6 First Confrontation

I ran out of the greenhouse and left toward the academy. Inside the school, I quickly met with my friends.

I was quickly invited to afternoon tea, and we all started chatting happily. Sure enough, after five minutes or so, the friend I was talking to, Elizabeth, noticed the red corners of my eyes.

"Eluvia, what happened? Your eyes, they're a bit red..." I'm glad I'm not a universally hated person. Seeing someone care about me this way, somehow it makes me feel warm inside.

I looked down and smiled softly, feeling tears prickling in my eyes. I looked into Elizabeth's eyes and saw everyone looking at me. I abashedly smiled and said, "You guys know the commoner girl, Lila, right? I-I saw her with, with...."

I silently wept and successfully earned the sympathy of my friends. Elizabeth softly stroked my back and said it was all fine. After they all gave me some time to calm down, I continued speaking. "I saw Lila with His Highness. Th-they were happily laughing... Just before that I was met with the prince but he had to leave because of some urgent business... in the end, he only left to meet with such a girl."

The girls all seemed a bit surprised before angrily agreeing with each other that Lila was going too far.

Seriously, is it this easy to earn someone's pity? Then why wasn't I helped back then? Is it the looks? Hmm?

Well, it seems that everyone is gung-ho to confront the girl. That is also the moment where Eluvia starts getting ideas of eliminating all her rivals in love. Harshly.

We started walking around, looking for the girl who made me cry. I timidly followed behind them, but soon my anger will be unleashed, and I'll scold the heroine for seducing the prince. That'll make the heroine think deeply about it, and she starts avoiding the prince. In that time, the prince'll take his time finding out who made the heroine feel that way, and he'll turn against me even more.

He'll explain everything to the heroine whilst preparing for my exile. Truly, a 'prince charming', isn't he? At least, toward the person he 'loves'.

While walking around and asking around about our school mascot, we found Lila, watering the flowers by herself. She happily spoke to the plants, not knowing of the people who'll confront her soon.

Elizabeth took the front and started talking to Lila. "You, you're Lila Aurea, aren't you?"

Lila turned around and politely smiled, saying, "Yes, that's me. May I ask who you are?"

Elizabeth scoffed, "You didn't even know how to name yourself before Eluvia, and yet you dare ask my name? Fine then, I've been taught manners since I was young, so in respect of that, I'll name myself. Elizabeth Atilia, nice to meet you."

Lila's smile already started to get awkward but she held it in and curtsied, following Elizabeth. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Atilia."

Then Elizabeth started questioning what Lila was doing, talking to the prince. Lila told her that she was only talking to him as friends.

Elizabeth: "Then why were you in private, why was there no other person with you two? It couldn't be that you're trying to rise the ranks by being His Highness' mistress?"

Lila blushed and then vehemently disagreed, yelling even. "Of course not! Why would I do such a thing! Even if I'm a commoner, don't think that I don't have my dignity! How dare you tarnish my name!"

This is my appearance cue. "Then why did His Highness seem so happy? Why did he run away from me, only to search for you! I'm his fiancee. Yet! He happily laughs with you and he runs away from me! Other than you seducing him, how else could that have happened! Tell me! He's supposed to marry me, yet he runs off to you! What am I to expect when I marry him? Is he going to keep you, together with other women?"

Lila's face turned pale with guilt. "I-I never had such an intention. I only meant to befriend him, I have no intention of stealing him from you, Miss Claudius. If it makes you feel better, I will leave his side. I don't intend to ruin your relationship."

Want to know why the dear heroine feels so guilty? It's because her father left her mother for another woman. However, he was actually legally married to her mother. So, having her father run off with a mistress, makes her hate their existence. She doesn't want someone to go through what her mother went through, so she'll stop her interaction with the prince. That's the story, and that's how Lila dejectedly leaves the scene.