Chapter 21: Genuine Friend

After her short talk with Duke Erwin, Diana's mood wasn't that good and the scorching heat was just making it worse.

On their way out, Diana spotted the men training underneath the unbearable heat of the sun and suspected that they've been working out since early morning since they were breathing raggedly and were drenched in sweat with their heavy-looking armors.

"So stupid... are they trying to have a barbecue party?" she mumbled, "You, over there, what's your name?" Diana called out a servant boy who was trimming some trees.

Realizing that he was being called, he stuttered as he replied, "Ah- It's D-David, Lady Diana."

"Go to the kitchen and inform the head chef to make a batch of sandwiches and cold drinks, then serve it to the knights. From now on, you'll be in charge of the knights' refreshments and when I return, report to me at my quarters."

"Y-Yes, Lady Diana."

Diana sighs before going in the carriage with Eva and not long after that, the carriage departs, "And here we go... the road to hell," Diana mumbled as she sighed once again.

She planned to take a short nap along the way since she was still pretty sleepy but then she remembered something important to tell Eva, "Oh, Eva, there's someone I want to investigate. Can I ask you to do it?"

"Certainly, no matter what you say, I'll do it. I've already dedicated my life to you."

"... You don't have to do that... You're wasting your time on me..." Diana mumbled as she felt troubled but she shakes the thought and gets back to the topic with Eva.

"The person I want information about is a man from the Lesnite town. He's a fortune-teller, a middle-aged man who has a brown beard and a small scar beside his eye. I want to know every information that you can get that's related to him."

"Shall I do it right now?"

"...? Now? While the carriage's moving?"

Eva nodded normally as she would, "I'll return right away before the tea gathering ends."

"Well, if you can do it right away then it would do me a great favor..."

Eva nodded once again and swiftly jumped out of the carriage window making Diana feel stunned and acknowledge her abilities, "..... Assassins are awesome..."

A few moments later, by the time she arrived at the tea gathering, other ladies were already sitting across each other and having a conversation that felt as if Diana was never invited in the first place but even so, she was indifferent.

She slowly approached them, and greeted them nicely, "Good morning ladies, I'm delighted to make your acquaintance."

"Oh, Lady Diana, you've come! We thought you weren't coming," Lucifer quickly stood up and grabs both of Diana's hands, as if they were close friends.

"Lady Diana? What an honor!"

"We've waited for you!"

"That's right, we've reserved a few sweets just for you."

Diana glanced through the few sweets that the lady was talking about, but all she could see was another separate chair and table that had a bunch of sweets that seemed like it was meant for her. On the other hand, the other side of the table where the ladies are currently sitting had few sweets on their table.

She knew how they wanted her to be isolated in the group and since she was known to be obese in the past, it was more or less expected that she would be treated in this manner. But then again, she simply smiled as she brushed Lucifer off and went straight to the seat where Lucifer sat a while ago.

Lucifer was certainly surprised and the ladies were baffled by Diana's actions that they glanced at each other, waiting for someone to take the initiative to speak up. Seeing that there was none, Diana talked first.

"Is something wrong?"

"W-Well..."

"U-Umm..."

Diana displayed an irritated look since everyone was like a statue, stuttering their words like fools but this made them even scared to speak up, not until the lady beside her spoke gently and relaxed, "Lady Diana, it appears to be that you've sat on the wrong seat."

"Oh really? I had no idea! You guys should've told me sooner. But since I've already sat down, I'll give that seat to Lady Lucifer."

With a forced smile on their faces, everyone's lips were sealed as they unwillingly agreed to Diana's response but Lucifer didn't want to sit where Diana was originally supposed to be.

"It's fine, you could sit over here Lady Diana. Truthfully, this was prepared just for you."

"For me? Oh my, to have a friend like you, I'm so flattered but unfortunately, I dare not to. It looks too special for me to sit on. Surely, it's a perfect spot for you since you are the host for the day. So I suggest for Lady Lucifer to sit on it."

Lucifer was out of words as she couldn't think of something to make Diana feel embarrassed, making Diana win an easy feat. She shifts her attention to the ladies and forcefully changes the topic, "A-Anyway, how is everyone's week so far?"

The ladies awkwardly went along with Lucifer while Diana snorts at the way things were happening.

After a few hours of talking and laughing, Diana was at her limit. She was dazed throughout the boring talk and felt extreme fatigue due to the lack of sleep and it was all because of Darius.

She tried to fight over her exhaustion but she sort of felt her head nodding off which made her sigh in the end as she failed to do so.

This time, she thought of grabbing few delicacies to bring her back to life but as she was about to grab one, the lady beside her happens to bump her hand to Diana, attempting to also take some sweets.

"Oh, sorry... you can go ahead first..."

The lady gave Diana a soft smile that made her look so delicately adorable as she said, "Thank you..."

Diana was slightly stunned to see a pretty lady and wondered why she hasn't noticed her when she talked to her just recently. After staring for a few seconds, one of the ladies called her out.

"Lady Diana, how about you? Are you going to come to the hunting competition?"

"Oh... I'm still thinking about it."

"You should at least attend once."

"Didn't she attend the last competition?"

"I've always attended the hunt but I had never seen Lady Diana once."

"Was it because of her appearance?"

"I'm not quite sure..."

The ladies exchanged glances as they snickered knowing what was the reason for Diana's absence from the previous competitions. She sighs at the sight of the pitiful ladies and their useless tactics.

"Oh, I just remembered! Lady Michelle, have you thought of whom to give your handkerchief?"

Diana didn't know who was Lady Michelle not until she realized that it was the pretty person that she stared at earlier.

"Now that you mentioned it, Lady Michelle had gentlemen seeking for her handkerchief for every competition yet she didn't let anyone have it."

"I'm patiently waiting for someone. There's someone I've wanted to give my handkerchief to and I simply hope he's fine," Michelle responded with a loving gesture.

"Is it? Is it who I think it is? Prince Devin?!"

"I've heard rumors about them but is it true, Lady Michelle?"

"Who knows? What do you think?"

Some of the ladies suddenly squealed like a girl in love and acknowledged Michelle's way of saying things but Diana, who couldn't follow through with their conversation, decided to take a short break to the restroom, "Please excuse me..."

She stood up and told a servant to lead her to the restroom when Lucifer suddenly whispers something in her ear as she passed by her, "Don't be so confident. In my eyes, you're still the obese person I once knew."

Diana stayed quiet as the servant lead the way but not until she was left all alone did she let all of her thoughts out.

"The fuq is with this tea gathering?! It's fuqing dull! A bullshot just like the host! I hate this! I just want to sleep!!!!!..... This wasted my precious time..."

Through the mirror, she could see her total exhaustion as she helplessly sighed, "Ugh they're full of crap."

Right at that moment, Lady Michelle blurted out the same thing as Diana but was much louder than hers which made Diana reacted and turn around.

"Lady Michelle...?"

Michelle was just as startled as Diana but she immediately shifts her face into an innocent smile and approached Diana, "Did... you hear something...?"

"... Would it be bad if I accidentally heard something?"

"Not at all but if you're on the same side as hers then it would be pretty bad."

Diana eventually realizes that Michelle had the same interest as hers and all of sudden, Michelle extends her hand for a handshake, "Can I be friends with you? I feel like we would get along well."

Even though it was sudden, Diana immediately accepted the handshake and happily agreed with her, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Michelle."

A few minutes passed but Michelle and Diana were still talking at the restroom. Their chuckles can be heard along the hallway as they had a blissful conversation.

"To think Lady Michelle would also have the same thoughts as me, it never crossed my mind."

"Well, it's quite hard to act like a diligent lady but my true self almost slipped out earlier because of you!"

"What do you mean...?"

"I even almost screamed out of happiness when our hands collided with each other!"

"Wha- for what reason?"

"Heavens! Is there a need to ask that? I've wanted to meet you for a very long time even before you were still obese."

"You're joking, aren't you?" Diana chuckled as she thought of it as a joke but Michelle firmly denied it.

"It's true! After you've made an appearance at Lady Lucifer's celebration, I was quite surprised but even so, the fact that I admired you never changed."

Diana was surprised but she was delighted to hear it from Michelle that made her think of her close friend before she arrived at the historical place.

"Oh, shall we go? I think we've been gone for a long time," Michelle chuckled, friendly inviting her.

Diana smiled as she went along with her, thinking that she found a genuine friend whom she can rely on soon. But as they converse on their way back, Diana felt something odd that made her stay still.

It was faint but she definitely can feel someone aiming at them. She couldn't pinpoint where it was and doesn't know the reason why she knows it but either way she was on full alert.

"Is there a problem...?"

"Let's-" Just at the moment she was about to explain, a sudden arrow flew straight at them through an open window. Michelle screamed from the sudden events and as luck would have it, Diana was able to dodge the arrow while protecting Michelle with her body but few grazes on her cheek and hands could be seen.

"Lady Diana!! Are you alright?!" Out of nowhere, Eva appears worriedly and approached her.

"You fool! Go after them!!"