Chapter Twenty-Eight: Pinky Promise?
1654 Words
The hallway was brighter than the creep’s room, so I could fully appreciate the details that went into the painting.
It was perhaps done in the early spring of this year; The front garden peonies were indicative of that, a time while I was at war trying bitterly to understand a map’s terrain in a language that I could not read. If not for my memory, Oakwood would have fallen.
Gods, but I wish it had…perhaps then I would have avoided my fate.
Well, anyway…
I pressed the tips of my fingers across the canvas at the beautiful way the sunrise cast its glow on the dull manor.
Gods, but that man could make anything beautiful.
Quite a shame he succumbs to his fate.
I shook my head, then placed the medium-sized portrait in my bag and made my way towards the stairs.
“I implore you not to cut my pay; it is barely enough as it is, and it was just this one time.” A light brown-haired man said to his tall, bulky companion, dressed in black.
Both the men stilled at my presence by the stairs, and instantly, my gaze met the tall companion's golden amber eyes.
I recognised him instantly; not even the size of his hat could hide the rugged of his features.
My blood turned cold as I instantly dropped my gaze from his to his companion’s.
Rheyes Norvig, the most ruthless character in-game, and, surprise surprise, the hidden inapprehensible villain who purposefully puppeteers the acknowledged villain.
Basically, the one who raised the game’s male villain and his scapegoat.
This was a fact not even shown in-game. The only reason I knew his dealings was that I lived as the crown princess. I was constantly in and out of the imperial palace, so it was easy to notice that certain events would only happen when he was in town. How everyone else missed the signs was downright because they were all obsessed over the loves of their lives.
Or perhaps, the characters were programmed that way…or you know, the fact that he was one of the hidden leads.
If he was apprehended, would that not lessen the harem?
Either way, Rheyes was nothing but dangerous; he played the biggest role in the poisoning of the Empress with mere words. He contributed to the destruction of capital forces by giving a ‘spy’ he pretended not to know was a spy the knights’ course of invasion. Rheyes was, is, the chaotic embodiment of rage. One whose gaze I did not wish to attract.
“Move.” His voice was so deep that I near missed the words he uttered.
His tone did not hint at anything else but impatience.
Still, my pride made me downsize his rudeness.
It's because they were crowding the steps while I, who stood on the corridor, had more room to manoeuvre freely.
I repeated to myself as I so easily followed his command.
I need not bow or acknowledge him. I need not pretend I know he is a member of the imperial family; unlike his brothers, he did not appear on most forms of publication, so he would not accuse me of rudeness.
I was right; the first prince breezed right past me, smelling distinctively of aftershave and some undertones of cold mint?
A frown crossed my face at his soothing scent, leaving me less time to focus on the thundering of my heart.
How is it that I feared a person so blindly?
Was it because Étienne spent most of the days we were together recounting how cold-hearted and monstrous the first prince was?
“Sorry, he is a wee bit prickly this morning.” Rheyes’s companion said to me, then winked and hurried to catch up with him.
I neither acknowledged nor responded to his words, merely turned and continued my path to the noisy dining area.
“There she is,” Breca announced sarcastically, “the girl who made us miss check out!”
“Keep that up, and you may actually lower my self-esteem.” I retorted as I sat next to her.
“I only hope so!” She sighed, then pushed a plate of toast to me, “Eat up. We are about to split with the rest of the guys.”
“Oh? Good news all round?” I smiled.
“You say that, but I bet you’’ be crying that you miss me the second we part!” Kat chimed.
“Oh?” I questioned.
“Right…” Breca interjected, “I am going to go escort Kat and Alden; since they are headed in the same direction, you have about ten minutes to finish breakfast.”
“There’s no tea! I’ll get heartburn!”
“Well, isn’t that a shame?” She answered, then stood and led out Alden and Kat, leaving me with Wreigner.
“Can we talk?” Were the first words out of his mouth as soon as the inn door shut.
“Get me tea, and you will have my full attention,” I answered as I took a bite of the warm toast.
The bread was fresh, its fluffy texture was maintained despite the frying it underwent.
“One tea here!” he yelled to the keeper.
“Milk or black?”
“Milk,” I answered for him.
“Now, can we talk?” He began.
“Alright, what do you want?”
“I want you to swear that you will not tell anyone what-,”
“I won't,” I answered sincerely as the tea was brought to my seat.
“That- that’s it?”
“Yap, that’s it.”
“What about you? Do you want me to keep your secret?”
“My secret?” I chuckled, “We are not that close…young lord. Plus, to most, I am talentless, so who in a society that favours the mesmerising and powerful would believe you?”
He scoffed.
“It is not unbelievable that you-,”
“That I what? That, I, who has famously never used mana, would sneak out of school for an adventure with commoners?”
“Yes, that is not unbelievable!”
“Grow up, my lord, most believe I spend the weekends servicing men who do not even know my name, such an upgrade in a society that longs to tear down is ludicrous. Now, can we halt this topic? I wish to enjoy my breakfast in silence.”
*
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Wreigner G Hyle
There it was, the wall she placed so heavily around herself that during the time they spent together, he could not tell anything about her beyond what she willingly displayed.
It was an outrage that she could keep that much hidden.
Yet, she continued to devour her breakfast with no semblance of remorse for her harsh words towards him and herself.
“Do you…” he bit his lip. What was something that he could say that would ring her bells, “do you know that in today's paper, they announced that his imperial highness, Prince Étienne is no longer the crown prince?”
“What?” Arusei responded so quickly that she choked on her toast.
Unaccounted glee at her reaction filled his belly. If he had a tail, like the beast-men, he was sure it would wag.
All because he managed to capture her attention, even though the news was not of him.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Where is the paper?”
“Breca pocketed it.”
“Urgh, that witch, she will be the death of me.” Arusei said, then placed her food aside, “Tell me more, what else was talked about?”
There it was again; the flutter dancing in his abdomen grew more pronounced.
He had her full attention.
“Basically, the Emperor has opened the gates for anyone who wishes to ascend the seat.”
“So, in other words, war?”
“Between the major factions, yes. But your family has already chosen Étienne’s side with the engagement, right?”
He stilled his breathing.
Had she accepted his proposal?
“What about the bastards, the illegitimate? Do they get to vie for the seat?”
Ah...
His stomach sank at her point-blank dismissal.
*
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Arusei E Alpensa
“This is what I wanted to give you.”
The rain was milder now, and the public teleportation gate was in service.
We were outside the inn now, the crew long dispersed.
“A portrait of a mansion that I have never been to? How…nice?” Breca responded blankly.
“That is, the central mansion of the Alpensa household.”
“Are you bragging?”
“Next!!” the gatekeeper yelled.
I followed Breca to the magic circle.
“Where to?”
“Norvig Royal Academy,” Breca responded, and the man typed in the coordinates.
“Twenty gold.”
She handed the man the money then turned to me.
“You realise you owe me…what, eighty gold? How much is this painting worth?”
“The painting was done by the one and only Greg Gildoff.”
“Shut up! I adore him!!” her eyes brightened as she admired the details of the painting longer. “What the hell, how much is this worth? Can I sell it?”
“Sure, only after you get your hundred gold from me.”
Her eyes widened.
“Serious? You promise?”
“Yap, look for me in three days, and I’ll reimburse plus pay for your services.”
The circle began glowing, and a few seconds later, a warm sensation washed over me, then…the usual motion sickness.
By the time we arrived at the academy gates, my stomach was no longer in its correct positioning as I rushed to the nearest bushes to share the contents of my breakfast with it.
- Writer
