In just a month after the talk about the prophecy was heard far and wide and before the birthday party of the Azrael twins happens.
Amelia's engagement with the Prince was finally revoked by both parties.
"Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty. Even if my daughter can no longer be a part of your family. I am still happy to serve the royal family and the kingdom as it is"
The Earl bowed with his hand on his chest and greeted the Queen.
The Queen smiled with a warm smile and tapped the Earl's shoulder.
"I'm glad to hear that, Earl Azrael. We are more than happy to have a loyal people like you in our Kingdom"
After tapping his shoulder two more times the Queen finally turned around to find her son.
And her son seems to be engaging in a conversation with Amelia and although he is smiling, there also sadness that's hidden behind it.
"Now that we're no longer engage. I guess you can no longer visit our place?"
At Amelia's words Thierry smiled slightly and remained silent.
"Although it's only for a bit. I'm glad to know more about you, Prince"
"Yes…"
Thierry mumbled before looking down on the ground. His throat felt like a lump was building up inside and it hurts a lot.
"Don't be too sad, Prince. It's not like we'll never meet each other, right?"
Thierry wanted to say that he's not really sad about it.
But realizing how much his throat hurt for not letting himself cry. He belatedly realizes that he's not fine about this annulment.
He tried to look at Amelia's face only to regret it in the end. He felt bitter that Amelia seems fine with the outcome.
He guessed that she could easily move on after some time has passed compared to him.
"What is it, Prince? Is there something wrong?"
Amelia asked with a worried expression on her face. He got flustered after realizing that he's looking at her for a long time.
Thierry only shook his head to say that it's nothing before reaching his hand for a handshake.
"I'm happy to be your friend too, Amelia. I hope can meet from time to time too"
He said with a forced smile on his face.
"Of course!!"
Amelia grinned and shook his hand happily, not knowing what he truly feels.
"And can I ask you for a favor?"
"What is it?"
Amelia smiled and urged him to say what he wants, and she'll willingly follow.
"Now that we're friends. Please stop calling me Prince from now on. You can just call me Thierry"
Thierry said with a nervous face while blushing.
Amelia felt complicated after hearing that and pondered for a while.
There's a lot of consequences when a woman addresses a man casually even though they're not engaged.
How much more if it's between two people who has huge differences in status.
Amelia sighed with a worried look before shaking her head to herself.
"Fine, but only on private occasions, Prince Thierry"
[Or else I'll be glared at by all the ladies]
Amelia thought about the ladies her age who would be looking at her with thorns in their eyes.
Just thinking about it sends goosebumps to her body and she felt like trembling.
"That's more than enough"
Thierry nodded with a smile.
Soon the Queen appeared, and their conversation ended.
It was the last time that Amelia met Thierry.
After the annulment, the two compromised to exchange letters to each other, but in just a while the letters stopped coming and soon the two no longer spoke to each other.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Soon the twins of Azrael turned 12 years old and Amelia was announced to be the successor of the family.
As the Earl's successor and a future Countess. Amelia started her successor lessons with the help of her father and tutors.
Most aristocratic children attend school at the age of 12, but it is also an option to not attend it if they choose not to.
Though it is a known fact that those who do not attend the academy are those that are not important to their family or doesn't have enough money to attend it.
Both Amelia and Remil chose not to go while most aristocrats did.
But compared to Remil who stayed at home all the time, Amelia was busy moving here and there accompanying her father to help with his work.
"How about this, Rem?"
Amelia asked while showing a golden, silver, and glass pen to Remil.
"Do you like them? Father and I got them when we visited the Viscount's territory. The place is beautiful with mountains and lake. There's also a mine and a lot of craftsmen that lives there"
Amelia happily talked about her outing with their father while Remil listened to her quietly.
The garden is beautiful with unique trees planted here and there and a lot of flowers in different colors were blooming.
Their teatime continued with Amelia talking by herself. But even so, Amelia's smile never left her face.
She thinks that compared to before it is now a big improvement that Remil engages in the teatime by drinking tea and eating snacks with her and not just writing down on a piece of paper.
"And do you know that father and I will visit the knight's camp in the southern part? I heard that it is where our knights stay, and where recruits are trained. Do you want to join us, Rem?"
Amelia smiled while waiting excitedly for Remil's answer.
"I have a book to paint"
Remil simply answered after long thought.
"I-I see…."
Amelia mumbled feeling disappointed, but her disappointment didn't last long when her guest finally arrived.
"Hello Amelia and Remil"
Teressa greeted the two with a smile.
"Teressa!! Welcome!"
Amelia jumped in glee and ran in s hurry to hug Teressa.
"I miss you!!"
Amelia shouted and reached for a kiss but Teressa only pushed her face and backed away.
"Seriously, how long has it been? You keep going here and there leaving us behind. You've been so busy that we barely hang out!"
Teressa complained and rolled her eyes.
"Ahaha, sorry. Father has a lot of things to do to govern the Earldom and I want to learn as much as I can to help him too"
Amelia explained as if she's trying to soothe a child.
"Haaaah, I know that. Of course, I do"
Teressa pouted and crossed her arms.
"Oh, and I have a gift for you too!!"
Amelia said and clapped her hand. Soon a maid appeared at Amelia's orders and she brought a box where a necklace was put in.
"For me?"
Teressa said while looking at Amelia in surprise. Her eyes looked teary and she felt touched by Amelia's gift.
"It's a thank you gift for accompanying my sister from time to time. Do you know how much she drinks tea with me now? And she also never brings up her writing materials on the table"
Amelia said with sincere gratification towards Teressa.
"Haha. But of course, I did my best to teach her! Do you know how much I suffered just to get her to agree?"
Teressa bumped her chest feeling proud of not just herself but also Remil.
Amelia giggled by Teressa's words and the tea party soon continued between the three of them.
"So, in celebration of the King's arrival to the Kingdom, all the nobles are required to attend the party. I propose that us three should go there as a group since children like us won't have to look for a partner if we're together"
"Are you okay with that? How about the other ladies?"
Amelia asked in a panic while feeling worried for Teressa's reputation.
Amelia has been labeled as the Prince's ex while Remil was labeled as the Lazy Lady.
"Pfft—Why them? You two are the only ones I can call my friends. The others are just there"
Teressa said with a smirk as she rolls her eyes while thinking about the other ladies she met.
"I can't seem to truly smile with them. It's tiring"
Teressa sighed as her mood plummet down by just remembering her experience with the other ladies their age.
[And they keep saying bad things about you two]
Teressa held back her thoughts and clicked her tongue with anger.
"And you two. Don't forget my birthday party after the King's party, Okay?"
At Teressa's words, Amelia widened her eyes in surprise while Remil looked away.
"No way. Did you two forgot!?"
Teressa shouted and glared at them.
In the eyes of the twins, Teressa seemed to have transformed into a monster as she nagged and complained at them.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What is it, Mother?"
Thierry asked with a glint of anger in his eyes. He sat down with feet on the table while his hand rested on the armchair.
He sat down in a rebellious manner with no ounce of etiquette in his actions.
The Queen furrowed her brows at her son's disrespectful behavior.
She tried her best to calm down but, in the end, she could not hide her displeasure.
"Like father like son"
She grumbled and massage her head that keeps throbbing from stress.
"How long will it take for you to accept, Lady Flourel? The only thing I'm asking you to do is to bring her in the homecoming party as your partner!"
The Queen shouted and banged her hand on the table.
"Flourel this Flourel that!! I don't even want her, Mother!! She's the reason why Amelia and I could not be together!!"
"You're still thinking about Amelia at this point!!?"
The Queen shouted.
"If you think that she can replace Amelia because they are both Saintesses then you're wrong, mother. Lady Flourel could never be her"
At Thierry's stubbornness the Queen could not help but feel regret.
She realized that even Flourel who has similarities with Amelia could not seduce his son.
If so, she should have just chosen another woman to seduce him with and not some commoner woman.
She felt like blaming the Head Priest who keeps telling her to let him handle everything and just have the two met from time to time.
"Haaah, fine. You don't have to love Flourel if that's what you want. But you still need a partner for your father's party, and I want Flourel to be there with you"
"Arg, why her of all women? Her face only frustrates me! And why should we hold a party for that bastard who flirted with a dirty woman!? You already know how he's bringing that woman with him!!"
Thierry fired back and his anger could no longer be contained.
The Queen's eyes shook at his words and she bit her lip.
She clenches her fist in anger but there's also the fact that she can't show this side of her to her son so she tried to calm down her anger.
Thierry looked at his haggard and heartbroken mother and for a little bit he felt bad for his mother.
But it's not like he can ignore his feelings too.
When his engagement with Amelia was annulled, he thought that he would be fine after some time passed.
He tried his best to move on and met with Lady Flourel just like what his mother wants.
Because of the prophecy, he also believed that Amelia might just not be for him.
He hoped for the day when he would fell in love with the one who's meant for him, the real saintess.
But his thoughts were shattered when he learned that the prophecy was fake.
His own mother that he cared so much was working with the Head Priest to deceive him and the whole Kingdom.
He can't help but feel betrayal and anger towards his mother.
He even sees Flourel as a hateful woman and the root of all his problems.
[It's all Flourel's fault. Because of her, I lost Amelia]
Thierry gritted his teeth just thinking about Amelia. He thought he didn't like her and that she was just a friend.
He was late to realize that he had a crush on her, and he was fine being a husband for her.
Out of all the people he met, only when he's with Amelia can he feel true to himself.
His father who neglected him and never treated him as his beloved son.
His mother who was always busy taking care of the palace and the Kingdom in place of his incompetent father.
Or the people he met who only cares about his status as the one and only prince.
No one has ever made him feel like himself other than Amelia. She's the only friend he had who he felt happy to be with.
Well, there's also his cousin Ellezar who visits him but he's practically annoying to be with.
"Don't call his Majesty bastard, Thierry. He's still the King and your father"
The Queen warned him.
"A bastard who can't keep his pants to himself is not deserving of anyone's respect mother. I'll call him whatever I want"
The Queen looked down at her son's words and she felt like throwing up remembering her cheating husband.
She already had a bad feeling when he took a long time to stay in a foreign land.
But despite her bad feeling, she still believed that her husband would not betray her trust and sincere loyalty to their Kingdom.
The Queen stared at her son who has yet to be announced as the crown prince.
She feared that her husband's woman might have a child with him, and that child will take the throne from him.
Even if her husband has another woman, it will all be fine as long as her son will be crowned as the future King.