: Ruler Laird

   "Lady Lauretré, are you.."

   "Am I what, Sir Farren? Why don't you continue what you want to ask?"

   Princess Paislee takes a deep breath and stare straight through my eyes. "Are you in love with someone else?"

   Wait, what? Did I hear it clearly? Princess Paislee is asking me if I'm in love with someone else? But why is she asking me that? What does it have to do with her?

   I laughed awkwardly at her. I don't understand why is she asking me that question, but I know it would be rude of me not to answer her.

   But how can I answer her if I don't know the reason why is she asking me that? I don't want to make another mistake again. What if I answered it wrongly and made Princess Paislee misunderstood something.

   "Why are you asking that, Sir Farren? Don't you think it's too personal to ask?"

Princess Paislee shakes her head at me. "I know this might sound overboard, but I'm only asking this because I am concerned for Prince Fraser."

I raised my eyebrow at her words? For Prince Fraser? So, the reason why she is talking to me right now is because of Prince Fraser?

But there's one thing that doesn't make sense. Why is she asking me about who I'm in love with? How does it concern her or Prince Fraser?

"I know I have no right to question you or ask who you are in love with. But Lady Lauretré, you are the fiancée of Prince Fraser. You have a responsibility to him now. I just wish that you could at least be considerate of Prince Fraser."

Responsibility to whom? Prince Fraser? How did I become responsible to Prince Fraser?

"What do you mean, Sir Farren? I don't understand where these words are coming from?"

   Princess Paislee sighs. "Lady Lauretré, almost everyone knows you are engaged with Prince Fraser, and that makes you responsible to him. As his fiancée, you should be considerate to his feelings."

   Uh? Why does the villainess is having a conversation like this with the female lead? Isn't this out of the script? Why is she pushing the male lead with the villainess? This isn't what supposed to happen.

   "Sir Farren, I still don't understand where these words are coming from. Did I do something?"

   "I know, Lady Lauretré." She then pauses and stares straight at me. As if she wants to see what my reaction will be. But how am I supposed to respond to that? I don't even know why we are having this kind of conversation.

   "I know what happened between you two, Prince Fraser and you. I was there this morning. I saw you talking to Prince Fraser. I saw him kneel in front of you. Although I don't know what you are talking about, all I know is your reaction hurts Prince Fraser. I don't know who owns your heart or if anyone owns it besides Prince Fraser. But I hope Lady Lauretré that you will keep your promise to the King and the Count."

   What. The. Holy. Moly! She knows! She saw us talking to each other! She saw Prince Fraser kneeling in front of me! This! This shouldn't happen.

   How will Princess Paislee develop feelings for Prince Fraser if she saw him flirting with another girl? I'm screwed! I'm definitely screwed!

   I look at Princess Paislee. Trying to come up with appropriate words that wouldn't make the situation worst.

   "I don't know what you see, but everything is just a misunderstanding." I laughed awkwardly at Princess Paislee. "Prince Fraser and I are just role playing. Yes! Role playing!" I waved both my hands in front of her.

   Oh, no! This is really messed up. I need to find an excuse that wouldn't make Princess Paislee think Prince Fraser is really in love with me.

   Me? Csille Lauretré? How could he fell in love with the villainess? He's probably doing it because of his responsibility to me.

   Is that what really it is, Ysavel? I shake my head to shake that thought out of my mind. It is what it is. Prince Fraser is meant for Princess Paislee. Remember that Ysavel!

   "Yes! Remember the poetry making? We're just reenacting the poem. I just thought it would be more realistic to do the poem. Do you think it's true?" I laughed at her. "Are acting that convincing?"

   Princess Paislee just looks at me for a whole two minutes before she stands up. "If that's the case, then my visit here is futile. I apologize for interrupting your rest Lady Lauretré. I will be going now. I already bother you for quite a while." She then walks towards the door without even waiting for my response.

   She is about to step her foot outside my room when she looks back at me. "Lady Lauretré, I hope you and Prince Fraser will be together in the end. I will be waiting for your wedding." After she said those words, she immediately walks outside my room and closes my door.

   I am about to answer her, but she already closes the door. Great! She will be waiting for our wedding? I don't think that time will come, Princess Paislee. I will not be Prince Fraser's bride, but you are. So, you saying that you will be waiting for our wedding isn't that quite an insult to the villainess?

   You will wait in vain, Princess Paislee, or should I say Queen Paislee. Csille will never be the bride of Prince Fraser. Not now, never will.

______________________

   I just walk outside the inn when I see Illorian people standing outside. I look around and see our five carriages surrounded by Illorian people.

   Prince Fraser, Princess Paislee, Rufus, and Leander are outside our carriage trying to talk to the Illorian people. Our teachers and the guards we brought are also trying to protect the group.

   Prince Fraser is the one who does the talking the most. He is talking to a middle age man, probably a forty years old man, who is wearing a fine silk robe. If I'm not mistaken, that person is the Great Ruler of this city.

  Aside from being an independent city among the Kingdoms. Illorian City isn't a monarchy. They have a sort of democratic ruling in here. There's a Great Ruler, who is equivalent to the President of a country. There are also elders of the council, and they are the equivalents of senators of the country.

  But why is the Great Ruler of the Illorian City outside our inn? I look around and saw the logo on the robes of the people surrounding our carriage.

   The elders! They are the elders of the Illorian City! But why are they trying to obstruct our way out? What is really happening?

   The Great Ruler and the elders rarely grace their presence to anyone, especially to the visitors of the Illorian City. Even the Kings or Queens of the Kingdom rarely meet the Great Ruler and Elders of the Illorian City. So, why are they here?

   "Great Ruler Laird, may I know the reason why you are here? Did we do something against the rule of the Illorian City?" Prince Fraser asks politely. Even the King of the greatest Kingdom still needs to respect the Ruler.

   It's a sign that these Kingdoms put great importance on the existence of the Illorian City. Who would want to be the enemy of the Illorian City? The home of the most strongest people in this world.

   Great Ruler Laird walks towards Prince Fraser. He just looks at Prince Fraser for a mere second and wanders his sight in the direction of Princess Paislee, Rufus, and Leander. And just like how he did to Prince Fraser, Great Ruler Laird stares at them for a mere seconds before he looks to the elders beside him.

   The elders immediately sweat on the spot. One of the elders looks at the group of Prince Fraser and looks back at Ruler Laird. "Great Ruler, I'm pretty sure Bernarl said is true. That lady is part of the entourage of Vrawyth Kingdom."

  The Great Ruler looks at the elder who talks before he looks at Prince Fraser, who is standing in front of him. "Are you the Crown Prince of the Vrawyth Kingdom?"

   Prince Fraser bows his head. "Great Ruler, I am indeed the Crown Prince of the Vrawyth Kingdom. May I know what you are looking for?"

   Great Ruler eyes Prince Fraser and looks at him from head to toe. "The Lady."

  I frown at the Great Ruler's response. Lady? Who is the lady he is referring to? Don't tell me he knows the secret identity of Princess Paislee? I subconsciously look at Princess Paislee, but Princess Paislee seems normal. She didn't look anxious at all, as if she isn't in a tight situation.

  There's something I think I'm forgetting about. But what is it?

  "Pardon, Great Ruler, but may I know who is this lady you are looking for?" Prince Fraser asks after a while. He is also probably shocked.

  Who would thought that the reason why the Great Ruler and the Elders of the Illorian City are here is because of a Lady? They are looking for a lady? But who is this Lady?

  The Great Elder looks at the closest Elder at his side. The Elder immediately understands what the Great Ruler implies and stands in front. He then looks at Prince Fraser.

  "The Great Ruler is looking for the Lady you are with. I'm not sure what her name is, but I know that Lady is from your entourage."

   Prince Fraser stays silent for a couple of minutes. I could feel the impatience of some of the elders. They are the Great Elders of the Illorian City. Even the Kings and Queens of the Kingdoms need to wait for their arrival, but Prince Fraser got the nerve to make them wait for his answer.

   This is definitely not a good situation. I was about to walk towards the crowd when I saw Prince Fraser looking at me and shakes his head.

  What does he mean by that? Why did he shake his head when he saw me walking towards them. It's as if he is warning me not to get close to them.

  Wait, a lady! Csille is also a lady! The elder mentioned that the lady they are looking for is a lady from the entourage of the Vrawyth Kingdom, right? Are they referring to me? Is that the reason why Prince Fraser shakes his head when he saw me walking towards them? Is it also the thing I am forgetting?

  How did I forgot that I am a lady? Maybe because the real me, Ysavel Vlahos, is already a woman that I forgot that Csille Lauretré is still considered a lady in this world.

  I look around and saw the tension between the Elders of the Illorian City and the entourage of the Vrawyth Kingdom getting intense every minute.

  This doesn't look good. I need to do something, or this situation will turn into something I cannot turn around.

   I started to take a step forward towards them. I could see Prince Fraser glaring at me, but I didn't budge. I couldn't risk the safety of the Vrawyth Kingdom. Although Vrawyth is considered the greatest Kingdom among all Kingdoms but I still doubt if it could withstand the power of the Illorian City.

  I couldn't risk the safety of my loved ones. I only experience the love of family in this world, in the Vrawyth Kingdom. I wouldn't want to harm them. I don't want something bad to happen to them.

  I stare at Prince Fraser. I could still see reluctance in his eyes. If only he could only drag me out of here, he probably did it. Just by looking at his eyes. I already know what he is thinking.

   I shake my head at him. 'I will be okay. I promise. Don't worry.' I smile at him and look towards Princess Paislee, Rufus, and Leander. All of them have reluctance in their eyes.

  The presence of the Great Ruler and the Elders mean that this is of great importance to the Illorian City. Prince Fraser and the others are probably worried that something might happen to me in the Illorian City if I show myself.

  But if I not? Wouldn't that risk the Vrawyth Kingdom? Also, I don't think the Illorian City would do something to harm me. Probably not for me. Not for now.

  "Am I the one you are all looking for?"