"I believe it would be fitting to include a comfortable garden seat in this area, as it is rather unsuitable for Ava to be seated on the floor. Furthermore, let's buy a lovely tea set for Ava, so she can have tea while enjoying the garden...." The crown prince talks on and on, sharing his vision for enhancing the garden ambiance.
Vivienne, diligently trailing behind, painstakingly jots down every note.
'I've never heard the crown prince speak at such length before. Normally, it's just brief responses here and there. He must be exceptionally thrilled about the engagement, going the extra mile to ensure everything is perfect for Ava. I wish I had been the one to deliver those papers, so Milo could be here instead of me,' Vivienne ponders, sympathizing with her unfortunate circumstances.
"Are you paying attention?" The crown prince turns around to verify.
"Yes, Your Highness, I am attentively listening," Vivienne responds with utmost politeness.
"Now, where was I..." The crown prince's sentence abruptly ends, causing Vivienne to follow his gaze instinctively. Her eyes land upon Ava engaged in conversation with an unfamiliar gentleman.
Vivienne's mind filled with anticipation. 'Could this person be the potential second male lead? The way he's dressed warmly suggests he might be from the north,' she mused, brimming with curiosity.
Unaware of the crown prince's fixed stare, Ava stood with her back turned to both him and Vivienne. As they drew nearer, the words exchanged between Ava and the mysterious man became audible, allowing them to decipher their conversation gradually. Simultaneously, Vivienne gained a clearer view of the mysterious man's distinct features.
With hair as white as snow and eyes shimmering like gold, the man's appearance left no doubt in Vivienne's mind that he must be connected to the crown prince in some way. As Vivienne and the crown prince drew nearer, the man's attention shifted towards them, yet he chose not to alert Ava. Instead, he gently lifted a strand of Ava's hair, planting a tender kiss upon it, and remarked, "Interesting."
'Ah, it seems the second male lead is confirmed now, considering he uttered that stupid keyword, ' Vivienne thought to herself, unable to contain her excitement. She glanced at the crown prince, only to find his expression teetering on the edge of an explosive outburst.
Stepping between Ava and the white-haired man, the crown prince makes his presence known. The man remains unfazed, while Ava appears utterly shocked to see the crown prince.
"Hello, Cousin Apollo," the man with white hair and golden eyes greets with a bored tone.
'Apollo? Who? Oh, right! It's the crown prince. I've referred to him as the crown prince so frequently that I momentarily forgot his actual name,' Vivienne thought to herself; a momentary lapse cleared up instantly. 'No surprise to see they're related. Those eyes give it away. Ah, I remember now. This must be Duke Cedric Frostbourne, His Highness' cousin residing in the north. I heard he was scheduled to arrive this evening, but it seems he must have arrived earlier than expected.'
The crown prince and the northern duke face off, their expressions locked in a tense confrontation. Vivienne senses the brewing drama and quickly steps back, ensuring she doesn't get caught up in the unfolding situation.
'The age-old clash between the northern duke and the crown prince, just as I anticipated,' Vivienne thought, relishing her snack. Her eyes gleamed with anticipation as she watched the unfolding scene, eagerly anticipating a captivating twist. 'Interestingly enough, he doesn't sport black hair and red eyes like I do. It wouldn't do to have the second male lead resemble another character in the story,' she reflected, embracing the thrill coursing through the air.
"Cedric," the crown prince offered a curt greeting.
"Why the hostility? I was merely engaged in a delightful conversation with this charming young lady," the northern duke replied, feigning innocence.
"She is intended to be my future partner," the crown prince stated firmly.
"So, this is the renowned woman who has captured my cousin's heart. I can understand his interest," the northern duke remarked, attempting to catch a glimpse of Ava. However, the crown prince positions himself to obstruct the view. "My cousin can be quite unreasonable at times, so if he fails to treat you properly, remember that I am always here, Ava," he added with a sly smirk.
'Ooh, I don't know what Ava told the northern duke, but the crown prince looks really mad now,' Vivienne remarked. She saw the crown prince clenching his fist tightly, ready to punch the northern duke. 'I should step in, but... I'm not getting paid enough for that. I'll just keep watching,' Vivienne concluded, choosing not to get involved.
"Please refrain from addressing Lady Ava so casually," the crown prince commanded, but the northern duke simply shrugged nonchalantly.
"I can address her however I please, can't I, Ava?" the northern duke interjected, attempting to involve Ava in the conversation.
'This is getting interesting. Drama, drama, drama,' Vivienne chanted softly in the background, getting swept away by the intense scene unfolding before her.
"He has a point, Apollo. Cedric has shown me nothing but kindness. I fail to see any issue," Ava responded.
'Ohhh! The female lead is taking the side of the second male lead,' Vivienne thought, eagerly following the twists and turns of the story.
The crown prince shot a glare at the duke, who responded with a smug smile.
"Very well, have it your way," the crown prince huffed in annoyance and stormed off, displaying a childish demeanor.
Observing the crown prince's foul mood, Ava decided to follow him. However, before leaving, she turned back to address the northern duke, "It was a pleasure talking with you."
'That ended rather uneventfully. Nonetheless, the crown prince did manage to control himself this time, so perhaps he deserves a reward,' Vivienne thought to herself. 'Well then, it's time to trail after that man-child and ensure he doesn't cause any further trouble.' As she prepared to follow the crown prince, the northern duke called out to her, catching her attention.
"Are you, by any chance, that guy's secretary?" the northern duke inquired.
"Yes, indeed. Please accept my apologies for the delayed introduction. I am Vivienne Ravenswood, daughter of Duke Ravenswood, and currently serving as the second secretary to His Highness, the crown prince," Vivienne replied politely. "It is a great honor to be in your presence, Duke Cedric Frostbourne."
"How do you manage to tolerate him?" the northern duke inquired.
'I have no choice but to be here, and I want to quit this job when the crown prince starts behaving more maturely. But I can't say that to the northern duke,' Vivienne thought.
"His Highness, the crown prince, has been exceptionally attentive to my well-being. I take great pleasure in my work, and I am delighted to witness firsthand the positive impact I can have on our nation's betterment," Vivienne stated with a sense of professionalism.
The northern duke scoffed at her answer, saying, "If you say so." Then he walked away, leaving Vivienne with the impression that he was well acquainted with the palace.
Vivienne swiftly returned to the workroom, eager to relay the events that had unfolded just 15 minutes ago to Milo. As she recounted the story, Milo wore an entertained expression, though he maintained his professionalism and resolved to check on the crown prince personally.
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I'll go and see how the crown prince is doing while you continue with your tasks," Milo acknowledged. However, before Milo could even step away, the door unexpectedly swung open with a loud creak. Both secretaries were taken aback to discover that the person entering was not the crown prince but rather the northern duke.
"No need to attend to him. Ava is already comforting that fellow," the northern duke declared nonchalantly before seating himself on the crown prince's chair.
The sight left the two secretaries utterly bewildered as the striking resemblance between the northern duke and the crown prince became apparent. The similarities were uncanny, from their identical postures while sitting to their shared habit of brazenly flinging open doors.
"Greetings, Your Grace. Is there anything I can assist you with?" Milo inquired.
"Hmm... enlighten me about Ava," the northern duke commanded.
Milo and Vivienne exchanged uncertain glances, unsure how to respond.
"What specific details would you like to know about Lady Silverwood?" Milo asked.
"Her interests, hobbies, preferred places, favorite food, something along those lines," the northern duke replied.
Vivienne contemplated silently, weighing the decision of whether or not to lend a hand to the second male lead, who seemed to be struggling.
"I believe it would be most fitting for you to hear these answers directly from Lady Silverwood herself. She would be delighted to share her interests with you, especially given how you pronounce her name effortlessly. I sense a closeness between the two of you," Milo suggested, attempting to deflect from answering the question directly.
"I had every intention of asking those questions myself, but it seems your boss is currently monopolizing her time and explicitly ordered me to stay away," the northern duke shrugged, displaying his indifference.
"I'm surprised you actually obeyed the crown prince's command," Vivienne remarked.
"You're correct, Secretary Number Two. I never obey. I shall take my leave now," the northern duke acknowledged, swiftly departing.
'Wait... Did he refer to me as 'secretary number two'? Well, at least that's an improvement from His Highness, who always addresses me as 'You.' Ah, the prowess of the female lead to make men remember only her name and forget about everyone else,' Vivienne pondered.
"Should we try to intervene?" Vivienne expressed her concern.
"He's a Duke. How can we possibly prevent him from pursuing Lady Silverwood? He could always claim he's merely getting to know her as a friend," Milo pointed out.
"Good point. How long will he be staying?" Vivienne inquired.
"According to the document I received, he will be staying here to attend the engagement ceremony. Based on that, I assume he will be here for approximately two months, as that's when the engagement ceremony is scheduled to take place," Milo responded.
Vivienne couldn't help but feel that the timing was unfortunate. She concluded, 'So he's essentially the next obstacle the couple must overcome, a test of their loyalty and commitment to each other, or something along those lines. It seems the northern duke has been conveniently introduced as a plot device.'
"This is going to be a really long two months," Vivienne commented.
"I couldn't agree more," Milo responded, returning to his work.
The two secretaries braced themselves for the long and challenging two months ahead, knowing they would have to deal with the couple's jealousy and misunderstandings and do their best to handle the situation smoothly.