13 I Don't Need the Prince! 10

The next morning, Avina memorized the plan in her head. Once she was confident enough, she ordered the butler to prepare a carriage to the palace.

As she waited outside the front door, Hector came running over.

"Wait!," his voice echoed through the front area shocking nearby maids and attendants.

Avina could only helplessly look at this brother of Ariel's, and wait for him to reach her.

When Hector finally reached Ariel, he was panting out of breath.

Ariel could only pat his back smiling helplessly at her brother. She didn't understand what Hector had to tell her, but he was her brother and he would never harm her.

"You didn't need to run. I would have waited for you," Ariel continued patting his back slowly. "Do you need any help? I'm about to leave though."

Wheezing, Hector finally caught his breath. "I wanted to know where you were going." Still, out of breath, he let out a small chuckle. His soft curls bounced as his face opened into a bright smile.

Sure enough, beauty ran in the family.

Ariel could only reply, "The palace."

After she said that, she started to faintly blush. She couldn't help it. If today truly went as planned, then it could be the first major date she had with George. Even the mere word "date" could overheat her mind, not to mention a date with her fiance.

Hector stared as her small face warmed up, and felt even more helpless.

She was his only sister, but before he had known it, she was already in the hands of the Prince. He wanted to always protect her as a brother, but he guessed it was time to hand that role over to George.

Quickly, Hector regained his focus and remembered what he wanted to say. His face hardened, and he held Ariel's hands.

"Be careful."

Before Ariel had the chance to ask him "Be careful of what", he had already walked away leaving her with one sentence of warning. Speechless, she could only gawk at his back.

Soon the coachman came with the carriage and Ariel was escorted to the palace.

- - - -

Inside the carriage, Avina ordered 5025 to monitor a couple of people. She asked it to monitor Earl John, Amanda Friesta, Jane Mary, Rey Matthew, and Prince George.

After setting up the monitor screens, 5025 finally got the chance to ask, 'What did Hector mean earlier?'

No matter how hard 5025 tried to figure it out, it still couldn't decode it.

'It just means our plan is working. Don't worry,' Avina tinkered with the positioning of the monitors before settling on having all 5 at the bottom. In the tiny screens, each person was moving around either working, eating, or playing.

Avina realized after being with 5025, it was a little dense - an airhead. It was very simple and innocent. She was sure if she looked at its code, it would be aligned neatly like a good baby system.

She could only try her best to let 5025 live its happy system life; maybe that was the best life to live.

- - - -

Not long later, Avina arrived at the palace. The maid waiting outside helped her down before guiding her inside the palace.

No matter how many times she got to see the palace, it still left her in shock at how majestic it was. Every single turn and corner was carefully designed and had different pieces showcased. Some plated in gold, others in jewel - all expensive.

She didn't dare to think of how much each one cost for fear it will leave her greedy.

Greed was never a nice color on a princess.

Once Avina was seated in the lounge with a neat display of treats and tea in front of her, the maid bowed before leaving. Avina continued her perfect noble act for a few minutes before breaking it and opening the door.

'Monitor this room and make sure no one knows I sneaked out,' Avina carefully looked left and right before dashing.

Before, while the maid was leading her, she noticed in the monitor Earl John, too, arrived at the palace with Jane in tow.

Although she had a faint hunch why, she wasn't entirely sure.

When she looked at the monitor again, she noticed Amanda also arrived at the palace too! Now, she was even more confused.

Once the maid led her into the lounge, Avina saw that Earl John and Amanda met each other near the palace garden.

Something clicked inside her mind, and she knew she had to rush out.

'Navigate me to their location, I need to be there ASAP!' Avina raced through the corridors making sure she was looking at the monitors at the same time.

Inside her head, a mini projection of the palace with a red dot moving and a green dot was shown. The red dot continued moving to the green dot's location dodging left and right.

When Avina was close to where Earl John was, she was already out of breath.

She hid behind the closest pillar panting. Beads of sweat rolled down her face plopping one by one onto the marble floor. She hadn't noticed when she was running, but her foot ached a whole lot more. Her face paled from the pain, but it was worth it; she made it in time to hear their conversation.

'Enhance their conversation. I need to hear what they say,' Avina peaked from behind the pillar.

Earl John and Amanda were talking together laughing while Jane was standing a few feet away. She had her head down and appeared to not be able to hear the conversation.

A static noise sounded in her head before Avina heard the voices of Earl John and Amanda.

- What a lovely daughter you have there! She's perfect.

- Haha! I knew the moment I saw her she was fit for the role. Are you sure the Prince will be coming to the garden today?

Concern laced his face as Earl John's brows creased. It wasn't easy getting into the palace and this may be the last time he could do it without a formal audience.

- Do you doubt my information?

Amanda had a teasing smile, but her eyes were a few shades darker than before. Earl John trembled a little at her stare before chuckling nervously.

He didn't understand why he even agreed to this plan of hers, but when she got material on him, it was too late to back off. He could only scold his bad luck!

In turn, Avina's expression grew darker. She seemed to finally get a hold of the last puzzle piece. Maybe she did not complete the whole puzzle, but she knew just about enough information.

Earl John and Amanda have a partnership. Their goal? She doesn't know. What she did know was that it had something to do with Jane meeting with the Prince.

Wait, doesn't that mean the meeting in the Town Square was plotted by Earl John and Amanda?

'5025, can you check why George had to go to the Town Square in the first place?'

She had thought he went there to go a little window shopping or just to have fun. He may have been a prince, but he was still human. Being cramped in an office all day didn't sound fun.

The sound of her system whirring began for a couple of seconds before pausing. 'The database said there was a report handed about a famine happening in the town next over. In the end, it appeared to be a false report,' 5025 looked at the list of code it held, and it wondered why a false report was handed to the prince.

In the end, it concluded humans could never live up to the potential of systems.

Avina fell into deep thought forgetting she was behind a pillar. When she left her hand up to put under her chin and with the addition of her injured foot, she slipped.

Luckily, she fell where Earl John and Amanda could not see her. But it did not stop Earl John and Amanda from hearing the ruckus.

"Who's there!" Earl John and Amanda both stopped talking, sharply looking at the pillar Avina was hiding behind.

"Show yourself!" Amanda's face grew grave. If an outsider heard their conversation, then all these years of planning would be for naught!

'Oh poop!'

I'm done for!!!