14

The silence after my question was soon disturbed.

"I have been fine. But how have you been? It's been a long time since we saw each other."

She said, looking back and forth between the window and me. I could see it was not a nervous look, but I couldn't figure out what it actually was.

"I have been perfectly fine. You know, just the usual." I said calmly, looking after Mina who poured some tea into our cups.

Marriel added some cookies, freshly baken. I honestly didn't expect them to prepare anything.

She returned bringing some cake at our table.

"Thank you Marriel."

She nodded.

After Mina was finished, she stood with Marriel, five steps away from our table, right behind me.

"Oh, it's raining." Nieva said after hearing the rain slowly dropping onto the window.

She was a beauty. Her hair was so different, yet mesmerizing.

"Yes, it is." I said. The day before I got into this world, it was raining the same.

Had been a great idea bringing her into the winter garden.

I don't know if the closed off garden was so constructed so it fitted the concept of winter, but everything was white in it. The two tables, the chairs and even the plant pots where white.

I didn't mind, it actually looked peaceful. But also fake.

I was just about to drink my tea.

"Today you aren't that talkative. Did something happen?", Nieva asked.

I stopped my movement.

"Is that so? I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable."

"No, but did something happen?", she asked concerned.

"Nothing happened, I just daydream a lot these days. But there is something I'm more concerned of.", I began. She had to have her reason why she was here.

Mina told me once that she usually doesn't visit me that often.

What does she want?

"Is there something bothering you Nieva?"

She was playing with her fingers, her face flushed.

"You know it already but I still want to try."

What?

Something I'm supposed to know?

"It still does bother me after all these years."She looked away.

What could be bothersome for a nineteen-year-old noble girl?

I knew she was in a family with lots of influence among the nobility.

So money and power might not be the things actually saddening her.

There was only one way to find out if it was that thing I thought of.

"What do you feel exactly when you see them?"

I had a fifty-fifty chance.

If I was wrong I could say that I had a hard time today.

"Well, I can't just describe it. But if I had to, I would say excitement, happiness. And as if I couldn't get onto my feet, constantly floating around whenever I see him." She said nervously.

Bingo.

She fell in love or had a crush.

No wonder the description sounded like straight from a poorly written book.

Somehow, she was easily to read but also not.

If her feelings were fake , she would have been a great actress.

"So… I was thinking of asking you for some help."

She looked over to me, waiting for my response.

"Sure, why not." I finally said. I couldn't say it wholeheartedly since I didn't know who her crush was and how I could help her.

"Did you see him today?", I asked trying to get something out of this whole conversation.

But who could say no to such a beauty like her?

Her problem will be solved easily.

"Yes, he was strolling around your estate with some other knights I didn't pay attention to, while I was on my way to the mansion.", she smiled at the thought.

So someone from our knights?

Who could get all the admiration from a noble lady and be in the knight's estate of this dukedom?

It was way too easy.

"How did Sir Kian look like as he saw you, Nieva?", I asked narrowing my eyes, being unsure if the question was the right one.

At the sudden mentioning of his name, she looked up to me again.

"He didn't see me. They were talking about their upcomig training, but he seemed to be distracted. Not by something certain being there, but something he was thinking of."

She was pretty observant.

It was easy to figure her crush out, considering how merely the personal life of Nieva was mentioned in the book until where I read.

Still, it was too easy.

We talked a lot, while drinking a lot of tea. About the new fashion trends, food and desserts, the little gossiping among the noble ladies which I couldn't understand since I didn't know the women and lastly about the imperial family.

To be more concrete about "our" friend Aelia.

The female protagonist of the novel I am stuck in.

I thought we would be talking a lot more about a topic I actually am interested in, but we didn't.

Instead I could find out how she was doing. According to Nieva, Aelia was fine.

I wonder how long it would take for her to go crazy and burn down the whole system. I thought, biting a piece of the cookie.

"Thank you, for hearing me out Zephyra. As always you are not letting me drown in my own thoughts.", she said.

I simply smiled.

I was the one stuck in a book, stuck in my thoughts, drowning and not being able to get to the surface, of the constantly waving water storm.

Yet I was the one hearing out the thoughts of a character from a book.

"Don't mention it.", I said, leaving the garden with her.

The few steps we took were silent, yet louder than any silence the hall could be wrapped in.

Followed by Marriel and Mina.

"Oh, what a strange day it is.", she said pointing towards the windows.

The rain stopped.

"It was nice talking to you, my dear friend.", she added.

"Yes, it was.", I said.

As we wanted to pass through the entrance, someone approached us.

Nieva slightly flinched after bumping into him.

It was Kian.

"Oh, hello! I-I am sincerely sorry. I didn't see you Sir Kian.", she apologized.

He was facing me, his back towards Nieva. He didn't even care to give a look at her.

He was ignoring her.

But why?

I cleared up my throat, obviously uncomfortable in such a situation.

I never could stand it whenever one would ignore the one who would try to chat.

She didn't even try to start a conversation. She simply apologized.

I looked at him questioning his presence here.

"My lady."

"As you can see, I am with lady Nieva. Isn't it rude to not approach her?"

He didn't even glance at her.

"Welcome to the mansion, lady.", he said.

"Hello, Sir Kian.", Nieva said. The pain and hurt in her face was unmissable.

"Are you here to report something?", I changed the topic.

He hesitated, but started.

"Luan is ready, he is waiting for you, my lady."

"That's something he could've told me too.", I said, eyeing him the way to the entrance.

He bowed and soon disappeared.

I turned back to Nieva whose gaze was following his disappearance.

"I'm sure it was a misunderstanding."

"Have a great afternoon, Zephyra." , she said, until I only could see her way to her carriage and soon the sound of slow horse steps.

I sighed at the strange start to my day.

"My lady, are you ready?"

A calm voice said coming from the outside.

I stood there for a while.

"Give me five minutes.", I answered Luan.

I had to change my appareance from a noble into a commoner in those five minutes.