[Vol. 4] Chapter 81

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I was talking to Rei while we were still sitting in the hall and having meals. Noya came to me in his four and sat on my laps as he was accustomed to sitting on my lap for a nap.

I giggled as Rei shook her head.

I knew no one in the palace would like that since he was a prince and for a certain period of time Rei had been careful about this, however, she wasn't concerned about it.

I knew it was because of our growing bond over these few months and also because she had started to see that Arashi wasn't following the restriction either.

However, I felt a cold glare from the empress.

As all were engaged in various conversation, the empress suddenly said, catching everyone's attention, "Well, since we all are present here, why don't we disclose the news about my grandson Prince Rian's marriage?"

Both Rei's and my heads snapped at her way and I noticed Arashi looked at her with a cold glare but his body was tensed. He wasn't really expecting this...

My heart thumped as people glanced at me. They were expecting an introduction about me and I knew it wasn't the topic here at all.

Arsahi said with cold and composed voice, "Grandmother empress, what are you talking about?"

She smiled at him and said, "Well, I think, everyone is curious about your statement from before so why don't we just use this as an opportunity to tell them?"

Arashi's brows ceased on his forehead and I could feel his anger which sipped through his skin. I gulped. Something in me was telling me that this was going to be a disaster. I looked at the emperor and then to the crown prince. It seemed they both were clueless about this.

I guessed it was a move by the empress on her own.

She said, "Well, to be honest with you all, my grandson's marriage hadn't been official yet so Bianka is currently under a my training."

And the hall entered into a massive chatterbox. People eyes me and some of them looked at me with disgusted faces. I froze.

Rei was shocked since it wasn't a fact to disclose before them. And if she was then she was telling them that I was from another nation. If they found out I was from Kosaki it would be hard for people to accept me.

I looked at Arashi as I felt helpless and scared. What was she doing?

"Your Highness, if she has been training under you ever since Prince Rian has arrived, does that mean she is from another country?" One of the guests or maybe it was a family member, I had no clue of, asked the empress.

She nodded and said, "Yes, she is from a foreign country thus, as our family has been following the same training for them, she would have to follow them." She smiled and looked at me. I could see her vicious smirk under her tender smile as she said, "And I have to say, she is doing great."

Was she complimenting me?

It was a bit hard to believe since up until a few seconds ago, she was glaring. Did she have another plan to make me feel inferior under the pressure?

Some of them smiled and said, "Then when will be the marriage? I apologise for the sudden questions, your Highness. We were all just curious..."

She shook her head and said, "Oh. As long as she proved herself to us then we will announce their marriage..."

Although she said it with a really gentle voice, I could hear the challenge in it.

However, before the topic could subsided, Prince Daichi spoke, "Grandmother Empress, if I am not rude, may I ask, when did brother Arashi has arrived?"

She said, "Around two months ago... Why, Daichi?"

He smiled and said, "But doesn't that mean she is taking a long time to learn our culture?"

He looked at me with an evil smirk on his face and I saw beside him, Akio had an angry face. She wasn't showing her true face to the crowd but she made it sure that I knew she was angry.

I felt so helpless and pressured at that moment, I wanted to hide behind Arashi but if I did that, they would just get a chance to talk about my faults. I smiled at them but under the table, my hands and feet felt cold.

I was shaking but somehow managed to stay still.

"Oh! Daichi. She is from another country. You can't expect her to adapt our culture that fast..." The empress said and Daichi nodded.

The others nodded as well and said, "Yes, if she is doing great then waiting for a few months wouldn't be a problem."

"Apparently, it is not a problem," Daichi spoke, "However, we have more options to make that happen fast, don't we?"

The crowd as well as me and Rei got confused however, I felt a chill as my eyes fell on Arashi. A dangerous aura was emanating from him. He looked cold and deadly. I knew he was angry. The bulge in his jaw muscles couldn't be avoide. Even the emperor and the crown prince froze.

The empress asked, "What do you mean, Daichi? If there were other options, I would have done that since I, myself, want my grandson to have his heir." She giggled and the crowd laughed too at her remarks.

But it was different for Arashi.

If he was that angry then, the next words might be not the good one to hear.

I looked at Daichi and my eyes immediately went toward Princess Rose. She was looking at me with worried eyes that said it was indeed a bad suggestion. And she was shaking from fear.

My heart thumped and I could feel cold sweat forming on my forehead.

Prince Daichi's eyes had a glint as our eyes met and he said, "Why don't we make her give the trial? It would be faster that way."

My face paled. So this was his plan? But why?

Why would he want to make go through the trial knowing it was dangerous? Then my eyes fell on Akio. It seemed she had the same malicious glint in her eyes.

Did she ask him for help? But why? What would he gain from this?

The crowd nodded in agreement and said, "Yes, your Highness! That would be faster and I suppose it is best."

Another one said, "Prince Daichi certainly has given a good suggestion."

I was shocked at their expression. Didn't they know Princesses from another country get killed there? Sometimes they got annihilated?

But then, I guessed, they didn't know. Because the purpose of that trial was to assassinate the princesses they didn't want to take as their queen and they made it look like it was a holy trial.

I looked at Arashi and he was silent. His silence was more deadly than the silence that comes before the storm. He looked at the crown prince but the crown prince was frozen. We knew it wasn't his plan.

He intervened, "I—I think, it wouldn't be bad if Princess Bianka get the training to get approval since she would get to learn everything before the marriage..."

However Prince Daichi said, "Why? Is uncle Shiroichi against the marriage?"

It caught the crown prince off guard as he let out a nervous chuckle and said, "O—of course not! I was just suggesting..."

And he looked at Arashi helplessly.

Even the emperor wasn't sure what would he say since he couldn't deny it while he had so many guests. If he denied it, everyone in the hall present would get suspicious about it.

So, he simply chose to stay silent.

I looked at Rei and it wasn't like she knew anything about the assassination that happened in that trial. She looked at me and said, "Bianka, I think you should go for it. It will be faster and it will at least free you from grandmother empress's rigorous training..."

She winked at me and I smiled with my heart jumping in my ribcage.

How will I survive this?!

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12th Nov, 22
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