--AN) 15+ Chapters up on https://www.patreon.com/c/invayne --
"Abby stop!" Bella quickly ran to her friend and covered her mouth. "It's not like that! He was helping me through the crowd!"
"But you were holding his hand so boldly." Abby's words reminded Bella of how she woke up in the morning and caused her to blush from ear to ear. She knew she was unusually close to Leo when they had just met, but she couldn't bring herself not refuse his advances even if he was only trying to be kind and help her.
"Abby!" Bella did not know how to refute her friend so she could only yell her name while raising her fist to playfully hit the girl.
"Oh no! The princess has decided to behead me!" Abby took off running, with Bella following after her. The two ran a few circles before Abby got a bright idea and ran to Leo and hid behind him. She then began moving Leo like a shield every time Bella tried to go around him while Leo stood there with a helpless expression on his face.
"Abby don't use Leo as a shield! Let me just hit you once, on the neck!"
"Enough you two, Leo doesn't know what to do." Ann finally stepped in. She felt bad for Leo who was being drawn into the childish antics of her friends.
"Fine~!" Abby let Leo go and patted his back. "I entrust my dear Bella in your care. But I want to see a baby girl first."
"I will be sure to name her after you." Leo decided to play along, thanks to Liana's urging.
"I would expect nothing less." Abby nodded in satisfaction while Bella blushed from head to toe. But what Leo said next made both girls freeze.
"But Abby, what about our baby?" Leo's sly grin and Abby's apple-red face made Anna cover her mouth and giggle. She had not seen Abby blush so deeply in a long time.
Even Jack was taken off guard, and the young man standing next to him also stared at Leo in surprise. Abby finally got her voice after staring at Leo in disbelief for a few minutes and pointed her finger at him. "You! Do-do you even hear what you are saying… I-I am not even cute… how could…"
"Hmmm? You are cute though?" Leo was confused. He turned to Bella, who was doing her best to hold back her laughter. She knew Leo was a very honest man. He would be a little naughty, but he was very honest in his words. Her smile bloomed softly as she thought of this.
She walked over and bumped into Leo and whispered: "Abby is not used to being treated as a girl. We tell her all the time that she is cute, but no boy has ever done so. You are the first."
"Are people blind?" Leo asked in confusion. 'Hahaha! You are a natural! I did not even need to say anything and you made this girl trip over her words. I can promise you this. This day will always play in the back of her mind.'
'I was just being honest. Am I wrong to say that she is cute?'
'No, you are not. In fact I am surprised she does not have many suitors already but I guess her being more of a tomboy is a bit of a turn off for guys. But looking at her I can see that she is very cute. But I suggest not aiming for her just yet. You still have to finish the princess off.'
'When did I aim for anyone!?' Leo was answered by a giggle and then silence. He really wanted to know when he was aiming for any of the girls here. As he thought back to all his actions from the time he met Bella until now, he suddenly realized he had actually been quite forward with her. But to him, these were all natural actions one should take to make a girl happy. 'Am I wrong!?'
Leo scratched his head and looked at Jack, who only grinned and gave him a thumbs up. "Er… shouldn't we head out?" A change of subject! Leo had no other choice.
"Leo is right. We should get going." Anna decided to help him out a bit, slipped her arm around Abby's, and pulled her along. Bella did the same while flashing a smile at Leo as she passed by him.
Jack walked over to Leo and patted his shoulder. "Should I call you my brother or Master from now on?"
"Hahaha! Jack you best friend is really something else! I never thought I would see the Duke's daughter act like that. You put her into a daze."
"You know Abby?" Leo asked out of curiosity.
"I have seen her quite a few times at palace gatherings. But anyone who dared to talk to her would end up getting punched, but you… you basically just made a claim on her, and she was left speechless. Call me impressed. Oh, right. My name is Billy Von Stilskin. Just call me Billy and treat me as you do Jack. I don't like all that nobility crap." Billy had short, neatly cut black hair and hazel eyes. He was handsome and looked like a guy many girls would want. With his carefree attitude, it made one feel that it was easy to get close to this young man.
"And before I forget... I have a fiancee, so don't worry. I won't steal your girls." Billy gave Leo a knowing wink causing Leo to hold his head. He wondered why everyone around him was actively saying that the other three girls were already his!
'Hehe, it seems this young man knows what he is talking about.'
'Why do I feel like I'm the only sane person here?'
'Because your not?' Liana's reply was instant and made Leo want to scream that he was, but he gave up. He looked at Jack, who also had a teasing grin, and let out a long sigh. The misunderstandings were just a bit too much for him. "Let's go before we are left behind!"