"You're Raymond, right? Am I right?" said Esther doubtfully.
The man immediately got up from the swing and walked over to Esther. He quickly embraced Esther in his arms. Esther just surrendered and smiled when she was hugged.
"How are you Esther, my sweet little sister? Why are you here? Don't tell me you caused trouble, so you were locked up in the palace prison and tried to escape and then got lost here?" said Raymond.
Esther was made to laugh at the peculiar fantasy of the man she already considered her brother, just like Lucius. The man named Raymond was Lucius and Caroline's playmate when Esther was a child. It seems the three of them are still friends to this day.
"Your exaggerated delusions are still the same as they were a few years ago. Of course, I'm good and same as usual. It's been a long time since we've seen each other, Raymond," Esther replied with a sweet smile.
"Then why are you here? Wait a minute, don't tell me you work as a maid here?" said Raymond, wondering why Esther was in the Rose Palace gardens.
Esther was silent. She was thinking of a suitable excuse to give Raymond. Should she tell the truth or lie?
"It is true."
Raymond came to his own conclusion instead. "Instead of being a servant here, you better come with me to my residence. I will talk to my wife to adopt you as my sister so that you can live a better life than being a servant."
Esther was a little annoyed at Raymond's speculation. Was she so low as to be mistaken for a servant? Just as she was about to reply to Raymond's words, suddenly she heard footsteps. From the sound of the footsteps, Esther could tell that within a 500 m radius there were already several people coming towards them now.
"We'd better meet tomorrow night in front of Marigold's palace. It would be dangerous for people to see me with you in this lonely place, especially in the middle of the night like that. See you then, Raymond."
Esther immediately used teleportation magic to leave Rose's palace garden. Raymond was silent when he saw Esther who had just disappeared. He was not surprised to see the teleportation magic because, just like Lucius and Caroline, he had also known about Esther's magic for a long time.
BuThe next day, just as Esther had said, Raymond was already in front of the deserted Marigold palace. Marigold Palace was really quiet and deserted, even though he didn't find a single guard knight who used to guard the security of every palace of the concubines and kings.
According to the information he had received so far, Marigold Palace was a palace inhabited by a concubine named Beatrice who was also the daughter of Count Arbellion and current guardian of the Crown Prince. But how could the palace that the Crown prince also resided in be this old? It was now midnight even from where Raymond was standing now the sound of crickets and owls could be clearly heard.
The atmosphere of the Marigold palace could even be compared to the atmosphere in the forest. A few minutes later, Esther finally came over to Raymond. Esther was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt and a long light brown skirt and her hair color was silver again. This time Esther was wearing dark brown boots so her movements wouldn't be as restricted as when she was wearing those annoying high heels.
"So are we going to talk here?" Raymond asked hesitantly.
"Are you crazy? Of course not. Let's talk while visiting the festival in the market," said Esther as she took Raymond's hand and started walking.
"Huh? Are you serious? We're no longer the kids we used to be. We're adults, so why are we still playing at night festivals?" Raymond protested.
Esther stopped walking and looked at Raymond seriously. She gripped Raymond's hands tightly. "Can you just shut up and enjoy it?"
Esther began to cast a teleportation spell and the two of them immediately disappeared from the palace and appeared right in front of a food stall. The food stall owner who saw the two of them suddenly appear immediately fainted. Esther immediately left the place before many people gathered and blamed her. Esther also didn't want to be beaten in that place because she was caught using magic.
The night festival held every month by the common people was indeed more fun than the party held in the palace. As the night progresses, the streets get busier with festival-goers. Many children ran around happily, making Esther reminisce about her childhood with Caroline, Raymond, and Lucius.
Before enjoying the games at the festival, Esther bought some snacks to fill her stomach. After getting the food she wanted, she immediately ate it voraciously. Now Esther and Raymond walked hand in hand.
"So now you're going to tell me the reason you've been in the palace lately?" said Raymond, who also devoured the food Esther had bought.
"I've lived in the Marigold palace for about six years as Beatrice, Lucius' last concubine," Esther replied casually.
"WHAT?? You becamee Lucius's concubine moreover you disguised yourself as a noble? Are you crazy? What if they find out the truth that you are just a commoner?" Raymond who was in deep shock attacked Esther with various questions.
"Shut up! Do you want to be the center of everyone's attention?" Esther ordered while glaring at Raymond.
Raymond immediately lowered the volume. "So try to explain what insanity you did to disguise yourself as a royal concubine!"
"Beatrice is my best friend and at that time her parents were in trouble because Beatrice ran away from her house to marry her lover. Therefore, I was forced to replace her as Lucius's concubine. I don't think it's a big problem, because until now no one knows about my real identity and I'm still alive too, right?"
Raymond took a deep breath. "I'm really tired of dealing with you. The point is if there's anything you need, just let me know. I'll always be there to help you."
Esther just smiled and nodded. "I wonder what your position in this Kingdom? Surely you're not an ordinary guard knight, right?" Esther asked.
"Why do you know my position?" Instead of answering Raymond, he replied to Esther with a question.
"If your position is high enough and to my liking, then I'll ask for your help," Esther replied.
"My position is only that of a Duke and commander of the Kingdom's main security forces," said Raymond.
Esther smiled when she heard Raymond's words that seemed condescending to his position. "Then do you know Count Sionels?"
Raymond looked at Esther in surprise. "Of course I know him. Count Sionels is my father-in-law."
Esther's eyes immediately lit up. "Then could you take me to see Count Sionels next time?"
"Good then. Then it will be easier for me to carry out my plan," thought Esther.
Raymond was again confused by Esther's request. Esther was the only person whose thoughts were unpredictable. "Why do you want to meet my father-in-law?"
"Confidential."
Raymond took a deep breath and massaged the temples of his head. "Okay, I won't force you to say it either. Since it's going to be morning soon, you'd better take the two of us back to the palace. I want to hurry back to my residence to have breakfast with my wife and children."
Esther smiled and clasped Raymond's hands as before. "You are such a sweet father and husband. Your wife and son must be lucky to have you."
"Not like Lucias," Esther said in her heart.
Raymond immediately puffed out his chest. "Of course, they are very lucky to have me. At least I am sincere and loyal to them unlike His Majesty the King."
Esther nodded her head. "Yes, you are absolutely right."
Esther, who was still smiling, began to close her eyes and chanted a long spell. Then suddenly a bright light appeared around them. Esther's magic started to work. Raymond also closed his eyes because he was unable to open his eyes because of the bright light that surrounded them.
Now they had arrived right in front of Marigold's palace. Before returning to their respective places, Esther and Raymond embraced. Raymond kissed her forehead and ruffled Esther's hair. To others, it might look like an intimate scene between two people who love each other. But for Esther and Raymond, it was a natural thing to do as brothers.
After that, Raymond immediately left the Marigold palace. Likewise with Esther, who went straight into her palace to help Helena prepare breakfast because the sun was about to rise. Everything went well for both of them.
But there was something they didn't know, that some time after they came back from the festival that night, a maidservant of Averia's saw Raymond kissing Esther's forehead. Now everything depends on the fate that will take them later.