Chapter 31

𝕾𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖔 𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖓 𝖙𝖔: 𝕾𝖚𝖕𝖊𝖗𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖗 𝖇𝖞 𝕿𝖆𝖞𝖑𝖔𝖗 𝕾𝖜𝖎𝖋𝖙

***

It didn't take Verfeil to come with me to our household, but I also didn't expect that everyone would be present, and right now, I could only shake my head with a long sigh.

"I just couldn't believe that Vestia had a fiancé, and to top it up, it was the crown prince of all the people!"

"Rest assured, Henry, it's not like Vestia also wanted it, right?"

"I know, but if she didn't want it, why didn't she tell me about those things in the letters? I could have helped her"

"Don't worry, I know she could handle this, and I trust her. Even if she can't I know I would be there supporting her, so you should as well," Claudius spoke while patting Henry's back.

"I think I get what you mean by that, Henry and to think that Claudius is the one speaking in both of us all," Cain spoke while having his tea.

"Do you even like this tea?" I heard Henry ask while his eyes were directed to Cain. Cain only raised one of his eyebrows until he sighed and put the tea down

"What's there not to like?"

"The bitterness it gives"

"Well, for me, I have liked it the moment I got to drink this kind of tea with Vestia"

"You're even saying her name now, huh?" I heard Henry say with a lot of sarcasm in his tone. When I looked at Celna and Claudius, they gazed at each other and sighed. That's when the two bicker because I knew Henry well, he just loves to argue. But I know that he was only doing so because he was close to them like us.

"How was your countryside estate experience, Lady Celna..." Claudius asked, and Celna smiled at him, I could see how her eyes shone when she looked at Claudius but then, she blinked and it faded away.

"It was refreshing and calming, but every time I was with Cain, I knew that I wasn't alone in my estate back there," Celna said while taking a sip of her tea. Claudius nodded with a smile

"Then I guess, we're all just excited to be reunited. Although you met Henry this day without Lady Vestia..."

I see Celna's eyes saddened as she puts her tea down. She fiddled with her hands until she looked at Claudius.

"Claudius, is Vestia truly getting engaged with his highness, the crown prince?" Even Celna must be shocked like how Henry was.

Claudius kept his mouth shut for a moment before nodding with a thin fine line.

"It was destined for Lady Vestia, but..."

"But?"

"I just don't want to see her hurting and I think that she doesn't like the crown prince at all..."

"I see, that's why you looked sad as well when Henry mentioned it earlier"

"Yes, Lady Celna"

"But you know what? I like Lady Vestia a lot," Celna said.

I widened my eyes, but when I looked at Claudius, he also did the same thing until he sighed and smiled

"I also like her, Lady Celna," Celna chuckled at Claudius' response.

"Lady Vestia is kind, warm, and gentle. She is the kind of person that would do everything she can for the people and do what she knew was right all along..."

"I know Lady Celna, and sometimes, I thought that she was unreachable, even if I tried to be by her side, her vision of the future seemed to be far away, in a place where I couldn't be..."

"But don't worry Claudius, I know we will always be there for her, and if she doesn't like the crown prince, then we will save her from that chain, trust me..." When I looked at Cena, she was already having his fist clenched as if her eyes were on fire.

Claudius laughed but I could see that he was also having the same emotions as Celna as if the whole place was engulfed with their fiery gazes.

The afternoon tea seemed to be chaotic and when I looked beside me, I could see how Verfeil was gazing at them with widened eyes and opened mouth expression.

I could only shake my head while sighing. I guess it wasn't even the right time to introduce them to Verfeil not when we were hiding in the bushes like this.

My plan was for Verfeil to rest in my household as I introduced him first to Claudius and Henry but then I didn't even expect Cain and Celna to come. It's as if this day couldn't get any more of a coincidence I tried to look for ways for Verfeil to be introduced but everything I thought would be chaotic.

However, I gasp.

The warmth I felt from my hand suddenly tightened and before I knew it, my eyes widened when I looked at Verfeil chuckling as he unfolded my coat and dragged me to where my friends were having this bickering and fiery gazes as evil laughter coming from the garden unfolded.

"Oh, hello guys, nice to meet you all, I'm Vestia's new friend and my name is Verfeil. I hope we all be good friends from now on"

"He called Vestia by her name!"

"Wait, you're our lady's new friend?"

"Are you kidding us?"

"You don't look like one"

Both of my friends from the garden spoke at the same time and eventually, they looked at me and then at Verfeil then at me with wide eyes and opened mouth expressions like what Verfeil did earlier.

Are they confused or are they just shocked? I don't know because right now, I wish for the ground to swallow me whole, not when everything in here was a mess.

I shook my head and put the palms of my hand to my face.

Could this day end already?

***

"So that's why you two became friends, I was shocked to know you two were when you didn't even write it for me on those letters," I heard Cain say and Celna agreed with a nod.

Henry clicked his tongue, while his hands were on both of his heads, but I knew that he was already glancing at me with the rest while we walked to the market.

It wasn't a festival yet, but I knew that by doing so, we would be closer than before especially since I wanted us all to be friends.

Claudius would be looking with mouth-watering expressions because of the cake we've seen. Celna on the other hand, was eyeing some of the jewelry clips from the stools ahead having the same eyes as Claudius. Cain and Henry started bickering again and Verfeil came forward to me as he held my hand.

I felt his warmth, and how he smiled. He may have the same eyes as Caliere but his hair and his attitude are different, he seems to be a jolly person.

Suddenly, Crane's image came to mind and before I knew it, I remembered the night when he gave me the blue rose. I still haven't told anyone about this, but I want to meet him again and know his name first so that I can also introduce him to my friends.

"...right, Vestia?" My eyes went wide when it seemed that Verfeil was saying something until I only heard his last words as he smiled at me

"Verfeil, can I----" but before I asked him to repeat his words, he dragged me towards a shop and before I knew it, our friends who were looking everywhere came to look in our direction and nevertheless, chased us.

This must be a good night's event, right?

I could only imagine and dream of.

Then we hung out at a cake shop, Claudius ordered his favorite tart cream cake, while Henry only ordered coffee, when Cain saw what he ordered, he immediately grabbed a spoonful of his chocolate cake and shoved it in Henry's mouth.

Because of that Gesture, we all laughed when Henry choked and immediately argued with Cain. Celna also had her strawberry cake while I had my mango cake. We all ate to our heart's content that night until we headed to our respective households.

Henry took one of the guest's rooms within our household but as we headed into our rooms, he grabbed me by the hand and pulled me closer. Claudius wasn't around anymore since he was in the knight's chambers.

I was left alone with Henry and I didn't expect him to hug me from behind.

"Let's stay this for a long while, Vestia..." his voice sounded softly cruel to my ears as if I let go, I would hurt him.

I nod, but I never said anything back. I held onto his hands and hugged me, and we stayed like that. But then, I never thought to hear what he would say next.

"The reason why my household was like that is because it got nearly ruined for having petty emotions they call love"

I gasped but I managed to gulp ahead.

"Why would it happen?"

"Long story short, my ancestor fell in love with a lady he shouldn't have, out of pity the emperor maintained our household as it was..."

That night, the longer we stayed like that, the longer I could feel his warm emotions. They were all overflowing to me as if I couldn't let him go with the way his warmth became my solace.

"But do tell me, Vestia. Do you like the crown prince you're engaged with?"