Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Trisya looked quickly at her brother as they exited Prince Terry's horse-drawn carriage. Her gaze looked anxious. She couldn't lie to herself if she remained worried that something untoward might happen during her stay at the main character's residence.

"What's wrong, Trisya? You look glum. Are you still upset that we didn't get to tour the palace like I promised?" Darian gently reprimanded.

Trisya shook her head quickly. "You promised it wouldn't take long, right?"

"What's wrong? Are you in a hurry? Do you have something urgent?"

Again, Trisya shook her head. "I just feel uncomfortable if I have to be alone in a place that I think is unfamiliar."

"You're not alone, Trisya. There's Layla and the others," Darian replied casually, making Trisya chuckle in annoyance.

"You don't have to worry, Lady. We won't be long, and we'll come straight to you once the business is done," Prince Terry continued, helping to calm Trisya down.

"Just wait over there! There's a man-made lake and a garden that will make you feel more at home here," said Darian.

Trisya nodded. Then she immediately took Layla and some of her bodyguards to the place her brother had pointed out. At least it was a little distance from the Morsche Family's main residence. And Trisya hoped that it would minimize the possibility of her meeting Lady Rania. Along with Trisya's departure, there came a middle-aged man with several bodyguards who immediately invited Prince Terry and Darian into the residence.

"That girl... who is she?" the man asked, just before he too turned back to face the main door.

"She is Lady Trisya, Sir. The sister of Lord Darian who happened to be visiting the palace earlier," replied one of Prince Terry's bodyguards waiting outside.

"Lady Trisya? Lord Darian's sister? That means she is Duke Gerald's youngest daughter? Tsk, it's exactly the same as the rumors," he muttered.

The middle-aged man furrowed his brows, before catching up with Prince Terry as well as Darian who had entered first.

Meanwhile, Trisya invited Layla to sit on a long chair facing the artificial lake. The air in that place was very cool. If she didn't remember that this was her rival's residence, Trisya would feel at home here.

"This garden is beautiful, isn't it, Lady? I heard that Lady Rania's mother is the owner of this garden. This garden was made for her, including the artificial lake, as a token of Count's love for his late wife," Layla explained.

Trisya was silent. She didn't remember that Lady Rania had no mother. And she also didn't remember Lady Rania's family background, because maybe when reading it Trisya was too focused on the romance story. But, was there anything important about Lady Rania's family background?

"Lady, why are you daydreaming? Are you not feeling well?" Layla asked worriedly.

"No, I'm not. I'm fine, Layla. I'm just trying to remember something," Trisya replied. She tried to force herself to remember what exactly happened to Lady Rania's family, and what they were like. However, as Trisya remembered, everything was fine. The Morsche family was described as a very perfect and warm family. That's how Lady Rania grew up until she became a gentle and loving girl.

"Hh... but isn't the Lovatta Family also a dream family for anyone? The Duke and Duchess are perfect parents. Trisya grew up in a pretty good environment. So why does Trisya have such a different nature from Lady Rania?" Trisya muttered.

"Lady, did you just say something?" Trisya blinked and suddenly turned her head towards Layla. She was thankful that her voice was not so big, so Layla could not hear her clearly. She didn't know what would have happened if Layla had heard her.

"It's nothing important. I was just remembering the words in my reading book at home," Trisya replied. Layla nodded in understanding.

Trisya and Layla returned to silence, each of them busy enjoying the beauty of the garden and artificial lake. Until a voice was heard which immediately made the two girls turn their heads.

"Lady? Ah, it's really you. You are the Lady I met in the city a while ago, right? If I'm not mistaken you are... Lady Trisya?"

Trisya and Layla immediately got up. Layla saluted the girl who had just arrived. From her appearance, it was obvious that the girl was also the daughter of a noble of this country. And Trisya clearly remembered who that girl was.

"Nice to meet you, Lady Rania," Trisya said with a forced smile. It felt like only a few seconds ago she had finished praying that she would not be reunited with Lady Rania. However, suddenly the girl had shown her nose in front of Trisya's eyes.

"I should be the one to say that. I am honored by your visit to my residence. But, what are you doing here, Lady? Did you come with the Duke?" she asked.

Trisya shook her head. "No, I did not. I came with my brother and the Prince, who is said to be discussing something with Count Morsche."

Lady Rania's face changed instantly. The girl whose age was not far from Trisya looked both surprised and incredulous. She looked at Trisya skeptically, "You mean, the Crown Prince?"

"Ah yes. That's what it is. Prince Terry," Trisya replied. Shouldn't it be obvious who would be coming here with Darian? Why did Lady Rania still have to ask?

Trisya squealed as she felt the loss of the protagonist's friendly smile. Was it just Trisya's feelings, or did Lady Rania not like what Trisya said?

'What was wrong with what I said earlier?' Trisya wondered.

"So, you came here with His Highness the Crown Prince?" Lady Rania repeated.

"Yes. Prince Terry's carriage is big, so I came with him. What's wrong, Lady?" puzzled Trisya. Then, her eyes accidentally caught the strange behavior of the two maids standing behind Lady Rania.

"Wait! You're not making fun of me, are you?" Trisya accused. For some reason, she felt like the court ladies' gazes were directed at her. As if what they were talking about had something to do with Trisya, and the look on their faces was unpleasant.

"Ah? The- they are my maids, Lady. They are not bad people and still have good manners. So there's no way they would dare to gossip about you," explained Lady Rania.

Trisya just nodded. Between believing it and not. But one thing was for sure, she didn't want to make trouble here. Don't let her dream from last night come true.

"Good then. Then, what was Lady Rania doing coming to me earlier? Is there something you want to tell me?" asked Trisya.

The beautiful lady shook her head. "No, Lady. I accidentally saw Lady on my way to Father's room, because Father suddenly called me. And I felt that I had seen Lady before, so I approached Lady."

Trisya nodded her head. Her interlocutor seemed to smile strangely when she said she was going to her father's room. She seemed enthusiastic, though she didn't say it in a gambling manner.

'There must be something she really likes there, so her eyes lit up when she said it,' Trisya thought. Again, she didn't want to interfere too much in the lives of the two main protagonists. As long as it had nothing to do with Trisya, Trisya chose not to know.

"Lady, we should immediately go inside, as requested by Count! Don't let His Highness the Crown Prince wait too long," said one of the maids who Trisya had caught gossiping about her.

Trisya did not know why. She didn't want to care. However, she felt that the court lady was speaking as if she was igniting something in Trisya. The tone of her words seemed to contain emphasis and an arrogant tone.

"Lady-"

"No problem. Please continue with your intentions, Lady! Come in and meet your father's guest! My brother asked me to wait here earlier," Trisya said.

"Lady," Layla rebuked. Trisya didn't know what Layla was getting at. Trisya didn't feel like she had done anything wrong.

"I- that is... me and His Highness the Crown Prince, there is nothing between us, Lady. We-"

"Huh? Why do you have to explain it to me?" confused Trisya. Moreover, the look on Lady Rania's face immediately showed fear as well as reluctance.

"Please forgive our Lady, Lady! Please forgive if our Lady misspoke or hurt you. Please don't be angry with our Lady!" said Lady Rania's two maids.

"What's wrong with Lady Rania? And who would want to scold her?" confused Trisya.

"I- I did not mean to snatch His Highness the Crown Prince's attention, Lady. I went to my father's room on his orders, not because I wanted to flirt with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince," Lady Rania explained.

"I know and I'm also not accusing you of wanting to flirt with Prince Terry, Lady. Besides, even if Lady wanted to, it's none of my business either," Trisya began to raise her tone of voice.

She felt as if she was being cornered now. Wasn't there nothing wrong with what she said? Trisya didn't think badly of Lady Rania either.

"Never mind, Lady should just go in right away! I'll wait here until my brother is done with her business," Trisya added. She just wanted to get away from Lady Rania as soon as possible, before this misunderstanding became even worse.

Trisya's pupils dilated when she saw Lady Rania kneeling before her, followed by her two loyal attendants.

"Lady, how is this?" Layla was confused.

"Huh? Lady, you-"

"I didn't mean to offend you. I would not have entered even if it had been my father's order if you had objected and been threatened by my actions, Lady," Lady Rania said, cutting Trisya off.

Trisya became even more confused. She reached for Lady Rania's hand and pulled her to her feet.

"Please forgive me and my two maids, if we have said anything wrong! I will not stand up until Lady forgives us," Lady Rania pleaded.

"Please forgive us, Lady," said Lady Rania's two maids in unison.

"I am not angry with you. So get up before someone misunderstands and thinks I'm-"

"What's going on?"

Trisya froze in place. Her grip on Lady Rania's hand slipped away as she realized that a more complicated problem was about to happen that she couldn't avoid. Someone had already seen the incident between Lady Rania and Trisya, and she could be sure that that person would misunderstand and think Trisya had just done something bad to Lady Rania.

Trisya turned her body around. She looked at the man who had just arrived with a pleading gaze. "Brother! You won't accuse me carelessly before you hear my explanation, right?"

The man walked towards Trisya and Lady Rania, then took Lady Rania's hand to help her up.

"Are you alright, Rania?" he asked, seemingly ignoring the question that came out of his younger cousin's mouth.

"Aston, I-"

"Stop it, Trisya! I will forgive you this time, and will not report this to your family or the Prince. But, this is the last time. If at any time you hurt Rania with your childish behavior again, then I have no choice but to report you to the Duke," cut in the man - Aston.

Trisya was stunned. Her guess hadn't been wrong. Aston would have misunderstood. But of all the people in this country, why Aston? Shouldn't he be on Trisya's side until the end of the story, even when her favorite cousin had died?

'Why does my heart hurt so much when I hear Aston's threats? Why do I have to feel this scared now?'