chapter 27

Claude was just staring at me eating having his tea cup in front of him just like always.

At first I had threw up after eating from that gaze of his, but it wasn't scary now as I'm used to it. Yum yum.

But do you have something to say? It looks like you do? 

"Did you meet anyone when you were coming to my palace?" 

Of course I'm right. Claude asked me with his brows creased.

"Yum yum. Meet? Who?" 

Obviously, I answered still munching on my cake. Meet who if you are living in a castle that not even a mouse wanders around? 

"It's fine if you haven't met. Just keep on ignoring." 

So, who are you talking about? But Claude just made an annoyed face while he held the tea cup to his face. He seemed to be in a bad mood just thinking about it.

I wondered who he was talking about while I was chewing on my cake.

And soon figured out who Claude was talking about.

"Ah! It's mister white doggo!" 

"Hello, sir duke Alfius." 

"Have you been doing well, princess...." 

I smiled brightly at duke Alfius who made a 'oh no' face when he saw me. I was leaving early due to Claude who shooed me out earlier than usual. Claude seemed to be tired than any other days

But I met duke Alfius on the way back.

"Hi, Mr. White dog?" 

"I possess a name...." 

"Mr white dog, hands." 

Roger Alfius tried to make me say his actual name but soon gave up with a sigh.

I had met him a few times during these 2 years and I always had fun calling him a white dog. And Roger Alfius would always try to avoid me.

But aren't I a princess? If he succeeds in avoiding me, then that is that but he can't avoid me if he and I meet like this and start a conversation.

He couldn't help but reach his hand out to me who was in Felix's arms. He probably is thinking I would give out some treats like how you treat a pet. But not today!

"Mr. White dog, good job! That's my boy." 

See? This is a change! I held his hands reached out for me, and reached my other hand to his head and patted him.

"Pfft." 

Felix was busy trying to hold in his laughter as always. Roger Alfius made a face and backed away two steps from me. 

Ah, looks like he is going to run away. Duke Alfius left appealing his amazing skills of avoiding me after being made fun of by me, so I couldn't really attack him for long.

"*clears throat*." 

Huh? But he didn't ask for a farewell right away. He cleared his throat then spat out words other than 'I'll be going now'. 

"Princess Atanasia." 

Wow, what a rare scene for Mr White dog. I don't know anything, but you seem to have something you want to say. This was interesting in a different way than any other times. And I was far more interested in the next words he spoke. 

"Perhaps you are lonely without a friend to play with?" 

Why is this man who looks like a tiger by appearance but is a bug inside asking me these kind of question? Now that I think about it, Claude had told me to ignore whoever I meet a while ago but seems like it was this man here. 

Gasp. What, what. What did Mr White dog say to Claude that Claude said those wirds to me. This is very interesting. 

"Friend?" 

Looks like my nerves increased these days. If it was around half a year ago, I really wouldn't have ignored him like Claude said but seeing me talking with him ignoring Claude instead...

"I apologize, sir Alfius. Princess...." 

"Sir Robain, princess is speaking. Do not interfere." 

Felix tried to refuse following Claude's words before, but he had to close his mouth at duke's words.

Even though Felix's family Robain was Obelia's other duke, if I only compared Felix to this other duke here, Felix was the one loosing to Duke Alfius.

Is it because he is that duke Alfius who had the protagonist Jennet and the male lead son? Why did he start this friends thing?

"Mr. White dog stuuupid. Atti have a friend." 

Um. But I don't want to give an answer Mr. White dog wants. 

"Felix is Atti's friend" 

"Princess." 

I felt a touched gaze from Felix. This is what you call eat a chicken, then eat it's eggs. Making fun of Mr. White dog, but at the same time, raising Felix's good feeling for me.

"But wouldn't it be better to have a friend princess's age?" 

Oh wow. I guessed in the first place but now I know what he is aiming for. I thought my guess was wrong because he was a weakling who alwasy tries to avoid me.

"To be honest, I have a son close to princess's age." 

I guess Roger Alfius wants to introduce Isekiel, his son, the male lead in <Lovely Princess> to me.

Huhhh? 

"He is very smart and mature boy as he is my son. He is 3 years older than princess so if princess treats him like an older brother, my son will treat princess like his sister." 

I held in my anger that was about to explode.

Gosh, I can see what this man is thinking clearly! You are treating me as an insurance, aren't you? You just want to keep me for emergency case seeing that I am doing somewhat well with Claude. 

Seems like you are going to use me if Jennet fails his plan for Claude's power later on.

And so you are planning on me to create a sister-brother kind of relationship or other connections what so ever with your son for your good.

Well it wasn't his loss if I refuse or does not like Isekiel, but it would be a huge gain if I did like Isekiel as a friend or brother.

"Hmm hmm.... And it is embarrassing to say myself, but my son is handsome since he looks like me." 

But mister, did you perhaps asked this to Claude as well? I would understand why Claude was annoyed if duke Alfius said himself that his son looks like him and is handsome, smart, and has a good personality and tried to make kids to be friends.

Mr. White dog, your way is more worse than wrong! Instead just tell Claude you would be in charge of the nation. That would have more possibility than this. 

"Eh, If he looks like Mr White dog, I don't wanna." 

Even though he has the title of male lead, 10 year old is a 10 year old. If I see Isekiel like that... hmm. I feel like that will very ruin my image of him. And what do you want me to do with that kid? Do some handshakes and claps? I would learn one more of Atlantan word rather than that. Besides, the length of my study time increased these days and now I have less time to play. 

(Atlanta language- it's not the same Atlanta in Georgia, but a country.)

Duke Alfius's eye twitched a little when I made a face of disgust saying 'If he looks like you, it is a no'. It looked like my words have killed some of his pride.

But as if he thought a 7 year old killing his pride was too childish, he continued on his words as if it was nothing.

"Then...." 

And I, who saw duke Alfius speak, raised my brow.

"How about a girl of the same age?" 

Is this man crazy? This makes no sense. 

"Ah, you mean the girl living in Alfius mansion?" 

"You are correct. I am taking care of the last child of my older cousin who's weak and is at Floria region for it." 

What a good excuse. Of course since you can't state 'she is your daughter' to Claude and have to use rightful words.

Felix who seemed to know by rumours, said as if he knew.

He seemed to be interested in a girl my age since he always asked Claude for a friend for me since a while ago.

And right now, I.....

"How about it, princess?" 

Was a little too mad at duke Alfius. 

What do you mean how about it, you crazy man! 

I was going to spare you because it's Isekiel, but now you try to make me be friends with Jennet? Ha, I see myself as an idiot when I act as if I don't know anything. I can't fight back because of it!

The reason why Atanasia died in the first place was for Jennet to have a happy ending but what? You want to make me and Jennet friends? So what if I become friends with her? Will you try to gain interest from Claude?

Well I know Jennet didn't do anything wrong. However, I was Atanasia so I had a thought Atanasia wouldn't have to die in the first place if it weren't for Jennet.

That is why I felt insecure with Jennet's existence and wanted to slap Duke Alfius and Jennet's aunt who tried to gain benefit using Jennet.

However that was all in the book. In reality, Duke Alfius wasn't as evil as in the book so I kept an okay relationship with him. Seeing him trying to betray my feelings made an anger mark on my face.

Ahhh! I shouldn't have patted his head but pull 'till it's bald!

"Princess, if princess desires for it too, I will try to make his majesty consider it with Sir Duke Alfius." 

Only Felix who knew nothing was innocently asking for my opinion. Roger Alfius looked confident as if he thought I wasn't going to refuse him twice.

He must've thought I would accept easily since most kids my age without any friends would feel lonely and would want some friends. I could totally see it in his face.

And since Alfius family had a boy and a girl, he must be thinking this is great since he could pair me up with either gender I want as a friend.