Who is the Villain?

Chapter -20

There were knights placed on each turn of the hallway with silver armor, shields, and spears.

"Are all the books from here can be found outside the Palace?"

"Certainly, No. Regardless of that, those books found outside can be found here," Ivan answers without any hesitation.

'Tsk! It looks like it's no use in going out of the palace to look for more books.'

"Does that include everything? Every book around the world could be found there?"

"Absolutely, my lady," Ivan truthfully spoke. "The first Prince of the Galatians Empire loves to travel around the nation."

'Prince David Elias.'

"And he loves books." Ivan continues. "Whenever he arrives back from his pilgrimage, he would constantly bring dozen of books and books. And for that reason, the library keeps on establishing year after year."

'I can never understand book lovers.' Lucien sighs internally. No wonder, the library was too huge and she hardly saw anyone in the library except Ivan. 'Now that I think about it. Where is the emperor's family? The moment I came here, I saw no one except him even during the unexpected banquet. Are they still alive?'

Lucien shakes off her head that this wasn't the right time to think about the imperial family. "Does that library contain every knowledge about everything?"

"Certainly, my lady."

"Including the plants and flowers that are only found in the Galatians Empire?"

"Yes, my lady?"

"Then why have I not come across the Sky Lily flower?"

"That's because–" Ivan quickly shuts his lips and as well paused his steps.

Lucien as well halts her walk and turns toward Ivan who has prevented his walk. "Did I raise the wrong question, Sir Ivan?"

"Why do you wish to learn about that specific tainted flower, my lady?"

"I'm a curious soul," Her lips spread against her gentle countenance that didn't reach him. "Curiosity kills me but I'm aware of my limits." Lucien's smile that could melt any person if only they were warm and not fake.

No knight was around until the next turn. The night was calm with the sound of croaking frogs and cricket on the other side of the garden that could be heard including the splashing of the fountain.

"Sky Lily isn't just poisonous for its petal, even its delicate scent could annihilate any person in course of a second. Its beauty is so enchanting that could pull anyone to come forward and pluck it out." Ivan explains as though he was reading a book. "It is only grown in the Galatians Empire and it's been used as a self-defense against any enemies or demons."

Lucien's mind reverts to those entrance gates when she noticed them on her first entry. There were hardly any guards except for white flowers blooming all over the gate and walls. 'No wonder.'

"It cannot be plucked with any spell unless it's willing to fall itself."

"Huh?"

This was new to Lucien. She had never thought that the particular flower has its own consciousness and that it can only be plucked when the flower submits itself? Did she hear it right?

'How the hell does Renee pluck the flower then?' No one could even stand beside the flower. It was ridiculous to just go and pluck it like it was nothing.

'Oh wait. Hold on a second. There was this particular male character from Renee's harem who has the ability to communicate with plants and he was the one who helped her. What was his name–No, it doesn't matter who is he. He isn't important here.'

Lucien's eyes glowed when something suddenly occurred to her. 'And in return for helping Renee, she gave him a kiss.............................................did she deflowered to him?' Her mind went blank for a second. 'Was there something more in those innocent looks?....... No...no...stop judging people based on how they look.'  She scolded her mind for having weird thoughts.

"My lady," Ivan interrupts when unexpectedly Lucien became silent gazing down at the floor. "Are you fascinated to learn about that flower?"

Lucien gazes up at him whose eyes got narrowed down to her. "Particularly, yes."

"Is it about learning the flower or is it about wielding it?" His tone deepens at the end of his sentence.

"Both," Lucien smiles again with a response. However, this time, it was filled with delight and excitement. As Lucien has found a way to hide her ability and be able to use it.

She finally turns around as her jewel eyes sparkle more. "Thank you, Sir Ivan." She continued walking her way to her chamber. "I am greatly in-depth to you."

Ivan on the back silently stretches his lips and, he as well continues to follow her behind.

"Was I able to fulfill your expectation, my lady?" 

Lucien's body flinched in shivers when she suddenly felt a warm breath blow across her ears from behind.

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Lucien finally woke up after saying '5 minutes more' for the last tenth time. If she hasn't decided to wake up, Rosetta was almost about to kick her out of the bed. Luckily, Maria was able to prevent her from doing that.

"My lady, you've missed your breakfast," Rosetta spoke who had bought a silver trolley to the bathroom.

Lucien was laying on the huge bathtub filled with bubbles and flower petals. "It's alright, I'm good. I can still have it now or later." 

"It may be for you however, according to your schedule, plenty of aspects had been held on." Rosetta continued as she removes the silver lit from the trolley. "As for that reason, you've to skip some of the medicinal brews for the early schedule and move to your next. It's almost about to be noon and my lady hasn't yet drunk what was presented to you by Maria." There was a slightly irritated tone as she carefully placed a pale bowl, sprinkling with some powers which seem to sparkle.

"That's what I'm explaining," Lucien responded hoping not to make her maid angry who reminded her of her grandmother. "I can't have it on empty stomach." Drinking a bunch of healthy brews as soon as she was up was not something Lucien look forward to. It always leaves a bitter taste later even when she had breakfast.

"And what are you adding?" Lucien still curiously question seeing those glitter on the bowl.

"Didn't you ask to take care of the bitter taste, my lady?" Rosetta hands her the bowl which looks like plain water however, it was a remedy for all the consorts for their skin and their body. They weren't only drinking for their beauty but for their health.

"A..ah, yes, I did." Lucien took the bowl with a thank you. 'I almost forgot about it.' And drank it in one go. "Amazing, it didn't have a bitter aftertaste." Lucien smiled turning towards Rosetta. "You did well, Rosetta."

Rosetta simply nodded her head, "if it's consumable, that's more than enough." And passed more drinking bowls to her and left with the trolley.

"My lady, the color of your hair is changing." Maria who was applying shampoo to her hair gently massages as she spoke out of concern.

"Ah, yes," Lucien responded with a realization raising her head above to get a glimpse of Maria. "Autumn is approaching so, it's expected."

"My lady, I've heard about the Valentius origin." The other maid who was on her left spoke, she was carefully rubbing her arms. "However, I never got a glimpse since I was a child. And I thought their existence was just a myth."

"Clio," Maria who has been sitting beside her gave a glare to be careful of what was speaking.

"I...I apologize, my lady. Please forgive my way of speaking." Clio was one of Lucien's maids with a mushroom haircut. She suddenly bows kneeling on the floor. She had almost forgotten that she suddenly began to speak informally to a noble lady.

"It's alright, it was expected," Lucien didn't bother much about it. "Our family doesn't expose much to the outside world unless it's about work."

Their lineage had bright hair color which stood out a lot when they were to walk out on the street unless they were to wear a cloak or a hat to avoid attention.

"It would be a myth since we hardly disclose ourselves." Their lineage was the only one to have orange hair.

"Thank you, my lady and I apologize again." Clio sits up with a pang of guilt.

"Never mind about that, can you proceed and finish it ahead?" Lucien stretches her hands toward her. "I have got a meeting with someone this evening."

"Y...yes, my lady." Clio hurriedly wash her hands from other bowls of water and continued.

"Regardless, I'm kind of enthusiastic about how your hair would look like during winter," Maria delightfully spoke as she gently rubs Lucien's hair.

"So am I," Clio responded in return delightfully. "I've heard that they stood out as the most elegant soul in the empire through generations."

Winter was regarded as one of the seasons where the Valentine family stood out, as they were a sight to behold.

"I believe every one of you is extricating a little excessively much." Lucien wasn't interested in that however, after hearing what has been said she was a little curious.

The author gave equal beauty and power to the female protagonist and antagonist except for their beliefs and personality. 'I guess the author wanted neither of them to look down at each other either being a commoner or a noble.'

The bath took longer than Lucien expected as the maids wouldn't stop debating about her family and they wouldn't halt pampering her.

"Now that I think about it, my hair color is changing," Lucien mumbled staring at the mirror as she waits for Rosetta to choose a dress for her from all those hanging around in a closet.

The bright hue had started to fade away replacing with a darker mandarin hue with a lighter marigold where the light touches.

After lunch, as soon as Lucien was done with her other duties, she made her way to lady Dorothy's chamber. She received her invitation when she was sound asleep in the morning. 'It wasn't my fault though.' Her mind echoed when a sudden person pops out of her head.

"A very good morning, Lady Lucien."

The thought of the person unexpectedly appeared on Lucien's right turn.

Lucien bowed in respect and walk past him without a word. Yesterday's incident was something she was unable to forget. When Ivan suddenly whispered behind her ears, she yelled in fright but not too loud. On the other hand, Ivan was snickering in delight at her action.

Of course, as a lady she would be embarrassed by her own action however, as a stranger living inside Lucien's body, she had erased the elegance and distinguish of a lady. Without notification, she turns towards Ivan and grabs hold of his collar tight, pulling him towards her with a threatening tone.

"You dare do that again, I swear to cut that precious thing off from your torso."

Ivan's body felt chills and quickly apologize, "I apologize, my lady. I hope you'll forgive me for my childish act." He didn't want to see a lovely lady getting angry and starts rampaging in the middle of the night nor did he want to think that her threat was not a fake.

If Lucien thinks about her action, she was somehow ashamed of herself but she couldn't help it when somebody does that. Her family was aware of her personality when somebody does that to her. This was something she despised a lot from any other prank. She wasn't just particularly favorable around supernatural things, especially so-called, ghosts.