Chapter 10. A Fateful Encounter

Stay away from flowers.

It's funny how a few string of words can affect the rest of your day. I'm usually an optimist, but the fortuneteller's words birthed to a foreboding.

"At this rate, I'd die from a heart attack before the first chapter begins." I muttered while caressing my chest, which felt like being hammered by fear.

I mentally slapped myself. I need to calm down. I'm Callista, right? The girl who came back alive after being a kiddy suicide bomber. I got this.

I refuse to die. I mean, come on. I already died once. My body exploded with a goddamn bomb. Can't you just let me live in peace as a maid?

While I was cursing the gods on the way back to the weapon shop, I noticed a lady and a thug on the alley across the street. That's an unusual duo.

"I don't think they know each other." I assumed base on the lady's attempt to overtake the thug.

You see, I'm nosy. Like, very nosy. Especially when it comes to men who keep bugging women even if they're uninterested. They're a good stress reliever since I can beat them up without feeling guilty.

And so, I approached the unusual pair. "Excuse me. Do you know each other?" I questioned.

"Ha?" The thug glared at me. Jesus, he reeks of alcohol. "Get lost, bitch. Mind your own business!"

I glanced over the lady. She was a fair and petite woman, and her hair was white with a tinge of pale blue. Another notable thing about her was that her eyes were also blue but deeper in hue, like an ocean infinitely stretching beyond lands.

She also donned a fancy white dress embedded with blue jewels, complementing her eye colour.

"Why don't you get lost?" My eyes narrowed into slits. "She's not interested so leave her alone!"

"You wench!" He shouted through gritted teeth.

The drunkard tried to grab me but I managed to dodge his grip. In a split second, I slapped his face so hard that he staggered then lost his footing.

I took that chance and pushed him down with my own weight. The two of us then struggled on the ground, rolling and bashing each other's head, while the lady stood calmly from a distance.

"I hate men like you who can't keep their hands to themselves!" I shouted through gritted teeth.

That Viscount Silvia may have beaten the shit out of me in the past, but that's only because he caught me off guard. He swiped a vase at my head out of nowhere, so I lost my chance to strike at him first.

Now, there's no way I'm gonna lose to a thug in a fair fight in which I came prepared to throw some punches. Of course, he has the physical advantage over me, but I'm not letting him go unscathed!

"Argh!" The man grunted in pain when I pulled his hair without restraint. Wow, that must have hurt him real bad. I even got a fistful of his hair.

We have yet to finish our tussle when somebody grabbed my hand and pulled me up. Upon turning to the one who interrupted, I was surprised to see the Grand Duke. From the way he looked at me, he seemed confused and upset at the same time.

"I thought I told you not to go anywhere else?" His hand tightened on my forearm. "Care to explain?"

The thug was just about to get back on his feet when Sir Louie appeared and pinned him down with all his might, enough to rivet him to the spot.

"The lady seemed to be in trouble." I explained.

"So you foolishly went ahead and put yourself in danger." Alistair sighed. "Instead of trying to deal with it alone, you should have called for help. The latter would've been the wiser decision, Isabelle."

"Why?" I bit my lower lip in frustration. "Because I'm a woman and you think I can't handle a man on my own? That's very sexist of you, Your Grace."

"What?" His brows furrowed in irritation.

I whimpered when he pulled me closer then leaned his face towards mine. My heart almost stopped from the lack of distance between us.

"It seems you're misunderstanding." The lord whispered. "This isn't me being sexist towards you. This is me losing my mind since I thought something bad had happened to you, Isabelle."

I held my breath as we held a staring contest.

"I am not looking down on you. I am concerned." Alistair clenched his jaw. "Know the difference."

I don't know why he's upset. What should I have done, then? Should I have just closed my eyes and went on my way? Am I supposed to do that? No.

"Please do not blame my savior too much." A soft and feminine voice filled the silence. "If she hadn't stepped in, the situation could have been worse."

Both Alistair and I turned to the lady who stood rooted to her spot nearby. She placed a hand on her chest then bowed gracefully to the grand duke.

"Greetings, Grand Duke Averill." she remarked.

"It seems you know who I am." Alistair replied nonchalantly. "I do not recall ever meeting you before, though. Which noble house are you from?"

"My name is Ruth Alessia di Camellia, Your Grace." The lady raised her head then smiled. "I am the youngest child of Duke Camellia from Rosentine."

I screamed internally at the lady's introduction. How could I not recognize her?! That bluish white hair and cobalt eyes... She must be the villainess!

Despite my vague recollection of the novel, I can never forget their names. Besides, Lady Camellia is too interesting of a character to be forgotten... because contrary to the radiant color scheme of her appearance, she was rotten to the core.

"Ah, I see." Alistair sounded polite, but his words were sharp. "A duke's daughter went downtown without a single escort. How intrepid."

Lady Camellia's eyes twitched, and she obviously didn't appreciate the grand duke's sarcastic comment. Don't get on her nerves, dude!

"I have my reasons." she explained then shifted her gaze to me. "That aside, allow me to express my gratitude. How could I ever repay you?"

I lowered my head to her. "I am honoured, my lady. However, just knowing that you're safe is enough for this humble servant." I told her.

To be honest, I feel too uneasy in her presence. If I didn't know better, I would've been deceived by the solemn gaze of her blue eyes. But this woman is the villainess, the one who will torment Ingrid.

She looks at people as pieces and weighs their worth based on their usefulness. So right now, saying thank you is the least of her concerns.

She's trying to gauge my worth as a future pawn.

"Your maid certainly has a way with words." Lady Camellia seemed pleased with my response to her.

"She isn't my maid, though." Alistair corrected the lady. "Isabelle here is a maid from the Sun Palace."

The three of us were startled by the loud grunts of the thug, who was still restrained by Sir Louie. He kept squirming from the knight's steady grasp.

"What should I do with this man, Your Grace?"

"Bring him to the imperial guards. Tell them to punish him accordingly for harassing the duke's daughter and assaulting a maid from the palace."

Alistair frowned at the recumbent drunkard.

"Once you're done with him, escort the lady back." He shook his head in dismay. "The capital is still filled with trash. It's up to us to clean them up."

"I have received your orders." Sir Louie affirmed.

The grand duke turned to Lady Camellia.

"Whatever business you have here, I do not care." He stated in a frigid tone. "However, it's dangerous for a noblewoman to be out here alone. Allow my knight to accompany you home, at the very least."

The lady smiled. "Thank you for your kindness."

"No matter." Alistair said indifferently then gestured his hand to me. "Let's go, Isabelle."

He didn't wait for the lady's reply and just went on his way. I immediately followed after him, although I was unable to match his strides.

For the last time, I looked at Lady Camellia over my shoulder. Her fair and petite figure gave her such a delicate impression. The way she tied her hair was so seductive, exposing her slender neck.

Till we meet again, Lady Camellia mouthed to me.

I returned my eyes in front. What's that supposed to mean? It feels like she want us to meet again.

I don't know if our fateful encounter would affect the plot, but I hope this would be our first and last interaction at all. The villainess is dangerous and she's not someone I can trust. I'd rather stay away.

On the way back to our carriage, Alistair never spoke a word. However, he occasionally peeked behind, as if checking if I were still with him.

When we arrived at the carriage, Alistair told the coachman to head back straight into the palace since Sir Louie will be returning separately.

After that, the grand duke stepped aside and offered his hand to me. Look at him being a gentleman when he's supposed to be mad at me.

"I thought you were upset at me, Your Grace?"

"I am upset." Alistair averted his eyes. "Still, a gentleman will always practice his manners no matter how distressed he is. Now, take my hand."

Well, damn if that wasn't attractive.

"So this is just you being chivalrous." I remarked as he helped me get inside the carriage. "Nothing more and nothing less. Is that right, Your Grace?"

"No." Alistair smiled. "This is also me being weak to you and unable to leave you alone, Isabelle."

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