"It seems that you asked the wrong question, Mother. I apologize, Your Highness."
Caesar smiled after his sarcastic comment. In my horror, I didn't even have the time to chew the tart I'm currently eating. Does he want to end his life this early? Because he is doing a great job at it.
Zairon tilts his head, wondering what my brother meant.
"Caesar... mind your manners. Save that later." Mother whispered to avoid Zairon's hearing before looking back to Zairon.
"The duke has gone to the borders to attend an urgent matter."
Borders? Uncle Galan looked at my mother in surprise, "Did something happen?"
"Yes, there are some reports that came in yesterday... " Mother didn't finish his sentence before looking at us.
In a split second she's beaming at us as she stood up then her warm hands on our shoulders.
"You're all finished? Why don't you kids go back to your rooms now? Uncle and I were going to talk about something important."
Yep. She doesn't want us to hear what they were talking about and I am not yet done with my pudding. "As for his highness I have prepared a room for you. Noland will show you the way."
"thank you, Duchess."
They didn't talk at all and I thought they were close since my brother will choose to be an aide to Zairon in the future.
All of the sudden... Yessenia is already grabbing Zairon by the arm. I have a bad feeling about this. I'm getting chills already!!!
"Wait, Your Highness! Wren Let's explore the mansion!" Yessenia tugs my hand, pulling me away from the table. Prince Zairon looked baffled, but then Caesar patted him in the back.
"Just come, Your Highness." Caesar seems to forget me as he placed himself in the middle of Astreia and Azi.
Both kids are the same age and because of it, they formed a hate-love relationship since I woke up. They exchange insults now and then.
"Are you joining us, brother?" I asked then he answered, "of course." as he pushed the door open.
"Come on, Wren! Before I feel sleepy!"
'Yes, Yes, this girl is coming'
I sigh and looked at Zairon's back.
"..."
Zairon looks conflicted while walking with us. He should have refused Yessenia if he was forced to come along. In fact, why is he even here? How come my mother invited him?
"... Mother?" I mumbled as I caught a glimpse of her looking so terrifying. I know for sure that it will linger in my mind for a while.
*****
"No fair! Why does Astreia always win!!"
I yawned and turned the next page of the book I'm reading. The two kids are still bantering after they changed into their sleepwear.
"Idiot,"
"Aacckk!" Azi looks like he was hit by a storm. They are playing some board games like monopoly in my past life and guess what? Astreia has the upper hand in every round.
Mind you that she's younger than Azi by months. "It's fun to see you losing here, Azi." I mumbled and I can feel Azi shooting glances at me.
"Wren, Why is his highness in the corner?" Yessenia leaned in to whisper while looking at Zairon.
Honestly, they shouldn't have asked me. Because I have no idea why he's there alone. I thought Caesar will accompany him, but then he left us in my room.
"Hey, Hey why don't you talk to him?"
I felt a cold chill run in my body as I looked at Yessenia, "Why?" Yessenia pondered with an open mouth then something jump in between us.
"Bwecause he's feeling lonely, swister."
"Yes! His Highness looks sad!"
Which part of his appearance seems lonely to these kids? Hahaha. You're wrong, Azi and Astreia. That is his face saying, 'Don't come close'.
My breath hitched when his gaze slowly turned to us and I wished Yessenia didn't look at him.
"Wren close your mouth," I glared at her and replied, "Yessenia! I AM NOT!!!"
She grinned and patted my shoulders and I bet the next thing she will say is no good.
"Wren, Don't worry. Mommy says that it is alright to feel shy in front of the one you like."
Just what is Aunt teaching this kid?
"I am not being shy. I was... startled."
Please, Just shut up and play with the two little kids.
"Swister, His Highness is stwill lwooking awt yu."
no need to tell me since I can feel his gaze behind me. "Be quiet," I said then sigh.
"Sister Wren just talk to his highness. It's not like he is going to eat you." I am older than him and he acts like he's older than me.
Azi looks at me with a disappointed sigh then added, "Besides, Are...."
Why? Why did I let this happen? Those kids... they even pretend to play tea time while in fact they are eavesdropping on us.
"Hmmm..." I don't know what to do in this situation.
If the original Wren was in my place I could already imagine what she's saying in front of this boy.
"Your Highness! Please Marry Me!"
ABSOLUTELY EMBARRASSING FEMALE LEAD! I am absolutely horrified just thinking about it.
If only those last sentences of Azi... How dare he call me weak once again?!
["Besides, Are you that weak to not face a boy?"
"what?"
"He said you are weak for not talking to his highness"
"I WILL TALK TO HIM OKAY?!?!!"]
Seriously... I hate myself. I'm older than them—19 years old (Mentally), but I let those kids manipulate me. The word weak keeps repeating inside my head. It irritates me. The fact that I let those words affect me this much. This is seriously stupid and it seems that it will be hard for me to avoid Prince Zairon.
Just now I find myself sitting on the same table with Prince Zairon. None of us are really speaking and I do not wish to disturb his reading. Besides that we have nothing to talk about. I heard he closed the book and put it down on the table.
"Wren."
Feeling Startled I fixed my posture, "Yes, your highness?"
Zairon looks at me with an unreadable look. This is what I hate the most because I felt like he was reading me, like Caesar.
"Are you not going to ask me to marry you?"
.....
"Ah, What?" Did I hear him right and with that straight face?
He didn't move an inch and kept staring at me. Why would I even ask such a suicidal thing. Does he think that I still want to be with him? Just how much damage did I do to Zairon to make him ask me that?
"I was just wondering... you did not pester me today."
Is that why he's being quiet during Dinner?
"How could I..." I chuckled nervously and averted my gaze.
"Every time you see me. You chased me like a predator hunting its prey."
He is starting to talk and excuse me, he's the predator here. If it's about hunting... I'm the rabbit here and he's the lion. I'm so saddened to think that this rabbit might die in the future.
How could he think I am the predator in this situation?
Fxxk. In my past life I died at the age of 19 and in this life— if I don't change my destiny I will die at the age of 20. Seriously, only a year difference between my deaths. In different worlds.
"You irritate me every time I see you."
Wow, that went cold and... direct. It came out completely out of the blue. But I don't have the energy to refute it nor to question it and I have expected it after the things I have done...
I'm going to die before I even reach 10 years old and the cause of death: pent up stress.
"I'm sorry... It will never happen again. Please forget it, Your Highness."
Even if you stare at me like that it won't kill me! Especially when I am complimenting that face of his.
"Do you know why I'm annoyed at you?"
Of course... I'm not sure why and I only have a gist of my relationship with the 3rd Prince after collecting small information. The prince has a low reputation, support and charisma among the nobles and commoners.
Because of that he is the lowest threat to the Crown Prince.
My family, Vacarella has a great reputation since the foundation of the empire. If one member Vacarella—like me is linked with someone especially with an Imperial member like Prince Zairon. His reputation will sky rocket— having his right to fight for succession. But... did I do something wrong— except the embarrassing parts I did before... which doesn't exactly answer his question!
He let out a tired sigh and crossed his legs while shooting daggers at me. Wait, he doesn't mean...
"I'm annoyed because new annoying things keep coming at me. It is getting troublesome."
A-annoying? I think he says that word a lot tonight. But surely... I look at him and hope that whatever I'm thinking is wrong.
"Then, his highness doesn't wan—" he cut me off instantly and said, "Of course I don't want the throne. Even the 1st Prince hates reading then signing some papers. The very reason why he's always at the laboratory instead in his office."
I'm right. What should I say? I'm too surprised and this is the first time I've seen a Prince who doesn't have an ounce of interest on the throne. The novels I read mostly have princes that are either greedy or have motivation to be a ruler. They would even kill each other to be the ruler.
"Your Highness, Is it all right for you to say that?"
"Why? I'm a Prince. I can say what I want."
And there it is! The very start of all Tyrants in history.
"Ever since you nag me about marrying you, My grandfather is making a fuss about it. Accept—"
"NEVER. ACCEPT IT." I pound the table, shaking it violently.
I mean it! I don't want to be tied with him this early!
"I will not accept it even if you cry and beg for it. You are not even pretty."
What? What? Did this kid just insult me? Hahaha, it is funny—no. It's not funny. How dare he insult this kind of face!?
I smiled and clenched my fists, "Didn't know that the Prince was rude." I calmly said in this state of anger.
The fxxker did not even flinch, he even stood up and picked up the book. Leaving me with a sentence that made my blood boil.
"I'm merely spitting facts, my lady."