A few days later after my social debut, I invited both Bea and Cassie to the palace.
[Drawing Room]
"By the way Cassie, why don't you like being called as 'Sandra' ?"
"Hm? I thought you are smart already, but I guess you're kinda dumb at using your common sense."
"Wha–?! You're the last person I want to hear saying that!"
Cassie laughs, "Didn't you know that a family's ranking is based on their names? The closer the first letter of a surname is to A, the higher ranking they have. However, only the royal family are allowed to have it as the first letter of their surname as they represent the name of a kingdom." She explains while munching some cookies.
"Is that so?"
So that's why I have yet to meet someone who has a surname lower than E.
"Then, how about our given names?"
"O-Oh, they don't really matter much." Cassie awkwardly speaks.
"..Hm?" I noticed her change in tone, it sounded a lot less confident than how she usually speaks.
"Sandra, don't give Ara false information!" Bea joins the conversation.
"Hmpf! When I say it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter!" Cassie pouts.
U~wah, that's probably the most childish thing that I heard Cassie say.
"You see Ara, most family give names to their children according to which order they are born, so most firstborns have A as their first name, but there are some cases where family doesn't follow this. Sandra was born third among her siblings so she was named with a C, but like she said, it doesn't really mean much.. though despite what she says, she still has some complex feelings about it as you can see." explains Bea while she continues to brush my hair. I wonder if there is something wrong with it.
Although that bastard's name is Claudius, does that mean he has older siblings or that he was not the crown prince right from the start? My mother's name is Felnora, she told me before that she has older siblings but I wonder why did that bastard chose mother as his queen? From what I can see, it doesn't look like he really cares for her.. but hey, it's not like we care for him too. I don't even want to know the reason why he hates women so much, I'm sure it'll be just a petty reason like he had when he hit me.
"Oh.." I understood what she said and looked at Cassie.
"But you know Cassie, just because you were born third doesn't mean that your family doesn't love you, and even if that were to happen, you know that Bea and I will always be here for you." I smile at her.
Cassie tears up and runs towards me, "Ara~ thank you, I love you so much, let's get married!" so she says as she hugs me tightly.
"Fufu, sure, when we both grow up." I hug her back.
"You can't do that!" Bea pulls us apart from each other.
"Well, of course n–" I was stopped mid-sentence by Bea's next line.
"You have to marry me first!"
"No! Ara has to marry me first since I was the one to propose to her first!" Cassie objects.
"You just took advantage of the situation!"
Haha, saying to get married even though we're all girls, I guess both of them are still a child at heart. (Little did I know that my future relationships all depended on this one moment.)
"Then, let's all marry each other together! We don't have to fight about something like this since we love each other right?" I gave them both a hug.
".. Well, I guess I can compromise." says Bea as she blushes and gives a hug back.
"Hmm.. I don't know if I love Bea though?" Cassie wonders.
".. You just have to ruin this moment, don't you?" Bea glares at Cassie.
"Cassie, if you keep saying that I won't marry you." I threaten Cassie playfully.
"I-I was just kidding! Hahaha!" Cassie nervously laughs.
.
..
...
"By the way, Ara, I heard from my father that you were summoned by his Majesty after the tea party, did something happen?" asks Beatrice while brushing my hair.
"..Yeah, it's because I used the Royal Garden without permission that I got reprimanded."
Although I couldn't really say that because of it, I was punished by having additional hours for my swordsmanship training. Well, it's a whole lot better than taking a slap from that bastard, he is just so heartless towards us women. I wonder what is the reason for that, perhaps he is gay and envious of our beauty? .. Nah, I doubt that, as much as I hate to admit it, he is already more beautiful than most women.
"Seriously, just for that? Doesn't he realize that you are also part of the royal family? He should be thankful that he got himself a proper and cute princess like Ara instead of a bratty one." Cassandra complains as she eats some cookies.
"Exactly! That bastard should ju–" I stopped myself midway as soon as I realize what I just said in front of them.
I see Cassie in front of me in the middle of holding a cookie and her mouth is wide open as she is just about to eat it, while I slowly turn around to see the main culprit for melting a hole on my back.
Oh.. my.. fucking.. god.. I'm really dead this time. Why did I just say that? I can tell that both of them are judging me right now with their eyes.
After a few moments of silence, Cassie stands up and starts to walk towards me.
"..."
"..."
We stared at each other for a while until Cassie decided to break the silence and hugs me.
"Hehe you're so cute when you look upset."
".. That's all you have to say?!" I look behind to check on Bea, in which I surprisingly see her holding back her laughter until she can no longer hold it back.
"Pfft! Hahaha!" Bea laughs a bit while still trying to have her composure.
After laughing for a bit, Bea asks me, "Did it feel good to finally release your pent-up anger?"
"Wait, you mean you knew all the time?"
"Of course! Don't underestimate us Creutschers, also, everyone in the kingdom knows how much his Majesty hates women."
"I see.. Looks like I was worried for nothing." I laugh awkwardly.
"Yeah! So we can just hate him together, I'll train harder so that no one will dare to even think of hurting my wife!"
"Hm.. If he dares to hurt you, I will raise a coup d'etat against him."
I watch them both declaring their love for me.
"Haha.." Looks like I must prevent them from knowing what that bastard did to me.