Under the umbrella, two kids are having their tea time despite the obvious uneasiness going on with Wren. Though the prince does not realize this as he is overflowing with happiness with the fact that Wren agreed to spend some time with him.
"Your Prince seems to be on cloud nine," Boaife says to Theo who was beside her while watching the two. Theo laughed awkwardly, "Yes..." he then looked over at Boaife, she was grinning, basking under the sun.
She just saw what she's anticipating for and it is Wren's facial expressions in front of Zairon. Boaife finds herself enjoying Wren's misinterpretation of the Prince's actions towards her and the fact that the Prince understands her actions—coincidentally.
Wren picked up a small cookie and glanced over Boaife, her eyes widened as she felt the cookie is stuck in her throat.
"W-water..." she coughed several times when Zairon gave her a cup of glass.
Theo pointed to Wren and asked Boaife a question which was so obvious what she was going to refute, "Aren't you supposed to take care of the Young Miss?"
"She's stupid for that part, unbelievable she choked because of a cookie," this made Theo look at her with surprise. She sounds unconcerned for a normal maid—which is she's not normal.
Boaife couldn't care less about Wren choking. It isn't life threatening nor dangerous enough for her to interven. When the real reason is that she wants Wren to suffer a bit.
"Chew slowly. The food isn't going anywhere," Wren's cheeks flushed red, "It isn't about the food!" She gritted and closed her eyes in hopes of cleansing her sight.
She must have seen it wrong because there is no way that it would happen. She slowly glanced over the two and her mouth hung open, aghast at what she's seeing right now.
His ears are red and he is blushing! Don't tell me he has a thing for that crazy phoenix?!
"Damn it..." she cursed under her breath. Zairon noticed where her anger pointed at and commented, "Ah... they became close."
Wren stared at the prince in disbelief, "I see. Is that what they look like?" Prince Zairon looked back at her, "Is it not? They look close to me."
"He doesn't see it." she mumbled about her sudden realization since the prince seems not to realize what she saw between the two. Why, she can see flowers floating between them! It made her tremble. Just imagining the two of them being like that is enough to make her horrified.
Of all the people he could have fallen for, why is it the damn bird?
"anyway, the reason I called you here is because of my mother," Wren who heard at the mention of it said, "Lady Agatha is cured."
Prince Zairon seems to process the thing she said, "What??"
"It is what I said." let's give the prince a moment to process what she said after all she informed him, that her mother is no longer in pain.
technically, the reason he called her is to ask the saintess to help his mother upon seeing her being weak and coughing blood and the prince was afraid that his mother will not open her eyes.
And now, she's telling him that his mother is cured? There is no other thing he wants to hear but that word. He felt his heart pound as relief finally showed on his innocent face.
His eyes lit up in excitement, slamming the table with his fists as he had the child like smile. Boaife and Theo flinched at the loud pound and asked, "what happened...?"
"Really?! As in cured?!" Wren nodded, she was proud since this may become her alas when Zairon may have the idea to kill her.
Looking at his face she's happy because after all the times he met Zairon, she finally saw the smile he have. It is beautiful— to the point that she's trying to contain her pounding heart.
"This is bad."
"what did you do? Did you..." she nodded as acknowledgement with his answer and then leaned in close to Zairon's ears to whisper, "I use my spirit's specialty. The poison in Lady Agatha is completely gone. By the way, Your Highness..."
Zairon's cheeks, neck and ears became red as he felt his blood rise up to his head. He suddenly pulled himself away, Wren looked at him.
Seeing how red he is, she suddenly thought that it was her fault. Of course, the two who were watching them were now suppressing their laughter.
"For sure... Wren will misunderstand his action," Boaife said, "His highness gets easily flushed," The laughs while watching the two exchange words of confusion and misunderstanding.
Both of them know it and yet they did not dare to tell their masters as it was entertaining to watch them like this.
"Your Highness, I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable," Wren said showing an apologetic smile. Zairon hastily said, "Yes! Why do you have to speak right in my ears?!"
"Because what I have to say is very important..."
It is too late before he understands what he just said. It is too late though, as Wren is feeling down. He even raised his voice at her, a wrong move if someone can say so.
"I annoyed... him..." she ate some cookies.
As she chewed it, she thought of chewing the memory of today and, of course, by swallowing it meaning she already erased this memory. Her smile is refreshing and it almost seemed like the Prince did not shout at her.
The person in topic is now struggling while messing his own hair as he glanced over his knight, asking for help.
The two share a relationship like brothers more than a knight and master.
"He is looking at you," Boaife nudged him, "Asking for help..."
why shout at the young lady if you can't handle it?
"I bet he also misunderstands Wren's actions... hehe."
her laugh is terrifying. "Hey..."
"The cookies are delicious, Your Highness." she did not even let him finish his sentence. She even put some cookies in front of him and she isn't removing her smile.
if someone would see the two of them they may have thought that they were good friends. Zairon swallowed his saliva and somehow saw black aura surrounding Wren— or what he seems to believe he's seeing.
it wasn't my intention to shout at Wren!!
Contemplating whether he should explain himself or to give her something to make up with her.
"As I was saying, please refrain Lady Agatha from having contact with this plant." Wren pulled out an illustration of the Hanubi plant, "Why? Is there something with that plant?"
Zairon looked at the picture and he haven't seen the plant during his stay at his Mother.
"Yes, I believe His Imperial Majesty will tell you about it. These plants are also consumable, it can be mixed in foods and drinks..." Zairon looked at her with his horrified face.
That means someone is feeding poison to her mother.
She wanted to tell more, but she heard several footsteps from the cobblestones pavement came close.
"Greetings your Imperial Highness, " Wren moved besides her mother, "Did my daughter do something?"
he flinched and suddenly coughed, "No Duchess. She told me my mother is under recovery." the Duchess also smiled and patted his head.
"Do not worry, your mother is strong. That being said, I hope you are also in good condition, Your Highness."
"Thank you, Duchess..." he glanced over Wren who sighed in relief. The duchess saw this and a playful smirk appeared on her lips, "Well then, I bid you a nice day, your highness."
Wren peeked a little and waved, "Goodbye, your highness. See you again."
How easy for her to make Zairon blush with just short words. Even his knight feels that he has a rare talent.
"Have a safe trip," he whispered and Theo walked near him and said, "Your Highness, You should say it clearer and louder. The Young Lady will not hear you."
However, Zairon is still looking at Wren and did not hear Theo's words.
"Also, you shouldn't shout at the Young..."
"Then?" Theo violently shakes his head at his master's tact. He should teach him more or else he may do something worse in the future.
***
The Office has an eerie atmosphere as Secretary Bright picked up the documents and organized them.
It has been half-hour since the duchess left the big office, her words lingered on the Emperor's mind.
"Your Imperial Majesty..." Bright noticed the Emperor's mood.
Learning that the concubine was slowly poisoned was already a headache. What's more when they learned that someone used the devil's plant.
"Find more information after Hanubi Plant." he scribbled something on a parchment of a paper and signed it before giving it to Sir Bright.
"What is this, Your Majesty?"
"send the letter to Rochette." suddenly Sir Bright felt a huge rock crushed him with the orders of the Emperor.
"Y-Your Imperial Majesty... this is the fox we are talking about..."
There is a long debate whether House Rochette is still loyal to the Imperial Family, however, they did not do anything other than to annoy the other nobles and aristocrats.
"We need to find more information about that plant and there is only one family who can do that in a short time."
indeed, If house Vacarella is the might and power pillar, then House Rochette is the pillar of information and Wealth.
"Understood... I will send this," Sir Bright said as he bowed and left the room. The emperor finally heaved a sigh when someone opened the door.
"Mscre," The empress entered with such a tired look on her face. The Emperor sat up straight as he lovingly stared at his wife. "Dane," He called the Empress' second name.
It made her scoff as she sat down on the couch. "I heard that the Duchess and her daughter visited the Rose Palace,"
"Yes, Wren cured Agatha," The empress softens, "I'm glad..."
there are already gossips running for a while because of the third concubine's being ill again and the one behind it was the Empress.
Outside the palace the Empress and Concubine were thought to have bad relationship, however, the two is friend with each other. She' also looking treatment for Agatha, but nothing seems to be working for her.
"The kid also figured out what kind of illness she had, no— it was a poison to be exact." The Emperor said to get the Empress' attention and it did.
The empress hands suddenly lost her grip on the tea cup, it fell on the floor as it shattered.
"Apparently, we were investigating it. The Duke and Duchess gave me a report about the Farlons. There are numerous sins they have done if it was proven and there are several more others."
"This is awful!" The Emperor called out for a maid and let her clean up the mess before moving close to the empress. Her dress was stained by the tea, he wiped it off and asked, "Are you burnt?"
She quickly shake her head, he sat beside her and sighed heavily.
The reports were piled up, followed by some murder of the head of the Armani Ducal. The emperor has many things to solve and the Empress is hesitating whether to help him, since she only handles the internal affairs of the palace.
"This is troublesome... there is someone who is trying to stir trouble across the empire."
"I... Can I do something to help you?" The emperor looks at the Empress who was looki at him earnestly. He smiled and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ears, "... Yes"
***
As soon as they got back, the whole mansion was buzzing as everyone moved hurriedly around. One maid bowed to them and apologized, "Y-Your Grace! We apologized, but—"
"WREN!" Yessenia grabs Wren upstairs, fast. "WHAT IS IT??" she asked, Yessenia laughed while tears are starting to fall from her eyes.
"My sister woke up!" She sounds thrilled and Wren is also happy as her lips suddenly curve into a smile, "good for you."
"Euphy woke up and called me Sister, waahh." She bawled while they were on our way to Euphy's room.
"Ahh! my daughter!" The hoarse voice of Mavis and the sight of her kneeling while hugging Euphrasia on the floor also made everyone cry. This is the first time that Mavis cried in front of everyone.
"Euphyyy!!" Yessenia lets go of her hand as she rushes over Euphy and starts to cry. Wren suddenly saw Azi on the door, staring at his siblings who were crying.
"Are you not going to cry?" Wren teased with a smile on her face. It made Azi sigh, a small smile curve up on his lips. Though Wren thought she was day dreaming.
"I'm happy." he said as he moved towards, patting Euphy's head.
The three of them in her sight are new for Wren. However she felt a short pang in her heart and wondered why.
"What a warm family." Boaife commented that she had forgotten the short pain.