Julian diligently updated the king on Astelle's activities.
"Your majesty, there's truly nothing noteworthy about this girl. She hasn't ventured beyond Grenwade, and she keeps to herself indoors," Julian remarked.
Arien responded with a confident smile, dropping his pen onto the table. His dark blue eyes, radiating both coldness and playfulness, focused on Julian. His lips curved into a beautiful smirk as he strolled towards the window, holding a cigar. The sun highlighted his handsome and intricately detailed face as he leaned casually beside the window, emanating a calm yet dangerous aura.
"Nothing special, never stepped foot outside Grenwade? If she's always indoors, how did she meet my grandfather?" Arien inquired.
Julian was taken aback. The former king seldom involved himself with places lacking utility, and this realization diverted him from the more obvious details about Astelle.
"My apologies, your majesty. It seems I overlooked some crucial facts," Julian admitted.
"True, but I fear you might have been tricked as well," Arien said, a devilish smile playing on his lips.
"What do you mean, my lord?" Julian asked, confusion evident on his face.
Arien's expression remained sly. "Either she's a girl who has never stepped foot outside her kingdom, which I find unbelievable, or she's strategically feeding you the information she wants you to have."
Annoyance etched across Julian's face as he contemplated the possibility. His spy's swift report and his own oversight regarding Astelle's prior contact with the former king weighed on him. He preferred orchestrating schemes rather than falling victim to them.
"I'll handle this properly, my lord," Julian said as he bowed and excused himself. It was as if hot steam was coming out of his head. He despised being deceived.
"What else?" Arien asked as he turned to the man still standing in front of him.
Sycthe adjusted his glasses and reported to Arien, "Lady Andrea requested from the former king that the future queen should be present during the Feast of Kings this weekend."
"She moves fast," Arien commented without a hint of emotion. Arien and his mother were like strangers; he saw her as someone who brought him into this world, nothing more.
"Invite the future queen for dinner in the palace the day she arrives. It's not fair if everyone sees my bride before me," Arien said as he left the study.
"Yes, your majesty," Sycthe replied.
Later in the evening, Astelle prepared to leave for Renox the next morning. Countess Emma, her mother, entered with a fallen countenance. Reprimanded by her husband for neglecting Astelle's safety and happiness, Emma realized her daughter's agreement to marry King Arien didn't necessarily equate to satisfaction and happiness.
"Astelle" she called gently.
"Mother, what's wrong?" Astelle asked
"Nothing.... it's.... Astelle are you really sure you want to get married?"
"I mean you've never met King Arien before and even though we've heard a lot of nice rumors about him, but those are just rumors."
Astelle smiled. She guessed that her father was the reason behind this.