I shouldn't have married the Crown Prince

Chapter 22

Alphonse didn't really talk during dinner and Cadmael wasn't paying Alphonse attention at all. I felt kind of uncomfortable in the middle of this but didn't have time to leave because Cadmael couldn't stop feeding me.

"I'll do it myself."

My whole face was red. How could the next emperor feed me? Alphonse seemed to be as surprised as I was and I really wouldn't have imagined this dinner to go this way. We were here for Cadmael to get to know his new friend. Why was he only paying attention to me? This wasn't polite at all. I couldn't take it and turned to Cadmael:

"What are you doing?"

He looked at me with innocent eyes.

"I'll eat myself. Why don't you get to know Alphonse more?"

Cadmael turned to Alphonse as if he just remembered he had been there:

"Do you like sparring?

-Yes..."

He then turned to me and smiled. I couldn't hold back my scowl. Was this what he understood by getting to know him better? Why was Cadmael so bad at making friends? I had to teach him everything!

"Alphonse, why did you join the sparring club?"

The young man seemed surprised to be the center of attention for a second.

"My dad wanted me to.

-I see. But do you really want to be in the club?"

He hesitated for a long moment.

"You don't have to answer. I'm sorry for prying. You just didn't seem that interested in sparring."

Alphonse suddenly raised his head, his mouth slightly open as if wanting to say something. But Cadmael didn't like being left out and handed me another piece of meat:

"Say ah."

I took the fork and ate myself while glaring at Cadmael.

Alphonse liked Eschyle. He was the first person who asked him if he really liked something and it was the first time someone saw that he wasn't interested in sparring. This could seem like nothing but Alphonse was genuinely touched and felt really comfortable for a second. This second wasn't really long because Cadmael kept glaring at him when Eschyle spent too much time talking to him which was quite frightening. He didn't know if talking to Eschyle was worth getting killed later on.

Eschyle even had the bad idea of leaving the two of them together to go to the bathroom. Cadmael's smile immediately vanished and he ate his meat as if chewing someone's head off. Alphonse could perfectly imagine his arm being chewed off like this by Cadmael and he suddenly lost his appetite. He didn't expect Cadmael to pay him any attention and was frightened when he spoke:

"You are going to be my friend.

-What?

-Eschyle wants me to make friends so if he asks we are friends. Nod if you understand."

Alphonse quickly nodded, scared of what Cadmael would do if he took too long to answer. When Eschyle came back, Cadmael returned to smiling innocently and Alphonse was petrified. He knew that he would have nightmares because of this smile for years.

When we finished eating, we saw Alphonse off and went back to the dukedom with Cadmael. We rarely spoke while walking but I felt more and more at ease with him and started talking:

"Alphonse is nice."

For some reason Cadmael didn't seem happy about this.

"He seemed a bit shy. I hope he'll feel more at ease with us soon. I'm not even sure that he enjoys sparring."

Cadmael listened to me speak without saying anything. I turned to him curious:

"Do you like sparring?

-Yes.

-Why?"

He thought about it for a second before smiling:

"It's a secret."

I was dumbfounded.

"What? Why? Please tell me I want to know."

Cadmael laughed but didn't say more.

"Why are you so mysterious all of a sudden? It isn't a hard question at all."

Cadmael couldn't stop laughing while looking at me which really made me even more frustrated.

"I like the feeling of power."

I stopped.

"Of power?

-Yes. I like being strong enough to protect those dear to my heart.

-See that wasn't so hard was it? Why were you so evasive?"

Cadmael shook his head with a smirk:

"You don't get it.

-Why wouldn't I? Hey, answer me! Don't ignore me!"

The following days went by peacefully. I kept teaching Cadmael the cello and he went to training every day with Alphonse. They seemed to have grown closer and we started seeing each other more and more. Diana also stayed with us and we went for tea once a week. They still weren't very close with Cadmael but they at least stopped being openly cold to each other which was a start. Gilbert joined us from time to time but he was usually taken away by Andrew rather quickly. Andrew came to bring Gilbert something to eat, to take him home or even to bring him small presents. Gilbert accepted them without thinking too much about it and continued to behave as freely as he always did.

Cadmael's marks went up but he still couldn't beat me during exams which made me laugh. I really enjoyed these peaceful days and I didn't have time to think about anything when the next event in the book arrived. In the original writing, Diana really liked an author and she couldn't wait to go buy their new work. She waited in line for hours but saw Cadmael being wounded because of Eschyle and she left the line to help him get treated. She couldn't get her book and was quite sad but she didn't regret helping Cadmael. Seeing her disappointment, Cadmael looked for a whole night and found a copy of the book. He used all of his money and had to work really hard later on to regain what he lost. He didn't regret it either, being happy to be of help. After reading the book, Diana lent it to Cadmael and he read it while leaving notes about his thoughts throughout the chapters.

This was my sisters and my favorite part. Sharing a book that you enjoyed and reading the others' reactions was really romantic. Even if I didn't really enjoy romance, I couldn't say no to this one.

In this world, I had similar tastes to Diana and liked the same author she did. Therefore I stood in line with her ready to buy my copy while thinking of a plan. Eschyle wasn't bullied by me so he wouldn't be the reason why Diana couldn't get her copy. We still needed something to happen for her not to be able to buy her book and that's what I was discussing with Gilbert before Andrew appeared from nowhere as usual. He didn't even glance at me and handed Gilbert a candybar that Gilbert took without thinking. He got used to all of Andrew's little presents and didn't even notice anymore.

"You don't want her to buy the book?

-No, her attention has to be diverted. For some reason she shouldn't be able to buy the book."

Gilbert didn't ask me why and I was really thankful. He thought about it hard while eating his candybar. Andrew watched Gilbert with keen eyes and took out a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the chocolate from Gilbert's hands.

"Can't you buy all the books? You have money.

-But I said I'll wait in line with her. I can't buy all the books just under her nose."

Gilbert turned to Andrew without hesitation:

"Then he can buy them."

Andrew straightened when he felt Gilbert's gaze as if he just woke up from a daydream:

"What do you want me to buy?

-All the books of this author.

-Okay."

Gilbert shrugged:

"See? Easy.

-Thank you really much!"

Andrew didn't pay me any attention and couldn't take his eyes off Gilbert:

"Are you still hungry?

-No, just thirsty.

-Wait, here. I'll bring you something."

I watched Andrew running away in a hurry before turning to Gilbert:

"Does he do that often?

-What?

-Get you things to eat?"

Gilbert shrugged again.

"Sometimes.

-Why?

-I have no idea. But I get free food so I don't mind.

-How could he change so much?

-You think he changed?

-He usually pushed you around and made you cry. And now he runs to get you something to drink. He even wipes your hands for you."

Gilbert looked at his hands as if he just realized he had them. He seemed way too used to Andrew's ways for my taste.

"I guess he is strange nowadays. It will pass.

-How much is remaining from the last month of your contract?

-I don't know if I'll leave immediately.

-Really? That's great! What happened?

-I had a job offer.

-What kind of job?"

Gilbert smiled:

"Not a job for you, sweety.

-Are you going to take it?

-I don't know."