Twisted Fate of the Knight

The Letter

"Morning," I said as I looked at him and he looks away as I smiled widely since I can't control myself that he looks so pitiful and I want to tease him badly.

"How are you Avy? Did you have a good rest?" Ian asks me.

"Yes, and I can easily control my mana," I said as I looked at Philip who is eating.

"Good. By the way, you have a letter," He said before he eats so I wondered what letter it was and from whom.

"From?" I ask him.

"It's from Sheenova Kaye Kleis," He said so I frowned at him because I didn't know who she was.

"She was the same person you meet from the Hunt Ball and the Empress wants to adopt," He said as if he read what's on my mind when I looked at him as if I was asking who this person was.

"Nova!? Why would she write a letter to me? Lastly, how does she knows that I am leaving with you?" I said since I was bothered what will be the content of the letter.

"Well, we don't know if she knows but for sure the Empress knows it without a doubt since it was her messenger who delivered it here," He said while looking at me seriously so I was nervous because that messenger might be heard something such as conversations about me.

"Don't worry, I told them that to keep your secret yesterday," He said as he smiled genuinely as if he is saying that I can trust them.

"Okay, but I much better if they treat me the same since I am not accustomed to being called Lady when I was raised like a man," I said,

"Alright, I will tell them," He said as we continue to eat since Ash and Philip just eating silently.

"By the way, Avy, follow me," Philip said when we were about to leave the dining room since Ian left earlier since he was called by the Crown Prince.

"Why?" I was astonished when I asked him and I looked at his back since he was in front of me while Ash is behind.

"Of course, to replace the bandage of your wound so follow me," He said before he started walking again to the previous room we used before. I just followed him with Ash since Ash said that he will not leave me even though I told him not to come but he was really stubborn and insisted on coming with me.

We entered the room and Philip is waiting for me. "Sit down," He said so I seated myself to the chair in front of him as I faced him. I can say that he is still handsome to look at even though he has bruises on his face and his lips have a cut but still looks beautiful.

"What are you staring at? Don't tell me you fall with me?" He said as he holds my chin but Ash immediately grabs his hands away from my chin. Philip glared at Ash so Ash glared at him as if there is lightning in their stares.

"Don't carelessly touch her," Ash said coldly to Philip as he let go of Philip's hand with force.

"Who are you to command me?" He said as he massages his hand where Ash grips and I think that it hurts.

"Enough, Ash stay still if you don't want to wait outside," I said,

"But, he was--" "I can handle myself, okay?" I said as I smiled and he just looked at me with puppy eyes but I just raised an eyebrow at him while still smiling.

"Fine," He said as he sighed that he will stay still and Philip smirks at Ash as if he was teasing him so I looked badly at Philip so he stopped.

Philip started to treat my wound as he applying some ointment, the ointment was cold but has a soothing effect afterward as he covered it with a new bandage. 

"You can get rid of the bandages tomorrow but it will take days before your scars will be gone, and sure to apply this day and night," He said as he handed me the clear ointment in a small glass round bottle. I nodded before accepting the ointment.

"Anyways, how's your body?" He asks me as he seated properly while his hands were intertwined on his knees as he looked at me.

"So far, It's okay but yesterday, I feel like my body is being ripped apart even in the smallest movement," I said while putting the ointment on my pocket before looking at him.

"That's natural since it's the first time but when you already master it then you can easily adjust your mana usage," He said as he explains to me. He fixes his eyeglass with his right hand before he stood up and approached me.

"Let me check it again," He said while looking at me seriously.

"Sure," I said as he holds my head and suddenly his hand shone as he closes his eyes for a second and let go of my head.

"Good to know that you already manage to master it, Avy," He said as he smiled and congratulates me so I looked at Ash with a cheerful expression because I will no longer have difficulty changing clothes so Ash smiled at me with the good news from Philip.

"Well, it is thanks to you," I said as I smiled at him genuinely since he teaches me to control it.

~~

Philip's Pov:

"Well, it is thanks to you," She said to me as she smiles genuinely without any malice. I was impressed by her since she mastered it so quickly when I mastered it for about a month. I was expecting her to take some time but she really something else.

I was observing her from the day I came here and the day when I learned the truth that he is a she since I was really curious about her back then. She rarely talks to others and she only wants her teacher to treat her even though there a time that she almost died because of blood loss but she insists to wait for her teacher. I really can remember the face of her teacher and even his name as if it was intentionally erased.

"Haha, you are fluttering me," I said as I smiled at him. Ash also looked at me with a bad look but also disappeared immediately when he faces Avy. I feel something odd with him aside from that I can't forgive him for punching me in the face, that I have a cut on my lips and bruise.

"I really do, and thank you very much, Sir Philip," She said as she smiles at me so innocently and she was so adorable.

I turned around in no time because my cheek got hot as I feel my heart beats so fast after looking at her face. This feeling is new to me even though I flirt with a lot of women but I only feel this way with her even though I barely just know her. 

"Is there anything wrong?" She said,

"It's nothing. I didn't know that you know how to say thank you," I said before I faced her because I calmed myself first.

"Hmph, of course, I know howsoever. What do you think, no?!" She said as she looks at me annoyed so I smiled at her reaction because she was still cute even though she was annoyed. 

"Well, it is the first time that you thank me after I have treated your wounds many times," I said since it was the first time that she thanks me. Although, sometimes I feel like she is not from here especially when she talks about something that is odd while sleeping since I visited her to check her mana.

"It is because you are cocky so I never thank you," She said so I just laughed at what she said. Well, I can't help it since it's my nature since I was a kid.

~~

"It is because you are cocky so I never thank you," I said to him but he just laughed at me as if he was well aware so I looked at him badly.

"I know, and I will take that as a compliment," He said as he stops laughing and smiled at me.

"Suit yourself. By the way, I need to go," I said before I went out and he just waved while Ash was behind me since I need to read what's on the letter that Ian left on his table before he left.

"I really don't like him, Master," He said,

"I know since you give those bruises and cut on his face," I said as I chuckled while walking to Ian's office to pick up the letter from Sheenova. I was wondering why does she send me a letter and hoping that it was not plotted by the Empress.

I opened the door and I let Ash wait outside the room. I picked up the letter that was on his table and I can read my name on it. I open the letter and it is an invitation to her first debut as a niece of the Empress. However, she wants me to be her escort and I don't know if it's her will or the Empress but one thing is for sure, I can't turn down any invitations from the Royal Family since it will be tarnishing the Royal family.

I looked at the door because Ash was calling me so I hid the letter before I left. I apologize to Ash for taking so long to get it when he asks me what is in the letter and I just answered him that it is an invitation that I should attend it whether I like it or not. 

I talked to Ian when he comes home in the evening and I tell him that I was invited by the debut of Sheenova but I didn't mention that I will be her escort. He sighed after I told him what's on the letter.

"Does she requests you to be her escort?" He said so I seemed amazed at what he said because he seemed to already know what was written in the letter.

"Y-yes. How did you know?" I asked him.

"Well, Prince Renz told me that there is a possibility that she will make you her escort after I told him that you receive a letter from him, and he told me that he was also invited to the debut since he will escort the Crown Princess," He explained to me as he seated to his chair since we are in his office.

"Is that so? How about you? Are you not invited?" I asked since I doubt that they will not invite him since I am sure that he is most likely to be investigated by the Empress.

"I am not but I can ask Lady Collins if she could choose me as her escort since she was also invited. I think they only invite a noble in her debut but as for you, I think the Empress makes an exception for you," He said, so I can't believe he wasn't invited.

"I can ask her," I said but he refuses my offer, and he said that he will ask her personally. I just nodded in response as I go back to my room since he said he needs something to do.

~~

Days after the Hunt Ball in the Empress's Residence...

Sheenova's Pov:

"Your Majesty, please make Avy as my escort who I meet in the Hunt Ball," I said since I somewhat like him since I feel like we are connected in some way when I talked to him in the garden. He looks like a soft guy since he was feminine but I think it makes him more appealing.

"Avy? Are you talking about Lady Collin's knight?" She said, 

"He is a knight of Collins?" I said since I didn't know that he is the knight of Lady Collin's since he was gone for almost three years and I didn't think that it was a coincidence that he has the same name.

"Yes," She answered me as she looks at me while smiling after she put down her teacup since we are here in the garden. She was wearing a light blue dress, a sophisticated one that she really looks good in her clothes since she was really beautiful in any clothes. I was wearing a simple red, and light dress since I was not comfortable wearing flashy dresses like her even though she insisted me to wear the new fashion dresses in this season.

"But it is possible to make him my escort?" I said because maybe it's not possible but I really want him to be my escort since I like him especially when we dance. I am enjoying his company last time and I want to see him too.

"Of course, he can be your escort since he can't refuse an invitation from the Royal Family since you are officially my niece now," She said as she smiled when I thought she will refuse since she said that she will prepare everything including who will be my escort but what makes her agree with me?

"Isn't that forcing him to be my escort?" I said since he will be forced to attend whether he likes it or not. 

"Well, he can refuse but he will be tarnishing the Royal Family and he might leave the kingdom," She casually answered me as if it was nothing or I should say it is normal to her.

"Alright. I will send him a letter," I said as I sip to my tea. I will just say sorry to Avy personally by forcing him to attend my debut.

"Just give me the letter so that I can send it to him," She said as she smiles at me sweetly. I really can't read what's on her mind since she treats me like her real niece. 

"Thank you very much, Your Majesty," I said as I smiled at her since she granted my queries when she decided that her son will be my escort. Although, her son is kind since I meet him twice, however, I really like Avy to be my escort since Prince Hanz is younger than me so I don't like it.

" No worries," She said,

End Pov:

~~

The Day of the Debut...

I was nervous when I went out of the carriage since I will fetch Sheenova from the Empress's Residence to the Sapphire palace where her debut will be held. I was wearing a navy blue suit and some accessories that I think it was paired with her dress which they send to me two days ago. Ian and I were totally surprised when they sent us the exact measurement of the clothes for me when they didn't get my measurements so we became even more alarmed because it seemed like I was also being investigated.

"I'm sorry to keep you wa---"