"Tell your master to see me and say those words himself, why must he protect his woman in hiding?" Vasillis told Bastien Cross, avoiding the question of him liking Alexandria, his best friend.
The feelings he tried so hard to keep inside him, in the box with chains around it, carefully locked away for no one to know, especially Alexandria. It was a secret, the secret he was supposed to take to the grave. Yet a butler that betrayed the one he secretly loved would point it out, it annoyed him. Perhaps annoyed in himself, that someone knows but Alexandria does not. What a scaredy-cat he was to hide his own feelings, not brave enough to confess.
He wanted to, but the fear of completely losing her after confessing took over him. Who would have thought that even though he never told her anything, he would still end up losing her?
Bastien Cross let out an inaudible sigh, "There is a reason why he does not want to see you." he stated.
Vasillis scoffed, "From what I see, he is just too guilty to show himself."
"That is not his reason, Lord Vasillis."
Vasillis took a step closer to the Head Butler, looking in his eyes with a furrowed brow, trying to calm himself. "Then why? Why would he not go and meet me, he must be so scared for me to know something!"
Bastien Cross closed his eyes and shook his head, "I am but a butler, I have no right to tell you anything without his order."
Vasillis smiled and chuckled in a sarcastic way, "Oh, right. I almost forgot that you serve him now." he said. He put his hand on the butler's shoulder and went near his ear, just like what the butler did to him earlier.
"Did he also order you to dig the tree up?"
Miss Millington's eyes slightly widened and the butler who was closing his eyes, slowly opened them up and looked at Vasillis from the corner of his eye with no smile present on his face, "...What are you trying to imply?" he asked while narrowing his eyes on him.
Vasillis let out a snort, "I know that you have an idea of what I am saying, am I not right?"
Bastien removed the noble's hand on his shoulder, "Indeed, you are wrong. I have never gone to that place after My Lady had passed away." he answered. He only goes to the tree whenever the lady wants to go there, he has no other reason to go anymore now that Alexandria is gone.
Vasillis clenched his fist, "She did not pass away, she is not dead!"
Bastien clicked his tongue upon seeing that he still has not given up on the hope of seeing the lady again. "I suppose you are still in denial, believe that if you want, I wish you luck in whatever you are trying to prove." he said, tired of hearing the same words from Vasillis.
"Then how do you explain the fact that an old lady saw you digging it up?"
Bastien chuckled, "An old lady, you say. Did she tell my name?"
"No, she does not know your name but I could tell that it was you from her description," Vasillis answered.
The Lady of Millington looked at the butler. It surprised her when she heard that the special tree was dug up and Vasillis accused Bastien Cross. It was impossible, 'Sir Cross was always with us.' she thought.
"May I ask what her description of the man was?"
"She told me the man she saw was always with the lady who used to come to the place. She even stated that he was in a fashion fit for a butler and that the lady looked like a noble lady." Vasillis responded, repeating the words of the old lady, Elois Ingram.
A crease formed on Vasillis's forehead when Bastien chuckled, "What is so funny about it?"
"Did the old lady describe the face of the man she saw?" the butler asked.
There was a short silence before Vasillis answered, "...No."
"Why not?"
"She must have not seen the face clearly."
Vasillis knew where the conversation was going. The words of an old lady were not enough to prove that it was Bastien Cross. It only clicked in his mind that it was Bastien just because Elois Ingram said that it was a butler of a noble lady.
"Then that does not prove that it was me." Bastien Cross said.
"The lady that used to come there said it was Alexandria."
"Did she really say that it was Alexandria, specifically?"
"...She said it could be her."
The Head Butler smiled, "Such words only indicate a possibility, but not a certainty, Lord Vasillis." he stated. He emitted an aura of confidence as if he was so sure that he would win against him because of the Lord's lack of evidence.
"My Lady was not the only noble who used to come to that place. Unless you have asked each of everyone who visits there, you have no right to accuse me." he said.
Miss Millington averted her gaze, "Is it perhaps Felix? It couldn't be…" she whispered and Vasillis heard it even with the lady's low voice.
Vasillis let out a sigh as he has nothing against the Head Butler, he should control his emotions and investigate all the people who go to the middle line of Arcturus and Capella. "I will be back," he stated with emphasis.
The reason why it was always hard to see through a person is because of the secrets they keep. We do not know whether the secrets are not related to us or if it is to harm. A person who has a lot of secrets is hard to trust, and silence could mean anything.
If a person is silent, it does not mean that they do not have anything to say, it could also mean that there is a lot they have to hide.
If it was proven that it was not them who dug the tree, his suspicions will still not go away. The secrets that Alexander and Bastien, or perhaps the whole Midford House, are hiding still convince him that they are involved. 'I will not keep you all silent for too long.' he thought.
The two figures, and another one in hiding, watched as Vasillis walked away until he was out of their sight. Bastien Cross turned his head and glanced at the lady who looked anxious, it was not only Vasillis who heard what she whispered.
"What did you mean by Felix?"
~~~~~~~~~~
Before the chaos,
Lloyd Vasillis fell silent while looking up at his friend, Alexandria. It always amazes him that Alexandria could say whatever she had on her mind, it does not matter who was listening, what matters is how she tells it.
Full of honesty and wisdom from experience, he cannot even say anything against it, what she says is always true. They do not have freedom at all, no matter where they go, they will always be in chains.
"I also do not want to marry someone they will arrange me with," Vasillis muttered. "I want to be with someone I truly love."
He uttered every word while looking at the lady in front of him. He prayed that his gaze would not seem obvious that he was in love with her, once she knows, everything will change. But knowing Alexandria, she was not someone who could sense something like that. How fortunate.
"You are currently in love with someone? I never knew." Alexandria said.
Vasillis nodded his head, "Yes, but I will not tell you who it is." he said and smiled.
"My friend now keeps secrets from me, that is new."
Vasillis just responded with a chuckle. Little did Alexandria know, he has been keeping secrets from her longer than she could have known. Vasillis felt guilty, but he had no choice but to remain silent about it.
He turned to Alexandria, "I know you are always tired, do you want to go on a trip? I have to go somewhere tomorrow, maybe you want to come."
"Where?"
"To Canopus, I want to visit the Crown Prince. Do you not want to meet the future king of our neighboring kingdom?"
Alexandria has always wanted to come to the Canopus Kingdom but she does not have the time to. She would have accepted the offer, but she remembered she had something to do. "I apologize, I have to decline."
"Why? I could ask the Marquess to let you, he will surely accept if I mention the Crown Prince." he said.
The Marquess are always full of greed, he would agree to get close to the future ruler of their neighboring kingdom, but at the same time, he might also not allow her, since Midford House are loyal to King Cadell. Marquess Anthony would never risk losing Cadell's trust when he finds out that they became close with the Steins.
Alexandria shook her head, "No, I still have to wait for a Lockhart's reply."
"Lockhart Duchy?"
"Yes, I need to meet the Duke's son, Alistair Lockhart."