The Unfinished Book✔️

CHAPTER XXII

"No. I was perfectly fine.....I don't comprehend why I slipped...."

"It's the force, trying to bind you two together."

Lydia explained everyone's confusion.

"...is it really because of that?"

"It will grasp any chance it gets for you two to spend the maximum time with each other so that you have no choice but to fall in love with one other."

"I get the binding thing, making us run into each other a lot.....however, I don't think it can make us fall in love."

Rhea objected, with everyone else nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, it sounds a bit illogical. If you know all of this and how it's planned, you won't fall in love."

"Are you sure?"

Came a firm retort from Lydia with a determined voice, making everyone else question their statements.

"Are you sure that is the case? Isn't love something unpredictable? Allow me to ask you, Argus and Rhea. Didn't you two fall in love with each other even if you weren't planning to in the beginning? Therefore, how can you say this won't happen?"

Lydia's remarks contained the truth, reality, and hidden secrets of both Argus and Rhea who had yet to come to terms with their feelings and confess to the one that possesses their affection.

The flushed faces of the two, made everyone realize that Lydia was revealing the truth. The people in question didn't deny the claims that were made. They were too embarrassed to avoid each other's eye contact to deliver any comment.

"I think Lydia is right."

Giselle spoke up.

"It's better if Rhea and Rastos don't meet up with each other for a while. The same goes for you, Giselle. You should stay away from Ryker as much as possible."

"Cough...Absolutely, we need to prevent it as much as possible."

Rhea replied after regaining her composure and clearing her throat.

"But what do we do for now?"

"Isn't it obvious? We need to get Lydia that book so she can finish what she started."

"Aren't there other ways besides stealing?"

"Well there is one other way....however no such occasion is coming up therefore I doubt it would be possible."

"Still, do describe what you concluded."

"The book can also be revealed on the day of a special occasion."

"Oh! Just like how it was revealed on your birthday at the start of this year. Although it was in a box, hence no one recognised what was in it."

"Yes, exactly that."

"However the King and Queen's birthdays still have a lot of time. They are at the end of the year."

"Then what else occasion do we have?"

"These days there are talks of a royal wedding. To be more precise there was going to be a royal engagement ceremony if it weren't for both the soon-to-be bride and groom to firmly reject this proposal."

Argus explained, looking at Rastos and Calista, the ones he was referring to.

"Yeah but it's not happening so I think we should go with something else."

Rastos replied in a casual tone, shrugging.

"Then would you be able to steal the book?"

"....that....is there anything else instead of stealing? It's not like I can't do it. I can do it, I really can do it...however I...."

"You don't want to?"

".....yes."

"Wait....Argus, you said an engagement, right? That suggests not a marriage, right?"

Argus nodded in response to which Rhea added,

"Then why don't you both get engaged? Only a fake engagement. You can conduct a ceremony in which Rastos can request his father to allow the book to be revealed so that he can give it to Calista. And I think that if it's for the future crown princess, the King won't disagree. After all, for him, she will become the future queen of this kingdom. And that's when Calista can deliver the book to Lydia."

"Yes, but isn't that also stealing?"

"Somewhat. We can call it borrowing. However, this would be an easier way and all of us won't be able to become a suspect."

"Furthermore, this will also provide you both an excuse to terminate your engagement."

"How so?"

"I've though of an ideal foolproof perfect plan."

Lydia smiled, adding to Rhea's previously stated idea.