Chapter One: A Recall Of What I Remember ( Clarrise )

I watch as the scene in front of me came to a stop. How many times has it been? Was it the eight? Or ninth? I don't know how long I need to relive this life of mine. Is there no end to this?

Looking up once again, the once dark sky is slowly going back to sunset and soon it will be morning again.

Time is going back once again. And I will turn back to my age of 18.

Ha! This is insane! How long must I endure all this???

You author!!!! How long are you going to keep on replaying this story!! Enough already!!!

I am sure you all are wondering what in the world is happening, right? Then let us go back to the first time I have gotten aware that this world is a world of a story... where my best friend is the main character who fell in love with the Crown Prince.

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"Clarrissee~!! Look! Look what I have got here!!" the sound of a cheery voice shouting in the morning is something I don't look forward to.

It's too early in the morning yet she already has high energy. How? We ate the same food during breakfast!

I groan as I turn to hide behind a tree, and peek to see my best friend running in the middle of the meadow towards me. She is holding two envelopes in her hand.

"Clarisse! Stop hiding and come out!" she began to glare at me as she wait under the sun's light.

"Sasa! It's too hot! Why don't you come here under the shade of this tree?"

"Fine! Here! This is addressed to you! And this is mine!" She enthusiastically gave me the envelope with my name as she tore open hers.

"Is this the result for the academy?" I ask as I carefully open mine.

Last month, we both took an exam for the academy in the capital. It's an exam for scholarship admittance. While both of us came from a Baron family, our family is only noble by name and no longer holds a high position like other nobles.

My father was once a business partner of a Count in the capital until their business went bankrupt... leaving us no choice but to move here to the countryside. While Sasa, her full name is Louisa Sarine, is the only child of Baron Violet. I gave her the nickname Sasa.

After a terrible accident that took the life of the Baron and his wife, our family adopted Sasa and raise her as our own. Though, Sasa continues to use her surname to preserve his father's name.

Since then the two of us are always together no matter where we go. Sasa grew up to be quite a beauty with her long blonde hair and her sparkling amber eyes. She has been courted almost every day but she never paid attention to any of them. Besides... unlike any other ladies in our town, Sasa is much stronger than a man. Physically stronger... She is much more skilled in fighting and hunting than any men in this town.

While I on the other, is much simple than she is. I am also quite skilled in hunting but not as skilled as she is. I have long brown hair and cute deep blue eyes. My full name? Clarrise Rubia Roses.

My mother gave me the nickname Ruby, while the town folks kept calling me Red Rose. As for Sasa, she likes my first name Clarrise. Though there are times when she called me Clarry.

The only way for us to change our family's fate is to be admitted to the academy and make connections with the high society.

"That is right! They arrived a while ago and I thought we could open them at the same time."

Oh? Then it's the one that arrived last night. I knew there was something suspicious about her when she cannot stop grinning while laying in bed.

A thought suddenly crossed my mind, what if only one of us passed the exam? It's not because I am doubting all our efforts. Since we were preparing for the exam for two whole years. Scouring all the books we can find in the local library and even going to another town to read new books.

But what if the academy only has one spot left for the scholarship? Then only one of us can enter the academy, right?

"Hey... what will happen if only one of us ended up being accepted at the academy? I mean... we both came from fairly low backgrounds and all," I mumble as I stop myself from opening the folded letter.

"Eh? Who cares? If you aren't accepted then I won't go! And if you got accepted then I will support you all the way!" she answered without any hesitation.

"How is that fair? If you aren't accepted then I won't go as well!" I mimic her answer as I shift my attention to her.

A giggle left her lips as her amber eyes shine in amusement. Her laughter is so contagious that I found myself giggling with her.

"Alright! Alright! Come on! Let us read the result!"

Opening the letter, I quickly scan the contents before my eyes widen in surprise at the same time, Sasa shrieks in excitement.

"Clarry! We both got accepted! Can't you believe it?!!"

That day... when we both are high in spirits about being admitted into the academy. We did not know what kind of change this day will be brought to us.

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The carriage rattles and shakes as we continue on our journey toward the academy. It's been a week since we got our results. The whole town celebrated with us the moment they heard about our admittance to the academy.

"Are you excited?" Sasa breaks the quiet atmosphere as we both stare at the scenery outside. We have been traveling for three days, from our small town to reach the Capital where the academy is located.

"Are you?" I ask as I turn my attention to her, I can see the way her eyes are shining with uncontained excitement.

I can't but smile at the way she tries to sit still in her seat, despite the obvious itch of wanting to go outside and run around in excitement.

"Of course! This is our first time in the capital and this is the start of our new life! Once we graduated we can finally yelp out your father!" she giggles as her knees start bouncing up and down.

Sasa is cute. I am sure she will become popular in the academy just like how popular she is at school. I just hope she can find someone who will cherish her truly. I don't to ever see her get hurt.

We continue to chat until the carriage passes by the Capital gates, and that is something strange happens.

I saw a weird thin barrier like that passes us before the look in Sasa's eyes change. Her posture suddenly went from a boyish posture to more of a timid girl. I should have known that something went wrong during that time.

Back then I just shrug it off, I thought it was just an illusion of the light. But... the moment we entered the academy everything seemed to slowly change.

She began to encounter the Crown Prince more often, the duke's first son, and even the Crown Prince of the neighboring kingdom that was admitted to the academy.

"Sasa, can we talk?" I once tried to pull her aside to discuss her relationship with those men. I know for a fact, and everyone at the academy knows that the Crown Prince already has a Fiancee.

She is putting herself at risk because of her continuous relationship with them. Not only that but... it feels like the Sasa I knew is slowly transforming into a stranger.

"What is it, Clarrise?" even the tone of her voice towards me has suddenly... gotten a bit distant. All her actions and conversations with me feel so... empty.

"I understand that you want to form a wider connection here at the academy. But please Sasa! Dont, put yourself at such risk by stepping out of line!"

"Stepping out of line?" a cold voice made me shiver in surprise as I turn around in time to meet with the cold eyes of the Crown Prince.

I wasn't expecting to meet the Crown Prince here!

"Y-Your Highness!" we both gasp in surprise as we lower our heads... No. To be precise, I lower my head at him, while Sasa remained staring directly at his eyes.

What is she doing?

"Louisa, what is the meaning of this? Is she harassing you?" just hearing that cold tone of his is making me shiver in fear.

And what did he just say?? I'm harassing Sasa?!

"Your Highness please don't misunderstand my best friend's words! She is just worried about me!" Sasa tried to defend me as I can see from the corner of my eyes how His Highness walk closer to her.

"Best friend? So she is that best friend you were talking about?" his tone of voice suddenly softened upon hearing her words.

"That is right your highness! Come Clarisse! Your Highness this is my best friend Clarisse! Clarisse this is his highness the Crown Prince!" Sasa pulls me closer to her as she pushes me forward to introduce me to the Crown Prince.

Despite my nerves still haven't calmed down, I took a deep breath and properly introduce myself to him.

"G-greetings, your highness. My name is Clarisse Rubian Roses, and the only daughter of Baron Roses. It's a pleasure to meet his highness," I say as I curtsy.

"Ah? Baron Roses? I see... But if I may ask, why are you talking to Loiusa with that kind of tone?"

My heart suddenly starts thumping loudly inside my ribcage. Why do I feel like I am kind of being interrogated? Or something?

"P-pardon? What do you mean by that, your highness?" I try to calm my beating heart in the hope that he would not be able to tell how nervous I am to face him.

I almost scream in surprise when I felt Sasa hold my hand for support. I squeezed her hand as I took another deep breath.

"I'm talking to you giving Louisa a warning about stepping out of line. What does the lady mean by that?"

"A-ah! T-that is because... I am fully aware that Sasa and his highness have gotten closer lately. But... I am afraid of what kind of retaliation it will do to Sasa's and Your Highness's reputation. What I mean is..."

Taking another deep breath, I continue what I wanted to say.

"Everyone is aware of his highness relationship with Lady Isabella that is why..."

"I see... Lady Roses, I aprecitae your care for Loiusa and I's repuattion. But do not worry, I can handle everything. Besides my relationship with Isabella is purely political."

But that doesn't mean that Lady Isabella won't get hurt by close you are with Sasa! Especially since she is the precious daughter of Duke Florel!

Despite wanting to say these words, I merely nod my head at him. I cannot try and argue with him. Lest I want to be kicked out of the academy and even in the social circle.

After that, he invited Sasa to spend time with him along with the others. I was also invited, courtesy of Sasa since she doesn't want to leave me behind. Also, she wants to clear up the misunderstanding between me and his highness.

That was the first time I got to meet all her new friends. They were much friendlier than I thought they were. Now I see, why Sasa felt comfortable around them.

And soon... she was getting bullied by all these noble ladies left and right. No matter how much I tried to help her they did not stop. It does not matter at all given how my best friend didn't even stop to defend herself. Sasa, who can knock out a man twice her size suddenly can't seem to defend herself from all these spoiled ladies?

I tried talking to her and trying to understand what is going on with her. But... she never seems to hear me. After she starts spending more time with all those men... I suddenly became invisible to her.

Not invisible but, whenever they are near I seem to disappear from her sight. I felt all alone...