Banquet 2

I was surprised when I saw the familiar face behind all those guys and even more so when I saw the exact same face with glasses on. He was dressed in plain clothes with a sword at his waist, segregated from the rest of them, not paying anyone much attention.

Ashley was also surprised and attempted to come forward but was dissuaded when he gazed at her but I ignored his 'stay away' vibes and walked up to him quietly ignoring the commotion then I tugged him to the garden that I managed to find.

"So, how was your stay," I asked, truly curious how this iceberg could have survived alone.

He stared at me and then said fine.

"Are you staying in the capital now?" I asked curiously about getting another short answer of 'Yes'

I was quite happy that he would be staying in the capital so that I would have someone to talk to about causing trouble.

"I'm really sorry again your highness" a soft voice said coming the path opposite to us and I dragged Derrick behind a bush on my knees as I watched the crown prince and a maid come to the secluded spot.

"You really don't have to follow me on my walk," the beautiful maid said with her baby pink hair and blue eyes which looked so cute and innocent.

I felt my senses tingling again and I knew that this must be the innocent troupe heroine. I watched the drama with excitement, curious how this pig-headed guy even saw someone of such a low status to fall in love with.

"Don't apologize" he said curtly. Tsk he really sounds like he can't be bothered with her.

Then the innocent beauty suddenly looked at him in the eye and slipped falling on him with their lips somehow connecting on the ground. She scrambled up blushing furiously and started shaking with her head bowed down low.

"I'm sorry...my ankle.....I slipped," she stuttered at the crown prince, who was in a daze with his hand covering his mouth and a tiny red at the back of his neck.

"It wasn't your fault. Let's go quickly" he said after coughing then walked away with the maid following behind him.

I thought that it was just the 'I've never been kissed before' trope. Then he started to notice the maid, but from my point of view, she threw herself into his arms and then passed something into his mouth.

That means that there is something wrong with this heroine but that's not my problem. In fact, I didn't see anything, but I do have an accomplice.

I turned to Derrick, who was sitting on the grass beside me, somehow looking elegant and not like someone who was stalking me while I had left on my hair and my clothes were ruffled.

"So what do you think, evil mage or not" I asked sitting down on the grass beside him.

"It's time to head back" he said standing up and dusting his clothes off.

I pouted that he's no longer as responsive to everything I say. Long-distance relationships really are hard. I arranged my clothes and then followed him back to the ball but I slipped inside first before he did, since after all, he was someone from the North and I was a maid who had lived all her life in the capital so there was no way for me to know him.

I walked up to Ash at the corner and described the scene I just witnessed after she told me everything that happened there.

Ash POV

I watched as the so-called original heroine served people but managed to stay in the perimeter close to Su Wan until she eventually bumped into her.

I already had a bad feeling about her all this while but after talking to Zee then I have a feeling that she might be connected to dark mages but why did she wait until Su Wan came before she struck. It just seems fishy but the rest of the banquet went on with peace.

Su Wan POV

I had a nice time using the Duke as a shield right until he made me promise to be his tour guide in the capital.

I was already surprised that he didn't spare the heroine a glance and now he is trying to spend time with me but I don't want to.

"Sure, send me a letter when you are ready," I said with a business smile.

"Better yet, I'll visit" he said chuckling.

I went home in a daze but I had to snap out of it when I was told that the magic tower was requesting an audience. I suddenly felt that I seemed to attract all the wrong people.

Derrick POV

I sat in the room given to me by the Duke as a member of the higher rank of knights though they didn't trust me yet.

I thought about the reason the Duke was seeking an audience with a woman who had a bad reputation, and after hearing some clues from the talks between the guys, it seems that he's planning an anarchy to seize the throne.

I don't really care for the intricacies of the politics in the capital, but I don't think that I can learn anything from anyone else except the greatest swordmaster in the empire,, which is the Duke.

"Come in" his voice came on the other side of the door

"I wish to learn aura," I said straightforwardly once I entered the room

"Why should I teach you," he said

"Why don't you try it out first and see whether you would still doubt my ability" I said

"Very confident" he said laughing

"Is that a yes or not?" I said, not having time for his games.

"You will have to serve me with this your great talent then you can consider it done," he said leisurely

"I'm no one's dog or puppet," I said with my lips up at the corner a bit.

"We'll see about that" he said waving me away.

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