3rd Person's PoV
"R-rezia?"
"Yes. That's her name." Avyanna said with a small smile on her lips.
"I-I see." Avery nodded.
"What are you going to do after this?" The duke asked, glancing at the ladies at the table.
"I need to investigate something about a potion the knights are taking. I'm working with the prince in the palace. And I need to report about Ave- the lady of the lake waking up." Yelena said, then glanced at Avery before turning back to the Duke. "I need to take that woman with me today."
"I'm going with the lady, too." Avyanna answered.
"That's great." The Duke nodded.
'The Duke seems to be calm headed today.' Avery thought as she ate quietly.
"I just remember, Father. Where is sister Christella?" Ruby, the little boy, asked.
"Hmm."
The table was silent, and all of them suddenly gloomed, even Yelena. The Duke clasped his hands together.
"I forgot about her."
'How could you forget your own daughter?!' Avery was in shock.
"Call for Christella." The Duke ordered.
"Understood, Master." The Duke's butler walked away from the dining room, and they quietly ate their food.
They were almost done when the door opened and the silver-haired lady entered.
"It's such a fine day. Why are you calling me late for?!" She frustratedly asked and grumpily sat on the chair next to Ruby.
Her eyes went to Avery, so she raised a brow.
"We have a guest?" She asked but she then realized, "Oh, are you the lady of the lake?"
Avery didn't speak and just smiled at her.
"She is." Yelena answered in Avery's stead.
Christella's gaze then turns to Yelena.
"I wasn't asking you." She replied with a straight face.
"Oh, really? I was just being empathetic toward you because the lady seems to have no intention of answering your question. I don't want you to be humiliated." Yelena scoffs.
Avery bit her lower lip to stop herself from making a small noise because the tension between the two is so heavy.
"Ehem." The duke coughs. "When are you departing?"
"After this boring breakfast." Yelena answered.
"Yelena." The Duke called with a warning.
This is her second warning. Avery was somehow unfamiliar with this situation. As per the original story, Yelena would want the attention of the Duke. But on second thought, since she isn't the villainess she actually should be, she didn't need to want her father's attention anymore. She just needs to pay attention to being the next Duchess. Her opponent this time is the adopted brother.
...
After eating, they walked in the garden for their food to be digested.
"Why did Rezia suddenly want to be my attendee?" Avery asked, starting the conversation.
It's just the three of them. Yelena let the maids go to attend to their duties.
"She also knew about you and the tower master. She wanted to meet the woman who was stronger than him." Avyanna said.
"Just because of that?" Avery asked.
The two ladies shrugged their shoulders.
"But today, we'll introduce you to others. They don't know who you truly are, so we have to make up excuses." Yelena pointed.
"But with the days you're out, the ladies are spreading rumors already." Avyanna said.
"Already?"
"Yes. They are discussing the thousand year old prophecy." She said.
"We're going here again?" Avery asked, looking at Yelena.
The latter shrugged and spoke, "The prophecy is about the lady of the lake sitting as a queen and dominating the world and making peace." She said.
"That won't come true, and it's a thousand year old prophecy." She said, but Yelena shakes her head.
"It was always like this. Something would probably happen." Her aura has suddenly become dark.
Avery pulled Yelena and tapped her shoulders.
"That won't happen." She smiled.
Yelena frown. "You don't understand it. We have to pay attention to the things that relate to your prophecies."
She walks even faster than the two. Avery and Avyanna stare at each other.
"She's scared." Avyanna said with a soft smile.
Avery understood it. The thing that's scaring Yelena. She doesn't want to lose her again. And she's waited for too long.
"Hmm."
They followed Yelena through the garden. The roses are in full bloom. It's spring, so everything is already in full bloom.
"Ah, I just remembered. How's the border?" Avery asked.
"The border? Why do you ask?" Avyanna asked back, which caught her attention.
"Ah, you know where I came from, and probably Mayari and Lizabelle have told you about it, too."
Avyanna nodded.
"For me, this world is a novel. And that battle is one of the key stories. I have to do something then." Her eyes turn to Yelena, who is walking ahead of them.
"As far as I know. Everything was stable for now, but they needed more reinforcements because it seems that the more monsters they killed, the more they came back." She explained.
Avery sighed in frustration. She didn't know how to stop this current situation. She hasn't mastered her powers completely. It might only turn into a disaster if she were to go and fight monsters.
"You two are so slow. We still have businesses to attend to. And stop talking to each other, its so irritating!" Yelena's face is red and looks like she'll explode any minute.
Avery and Avyanna both shrugged and walked beside Yelena.
"Ugh, seriously!" Yelena groaned.
"Don't get angry now." Avery smiled and patted her head.
She hissed and took Avery's hands from her head.
"Her mood changes fast." Avyanna chuckled.
The three of them ended their walk and went inside the mansion for Yelena to change clothes.
"Can I change mine, too?" Avery asked. "I'm not really..."
"No."
"Absolutely not, My Lady. You look so stunning!" Avyanna exclaimed.
Yelena nodded in agreement.
'There really are times that they are getting along well with each other.' Avery smiled and shook her head at the sight of these two ladies.
"Then, shall we head to the palace?"