(Season 2 Start!) Just Let Me Be The Grand Duchess!!!

Episode 16 - We Keep Meeting

"Lady Alejandra, How much do you know about the Underworld?"

Alejandra blinked and pursed her lips but quickly regained her calm after a slight shock. "What ever do you mean, Your Highness?" She acted confused. "I dare not make connections with such ruffians."

Ben smirked. "Your reputation precedes you, My Lady. I am fairly certain that you have just as much information to tell as you have to insinuate." He leaned on the railing and glanced the Lady top to bottom. "I believe you know many things regarding the Underworld, you just so wish to not say it."

Alejandra chuckled as plainly as possible to not arouse any suspicion. "I am sure you have your reasons, Your Highness. However, I regard it as disrespectful to assume such bold things about a fellow noble." She shook her head. "In account of your curiosity. I will say I have indeed heard rumors surrounding the mystique of the Underworld, but I would not say I am as well informed about them as you think, Your Highness." Alejandra added a hint of bitterness at the end there.

"Apologies, My Lady. I mean no offense in my words." Ben bowed his head. "It seems my curiosity pushed more than it should."

Alejandra grit her teeth. Ben seemed a lot more forward with his intent tonight compared to all the other times she's talked to him. After she made friends with him, she didn't expect him to ask such a brazen question.

She felt a bit annoyed at him but it's no like she has the authority to reprimand someone as high standing as the Crown Prince even if she was the Grand Duke's daughter.

"Your Highness, such assumptions are dangerous. I do hope you don't start such erroneous rumors regarding me." Alejandra, being the snarky girl she is, decided to snap back at least a little.

"I would never dare." He flashed a flirty smile and leaned on the railings. "After all, we're friends aren't we?" He said menacingly.

Alejandra felt more pissed now. She sighed and flashed one of her fake smiles like the one he was showing to her right now. "Of course, Your Highness. We're friends."

"I do say, I forgot to mention about the incident regarding the rogue Adjudicator." He made an obviously false oblivious expression. "Are you alright, My Lady. I worry for your safety." His tongue spoke with venom.

"You need not worry yourself with such matters, Your Highness." Alejandra felt her eyebrows furrow from frustration but she remained level headed. "Although to satisfy your query, I'm quite alright. I appreciate the concern."

"I see..." Ben smirked then turned his glance towards the faraway city below, with their lively lights and cheers. "My Lady?"

Alejandra pursed her lips and faced towards the city as well. "Yes, Your Highness?"

"The people out there...do you think they're happy?" The Prince asked out of nowhere. "Do you think that they'll wake up tomorrow believing in the next day?"

This question completely caught the Lady off guard, she paused for a moment, thinking of an answer then she heard distant cheers and laughter. "Right now they're happy...but who knows what's gonna happen tomorrow. I think everyone, noble or not, is like that. Living their days hoping the next will be better. Sometimes it is...sometimes it isn't, but as people of this Empire we all live out that same day." She smiled as she continued to look towards the faraway lights. "We are all up here on this pedestal while they're down there. We can only make assumptions as to what they feel but we're not part of them, not part of that side of the world. It's a bit sad but there will always be a disconnect between the common people and the nobility in that regard."

"I see." The Prince had a peaceful look on his face. The aggressive biting persona he held earlier seemingly fading into obscurity. Alejandra didn't know where this question came from, especially since she was originally being interrogated, but right now...the Prince seemed wistful.