chapter 8

On my way to get out from the banquet hall, In hurried, I step passing through the sea of people while ignoring every gaze that pierces on me." Where are you heading to? "I turn to look at a guy that appears beside me. such a bold guy to came and greet when everybody just silently looks at me leaving the banquet in silence. I look at him in annoyance when we were currently standing before the entrance door of the hall.

" Greeting, princess. " bow him towards me. This guy had green hair, a symbol of the Olene household, it seems.

" Greeting, sir Olene. " I bend my head a little politely.

" Oh, you know me, princess? " ask him disbelief.

' It's because of your white hair, stupid. '

" Haha, Of course, I knew you, you're quite a famous person at the capital, sir Olene. "

" You flattered me for too much, princess. " shy him with red cheeks.

Gosh. You had those good looking face but you're quite an older man for me. it's a pity though.

" Oh. Greeting, princess Claire. " bow another guy that walks past us and stop to greet me.

Come on! Who is this guy? can't everyone just let me be now?

" Greeting.. "

This one had a shining yellow pupil, a symbol of the Harvey household then. Well, it's a relief that I remembered their appearance from my past.

" ..Sir Harvey. "

Why did everyone that Daisy mentioned keep on approaching in front of me??? First, sir Olene, now, sir Harvey. Ugh. I hope next that Kyite guy wouldn't appear before me.

" Princess, you look pretty today more than usual. " smile sir Harvey toward me. Sir Olene who was standing beside me just silently look at him kissed my hand.

I get annoyed with him in my heart. 'excuse me? you already had a fiance, right? how come you just naturally kissed my hand like this? '

I quickly pull my hand from his after I look at sir Olene glared at sir Harvey.

" Please pardon me, sir Olene, sir Harvey. I had some business to do now. Please excuse me. "

When I was trying to get out from their gaze toward me. I didn't realize that sir Olene was chasing after me.

" Wait, princess. "

He pulls my hand and makes me turn to face him. With confusion, I blinked in disbelief with his action towards me.

" Yes? um, it's quite rude to pull a lady hand like this, sir Olene. " trying to calm my shocks, I ask that in flustered.

" Ah! please forgive my insolence, princess. " look at him flustered just like me, I know he just does that without much thought.

I fake a sweet smile at him. " So, what the matter, sir Olene? "

" ... "

" ...sir Olene? " ask me in consideration.

Sir Olene's face suddenly turn blushes in shyness when my eyes stare at his face. He coughs a little and faces me while boldly look into my eyes.

" Princess. "

" ..Yes? "

" ..... "

Erk. such an awkward atmosphere between us right now.

" ...Please do call me Lewis, princess," ask him in a sudden blush toward me.

' WHAT??! why so sudden? '

" .... "

" ... ah.. ". my head blanks while trying to figure the right answer for his confession.

"...Ah,..em. I can't do that because we are not in those relationships. Besides, I am the crown prince's fiance, sir Olene."

' This is the best decline I can give to you right now, Olene. '

In Castella Empire, by asked to get call a person with their first name, it's mean they had a feeling towards each other or had a couple relationships. it does can be use when someone trying to show their interest in us too. And now, sir Olene has confessed his feelings towards me so suddenly.

" Ah. that's right... " shy him while releasing my hand from his.

" Please forgive me for my insolence again, princess. " bow him in disappointment and turn to leave me alone at the outside of the hall.

" I'm sorry, sir Olene. "

I continue to walk towards the garden again. I need to hurry before it will get too late. As my heart gradually becomes excited to meet him, my step begin to gets faster ahead towards the garden direction.

Bump.

" Oh my! "

" ....!! "

When I look at his face, I was stunned by my own view.

Gosh! Who is this super handsome guy??

" Are you okay, princess?. " while his lips was smiling at me, he say: " You're so light too. "

" What? "

Now I realize that I'm already in his embrace. He was trying to catch me from fell over when we bump toward each other earlier.

" ...ah."

" My! I am really sorry.. " flusters in shyness, my hand reflexes on slowly push away his body from me.

" It's okay, anyway are you alright, princess? " ask him again in consideration.

" ... "

" ... "

" Oh, how rude of me, I'm not greeting you first, princess. that's why you don't know how to call me, huh? "

In shy, I just nod to admit it while he laughs at my innocence.

" Greeting princess, my name Shawn Russell Kyite. Pleased to make your acquaintance. "

" Oh, you're the son of count Kyite it seems. " smile me toward him.

' Wait, hold on. 'Kyite??' Kyite household??? come on! Daisy, are you leaving a curse on me or something? '

" I'm sorry, sir Kyite. thank you for caught me earlier but I had some business to do now. Please excuse me. " bow me toward him in polite. This guy was a playboy! I can't get near him like this! he shouldn't appear before me tonight.

" Oh, are your highness heading toward the garden? without an escort with your highness? " ask him disbelief.

I nod and force a smile toward him. ' just let me be please..'

" Then, let me escort you to go there, princess. it dangerous to walk in a dark place like this. "

' Ahh, damn! '

" It's okay, I just wanted to take a stroll alone tonight. you can take your leave now, sir Kyite. " politely I'm trying to reject his offer.

" I can't do that, princess. You're a girl alone in these dark places. it dangerous to leave a fragile girl like you to walk alone here. "

' but It more dangerous to be with a playboy like you though! '

" It's really okay, just go sir Kyite. There a knight outside these gardens to guard me, it's alright. "

" ... "

' Just go, okay. please.....! ' my eyes begging on him.

" ... sigh. "

He just silently look at my desperate face and let go a hard sigh.

" Then, I will take my leave now. please excuse me, princess. " bow him and walk to leave the garden behind.

I look at him to make sure his figure had already far away from me and thus continue my walk to the grand duke son's secret place.

I found out about this secret place though because of Noelle. In the past, he had a bad relationship with the grand duke's son so Noelle would always come to me to say all of the bad things about him. Well, I'm just a place to let go of his mess head in the past. I will make sure this time it will not become like that. you can, Claire.

****

I don't know why but my heart thumping uneasy. walking alone in these dark gardens without any guard makes me became cautious of my surrounding. The cold wind on this night keeps given me some chills, as my walk to him become weight each step, make me wanted to return to the banquet hall again. But, this is my only chance. find him and change my life.

I don't know why, I can easily use someone else but my heart keeps saying I need to meet him. use him as my tool. maybe this uneasy feeling because I had never met him once in my past?

I look around. This garden of the emperor is a little complex to walk in it, like a maze I need to solve only to find him. After a really long walk, I see a beautiful lake ahead. When my step stops in front of the lake, I was stunned by my own view.

He was a guy with blonde hair, sitting on the branch beside the lake, looking up to the night sky while closing his eyes.

' This guy!! '

My leg stops to step ahead. In shock, I quickly cover my mouth to stop making a sound, hoping that guy wouldn't know that I was here.

I found a big tree near the lake and quickly hide behind it in tremble before that guy felt my presence there.

' Why is that guy is here?! This is the secret place of the grand duke's son! Ah! shit. don't tell me..! '

I take a glance at him again and perfectly hiding behind the tree again.

' The grand duke's son is him?! '

' Blonde hair that shines like gold, he really had the same hair as the grand duke!! '

I cover my mouth in terrified.

' This guy! he is the villain of empire!! '