It's already evening, and we're inside the library again. Talking about what we will do next. The alliance of the three Kingdoms is a hoax, but we find anomalies with what just happened.
"I don't think it's a simple mistake here. I think there's someone who is working in the shadows." Prince Fraser said with a straight face.
After the conversation we had this morning, he asked me to give him some time to think. And throughout the day, he was avoiding me. It's actually good, though. I just hope he would agree with my deal.
Princess Paislee nods her head. "You are right. Everything looks like planned. Right from the moment Leander, Prince Rufus, and Lady Csille saw the royalties from the three Kingdoms interacting with each other. It's as if someone plans that meeting. So we can be suspicious of them."
"But if it's plan? What does the culprit want to do? Maybe we're just being too cautious again. I think we're just mistaken here."
I look at Rufus. What he said is right too. What will the culprit get if they do that? Also, if there is someone working in the shadows, then who that person can be?
Prince Fraser sighed. "If we didn't have the pill and we interrogated the Crown Prince of the Saiven Kingdom. They will definitely break their alliance with us, and we all know that if the alliance is broken, it only means one thing. War. Maybe the true purpose of the culprit is to bring down the Vrawyth Kingdom."
What he said made sense too. If there is someone who is working in the shadows, that person is definitely wise. That person made it look like that our allies are betraying us but what they really want to do is to make us look like we are the one betraying our ally. They just don't want to bring down the Vrawyth Kingdom. They also want to ruin our reputation.
"Okay, let's say that that's what they want to happen. But how will we know who is working in the shadows?"
I sigh. My head is hurting with all that is happening. Who is the real culprit, or is there really someone working in the shadows? If there is, why would they want to bring the Vrawyth Kingdom down?
"Maybe the person behind this is the Strzalka? Maybe the reason why they want to bring us down is because we already know their existence, and they were threatened because of us."
Everyone looks at me. I sigh and explain further my theory. "Remember what the henchman said when you interrogated him before? That the people behind the Strzalka are people who have unique identities, and they erased anyone who knows about their existence. Maybe it's their work. But that's my theory only. There's still a lot of possibilities why this is happening."
Everyone got silent. They are probably thinking about the possibility of my theory. Although we still don't know who is against us. There is one thing that we know. The Vrawyth Kingdom is still in a perilous situation.
________________________________
"Csille, what are you doing here training all day? It's already five in the afternoon. Come on, let's go home now."
I look at Rufus, who is leaning on the wall. I sigh. I stop what I am doing and slump my body on the chair.
There are a lot of things going on my mind right now, and training for the whole day makes me forget everything. I just want to busy myself and forget everything.
"I am just trying to take my mind off our problems." I sigh and look up at him. "Aren't you tired, Rufus?"
Rufus walks towards me and sits beside me. "I am tired too. I train for the whole day in the Physique category, and my whole body is aching. Are you exhausted? I told you, we should go head home now so you can take some rest."
I shake my head. "I am not talking about physical tiredness. I can still train for a couple of hours if I want to. What I am saying is, aren't you tired with all the problems? After we left the Vrawyth Kingdom, everything seemed so complicated. We only get here to compete for the Grand Exemplary Competition. But ever since we get here, we have been doing our best to save the Vrawyth Kingdom from all of these threats. We're all teenagers. We should be enjoying our youth, but now the safety of the Vrawyth Kingdom is on our shoulders. Aren't you tired?"
I heard Rufus sigh. "It must be too tiring for you. You're just fourteen years old, but you've been dealing with all of these things." He then gently caress my head. "Am I tired? Yes, I am, but I am a Prince of the Vrawyth, and even if I don't want to involve myself in this, I couldn't stand back and watch the scene unfold. Vrawyth is my home, and I will do anything to save it from anyone who is trying to harm it."
"It's not about my age, Rufus. Even Prince Fraser and Sir Farren are the same age as me. Also, you're just three years older than us. You're also too young to deal about problems that deal with the safety of our whole Kingdom."
Rufus sigh and stare at the ceilings. "Sooner or later, we will face these kinds of problems, Csille. You are the future Queen, and I am a Prince of the Vrawyth Kingdom. This will become our responsibility in the future. Just take this as a practice for the future."
I want to roll my eyes at him. Who's the future Queen? Me? I'm not the future Queen. Why do people always call me that? What will Princess Paislee say if she becomes the Queen?
"Calling me as the Queen of our Kingdom is too early. Let's not get ahead of ourselves."
The two of us got silent for a couple of minutes. "Csille, do you believe that someone is working at the shadow just like how they assume?"
The conversation last night ended up in vain. We didn't come up with any idea how to know if there is really someone working in the shadows. We only end up leaving the decision to the Queen.
The Queen will be visiting us next week, and that's when we will tell her about everything that happened throughout the weeks we're not in the Vrawyth Kingdom.
"I don't know. Maybe yes, maybe not. There are still uncertainties, and I don't want to reject the idea that maybe there is really someone working in the shadow. We still don't know who are the people behind the Strzalka. So, let's not be complacent and still be cautious."
Rufus didn't respond and got silent again. After a few seconds, I heard him sigh. "Csille, don't you want to travel the world and live life as it is?"
I frown at Rufus. What does he mean? Travel the world and live life as it is? "You mean, you don't want to do your duties as the Prince anymore? Instead, you want to explore the world and leave everything behind?"
Rufus looks at me and smile. "You're the only one who really understands me." He sigh. "I've been thinking about this for days now. I want to travel and forget about my duties. I now understand why do you want to live outside Prince Fraser's shadow. It's difficult to live as a noble or a royalty. We're bound to do things that we didn't want to do."
I smile bitterly at him. Having a title is definitely not easy. We cannot live the life we want to be. It is always about the responsibility, the reputation, the duty, the title, and all.
"Are you tired, Rufus?"
I looked at him saw Rufus staring blankly in thin air. He sigh. "I am, but I don't have any other choice, right? I am the Prince of the Vrawyth Kingdom, and even though I won't be the King, I still need to help my cousin to settle his throne. I will also have duties in the monarch, and I cannot neglect that. The King already prepared a role for me after I graduated from university. I will be working in the monarch."
I gasp. "You will be working in the monarch? That's a great news! Why didn't you tell me about that? When did the King mention you that?"
"The day before we left the Vrawyth Kingdom for the Grand Exemplary Competition. I didn't tell you because you were too busy avoiding Prince Fraser back then. I didn't get any chance to share the news with you, and when you got time, I already forgot about it. And that's actually not a great news. Although I want to serve our Kingdom but I still don't want to work in the monarch. I'm sure the noble families won't agree to it." He shakes his head.
I lean my head on his shoulders. "Forget about those noble families. All they know is to flaunt their titles, but when it comes to doing their monarch duties, they are struggling to keep up. The Monarch needs you, Rufus. I'm sure if you are there, you can help my Father settle those lazy head nobles."
He chuckled. "You just don't want me to go. Aren't you?"
I giggle at him. He's right. Rufus has been my friend since the day I came here. He's the only one who can understand me. We both have weird eyes and hair. We both struggling mixing with the noble families.
I don't know what to do if he was gone. He's the only person I feel comfortable with. "Are you going to leave me behind? If you leave me, who would protect me now? Also, I'm already used having you here."
Rufus gently combs my hair. "Why do you need to worry? Your Crown Prince will definitely protect you. So, I don't think you will need me more than you need, my cousin. Also, you need to get used to not having me in your life Csille. Sooner or later, we will both have a life on our own. I thought you wanted to live on your own? But why do you sound so dependent on me?"
I want to laugh at him. Prince Fraser protecting me? More like Prince Fraser will push me away. "I want to live on my own, but it doesn't mean I don't need you anymore. You know that I don't have many friends in the Vrawyth Kingdom, right? You're the only one I can trust, Rufus. If you will leave Vrawyth, what will happen to me?"
"Do you even need to ask that? You'll be the future Queen of the Vrawyth Kingdom. Do you need to be this scared? I'm sure Prince Fraser won't let anything happen to you."
I sigh and face him. "I told you to stop addressing me as the future Queen. We still don't know what the future hold. So let's not get ahead of ourselves. Also, are you really planning to leave everything behind? What will happen to the Duke? Are you going to leave them behind? Are you really leaving me behind?"
He cannot go. He cannot leave the Vrawyth. Aside from I don't want him to leave, he cannot leave because he is needed in the novel. Rufus is the first one who will realize that Princess Paislee is disguising herself as a man. He will also fall in love with her. He is the reason why Prince Fraser will realize his love for Princess Paislee. If he isn't around, how can Prince Fraser realize his feelings for Princess Paislee? It cannot be.
Rufus mess my hair. "Come on. I only said I'm thinking, but I never said I'm doing it. Also, how can I leave you behind? You always made stupid decisions in life. I'm worried that if I leave you behind, you will end up hurting yourself."
I look at Rufus with teary eyes. He is the only one who truly cares for me, and I'm glad I met him.
"Thank you, Rufus."
Rufus laughs at me. He then messes my hair.. "Come on, let's go home now."
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