Kill The Empress (Reincarnated as the villainess)

Part Nineteen

"P-pardon?" She stuttered in surprise. "I-I mean yes, of course." Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest.

"Oh, I see," He looked down at her. "I apologize for startling you with such a question. As you know, I hadn't been in class that morning so I just felt the need to check." His expression didn't look angry or spiteful at all, he just looked rather sad.

"Foolish of me isn't it? Why would I need to check when it is so apparently true?"

Rhyse looked at him remorsefully. 'It isn't though.' She thought, feeling like she had greatly wronged Edith, but, no, Evalie would never lie.

"I...understand." She said.

"I just can't fathom Edith doing such a thing. It is impossible for me to believe."

She tried to hide her fear after hearing his words.

"O-oh, I hope you understand that I am not doubting you either, my lady. It's just...hard for me to comprehend. I hope you know that."

He looked very flustered as he spoke. The sadness not leaving his eyes as he thought about his friend's expulsion. 'Oh,' Rhyse thought, 'He's cute." It was then that she fully addressed his appearance. He was tall and handsome with obvious muscles but he still managed to come across adorable. But, she couldn't think about this now, she needed to comfort him.

"It's hard for me to believe as well." She was telling the truth when she said that, she knew she was.

"Oh? Well, didn't you witness it yourself?" He tilted his head, looking genuinely confused like a puppy.

"Huh? Oh, yes, but I still feel surprised that Edith would do that."

"As do I..." Mikhail looked down, clearly upset.

"But it makes me wonder what prompted her actions." He stated while looking into Rhyse's eyes.

She gazed back into his deep, dark optics, feeling herself almost get lost.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Well, Edith is no bully, so why would she randomly target Lady Evalie like that? I have never known her to express anger towards someone unless they genuinely deserve it."

Rhyse froze as he spoke. He was right that Edith was very tame. She could tell she didn't exactly take a liking to Evalie when they met, but it wasn't like she was ever hostile towards her or ignored her. Maybe she had gotten wrapped up in all the gossip about Edith following the incident that she had forgotten how Edith really was. But, she couldn't just suddenly start doubting Evalie.

"You may be right but I believe Lady Edith has always disliked Evalie."

To her surprise, Mikhail nodded at her words.

"So, you noticed that as well?" He smiled at her slightly, making her stomach spin around in knots. "However, Edith is a very open-minded person. And I also noticed that they seemed familiar with each other in the way they spoke, even though they tried to hide it."

"So, you think....they had met before the ball?"

"Well, yes,.....but it's just a silly idea of mine." He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"I just can't help but feel like there's more to it than what we've all been told. For Edith to act so out of character without being provoked in the slightest is very strange to me."

Rhyse just slowly nodded at his words, not knowing what to say.

"I wish I could ask Edith about all of this, but I have no way to contact her." He sighed as he spoke causing Rhyse's guilt to double inside of her.