DUCHESS VIENNA'S POV
**BEFORE VISITING THE ARDIS KINGDOM***
I strolled around with Titus, my loyal knight just to see the town. The aroma of food lingered in my nose, tempting me to taste it. I sniffed, licking my dry lips, and wanted to go to the stall.
Alright, this will be a little treat for me. I finished my important business after all. It's important to treat yourself after a long day, isn't it?
I spotted an adorable little girl who looked like she was lost and I tried to approach her and smiled, "Hello-"
"Waaahhh!" The little yelled and I paused as people all turned in my direction.
I chuckled nervously, "I didn't-" she cleared her throat, knowing my face looks perfectly intimidating. Roxy, my maid, has said it herself how my smile is not so great and intimidates people.
Time may have passed but my face will forever be unapproachable like this! Of course, the child would be scared!
I cocked my head to the side, now that it's done, might as well do my part, right?
"What are you all looking at?" I yelled to the people and they instantly rush to mind their own business. The kid froze on the spot.
Since the little girl was still crying, I sighed, wanting to distract the child, "If you keep on crying, a beast will come at you at night!"
Instead of stopping her from crying, the little child cried more until a woman came and raised her eyebrows at me. "Excuse me, what are you doing to my child!"
I gave a look at the woman, "Are you yelling at me?"
Since I'm still wearing my cloak, the woman must have still not realized my identity as she fired back, "Yes I am, is that a problem?"
I snorted. If I were a random woman in the street, no one would even think twice and shout at me, but when they finally learned I am the duchess, suddenly, they would kiss the ground I walk on.
Respect really comes with status.
"It's you who should keep your child safely." I cut her sentence off.
The woman was about to come up with something when my cloak suddenly fell off.
The woman gasped and clutched her little girl to her side before bowing, "Ah! It's the duchess! Forgive me, duchess! Please don't cut my fingers!"
Finger? Why would- I stopped, remembering my bad reputation as the villainess with a short temper.
"Don't ever block my path, now leave and take better care of your child." I instantly said and the woman bowed before leaving with her child.
I sighed, really, never a boring day around here.
Titus chuckled, "You still have that reputation, your highness."
I laughed it off, "Yes, Guess I can't remove that. People perceive it me that way forever."
Just then, Titus left to take care of his business and I was left alone, not that I mind. I very much love being alone now.
I decided to take a walk more just to sightsee, buy more food from stalls, and enjoy the chatters of the folks. Just enjoying my freedom.
I saw a strange man selling medicine on the road and I winced to see that it was far from medicine. I clearly know that the product was just plain rubbish!
I approached the man and asked, "Excuse me sir, but what are you selling? Trash?"
Well, it's hard to earn money but there are other ways other than scamming people.
The man stood up and grabbed my arm harshly, "What? Did you just call my medicine rubbish?"
"Excuse me, do you know who I am?" I asked but the strange man still didn't let go.
"Drop her hand!"
A voice yelled from afar, stopping us both. I turned to see it was a stranger, a handsome stranger.
I don't even know what to feel but I was relieved to be saved from this stranger.
"I said get your hands off of her." He repeated, now approaching us calmly as his jaw clenched and glared at the man in front.
The man selling the fake medicine just smirked, and grabbed my hand, "and I if I won't?"
At this point, everyone in the street was watching us, wondering what the sudden disturbance is all about.
"I'll call the royal guards, throw your products away for illegally selling this rubbish thing here, and you will face the king for beheading. You're messing with the wrong person." The handsome savior said intimidatingly and bit my lip, finding it hot. I shook my head, no. I have a husband that I love! There is no way I'm going to look for another man!
I am just being saved. Goodness, guess there is a good one in getting saved like a damsel in distress.
Though I wonder what will be Raziel's reaction once he founds out about this. He'll surely be enraged and kill this man instantly.
The stranger just smirked, "I'll get to you soon. Just wait."
What the stranger said bothered me. What did he mean by those words? Never mind, I'll think of it later.
I turned to the handsome man who was staring at me, "How are you? Did he hurt you, miss?"
I smiled, avoiding his gaze, "I'm good, thank you-"
"Duchess Vienna." The man said and my eyes went wide, not sure if I already met this man, and how could he recognize me?
"Do I know you?" I asked.
"No, but I know you." The man said. "I am from another kingdom. The Ardis Kingdom."
"What?" I asked, confused. What in the world is happening? I thought that I completely destroyed that book and got stuck in a pile of story rubbish?
"I know you might be confused, but you'll know more once the timing starts. You're my key soon. King Xander's beautiful daughter is looking for a husband. Bring Prince Griffith with you.."
I blinked, looking the man straight in the eye to read his expression. But his expressionless face seems not to give any hint of what he's thinking…
"And why would I listen to you? Reveal your identity first."
He ignore my question and just said. "See you in the Ardis Kingdom, find me there and it will answer your questions." And just like that, he walked away and turned to a nearby alley.
I ran after him, trying to catch him and interrogate him more but he vanished out of sight.
Ardis Kingdom? As in King Xander who has a beautiful daughter named Asteria?
Wait, What was that man up to?
Goodness, millions of questions rang in my head, making me paranoid. I felt like fainting, getting weak from the interaction.
I looked around and saw Titus hurrying back to me.
He spotted me sweating profusely and I released a shaky breath, leaning into him for support, "Master, what happened? Did something go off while I was away?"
"Have you bumped into a strange man this tall? He just talked to me." I asked, describing him.
He shook his head, "No when I saw you, you were just alone."
I felt like it was just a part of my imagination. But my weakening like this feels off. Something was wrong with that strange man. He must have carried the answers to my questions.
But this means that it calls for another trouble….She really thought everything is over. That damned Alexis.
Out of anyone who tried to do some bad things to her, she perfectly knew that this time it is Alexis. He is behind this future trouble. She could already see a great danger ahead.
This time, much worse than what she had experienced.
"I know you might be confused, but you'll know more soon. You're my key soon. See you in the Ardis Kingdom, find me there and it will answer your questions."
What was the meaning of that?
"Let's go to Duke Raziel this instant. He may know something I don't." I said in a hurry, "Let's go to the Ardis kingdom, that man just invited me to go there…