A/N: My loves~ I'm finally back after a long time! I couldn't update due to writer's block ╥﹏╥ I might've already had the ending in mind but I just couldn't get the inspiration to continue and even thought of discontinuing the story(╯︵╰,) But since it's my first story and I don't feel like abandoning it so I'm here💅💯
Hopefully, I'll be able to complete the plot! Good reading~
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"Princess, did you miss me?" Zen asked in his usual teasing voice as his dark ocean eyes flashed with gentle light. His sight stayed on the girl opposite him, who had a beautiful and graceful appearance yet etched with bone deep indifference that she couldn't hide no matter how she tried to keep it controlled.
However that indifference interested him, he wanted to see what she'd look like when she'd be become nothing more but a mere mortal. He was sure there couldn't be a sight more beautiful than that.
"Your Highness shouldn't have taken such trouble to visit this subject. It only makes this subject feel shame for having waste your highness' precious time." The sentence was humble with a sense of distance, between a Royal and a subject. Anyone who couldn't see and could only listen would've thought that it was a conversation of a loyal subject who was full of remorse for wasting their master's time.
But Zen couldn't, the words were pleasant and humble yet the actions said otherwise. Amerllyis couldn't even bother to get up from her current seat as she elegantly sipped her drink. It was clearly a form of disrespect yet it looked like she couldn't care any less.
The prince Zen who took 'trouble' to visit the Duke's mansion helplessly shook his head and just sat down opposite her.
Amerllyis had just returned yesterday and with the reason that it was tiring to attend class next day after 'jet leg' took leave for two days. She hoped to spend it leisurely, as such she decided to spend some time in the garden yet who would've thought the Crown prince deemed to be busy all year would take his time to visit.
"Do my parents known that Your Highness is here to visit?" Amerllyis asked with a gentle smile on her lips, if anything, it made her shine more like a blooming oleander, beautiful yet deadly. A pity, she was disturbed during her time alone and as such, she couldn't be bothered with the pleasantries.
She knew, anyone who saw this would accuse her of disrespecting the esteemed Royal Family which would in result effect her family's standing. They might even be punished by being stripped of their noble status and exiled. Worse, they'd be executed.
However as someone who wasn't originally from this world, she knew her family wouldn't be effected no matter what she did. Afterall, she was never meant to have been born here.
"Well, what do you think?" Zen smilingly replied as he leaned back on his chair, his posture displaying laziness completely unlike the elegance and grace he had as a prince.
"Of course, I'm sure you'd have already informed my parents of your visit. With your highness' education and manners, how could you not, right?" Amerllyis' comment on the prince's teachings seemed to praise him. Well, if that were true.
"But" Noticing that Zen was about to speak, she interrupted. "I dare say, in my humble opinion, without any bias to your royal lineage or your education. Considering your personality, you must have come prior notice. Am I right, Your highness?"
Zen in return did not reply but softly laughed, his laugh was music to the ears as it was low yet magnetic and could make one feel indulged, so much that it'd make anyone blush and feel their heart rate increase.
Anyone other than Amerllyis of course. She just narrrowed her eyes, her body feeling the goosebumps that erupted with the laugh the prince gave.
With all reason and logic, Zen was the ideal man for all the ladies in kingdom. He was not only very inhumanly handsome, he was also a gentleman, kind and caring to anyone and yes, he was a crown prince to boot.
Almost every ladies in the kingdom agreed that he was the prince Charming that anyone could dream of. There were some who even wished that they could be his concubine if not the wife, but it was a pity that the founding king issued a rule which was for all the man in the kingdom to only have one wife.
It was even much more severe for the Royal Crown Princes. All the crown princes should have only one wife who would be the queen and the mother of the nation. And if this rule was disobeyed, they would be stripped of their title as the crown prince or even be exiled to the abandoned lands which was pretty much considered a death sentence.
The ladies found it a pity yet they also were grateful that their potential husband could only have themselves as the only wife.
Thinking of how loved the crown prince was only made Amerllyis feel that there was all the more reason she felt Zen to be creepy. It was okay when they were younger however as they grew older, he seemed more and more unreadable and even gave a feeling of danger. He was too perfect that he seemed unreal and gave a sense of detachment to this world.
If she felt that he was creepy, why was she still keeping him company and even disrespecting right to his face? It was because of two reasons. First, she instinctively knew, for whatever reason, Zen wouldn't hurt her not because he liked her but for other reasons she didn't know and she wanted to use this to see how far could she go before it touched his bottom line. Risky but she had to.
Second, she couldn't escape. Whether it was her guts or her instincts warning her, she knew that once she puts out this thought of her open, Zen would forget all this cordiality and courtesy he had on and just strike which wasn't that good of an option for her. She did not have enough power to go against him at present.
Amerllyis had once mentioned about breaking their engagement with all seriousness when they were younger yet all she got in reply was a laugh that was as gentle as always, only to hear in the next day the few attendants who were serving them were murdered. Worse, they were tortured before death could embrace them.
Though at first, one couldn't pin point out how those people died but after mages expertising in that area studied the body, shockingly they found that the dead bodies were inflicted torture upon their internal organs.
This torture was inhuman and only criminals who were denounced by the priests were given this torture before they could die. It made one's organs slowly fail one by one with each passing time and the tortured couldn't even die at process, dying only when the heart failed.
Worst still, the murderer was never found. There was no trace of them except the bodies that were laid out in the open streets as if afraid that the bodies might not be discovered. And of course, this caused the Royal Family to feel greatly insulted. After all, the victims worked in the Prince's palace and all these seemed to be challenging the Royal Family.
Yet, even with all this, the homicide remained a mystery.
But Amerllyis thought otherwise. Even if the prince himself never came out to accept the claim of the homicide, she couldn't think of anyone who would kill the attendants for no reason. More so, only attendants who were present during their conversation were killed. It was too much of a coincidence and she felt as if it was a warning.
Thinking of all this, Amerllyis couldn't bother to even think of escaping, she'd rather use the advantage of the prince's patience to think up of a plan that'll make her escape as well as assure her of a good life.
And though there weren't much results that bore fruit, she hadn't given up. She wouldn't believe that there was no way for her live a good life in the future.
Nothing was impossible, it was just that most humans became weak natured and would rather gave up their will when faced with problems that could stretch for a long period of time, with the mentality that it was impossible to solve. They would rather avoid the problem and when they finally had no choice but to face them, they'd be unprepared and face despair.
"You're still the princess I know~ only makes me like you more" Zen's voice came filled with teasing and gentleness came in reply as for Amerllyis. It wasn't exactly an answer to her question as he avoided it and instead teased her as naturally as drinking water which left her speechless.
"Does that mean I guessed right, Your Highness?" There was still no reply, he just kept on the same gentle smile which got creepy with each second due to the fact that the his smile did not reach his eyes.
"The I'll take that as a yes" After an awkward silence, Amerllyis stood from her comfortable seat with a look of trouble.
"Would the Crown Prince come into our humble abode?"
"Sit princess, you don't need to worry about it. I came here secretly anyways." Zen shrugged carelessly, the creepy atmosphere disappeared as though nothing happened. He just looked like a prodigal wealthy man who had nothing better to do.
"Your Highness' mind is indeed very different for others! Very unique" One wouldn't know if it was a compliment or a ridicule but Zen still accepted it with a smile, his eyes filled with mirth.
"Indeed it's still the princess who knows me the best at the end of the day~"
"..."
"^_^"
"So why are you recklessly moving around? Aren't you busy? If you're not, please go away. I'm enjoying my time alone and do not want to be disturbed" Amerllyis dropped all hints of courtesy or whatever cordiality she had and spoke with her eyebrows frowning in displeasure.
"To visit you of course, my dear lovely princess~ It wouldn't be a good thing if you forgot your fiancee after 8 days hmm?"
All Amerllyis really wanted to do at the moment was (￣へ ￣ 凸 and she really did so with a bright smile.
"Oh my! You make me blush, Your Highness"
Zen's smile twitched for a moment but soon smiled naturally like it never happened as if it was just an illusion.
"Don't you have the engagement ring already? Or is it that you already want the wedding ring before the ceremony? You must really adore and love me, princess."
"You misunderstood, my dear fiancee" Amerllyis specially emphasized while gritting her teeth, her smile all gone by now "I just wanted to show my beautiful middle finger to you. My hands seem to become more lovely as I grow"
"It is indeed as lovely as you say" An insincere remark was made by the prince with his usual annoying smile.
"Cut the nonsense, why have you come?"
"Can I not visit because I missed you?"
"Quite funny. Is Your Highness someone who'd visit just because he misses somebody?" Amerllyis sarcastically pointed it out with a cynical smile on her beautiful face .
"Is that how you see me? That quite hurts my delicate heart, princess" Zen sighed, looking helpless and pitiful as if he was really hurt. Anyone would have gone softhearted at the sight, even if they knew he was just taking advantage of his face to seduce them.
Amerllyis' lips twitched, she almost couldn't keep her business smile. She was afraid that she'd have fallen for this face long ago if she was as naive and ignorant as she appeared. No, if she was blind. Thankfully, she had eyes which were working well enough to recognize good and bad. Otherwise..
"I want to know how your trip went, did you have fun? Did you meet any trouble on the way or did you make any new friends?" Seeing that she couldn't be bothered to play along, Zen naturally shifted the topic, casually asking about her trip and whatnot.
"It was a good trip. Thank you for the concern, Your Highness" Amerllyis replied in a light tone, only replying to the first question. As for the rest, wasn't she was here fit and fine? And what friends was he talking about? She took it as an insult.
He clearly knew she wasn't good at making friends. Even if she tried to make friends with the other ladies, they kept a polite distance and only talked to her due to her status and courtesy. She was a Duke's daughter and common sense said that they should be trying to curry favour with her but reality denied it.
Amerllyis had almost mistaken herself as the heroine. She, who was kept at a distance by other ladies and was surrounded by handsome males was the definition of a clichéd reverse harem Otome game or novels heroine Yuki had always told her about. Except maybe for the fact that she was born with a golden spoon and was destined to be the villainess.
Well, at the end of the day, she was friendless. Those capture targets didn't count, they were the ones who forced themselves upon her (A/N: Very misleading(˵ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°˵))
It was quite ironic how she promised herself to stay away from them when she first came here.
"Why do you thank me, princess? It's only natural that I care for you" Zen good heartedly said, an example of a perfect loving fiance
"Oh" Amerllyis copied her brother's way of speaking, briefly replying to the Prince's 'loving care'.
There was a moment of silence as neither bothered to continue the meaningless conversation. It was just them, the beautiful garden view and Lyllia who had been following Amerllyis like a shadow from the very beginning. She might not have had any presence but she was still there.
Since her lady had not given any order, she just laid still and only kept watch from a distance.
'It's a beautiful day~~ hmm, even the flowers seem to be happy. I wonder what I should do tomorrow.. Write a letter maybe? But to who? Tsk.. '
"Actually, watching you like this is good too. Quiet and beautiful~ like a painting" Amerllyis who had successfully dazed off to her random thoughts was interrupted by a gentle sounding voice which seemed to be coated with layers of sweetness before revealing its bitter poison.
"You're still here? Oh my! Forgive me for ignoring your existence but I thought you had left" Seemingly very surprised, Amerllyis' blue eyes widened as she pretended to be flustered.
"I am indeed leaving, you don't have to worry" Zen stood up from whilst he held out his hand towards her "Of course, I would love my lovely fiance to escort me out"
Amerllyis' lips twitched as she accepted his hands. She very much wanted to punch that charming smiling face and see if he was still as charmingly handsome with swollen eyes and cheeks.
"Then I hope Your Highness would be safe on your way. Goodbye~" She smiled brightly after they reached the exit and even gave a friendly wave. She was just short of personally shooing him away with a broom.
"This is good too, I wouldn't want you to be a painting~" Zen gently caressed her hair, his smile as angelic as always while his eyes glinted dangerously, no short of deranged madness hidden within.
"I'm excited for what you have in store for me, my lovely.. Canary~"
The scenary had the same luxurious feeling to it, the Duke's mansion and the lively feeling it brought evident of the people inside. The sun was still shinning down on her, giving her warmth but she couldn't help but feel chilly deep inside.
She had let her guard down. No, rather that guy had gotten stronger and she had failed to notice anything.
'Still very weak' Amerllyis smiled bitterly, almost looking dejected and helpless yet her eyes glinted coldly and flashed with determination.
'Tsk. Troublesome'
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A/N: So I just freaking realised I hadn't updated since last year╥﹏╥ and I apologize, do accept my bow🙇♀️🙇♀️ However, I can't promise I'll be constant on the updates, partly because of classes but mostly due to my lazy nature(╯︵╰,) I will try though💃💃💯💯
Thank you for reading❣️ Have a lovely day/afternoon/night~ bye, till the next update💅❣️