Surviving As A Cannon Fodder

CHAPTER 33

"I will?" Angelica asked in a skeptical tone.

Volos, the capital, was the central figure of the Empire of Orion. 

The royal capital, established by the first emperor, stands as the powerhouse of the imperial family. The royal family of Orion has a tight grip on the aristocrats making it tough for them to get out of line.

The first time Angelica visited the capital was when she was four years old along with her family. They had visited the temple of Eir together as a family before the group split. 

While Lorenz went to the royal palace, Rosaline visited her friends leaving the siblings along with Maria to meet Master Gilbert. It was a fruitful trip as Gilbert took a liking to the kids and agreed to be their tutor. 

But that was also the last time Angelica went to the capital.

"I'd like to visit the capital too" Angelica complained,

 "Well, I will be next year. So, I wanna go sightseeing"

"Shouldn't you be making connections first? Like you know..... friends" Adelaide interjected.

"I already have friends. Besides, that's his job" Angelica pointed at a surprised Clive.

"He's the future Count Ashford. Not me. I can do whatever the hell I want"

"Then what about marriage?"

"And date whoever the hell I want"

Adelaide looked at her with a hopeless expression. 

Nobles tend to have arranged marriages for political reasons and to promote relations between territories. The Nortons and Ashfords have a good relationship. That was why Angelica was considered for Adam Norton and vice versa. But that became impossible since Adam was adamantly opposed to it.

'I'd rather become a monk than marry that demon' was his outburst when his father asked Adam's opinion.

Then it struck Adelaide. Perhaps she already has someone in mind?

"Do you already have someone?" Adelaide asked her with a serious face.

"What do you think?" Angelica smiled at her with a playful face and winked at her.

"What?" Clive's eyes went wide. He dropped the fork in his hand and looked at his sister dumbfounded.

"Who is it?" He clenched his hands.

"Why are you acting all surprised? You know who it is" Angelica rolled her eyes.

"Is it that handsome Knight you were with yesterday?"

"Julian?!" Clive trembled in anger "haha... he's been busy eh?"

"It's not Julian. He's like a brother to me"

"Then is the other Knight? The shorter one" Adelaide continued her questioning ignoring Clive's outbursts.

"Riven?!"

"No. Of course not"

"My goodness! Is it one of the Howard twins?" Adelaide covered her mouth in surprise. 

The young masters of the Howard Barony were famous since before their debutante. Not only were they ace traders they were also handsome. Their charisma was enough to charm anyone regardless of who it was.

Could it really be one of them?

"I'm gonna barf!" Angelica cringed as her face twisted.

"Why would you think of them!? First of all, we're related. Second, even if we weren't related......Ugh......It's impossible"

"Then who is it?" Clive was about to blow off.

"I'll show you when we get home" said Angelica, stuffing a big piece of the tart into Clive's mouth.

"Ooomph!"

"What about you Addie?"

"Hmmmm" Adelaide contemplated

"There are a lot of handsome guys in the capital. But if I were to pick one. It would be the His Highness Prince Kaiser" she started fangirling.

"The crown prince?" Clive asked, chewing the tart as his sister stuffed another piece in his mouth.

"I just meant he's my type. Nothing serious"

"Oh so you like the princely kind" said Angelica resting her chin on her hand.

The trio spent the entire day shopping and visiting all tourist places. Adelaide and Angelica used a sobbing Clive as their porter as they continued their shopping. It was sundown by the time they reached home.

"And tomorrow starts my imprisonment" Angelica sighed as their carriage entered the compound.

"Well, you did breakin like a burglar" Adelaide smirked. 

Angelica pouted, unable to talk back.

The carriage stopped in front of the front door. They got down the carriage and proceeded in as the servants of the manor followed them with all the packages. They were on their way towards the dining hall when Adelaide came to a halt.

"Now that we're home. Where's the guy you mentioned earlier?" Adelaide asked Angelica holding her hand

"Guy?" Angelica tilted her head confused.

"Ah.... the guy!" she hit her head with her hand when remembered their conversation in the dessert bar

Adelaide looked excited, while Clive looked skeptical.

Angelica inhaled before she whistled to her fullest lung capacity.

*WHISTLE*

Adelaide closed her ears surprised by the sound.

"What are you doing?"

"Wait for it" Angelica grinned. She was looking towards the direction of her room.

*pitter-patter*

The sound of someone running was heard through the quiet hallway. Clive let out a sigh of relief seemingly having guessed who it was. 

The sound was getting closer and closer to them.

"Baaaabe" Angelica called out in a loving voice.

A large white dog was running towards them at full speed. He pounced on Angelica, knocking her down, and started licking all over her face. On closer inspection, it was a wolf rather than a dog. He was a full-grown wolf with lustrous white fur which had slight shades of grey.

"Did you miss me? You missed me right" Angelica ruffled the wolf's face imitating a cutesy voice.

"Addie. Meet Chirpy. The love of my life" Angelica said to a dumbstruck Adelaide.

"This is who you were talking about?" Adelaide's jaw dropped

"Yes. Look at him. He's sooo fluffy and handsome and.....fluffy" she said hugging Chirpy.

Chirpy wagged his tail excitedly, having seen his master. He kept trying to lick her face, not letting her get up. Then he rested his face on her shoulder as she continued rubbing him.