Arc 2 - Are You, Anxious Veronica? - Forget Yesterday, Today is Anew

I decided...I'll just keep this Chapter aaannnd continue the story in this direction ❤️

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"Of course anything, what do you need?" Isabelle's expression was happy and joyful, she leaned against the weak table.

"I need you to get me some materials, and LOTS of books!" Eleanora opened her arms wide, expressing the large amount she needed.

Isabelle sighed reaching for her lukewarm tea taking a sip "Ugh, is your water even that good? Tastes like boiled eggs..." She places the tea back onto the table and Eleanora's eyebrow raised.

"Have you seen this place? That's exactly why I need ma-te-ri-als!"

Isabelle flinched, but soon laughing softly "Alright, Alright...I just have to get the okay from the Emperor, by the way why didn't you respond to any of my letters this past couple of weeks, actually it's almost been two to three months!"

Isabelle's finger landed on Eleanora's nose and she looked away nervously "Uh..."

["I can't tell her I've been locked in prison or me being in a coma, she would freak out...and truly threaten the Emperor"]

"Oh! I'm not exactly sure where they keep my mail, I'll ask the young maid Fumi!" Eleanora came up with the explanation on the spot, gently taking her sister's finger from her nose.

"Ehh...okay, well give me a list of the things you need and I'll meet with the Emperor about it!"

Eleanora smiled brightly "Anyway, when will you be getting married? I'm very excited for you, anyone y-"

"No way! I'm not giving up Fathers business or my dowry to any man soon, I will handle it all myself, no Rich Duke will get in the way of Father's vision of success!" Isabelle stated strongly, Eleanora clapped lightly proud of her young sister.

"I'll probably head with you to greet the Emperor, I want to ask him something"

Eleanora knew that interactions with the Emperor happened to be quite dangerous. The Empress and jealous women watched from every corner, especially that female attendant, an evil that couldn't be tamed.

This question was just a way for Eleanora to get more answers to the weird mystery behind the land and her marriage. With this information, it'll grant her some clarity, and a possible way out of the horrid marriage. However, she'll spend her time wisely with the children ensuring that they'll know true moral values.

"Shall we go now? I have to attend a meeting with the Duke of Richmond later, a cocky prick if I must say..." Isabelle spoke adjusting the bottom of her royal purple dress.

Eleanora smiled "Maybe next time? How about Thursday?" The memory of Marie happily enjoying the time spent with her father came to mind.

Isabelle smirked, "I'll see what I can do, hopefully, that darn Emperor won't make it so difficult for me to see you this time!" Eleanora sighed as she stood up ready to escort her sister out of the wonky home.

["It's most likely because I'm not favored, I've caused a bit of a problem"]

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Eugene's motives for interacting with his daughter were good and bad. He was carrying Marie in his arms as she drifted off to sleep, it was quite amazing to him how easily children fall asleep after having so much energy.

Eugene had decided to pursue the newfound relationship with his daughter because right now she seemed to be in a very fragile state of mind, but he also did it to investigate the woman who seemed to calm her fragile heart before he did.

He expected Marie to talk nonstop about the suspicious Eleanora, but instead, she tried to scold her own father. He shook his head chuckling lightly at the memory of her adorable angry face. Eugene didn't exactly need Marie to figure out that Eleanora had been lying about her memory loss for quite some time.

Eugene was the Emperor, he wasn't stupid he was a genius, but for a while she had him dumbfounded so he'll give the woman that.

He stopped in front of his large bedroom door, needing to grab a gift he got for his youngest daughter.

Opening the door his eyes went dull from seeing the sight in front him.

Consort Jade & Consort Lulth happened to be fighting in his room, loudly...

Eugene shut the door not risking to awake his child, he stood there for a moment hearing the breaking of his things and harsh arguing. He then gave a stern look to a guard, signaling for the other guards to come over.

"Escort these dumb women out of my room, and lock them up in different rooms, I will deal with them later." the anger in his voice was very subtle, holding Marie at the moment kept him calm, the strong urge to kill someone was boiling in his veins.

"Yes, Your Majesty" they whispered noticing the young child asleep.

Eugene continued to walk down the long hallway flawlessly, the cute little memory of Marie seeing him with his cut hair calmed him down.

He felt bad that his daughter wouldn't wake up to a gift, he hadn't given one to her since her last birthday.

Eugene came to an abrupt stop before his eldest son,

"Greetings Father" Arthur bower slightly before his father, he stared at his baby sister coddled up in Eugene's arms.

("Is the old man going soft?") Arthur thought to himself projecting a poker face to hide his true emotions.

Eugene came down onto one knee getting a closer look at the boy, "I am not going soft,"

Flick!

Arthur wasn't startled at the fact that he knew what he was thinking (The Emperor has always been weird) but the simple fact that he flicked him...he flicked his forehead!

"Is what you're thinking right?" Eugene gave a frightening smile purposefully making Arthur nervous

"O-Of course not Father..."

Eugene raised himself up still holding Marie carefully, "Your mindset will continue to be corrupted if you push away everything and anything, not even I do that"

Arthur stayed in place as his father passed by him, the young man's fist clenched in anger, as well as embarrassment.

"I will never be like you..."

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Eleanora and Isabelle walked together towards the front of the palace, it was just too hard for them to be separated so easily.

"Make sure you get ahold of those letters okay?"

Eleanora smiled responding casually "I will absolutely get ahold of them! I promise..." She held out her pinky finger for Isabelle "Okay! You better write me back!"

They interlocked their pinkies squeezing each other's fingers tightly before letting go "Please be safe in the Palace okay" Isabelle reached to hug Eleanora tightly

Eleanora rubbed her back comforting her younger sister,

[" I really missed being a big sister...I won't let them kill you, I'll find out before they even lay a finger on you..."]

The two released each other "Lady Isabelle, time is ticking ma'am!" A Butler notified Isabelle, her carriage had arrived.

Isabelle rolled her eyes and started rushing down the long stone staircase "Okay! Okay!" she held her dressmaking sure she didn't trip.

Eleanora giggled watching her sister rush "She just left like that huh..."

"I'll see you soon!!" Isabelle began waving from the window of her carriage, Eleanora waved just as hard happily watching her sister leave. Though, her heart was worried, being in the palace meant restrictions, not knowing what contacts Isabelle had, or who happened to be against her made this even harder.

"You and your sister look very alike..." The voice of the Empress made Eleanora annoyed, even though she wasn't the main problem, she was definitely a problem.

She turned around forcing a smile "Greetings Your Majesty" Eleanora curtsied "Well then, I'll be taking my leave" She didn't exactly feel like speaking to the Empress, all the woman was trying to do was provoke her.

"It would be a shame if she died...such a pretty face"

Eleanora tried her best not to glare at the Empress, it was so tempting to not choke out this lady in front of her, but Eleanora didn't want to live that way, stuck in anger and revenge.

["Maybe there is a reason she's acting so mean...I can't fall for her little tricks"]

"It would be...How is Elise?" Eleanora stirred the conversation, Empress Duvelina frowned "I don't need you to worry about my child...as it seems you have already adopted someone else's as your own"

Duvelina's red eyes made sure to glare at Eleanora harshly, but this was something Eleanora experienced before, so it wasn't exactly intimidating.

"I cannot adopt someone else's child, but you are right, I love Marie as my own and I always will, Do you understand?" Eleanora said with a smile staring at the Empress with a strong expression

"Excuse me?" Duvelina could be easily provoked, not saying she wasn't smart, but her temper was very easy to play with.

"Ah, I forgot you couldn't possibly know what love meant"

["Oops! It slipped out...I really need to work on myself when it comes to forgiving the Empress

(ノ﹏ヽ)"]

The Empress smirked, "You are a very smart young lady, I applaud you..."

Eleanora tried to hide the surprised expression on her face, but the woman's words truly caught her off guard.

"I think it is a smart tactic to get close to the Emperor's favorite child...do your best, earning his favor is like reaching for someone's hand who is not reaching for your own"

Eleanora sighed, the wind began to pick up blowing across their faces as the sun was beaming brightly.

["How is that even possible? I was spending time with Marie before he even decided to make her his 'favorite child' talking to someone closed-minded isn't doing me any good"]

"I don't need the Emperors favor to live, because I'm not reaching for a hand who isn't reaching for me" Eleanora curtsied once more quietly leaving the angry woman alone.

The female attendant watched from above through one of the large palace windows "What were they talking about?" she bit at her nails curious.

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It was time for the sun to set, Eleanora had been cooped up in her home cleaning, rearranging, and preparing for the many books to come! It made her heart race with excitement, though Eleanora didn't have any particular interest in books in her past life she was ready to learn something new in order to help others around her.

After the intense cleaning session, Eleanora decided she would visit Marie, already at the door, she peeked inside to find such an adorable sight, but also a frightening one.

The Emperor had Marie sleeping against his chest, and he also seemed to fall asleep as well, Eleanora smiled.

["I'm sure the royal table is panicking right now, their Emperor is missing..."]

Eleanora looked around the hallway searching for a guard

"Oh!" She saw a male guard rushing down the hall and just in time she grabbed his arm.

He almost tripped, startled, the man frowned and he pushed her hand away, Eleanora looked surprised by the familiar face.

["General Howard?...Right!"]

"The Emperor is taking a nap with Princess Marie.." Eleanora whispered General Howard's angry expression subsided into a face of relief.

"Thank you..we've been searching all over for him" he whispered back.

["And you forget to check his daughter's room? Weird..."]

General Howard moved toward the door but Eleanora blocked him from getting in "What are you doing Lady Eleanora?" His face of annoyance appeared once more. "I just told you he was asleep...what is it exactly that the royal table needs that you interrupt the precious time between the Emperor and his daughter?" General Howard refrained soon standing by the door, "I will stay here until you awake him then"

Eleanora's face went blank

["He wants me to wake up a sleeping Emperor?"]

(ﾟｰﾟ;)

Eleanora gulped, turning around and opening up the door gradually, she then closed it quietly as well as hurriedly.

Her expression softened, the scene before her was truly mesmerizing. She walked toward the arm chair getting down on her knees watching their sleeping faces.

["Ah...this could be seen as weird to others"] 〔'∇｀〕

Eleanora giggled at the thought,

She watched Eugene and Marie breath in and out in at different paces, it made her heart burst with joy.

"Why are you watching us sleep?"

Eleanora's eyes widened at the sudden stare of the Emperor, he gave her one of his uncomfortable smiles.

"Miss Memory Loss?"

"Eh?"

Eleanora should have known that sooner or later, he would find out, and when he did-, it wasn't gonna be good for her.

"I-I have no idea what you are referring to your Majesty.." (⌒_⌒;)

Eugene gazed at Eleanora taking in her nervousness made him laugh internally

"You are very easy to read Eleanora..why did you decide to lose your memory? Were you afraid of our first night together?"

Eleanora's nervousness subsided as her conversation with the Emperor started to get tricky, right now being nervous would ruin it all.

"I wanted to stay away from you...yes, you truly frighten me"

Her gaze averted to the window watching the sunset lower, his icy blue eyes were filled with curiosity "Do you think I'm a wicked person?"

Eleanora's eyes quickly turned towards Eugene, her heartbeat started to pick up out of fear,

["What did he just say?... Why is he asking me the same question on our first night?... I feel like I'm going to vomit!!!"]

She got up quickly running towards the door leaving as quickly as possible, General Howard looked confused and he peeked inside the room finding a curious Emperor with his daughter still sleeping on his chest.

Eleanora ran down the hall looking for an escape, she couldn't stay here anymore, he knew too much! He had asked her the same question in her past life, it was like a flag, meaning she was going in the wrong direction.

She came to a brief stop at a door opening it not caring who was inside, just wishing that he wouldn't send anyone after her.

Eleanora entered the room out of breath, she looked around taking in the interior, her eyes stopped at the view of Veronica on the ground with dried blood

She looked terrified at the sight and quickly rushed over to Veronica, she held the young girl close examining her face.

"V-Veronica?! Veronica!!! Someone help!!!!"

She was holding Veronica in her arms teary-eyed, her hand moved the girl's hair out of her pretty face, Eleanora began rocking back and forth anxiously.

Guards berated the room at the sound of her voice, Eleanora turned around happily, though her expression changed at the sight of Eugene and General Howard with towers of guards.

"Arrest her..." Eugene spoke, his tone grudgingly angry.

"Eh?..."

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