The Princess

"Are you okay?" Asked Dania who couldn't bear to see Effi kept daydreaming during their lessons--which was obviously very worrying because Effi is usually very serious when studying. "Did that prince say something to you earlier?"

Adjusting her heartbeat, Effi tried to force her small smile. "N-No, it's okay. He just made fun of me a bit because I was using medicine."

"Ah, that?" Dania said spontaneously. The problem was that she and many other priests actually thought it was a bit strange too--about Effi using medicine. But because Effi was still young and all, everyone started to let her be.

After all, it wasn't like the mark she had on her neck would wash off if it got splashed with water--yes, the other priests had tried that on her first day.

"If you say so, then fine." Said Dania again. "I'm going back to the dorm. You want to come?"

"Mm, I'll be there soon." She replied. Even though when Dania disappeared, she immediately went to find Mr. Heka instead.

Effi struggled a bit to find excuses, but Mr. Heka finally allowed her to go out of the palace after she told him that she needed a new supply of medicine.

Though, because he also knew about Effi's attempted murder before they arrived in the palace, Mr. Heka also ordered the senior priest, Kilo, to accompany her to the town. He had been ordered to bring the permission letter first and wait at the gate, so Effi couldn't just sneak out immediately.

"Hh, what should i do…" She muttered for the umpteenth time.

But while daydreaming like that, suddenly someone tapped her shoulder. "--Hey, Effiria."

Shivering for a moment, Effi quickly turned around and found a woman with that perfectly wavy and shiny hair. "Miss Arina!"

"Are you daydreaming or what? I called you several times, but you just wouldn't turn around." Arina replied with a chuckle.

Although to be more precise, she had been following her secretly since earlier. But because Effi didn't seem to be doing anything suspicious, let alone meet anyone, she finally decided to just say hello directly.

"I-I'm sorry. It's just, that, mm…"

"...Well, but what a coincidence we meet here. I've always wondered when we could meet again." Arina teases her a little, again. "What are you doing here, not in the castle? Could it be… You're going out or something?"

"Ah, yes. My supply of medicine is running out because the castle is a bit busy today. So I plan to buy some extra in the town."

"..." 'Wow, turns out I'm really lucky today.' Arina chirped in her heart, who could already guess that Effi must be planning to meet Gin outside.

'May I come with you?', Arina almost said it right away. But soon realizing that it would be easier to follow her quietly, she immediately swallowed it again. "I see. Just by yourself?"

"No. My senior Kilo is already waiting for me at the gate." She replied. But because Arina suddenly looked silent--because she was busy thinking--Effi decided to ask back. "Miss Arina too, what are you doing here in the palace?"

"Well, nothing much. I just wanted to meet the prince earlier." She answered honestly. "But Effiria, if you're going to the town, how about I drive you in my carriage? I'll be passing there anyway, so you can get off when you're at the square later."

"Eh?? Y-You really don't have to! I don't want to bother you. Besides, the town is not that far, so I don't need to take the carriage at all." She replied panicking. Apart from being honestly awkward, the addition of other people will also make it even more difficult for Effi's sneaking plan.

But of course Arina can't give up either. "Why? You don't want to? My house is also in the same direction, so it's not a hassle at all." Arina replied again, softening her voice even more.

Even after that she started grabbing Effi's hand. "Come on, I really want to. I've been wanting to talk to you more since we met last week, you know." She said, flirting again.

"Mmmhh…" Being stared at and asked like that by a friendly noble, of course Effi couldn't refuse it anymore. "I-If Miss Arina really insists, then…"

"Yess! Then let's go now--"

THUD! But from the corridor's turn, someone suddenly ran and bumped into Effi's back.

Arina almost dodged when Effi looked like she was about to fall in front of her. But remembering that she was playing the good-natured noble character, Arina ended up letting Effi fall into her arms.

And fortunately before she could deal with her discomfort, Arina's gaze was immediately fixed on the person who bumped into her earlier.

'Iris??' She thought somewhat surprised.

Arina had not seen her for almost a year, because that person was known to always shut herself up in her palace. But the woman with long black hair and somewhat dark eyes was definitely Iris, the princess.

"Ouch--Wait, no! My flower!" Shouted the princess who immediately panicked because the flower pot that she had brought broke on the floor. Not only broke, all the soil and flowers also scattered in a mess.

"No, my flower!" She wailed again as she began to rake up the plants.

"I-I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" Effi shouted too. But because the woman still didn't turn her face to her, she immediately squatted on the floor as well. "Your hand will get hurt if you do it like that. Please just let me do it."

"Agh! Hurry and put it back in the pot before it dies!" She grumbled back. But after noticing Effi's clothes--maybe her face as well, her angry expression starts to change to one of confusion. "You… The priestess…"

"Princess recognize her?" Arina interrupted then. "She is indeed the high priestess who came last week--"

"You! Don't touch my flowers!" Iris shouted suddenly, immediately driving Effi away from her flowers. "You selfless woman! How dare you touch my things!" She added, getting more angry.

Not only Effi, even Arina was also confused by that reaction. "...Um, princess, Effiria was just talking to me earlier. So please don't scold her too much--"

"Who the hell cares! Anyway, stay away from my flowers!" She interrupted again, this time really pushed Effi until she fell to the ground.

Then with a frenzy look, she immediately scooped up all the pieces of the pot including the soil and flowers into her arms. And after standing up, she still took the time to glare sharply at Effi again.

"Just watch out next time! I really won't forgive you!" She said while running away.

"..." Princess Iris finally left. But both Effi and Arina, they both remained silent staring at her angry back in surprise until she completely disappeared.

"...What was that?" Arina whispered unconsciously. She already knew that Iris had a more outlandish temperament than herself, but that one was still too strange, too abrupt, and too unclear.

If there is one thing that can be concluded…

Arina glanced at Effi suspiciously. "…Could it be that you've already met the princess?" She asked. Because judging by the way she got so angry like that, it looked like Iris has some kind of personal hatred towards Effi or something.

But strangely the victim also shook her head vigorously. "I didn't even know it was the princess!" She replied with a pale face. "W-W-What should I do? If the princess hates me, I'll definitely be in trouble!"

"..." Arina was silent for a while watching Effi bite her own fingers in fear, but then she returned to her kind-hearted aristocrat mode. "Well, there's no need to worry. She does that sometimes. Maybe her mood is like that just because her lunch was terrible."

"But…"

"Don't think about it too much." Arina repeated. "Rather than that, shouldn't we go now? Before it gets too late."

"Ah, you're right!" And fortunately Effi immediately agreed with that.