Acantha woke up that morning and she realized what she did last night. She just put a knife on her neck when she did that to the crown prince, but why is that man here anyway? She didn't believe his alibi on why he was here, as far as she knew the prince was not dumb, okay he was only dumb and stupid when it comes to Noraya's plea.
"Lady Acantha," Mildred greeted me when she saw that I was already awake, "The duke was waiting for you to eat breakfast with him," Mildred continued as she was opening the curtains in my room.
I stand up and saw other maids went inside the bathroom to prepare my bath while Mildred was now in my closet to find some clothes for me.
After, I dressed up I went to the dining hall to eat breakfast with the duke who I saw was waiting patiently for me as one the maids serves the food.
"Aki, " The duke said when he saw me entering the dining hall.
I sit on the chair on his right side and looked at the food that was already served, the maid left the room and we were left alone.
"Are you feeling alright now, Aki?" The duke said as he looked at me worriedly.
" I feel better now," I said as I start eating my food.
The room was filled with silence, not even the sound of the utensils can be heard, I was also used to be eat breakfast with this kind of atmosphere everyday in my past life.
"Aki," The duke break the silence as he stopped eating, I looked at him and saw that he still looks worried.
"What was it, Father?" I asked as I wipe my mouth using the table napkin.
"His Majesty the Emperor invited us to the royal ball, he said it was also a good chance for those lady who haven't debuted yet, " The duke said as I looked at him.
Debut? and what? in the palace where the man who will kill me was also there?
"Is it necessary to make my debut there?" I said as I sighed I know what I asked is nonsense as it feels like this is just more than an invitation for a ball but also, it was a command from the Emperor to my father to went there.
"It was the Emperors order, that those noble ladies who haven't debuted yet should attend the ball," My father said as he also sighed as he get his drink and drinks it. " But, if you don't want to come I'll ask his majesty to let you not come there," He said as he looked at me tenderly.
I sighed again as I looked down on my plate and look at my father again," But, If you do that people will think that you are using you power again, and some will think that you are rebelling against his majesty," I said at him.
I still remember what Noraya said the last time that my father was using his power against his majesty and many people seems to agree on it, they forgot that what the duke has was because he sacrifices so many things in order to protect this land who will turned on his family in the future if I won't do anything to change it.
I should've stopped laying here all day, what the use of me planning to avoid them if I was just lazing here. I should gain some allies and some power for me to avoid the same fate as the original Acantha had.
W-wait? , the debut? this happened earlier than I thought, If I debut, then I can legally claimed the my birthright from my mother said as the direct heir of the house of Klartis.
After all, she should know better than to protect that house from being claimed by those people who wants the divine beast as well as the mine of mana stones.
"What do you think, Aki?" I came back to my senses when the duke, or should I stopped calling him the duke and embrace calling him father?
"What was it again?" I said as I didn't catch what he said.
"Are you sure you're alright? you seems to be in a faraway," Father said as he was eyeing me like I was hiding something.
"I'm alright when was the ball like you said?" I asked trying to change the topic.
"It was next week, I already asked the famous clothe shop here to send their tailor to get your fit for you dress, as much as I wanted to give you the debut you want," He said as he looks sad suddenly.
"It's fine, it's just a debut anyway," I said as I chew my food again.
After we eat our breakfast I went to the library and was in awe when I saw how big the place is and there are thousands of book. Why didn't I went in this place in the first place? this place is heaven for me. I looked for the record of the noble people in our library as I know the duke kept one incase someone will try to assassinate him from any noble clan he can just easily find them.
I spent my day in that room, and Mildred already brought my food for lunch. There are so many nobles here who were connected and I take notes to those family who abandoned the duke's family in the novel as I need to be careful from them.
And, definitely I learned that today is the duke's birthday, that's maybe why he was waiting to eat breakfast to me as he know he will be busy to celebrate his own birthday, I should've give him something.
"Mildred, " I called Mildred who was now arranging the books that I read , " What was it my lady?" She asked as she looked at me a s she put the last book in the shelf.
"Can you come with me to the market?" I asked as much I want to go there alone, I knew Mildred know more about where to buy the thing I want to buy for the duke.
"Sure lady," She said as she smiled maybe she also know that it was the duke's birthday today.
"I'll just change my dress, " I said as I looked at her she nodded and she comes with me to assist me in dressing my self.
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We just got off from the carriage that has the symbol of Solaris Duchy and I saw many people stopped doing what they are doing.
Come on, I know Acantha was a brat but I don't think she was that really bad for people to judge her like she was the evilest person that they have ever known.
I just sighed as I was stopping myself from getting bothered by their stares, Mildred lead me to the jewelry shop as she told me earlier in the carriage that it was the best jewelry shop in here.
The shop keeper greeted us unlike the last shop I went who didn't even bother to acknowledge my presence.
"Welcome to our shop Lady Acantha what can we help you?" The lady who greeted me smiled and base on her dress she must be the owner of this shop.
"Can I see you finest brooch?" I asked to the lady, she seems nice as she wasn't scared of me.
"Sure just wait for a moment," She said as she excuses herself from us.
"This is our finest brooch in here," She said as she show me some of the brooch and indeed they were all beautiful.
I scanned the brooches when something caught my eyes, the brooch is just simple, it was a lion and a sun, the lion was made of gold as well as the sun but what caught my eyes were canary the diamond that they put at the center of the sun to make it shiny, as well as the lion's eyes were also made from tiny canary diamonds.
"This one, " I said as I give the shop owner the brooch that I picked.
"You have a good eyes my lady," She said as she gets the brooch, "I'll just pack it," She said as she went to pack the brooch.
Mildred and I were just waiting when the shop door opened, and to my luck the crown prince and Noraya entered the the palace.
I was about to look away when I notice that the prince has already saw me, and Noraya who was beside the prince also notice that the prince was looking at my direction , She looks at me and I saw a glimpse of anger in her eyes.
"Lady Acantha," She greeted and didn't mind bowing her head like she was telling me that she has a higher status than me as the crown prince's fiancée.
"Your highness, " I said as I bow my head a little bit as I greeted the prince in a lifeless tone Noraya looked at me trying to be acknowledge as I only acknowledge the prince, as she didn't bother to follow the proper etiquette so why should I bother my self acknowledging her, and for the prince.
Well... not that I want to greet him, but there were still few people inside the shop who will surely gossip that I disrespected the crown prince, but for Noraya? who care's she did it first why bother myself ? besides base on what I have learned there was still no decree from the emperor himself that she was the crown prince's fiancée.
"Lady Acantha," The prince said as I saw he clenched his jaw.
Ohh.. is he mad? I raised my brows at him.
"I needed to talk to you," He said as he didn't let me answered and pulled me out from the shop.