "Princess, I have brought the dresses you ordered." "Good." "I will show them to you." Saying that Kelvin clapped his hand and some maids entered the room with a rack of dresses. Wow~ They really are beautiful. Some of them are more beautiful than the Aristocrat Boutique. Well, I guess the Aristocats'' pride doesn''t let them buy dresses from a Commoner''s shop. "Kelvin." "Yes, Princess?" "Did you send the payment for the dresses?" "Yes, My Lady." "Good." "The dresses of your boutique are beautiful." I said looking at Carlotta. "T-Thank you, Princess. I hope you will buy more dresses from us." These dresses are more than enough for me to wear before going to Fellmirr. "Sure~" If I stay here that is¡­ "Anyways you can excuse yourself." I said while waving my hand. "Yes." Then both Kelvin and Carlotta bowed and left my room. Sigh~ I am so tired. Let''s lay down for a while. I got up from the couch and lay on the bed. Haa~ It never felt better. And within a minute, I fell asleep. Knock* Knock* "My Lady. May I come in?" Anne knocked from outside. "..." But there was no response. "My Lady?" ''Did something happen? Why isn''t she saying anything? Should I go and check? But what if she gets angry?'' Anne pondered. "Aghh. Let''s just go." ''If she gets angry, I will just say that I thought she permitted me to enter.'' Thinking that Anne entered Isabella''s room. "My Lady, I-" ''Huh? The butler and that boutique owner already left. But where is My Lady?'' Thinking that Anne looked around. Then she looked at the bed. There a peaceful Isabella was seen sleeping. ''Huh? She is sleeping? She looks so pretty. Like an angel. D*mn! I never thought there would be a day when I would think she is pretty. Her sleeping face looks so innocent. Haaah~ I wish she were like that in her waking state too. Nowadays, there''s always a frown on her face. She gets angry easily too¡­ Haa~'' "Anyway, I should let her sleep. She will definitely get angry if I try to wake her up." ''But it''s already noon. What about her lunch?'' "Nevermind I will wake her up after an hour. Anyways, what should I prepare for her lunch?" ''She seems to be enjoying meat nowadays. A dish of¡­. ¡­. ¡­.'' While thinking about what dish she should prepare for Isabella''s lunch, Anne slowly left the room without making any noise. * * * Haa~ I got up from bed while stretching my arms. I had a good sleep. Hmm¡­ What time is it? I looked outside. I can see the red glow of the sun. It''s afternoon already? Sigh~ I am hungry. Ring* Ring* I took the bell that was on the table beside the bed and rang it. Soon after Anne entered the room. "My Lady, you woke up?" "I am hungry." "Ah. I see." ''That''s obvious. You didn''t eat your lunch after all.'' Anne sighed and thought about what happened two hours ago... < "My Lady." Anne slowly called Isabella. "..." "My Lady¡­" "Ughh. Go away." "My Lady, you have to eat your lunch." "Tch. I will eat later. So just go." Isabella clicked her tongue and said with annoyance. "Huh? But the physician asked you to-" "Don''t bother me, Anne." Isabella said in a drowsy state. Haa~ While sighing, Anne left the room. > "I will prepare your food right away." Saying that Anne bowed and left the room. Anyways, I have to go to Grandfather''s Library tonight. I have to read that book. Hmm¡­ Now that I remember, Daniel said he went there when he was little. Did Grandfather take him? But then I should have seen him. Why don''t I remember? Or perhaps Grandfather took him secretly to the Library without letting me know. Hah! It''s funny because that sounds true. If it was before, I would have never doubted him. Well, just a little bit more¡­ I Have to wait just a little more¡­ I will remember my memories soon. Then your secrets too¡­ Grandfather. . . . ~ Chapter Extra ~ Hi there guys! It''s Ella. Did you miss me? Hoho~ Although you will continue to. Anyways today I am not here with the main story. Just some stuff to let you know. Did you ever wonder how Me, Cande or that witch finds out whenever the Princess rings the bell? I will tell you. It''s because of a magic spell. It''s cast on the bell and us(The Princess''s Personal Maids). So no matter where we are, whenever the Princess rings the bell, we will always be able to hear it right away. Anyways that''s all for today. If you are wondering when I will officially be in the story¡­ I will give you a hint¡­ It''s after all the Secrets of Loire has been revealed. (Whisper) Anyways bye~ ~ End Of Chapter Extra ~ . . . Chapter 85 - The Silver Shapeshifter (Part 9) Episode 79 (Once A Timid Princess) * * * Knock* Knock* "My Lady. May I come in?" I guess she is back with the food. "Come in." After a while, Anne came back and I finally had my lunch¡­ in the afternoon. "Hmm. Anne." "Yes, My Lady?" "What is Rubena doing?" "The Princess is in her room preparing for tomorrow''s banquets." ''More like torturing her maids.'' Anne thought inwardly. "Is there anyone in the garden now?" "No. The Crown Prince is working on his study. And about the second prince, I don''t know where he is. But he is definitely not in the garden." "Alright then." I said while getting up from the couch. "Huh?" "I want to go on a walk in the garden." I need to see if any Knights are guarding there. "All right. Let''s go, My Lady." "I am going alone." Saying that I got out of my room. Then I started walking towards the Royal Garden. After walking for a while, I finally reached there. Whoosh~ The sweet scent of Roses that is flowing with the gentle breeze caused a tingling sensation in my nose. I looked at the sky. Beautiful fluffy white clouds are floating leisurely¡­ Although because of the red glow of the sun, the cloud looks more orange rather than white. I guess it will be evening soon. I looked around the garden. One side of the garden was filled with Chrysanthemums of different colours. Another Red rose. I slowly started walking behind the palace. I need to see if there are any Knights there. Whoa~ The back of the palace has bushes of Blue Roses. Blue Rose¡­ My imprint also had blue roses. Imprint¡­ Aghh¡­ All the shameful memories of that night came to my mind. How could he do it? Kissing like that¡­Wasn''t he even a little bit embarrassed? My cheeks and ears are burning again. Aghh. I should hurry to check out then return to my room. Thinking that I hurriedly walked towards the annex. Hmm~ The path¡­ It''s empty as usual. Anyways I shouldn''t walk any further. It will be troublesome if someone sees me walking towards the Annex. Caw~ Caw~ The crows are cawing their life out. Haa~ It''s already evening. Now that I see, the sky looks reddish-purple. Beautiful~ The sky with vibrant shades of purple and red¡­ The cold breeze along with the smell of burning meadow grass¡­ The rustling sound of huge tree leaves dancing along with the breeze¡­ Aghh. I don''t want to go back. But I have to¡­ Thinking that I slowly started walking back to my room. * * * "What?! How can this be?! When did this happen?" A girl asked with an anxious voice. "We don''t know." Some other girls replied with a dull voice. "What do you mean you don''t know?" "..." "Aghh! What am I going to do now? My Lady will return any minute now. What will My Lady wear for tomorrow? Ughh!" Isabella was standing just outside the door. And those voices are coming out of her room. One of them definitely belongs to Anne. ''Sigh~ What happened now?'' Isabella sighed then slowly entered her room. "Ah. My Lady! Y-You are back already." Anne panicked, seeing Isabella. The other maids were also standing while bowing their heads but their faces had an annoyed expression. "What happened?" Saying that Isabella walked toward the couch and sat cross-legged while putting her hands on the armrests of the couch. "T-That¡­" "You know that I don''t like to repeat myself." Isabella said with a cold voice. Anne flinched hearing that and said nervously, "Th-The dresses which arrived from the Desantis Boutique¡­ Were... all ripped apart." Anne said while tightly closing her eyes. "What?" Everyone present in the room flinched hearing her cold voice. "T-That¡­" "And how did that happen?" Isabella asked while leaning her chin on one hand. "I-I went outside of your room for a little bit. When I returned I asked some maid to bring out your dresses. I thought it would be better to choose what dress you will wear tomorrow in advance. But when they went to bring the dresses¡­ They were already ripped apart." "Hah! And not even one of you knows who did that?" Isabella scoffed. The other maids started sweating hearing Isabella''s cold voice. To them, she was just a timid girl who was born a Royal. They didn''t really care about her dresses. ''Aghh. What can that stupid Princess even do? If we just apologize, she will smile like a fool and forgive us. Stupid.'' That''s what their thoughts were. But now the situation is totally different from what they assumed. ''Wh-What is happening? Why does she sound so terrifying?'' The maids thought while gulping their saliva. "Go and bring Kelvin here." "Y-Yes, My Lady." Anne said while bowing. "W-We will also go." One of the maids said with an awkward smile. The other maids also looked at Isabella with a proud expression. As if Isabella should be happy that they were helping her. "Hu~h?" Isabella said while tilting her head. "I don''t remember giving you permission to raise your head, forget about speaking." The maids flinched hearing Isabella''s apathetic tone. "W-We apologize, Princess." The maids bowed and begged with a trembling voice. "And what are you standing there for? Did I not tell you to go and bring Kelvin?" "Ah. Ye-Yes. I will be going right away." Saying that Anne bowed and hurriedly left the room. After Anne left, Isabella turned her head towards the maids. "P-Princess, please forgive us." "Should I?" Isabella said with a calm voice. ''S-She definitely sounds calm. B-But why am I trembling?'' The maids thought the same thing. "Sure. I should forgive you. You guys also need some rest. You must have been tired of working all day long in this huge palace." "P-Princess!" The maids said in a tearful voice. ''Haa~h! Thank goodness. I knew she was the same. How can a fool change so suddenly? I was worried for nothing.'' The maids thought at the same time. "T-Thank you, Princess." Knock* Knock* "My Lady, I have brought the butler." "Come in." Creak~ Anne and Kelvin entered the room at the same time. Anne stood beside the maids and Kelvin in front of Isabella. "G-Greetings, Princess." Kelvin bowed then greeted with cold sweat. It seems like Anne told him what happened on the way. ''W-What?! The butler is speaking politely to her?!'' The maids were shocked at the sight of Kelvin bowing to Isabella. "..." Isabella didn''t say anything and just continued looking at Kelvin. ''Aghh! She is definitely angry. She is not asking me to get up.'' Kelvin panicked inwardly. "I assume Anne informed you about what happened." "Y-Yes." Kelvin said while bowing his head. "The maids standing here asked for my forgiveness. And I promised I will do so." "Princess, you are kind." Kelvin said with a voice of relief. "So, fire them away." "Wh-What?! Princess!" The maids shouted at the same time. "What? I already told you that I will make sure you can rest. So if you are fired from the job, you won''t have any work to do. I don''t think any place will hire you if they learn that you were fired from the palace. So you can rest all day." Isabella said with a smile. The maids'' eyes widened hearing her. "Princess. W-We don''t need-" "Shut up." Isabella said with a cold voice. Her smiling face turned into a piercing cold gaze. Her purple eyes seemed like they were glowing. The maids flinched by her cold voice and shut their mouths. "And you!" Isabella said, turning her head towards Kelvin. "Y-Yes, Princess." "Did you not hear what I said? I told you to kick them out of the palace." "Y-Yes, Princess." Saying that Kelvin got out of the room then brought some knights. "Take them out." Kelvin ordered the Knights. "Yes, butler." Saying that the Knights went towards the maids. "Princess!" "Princess, please forgive us!" "This will never happen again." "Please show mercy." The maids started begging in a cold tone. "You didn''t do your job to take care of my dresses. Spoke when I didn''t even give you permission to raise your head. Then even after my warning, you spoke without permission again." Isabella got up from the couch and walked toward the maid. Then said with a cold tone while looking down at the maids. "Th-That¡­" The maids trembled with pale faces. "Sigh~ If you still want forgiveness, I guess I have no choice but to forgive you." "Princess!" The maids said cheerfully. "Although I have one condition." "We will listen to any of your words, Princess." The maids said at the same time. "Sure~" Isabella said with a smile. "But listen before you agree to anything. You all will have to pay for all the dresses that were ripped apart." "What?" The maid asked with a dumbfounded expression. "What? The dresses were ruined because of your carelessness. And you don''t even know who did that. So isn''t it obvious for you to pay for all of them?" Isabella asked while tilting her head. "Hmm. Let''s see, all the dresses probably cost at least twenty thousand gold." Isabella said with a smile. ''Aghh! She is ruthless. Even if the maids work all day and night without a break for the rest of their lives, they will earn only 100 gold.'' Anne, Kelvin and the Knights thought at the same time. "Oh! I forgot about the jewels you stole." Everyone present in the room flinched hearing that. ''What? They stole the Princess''s jewels? Then firing them from the palace can''t be considered even as punishment.'' Kelvin and the Knights thought at the same time. ''Aghh! Thank goodness, she forgave me about those. Aghh~ I will never do anything wrong with the Princess from now on.'' Anne sighed in relief inwardly. ''H-How did she know?!'' The maids trembled in fear. Their faces turned pale. "So including those, it will be at least fifty thousand gold." "..." Silence fell in the room. "So do you still want to continue your work here? I will forgive you if you want to." Isabella said with an innocent voice. "..." No one said anything. One could hear their own raised heartbeat. "Take them away." Isabella ordered the Knights with a cold tone. "Y-Yes, Princess." The Knights said simultaneously then took the maids away.. The maids also didn''t utter a word and followed the Knights silently.