Chapter 34

(Friday)

Nash went out earlier than her usual time. Katherine is away for a mission so she has to travel on her own to go to the Imperial Palace.

It's only 4 a.m., and she's already dressed and ready to go. She left a note on the dining table stating that she had already left.

She had to walk for an hour to get to the main gate of the Imperial Palace.

She didn't hesitate to walk in as the sky was still dark and she was wearing a cloak to hide her identity.

"Welcome, Imperial Princess, Nashtassia," the knights greeted.

Nash nodded and proceeded to her room.

She changed into a comfortable nightgown and went to bed.

...

[Knock knock]

Nash woke up at the sound of the door knock. A maid walks in.

"Good afternoon, Princess Nashtassia, his majesty is expecting you in the dining hall for lunch," Nash yawned, nodding.

"All right, I'll get ready," she stood up and went straight to her bathroom, but she came to a halt when she noticed the maid following her. "What else do you need?"

"I was tasked to assist you in preparing," the maid shuddered.

"What is your name, miss maid?"

"It is Bea, princess"

"Bea... what a good name," she smiled. The maid glanced at her, admiring the princess's lovely features.

'She's not bad at all,' Bea thought to herself, still admiring Nash's features.

"Then, Bea, you can leave." Nash said, smiling.

'Ehh?!'

"What? But I'm here to assist you, princess. It was ordered by the head maid," Nash sighed. "I apologize..."

"No, it's fine. Then... whatever you see today, it will only be between us, is that clear?" Nash said in a warning tone.

Once again, the maid stood frozen.

'I can't read her face at all! She was kind to me a moment before, but now she seems as though she could kill me.'

"Bea? Are you still here?" Nash waved her hands in front of Bea's face.

She flinched, "Yes! I'm sorry. Yes! I promise to not tell anyone, not even the head maid about the things I will witness today."

Nash patted her shoulder, "I trust you on this one."

They went into the bathroom, and Bea assisted Nash in taking a bath. She wants to find out what happened to her body, but she is afraid of her.

She tried hard not to show the princess that she was shivering while washing her.

"I like you," the maid blushed, "I like that you're not asking about these bruises of mine."

"I thought that it would be impolite for you, Princess," Nash grinned.

"If I remember it correctly, you are the one whom I asked for my cloak before? Or am I mistaken?"

"That was me, Princess,"

Nash nodded. "Aren't we finished yet? The water has gone cold."

"Oh... yes! I'll rinse the soap now!"

After they finished bathing, Bea assisted Nash in wrapping a bandage across her body.

"Shall we get going, princess?"

Nash nodded, "Lead the way, Bea."

They both entered the dining hall and noticed that Nash was the only one they were waiting for.

They took so long to arrive due to the bandages.

"Good Afternoon," she greeted as she sat down next to Celeste.

"How are you?" Ivelisse asked in a gentle tone.

Nash looked at her mother with a bright smile. "I'm well, mother."

"Aren't we going to start eating?" Nash asked.

"There are guests," Celeste said.

Nash looked at her father and asked, "Is it okay for me to be here?"

"Why not?" Ivelisse interrupted, "They're trustable person, and you don't have to worry about that."

"I see... Then if that's what mother says." Nash glanced at father before looking at her silver plate. 'Hm... The emperor is waiting for the guest? How unlikely'

"The guest has arrived, your majesty"

The door opened and Nash was surprised to see the guests, "Leader!?"

Yjhan remained serious.

"And the old guy from before?!" she exclaimed.

"It's Serio," Celeste corrected her sister.

"I, Yjhan, greet the Imperial Family," he said as he kneeled to show respect.

"You may rise," Roven ordered.

"We greet the Imperial Family," A father and son greeted them.

Nash poked her sister. "Who are they?"

"The Duke of Isra and his son."

Nash nodded, "Ah... don't know them."

"Please take a seat and join us for lunch," Ivelisse said.

The Duke of Isra, Mattheus, looked at Nash as soon as the visitors sat. "It is a privilege to meet the young princess."

Nash simply smiled. She doesn't know what to say, especially since she was made uncomfortable by the Duke's son's stare.

"It's you..." The duke's son said.

"His name is Owen," Celeste said as she delivered information to Nash via telepathy.

"I've never met you before," Nash answered.

"You're the one who rolled through the streets!" he exclaimed.

The Imperial family looked in her direction.

"I rolled on the streets? When?" She arched her brow. She has no recollection of rolling through the streets.

"You rolled on the streets?!" Ivelisse exclaimed.

"I don't know!" she countered.

"You rolled to save the kid when he was about to be stomped by a horse," Owen explained.

"Ahhhh! That!" She answered.

"What happened?" Roven asked.

"It was that time when the white knights (Imperial Knights) were on their way to the victim of the creature's attack. The kid was about to run so I rushed towards him and saved him."

"That was dangerous!" Ivelisse said.

"It's better than seeing a kid get stampede," she answered. "Now, can we eat?"

"You may," Ivelisse answered, looking concerned over her child.

"How brave you are, you truly are Roven's daughter," the Duke laughed.

Nash smiled at the Duke, 'Does he think I'm a fake?'

Roven glared at Mattheus, who ignored the emperor's glare.

"What are your thoughts about marr—"

"No," Roven cut him off.

"I haven't even finished my sentence yet!" He exclaimed, "What do you think Nash? Would you like to ma—"

"I said no," Roven said.

"I apologize but I have to decline your request," Roven and his sons smirked.

"Why? Is my son not to your liking?" He turned to face his son, who was waiting for an answer.

"I find your son handsome, but I already have someone in mind," she stated and continued to eat, 'I want a chocolate cake full of chocolate frosting...'

Roven and his son lost their smirk.

"You what?!" Celeste exclaimed.

Yjhan, on the other hand, is unable to eat, 'I didn't expect the Imperial Family to be so chaotic.'

'But I'm curious, is it Aidan?' Yjhan added to his thoughts.

"Who? Tell me," Celeste asked.

"No. Soon," she answered. She looked at Yjhan who was just listening. "What is leader doing here?"

Nash began to consider what would have brought Yjhan here, and then she remembered how her sister had looked at Yjhan previously.

"Is sister going to marry leader?!"

"Pugh!" Celeste coughed. Her face flushed as a result of her sister's unexpected query. "No, I'm not! Can we stop talking about marriage?"

'Hell... she's blushing.' Nash thought as she grinned, looking at her sister's face.

"Wait, before we move on to another topic, I heard there was a candidate for my older brother's fiance?"

"There is, did you encounter one?"

"I do, its lady Yeona of Tytania"

'In fact, she beat me up just because I was stating some facts.'

"How is she?" Ivelisse asked, "I heard she was a good and elegant lady"

Nash scoffed, "You call that good?"

"Why?"

Nash shrugged. "I don't know... She is elegant, that is true, but the former? Definitely not."

"I knew it, that lady is two-faced. She acts as if we're close, the other day, we met and get to know each other."

"Then should we remove her from the candidates?" Ivelisse asked Vincenzo.

"It's up to you, I had no concern about matters like that. I just want to say that you should see the person's true self before making her a ruler."

"Of course, mother! Remove her!" Celeste exclaimed.

"Don't" they all look at Nash, "Just let her be."

She grinned.

Owen looked at her with a faint smile, 'I didn't expect she had this personality.'

"Anyway, why is leader here again?"

"He's here to discuss things about you," Roven answered.

"What about me? I thought he already knew everything about me and my status?" She looked at Vincenzo.

"I only told her about you being a princess and that you were in disguise."

"So, leader doesn't know that I am a demon vessel?" She asked innocently.

Yjhan's eyes grew big in shock, but his brows arched, 'Nash was a demon vessel? Then that means, she was the reason why there are creatures lurking around?'

"He doesn't know. But now that you said it, he already knows," Vincenzo sighed.

"Oh..."