What should I do now? My friend fled like Cinderella when the clock strike at midnight. Should I end my conversation with the Duchess to run towards Ella? No, it would be disrespectful towards someone you just met.

Besides, she is the type of girl who would shut herself in these kinds of situations.

Everyone buzzed their opinion when the Duke and Duchess Le Merck bid farewell.

One thing was for sure: after I clear up the misunderstanding with his mother, we would have a good chat.

The Duchess even asked me what happened, knowing she was my best friend.

“By the way, I am glad we finally met. You could call me Mom from now on.”

The legs of my chair screeched because I faltered upon hearing her loud statement.

“I do not want people to misunderstand everything.”

She slammed her fan on the table. Her cherry eyes make little sense when I could sense a tigress aura as she emanated.

Please, calm down as she did not raise your voice, Madame.

She held my hand, pulled on her silk handkerchief, then shed tears.

“It was a rare sight to see my bastard son became docile. I know you have not eaten the fruit, but I guarantee you, you are the best candidate! The cloak of Athenesy never failed!”

I almost fell from the chair. My hair stood up as if I touched Van de Graaf.

What kind of additional scene was this? Is it the reason in the novel, when he found out their feelings for each other, he hesitated to put on his cloak on her?

All I did was smile and thank her for the support. Being a part of them would be torture.

Our conversation ended when I accepted her invitation to dinner.

I didn’t waste time and traversed the ballroom. However, the absence made my blood boil. Although the novel mentioned he went to his haven, it didn’t specify where it was.

My feet would melt at any second, so I sat on the sofa in the drawing-room and removed my shoes to let my feet breathe. A break wouldn’t be bad, especially if one of your swollen right foot would about to pop like a water balloon. Second, who told women to put on these unbelievably painful types of shoes?

“The jerk must be in the greenhouse in case you’re wondering.”

His shadow, which overlapped mine, a fruity voice that could woo any soul — those were enough to identify him.

I faced him, yet no words came out.

Prince Reyner’s hideout was a greenhouse?

“You wanted to know about Lady Le Merck, right?”

Is there something about the blessing which I did not know? Did this man had a talent for excavating my true intentions? Why do I feel like he knew me better than me?

His hypnotic powers were invincible. I stood up, hurriedly slid my aching feet in the shoes, and held his hand as he opened up the portal.
“Your Grace, why did you have to use teleportation to get us here?”

“Next time, wear comfortable shoes, especially if you don’t enjoy being carried like a baby.”

Yeah, those words applied to me. His detestable observation skills made me feel like I am a peeled potato. I had to be careful with him.

The Duke pointed at the man kneeling as he touched a white flower. Even though it was night, the illumination from the moonlight and the power of a person having Light Element lit up this place.

“Poor plants, they had nothing to do with your foolishness.”

Usually, the crowned prince would talk back to his cousin. However, he brushed off a smile, then remained silent.

“Reyner, why?” Duke Frederick asked.

The Prince turned his way to us and started his monologue. If you’re going to dissect his dramatic speech, the fundamental idea was he did not want to give false hopes, so he ended everything.

The situation flashed in my mind, though my body sprang on the soft bed.

It was hard to get mad after you heard a logical explanation. Yet I am the Cupid who knew the workings of this world!

That fucking fruit gave me a headache! Calm down. There was no undemanding job; if I want millions, I had to work for it.

The turn of events deviated from the novel’s plot. Is there a possibility ... no!

I tossed myself from side to side.

I’ve already asked Miss Heart about my theory, and she denied it.

Although I heard her answer, the puzzle pieces fit in the gaps.

Focus, Beth! It is none of your business! Let the unnecessary emotions and thoughts melt away as I sleep.

***
I flipped to the other side of the bed and sandwiched my head between two pillows. Nora’s nonstop knocking smashed my eardrums.

With a heavy body, I trudged on my way to the door.

“Miss, look at this newspaper!”

Her heavy breathing plus sweat droplets on her body made her look like she underwent the same training with our knights this morning.

My half-awake soul snatched the newspaper, laid it on the vanity table, and sobbed my head on it.

“My Lady, I’m sorry for disturbing your sleep but you have to read the news! I beg you.”

“Maybe if you give me a cup of hot chocolate and rice porridge, my eyes would be ready to read what is on the headlines.”

Lies, everything was lies. I wanted to shoo her away so my lazy ass could continue the disturbing nap time.

However, in less than an hour, a déjà vu happened. You shouldn’t underestimate an iron-willed maid.

“My Lady, the news was exaggerated, wasn’t it?”

My head shifted to the newspaper. The headline in bold letters, Escrow font style, removed the remaining sleepiness in my body.

I quivered. Not only that, I even searched in my drawers to find a magnifying glass.

Nora slowly backed away as I mumbled swear words in different languages at the speed of one hundred words per second.

The Daria Times:
Blossoming Love!

I didn’t have to read the entire article; our pictures hinted at what this crap was all about.

What the bloody hell. These bored imbecile people got nothing to do with their lives!

Seconds later, my grasp turned this newspaper into a ball of crumpled nonsense.

Another second had passed. I shot the ball into the trash basket few meters away. Even though sports was not my cup of tea, someone might think I belong to one of the NBA teams if they saw my performance earlier.

This nightmare didn’t stop. My parents asked me a series of questions.

Was a peaceful breakfast too much to ask?

“Mother, Father! Her eyes turned into swirl lollipops! She will explain if you let her eat.”

Thank you, Adrian, you were the best big bro ever!

“Besides, we would join the expedition. People would eventually forget about this.”

No wonder his voice became toneless, like a cheap robot. He didn’t even touch his pancakes.

In the novel, after Madeline Ruby's discovery, the King funded an expedition to retrieve Nishir’s Sapphire. If you’ll ask why, it is because these precious jewels grant wealth, victory, and good health to the rulers and people of the Empire.

The problem with this expedition was the artifact itself. Their grandfather stole it.

“Don’t worry, brother! I’ll make you a lucky charm!”

Judging by the turn of the current events, I had to sew what I ripped.