5 chapter 5.

" I heard you played a game with the crown prince. "

After hearing those words came out of my father's mouth, I choked my drink in flustered. I wipe my mouth and look at father in anxiety. it only had spread yesterday and father has already heard about it and directly mentioned it on our breakfast time together?

There a heavy atmosphere between us so suddenly. in my speechless, I clench my dress, try not to look so anxious, and acted calmly.

" I suggested it to his majesty myself because I wanted to deepen our relationship more, papa. "

Father look at me with his doubted gaze, to see whether I was trying to lie at him or not. Tsk! He really has sharp eyes.

"....."

" Um.. Ah! "

Suddenly a thought comes to my mind in that hard tension atmosphere. Yes, that is!

" Well, you know, that time when someone were to ignore a person who they've been giving their attention to all of the sudden, that person would gradually become more attached to us because that person had already realized our presence all the time we've tried to get their attention? um. Something like that..? "

Gulped at his gaze. The archduke suddenly raises his eyebrow after hearing Claire nonsense spit, he put down his spoon and focuses on Claire.

" So, what are trying to say here, Claire? "

" Um. well. "

" I wan-want the crown prince to become more attached to me...?.. So.um, I suggested that method as a game between us, that's all.. really."

Relius lean on his chair with a crossed arm he looks at Claire with his sharp eyes.

" You know what will happen if the emperor were to hear about this childish acted of yours, Claire? it's a good thing I hear it before his majesty does. I've quickly stopped the rumors before it spread among the maid at the palace just to prevent that thing from happening. I didn't know what you think, but this method will bring our family lost favor from the emperor, you know that much too, right Claire? "

I lowered my head in guilty, I know that if the emperor were to hear about this, our Romanoff family would need to kneel before the emperor just to explain about this sudden behavior, such as we were being ungrateful with the emperor favors toward the house of Romanoff. But, this is the only way to get rid of the crown prince. I couldn't help it because it's my only chance to change my future, father.

"..."

" I'm sorry, papa. "

Relius sighed in disappointment, he suddenly gets up from his seat and kneels before Claire. The archduke gently touches my hand with his gentle gaze, he caresses my head with his wide palm.

" I'm not scolding you right now, Claire. I know you do that with a reason to come with you since you look so calm even after the crown prince ignored you. You must really want to become his wife, don't you? to come up with this game method, you sure thinking wise, my daughter. "

I was stunned by father's gentle voice toward me. A single tear flows from my eyes unconsciously. This is the first time my father had taken my side, belief in my actions and words, he even compliments me. How could this cold guy change until this rate? he never looks at me with a tender gaze, sincerely touch and pat my head before.

Relius stunned when he looked at his daughter tear, in anxiety he quickly wipes it off from his daughter's face with his index finger, softly touch his daughter's face.

" Why are you crying, Claire? "

Claire smile in her tear.

" I don't know why I'm crying.. I ..papa.. Ish. "

I bend my head, lost in my tear. At that moment, my trembled body suddenly felt warm all over it, a tough arm was embracing me like I was a treasure for him, even though it feels awkward, my face has already placed on his chest. This time, father was the one to embrace me into his arm out of his own will.

' Oh god Casel, thank you for giving me this second chance. I really wanted to pray at you again. Thank you.. '

" Papa.. um. I can't breathe, you hold me too tight. "

Relius flinched and quickly release his daughter, this is the first time he has held his daughter's warm body like this, make him a little bit too much with his actions.

" I'm sorry, are you alright, Claire..? "

Claire nod and gently smile at him flustered. father is really cute!. Relius look at Claire, she has getting calm again although her eyes a little red after she cried like that. it's a suitable time since she has become calm now.

" Um, I was meaning to tell you this today, my daughter, it's actually about this weekend. "

I look at my father who was looking so guilty at me. he took his seat again and stared at me in disappointment. I kind of guess what he was trying to say to me.

" You couldn't go with me to the temple, papa? "

" ..... "

" I'm sorry. I need to sign some papers on behalf of the emperor because his majesty was not available on that day, it's an urgent matter that can't be avoided, I'm really sorry Claire. "

My gaze turns to be disappointed at him. his sudden words pierce my mind, the day I was looking forward to has gone just like that with his apology toward me.

" ...Really? then I guess, I can't go there this weekend, huh. "

Claire walks towards the door in silence after she finished her meal in rushed. Relius look at her despairing face in guilty. His anxiety makes his heart hurt with Claire's expression toward himself.

" Okay, okay. you can go there without me, alright? "

My eyes become sparkle while staring at the archduke give up face in disbelief.

" Really?? "

Heh, I just acted to be disappointed but it really gets on his guilty, huh? good job Claire. My heartfelt eager for his approval for me to go to the temple without him. it's a success.

" But, promise me that you will stay close with Daisy and our family Ronin knight no matter what. Don't wander around there by yourself. A temple is a dangerous place because it's a holy place, a knight couldn't get in to guard you without permission from the high priest, understand? "

In excitement, I run toward father and without hesitation..

' Chu! '

" Thank you, papa! "

Relius hold his warm cheeks in stunned, in a flash his daughter has come to him and kissed him on the cheeks without notice to do so. Look at his daughter's head out from the dining room in excitement make he felt it a wise decision to let his daughter go there without him.

" My Lord? " call Ryss from behind Relius.

Ryss looks at Relius who was being in a blanked position after the lady has kissed and leave him alone in wonder, it's been a while already since she left him here but he still in a daze. Sigh. My lord really has such a pure heart to felt so touched only just getting a kiss from his own daughter..

" My Lord.. you will get late, you need to head toward the palace now. "

" ... "

No response from Relius makes Ryss sighed in exhaustion.

" My Lord! "

His heart thumping with a sudden shock. Relius look at Ryss with his eyes blink in startled, thinking why that old man shouted at him out from nowhere. Do I make a mistake?

" What's wrong, Ryss? you make me shock with your shouted voice. "

Ryss bowed for his rude behavior towards Relius and with a gentle smile, he suddenly gave an annoyed gaze toward Relius.

Goosebumps. that's what he felt right now. Sometimes this old man would make a really scary face if he started to get tired to serve me. I thought I'm used to it because it's a face I've been looking at for my whole life but I'm still getting a shudder every time Ryss makes that face in front of me.

" Forgive me for my rudeness, my lord. but I wanted to remind you, you would be late to get to work if you didn't head toward the palace on this instants. "

Relius gasped in shock, he looks at his watch and quickly runs towards the carriage in hurried. Ryss shakes his head while look at his master's action.

" I hope you didn't get scolded by the emperor again.. "

Bang.

The sound of the main door got closed by Ryss. That evening, it's been a peaceful day for Claire and all the servants in the Romanoff mansion.

****

" I will accompany you to go to the temple, my lady? "

In excitement, Daisy cleans my room in eager when I talk about that matter with her. I sit on my bed, wondering who would be the best candidate for me, I'm scribbling something on a paper in deep thought.

" Daisy.. "

" Yes, my lady? "

I bite the tip of my pencil while look at Daisy.

" Who's you think would be the best boy on this empire, those around my age? "

" Oh? are we going to talk about a guy now? "

Daisy suddenly gets near me and sit in front of me on the bed. She faces me with excitement all over her face.

" I think for you it would be the crown prince, right my lady? but in my opinion, a young master from Kyite household was quite a good looking boy, ah! a young master from Harvey household has a pretty face but he already had a fiance though, um. a boy from the marquess Olene household had a mature face but he may a bit older than you, my lady.. "

With my shocked gaze, I look at Daisy in disbelief. I don't know she has been observing all the boys in our empire if I were not to ask her about this. I would ignore how she know those boys for now and continue to focuses on my plan now.

" Wait, who you said at first earlier? Keith? Kyil? Harviy? "

" It's a young master from Kyite household, my lady. He had a good-looking face but he was quite a playboy. "

Claire writes his name on the paper, hurm, a playboy with a good looking face and a son of a count at that, not bad..

" More? "

" Urm, let's not mind a young master from Harvey household since he had a fiance already, my lady. Then, a boy from the marquess Olene household, his face was quite mature and he a bit older than you. "

" Older by how much? " in wondered I asked.

" You're 14 so, he currently 23 years old, my lady. "

Claire frowned, cut his name off from the list without any hesitation. Rejected, it's hard to handle an adult guy as my partner.

" Someone else besides them? "

" Hmm, let see. count Kyite, count Harvey, marquess Olene, their son was in around your age. Hm. Ah! grand duk.. "

Daisy suddenly stops to talk and covers her mouth in anxiety.

" Ah well, nothing. I think that's the only boy in our empire that was around your age. I'm going to continue my work now. "

Without getting her sentence finished, Daisy left me in hurried, maybe she has said something that she shouldn't say at me. I wonder what she wanted to say perhaps, it's the grand duke's son?

Grand duke son, grand duke son.., if I'm not wrong, in the past, he was quite a mysterious man because he always hides from being seen, but I heard he was a gentleman guy though. was he around my age too? I didn't give him much attention since I was busy getting that bastard crown prince's attention on the past.

Claire looks at her list that she wrote on a paper.

" A playboy son of count Kyite and a mysterious gentleman (my own guess) son of the grand duke of the empire. It seems the grand duke son is better. Let's tried to ask him, shall we? "

" But, when can I meet this mysterious boy if there no special occasion for him to attend and show himself. I should investigate about him more at the temple. Well, a priest of the temple sometimes would hear all kinds of rumors that happened in the empire, I'm sure they have gossiped about it too. They are a human after all. "

I hold the paper up to the air in determination. So, with this. Let's try to drag the grand duke son into this game with me. it's not a big deal since he was a gentleman (again it was my own guess). let's try to pursue him to be my partner in crime. you can Claire!