Alexandria Divinarae from the Kingdom of Sanctus Regnum and Athena Sereneson from the Tranquilis Kingdom.
Two of the quietest and supposedly kindest members of the harem.
Alexandria hailed from a holy kingdom where she was revered as a saintess, said to possess the divine ability to receive the words of the gods. Her status and piety made her a figure of awe and respect, even among the scheming princesses.
Despite embodying everything Scarlett and Camilla detested—modesty, restraint, and genuine reverence—Alexandria was spared from their venom. Her kingdom's prominence and her own connection to Sanctus Regnum's rare divinity granted her a level of untouchable status. Magic and power might have been abundant in Concordia, but elsewhere, they were scarce. Sanctus Regnum's divine influence placed her in a category above petty rivalries.
Athena, on the other hand, was the quietest and shyest among them. Unlike Alexandria, her position in the harem made her a target. She was from the poorest kingdom, a nation with little influence, wealth, or magic. She wore simple, understated clothing, and her appearance—plain brown hair and muted pink eyes—only made her an easier target for ridicule. She was the most picked on, aside from Florian.
'I chose to befriend them because they were the only ones who never actively wronged Florian in the novel,' Florian thought. 'Bridget and Mira may not be as bad as Scarlett and Camilla, but they had their moments of mockery and sabotage—especially when they realized Lucius and Lancelot were pining for Florian.'
The princesses weren't truly in love with Heinz. As Kaz had described them in the novel, they were enamored with the idea of belonging to him. To them, being chosen by the Obsidian Prince meant power and influence beyond imagination. Yet, even with their sights on Heinz, they flirted with other men behind the scenes.
Specifically, Lancelot and Lucius.
Lucius had long since distanced himself from their advances for reasons they couldn't comprehend. Lancelot, who initially entertained their flirtations, became a source of their frustration when he turned his obsessive attention toward Florian instead.
Florian's mere presence was enough to stir jealousy. Add to that the favor he received from two of the empire's most desirable men—Lancelot and Lucius—and their resentment turned to open hostility.
Alexandria and Athena were the exceptions. They weren't consumed by jealousy, only indifference. Alexandria, being from a conservative kingdom, likely found Florian's preferences incompatible with her values but chose not to involve herself. Athena, already burdened by constant bullying, likely avoided Florian for fear that associating with him would only worsen her own treatment.
But now, Florian had plans to change things.
Cashew carefully set a golden plate before him, laden with a selection of food. Florian's smile brightened.
Fortunately for him, Scarlett and Camilla seemed to take the hint when he continued to ignore their taunts. Perhaps they noticed how the maids and knights were glancing at them, their embarrassment growing as they realized they weren't commanding the room's attention for once. Usually, it was Florian who humiliated himself, but not today.
Florian seized the opportunity.
"How was your morning today, Lady Alexandria?" he asked, his tone warm and kind. As he spoke, he cut into the pink pancake on his plate and took a bite. The sweet, fluffy texture melted in his mouth, but he kept his attention on Alexandria.
She shifted uncomfortably, her golden eyes flickering toward him as though unsure how to respond. Florian noticed her hesitation but remained patient, offering her a reassuring smile.
True to her polite and gentle nature, Alexandria answered in a measured, respectful tone. "It was… good, as usual. I completed my morning prayers without trouble, which is a relief."
'Why would she ever have any trouble with her prayers?' Florian thought, intrigued by the odd phrasing but decided not to press the matter.
He nodded in acknowledgment, hoping to keep the conversation flowing, but Alexandria didn't elaborate. She made no move to ask him how his morning was, and her gaze drifted back to her plate.
'She really doesn't want to talk to me. But hey, at least she's being kind about it,' Florian thought, taking another bite of his meal.
Athena, meanwhile, remained quiet as a mouse, barely meeting his gaze. Florian glanced at her, considering how best to break the ice. He didn't expect to win them over instantly, but small steps were better than nothing.
'One step at a time. Befriend the sane ones.'
"How about you, Lady Athena?" Florian asked softly, directing his attention toward the trembling girl.
Athena didn't lift her head. Her small frame seemed to shrink even further, and her hands clasped tightly in her lap as if she were bracing for something unpleasant. Florian noticed the faintest quiver in her shoulders.
'Poor girl. She looks like she's about to cry.'
Even without prior knowledge of the princesses' personalities, it was painfully obvious Athena was bullied relentlessly. Her timid nature and lower status made her an easy target.
Florian's own room, despite being part of the harem, was located in a separate wing of the palace, far from the princesses' quarters. It was a simple matter of custom: Florian, being male, couldn't reside among the women.
This isolation spared him the daily torment Athena likely endured. The princesses, on the other hand, were forced to see each other constantly—during lessons, leisure hours, and other mandatory activities.
'I can't imagine how much Scarlett and Camilla must torment her when no one else is watching.'
His gaze flicked toward the maid standing behind Athena. Unlike Cashew, who radiated shy loyalty, Athena's maid wore an expression of open disdain. Florian caught the subtle sneer aimed at her mistress, making his blood simmer.
"Are you trying to befriend her now? What do you gain from that?" Scarlett's voice cut through the moment, laced with mockery. She laughed, loud and derisive, clearly intending to draw attention.
"But, oh well, it fits. The princess of a fallen, poor kingdom and a prince who can give birth. You two are made for each other, freaks."
Florian resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"Ugh. Her laugh is as grating as ever," Bridget muttered, leaning closer to Mira.
"For once, though, she said something amusing," Mira replied, barely concealing her smirk as she took another bite of her breakfast.
Scarlett smirked triumphantly at their responses and leaned forward on the table. "We all know the prince is far from His Majesty's list of bride candidates, but at least he has Athena to keep him company!" Camilla added, her laughter blending with Scarlett's, eliciting faint giggles from some of the maids standing by.
'No shame at all. Lucius is standing right here, and they don't even care. Then again, he's always ignored them, so they must think he won't intervene.'
Florian sighed quietly, glancing at Alexandria, who looked torn. Her sympathetic expression for Athena softened slightly when she noticed Florian's gaze, but she still avoided meeting his eyes directly. 'Hmm. But why do I feel like this scene is familiar though?'
"My, it really is quite noisy this morning, isn't it?" Florian said suddenly, his voice calm but cutting through the chatter. He set his utensils down deliberately. "No wonder Lady Athena hesitates to speak when others at this table seem so eager to fill the air with unnecessary words."
Scarlett froze mid-laugh, her face twisting in confusion. "Excuse me—"
"Where I come from," Florian continued smoothly, "even the simplest servant knows better than to raise their voice rudely during a meal. It's considered bad manners to disrupt others while they're eating."
The room fell silent. Florian's words hung in the air, their weight undeniable. Athena slowly looked up at him, her dull pink eyes wide with what looked like a mix of shock and gratitude. She still appeared hesitant, but there was a flicker of something else in her gaze—hope, perhaps.
'Baby steps.'
One of Scarlett's maids suddenly stood, her face contorted with indignation. "Your Highness!"
"You—how dare you speak like that?! Ever since yesterday, you've been acting so boldly! You've lost all respect in this palace, yet you—" Scarlett stood up from her seat, rage visible in her eyes.
However...
"Princess Scarlett," Lucius's cold voice interrupted, his commanding tone instantly silencing the maid. "Please control yourself. Conflicts within the palace are unbecoming, especially at the dining table early in the morning."
Florian didn't even glance in Scarlett's direction. He calmly picked up his utensils again and resumed eating, as though the outburst hadn't happened.
"Seriously, Sir Lucius?" Camilla huffed. "He started it!" Scarlett's face burned red with fury as she glared daggers at Florian, who didn't so much as twitch under her gaze.
"Hah. There's never a day we can eat in peace," Mira muttered, shaking her head as she sipped her tea.
Florian froze mid-bite. 'Those words.' He slowly turned his attention toward Mira, his heart pounding.
"I know, right?" Bridget chimed in, leaning back in her chair. "I wish this meal would end already so I could get back to my novel."
Florian's blood ran cold. 'No way.'
The words were identical to what he had been thinking just moments before. He stared at Bridget, his mind racing.
This scene... this dialogue...
'This is chapter four.'
The title flashed in his memory: Avoiding the Odd One Out. It was one of the chapters Aden wrote when Kaz had fallen ill.
In this chapter, Florian was supposed to defend himself, proclaiming his right to be there just as much as anyone else. Lucius would step in, humiliating Scarlett in the process. But then, out of rage, Scarlett would—
'Fuck.'