The Suspicion

[Portia's POV]

With one quick push, I make Kazech steps back, standing in front of Kiel and stretching my arms. I straighten my body and shout out loud to him, "What do you think you're doing right now, Crown Prince?"

"Why're you here?" Kazech asks me in a confused tone. He also lifts one of his eyebrows and looks at me as if I am the one who is trespassing in his room.

"W-What?"

This damned man!

Not only he enters my room without permission, but he also dares to point his silver sword toward one of my people like that! Does that mean being a crown prince gives him a right to be shameless and brazen?

"What's your relationship with him?" Kazech does not stop and asks another question. He points at Kiel using his sword with a threatening look.

I click my tongue and feel annoyed. "He's one of my people, Your Highness. And whoever he is, you still didn't have a right to point your sword like that toward him. I hope you can leave this room before I scream that there is an intruder in my room right now."

When I glanced behind, I saw a terrified expression on Ezekiel's face. Of course, he will be afraid. Who is a normal person who is not surprised when suddenly pointed by a sword and interrogated like a criminal? Wait, a criminal?

Does Kazech think Ezekiel is one of the subordinate of the assassins guild who attacked the palace? Is that why he was also in the slums area this morning and unintentionally met me there?

"Portia, why are you acting like this—"

"What?" I cut his words fast and short. Honestly, I do not want to see him in this room or palace. I want to avoid meeting him as much as I can, but it seems that I always end up facing him like this.

He was just the same as in his previous life. No, in fact, he never changed even the slightest bit. From his flat and rigid expression, cold gaze towards me, and sickening tone whenever he speaks to me like I am a pitiful thing that needs his sympathy.

It is so nauseating for me.

From the first we met until the day I chose to die, he still pretended that he cared for me. He was the last person I wanted to meet in this life.

"Alright. Let's talk later."

Kazech relents and departs from this room, leaving me with Kiel together. I scrutinize my forehead, hearing Kazech's words just now. Talk again later? What does the exact thing that he wants to talk about with me?

After Kazech leaves, I sink to the floor because both of my knees lose their strength when facing that man.

"Ughhh," I fume with anger and hold my head, which feels like going to fall from its place.

Can he just stop popping up everywhere and making me get a sudden headache?

"Are … are you alright, Tia?"

I look to the side and find a worried expression on Ezekiel's face. From a close distance like this, I could see that he looked kind of different from before. Some bandages are covering his wound on the face and the arms. His clothes were also new, of course, because I was the one who asked for them, even though he was given servant clothes. No problem, I will change it later after we arrive home.

I nod, answering his question. "Uhm, I'm alright now. How about you? Did your wound still hurt?"

He shakes his head and looks at me with a cute expression. "I feel better now, thanks for asking."

Ugh, what a cutie! Why am I just realizing that I have an adorable friend like this?

Just look at his shining silvermoon hair-like, his sapphire pupil that sparkles every time he winks, or his goddamn beauty mark under his right eye that twitches every time he talks to me. Wait a minute, why am I acting like a crazy fanatic fan now?

I feel like I am going insane whenever I look at his indescribable beauty.

"P-Portia?"

"Yes?"

"Are you really okay? Your face is very red …."

"Oh!" I cover my face with both hands in an instant time. I do not know if it is because I am too eager or shameless to think such a thing until I cannot control my face. "Hahaha! It's nothing! Nothing!"

"That's a relief then …." Kiel smiles genuinely, which makes me stunned by his cuteness load struck for a second.

Looking at his innocent and cute face makes me forget that he faced the edge of Kazech's sword a while ago. I hold his white and slender hand with concern looking at him. "Kiel, just talk to me. Why is that man here, and what exactly did he ask you?"

Even though I know that Kiel is one year older than me in real-time, I consider him way younger because my soul is not a thirteen girl but a twenty-one adult woman. He also has a feminine look for his age, so I consider him one of my brothers, just like my little sister, Yuri. They both are so pretty, like precious flowers.

He shakes his head short. "I don't know too. He suddenly got in and pointed his sword toward me. He also asked me if I was one of the guild's subordinates attacking the palace. I-I don't know the slightest bit about that incident, Tia! I am talking honestly! Please believe me!"

His hand trembles in fear. Kiel's lips turn white as a sheet. He must be afraid after meeting with Kazech and getting stuck in that horrible situation. I tighten my grip on his hand. "Don't worry. I trust you. I know you're not involved in that matter."

He looks at me with a shaking pupil. He seems so helpless, like a little puppy, that makes my heart go out to him. "You believe me, Tia?"

"Of course I am," I say with a serious expression. "You're my friend. Ugh, not yet actually, but still, we're friends now. And you know what? Friends are made to trust each other and never leave one's side, whatever happens. Just trust me. I'll talk to Kazech later and solve all this misunderstanding."

Even though I do not want to meet him again, I can not let this misunderstanding go too far and cause another trouble for me. Besides, it was he who said that he wanted to talk with me again later. So I am just using that chance to clear this matter.

It is impossible for Kiel to be the subordinate of the assassin guild who attacks the palace. I know that for sure because Kiel is an innocent boy who does not even want to kill a bug because he values their life so much.

To prove his innocence, I need an alibi.

"Kiel, could you tell me in a clear description about your activities today before meeting me? From what I guess, the crown prince has just met you today, which means he was suspicious of your activities in the slums today. You only need to tell me the truth, and I'll explain it to the crown prince as proof that you're innocent."

Kiel is silent for a while. He looks like he is thinking hard with an antsy expression. I am not blaming him for that. He may be embarrassed to tell his whole activities as a derelict in the slums. Or, there are some things he does not want to tell me because it is a bad experience for him.

However, I still need his explanation to make an alibi and help him.

"Kiel?" I call him again, making that boy comes back from his thought and looks at me with a serious expression.

"Alright, I will tell you, Tia."