18 Chapter 18: Day job

Why... did mom appear...

Perhaps there is some kind of connection with Darius? Impossible...

She was smiling at me that seemed like she was encouraging me to join her side...

Grim reaper? Hah... what a perfect title for him...

While gathering her thoughts, Eva got slightly flustered by how Diana kept holding a knife, just as if she wanted to kill someone. She was worried that Diana would hurt herself.

"Lady Diana, can you please put down the kitchen knife?"

"...Are you scared? You're an assassin... this is normal for you, right? To kill somebody," Diana asked coldly.

Seeing Diana's expression, Eva felt helpless and asked her back, "Please tell me honestly, what's going on?"

"That... doesn't answer my question..." Diana suddenly stabs the kitchen knife into the chopping board, leaving it as it is, "I'm going to my room. Don't let anyone disturb me."

"Um... Lady Diana, are the words you said earlier true?" Eva interrupted that made Diana stop between the doors.

"Yes."

Diana coldly glanced over Eva, who was taken aback by her straightforward answer. She wanted to tell the truth to Eva but after thinking things over, she decided to keep it to herself.

"Why...? Why are you accepting death?"

"... Because it's the only way to be with the person I love..." Diana bitterly smiled it off and went out of the kitchen.

Eva was bewildered by Diana's response. She understood what Diana meant but wondered who was the person that made Diana think of death. Was it a woman or a man? But either way, Eva wasn't satisfied with her reply.

She catches up with Diana and followed her, "Lady Diana, I won't interfere with your decisions but remember that I would always protect you when you're in danger."

Diana helplessly smiled and sighed as she heard Eva's firm tone, "That's troubling..." she mumbled.

Along the way, a servant comes heading towards them with letters in her hand, "Lady Diana, there are some letters for you..."

Ever since she came to the manor, she received letters but all of them were rubbish. Diana was hesitant as she can feel the bad vibes coming off from the letters but she eventually takes it from her.

The contents of the first letter were from Jonathan, demanding to increase his compensation for his high-quality clothes that were just made in the nick of time.

As for the other letter, it was from Lucifer, inviting Diana for a tea gathering.

"... How stupid..." Diana mumbled.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing. Prepare the carriage, we're meeting Jonathan."

"Right now?! With a fresh wound on your neck?"

"Don't make a fuss, it's just a scratch. Get going now."

Eva felt that she had no chance of changing her mind so she did what she was told to do. While preparing, Diana was on the side, gazing and waiting to hop on the carriage but not until Devin called her out.

"Lady Diana, are you going somewhere?"

"...Your highness, I'll just be going to the town."

"Is it important? Your health is much more the priority right now."

Diana chuckles, "I'm not that weak. It's just a scratch."

"Scratch or not, it wouldn't be good if you move around too much."

Diana glanced over the carriage and seeing that it was already good to go, she didn't prolong their conversation any further, "I'll keep that in mind. Then, I shall excuse myself, your highness."

Just as she was about to hop on, Devin suddenly reacted that made her stop, "Ah! Lady Diana, can I come along with you? I forgot that I have some business I needed to investigate in the town."

Devin suddenly said with his smile and gentle tone.

It was so out of the blue that Diana had trouble whether to accept it or not. She knew how he wanted to be by her side so badly that it's giving her the creeps.

Although she understood that he was only worried for her since a situation where she was almost killed happened earlier, so it was only natural that someone would be concerned but he was just completely concerned.

But whether he was worried or not, she had to accept as he was a prince.

"Alright, but when we arrive please immediately proceed with your investigation."

Devin simply smiled at her and swiftly gets in the carriage.

For some reason, whenever he doesn't answer and just smiles as his response, Diana had a bad feeling.

After being aware that he was a prince, she couldn't help but feel awkward and silent. She tried her best to keep those thoughts away and focused on staring outside of the window but along the way, Devin speaks up.

"Did I do something that offended you? You've become silent on our second meeting. Did you not want me to come along?"

Devin was so obviously gloomy that Diana became flustered, "What? No, that's... that's not it, your highness."

"Then why?"

"That... Forgive me for my actions at the celebration, I was ignorant."

Devin wondered why she was apologizing but then understood that Diana didn't know that he was a prince at that time.

Due to his status as the prince, Diana became distant from him. But instead of feeling slightly dejected, he was delighted to know that Diana was truly different from others.

If it were the other ladies, they would have already been flattering and sticking with him non-stop but Diana was doing the opposite. She kept her distance and didn't want to be involved with him.

Eventually, they arrived at the town but Diana was greatly confused as to why Devin kept following her until she reached Jonathan's doorstep.

"Can you please tell me why you followed me all the way here?" Diana asked him with surpassed anger and a half-hearted laugh.

"Followed? You're mistaken. I'm here to investigate this place. Well, to think that we would be going to the same place, what a coincidence."

Coincidence my ass!

Just as she feared, he was lying behind his gentle smile. Although she was thankful that he was concerned for her but it was too much. She sighs inside and just forcefully thought of the situation as something good.

As they went inside, a loud shut of the door was suddenly heard from upstairs, following loud footsteps hurriedly coming down the stairs but it suddenly stops at a certain point.

They wondered what was the noise all about when suddenly Jonathan's hand shows up and fiercely grabs the side of the door.

He slowly peeks his head out and stared intently towards Diana, "Oh? You're finally here?" Jonathan sluggishly approached Diana while she backs away.

"Why... do you look like a living corpse?"

"Thanks to you, I'm almost at my death's door," He pushes his hair up that made Diana spot his bags under his eyes. She felt guilty as he looked so haggard because of her selfish desires.

But before she could speak up to apologize, Jonathan spoke ahead of her, "Anyway, the first batch of clothes upstairs is done."

"Already?"

"Of course... Even though I was half dead, it was a piece of cake."

Diana's eyes glimmered in excitement after hearing the good news and dashed upstairs while dragging Eva, leaving Devin and Jonathan behind.

But after Diana left, the atmosphere between them somehow darkened.

"It's been a while, isn't it? Jonathan..."

"..."

Meanwhile, Diana was truly happy as she scanned every clothes with her twinkling eyes, "Woah... They're sparkling. I feel like I'm at a free sale shopping center."

Each time Diana scanned a dress, she felt like she was living back in the past and it felt so satisfying. It was a dream that every girl wanted that she simply thought of how lucky she was to be on friendly terms with Jonathan.

"I don't know anything about dresses but these are beautiful," Eva complimented.

"Amazing, isn't it? For a split second out there, I felt bad but seeing how he still looked handsome despite being haggard and still manage to produce high-quality clothes and designs, the guilt flew away."

After a few moments of happily looking here and there, Devin and Jonathan finally shows up and noticed Diana picking a dress that she liked to try.

"Hm? I don't remember telling you to make this dress?" Diana caught the attention of a certain dress.

"Oh, that... that's just a sample that I tried on a whim."

"... Can I try these?"

"You don't need to ask," Jonathan said with his proactive smile.

Diana immediately gets into the dressing room and tries it on but as she looked up to see herself in the mirror, she was surprised by how lovely she looked.

Oh my... this is too much than I thought it would be. It's too seductive that it's making me blush...

She slightly slaps her cheeks to keep her composure in check and stunningly gets out of the dressing room.

"How does this look?" Diana said with a seductive grin and her elegant pose.

All of them were in awe, their eyes were widely opened that they became slightly flustered with their words and actions. It took them some time before they could speak up.

"You... Of all the things you had to pick!" Jonathan sighed as he looked away with his hand on his face.

"Well? What do you think?"

"What could I even say..." Jonathan peeks a bit through the gaps of his fingers and sighed one more time as he saw Diana's bare shoulders and delicate collarbone. He was lost for words.

"Your highness...?"

"It is indeed beautiful..." Devin unconsciously scanned her from her strapless top to bottom and gradually saw her leg peeking through the slit of her dress, it made him blush as he closed his eyes, "but still looks too daring..."

If it were in modern times, their reactions would be normal but they looked so innocent as they hid their blushing faces which made Diana chuckle, "Jonathan, I'm gonna take this with me along with the matching jewelry, if there is."

"Wait, what? Are you serious?"

"Of course, I think it would be a good weapon."

"Weapon?"

"Yup! Anyway, now that the clothes are almost settled. Let's head to the construction site!"