Chapter 74 and 74.5 Birthday Gift (Part 3)

"My Lady, we have already readied all the things you might need. It may be hastily cleaned, nevertheless it's usable."

"Thank you, Sandra."

"No problem, Milady."

Aillenne smiled bitterly and went to her room then buried her head on the soft pillows.

"Damn. I may have been too accustomed with that place, that this place doesn't feel comfortable anymore."

She tossed and turned for a while until she fell asleep from tiredness and fatigue.

Aillenne woke up from the familiar sound of birds chirping in the trees. The cold air seeping through the poorly made windows and one side of the bed being warm.

'Where am I? Oh right... I went back here yesterday. And... it's still snowing outside. It's cold.'

Aillenne went down the bed and walked barefoot near the fireplace to warm up her body. She cuddle herself in the cloth Adele had lend. She again went back to sleep just to suppress the sadness she felt for yesterday's events.

In almost the same time, both parties of the Duke's and the Crown Prince received the pigeon carrying information regarding the arson issue of the Marquisate.

The Winston's successor almost gave up the mission to run off and go back their estate.

"I need to see my sister. She might've been scared. She needed me there."

"No. We still have our mission, Young Master."

Derrick cannot help but grit his teeth. Thoughts of his sister being scared and alone after that incident had been circling his head.

"Damn, this! What should I do? My sister---!"

"Young Master, why not ask His Highness, the Crown Prince?"

"...yes. Thank you."

Derrick ran around the zone while scouring the area for Phillip. Finally, he saw Phillip in the mouth of the zone riding his white horse, who had just finished his part in the subjugation. He waited until Phillip was ready and said his intentions.

"I see His Highness, Crown Prince Phillipsburg."

"Yes. Why is Winston's successor here in urgent?"

"Your Highness, I think I need to vacate my position. I need to go back and see my sister's condition."

"..."

"Your Highness?"

"His Majesty, the Emperor seems to know of this fact. He sent his direct aide to give his letter. Here."

Derrick read the letter and stared at it in anger.

'What the hell is this old madman saying?!'

"I also wanted to vacate my position, right here, right now. But His words are the law we must follow. No matter how much we wanted to see Aillenne, we must steel ourselves for her safety. Let us endure this first."

Derrick returned the slightly crumpled letter and cursed the Emperor in his head. How can he interfere? He will forfeit my title of being a successor if I am to go back? That's utterly bullshit!

'And what does he mean, he'll take Aillenne? That madman should be the one to be fed off to these monsters.'

He quickly returned to the barracks to prepare himself then went out to vent his frustration to the monsters and fought them himself.

"Argh! You're a bullshit!"

On one side, Duke Alastair were preparing his magic circle but was immediately halted when another letter was send directly by the Emperor. It stated that any magic were banned to be used in the empire for the time being so whatever attempt he will make to teleport will go to waste. In addition, a threat of killing Aillenne if he won't follow the orders was written in a much larger font.

The shining magic circle vanished in an instant. He couldn't help but feel frustrated of the situation where he can't leave or see Aillenne and be there for her in times of crisis.

***

Aillenne received another letter coming from the Emperor, which had been personally delivered by the Second Prince, Ludwig Bannzoir Thymis. He had been visiting and having tea with her, for four days already.

First, he personally delivered a message from the Emperor inviting Aillenne to take part in the Imperial banquet next month, which will be on the first day of the first month of the Imperial calendar. It is also the day Aillenne died.

Next the Prince personally went, together with the seamstress to get her measurements.

Then he went to have a teatime with her. It had increasingly limited the time she will have to spend with Adele, but meeting with a royal, face to face and just have a tea also takes a toll in her.

This is also the reason why she cannot move freely. Adding the fact that the Marchioness banned Collin to come to the estate. Her current situation is stifling and she can't have a say whenever Adele would blatantly bully her. A lot of eyes were being watchful of her actions.

Even now, the Second Prince and the Emperor were being interested in her. It felt like she were caged by her surroundings.

"My Lady, I have come today to give you another letter from father Emperor."

Aillenne elegantly took the letter from the prince and read the contents.

"...!"

"Yes, everything written in there is true. Though I don't really know what father wrote down on that paper."

'Why would he mind my situation? Why does this freaking Emperor keep on poking his nose in my affair? Now what? He wanted me to stay in the Imperial palace? That's absurd!'

"Your Highness, shall I reply to his Majesty though a letter?"

"No need. Father said that it's alright if you just voiced your reply through me."

"Then, please relay my words, Your Highness."

Ludwig nodded and steeled his attention to the girl in front of him.

"I am very thankful for His Majesty, the Emperor for his grace and generosity, but how can a humble subject of the Emperor put him in inconvenience? Hence, I cannot accept this offer. I am thankful but please understand my pure intentions."

"That's all?"

She nodded.

"I don't know what father wrote down in the letter, but I respect the Lady's wishes. Anyway, why won't you come with me to the palace? We have a lot of rooms available. In my palace in particular, we have a lot of rooms and even if you let yourself and some of your servants in there, it still won't take too much space."

Ludwig said as he looked around the place. They were currently sitting in the receiving room of the west house.

'Goodness. I've just declined the Emperor, now you also thought the same. They're certainly father and son.'

"Oh... no need for you to worry, Your Highness--"

"Ludwig. Call me Ludwig."

"Oh... how can I dare."

"No, I need you to call me that way. I have been requesting you the same thing for days now."

"But..."

"It's an order."

The handsome prince repeated making Aillenne succumb to his order.

"My offer is always open. Even if you knock in my doors at midnight, I'm willing to open my palace for you."

"Yes, Ludwig. Thank you."

Aillenne smiled brightly. The prince was handsome and friendly. He also likes books and topics regarding botany. Their interest coincide making them friends almost instantly. But Aillenne just continued to be formal as she cannot remove her habit of talking like a low life to other people just like in the previous world. Submissive and a good girl.

Ludwig smiled gently as he fiddled with Aillenne's hair. He smelled and contained the scent in his nose as he circled his arms to her small waist. This amount of contact has been going on for so many days now and Aillenne is getting used to his touch.

"Say, would you want to join me for a formal lunch tomorrow?"

"I would like to, but I still have a lot of preparation to make for my sister's birthday."

"Ah... it's two days from now. Alright. Then after the birthday."

"Hmm... yes."

'I won't be coming to the palace for a while. If I rejected the Emperor's offer of staying by the palace, but came for lunch in the second prince's palace, then it just defeated my intention of turning down the Emperor's invitation. If by chance, the Emperor might stop me from going home and force me to stay in the palace.'

Two days after that conversation was the day of Adele's birthday banquet. The people come and go and they busied themselves in having some last minute preparations.

Aillenne on the other hand was woken up so early in the morning by Adele's personal maids and was cleaned, massaged and prepared to the full extent.

She was very hungry but she just let the maids be. They won't even hear her plea of even having a sip of water.

'I thought I wasn't invited in the first place? I am only thinking of sending my gift to her. Then sleep in my room the whole day. The original Aillenne wasn't given any invitation from her family so why now?'

It was almost sunset when they finished her beautification. It may be finished much earlier if not for the fighting the maids have in choosing what to put on her, what hair style or what accessory to hang in her body.

They repeated a lot of times and finally settled in a cute but elegant image.

The white fluttering dress that gently hugged her small figure and hair that were styled in a messy bun with some intricate details in her hair, boosted her already beautiful features.

Aillenne smiled at herself while looking in the mirror.

'Oh my, look at that. Is this me? Gosh... so beautiful. This character rocks. She's so pretty. Look at that hair being styled like that. Ohh... she looks much prettier when she wears accessories.'

"My Lady... so pretty."

"Oh... my... gosh. I never thought that My Lady would look so different, but she's still beautiful. What on heavens have you done?"

The maids puffed their chest haughtily and cleaned their tools.

The Nanny who had been silent while looking at Aillenne, finally spoke.

"Is this the time that My Lady has to go outside and let others know of your presence? I- I felt like a mother sending her daughter to let the world know of her existence in the coming of age..."

"Nanny, I'm just going to the banquet. And I'm just thirteen. Why would I go to the coming of age ceremony?"

Aillenne said as she hugged her nanny.

"My Lady is so pretty. I can't seem to take my eyes off her."

"Thank you everyone."

Aillenne said towards Adele's maids. After some time, they lead Aillenne towards the grand hall.

Everywhere they pass by, people's eyes seem to pop. Some even had the hallucinations of seeing the goddess of the lake. Some a fairy queen.

"She's so pretty. What more if she's come of age."

"Indeed. I can't get tired of seeing her figure. She's cute at the same time majestic."

"Right. That's the lady we are serving. She's also overly kind and helpful."

"She's also claimed to be a genius."

"She is also loved by the Crown Prince---"

"Now hush, yourself there. The Youngest Lady might hear and have an outburst."

The maids immediately returned to their post while stealing a glance towards Aillenne.

The butler was confused when he saw Aillenne but he called her name and let her in the grand hall. However, when Aillenne stepped foot in the hall, all sounds seem to stop.

"..."

"..."

Even the musicians and the nobles who were happily chattering among themselves quiet down while mouths hung agape.

"The birthday celebrant---! Please welcome, Lady Adele Mickaella Winston!"

The call of the speaker was drowned in silence coming from the crowd. The prepared entrance of Adele was stolen by the sudden appearance of her sister Aillenne who were dressed more beautifully and flamboyantly.

Clang!!! Clang!

After a sound of a staff being thrown down the ground, the people's attention suddenly turned back and they smiled nervously at each other. They didn't even notice that Adele was already present while walking hastily down the long stairs.

"Sister! What have you done? Huhuhu!!! This is my birthday! Do you have to come this far to humiliate me? This is too much! Huhuhu!"