ɪ'ʟʟ ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴍʏ ᴅɪsᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ, ғᴀʀ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ᴀs ɪ ᴄᴀɴ [ʀᴇᴍᴀᴋᴇ]

9 | A Sincere Apology

[Third Point of View]

*This is Valen's first encounter with Aliciel

Valen walked his way around the school, greeting everyone along the way.

(Looks like this school years will be interesting.)

He thought to himself and looked around as his eyes caught Aliciel, reading in a gazebo not far from his position.

(Hm? Isn't that lady Aliciel Blacker?)

His curiosity aroused, and he smiled as he chose to approach her while thinking about the rumors surrounding Aliciel Blacker.

With a friendly smile on his lips, he stepped forward from behind.

"Good morning! What is the daughter of the Duke Blacker doing here?"

(Let's see how she will react.)

Aliciel turned her head toward him and he noticed how her eyes intensified.

"I'm merely trying to enjoy the view."

Her gaze fell on his bright sapphire eyes, which were wide with mystery as she responded.

(Right, the Duke remarried recently.)

He thought, chuckled in response after which he placed his hand around his chin.

"Ah right, congratulations for the remarried Duke! Send my congratulatory for him!"

His sharp words, spoken in a joyful tone, made her eyes widened in surprise.

(Wow, that's not what I was expecting.)

His eyes dilated and then gasped on purpose after a frown crept across her face.

"Oh my goodness... I forgot that the previous Duchess passed away recently but the Duke remarried."

She pressed her lips together, struggling to suppress her anger as his lips twisted into a cheeky smile.

(Oh? Is she upset about it? Then it appears that my assumption is correct.)

"Please accept my apologies, Your Highness. I'm aware that you're the crown prince of this empire. However—"

She stared him down with her ruby eyes and spoke to him in a low, threatening tone.

"—please don't bring up my mother in such a thoughtless manner."

Valen's eyes were wide slightly as she stood up from her seat, shocked by her remarks, which were expressed in a powerful voice.

"Then, if you're done mocking me, I'll take my leave."

She lowered her head down as she curtsied politely. Eventually, she turned around and took a step out from the gazebo before her mood deteriorated and she left him alone.

(Good. I guess I got a glimpse of her true personality there.)

As a smile developed on his lips, he spun around to leave.

***

"Your highness, I watched how you brought up the rumours about lady Aliciel Blacker."

Valen's personal attendant, Darren Hyde, spoke solemnly, his grey eyes fixed on Valen's sapphire ones.

"Oh, you saw that?"

Valen smiled innocently at him, as if he hadn't done anything wrong, and Darren's eyes narrowed plaintively.

"I might be daring to say this, however, I would like you to stop approaching people like this."

"... Are you serious, Darren? Not this again? Rumours are a powerful weapon of a noble, as I already said. It's like two sides of the same coin, which I can use to my advantage."