Anne gruntled at her friend, she pulls her into the corner and whispered at Clarice.
"Are you insane?! Why do you offer him help?"
"Why not? It will be a one-hour drive, with a handsome man by our side, we are going to be bored less."
"Ugh, for you, maybe, not for me!"
Clarice rolled her eyes, "Oh, come on Anne! Lighten up a bit, will you?!"
"I can't! he was one of the selfish b*stard that I have ever seen."
"You mean, a handsome selfish b*stard, because that is different, in my opinion," Clarice told Anne, with a naughty wink.
Anne knew her friend, Clarice, is a high-born, she came from a distinguished village noble, although as the village noble, they have a lower stratum from the town noble. Clarice however, never mind about her background, she plays with every child in the village, even Anne. They weren't a best friend, mostly because Anne always keep everyone at the arm's length. But for Clarice, it is enough, she admires Anne, for her vast knowledge, and also her dedication to her work at the clinic.
Inside the carriage, Justice sitting comfortably, opposite Anne. He looks like one of the people that belong, while Anne, herself, feels comfortable driving a horse, rather than sitting inside an expensive carriage.
Clarice is so excited to have a conversation with Justice, "Sir Justice, may I call you, sir?"
"Yes, you can call me Justice."
"Oh great, we could become a close friends, then!" Clarice is so happy about the prospect to know about Justice a little more, that she took Justice's hand and holds it close to her chest.
Surprisingly, Justice never prevented Clarice, and just smiled so sweet at her. Anne got disgusted by the whole scene, she took matters into her own. first, she pulls Clarice holding Justice's hand and begins to lecture her friend.
"Clarice, Justice is not from our village! He doesn't know that you have a fiancé! Oh, I'm sorry, fiancés!"
This is another difference between Anne's old world and the new one, in this new world, the percentage of a woman is less than their counterpart, for every woman, there are five men. The low birth of women genes in the world, and also the dark history of the Valorian kingdom, made the woman need to have more than one husband.
Martha and Ed were the rare examples of the older generation when the ratio of women and men was one woman for two men. Anne's mother told her, that there's always like that in this world, that's why some of the family treasure their daughter so much, just like Clarice's family. Clarice has three brothers, and all of them including their parents are so infatuated with her.
Her fiancés are the youngest sons of lords in the neighboring town. Anne already heard from the villagers, that the sons are so capable and handsome. Those are the quality that Clarice want for her husband.
Justice looks at Anne, with a disbelief look, he feels a bit silly seeing Anne scold her friend, but doesn't want to express it in front of Anne. Instead, he folds his hand, and stares at her, like a creep.
"What?! Why are you looking at me like that?" Asked Anne, nervously.
"Don't think highly of yourself, I just wanted to ask, about her fiancé." Said Justice, pointing his finger at Clarice, while his eyes never waived away from Anne.
"Fiancés! How about you asked her yourself."
Justice smirked at her, and said, "Well, I wanted to hear it from you, not her."
"Ugh, you're unbelievable." Gruntled Anne.
He loves seeing her getting angry, for Justice, he just gained another entertainment in this mundane village. He never know, why he feel so attracted to the girl. Something about her make him want to be close to her. He looks at her brushing her hair with her hands, a beautiful soft purple color, that he has never seen before.
"Your hair. Do you born with it?" Asked Justice, regarding the purple hair.
Anne is a bit surprised by his question. "That came out of nowhere. Why do you ask?"
"Because the color is unusual. My red hair is rare, but yours… I have never seen a purple color hair, before."
These facts were also known by Anne, the villagers mostly called her Anne the purple hair, rather than the given named River Anne, her parents told her, the color is never seen before on someone's hair. Back then, she assured her parents that the color was temporary, and when her hair got longer and longer, the purple color never faded.
"I… I don't know…" Anne nervously answered Justice's curious question.
"You don't know? What kind of answer was that?"
Clarice then quietly defended Anne, "Anne, has amnesia, she never gained her memory after she was found, drowning on the rainbow river."
Anne, glared at Clarice, "Clarice!" it wasn't a secret, of course, but it wasn't for everyone, especially for people who stayed temporarily at Viora village.
"So, you don't know where are you from?" Asked Justice, now fully invested in her story.
"Yes… technically…" Said Anne, meekly.
"Technically? Look, girl, there's only yes or no, it was that simple."
Not for Anne, of course. She knows perfectly about her life before. The only problem was, that the memory that she had was from another world. How could she explain it? That she was a forty-year-old, from another world? Not to mention her body, that reverted to her childhood,
"Then the answer is no."
"No, as if I do know where I came from? Or, No, I don't know?"
Thankfully the carriage arrived at the right time. Justice goes out of the carriage and enters the administration office, but not before staring at Anne, he was still unsatisfied with her answer. The carriage went away, to the next destination of Clarice and Anne.
"Wow, just looks at how rude he was, he doesn't even say thank you," Anne grumbled and took Justice's seat, the cushion still warm, making Anne feels a bit uncomfortable.
Clarice giggled, and flicked at her friend's nose, "Oh, shush Anne, why do you have to antagonize the man, so much?"
"Because, Clarice, just looks at how arrogant he was, and towards a lady like you!"
"I don't mind it, though, in fact, I feel honored."
"Feel honored? Are you insane? Why?"
Dumbfounded by Anne, Clarice just laughed and shook her head. "Oh, dear… you're so gullible, are you?"
"Ugh, just tell me, Clarice. What exactly you're going to say?"
"Well… I know who the gentleman is."
"Who? Justice?"
"Who else?"
"So… Tell me! Who is he? Or you're just messing with me, Clarice?!"
Clarice smiled at Anne, a wicked smile. Clarice wasn't lying about it, she knew about Justice. She noticed his flaming red hair, paired with his red ruby eyes, a rare combination, and also his three friends, the four gentlemen in high society. A crown prince, a Knight, a Huntsman, and a Powerful Magi.