Nadine Finch

Caleb still held reservations against Nadine.

In truth, he did not trust anyone that associated themselves with Princess Valerie. It wasn't merely her, but anyone entangled in the web spun by Princess Valerie whom he viewed with skeptical eyes.

Years of enduring her relentless fixation on his master had taught him a bitter lesson about her entourage – a lesson etched in caution. They would do just about anything to cling onto the power and influence she had, even if it meant destroying themselves in the process.

Nadine Finch was a baron's daughter. Her status was too low for her to be of any real use to Princess Valerie so to Caleb, it made her all the more suspicious.

Regardless, since Princess Dione had already made up her mind he would not go against her. He couldn't imagine the baron's daughter as a threat to Princess Dione – perhaps a misguided presence at worst. He would simply warn the Princess to be careful later on and all would be solved.

With that in mind, he did not object when Princess Dione ordered him to leave her and immediately start on the orders he were given. He gave one final, sharp glance at the meek Nadine and left them without worry.

Nadine nearly breathed a sigh of relief when the large, bulky man left. His aura was simply too suffocating for her to face and not to mention that he was just as terrifying to look at with that nasty scar dragging down his face and his missing eye.

Dione laughed, "You can relax comfortably now. Sir Caleb might bear a daunting exterior, but his intentions are far from malicious."

Nadine managed a fragile smile, her voice a timid breeze. "I understand. It was my own conduct that ignited his suspicions in the first place." A pause, a calculated hesitation. "However, observing his vigilant protection of you, Princess, it becomes evident that Duke Devland cherishes you dearly."

Though it seemed as if she was only speaking casually, Nadine's true motive was to test the waters about their relationship. If the Duke really cared about the Princess, she would be more hesitant to follow Valerie's orders. If he did not care about her then she would not care much either. This was only natural - survival even at the expense of another.

The Princess only hummed in response, without a definitive answer.

At this point, the pair had already reached the garden that overflowed with various flowers. A sweet and slightly romantic scent wafted through the air, enveloping the two in a warm atmosphere.

"Your Highness, this is amazing. Truly wonder of its title as the most beautiful garden in the Salian Empire." Nadine's eyes widened in surprise.

Princess Valerie's garden, although beautiful, paled in comparison to the awe-inspiring sight before her. The garden boasted not just highly uncommon flowers and plants, but it had also been designed in a manner that left observers utterly mesmerized. There were sparkling ponds with colorful fishes, pathways adorned with various flowers and birds chirping to accompany the sight.

Princess Dione watched in amusement as Nadine went forward and began examining each flower with the excitement of a child. After a while, she seemed to regain her bearings and sheepishly lowered her eyes.

"Please excuse me, Your Highness. Ever since young I have had a love for plants and flowers so I just got a bit overexcited."

Dione laughed, "It's fine, there is no need to be so shy about it. The same as you, my mother also held a deep love for flowers and she tended to this garden with everything she had. It was her favorite pastime." Dione's voice faltered a bit at the end as she spoke about her mother.

Noticing this, Nadine decided to steer the conversation. "Ah, tending to gardens is also a pastime of mine. Actually, I dreamed of becoming a gardener when I was younger but my father found it a foolish commoners job. At times I think, though we are noble, with our debt we are no different from commoners in a big house."

Baron Finch's debt was common knowledge amongst the nobles so she did not feel awkward speaking about it. These days, other nobles called them fake nobility or extravagant commoners behind their backs and she had long come to terms with their financial situation.

Unlike her father, she did not care much about holding onto their title. While he burdened them with even more debt to keep up the false pretenses, he had even threatened to sell out Nadine unless she was able to marry into a higher rank and clear their debts. It was the reason she had come to the ball the other night and also the reason she had accepted Princess Valerie's proposal.

The two ladies continued walking through the scenic pathway of the garden, chattering away in a warm ambience.

As they continued walking through the garden, Dione began to relax and open up. She found solace in the company of Nadine, enjoying the shared love of flowers and the peaceful atmosphere of her mother's garden. Nadine's timid nature and her passion for gardening made Dione feel at ease, and she saw no threat in her presence.

This would prove to be a bitter mistake later on.

"In the end," Nadine mused, "I never expected someone like Lady Aisha to do a traditional apology. She's always been sharp-tongued, so seeing her caught up in a situation like that was quite a surprise. The intricacies and conflicts of the upper nobility are truly something to marvel at."

Dione chuckled softly, her eyes gazing at the blooming flowers. "Yes, the world of the upper nobility is like a grand chessboard, with each move carrying consequences that ripple through our lives. It's a delicate dance of power, alliances, and reputation. Lady Aisha not only holds a high position due to her father but she has always been spoiled - she has never had to answer for her reckless words. Today was a wake up call."

"I'm afraid I'll never get used to the song and dance of these word battles."

The Princess only smiled gently in response, her eyes glancing up at the sky that had began to darken above them. "It's getting late," she said, "I'll call over a maid to escort you to the gate."

Though she said so, the garden was eerily quiet. Usually there would be a few maids scattered about the entrance to the garden or at the very least in earshot of them. There were hundreds of servants in the palace and it was virtually impossible for there to be none in the garden.

Something was off.

"Ah, give me a moment-" Dione turned back to Nadine with an apologetic tone but was abruptly silenced by the unsettling realization that the space behind her was empty.

Heavy footsteps sounded throughout the night, headed in her direction. Because of her position in the garden, she was flanked on either side by a large barrier of flower walls with only one walkable path right in front of her. Nadine had insisted on wanting the see the scenery in this area.

Essentially, she was trapped.

"Lady Nadine?" Dione called out to Nadine, her voice carrying through the breeze, but there was no response. All the servants had vanished, and even Nadine had disappeared without a trace. It became increasingly clear that this was no coincidence – it was a well-orchestrated trap.

As a figure rounded the corner and came into view, Dione's heart sank as she recognized the familiar face, confirming her worst fears.