ã€ŠAce in the Holeã€‹


 I - Im marrying the man whos in love with my sister

    It was a beautiful day.

    Contrary to yesterday''s dreary weather, the sun shone brightly, and there wasn''t a single gray cloud in sight.

    The streets were filled with beautiful decorations, and petals rained from the rooftops, creating a picturesque scene.

    The whole capital celebrated the royal wedding of the crown prince and his beloved bride.

    Their love story¡ªaffectionately referred to as ''The Crown Prince and the Golden Girl''¡ªwas known far and wide, reaching even neighboring countries.

    Honestly speaking, who wouldn''t be intrigued by their tale, even just a little?

    Haneul Gerwyn Nirav Laurenne was a prince of the largest empire in the northern continent. He was the heir to the most powerful nation who, from a young age, showed immense potential as a great ruler.

    He was diligent and excelled in his studies. By the time he was fifteen, Haneul proved his skills in battle and diplomacy becoming a pivotal factor in the war against Aewratis.

    Though, he was far from perfect.

    As a child, the prince was constantly praised, even for the smallest things. His hubris grew, and with it, a sense of entitlement. He was undoubtedly talented, but that didn''t help with his inflating ego.

    Haneul was reliable and efficient; the people commended him for his achievements, but his subordinates and confidants reprimanded him for being impulsive and impatient.

    "I don''t care if they call me reckless, arrogant, or egotistical. I dream of a Vreqiseon where people can sleep without fear, and justice is more than just a word! If I have to weather a few storms to achieve that dream, then so be it¡ªbecause a Vreqiseon like that is worth risking my life for."

    His words touched the hearts of the commoners and the nobles, earning him the support he needed to secure his position as the heir to the throne against his fifteen competitors.

    Opposition was something he was unfamiliar with until he met her.

    Yvonne Nayeli Skye Oryx.

    She was the eldest daughter of the Count and Countess of Sunglen, the girl who rivaled the arrogant prince''s talents and capabilities.

    Unlike the prince, she was known to be grounded regardless of her numerous talents, patient, and balanced in her decision-making. Her ability to efficiently collaborate with others, share burdens and responsibilities, and constructively delegate tasks made her an effective leader.

    She shared his objective, but they disagreed on one thing.

    "Vreqiseon needs a capable ruler who loves the empire, especially its people, more than his own life. A ruler who puts the needs of the empire first rather than his own interests, and who better fits that description than you, Your Highness? Vreqiseon needs you to man the helm and navigate us through the storms, not be a casualty in them! You''ve achieved many feats on your own, that''s true, but doing things alone can only take you so far. Working together is key to achieving your dreams. Together we''re stronger, and we need Vreqiseon to be led by a capable leader who is alive and breathing. After all, wouldn''t you rather live in a Vreqiseon like that rather than dream of it?"

    What began as a squabble in the National Library sparked the beginning of a political partnership and alliance that grew into a genuine friendship that ultimately led to romance.

    But just like any other famous love story circulating in Vreqiseon, they faced trials and obstacles to their happiness.

    Not even five years had passed since the last war when Vreqiseon found itself at odds against Aewratis again. The prince and Yvonne¡¯s relationship was repeatedly tested throughout the two-year war.

    In the end, Vreqiseon won the war, and their relationship was stronger than before.

    "Three cheers for her radiance, the crown princess!"

    "The empire is in good hands!"

    The people cheered on as the newlyweds'' carriage passed by. Happy noises and joyous music filled the streets, but not everyone felt jovial.

    Amidst the joyful celebration, one rooftop was drab, and there, two people looked at the ongoing parade, one with indifference and the other with disapproval.

    You wouldn''t have been able to tell that they¡ªor rather, we¡ªwere siblings of the bride.

    My twin brother, Yvon, caught the coin he was throwing around and clicked his tongue.

    "Look at them. They all look so cheery. It makes me sick."

    I shook my head, "That''s not something you should say on a happy occasion, especially on one of the happiest days of your older sister''s life, now is it?"

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    "Well, do you want to live in an empire where that *venobra is the empress?"

    (Venobra - a creature similar to a cobra in our world.)

    "No," I answered, glaring at the open carriage as it passed by. "I don''t."

    As the crowd grew louder, one man stood apart from the rest.

    I thought I''d see him here today.

    His platinum blond hair swayed as the wind blew past. His back was slumped towards a tree as he looked longingly at the carriage with his purple eyes.

    "Someone looks miserable when he clearly dodged an arrow," said Yvon.

    "Unfortunately, he doesn''t know that," I said. "All that poor man knows is that he lost his first love to the crown he was born to serve."

    "Then it''s a good thing that you anticipated he''d be here today. Go on, I''ll wait for you in the carriage, you big softie."

    After saying that, he jumped off the roof, swiftly landing on the carriage.

    I shook my head at his sudden display.

    "Tsk. Show-off."

    I pulled my mask up, hiding my face, and jumped from roof to roof, steadily landing in the back alley. I probably shouldn''t have done this in a dress, but by the time I realized that, I was already dusting myself off.

    I blended into the crowd and reached the wistful-looking man. Leaning back on the opposite side of the tree, I started a conversation.

    "Quite lively, isn''t it?" I remarked.

    My sudden presence startled him, but he politely replied, "Indeed it is."

    "You know," I began, "Just because almost everyone else seems to be reveling in their happiness doesn''t mean you have to force yourself to do the same."

    Though I couldn''t see his face, the tone of his voice told me he was curious and skeptical.

    "It sounds to me like you''re speaking from experience."

    I chuckled lightly, "Perhaps I am."

    Before either of us could say anything else, I decided that it was time to make my exit. It wasn''t my plan to stick around long anyway.

    I don''t think he even recognized who I was, that¡¯s probably because of the *ourelia I ate, something I don''t leave home without whenever I go on outings beyond our family''s knowledge.

    (Ourelia- a small, shrub-like herb that helps soothe coughs and respiratory ailments while also temporarily altering the tone and timbre of the voice depending on the preparation.)

    I didn''t bother to say goodbye. Instead, I left a poorly embroidered handkerchief and a note that read, ''Cheer up, handsome!''

    As I glanced back, I couldn''t help but find it amusing to see him looking for me with the handkerchief and note in hand.

    With a smirk, I seamlessly melded into the crowd, disappearing into the sea of people.

    ?

    A whole month had passed since that grand celebration.

    The capital still buzzed about the newlyweds'' journey to Aewratis, applauding their spending of the traditional year-long honeymoon in political diplomacy.

    While that''s all well and good for the future of this empire, it doesn''t explain what I''m doing in the foyer of the Serebro estate even before dawn.

    As I stood there perplexed, something¡ªor rather, someone¡ªcaught my eye.

    His hair gleamed in the sunlight of the rising sun, and his sweaty shirt clung to his sinewy frame. Even in his disheveled appearance, he was still attractive.

    He''s looking better from the last time I saw him, recalling our conversation underneath that tree.

    Love triangles are common in romance novels, and the romanticized version of my sister''s love story wasn''t any different. While she and the prince took center stage in their tale, there was someone who stood in the shadows of their happiness¡ªthe forlorn suitor, as the people dubbed him.

    Here he was, the wistful man underneath that tree.

    Like the prince and my sister, he is both talented and intelligent, yet unlike them, he is often overshadowed because of others'' achievements.

    His husky voice startled me, pulling me out of my thoughts. I didn''t even realize that he approached me.

    "Greetings to the fourth cygnet of Oryx."

    "Greetings to the second cub of Niege," I responded.

    "To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit from the Young Miss of Sunglen?" he asked.

    "While I am inclined to give you an answer, I''m afraid I don''t have it, for even I am puzzled as to what brings me to your beautiful home."

    Before our conversation could continue, an attendant approached, "I apologize for disrupting your conversation, Young Miss and Young Master. But their valiances and their valoralnesses are promptly requesting your presence in the gazebo."

    We were both visibly confused but knew we had little choice.

    He extended his hand towards me, "May I have the honor of escorting you?"

    Ever the gentleman this one.

    "Why, of course," I answered, smiling and taking his hand.

    The attendant led the way, and we followed from behind. Considering the estate''s size, it took us a few minutes to get there, and the entire walk was filled with silence. Neither he nor I, not even the attendant, made any attempt at conversation, which was fine with me. It saved me the trouble of engaging in small talk.

    When we finally reached the gazebo, we found our parents having breakfast together with the empress'' secretary.

    We exchanged pleasantries and started a light-hearted conversation.

    It was painfully obvious that our mothers were trying to ease us into this setting, but they couldn¡¯t hide how fishy this whole thing was.

    First, the empress''s secretary.

    What is he doing here at this hour? That was odd in and of itself.

    Second, our parents.

    Ever since my sister got engaged to her husband, my parents''¡ªheck, our entire county''s¡ªrelationship with the Serebro Duchy, including of course its governors, has been like a ship in the middle of a storm: rocky.

    And then there''s me.

    What am I doing here exactly?

    In contrast to the Capital¡¯s Darling¡ªalso known as my older sister¡ªI wasn¡¯t exactly a political maven. Our parents¡¯ rarely even included me in talks regarding our county so I can¡¯t help but wonder what I¡¯m doing here as they¡¯ve gone on to talk about our respective territories.

    Given the people present here today, I had a hunch about what this was all about, but before I could even open my mouth to ask and confirm my suspicions, my handsome escort beat me to it.

    "It''s rare for the houses of Niege and Oryx to get together these days, not to mention her regalness'' right-hand man is here as well. So I''m quite curious. What is so important that would call for this rare occasion?"

    "You''re frank as usual, I see," said the duke, his father. "But, I suppose being direct is better than being roundabout. It is indeed rare for our two houses to come together these days, but that shall change soon. Niege and Oryx will be tied together. Just like our families have agreed upon all those years ago."

    "What exactly do you mean by that?" he inquired.

    "Allow me, Young Master, to shed light on the situation," said the empress''s secretary. "As you both know, the county of Sunglen and the duchy of Serebro had once been at odds with each other. It started with territorial dispute but branched out into control of natural resources and economic rivalry."

    He continued, "This made the people of your lands suffer, and during your grandparents'' generation, the governors of the two sides came to an agreement after seeing just how much their actions and those of their predecessors hurt their citizens. Realizing that in order for both territories to flourish, they needed to form a symbiotic relationship. This made them come to an agreement, and they formed an arrangement between their families, a marriage that would unite them."

    What he said was nothing new to us; it was common knowledge for the citizens of Sunglen and Serebro.

    "Which brings me to the reason I am here today."

    The secretary pulled out a scroll and cleared his throat then read out what was on the parchment.

    "In alignment with the agreement between the Houses of Niege and Oryx¡ªthe governors of Serebro and Sunglen¡ª I, Empress Enrichetta Solana Harriet Srehbnih Laurenne, resolve that the second son of the House of Niege, Lev Cerulean Gin Niege, and the second daughter of the House of Oryx, Yvette Aidana Yaretzi Oryx, are to be wed within the month. May their union bring happiness and prosperity to both Houses and lands. I extend my heartfelt wishes for the couple. May you find happiness and bliss as you embark on the newest chapter of your lives."

    "..."

    I nearly dropped the cup in my hand, muttering to myself, "I am surprised yet I¡¯m also not at the same time.¡±

    <figure></figure>

 II - Iâ€™m looking forward to our life together

    As I dragged myself up the staircase, my head replayed the chaos that was my day. I didn''t even think of having dinner; what I wanted right now was to lie down, go to bed, and get a long night''s sleep.

    But there was just a little dent in that plan when I realized that someone else was hogging my room, which was nothing new.

    When I finally got there, I found my once neatly stacked books lying everywhere, weapons and armor were on the floor, and Yvon was sleeping comfortably on my bed, hugging my favorite pillow tightly.

    I think my dear twin brother forgot that this wasn''t his room again.

    I sighed and cracked my neck before giving him a good shove, sending him crashing to the floor while I plopped down on my bed.

    "Rude!" He exclaimed. "What was that for?!"

    "Keep it down, will you? I''m tired. Go bother me in the morning," I said, turning my back on him and feeling sleep wash over me.

    He pushed me towards the right side of the bed to make room for him, and he lay back down, snatching my pillow.

    "You do remember that you have your own room, right? If you forgot, well, let me point you to it. Go out of my room and in front of it''s a door. That''s your room."

    Hearing irritation in my voice, he sat up and poked my cheeks repeatedly like slime.

    "Dang, you look like a monster."

    "How nice of you to say that," I said sarcastically. "Now get out of my room."

    "What''s up with you? You''re more vexed than usual."

    "Well, that''s because I''m exhausted and would like to get some rest. I just sped through wedding preparations the entire day and only had an hour-and-a-half break. So why don''t you do me this one favor today and get out of my room."

    "Wait, hold on. Wedding preparations?"

    "Did you miss that part where I said get out?"

    Ignoring me, he asked again, "What do you mean by wedding preparations?"

    "I''m getting married."

    "..."

    "I''m sorry, come again?"

    "I''m getting married," I repeated, a little louder this time.

    I could feel myself drifting off to sleep, but Yvon grabbed me by the shoulders and sat me up, "One more time, I think I''m hearing things."

    "I said I''m getting married! Now get out of my room and let me get some sleep! It has been quite the day!"

    "YYYYOUU''REE WHHHHAAATTTT?!"

    I let out a heavy sigh, "What does a girl have to do to get some sleep around here?! "

    He paid no attention to my rhetorical question and looked flabbergasted.

    His brows were furrowed as he asked me, "Yvie, what happened today?!"

    I recounted what happened, starting, of course, with the unexpected announcement during breakfast. I obviously couldn''t leave out that part.

    Yvon''s eyes bulged, and he smacked his forehead.

    "Dang it! I should''ve gone with you this morning!"

    "And exactly how would that have changed things? Whether you were there or not, it wouldn''t have made a difference. By the time we were told, everything was already finalized. They weren''t asking us about our opinion. They were informing us."

    Yvon''s protectiveness kicked in, and his frustration was at its boiling point.

    "Our parents didn''t even bother to consult you about this, and you''re just supposed to go with it?! They are treating you like a tool, not as their child! This won''t do. I want to talk to them right now!"

    He was about to burst off and confront our parents when I grabbed his shirt and halted him, "Iy, calm down."

    "How am I supposed to calm down?!"

    "Listen to me first, okay? Lev and I... we agreed to get married."

    He froze, "... What?"

    ?

    After that astonishing breakfast, our parents told us that we didn''t have to worry so much about the wedding because they practically had everything ready except for a few details about the reception, which they wanted us to help with.

    "Since the wedding planners won''t be here for another hour or two, why don''t you and Yvette take a stroll through the maze? It''s quite lovely in spring, especially in *Gemellia. Go on, enjoy yourselves!" Said the duchess and the two of us.

    (Gemellia - one of the 16 months in a year)

    We glanced at each other and did as she suggested, not that we had much choice in the matter.

    As we made our way to the maze, my hand around his arm, we were the center of attention.

    He took me to the northernmost part of the maze. Tall grass brushed against the hem of my dress, wild plants were growing everywhere, and there was a rundown, mossy old fountain.

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    Placing a blanket on the grass that was hidden in a picnic basket under an old bench, he sat me down.

    "This area is the most difficult part to get to. Even those that are familiar with the maze''s layout have a hard time getting here, so as you can see, this area isn''t well maintained."

    "It''s quiet here," I said, taking in the tranquil mood.

    Lev nodded, "That''s one of the reasons why I like it here. It''s different from the usual noise at home and work."

    "Being a vice-captain for one of the valorian squadrons must be tough," I remarked, making small talk. "I heard you even missed your friends'' wedding because of work."

    He flinched at the mention of friends. Even without mentioning who those friends were, he knew who I was talking about¡ªmy sister and her husband¡ªhis first love and his best friend.

    It was true that I heard he supposedly missed their wedding because of work, but I also knew that piece of information wasn''t true because he was indeed there that day, heartbroken.

    "I gave them a huge present to compensate for missing it," he said. He had a smile on his face, but I could tell it wasn''t genuine; it was just one that masked his true emotions. One that he puts on for social purposes. "But his radiance gave me an earful for missing it, saying that I should''ve just missed work that day."

    I laughed at his response, "I don''t think that''s something the future emperor should be saying to his subordinate."

    Lev chuckled at my comment. I didn''t know he could make such an expression. He usually had a serious look on his face.

    If he laughed like that more often in public, his fanbase would grow larger¡ªit might become so big that it would be on par with the crown prince''s fanbase.

    "It surely isn''t something my boss should say. Which is why I can''t help but worry for the future of this empire," he joked.

    The two of us shared a movement of laughter before I brought up the sensitive topic that brought about this excursion, "It''s a shame they can''t come to our wedding, don''t you think?"

    There was a brief silence between us for a few seconds, and the atmosphere became tense.

    "You''re aware that we can''t avoid this?" Lev asked, his expression changing from casual to serious.

    I shielded my eyes from the sun''s glare and replied, "Mhmm. The empress'' letter made that very clear. It was an imperial directive, albeit not an official one. Which means our hands are tied."

    "Well, it''s not like I didn''t expect something like this. That agreement between our families built so many bridges between our territories that losing it would mean we''d go back to a state of war, and our families can''t risk that. Serebro needs Sunglen, and Sunglen also needs Serebro," I added. "Which was why I could see just how uneasy our families were as we watched my sister''s love story with the crown prince unfold. She was to be your intended after you both came of age. You two were supposed to be the ones to fulfill the agreement set by our grandparents, but we both know how that turned out. That''s why they probably came up with a solution to the problem, and having the imperial family back this decision up makes it more decisive, hence our current situation."

    "So, what do you think we should do about this?" I asked

    Then another hand covered my eyes from the sun, and I turned to Lev, whose face was now closer to mine.

    Determined, he answered, "We get married."

    Our eyes locked, and I found myself captivated by Lev''s Mesmerizing purple eyes.

    His expression was blank and calm, as usual. I, on the other hand, could feel my face get hotter, a natural reaction when one''s face is just inches away from a handsome guy''s.

    "As you said, this wasn''t entirely unexpected, and both our families wouldn''t have resorted to this if they had an alternative," he said. "This agreement¡ªour marriage¡ªnot only concerns our families but also our territories and our people."

    Then he added, "So let''s get married. That is if you''re willing to be my wife."

    I tried to hide my blushing face, but he caught on, and I saw him smirk. Was he finding my flustered expression amusing? We are having a serious conversation here! But then again, he looks more handsome when he laughs, so laugh away.

    "You remind me of your sister," he remarked.

    I clicked my tongue and couldn''t help but pull away because of a bit of frustration. Once again, I was being compared to her, and by my fianc¨¦, no less.

    "Before I answer that," I began, "Answer my question first. If we go through with this, are you going to marry me for me?

    He looked confused, "What do you mean by that?"

    I stood up, and as I did, my bun got loose, and my hair fell and cascaded around me. I was wondering when that would happen since I''ve been loosening it since we got here. Though it looked pretty, I wasn''t comfortable with having my hair tied up like that.

    "I think you know what I mean," I said, brushing the hems of my gown. "High society has countless showers of praise for my older sister. She''s the sterling ''Golden girl'' of Vreqiseon, after all. However... The same can''t be said about me."

    I clasped the locket around my neck, a gift from Yvon and a reminder that we only had each other to rely on.

    "I''m certain that you''re somewhat aware of my reputation. I''ve been called many things, an egotistical brat, a pompous shrew, and a conniving child are just some of the colorful labels attached to my name. But despite that, many have tried to get acquainted with me. Some even approach me as a potential romantic interest, not because of me but because they have surmised that if they can''t become Yvonne''s significant other, her little sister''s the alternative. Unfortunately for them, aside from our faces, my older sister and I are very different people."

    "Now, with all that being said, let me ask you again, Young Master of Niege, are you going to marry me for me?"

    I repeated my question because I knew I had to ask him this. He''s my fianc¨¦, after all, my future husband. Suppose he''s entering this marriage only because he sees me as a substitute for my older sister. In that case, our marital life is already off to a rocky start, not that I have any intentions of spending the rest of my life with someone who sees me as someone else''s alternative.

    Lev stood up and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear.

    "I know of the comparisons that high society draws between you two. I am also very aware that you know of what happened between me and their radiances. You were one of the people who had a front-row seat to it all, which is why I understand why you asked me this."

    He pulled out a box from his coat and opened it, which revealed a *skar ring in a beautiful shade of magenta¡ªthe same color as my sister''s hair. It was apparent that this was intended for her.

    (Skar - a gemstone forged in the extreme heat of deserts and volcanic regions.)

    How bold of him, proposing to me with a ring he intended to give my sister. I probably should cut him some slack since he''s obviously under-prepared for this, given that we only knew about the arrangement an hour ago.

    He took my hand and placed the ring on my left finger.

    How bold of him, proposing to me with a ring he intended for my sister. Well, I should probably cut him some slack since he''s obviously under-prepared for this, we did just get engaged half an hour ago.

    "While neither of us was consulted about this situation, no one can really force this decision onto us since, let''s be honest, we both have our ways of avoiding this," he began. "However, I think we should proceed with it for the sake of our people."

    "And you agree to this as well know this: I will be marrying you for you. That''s the truth," he answered. "Now that I have answered your question, shall we get back to mine?"

    He went down on one knee and took my hand.

    "To the fourth cygnet of Oryx, the Young Miss of Sunglen, might you consider becoming my wife?"

    If someone were to pass by, they''d probably think something romantic was happening because this seemed like a scene ripped right out of a romance novel. In reality, it was more of a practical agreement between two individuals, more of a business partnership than an intimate one.

    As I looked at him, I let out a sigh-laugh and thought about how reasonable yet ridiculous our situation was.

    "It would be my pleasure to become your wife," I answered, taking his hand.

    Kissing the back of my hand, he replied, "I look forward to our life together."

    <figure></figure>

 III â€“ New players on my board

    Yvon rubbed his nose bridge in frustration.

    "I skipped out on going out with my twin sister and our parents once, and said sibling comes back engaged¡­"

    "Are you done being stupefied? If so, get out of my room so I can get some sleep."

    Ignoring me again, Yvon just continued rambling on.

    "This whole thing just seems so absurd!"

    "So you¡¯re not done yet," I said, rolling my eyes. "Look, it¡¯s as clear as the waters in Lake Kalopsia that this was something we¡¯d have a hard time getting out of. Did you not hear the part where the empress basically told us to get married?"

    "That¡¯s what makes this whole thing more annoying! The imperial family gave this the ¡®okay¡¯! The same family whose head has a soft spot for you and literally wanted you to be his daughter-in-law! The emperor got ahead of his son, overwhelming you with gifts the moment you agreed to be a candidate for crown princess! And then what? As soon as his radiance marries our older sister, you¡¯re just another political bargaining chip?"

    "I was ten, and the emperor and empress wanted a daughter. I was basically their practice run for her radiance, Princess Cielo," I reminded him. "And besides, what does being a crown princess candidate have got to do with anything? I wasn¡¯t even officially one since the selection process ended before it even started when Yvonne entered the picture."

    I leaned on his shoulder, "Look at it this way: the imperial family wants me to get married to the second most eligible bachelor in Vreqiseon. Or is he the first now that his radiance is married?"

    "Maybe it¡¯s their way of compensating you for getting your hopes up at becoming crown princess," said Yvon. "Or maybe it¡¯s their way of cheering you up because they thought you might be sad your childhood crush got married to your older sister!"

    I raised an eyebrow, "Was that last bit really necessary?"

    Not only was Yvon poking my cheeks, but also at a topic I¡¯d rather not talk about. Not because it was embarrassing, sensitive, or anything like that, but because there was no point in talking about it.

    When I was younger, there was a year and a half when I lived in the imperial palace.

    Our parents were preoccupied with taking care of our older sister, who was sick, and at the same time, the Ducal family of the north was massacred. Only the Grand Duchess¡ªthe emperor¡¯s younger sister¡ªsurvived. My mother wanted to comfort her best friend but couldn¡¯t do so because she was focusing on Yvonne, so she sent me to comfort her radiance in her stead.

    That¡¯s when I met his radiance, the crown prince, and just like many little girls in Vreqiseon, I had a crush on him.

    "When are you going to forget about that? It wasn¡¯t like that was uncommon anyway. I was one of like a thousand girls that had a crush on him. Quit teasing me about it."

    "And out of a thousand of them, only one is my twin sister," he retorted.

    Yvon lay back on the bed and mused, "Come to think of it, you and Lev would be good together since the people you fell in love with married each other! Let''s call it ''The love story of the two people whose love was unrequited.'' What do you think?"

    I rolled my eyes, "That your naming skills need some serious work. When I talk, do you just hear a *furpaw barking? I literally just said quit teasing me about it! And weren¡¯t you just ticked a few seconds ago that this engagement was done behind my back? Why are you making a book out of it now?"

    "Because I can¡¯t do anything about this if you agreed to it already, not to mention the fact that you¡¯re oddly cool-headed about this. So why don¡¯t you share what plan that brain of yours is cooking up."

    I smirked, grabbed the dagger I hid under my bed, and started tossing it up and down, "How¡¯d you know I was already scheming something?"

    "Because I know you all too well," he answered. "Spill it, Yvie. What are you up to?"

    "Just something that will speed up our plan," I said.

    "I was given an advantageous piece for my board today," I added, throwing the dagger straight into a hidden slot where it fits. Doing so opened up a secret wall with a board filled with all sorts of plans and details.

    I stood up and grabbed a small portrait of my fianc¨¦ from the pile on the table, placing it in the hidden compartment.

    I turned to face my brother, "It would be a shame not to use it, wouldn''t you say?"

    Seeing the villainous look on my face, Yvon shivered. "Remind me now and then not to get on your bad side."

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    "Also, do me a favor and speed up the plan," he added. "I told you, didn¡¯t I? I don''t want to live in an empire where that venobra we call our older sister is the empress."

    He grabbed the other dagger hidden under my bed and tossed it straight past my head and into the portrait of my sister on the board. I knew it wouldn''t hit me, so I didn''t even flinch, but that was dangerous!

    After he hit the portrait, he smiled and said, "That would be a living nightmare."

    ?

    Late into the night, Lev looked out the window of the private room of the local bar on the outskirts of the capital, observing the bustling night market as he sipped his drink.

    His drinking companion and squad member, Egor, leaned back in his chair and asked, "Are you really tying the knot with the kid?"

    Lev took another sip of *whisper and replied, "Yes, and she''s not a ¡®kid¡¯ anymore. She came of age last year."

    (Whisper - a potent, robust, aromatic aperitif similar to vermouth)

    "Hey, I''ve known her ever since she was a baby. She''s like a little sister to me. No matter how old she gets, she''s still a little kid in my eyes," said Egor.

    "But I just don¡¯t get it, Lev. Why are you going through with this? You could''ve easily gone around it by asking the emperor for the freedom to choose your wife. He¡¯s been asking you what reward you wanted for your contribution to Vrequiseon''s triumph in the recent war. He was at a loss after you rejected all his suggestions."

    "I do not need a private island at the moment, and the promotion was just the emperor¡¯s way of compensating me because he announced his son married my prospective fianc¨¦e," Lev explained. "Why are you so uneasy about this anyway? We¡ªthe parties involved¡ªare willing to do this, so what¡¯s the matter?"

    Egor furrowed his brows and retorted, "Because you''re eerily composed about this! Look, man, I know you''re usually pragmatic and level-headed, but we aren''t talking about what you''re having for lunch here. Marriage is a big life decision! I''m your best friend, and I can tell that you still have lingering feelings for Yvonne, but you want to marry her little sister?!"

    Pouring himself another glass of whisper, Lev replies.

    ¡°My feelings for Yvonne don¡¯t matter. She¡¯s married to my best friend, and that¡¯s that. Besides, this isn¡¯t just a matter of two families getting together. It¡¯s more than that. Our territories and our people¡¯s lives rest on this agreement because if we lose it, war breaks out, and both sides won¡¯t be able to take it. As she so eloquently put it, Serebro needs Sunglen, and Sunglen also needs Serebro.¡±

    ¡°So you see,¡± he continued, ¡°Our opinions don¡¯t really matter in this situation. We have other people¡ªtwo whole territories¡ªto prioritize.¡±

    Egor shakes his head and sighs, "You nobles and your responsibilities."

    Lev laughed, "You speak like you''re not the future Viscount of Edrea."

    Their conversation shifted as Lev picked up the pile of paperwork Egor brought for him.

    ¡°Seriously, man? You just got engaged today, and I don¡¯t think work should be your priority right now,¡± said Egor. ¡°You should be spending your time getting to know your bride! You¡¯re getting married in a few weeks!¡±

    Lev¡ªwho was barely paying attention to Egor''s words¡ªreplied while still focusing on work, "I¡¯m looking forward to it."

    Egor pressed, ¡°Take this seriously, will you? If you¡¯re going to marry her, give her at least some attention! She¡¯s not Yvonne, who¡¯s fine in the background. Yvette loves the spotlight. Honestly, man, do you even know the first thing about your fianc¨¦e?¡±

    ¡°I am taking this seriously,¡± said Lev. ¡°And I know she¡¯s not Yvonne. We¡¯ll take our time getting to know each other. We have the rest of our lives for that.¡±

    ¡°But one thing¡¯s for sure,¡± Lev added, grabbing his file on Yvette; he scanned the information he had on her, "I got myself one intriguing woman for a wife.¡±

    Furrowing his brows, Egor asks, "What do you mean by that exactly?"

    Taking the small portrait of Yvette in the file, Lev held it up against the moonlit window, remarking, "There''s more to her than meets the eye."

    ?

    Begrudgingly, I agreed to let Yvon sleep in my room tonight, specifically to avoid his incessant whining. At this point, he was practically living in my room while his room was empty most of the time.

    What¡¯s the use of using separate bedrooms if he keeps on sleeping in my room?

    I sighed. I''ll be sleeping in the window seat again. I could sleep beside him but then I''d just wake up on the floor thanks to his sleeping habit of flailing around.

    I took the dagger from the hidden slot and closed the wall before heading to bed.

    As I walked by, I caught a glimpse of a picture of my older sister and me playing at our old tree house. Given how similar we look, we were often thought of as identical twins.

    I picked up the photo and Yvon noticed.

    ¡°Whenever I see that picture, I¡¯m reminded that we shouldn¡¯t take things at face value. With how happy you two look there, you wouldn¡¯t suspect that she was threatening you to smile for the painter in order to get that perfect picture.¡±

    I smirked and stashed the picture in a drawer. "Let''s not reminisce over bad memories. I''m busy enough thinking about the modifications to the plan; I don''t need to be bothered by our unpleasant past."

    As Yvon falls quietly to sleep I catch up on a mystery novel I''d been putting off reading for a while. While engrossed in the deductions the detective was making, something falls out of the book. It was a bookmark, a gift from Haneul that I''ve cherished since I received it. Normally, I''d put it back in the book, still using it despite being worn out because of its sentimental value, but not today. Today feels different.

    As Yvon falls quietly to sleep, I catch up on a mystery novel I¡¯ve put off reading for a while. I was flipping through the pages, engrossed in the deductions the detective was making, when suddenly a bookmark fell out.

    It was a gift from the crown prince, something I¡¯ve cherished ever since I got it.

    Usually, I''d put it back in the book, still using it despite being worn out because of its sentimental value, but not today.

    Somehow, today feels different.

    Standing up, I place the bookmark in the same drawer as the picture, murmuring, "It¡¯s time to say goodbye to my childhood."

    ?

    Lev returned to the Serebro estate after drinking with Egor.

    Entering his room, he took off his coat and was about to change into more comfortable clothes when he caught a glimpse of his desk, where a quill gifted to him by Yvonne caught his eye.

    Approaching his desk, he picked up the quill, and at the same time, the picture of his fianc¨¦e¡ªthe one he had taken from her file¡ªslipped out of his pocket.

    He settled the quill in its holder and picked up the picture, the image of Yvette staring back at him with her verdant eyes.

    Holding the picture in his hand, he whispered softly, "Yvette Oryx... What mysteries lie beneath your surface?"

 IV â€“ Neglect and Lies

    The next morning, I found myself at another awkward breakfast, only this time it was at our home. Sigh, wasn''t it bad enough that yesterday''s breakfast nearly gave me indigestion now I have to deal with this?

    Yvon and I were having breakfast with our parents and eldest sibling, our older brother Yves. Although we were in the same room, it felt like we weren''t on the same continent. Our Mom sat beside Yves and Dad leaned more towards them from the middle, on our side Yvon and I were quietly eating our food.

    "Yves, dear," Mom called, her voice dripping with maternal affection, "Have you given any thought on the commander''s request regarding deploying more troops to the border?"

    "I have," he answered, "I''ve taken it into account while drafting the revisions to the plan we''ve been building to reclaim Rouge Canyon."

    Then dad beamed, "You''re quick to act as always, son."

    Mom turned her attention to our side of the table and asked in a cheerful voice, "Yves, darling! What have you been up to these days? I''ve been so busy that we haven''t had much time to talk lately."

    Yvon muttered just loud enough for me to hear, "By ''lately'' does she mean the first eighteen years of our lives?"

    I stomped on his foot hard and he did a good job at suppressing his yelp.

    Composing himself he answered, "I''ve been studying the research on the Faletusi in the imperial library. It''s been quite difficult since not many scholars have tackled it."

    Mom nodded but seemed to be uninterested in what Yvon was saying but she still had a cheerful expression on her face, "By the way, when is your final evaluation? I take it that this will be your last one since you two will be graduating soon. We wouldn''t want to miss it now, would we?"

    Yvon and I exchanged confused looks. I turned to her and said, "Mom, the final evaluation was three months ago."

    She almost choked on her food, "What?"

    "Also," I continued, "The graduation was held last month. Yvon and I had to miss it since it was in the same week as Yvonne''s wedding, remember?"

    Our parents looked dumbfounded and were speechless.

    "Why didn''t you tell anyone about the evaluation or the graduation?" Yves asked.

    Yvon sighed, "We did, actually, multiple times. For the evaluation we asked all of you to come but you were busy planning the wedding. I asked repeatedly and after the sixth time Yvette said it''d be best if we didn''t push the matter further because your schedules were full. When graduation rolled around it was the week of Yvonne''s wedding and you said that our family should focus on it since our eldest sister getting married was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

    Dad apologized, "I''m really sorry we missed the evaluation and that you had to skip your graduation, things just got so busy."

    "We''re sorry, you two," mom added, "But you have to understand that your sister''s wedding was important, which was why most of our attention was on it. We didn''t mean to miss out on your milestones in your life."

    "You don''t have to explain anything to us Mom, Dad. Yvon and I knew how hectic things were," I said but deep inside I still felt a pang of disappointment.

    Dad held my hand, "Still, we''re sorry sweetheart. You must''ve been looking forward to your graduation."

    "Both of us were actually looking forward to it but what''s the use of crying over yesterday when tomorrow is another day?" I replied.

    Yvon placed his hand on my head ruffling my hair, "While we have your attention, may I bring this one here to the restaurant today? I have to check out the new equipment in the kitchen and have her taste test a new recipe I''ve been working on. Would that be alright?"

    "That''s alright," Mom agreed, "But then you have to accompany her to the tailor this afternoon for her gown fitting. I wanted to be the one with her when she tries the gown on but unfortunately I have a meeting with the intr¨¦polians."

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Yvon furrowed his brows in confusion, "Fitting? Gown fitting? What fitting?"

    "Her wedding gown fitting," Dad said, causing us to be more confused.

    "But I haven''t even picked out a design yet," I interjected.

    "Oh that''s alright," Dad remarked, "Your older sister had three gowns made, remember? You''ll be using one of those. Your mother said you liked one of them."

    I was perplexed, "What?"

    "Yvonne mentioned it during one of her fittings," she explained, "She said that you liked one of the gowns that they were making for her and that you wanted to wear it for your wedding. I thought that it''d be a waste to have another one made when you already have something you like! It''s so nice that you two are close. I''m certain she wouldn''t mind you using one of her extra gowns."

    I forced a laugh and mumbled, "Oh she would mind alright and we aren''t that close."

    Yvon was dumbfounded and leaned towards me whispering, "Hey, your older sister told our mom another bold-faced lie."

    I gave a slight nod, "Mhmm. And why are you talking as if she isn''t your older sister as well?!"

    Then in the midst of that, Yves dropped his cutlery, grabbing everyone''s attention.

    "Yvette is getting married?"

    ?

    After I finished preparing for our trip to town, I headed down stairs and found Yves in his uniform standing in the foyer. He was probably on his way to work.

    I stopped walking for a moment to say goodbye, it would''ve been rude of me just to pass by after locking eyes with him. Maybe if it were Yvon I wouldn''t have batted an eye but I wasn''t close to Yves.

    "We''ll be off now, have a great day at work. See you later!"

    Just as I was about to leave, Yves''s voice stopped me.

    "Is it true that you agreed to the arrangement willingly?"

    I turned to him, surprised by his question, "Yes, I did. Is there a problem?"

    Yves looked puzzled, "No, there''s no problem. I''m just surprised. I didn''t expect you to be compliant, I thought you''d kick up a fuss when you found out that they decided things without your opinion."

    I blinked in confusion, "I what? I kick up a fuss? Where did you even get that idea? I rarely share my opinion, when have I ever kicked up a fuss, Yves?"

    He shook his head, "You don''t have to hide your childish side to me, I know all about it already. Yvonne told me all about how you act up when things don''t go your way. I''m glad that you''re maturing."

    Another lie from Yvonne. Honestly I''m not even surprised anymore.

    Before I could even say anything, he continued, "The agreement between the Nieges and us Oryxes to have a son from their family and a daughter from ours wed has been in place long before you were born. We''re lucky that the agreement didn''t specify which of each family''s children were to be wed because, thanks to it, we were able to find a loophole and keep the agreement and our connection to the Serebro duchy."

    "I''m sorry that you ended up being a political tool, but our parents and the officials of the county are just thinking of what would be best for the county and... for you," he added.

    I''m curious as to what his explanation would be as to how being used as a pawn could be in my best interest.

    "Lev is a good man. You won''t find a better prospective husband here in the capital than him. Mom and Dad made a good choice pairing you up with him."

    I was touched by Yves''s words. When he said that our parents were thinking of what would be best for me I thought that he meant that being a political tool would be beneficial for me but he might''ve been referring to our parents finding a good husband for me.

    "The Nieges had been looking forward to Yvonne becoming a part of their family and were disappointed when her engagement to Lev didn''t happen. Now that you''re Lev''s fianc¨¦e and the wedding is only a few weeks away, you have to be strong. You have to remember that you''re not Yvonne," he added.

    A moment ago I was touched, now it feels like I''m being jabbed repeatedly.

    He continued, "You don''t have to match her wits or her talents. Don''t force yourself to be Yvonne. You''re not her. Just be yourself; you don''t have to pretend to be someone you''re not."

    Though I was irked by his constant comparisons I bit my tongue and forced a smile, the natural looking smile I''ve practiced over and over again to hide my emotions. A smile that only Yvon could see through.

    "I''ll keep that in mind, Yves. Now I really have to go, Yvon''s waiting. Goodbye," As I walked away I muttered, "And I was beginning to think that our conversation was going well, sigh."

    ?

    As the carriage rattled down the cobbled street, I gazed out the window with a sour expression.

    "What''s with the glum look? You''re ugly enough as it is!" Yvonne quipped.

    Irked, I threw a pillow at his face.

    "Honestly, what''s with that expression?" He asked, his tone more serious.

    "I ran into Yves on my way out of the house and he told me that he was surprised that I didn''t kick up a fuss when I found out that our parents decided on my engagement without my opinion and that he didn''t expect me to be compliant about it."

    Yvon was confused, "You? Kick up a fuss? We''ve lived under the same roof since we were kids and he says something like that? Let me guess, this tidbit of information was something dear Yvonne told him?"

    "Mhmm," I replied.

    "That girl is really something. I can''t really understand her," he said, "She''s smart and talented, you''d think being the ''golden girl'' would be enough for her but no, even though she has a flock of admirers her inferiority complex just goes through the roof! I don''t even understand why she has an inferiority complex to begin with!"

    I sighed and went to Yvon''s side of the carriage to lie down on his leg.

    "I don''t get why she has to put us, more you than me, down in order to put herself on a pedestal," Yvon said as he petted me like some sort of pet.

    If only our older sister''s negative traits ended at her narcissism and inferiority complex.

 V â€“ The chiefs of Yugen and the truth about how we won the war

    When we arrived at our family''s restaurant, Yvon and I were greeted warmly by the staff, a contrast to the tension we''d left behind at home. Trailing closely behind were Yvon''s attendant Toini and my newly appointed attendant Eugen.

    This restaurant is the foundation of our family''s conglomerate. We''ve owned it long before we were nobles, it''s the first business that the Oryxes ever established.

    Our grandfather, the former count of Sunglen, is currently the chairman of the conglomerate. After our grandmother passed away, he stepped down from his title and became the chairman in her stead passing the title of count to our dad knowing that he would do a good job.

    Yvon and I are fond of our grandfather. In a family where we''re often overlooked, our grandparents had been our anchors. When we found out that grandmother chose Yvon to inherit the restaurant, he cried himself to sleep that night feeling grateful that he had something to remember her by, a piece of her legacy.

    As we entered the kitchen, Yvon immediately checked the new oven that had just been installed. His eyes looked like they had sparkles in them as he inspected it just like when he was a child and grandfather made him a wooden sword as a toy.

    He busied himself with preparing a Gryphkin ¨¤ l''Fraise filling the kitchen with the enticing aroma. I watched quietly as he cooked, seeing how tranquil he looked. It reminded me of the days when grandmother was teaching us how to make her famous Lumifin ¨¤ la Firefruit.

    Ever since she died, Yvon changed. Only those who knew him well would notice how he had become more dissembling. I think part of the reason why he had changed was because she didn''t die from natural causes and he couldn''t help catch the culprit because he was drugged making his testimony unreliable.

    Whenever I ask him about that day he turns pale and silent so I don''t press any further. I know better than anyone that he isn''t the type to be quiet about things like this and that even if he doesn''t tell me, I know he''s already working on catching the person behind grandmother''s death.

    Once he was finished cooking he plated the dish and presented it to us, "And voila! Gryphkin ¨¤ l''Fraise courtesy of your favorite chef."

    I took a bite and my eyes widened,  "You really are grandma''s prot¨¦g¨¦! It tastes so good! Toini, Eugen! Have a taste!"

    Tioni approached with a smile but Eugen had a disapproving look on his face.

    "Is there something wrong?" Yvon asked, "You seem annoyed."

    "Apologies, young master," said Eugen, "Please pay me no attention."

    Yvon crossed his arms, "I can''t exactly ''pay it no attention'' when dissatisfaction is painted all across your face. Why don''t you just do us both a favor and tell me what this is all about?"

    Eugen sighed and hesitated for a bit before replying, "Please, young master, I don''t want to offend you and the young miss on my first day at work but I can''t exactly control my emotions either. I apologize for offending you but please, it''s best if you choose not to push this topic further."

    Yvon leaned in with a smirk on his lips, "Don''t worry, I don''t bite! It''s better to be honest after all, right? Come on, Eugen."

    I sighed. I know he''s deliberately pushing Eugen''s buttons and he''s obviously enjoying this.

    Eugen came from an aristocratic family in the east of Vreqiseon, he came to the capital when he was sixteen to study to become a doctor and has been sponsored by our family ever since. His family was heavily affected in the most recent war, they lost their fortune and had to start from scratch. Eugen studied harder and begged our parents to have him work while studying in order to support his family.

    He was one of our dad''s attendants, learning from Alfred dad''s main attendant, for nearly a year before becoming Yvonne''s attendant right up until her wedding. He took a month off of work to visit his family timing it with his school break and when he came back yesterday was assigned to be my attendant. Apparently, it was our dad''s idea after hearing Eugen say that Yvonne wanted him to watch over her little siblings.

    Still teasing the visibly agitated Eugen, Yvon continued, " Look, why don''t you do us both a favor and just spit it out?"

    Clicking his tongue, Eugen glared at us, "Honestly! I was politely asking you to refrain from pressing this any further! I need this job to feed my family! It''s already bad enough that I have to work for one of the two ungrateful brats of Oryxes who don''t appreciate the crown princess! Despite not wanting to become either of you two''s attendant I''m still here because I am keeping my word to her radiance to take care of her darling siblings! I don''t understand how you can harbor ill feelings for someone who loves you so much!"

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Yvon whistled and approached Eugen who was trembling in fear. He probably thought Yvon was going to reprimand him but my brother just laughed and patted his shoulder, "See, isn''t it good to let that off your chest? Quite the opinion of us you have there. Tell me, how long have you been sponsored by our family for your studies again?"

    Still trembling, Eugen stuttered, "F-Five years, y-young master."

    Nodding, Yvon said, "That long, huh? I''ve heard you''re one of the top students in your class. Well, keep up the good work! My little sister and I are going to need your medical expertise. Huh? Why are you shaking?"

    "Probably because he was afraid you''d fire him, young master," said Tioni.

    "What for? I just asked him what he was thinking about. Don''t worry, you''ll still be working with me and that brat over there for many years to come!"

    Confused, Eugen asked, "I beg y-your pardon?"

    Yvon smirked, "Why don''t we go for a little walk?"

    I shook my head and went to the two of them, hitting my brother''s head, "I''d prefer it if you didn''t call me a brat."

    ?

    Eugen sat across from Yvon, his heart pounding like loud drums. Realizing that he had spoken rudely to his employers he was terrified of losing not only his job and his sponsors but also his life based on what he knew about the twins.

    During his time as Yvonne''s attendant, she often expressed her concerns about her youngest siblings to Eugen saying that Yvon was impudent and arrogant, someone who thought that he was better than those around him and that Yvette was a spoiled little girl who would throw tantrums if things didn''t go her way. Yvonne stressed that she did her best to appease them to prevent any overboard reactions. Now, faced with the intimidating aura of Yvon and the sharp gaze of Yvette, Eugen was terrified.

    They brought him to a secret location. Toini pulled a lever in the kitchen, opening a hidden door that led down a dark hallway leading to where they were now, an office.

    ''Where am I'', Eugen asked himself, ''Is this how I die?''

    Then, suddenly, the door burst open and a man carrying a pile of paperwork who sounded irked stormed in.

    "Tsk, these files should''ve been sorted yesterday! I told those rascals to finish these by sunset but as usual they didn''t listen."

    Noticing the other people in the room, the man paused, "Oh, it''s just you chiefs. I was wondering why the others were frantic. Sigh, and here I thought a high-profile customer came by."

    A tad bit irritated, Yvon replied, "I don''t think that''s something you say to your bosses, now is it, Nacht?"

    Hearing the man''s name sent a shiver down Eugen''s spine, his mind forming a bad hunch.

    In Vreqiseon there was a famous and elusive guild known throughout the empire called Yugen. Known  for not discriminating between social classes, Yugen made a good ally as well as a dangerous enemy to have. One of its four chief of staffs was named Nacht, the "Swordsman of the Moon," a former vigilante.

    Eugen trembled seeing the serious look on Nacht''s face. He examined the room again, putting the pieces together.

    "N-Nacht?! A-As in,Nacht of Yugen? A-Am I in Yugen?" he stuttered.

    With a deadpan expression, Nacht turned to Toini and asked, "What did they drag in now?"

    Eugen gathered his courage and asked, ""H-He, I mean, Mister Nacht, c-called y-you two chiefs... D-Does that mean y-you two are the leaders of Y-Yugen?!"

    Toini nodded, "That''s right. The young master and the young miss are the chiefs of Yugen."

    Stunned but still afraid, Eugen mustered up the courage to ask, "W-What does Yugen want from me? W-Why did you bring me here?!"

    Yvon leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips. "What do we want from you? Well, that''s easy! We want to recruit you."

    ''Recruit? Me? They want to recruit me?'' Eugen thought.

    Out loud, he stammered, "D-Did I hear you right? Y-You want to recruit me?"

    "Yeah!" Yvon replied, "Do you need me to say it again? We want to recruit you!"

    Yvette, who was sipping hot chocolate, added to what her twin brother was saying, "Yugen is searching for someone to become its resident doctor. Yvon said this earlier, we''re in need of your medical expertise, not to mention you were raised by merchants, what you know about that trade may come in handy."

    "D-Do I even have a choice here?" Eugen''s voice trembled as he asked, "You revealed to me that you two are the chiefs of Yugen. Can I even live if I decline this?"

    Yvon laughed, "You think we''re going to kill you? What kind of people do you think we are?"

    "I know exactly what kind of people you are!" Eugen shot back.

    "Do you?" Toini stepped in, "Earlier, you said you ''work for one of the two ungrateful brats of Oryxes who don''t appreciate the crown princess.'' That statement makes it clear to me that you don''t know them at all and it also shows that you don''t know your precious crown princess either, Eugen."

    Nacht, sensing the conversation taking a dangerous turn, tried to intervene. "Oi, Toni¡ª"

    "It''s fine, Nacht," Yvon cut him off.

    Toini continued, "During the most recent war against Aewratis, your hometown, the Uchus viscounty, was taken over by Aewratis and became a warzone. It devastated your home and its people. Your family was greatly affected by it. You were once aristocrats but are now starting from scratch."

    Eugen clenched his fists,"What does that have to do with recruiting me?"

    "What if I told you that Aewratis didn''t simply take over Uchus by their overwhelming military but because an insider helped them take Uchus?" Toini said.

    Shocked, Eugen shouted, "What did you just say?! You better have some evidence to back that up, Toini, because that is a bold claim to make!"

    Toini threw a folder onto the table, Eugen''s hands trembled as he opened it. It contained detailed evidence of an insider selling off not just Uchus, but several small territories of Vreqiseon to Aewratis during the most recent war. It outlined how this insider had seen it as a strategic decision to ensure the long-term stability of the empire, negotiating underhanded deals to concentrate resources on critical battles and avoid more devastating defeats.

    The report detailed the discreet execution of the insider''s plan, secret negotiations entrusted to loyal intermediaries, secret codes, and encrypted messages used to coordinate with the enemy. As Eugen read the entire report, his world shattered. The insider was none other than the future empress of Vreqiseon.

    Eugen''s voice was barely a whisper, shaking as he said the name of the insider, "The crown princess... Yvonne?"

 VI - Web of lies

    Shocked by what he had just learned, Eugen sat in silence, the weight of the truth making his world crumble. How could the crown princess, the person he trusted, relied on, and looked up to be responsible for the atrocities that had fallen on his home? Selling off territories and sending their people to become prisoners of war was something he didn''t expect to be something the future empress was capable of.

    The room was filled with a heavy atmosphere, the only sound heard was the steady ticking of the clock on the wall. Eugen couldn''t tear his eyes away from the evidence laid out in front of him, each time he reread it, his respect for the crown princess crumbled.

    Gathering the courage to speak, his voice trembled as he asked, "I-Is this all true?"

    "Information gathered by Yugen is meticulously checked. We have reputable private investigators in our ranks who operate within the boundaries of the law and follow standard procedures including but not limited to but not limited to eye witness accounts, first hand testimonies of the parties in question, cross referencing the data they gathered to verify accuracy," Toini stated.

    Nacht, with his brows furrowed, interjected "He just asked you a yes or no question. Was it even necessary to explain to him how Yugen operates?"

    Toini rolled her eyes at Nacht, "Even though I already laid out the facts before him I don''t think he''ll be convinced by it immediately if we don''t give him a reason to trust the information we''ve provided. We can''t blame him for being skeptical. After all, his entire world just flipped upside down. The person he thought helped his family get through the war was actually the one that destroyed their lives."

    Feeling anger and sadness engulf him, Eugen exclaimed, "B-But her radiance was the one who was keen on helping my family! I-I don''t understand! Why would she help us if she''s the reason why we''re suffering?!"

    "It''s simply really," said Yvon, "Aiding your family would help maintain her ''golden girl'' persona. It''s a ploy to be seen positively as the ''kind crown princess'' by her future subjects."

    Then, with a heavy tone tinged with anger, Toini spoke, "Now answer my question, Eugen. Can you still say that you know exactly what kind of people the young miss and young master are? And can you say that you really knew the kind of person the crown princess really is?"

    Eugen was silent, unable to give a rebuttal.

    Toini continued, "You don''t know them at all. You don''t know the young miss, the young master, and you definitely don''t even know the woman you once called your mistress! So how dare you judge them based on what you''ve only heard from the mouth of that venobra when you have no idea what kind of horrors our chiefs had to endure under the hands of your precious crown princess!"

    ?

    Ever since Toini could remember she was living in the Sunglen estate in the capital, it was one of the perks of her parents being both the head maid and head butler. For many staff members, the estate wasn''t just a workplace, it was a home to them and their families.

    Though she was friends with many of the other staff members'' children, Toini was close to the youngest children of the count and countess, the twins.

    Growing up, when asked to describe the twins Toini would often say that Yvon is "wild"because he would often drag her and Yvette to unexpected situations like exploring Sablewood Forest- a dangerous forest filled with wild animals that is said to be home to a legendary creature *Fyrnix. As for Yvette, Toini would describe her as "resilient" like steel because Yvette showed strength, durability, and reliability much like steel in spite of all they were experiencing.

    (Fyrnix - creature resembling a fox with a striking coat of iridescent red and orange fur, reminiscent of flames. Its most distinctive feature is its bushy tail, which contains specialized glands that secrete a volatile, oil-like substance.)

    Because she was close to the Oryx family, Toini knew just how complex they were.

    For eight generations, the House of Oryx has been the governors of Sunglen and they were known for being politically neutral and would only side with those whom they thought would help their land, their people, and the empire as a whole. The current count and countess, Aldous and Dulcenia, exceed their predecessors in terms of governing their county. Toini would often note to herself that despite being good governors, they weren''t good parents.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Being close to the Oryxes, saw how the count and countess were around all four of their children. They loved all of them sure but not equally, or at least that''s how Toini saw it. Whether unconsciously or intentionally, the count and countess doted on their eldest son and daughter more.

    Toini could somewhat understand why they put more attention on them. Yves was a prodigy in swordsmanship, it was evident from when he was young and many valorian academies, guilds, and private valorian brigades were interested in his skill and reached out to their family. Yvonne on the other hand was just as talented as her older brother in swordsmanship, not only that but Yvonne was smart and showed that she had a knack for politics even at a young age.

    Given people''s overwhelming attention and interest in the eldest children, Toini understood why the count and countess were focused on them but what she didn''t understand was why they couldn''t seem to spare some time for the twins.

    Growing up, the four Oryx children were constantly compared to each other and more of then than not, Toini saw that the twins would be pitied because they weren''t as talented or as capable as their older siblings.

    The count and countess didn''t neglect or abuse the twins but they weren''t as affectionate or as interested in them as they were with Yves and Yvonne.

    Toini saw how desperately the twins sought their parents'' attention and affection, continuously doing their best to be noticed by those around them but they just couldn''t reach the level of talents their older siblings did at that age.

    And that wasn''t all that Toini saw, because growing up in the Sunglen estate meant that she grew up with the Oryx children including the "golden girl", Yvonne.

    Toini was one of the few people who knows what kind of person the empire''s crown princess truly is.

    When she was six, the Oryxes were having pictures of their everyday life painted. Toini saw the beloved darling of high society''s manipulative side. Hidden in a secret room, she watched as the then nine year old Yvonne brutally raised her hand and slapped her then five year old little siblings. That scene was burned in her mind as it was the first time that she''d seen her usually cheerful friends shake in fear and the seemingly kind Yvonne have a dark and cold expression on her face.

    Toini watched as Yvonne repeatedly slapped her younger brother and listened to their conversation with tears in her eyes.

    "Didn''t I tell you to break that vase, Yvon? I''m sure that I repeated that to you twice," the nine year old Yvonne said as she looked down on her younger brother who had hit the ground from the force of her slap.

    Quivering in fear, the then five year old Yvon mustered up the courage to reply to Yvonne, "B-But grandma bought that for mommy, they''ll be sad if I-I break it."

    "That''s not right, Yvon," said Yvonne and then grabbed the boy by his cheeks, and spoke to them as though she was directing and writing a play for all to see, "You''re supposed to be the ''naughty boy''. That''s who you are, remember? I have to be the caring older sister, little Yvette here is the spoiled brat that wants to be like me. That''s who you two are. How can I play the role of a caring older sister if you don''t stick to what I tell you to do? If I tell people you''re a naughty boy, you should be one! Do you want to turn me into a liar, Yvon?"

    "N-No! I don''t want to make you into a liar b-but Yvonne mommy likes that vase!" Yvon retorted, earning him another heavy slap from Yvonne.

    "Why are you acting up today?" asked Yvonne as though she wasn''t doing anything wrong and then turned her attention to the little five year old Yvette who was shaking behind Yvon, "Oh, I know what to do! Yvette come here."

    Before the little girl could even muster up the courage to reply, Yvonne dragged her and had her lift up her skirt and whipped it until they bled. Yvon could do nothing but watch as his twin cried because Yvonne tied him to her bed making him unable to run to his twin''s aid.

    "Muffle your cries, Yvette. Nobles should be dignified even in pain," said Yvonne then went to Yvon taking off the muffle she had put over his mouth, "Look at her, Yvon. She''s bleeding, she''s hurt. It''s your fault she''s like that, because you weren''t obedient."

    Yvon cried out, "P-Please, Yvonne. D-Don''t hurt Yvette anymore! I-I''ll break the vase! J-Just don''t hit her!"

    With a warm smile on her face, Yvonne let Yvon go and he rushed towards Yvette. The twins trembled as they embraced each other fearing their older sister that was closely approaching.

    Yvonne hugged the both of them and kissed their foreheads, "See, that wasn''t so bad. Don''t forget I love you two."

    And Yvon did what Yvonne had asked him to do, he broke the vase accidentally damaging the painter''s things and like she had planned, Yvonne came swooping in apologizing for her brother''s unruly behavior getting complimented because she was a kind and capable older sister.

    Toini saw the manipulative side of Yvonne, the girl almost everyone liked and how her deceit and manipulation escalated as the years went by affecting not only the twins but even Toini herself.

    In the eyes of outsiders caught in her web of lies Yvonne was a precious gem but for Toini, the twins, and those that knew who she truly was, her cruelty was a relentless nightmare they couldn''t escape from.

 VII - Yvons dream

    Yvon noticed that Toini was getting more agitated so he called her, "Toini, grab a cold glass of water and cool off."

    Toini furrowed her brows and clicked her tongue, she left the room huffing and puffing slamming the door shut.

    Yvon then turned his attention to Yugen who looked glum, trying to lighten up the tense mood in the room he said, "Sorry about her behavior, she''s usually like that with people who like Yvonne so try not to take it to heart."

    Eugen asked, "What do you mean when you say that she''s usually like that with people who like the crown princess?"

    Even though he was busy sorting out the files in front of him, Nach chimed in, ""It''s because she''s irked that such a nefarious woman can be so loved by many."

    "Toini... She''s gone through a lot at that venobra''s hands," Yvon added, his tone tinged with bitterness.

    Eugen was shocked to hear someone call the crown princess a venobra but at this point he understood why they called her that, ""S-She''s one of the crown princess'' victims too? When you say that she''s been through a lot... W-What kind of things has she gone through?"

    Putting on a fake smile, Yvon responded, "That''s not my story to tell. What I can tell you though is my story and why we want to recruit you."

    Yvon began taking off his coat much to Eugen''s surprise and as he was doing so Toini returned to the room with a pitcher of ice-cold water. Eugen''s eyes widened as he saw a long scar running from Yvon''s left arm up to his shoulder.

    "See this?" Yvon asked, "I got this scar when I was eight during a family outing. People think I got it when I fell off the cliff but that''s not exactly the truth. As punishment for disobeying Yvonne she whipped me with a branch that''s how I got the scar. The falling of the cliff part happened when I was desperately running away from her and accidentally fell off into the river."

    Eugen''s face twisted in horror hearing what Yvon had to say.

    Yvon continued as he poured Eugen a cup of hot chocolate, "Now, I know you''re wondering why we want to recruit you. Well, it''s simple really. Yugen is a famous guild that is employed by all sorts of people and these days more often than not the jobs have been dangerous, perilous actually might be the better word to use here. That''s why we need a resident doctor, preferably more than one but we''ve got to start somewhere. You''re one of the top medical students in the academy right now, fifteenth place in ranking if I remember correctly. If we were to try and recruit numbers 1 to 5 or even numbers 1 to 10, we''d have lots of competition, which is why I instructed Nacht to pick from numbers 11 to 20. So here we are. You want to help your family thrive again and we''re giving you the opportunity to do just that. You don''t have to worry about doing anything illegal, Yugen is a business that operates lawfully!"

    Eugen mustered up the courage and met Yvon''s eyes, "M-Might I ask you a question, y-young master?"

    Yvon, crossing his legs, responds "Ask away!"

    "What do you want?" said Eugen, "You''re offering me a job and helping me get what I want because it''s in Yugen''s best interest but not once have you mentioned what it is you want. You may be the chief of Yugen and look after the guild but surely there''s something that you personally want or dream of. Forgive me if I''m sounding rude but I no longer want to blindly admire or work for someone without at least a little understanding of who they truly are."

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Smiling, a genuine smile this time, Yvon answered, "What I want is just this, to live in a place far from my older sister''s reach, a place where I can feel safe from her. You could say that I''m a coward because I don''t have the courage to face her, but that''s just how much she scares me. You have no idea how many times I''ve waited to die at her hands. I just want to be free from her clutches. And it''s not just me¡ªI don''t want the people I care about to be under her thumb. I want a place where we can be safe from her demented perfectionism and narcissism. I want to build an empire that would keep me and my loved ones safe from her."

    Eugen''s eyes widened. "What did you just say?"

    Face palming, Toini chugs down the cold water Nacht just poured for her, "And there it is, the young master''s crazy dream."

    Yvon smirked, "You heard right. I said I want to build an empire that would keep me and my loved ones safe from her like I said before what I want is to live with the people I love in a place far from my older sister''s reach. But think about it, I can''t be free from her clutches if I live in an empire where she reigns as empress. Which is why this dream of mine isn''t going to be easy to get. I want to build an empire strong enough to stand against Vreqiseon, one that Yvonne can''t touch. Does that answer your question?"

    Eugen was left astounded, "Y-Yes..."

    "And just to be clear, we didn''t want to recruit you using what we knew about your family''s situation or what Yvonne had done," Yvon added, "That wasn''t even part of any plan we made. Toini just got angry, which is why the secret got spilled."

    Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Toini slammed the glass on the mini bar, "Tsk! It''s because this guy was being judgmental about you two when he doesn''t even know anything about you except from the twisted things he''s heard from his precious crown princess!"

    Nacht patted Eugen''s shoulder, "Don''t mind her; she''s overly protective of the chiefs."

    "We don''t need an answer immediately," said Yvon, "You can think about our recruitment offer for a week if you want¡ª"

    But before he could even finish what he was saying, Eugen interrupted, "I''ll become Yugen''s resident doctor."

    Toini''s eyes widened in surprise, "Can you repeat that one more time?"

    Then with determination in his eyes Eugen replied, his voice resolute, "I said I''ll be Yugen''s resident doctor! I want to help my family and accepting your offer will do just that, chief. Just promise me this, that when you build your empire young master, I''ll be the first official imperial doctor."

    Everyone in the room was happily surprised at Eugen''s words.

    "I too would want to live in an empire that is free from the hands of the woman who caused the destruction of my home and the life I''ve known," added Eugen, "So count me into your roster of talents, chief."

    Smiling, Yvon put his arm on Eugen''s shoulder, "Welcome to Yugen!"

    ?

    After that, Nacht helped Eugen fill out the necessary documents needed to be officially employed in Yugen. Once that was settled, he was introduced to the rest of the guild who were currently at the base: Zora, Vandilo, and Haetsal. They all welcomed him warmly as another addition to their ever-growing company.

    "Hey chief!" Haetsal said cheerfully to Yvon, "How about a small party to mark the happy occasion?"

    Yvon smiled, amused by the youngest member of Yugen''s suggestion, "Sure why not? I''ll whip up something special using what we have in the *frostvault."

    (Frostvault - a cutting-edge solar-powered kitchen appliance that uses advanced cooling and atmosphere control technologies to maintain optimal storage conditions for perishables. Inspired from a refrigerator)

    He headed to the kitchen and skillfully prepared a sumptuous meal. The appetizing aromas filled the base and made everyone''s stomach rumble with anticipation.

    After the scrumptious lunch, Haetsal leaned back in her chair looking adorably full. Then she turned towards her bosses with a curious expression on her face.

    "Oh yeah, I almost forgot to ask, what brings you here today, chiefs? I thought you were going to leave recruiting Eugen to Vandilo?"

    Yvon, busy doing the dishes, looked at Haetsal and replied, "Something came up and we decided to recruit him today while we''re here."

    Haetsal pouted, not satisfied with his vague answer, "Chief, that doesn''t answer my question at all. What are you doing at the base all of a sudden? It''s unusual for you to drop by without notice."

    Yvon sighed and answered the curious sixteen year old, "That''s because your other chief over there is getting married by the end of the month."

    Suddenly, all eyes turned towards Yvette who was quietly eating her lunch.

    "What are you all looking at me like that for?" she asked mischievously, "Aren''t you going to congratulate me?"

    Then they all exclaimed in unison, "WWWWWHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTT?!"

 VIII - What an uncomfortable visit to the boutique

    "You''re getting married by the end of the month?! This is the first time I''m hearing of this Yvette!" Toini exclaimed.

    I couldn''t help but chuckle at her reaction, she was so worked up that she disregarded any honorifics.

    Yvon sat down beside me and grabbed my drink, "If it makes you feel any better, the bride-to-be just found out about her wedding yesterday."

    Nacht interjected, "Is this some sort of joke?"

    "If it was then at the very least it would''ve been funny but nope, this is happening," Yvon replied.

    Haetsal, teary-eyed, asked, "The chief is getting married?! To whom?!"

    "Lev Niege," I answered.

    Suddenly, the room went silent before Vandilo broke it, "Lev Niege?! he youngest vice-captain of the imperial valorians? The so-called ''Swift Blade of the Battlefield''? Not to mention, the forlorn suitor of ''the crown prince and the golden girl''?! That Lev Niege?!"

    He accidentally hit the glass Yvon was drinking from but didn''t notice, my brother was ticked but just shrugged it off, "Why didn''t you mention him being the Duke of Serebro''s second son and a future marquis while you were at it? But to answer your question, yes we''re talking about that very same Lev Niege."

    Haetsal then stepped in, voicing concern, "Isn''t this way too sudden? Didn''t your older sister get married a month ago?"

    Zora then chimed in, "I think that''s precisely why things are moving fast, right? Ever since the royal wedding, the alliance between Serebro and Sunglen has been hanging in the air. During your grandparents'' generation, Serebro and Sunglen were at odds, practically at war against each other. Your parents managed to form an alliance with the agreement that a daughter from Oryx and a son from Niege would get married. Doing so would not only bring the two families together but also form a strong partnership in which both territories would mutually benefit."

    She continued, "When their radiances got married, that alliance was in danger of being broken, and both sides couldn''t afford to be at war with each other. So they came up with a solution quickly."

    I smiled, "Excellent deduction as usual, Zora."

    "Did they even ask your opinion on this?!" Toini shouted in frustration.

    But before I could even answer, Yvon spoke up, "Of course they didn''t, and guess what? This was approved by the empress. It''s basically an imperial directive."

    Except for Yvon, everyone''s eyes widened in shock.

    "WHAT?! And why do you seem so calm about this Yvette?!" Toini asked.

    I grabbed my drink from Yvon who was surprised that I snatched it off his hands and said, "Because I''m the kind of person to use what I have to my advantage."

    Haetsal noticed the smirk on my face and tugged on Zora''s clothes, "S-She''s smirking... Should we be worried?"

    Nacht sighed as she saw what Haetsal was talking about, "As long as the opponent isn''t their older these twins are a force to be reckoned with."

    "Ah dingy... What''s she cooking up in that brain of hers now?" said Zora, "Hey newbie, pay attention to what I''m about to say. Between the chiefs you best not be messing with her. Like Yugen itself, chief Nanami is someone who''s a good friend but a horrific enemy to have. You understand?"

    Eugen, looking a bit overwhelmed, nodded and replied, "G-Got it..."

    "You people make it sound like I''m a villain!" I retorted.

    "You''re not, both of you aren''t but if we''re being totally honest here, as long as the opponent isn''t your older sister, both you and chief Nagisa can be pretty scary," said Vandilo.

    "So what are you planning?" asked Zora, "Care to share a glimpse into that brain of yours?"

    I gave them a mischievous smile, "I wouldn''t want to spoil my surprise, but I''ll give you a hint: phase one of our plan just became easier thanks to my fianc¨¦."

    ?

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    After lunch, Yvon, Toini, Eugen and I made our way back to the restaurant through the same passageway that we came through, heading to my dress fitting.

    This time, we all rode in the same carriage because the one Toini and Eugen rode coming here had broken a wheel. The coachman blamed the rocky roads but the truth of it was that Haetsal had broken it off under my command so that we could brief Eugen on his new duties as Yugen''s doctor without suspicion.

    When we arrived at the boutique the staff welcomed us and showed us to the private room. The boutique''s staff didn''t waste any time and showed us three gowns.

    Toini''s eyes widened as she recognized the gowns, "Young miss, aren''t these her radiances extra gowns from her wedding?"

    I only nodded in response, feeling a bit uneasy myself now that I''ve seen them again. Toini and Eugen looked shocked, even the botique''s staff looked uncomfortable because wearing any one of those would cause a stir given current situations, contoversies, as well as what high society knows about our family.

    Toini was getting womed up again so I turned to my brother, "Yvon do something about her, she''s close to blowing her lid!"

    Yvon sighed but took Toini out of the boutique to cool her off.

    The botique''s stylist then went ahead and told us about each gown including who had it made for my older sister, each one was a gift to her.

    The first was a ballgown with puffy shoulders, long sleeves, and had multiple layers of fabric. Reminiscent of the gown we read in a fairytale when we were children. This gown was from our grandfather and though it was beautiful its designer was currently embroiled in a scandal for exploiting his workers.

    The second was from our maternal aunt who lived in the eastern continent. It was a beautiful blend of eastern and western styles, far easier to move in than the ball gown but wearing it would be insensitive given the current strained relations between Vreqiseon and Goujia.

    The third was a gift from the emperor, an opulent gown that had intricate details resembling battlefield armor, a nod to my older sister''s nickname "The Battlefield Princess" laced with tule that was golden color and embroidery inspired from lions, the representative animal of the imperial family. It was obviously specifically meant for Yvonne and Haneul''s wedding. Wearing it at our wedding would seem like I''m blatantly copying my older sister or that I was jealous of her position and want it for myself.

    This entire dress fitting made me uncomfortable. All three of these were specifically tailored for Yvonne and if she found out I''d be wearing them she''d be furious not only because I would be using something that was hers but also for dragging the family name into the mud but then again, humiliating me has been a staple for her.

    The stylist who seemed like she was somewhat aware of my discomfort smirked as though she found the situation amusing, "I was told by the countess that her radiance gave these to you for your future wedding! You must look up to her a lot, copying what she does, even getting married a month after she did! It''s regretful that her radiance won''t be able to attend your wedding, I heard that news travels slowly in the western part of Aewratis, their radiances won''t even know what''s happening in Vreqiseon until the news arrives to them a week or two later!"

    "H-Hey!" another staff member called out to their colleuge but the stylist didn''t pay them attention.

    "How lucky you are, young miss, to have such a kind and dependable older sister, it must be hard measuring up to a sibling like that! It''s understandable you''d want to be like her but not everyone can reach her achievents, you know? I tried to become like her too but it''s not that easy, I''m certain you know what I mean," the stylist continued.

    Eugen shot her an incredulous look, the manager of the boutique even dropped the box of shoes she was holding.

    I could see a vein pop up in his forehead but he tried to be respectful and dignified, it reminded me that he was an excellent attendant.

    "They all look lovely! Just what you''d expect something the future empress would recieve as gifts for their radiances wedding! While it''d be nice to hear about each of them some more, unfortunately, the young miss has a prior engagement. I will step outside so you can take her measurements¡ª"

    "Oh of course!" the stylist interupted, "However, I have to ask the young miss which gown she wants to have repaired."

    Confused, I asked, "I beg your pardon? I was under the impression that all three were to be altered to my size. Was that not the case?"

    The stylist chuckled, "Oh no, you''ve misunderstood, young miss! Only one of the dresses will be altered, and the rest will be taken back into storage as a memento of the imperial wedding. So which of the three will it be?"

    I forced a smile, hiding my true emotions.

    "Oh they''re all so beautiful it''s hard to choose just one!" I said cheerfully.

    Eugen was taken aback by my sudden shift in attitude but we had to get through this without any problems especially simce the stylist is openly hostile towards me.

    They say that a sword is scary but I''m more afraid of a smiling and kind face that spouts hurtful things even though I''m used to seeing such things.

    "Would you mind if I take some time to decide which of these I''ll have altered?" I asked.

    "We won''t mind at all!" answered the stylist, "Though, in order to alter it for the wedding, we would need to know which gown you would like altered by the end of the week."

    "Thank you for your consideration," I said politely. "See you soon!"

    Once we were outside, I turned to Yvon whose fists were shaking.

    Back to my usual self, I asked, "What''s wrong?"

    "H-How can you stay calm when she was passive-agressively insulting you?! She was implying that you were copying your older sister!" he exclaimed.

    And then his face looked like he realized something, "Y-You''re used to this. You expected this would happen. How long have you endured this?"

    "For as long as I can remember," I answered and looked at the botique, "That woman is Yvonne''s personal stylist," I explained. "Like you, I''m sure my older sister has filled her head with all sorts of ideas about me. I''d be lying if I said I was fine but it''s nothing new."

    Eugen looked at me with pity. "I-I''m sorry, young miss. I judged you without even knowing who you were. I apologize for my actions, chief."

    Smiling, I answered, "Apology accepted. Now let''s go find Yvon and Toini."

 IX - The attempted murder at the cafÃ©

    Eugen and I headed to the nearby cafe owned by a friend of mine and were escorted by the staff into a private room where Yvon and Toini were waiting for us while snacking on macaroons.

    "Hey, how''d your fitting go?" my brother asked.

    I told them what had happened and irked, Toini crushed the macaroon she was holding.

    "I just got her to calm down..." muttered Yvon, "That poor macaroon..."

    Hearing this, Toini hit Yvon, "Poor macaroon?! How about poor Yvette?! Your twin sister is about to become the center of attention all for the wrong reasons because of her wedding gown and you''re worrying about dessert?!"

    "It''s not like she''s panicking, look at her she''s way too calm about this just like when she told me she was getting married! If anything I''m worried! Who knows what plan she''s got cooking up!" he retorted, "What are you hittin me for?! I''m your boss, you know?!"

    "Before you were my boss you were my friend, who is two years younger!" said Toini.

    Instead of talking back to Toini, Yvon turned to me and asked, "Are you really going to wear one of those gowns to your wedding? I know that it''s obvious but I''ll say it anyway, if you wear any one of those it''s going to be problematic socially and dangerous when you-know-who finds out."

    I stuffed a macaroon into Toini''s mouth to keep her from getting into another fit of anger, "Don''t worry, I''ve got it covered."

    After swallowing the macaroon, Toini asked, "And exactly how do you plan to avoid hot watters?"

    I smiled mischievously, "That''s something that I''ll have to discuss with Marleigh."

    ?

    After lunch, Yvon and I decided to head home early. We finished everything we planned to do and he wanted to get some rest before heading back to Yugen''s headquarters tonight for a meeting with a VIP client.

    As we were leaving the cafe, all the curtains in the cafe were drawn simultaneously and it suddenly got dark.

    Confused, Eugen asked, "What''s going on?"

    Then a loud thud was heard.

    "What was that?" Toini asked.

    "Open the curtains!" said one of the customers.

    When sunlight entered the cafe, most froze in fear at the sight of a woman''s body on the floor. She was still alive, wiggling around, but losing blood fast, a puddle of blood was slowly forming under her.

    A man and a woman screamed in shock and though we were just as surprised as them we knew that we had to act fast, a person''s life was on the line.

    "Allister!" Yvon called to the manager. "Secure the area! Someone''s been stabbed! If anyone acts suspiciously, apprehend them! Don''t let anyone out!"

    Eugen immediately approached the victim and assessed her condition. "Ma''am, my name is Eugen Gu¨¦risseur. Can you hear me?"

    Eugen immediately approached the woman to assess her condition, "Ma''am, my name is Eugen Gu¨¦risseur. Can you hear me?"

    The woman groaned in reply, something sounding like a "yes".

    "Ma''an, we''re going to turn you on your back to see what''s causing you to lose blood," Eugen explained to the woman and then asked me for help, "Young miss, please help me carefully do so."

    Together, we turned her on her back and saw a stab wound.

    Toini exclaimed, "That looks deep!

    "It is," Eugen replied as he put on the gloves he carried in his inner coat, "Toini I need your towel, now!"

    She handed him the towel quickly and then he began to apply pressure on the wound, but the blood was quickly soaking through.

    "DOES ANYONE HAVE A CLEAN TOWEL, CLOTH, OR FABRIC?!" I shouted.

    "Here," said a familiar voice.

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    A hand appeared, holding out two towels. I turned around to take thank the person for their help and found myself meet the purple eyes of my fianc¨¦.

    "Lev?"

    "Yvette?"

    We were both surprised to see each other but though I was taken aback, I focused on the emergency at hand.

    "Thank you!" I said grabbing the towels and handing them to Eugen.

    "Someone needs to elevate her legs!" Eugen then turned to Egor and asked, "Can you do that, mister?"

    "Sure," Egor replied and acted accordingly.

    "We''ve sent word to the emergency services!" said Yvon who had finished securing the are, "Help is on the way- Lev?! Egor?! What are you two doing here?!"

    Lev answered while taking off his coat to keep the woman warm, preventing shock. "Egor and I were in the area for work, and he needed to use the bathroom. What exactly happened here?"

    Lev answered while taking off his coat and then covered the woman to keep her warm and prevent her from going into shock.

    "What exactly happened here?" Lev asked.

    "We don''t know exactly!" Yvon replied, "The place just went dark and then we heard something hit the floor. The next thing we knew the curtains were being drawn and we saw this woman on the ground."

    "I''ve secured the area. No one has gotten in or out through that door since the incident happened," Yvon added, referring to the front door.

    Lev monitored the woman''s breathing and pulse while Eugen kept talking to her, calming her down.

    Egor turned to by brother and asked, "How long untol the emergency services arrive?"

    "Roughly a few minutes. The cafe''s *skyeire is one of the fastest in the area, also the hospital isn''t far from here. It won''t be long now, we just have to hold the for until help gets here," Yvon responded.

    (Skyeire - resembling a falcon, with a wingspan of nearly three meters and a streamlined body built for speed and agility. Its plumage is a mix of dark greys and striking whites, providing excellent camouflage against the sky and clouds.)

    It took a few more minutes for both the emergency services and intr¨¨polians to arrive. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital, and we were questioned by the intr¨¨polians.

    It took at least fifteen minutes for the emergency services and the *intr¨¨polians to arrive but for us it felt longer.

    (Intr¨¨polians - A division of the Imperial Armed Forces whose job is to ensure public order, enforce laws, prevent and investigate crimes, and ensure community safety.)

    When they arrived the woman was immediately taken to the hospital and the entire cafe was cordoned off and we were questioned by the intr¨¨polians.

    They used the staff''s rest area as a makeshift interogation room, many of the customers vere visibly uneasy which was understandable given our current situation.

    Among us Yvon was the first to be questioned and while he was, an intr¨¨polian shouted from inside the kitchen, "WE NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION HERE! A CHEF HAS BEEN KNOCKED OUT!"

    That sudden news frightened many of the customers and the next report of another intr¨¨polian didn''t help calm some.

    "THE BACKDOOR IS WIDE OPEN! THERE ARE TRACES OF BLOOD LEADING INTO THE BACK ALLEY!"

    The inspector hypothesized that the assailant must have fled using the kitchen''s backdoor. Given the layout of the cafe, it was possible.

    "SEARCH THE AREA!" Inspector Juke ordered his men.

    The intr¨¨polians stationed outside followed the inspector''s instructions and not long after, they statted to chase a man who was covered in blood and was spotted to be sneaking away.

    In the end, he was caught and taken in.

    "I-I''m innocent of the crime you''re accusing me of!" he claimed, "I don''t even know how I ended up covered in blood in the first place!"

    In the end, he was taken into custody for assaulting a police officer who apparently was only concerned because he was shaking in fear and covered in blood, the poor intr¨¨polian officer got a concussion when he shoved him into the wall.

    After they aprehended the suspect and every person in the cafe and nearby was questioned, we were allowed to leave. Inspector Juke told us that we might be called to the station for further question and thanked us for our cooperation on the case and quick wits.

    As we waited for Lev and Egor, who was talking to the inspector, in the entrance of the cafe, Eugen bumped into a woman.

    " I''m sorry!" said Eugen who bent over to pick up the woman''s fan.

    "It''s fine dear!" the woman said in reply.

    When Eugen was handing the fan to the woman, she cryptically whispered loud enough for the four of us to hear.

    "Fascinating, isn''t it, how a person can murder another just because they can?"

    Yvon and I found the lady''s comment disturbing but suspicious. What could we do about a random stranger''s remark? Even the intr¨¨polians didn''t seem to suspect her.

    My brother and I found the comment disturbing and highly suspicious. As we stood there frozen in shock by what we just heard she left the cafe.

    "Sorry to keep you waiting!" said Egor.

    As we were leaving, Toini noticed me looking back and whispered, "Do you want me to look into the case, chief?"

    As we were leaving, Toini noticed the expressions on my face as well as my brother''s and whispered, "Do you want us to look into the case, chiefs?"

    "No," Yvon answered.

    "Let the authorities handle this," I added to his reply.

    While Eugen was busy discussing with Lev and Egor what he did as first aid for the victim, Yvon addressed Toini''s question.

    "It''s the job of the intr¨¨polian division to handle things like this," he said, "It''s not Yugen''s task to do their job for them."

    "That being the case, I still can''t help but wonder if this isn''t a standalone case," he added.

    I raised an eyebrow and made sure that Lev and Egor weren''t listening, "Elaborate, quickly."

    "Over the past couple of weeks, murders and attempted murders have plagued the capital. The intr¨¨polians classified them all as standalone cases because of their randomness. But this has been happening continuously for weeks, each assault days apart," Yvon explained.

    "Over the past couple of weeks, both murders and attempted murders have been plauging the capital. The intr¨¨polians have mostly classified them as standalone cases because there wasn''t any solid evidence to link them together," he explained.

    He added, "But this has been going on continiously for weeks, each assault only days apart."

    "What are you getting at, chief?" asked Toini.

    Yvon answered, "If these aren''t random standaline crimes, I''m afraid the capital might have a serial killer on the loose."

 X - The Steel Princess of the battlefield

    The outside of the caf¨¦ was bustling as it was inside. The intr¨¨polians were busy scouring for evidence, their voices were blended together and you couldn''t make out what they were saying unless you were paying close attention, occasionally you''d hear the inspector give orders to his men.

    Egor patted my brother''s back and was enthusiastic about seeing him, "Yayo! How have you been? The last time we saw each other was six months ago at the victory banquet for the second war against Aewratis."

    "Egor!" said Yvon with a pained smile, "Strong hand as usual. Mind taking it down a notch? You might break my back!"

    While those two chatted, Eugen and Lev were having a conversation of their own about the first aid Eugen did on the victim.

    This left me in Toini''s company who was giving me a puzzled stare.

    "If looks could melt people, I''d be a puddle already," I said to her, "What is it?"

    "Aren''t you going to talk to your fianc¨¦?" she asked, nodding towards Lev.

    I turned my head to where Lev and Eugen were standing and saw Lev focused on what they were talking about while listening intently to what my attendant was saying.

    Seeing that focused look on his face reminded me of the time I visited the Embermore High School for their foundation day celebration. Back then Yvon and I were in junior high school and we went to their foundation celebration because Yves and Yvonne asked the entire family to come.

    That event was planned by the student body organization which was led by the crown prince at the time along with his right hand, Lev.

    I remember sitting in the front row watching the crown prince giving a speech while in the corner was Lev, talking to a fellow student about the food stalls with the same focused expression he had now.

    I had a lot of fun with our family that day so I couldn''t help but smile.

    While still looking at Lev and Eugen, I replied to Toini, "What would we even talk about?"

    She gave me a deadpan stare, "What do you mean what would you talk about? You two are getting married in a few weeks! There''s a lot of things you can talk about! Like where you two plan on living?!"

    Well she does have a point.

    Apparently the rest of them heard what she said because they were now looking at us, including Lev. Our eyes met and we stared at each other for a while.

    He looked like he was about to say something when Egor chimed in with a teasing grin, "You know, this thing called a conversation begins when one of you says something."

    Lev shot back pushing Egor''s face away, "And the two of us can start a conversation if you''d let us."

    As we waited for our carriages to arrive a group of valorians approached us led by none other than our mom. Seeing as how they''re in this side of town she and her colleagues must be headed for the caf¨¦ to eat.

    "My dears," she called me and Yvon, "What are you doing here?"

    Then Inspector Juke walked up to us with his subordinate Officer F¨¤sach.

    The inspector greeted our mom with a broad smile, "Greetings to the pen of Oryx and the Countess of Sunglen, Colonel Oryx! What a surprise! I didn''t think I''d see you today!"

    Mom smiled, "There''s no need for such formal greetings between old friends, Juke! How are you? I haven''t seen you around lately."

    The inspector replied, "Ah well work has kept me preoccupied. I apologize for missing little Yvonne''s wedding."

    Officer F¨¤sach''s eyes widened in shock, "Inspector! Don''t be informal towards the crown princess!"

    "Oh right! It''s ''her radiance'' now" said Inspector Juke, "Old habits. She''s still little Yvonne in my eyes after all."

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Mom chuckled, "What brings you to this side of town, inspector?"

    "We received a report that someone was attacked at Caf¨¦ Patisserie," he explained.

    Mom''s eyes widened, "Caf¨¦ Patisserie?! That''s Marleigh''s shop! I was just about to go there with my colleagues!"

    Then she turned to us, her face filled with concern, "Were you in the caf¨¦ when the attack happened?"

    Yvon, touched by her concern, answered "Yes."

    Mom looked as though the blood had been drained from her face and scanned us from head to toe, "Are you two okay?! Y-Yvette! I-Is that blood on your dress?!"

    She might be the so-called "Steel Princess of the battlefield" but her thick emotional walls crumble when it comes to her family.

    "Mom!" Yvon called, "She''s okay. We''re okay. The blood isn''t hers, it''s from the victim. We were helping out while waiting for emergency services."

    Then the inspector''s eyes lit up as he recognized us, "So that''s why they looked familiar! The little troublemakers of Oryx! You needn''t worry Dulcenia, your children are alright, they weren''t harmed. Like your son said, they helped out control the situation."

    Mom breathed a sigh of relief, "That''s good then."

    "Oh, goodness!" Mom exclaimed, "Lev! Sorry dear, I didn''t notice that you were here. Egor! You too!"

    Egor teased, "What?! But I''m your favorite child!"

    Yvon quickly turned to him and retorted, "Says who?!"

    "Me, obviously!" Egor replied with a grin and then turned to Lev, patting him on the back, "Don''t be too hurt, man. You''ve just got to work on standing out to your future mother-in-law!"

    "Did you just say mother-in-law?" The inspector asked, "Sen... Is your youngest daughter getting married too?"

    "Yes, she is," mom replied.

    "And it''s to the second young master of Niege?" The inspector added.

    "That''s right. They''ll be married within the month," said mom.

    Inspector Juke looked concerned, "Sen... I know this is a family matter and it doesn''t concern me but... did you and Aldous stop and think before you allowed this? Apologies to you young master of Niege if this may come off as rude but Sen, this young man is famous for having feelings for your eldest daughter! Not to mention, their radiances just got married a month ago. This decision seems rushed."

    "I''m not going to lie, this wedding is rushed," said mom, "But what can we do when it''s for the alliance between the two territories? We''re thankful that they both agreed to this willingly."

    Shifting her focus back to me and my brother, she said, "You two have had quite the eventful day. Why don''t you head home to get some rest? Oh, right. Have you two already visited the boutique for the dress? If you haven''t it''s alright, you can go tomorrow."

    "It''s alright, we went to the boutique before going to the caf¨¦," answered Yvon.

    His expression changed from being happy to her concern towards us to something more quizzical with a sardonic look that only Toini and I recognized.

    "Mom, are you really going to have Yvette wear one of Yvonne''s extra wedding gowns?"

    Hearing what my twin had just said, Lev''s eyes widened.

    I quickly realized what Yvon was doing. Though I already told him I''d handle the wedding gown issue with help from my best friend, he wanted to be sure it''ll be taken care of which is why he took this opportunity to let the Niege''s know about it.

    "The gowns all look beautiful and all but wearing them will be a bit problematic."

    Our mom, ever-so-clueless about high society, asked Yvon, "What do you mean, dear?"

    "I''ll let Toini explain since she''ll do a better job than me," said my brother and gave the floor to Toini who explained the matter swiftly.

    Lev, Egor, Inspector Juke, and officer F¨¤sach were shocked. Even our mom''s colleagues were wide-eyed in shock from what they had just heard from Toini.

    Lev in particular was bewildered that our mother was going to have me wear such problematic dresses at our wedding. Wearing one of those dresses could also be seen by the Serebro duchy and the Nieges that Sunglen and the Oryxes were taking the agreement, the marriage, and the alliance of the two territories lightly and be seen as being disrespectful which would put a dent in the already shaky relationship of the two territories and families.

    Inspector Juke facepalmed, "Nya, how many times have I told you to pay attention, even a little, to what goes on in high society and things in general, apart from the tasks assigned to you at work! What are you going to do about her dress now?"

    Just then an aerax cooed from the sky. Mom put her arm out and the bird landed on it and on its feet was a note.

    "It''s from brigadier general Newport," said mom to her colleagues, "He''s asking us to visit the barracks on the capital''s outskirts."

    Then one of her colleagues asked, I think I saw a vein pop out in his forehead, "Which barracks and which outskirts? There are FOUR different barracks in the FOUR outskirt towns in the capital! Which is it?! North, south, east, or west?!"

    "He didn''t specify..." mom replied with an emotionless look on her face as if she was used to the brigadier general''s bague instructions.

    Her colleague rubbed his neck, "Ah, I can feel my blood pressure go up."

    "I''m sorry, but I have to get back to work," mom said to us, "We''ll continue this conversation at home."

    Yvon scoffed and whispered, "Why am I not surprised?"

    I pinched his arm and glared at him, "Now is not the time for your side comments!"

    "Countess!" Lev called, "Would you give me permission to ask your daughter to spend the rest of the day with me?"

    Egor looked at him and said, "What about work- OUCH!"

    Lev elbowed Egor''s side, shutting him up.

    I was surprised at what Lev just said but had a hunch about why he wanted to spend the day with me.

    "That is, if the young miss would be willing to spend time with me, of course," said Lev.

    Then they looked at me waiting for a reply.

    "Sure, sounds like fun," I said with a smile on my face.

    "Alright then, make sure she''s home without a scratch Lev," said mom.

    Lev smiled, "I''ll personally escort her home."

 XI - Were off to see a musical

    Yvon and Toini headed back to the Sunglen estate, Egor returned to their squadron''s base dreading the pile of work waiting for him, and the inspector invited Eugen to the intr¨¨polian station for follow-up questions regarding the victim since he gave her first-aid treatment. This meant that I was alone with Lev, riding together in the carriage of the House of Niege.

    The ride itself wasn''t particularly awkward but it was quiet.

    Lev was engrossed in the paperwork Egor had dumbed on him, files with sticky notes plastered with messages like "URGENT" or "PRIORITIZE THIS TASK FIRST".

    I found myself stealing glances at him, watching his focused expression and occasionally fixing his glasses as he diligently read through the documents. Beams of sunlight occasionally entered the carriage illuminating his face. It was a charming scene, it was hard not to be captivated.

    Many of his fangirls would probably pay to be in my place. I could probably profit out of setting up meet and greets between him and his fans,

    Then, he noticed I was watching him and our eyes met.

    Those purple eyes take my breath away...

    ...

    What am I thinking about right now?!

    I directed my gaze outside the window, trying not to show my embarrassment. It''s understandable that I''d be enthralled, he was a handsome guy and I am a sucker for handsome men.

    "Pfft!"

    I raised my eyebrow and looked at him. That noise definitely came from him!

    Though he tried to hide his face from me using the files I could see the corners of his mouth go up and hear him hold back his laughter.

    He was clearly amused at me being flustered.

    I cleared my throat and asked, "I suppose I should''ve asked this before the carriage left, but where are we going?"

    Lev composed himself and turned to me, putting the files on the seat he replied, "Our captain gave me tickets to the premiere of a new musical."

    "... and so did my parents," he added.

    Piecing together the puzzle he placed in front of me, I responded, "I''m going to take a guess and say that your captain, who is also your elder brother, and your parents want you to attend the premiere with me."

    "You''re a clever one, aren''t you, young miss?" he said, "My family sprung their suggestion on me during breakfast."

    "Yvette."

    Confused, he asked, "I''m sorry?"

    "Yvette," I corrected him, "Just call me Yvette. Calling me ''young miss'' sounds way too formal. It doesn''t sit right with me that my soon-to-be-husband is treating me like I''m a stranger. Or were you planning on continuing to address me formally even after the wedding?"

    He chuckled at my teasing.

    "Very well then, Yvette."

    "While we''re on the subject, what should I call you then, young master of Niege?" I teased.

    He smiled playfully and he replied, "Lev is fine."

    "Alright then, Lev, would you kindly answer my question?"

    "What do you want to ask me?"

    "Is the premiere of the musical today?"

    "..."

    "..."

    "I''ll take the dazed expression on your face as a yes then," I said, "And before you ask, it wasn''t hard to piece together. You mentioned the tickets when I asked where we were headed off to."

    "However," I added, "I don''t think this is the way to the theater."

    Being fond of musicals, I knew the way to the theater well and the road we were currently on was nowhere near it. To be exact, we were in the opposite direction from it.

    Lev smirked and said, "Well we can''t attend the premiere in bloody clothes now, can we?"

    ?

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    Out of one boutique and into another.

    Lev brought me to one of the most famous clothing chains in the empire, Tissu, whose name always reminds me of tissues.

    The business was owned by Lev''s maternal family and was manned by his eldest maternal aunt. Because of its success I''ve heard that they are planning on branching out internationally soon.

    As we got down from the carriage I noticed passersby staring at us. I wasn''t sure why they were staring at us, could it be because of our bloodstained clothes or could it be because Lev and I were hand-in-hand coming out of a carriage together?

    Either way, I felt incredibly uncomfortable under their gawking stares. I feel like a *vortan in a circus.

    (Vortan - fantasy creature that is inspired by a monkey and combines the agility and intelligence of a monkey with the ability to fly)

    Lev escorted me inside the shop and we he was immediately greeted by the staff. I stood behind him, hiding, since it seemed like we were going the swarmed by the staff. It reminded me of the time I was bombarded by reporters when word got out about Haneul and Yvonne''s relationship.

    "Welcome to Tissu! Greetings to the second cub of Neige!" they all said.

    Then the manager quickly ran to us, "Greetings to the second cub of Neige! What a suprise to see you here today, young master Lev. You rarely drop by unannounced. To what do we owe the pleasure of this visit? And I see you came in with someone! Welcome to Tissu¨C Y-Your radiance?!"

    I realized that the manager had mistaken me for my sister and while I was used to this sort of thing it became a habit of mine to correct them by stating my full name so that people wouldn''t forget that I existed.

    "Her younger sister actually," I corrected him. Extending my hand, I said, "It''s a pleasure to meet you, my name is Yvette Aidana Yaretzi Oryx of Sunglen."

    "G-Greetings to the fourth cygnet of Oryx!" said the manager while stuttering, "My apologies for not recognizing you sooner, young miss! It''s just that you look so much like her radiance."

    Forcing a smile I replied, "I''m used to it."

    The manager''s eyes widened in shock as he saw our bloodstained clothes, "YOUNG MASTER! YOUNG MISS! WHAT IN VREQISEON HAPPENED?! WHY ARE YOUR CLOTHES COVERED IN BLOOD! CALL A DOCTOR!"

    Lev quickly clarified the situation before things could escalate further, "There is no need to call for a doctor. Both Yvette and I are fine. This isn''t our blood and we aren''t hurt at all. I can''t divulge anything in detail in order to not hinder the intr¨¨polians'' investigation but what I can say is this, Yvette and I were caught up in an attempted murder in Alder Street. The incident will probably be covered in tonight''s news so you can hear the details there."

    "Oh, I see... Then, surely you brought your fianc¨¦e here for a change of clothes¨C Wait a second... Young master... Did you just say fianc¨¦e?"

    "Yes I did," Lev replied.

    Most of the staff in the lobby froze in shock, some even dropped the things they were holding or carrying.

    The manager, still shocked, stammered, " Y-You, young master, are engaged to the young miss?"

    "Yes."

    Lev''s calm answer shocked the manager and the staff even more.

    "Since when?!" the manager exclaimed.

    "Since yesterday," I answered.

    The manager''s jaw dropped, "Yesterday? You got engaged yesterday?! But only a month has passed since the royal wedding!"

    Raising an eyebrow, Lev asked, "And what of it? What does their radiance''s wedding have to do with my engagement to Yvette? Is there a problem with our engagement?"

    Flustered, the manager replied, "T-There''s no problem at all, young master! I-It''s just unexpected , t-that''s all! I apologize if I have offended you, young miss, young master!"

    Seeing the tension grow, I tried to lighten things up.

    "It''s alright," I said smiling encouragingly, "Your reaction is quite understandable as this engagement came as a suprise for us too."

    The manager obviously felt awkward but tried his best to compose himself, "T-Thank you for your understanding, y-young miss. Once more I apologize to you and the young master. I shall bring you a clean pair of clothes promptly. Please wait comfortably in the lounge."

    "Bring us something that would suit a formal event."

    Lev''s request confused the manager.

    "I beg your pardon?" he asked, "Young master, can you repeat that for me?"

    "I said, bring us something that would suit a formal event."

    "May I ask why? As far as I am aware you aren''t scheduled to attend an event, if that were the case there would be an order placed for a tailored suit," said the manager.

    "My fianc¨¦e and I will be attending the premiere of a new musical tonight. Since this will be our first public event together I am asking you to choose our attires with extra care," Lev explained.

    "A musical premiere? Tonight?" the confused manager said, "Y-Young master, when was this decided?"

    Lev answered straightforwardly, "This morning."

    "Ah this morning... Y-You two got engaged yesterday and your attendance at the musical was decided just this morning... Hahaha..."

    The manager looked like he was about to lose his mind.

    "So, just to be clear, young master, you want us to put together two formal outfits that would suit the premiere tonight on short notice?" the manager asked.

    "That''s exactly what he''s asking you to do," I answered.

    Dumbfounded, he replied, "Right... Of course the young master is asking us to put together two formal outfits that would suit the premiere tonight on top of his aunt''s instruxtions regarding the second princess'' dress orders.. Hahaha... Ahem! What is the musical about?"

    "I don''t know," said Lev, "Though would what the musical is about even matter or affect the clothes we''re going to wear?"

    "Yes it does," I answered, "Just like you wouldn''t want to wear bright and happy colors at a funeral, you wouldn''t want to wear bright colors in a play or musical adaptation of ''The Journal of Fritz Finch'' as it contains the story of how the Finch family was fleeing from the tyrannical government of the Namor empire."

    "Oh, is that so? I see." said Lev, "Perhaps you should handle matters regarding socializing. While I''m not ignorant of the subject, it seems that you are more knowledgeable about it than I."

    "Yes," I answered, "I think that would be for the best if I do take charge of socializing. That would also give me the excuse of dressing you up to my heart''s content."

    Lev chuckled and then smirked. His playful smile almost made me swoon and I would''ve had I not burried my long nails into my pakm.

    "I look forward to being your little dress up doll."

    After Lev said that I noticed the manager''s face, as well as some of the other staff members'' faces, looked flushed.

    I mean, their reactions are very relatable.

    Trying his hardest to remain composed, the manager said, "I-I shall have your clothes ready as soon as possible! You two shall be the talk of the town after tonight''s premiere!"

    Oh we were going to be the talk of the town alright, in more ways than one.

 XII - Smiles

    While waiting for the manager to return with the clothes we''ll be wearing for the premiere, Lev and I waited at the boutique''s VIP lounge. Though I was already full from eating at the cafe, I still ate the snacks that the staff provided because I didn''t want their hard work to go to waste, although I didn''t like the drink they served, tea.

    I don''t like tea. The bitterness of it doesn''t suit my sweet tooth. I prefer freshly squeezed fruit juice with caramel or hot chocolate.

    But despite my dislike of the drink, I tried my best to remain dignified and not let it show.

    As we were waiting, I overheard some of the staff members'' conversation.

    "They''re really engaged?" asked one of the staff members, "Was it because of political reasons?"

    "Probably," another staff member replied, "I mean, look at them. Do they look like a couple to you?"

    "No," the first staff member answered, "They seem more like business partners to me."

    "Maybe they are being forced to get married!" said the other one.

    "But didn''t you see the young master''s smile before?" a man, another staff member, chimed in, "the last time I saw him smile like that was when he and her radiance were shopping for clothes together. That was a genuine smile from the ice prince!"

    "Maybe he''s marrying the young miss because she reminds him of her radiance," said the first staff member, "I can relate because you know, if I can''t have the man I want, someone similar is the next best thing."

    "What kind of mindset is that..." the man muttered.

    I put my tea cup down and grabbed the newspaper Lev finished reading.

    "That''s quite the crowd we''re attracting."

    "If they''re bothering you, I can send those staff members away," said Lev.

    "There''s no need to send them away," I replied, "They aren''t bothering me and in fact, they shared something valuable to me."

    Curiously, Lev asked, "Which is?"

    "Their opinion," I answered, meeting his purple eyes.

    He looked visibly confused by my answer so I explained it to him.

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    "While I know that this arrangement of ours was decided without our input, it doesn''t change the fact that we''re doing this willingly. The arrangement might be their idea but no one''s forcing us to get married. I know this because you have the means to get around an imperial directive."

    His face looked like he was about to ask how I knew that and I couldn''t tell him that I found out through Yugen''s investigations so I told him the next believable thing, "My older brother is a squad captain remember?"

    And that wasn''t a lie. I overheard Yves say it when he and his squad were celebrating their fifth time ranking first on the valorian squad rankings, he said that the emperor was asking Lev what he wanted as a reward for his contributions during the war.

    " Many will have comments about us, some may even be similar to what they said. Things like we''re being forced to get married or something along those lines. Our marriage is our choice. Though we and our families know this, the public doesn''t. As the staff members just observed, we seem more like business partners than a couple."

    "Does that bother you?" Lev asked.

    "Personally? No," I answered, "It makes sense that we aren''t close since we''re just acquainted with each other, it would be weird if we act overly friendly or close to each other right off the bat. And... The public''s opinions of me don''t bother me much anymore."

    "That said, public opinion matters when it comes to governing our territories. You and I both know that cracks in government families can lead to the downfall of entire territories and even empires. We''ve seen too many examples of that in the last twenty years," I added.

    Lev looked amazed at what I had pointed out.

    "You''re right. I hadn''t thought of that. Thank you for pointing it out. So, what do you suggest we do, Yvette?"

    I acted all cute tapping my mouth, looking as though I was thinking, and smiled playfully teasingly replying, "How about you start falling in love with me?"

    Lev and the staff members were dumbfounded by my answer, and I couldn''t help but laugh at the astounded expression on Lev''s face.

    "You should see the look on your face!" I exclaimed, laughing out loud, "I''m going to have fun teasing you."

    Seeing me laugh gleefully, Lev couldn''t help but chuckle as well.

    As he laughed, I put my elbow on the chair and rested my face on my palm, looking into his eyes.

    They look so beautiful like jewels. How many times have I been captivated by his eyes already?

    "You''re smiling again," I observed, my face lighting up with a Duchenne smile. "You''re more handsome when you smile."

    "..."

    ?

    Lev was enthralled by the scene right in front of his eyes.

    What exactly was it that captivated him? He wasn''t sure. But what he did know for certain was that he couldn''t keep his eyes off Yvette.

    It was a coincidence that he and Egor ran into Yvette and the others at the caf¨¦. The murder attempt caught everyone off guard. While Yvon secured the area with Toini and Egor took charge of the first aid treatment, Yvette quietly assisted her attendant, fading into the background. Most people overlooked her involvement, but Lev was hyper-aware of her.

    Even when they ran into the countess, he found himself quietly observing her expressions, finding the subtle changes curious and intriguing.

    The carriage ride might''ve been quiet but for Lev it was entertaining. He found her flustered expression when he caught her staring amusing as she tried to play it off.

    And now, at the boutique, he found himself heartily laughing at her teasing.

    Was it because her actions and demeanor reminded him of Yvonne? Maybe.

    Captivated by Yvette''s warm smile, Lev felt as though the dark clouds that had been hovering around him were slowly starting to become bright once again.

 XIII - Outfits that suit us well

    After a while, the boutique''s manager returned with his staff members looking exhausted as they hauled four racks, one full of dresses, the other full of suits, the third full of shoes, and the last full of accessories.

    "Our apologies for keeping you waiting, young master, young miss!" he said, catching his breath.

    As the staff were taking the racks inside the room, Lev said, "I''d like for you to call for stylists from the nearest salon to help us prepare for the premiere. You can use my identification plaque to speed things up."

    "There''s no need for that young master, for we have already contacted Salon Lapana and informed them of the situation, they are sending their stylists as we speak," said one of the staff members.

    Lev smirked, satisfied by the staff''s work.

    "Excellent job as usual Amelia."

    Amelia? It seems like he knows her a little better than the other staff members seeing as how he''s on a first-name basis with her. Well, it is pretty easy to remember competent employees.

    Amelia''s face lit up and she lowered her head.

    "T-Thank you for your kind words, young master."

    Was she blushing?

    Lev seemed to be nonchalant about this but Amelia''s expression seemed a little bit more than an employee being happy at her boss'' compliment.

    Hmm...

    Then the manager proceeded to present the outfits they''ve picked out.

    "The musical you will be attending is an adaptation of the poem ''Florian and Laurel,'' a classic love story," he explained,"We have chosen five outfits each that are not only fashionable but fit well into the story and theme of the musical."

    I listened to his presentation half attentively. It wasn''t because I wasn''t interested in the clothes or I didn''t like the outfits they''ve chosen, I just found it funny that I was once again choosing something to wear for an event that I would be attending with Lev for the second time today.

    The first three gowns and suits were all beautiful, practical, and well designed. They weren''t anything lavish but they weren''t plain either. They were simply just right.

    I don''t mind wearing any of them actually.

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    "The next outfits are quite similar in design and color. The suit is a regal ensemble of green and purple, designed with golden chains and a valenite brooch. The dress is a beautiful shade of purple with green accents, featuring a fitted bodice and flowing sleeves," he explained while showcasing the clothes.

    "Are these two a set like the second outfits?" I asked.

    "I can see why you would ask that, young miss," the manager replied, "But to answer your question, no, they aren''t. These two outfits are part of two different collections, but we brought them because they look similar to each other and fit the theme of the musical. Now for the fifth outfit¡ª"

    Then, Lev cutted in mid sentence.

    "I think we should go with the fourth outfits."

    "Are you sure, young master? Perhaps you would like the fifth outfits we''ve prepared," the manager said.

    Turning to me Lev asked, "What do you think of the fourth outfits?"

    "They''re beautiful, and I like them," I replied, "But may I ask, why the fourth outfits? The suit looks similar to the first suit and the dress is similar to the second dress. So why this pair specifically?"

    "It''s because that pair of clothes reminds me of the two of us."

    His answer confused me.

    "What do you mean by that?"

    "In a way, we''re like the fourth pair. Two outfits that come from two different collections in the same store were chosen because they''re similar to each other," Lev explained, "Like that pair of clothes, we are two people that came from two different cliques in the same social circle who somehow ended up together."

    Hearing his explanation, I looked to the fourth outfits again and couldn''t help but stare at them, seeing the clothes in a new light.

    Lev was right. We''re like the fourth outfits.

    I turned to him and saw him looking at me.

    "The fourth pair is fitting for the two of us, wouldn''t you agree, Yvette?"

    ?

    After that Lev and I quickly changed into the clothes we picked out. While we were doing so, the stylists arrived and given the time crunch we were in they immediately went to work as soon as we finished dressing up.

    "You look beautiful, young miss!" complimented one of the staff members.

    I was touched by her words but then she followed up with, "You''re as lovely as her radiance!"

    How many times have I heard that, or something similar to that, already? Sigh...Well, it''s not like I wasn''t used to it or anything. I just really don''t like being compared to that manipulative, narcissistic, and dangerous older sister of mine.

    Still, it would be impolite of me to not respond to her compliment.

    So I gave the staff member a tight-lipped smile and said, "Thank you."

    I wonder if there could ever come a week where I wasn''t compared to the people''s precious Golden girl.

    As soon as the final touches to my make-up were done I stepped out of the dressing room and found Lev standing outside the dressing room he used, looking dashing, as he fixed his gloves.

    Seeing how handsome he looked I know his fangirls who''ll also be attending the musical would likely go wild.

    "Who are you trying to impress looking that fine?" I teased.

    Lev responded by taking my hand and planting a kiss on the back of it.

    "I was hoping to catch my fianc¨¦e''s eyes."

    I snickered, "I didn''t peg you as the flirty type."

    "I got your attention, didn''t I?" he replied with a smirk on his face.

    "Touch¨¦."

    Lev tucked in a strand of hair on my face behind my ear and asked, "Now, shall go and have our first date?"

    With a subliminal smile on my face, I said, "Don''t forget to treat me to dinner after the show."

    He laughed and answered, "Of course, dinner is on me."

 XIV - An unexpected couple

    The premiere was starstudded. Many prominent figures in high society and the empire''s government attended the event. Various journalists from newspaper companies and magazines lined up on the red carpet anticipating their arrival.

    Kickstarting the premiere and entertaining the guests, journalists, and reporters were the masters of ceremony, the famous comedian in Vreqiseon Cluster Appleroot, and the rising actor Altair Tapas.

    Cluster excitedly and warmly welcomed the premiere attendees.

    "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to an unforgettable evening here at Starlit Pavilion where together we will witness the first-ever performance of the musical adapted from the timeless poem telling an epic love story that was written in the dawn of our empire. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Cluster Appleroot, and together with this fine young man beside me, Altair Tapas, I will be your comp¨¨re this evening."

    Cluster continued, "We are already starting our busy night. Our red carpet is filled with many familiar faces! Journalists, artists, and reporters may have a hard time deciding on who to focus on tonight! Many more guests are arriving as we speak! Coming onto the scene none other than Chef Gene Baker, the esteemed owner of the Mea''ai restaurant chain, along with his son and heir, the ever-dashing young master Huckleberry Baker."

    Altair then chimed in, "The Mea''ai is one of the sponsors for the production of the musical and not only that, they are catering tonight''s event!"

    Cluster let out a laugh.

    "Oh sweet child, there you go again talking about food! Though it''s quite understandable as the dishes served by Mea''ai are indeed scrumptious but for now, let''s talk less about dinner and more about the people arriving next after the chef and his son!"

    Another carriage pulled up on the red carpet, the young actor announced, "Arriving together, hand in hand, and lovingly looking into each other''s eyes are the lovebirds that govern the Bouvier viscounty, they are the mustelids of the west, their dauntlesiances, viscount and viscountess Fortsterling!"

    As the viscountal couple posed for the artists, Cluster spotted another carriage that will arrive shortly with the crest of the House of Niege.

    "Ladies and gentlemen direct your attention to the carriage arriving for one of the top five powerful families in the empire who will be making their entrance! It''s the ducal family of the Serebro duchy, the House of Niege!"

    "Altair!" Cluster called, "Shall we guess as to who among the Niege''s has decided to grace the premiere with their presence?"

    Altair was caught off guard, there was no mention of the House of Niege being one of the guests for the premiere yet he knew that they had to improvise on the spot.

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    He smiled and said, "Why don''t we ask one of tonight''s sponsors? The Bakers!"

    Approaching the chef and his son, Altair greeted them, "A pleasant evening to you Chef Gene and young master Huckleberry! It''s a pleasure to finally meet you in person!"

    Chef Baker replied, "It''s nice to meet you as well, Altair! My daughter is a fan of your work! I hope you don''t mind giving me an autograph for her!"

    "That warms my heart! I thank the young miss for supporting my work. Of course, I will give you an autograph, chef! I''d be happy too!"

    "Haha! I heard that you like our restaurant! Come by the restaurant sometime, we''ll treat you on the house!"

    Altair''s eyes lit up but he gained his composure and tried to remain professional, "I''ll take you up on that offer, chef! Now, your restaurant is one of tonight''s sponsors and I can see that you are quite satisfied that many have taken an interest in the musical, including prominent figures in Vreqiseon''s society."

    "That''s right," Chef Gene replied, "My late wife, Thyme, was quite fond of the poem ''Floarian and Laurel'', my current wife cherishes it as well because it reminds her of her best friend whom she often says she loves more than me!"

    "It''s quite amusing that your current wife''s affection for your late wife is far greater than her affection for you, chef!" Cluster teased.

    "That''s true and though she can be blunt, I love that part of my wife."

    "Wow," said Cluster, "Hearing that public display of affection makes me feel like it sucks to be single right now."

    Altair cut in, "Anyway! Chef, who do you think from the House of Niege is attending tonight''s premiere?"

    "I''m actually quite surprised that they will be attending tonight. I''ve invited the duke personally months before however due to unforeseen circumstances in their territory he is unable to attend tonight''s premiere and I''ve heard that they''ve been busy tackling something important here at the capital so I''m quite curious as to who is attending. Perhaps it''s the duchess, as I know she is fond of theater. What are your guesses?"

    Cluster then said, "I think it''s the young What do you think, dear sponsor?"

    "I think that it''s the young miss attending the show with her friends as I''ve heard its common for young ladies to hang out with their friends in events like this. I''m speaking from experience as my daughter would rather attend tonight''s premiere with her friends rather than her old man..." said Cluster.

    Altair patted Cluster on the back and said his guess, "Maybe it''s the first young master and his wife! They''ve recently returned from their honeymoon, maybe they chose to attend tonight''s premiere to make their first appearance as a couple!"

    "Let''s find out who among us had the right answer!" Cluster said excitedly.

    As the carriage of the House of Niege opened, many eyes widened in shock as they saw the two people who came to the premiere hand in hand, wearing what seemed like matching couple''s clothes.

    As the carriage of the House of Niege opened, many eyes widened in shock as they saw the two people who came out of it, hand in hand, wearing what seemed like matching couple''s clothes.

    Gasps filled the air as no one in the event expected what they were seeing.

    Cluster was caught off guard, so Altair took over hosting the event. "A-And young master Huckleberry''s guess was right! It is indeed the second young master of Niege who has come to tonight''s premiere with none other than t-the second young miss of Oryx!"

    Cluster was caught off guard so Altair took over hosting the event.

    "A-Arriving is a pair we didn''t expect to see together! Ladies and gentlemen, it''s the second young master of Niege and the second young miss of Oryx!"

    Whispering, Huckleberry said, "That''s one heck of a way to get high society talking, chief."

 XV - Dont let me go

    I found it ironic that for such a grand musical premiere it was so quiet. The sudden silence which wasn''t there before we got off the carriage felt out of place but it wasn''t like I didn''t understand why.

    Seeing Lev, the crown princess'' former ardent suitor, arms linked with me, her radiance''s bratty try-hard younger sister, must be quite the sight to see.

    Though like I said before I really don''t like how their gawking makes me feel like a vortan.

    Their shock only lasted for a couple of minutes before chaos erupted like a volcano.

    Had it not been for the stanchions the reporters, journalists, and artists would''ve swarmed us like *hexars attracted to flowers. I could hear the scratches of pens and murmurs of voices front, right, and center. It would''ve been overwhelming if I wasn''t used to it.

    (A hexar is a creature that shares many characteristics with bees)

    Lev took my hand and led me to the center of the red carpet where we posed for the artists. I could imagine what was going through their heads. They were probably wondering why we had come together and of course, the dreaded comparisons between me and my sister because why not?

    As we approached the masters of ceremonies, I saw them struggling to regain their composure.

    Altair was the first to pull himself together. He flashed a professional smile but I could see the remnant of his initial shock in his eyes. Not bad for a rookie.

    "What do we have here!" Altair enthusiastically began.

    "Greetings to the second cub of Niege, Vice-Captain of the Kryx Lyrix, the young master of the Serebro Duchy! And greetings to the fourth cygnet of Oryx, the young miss of the Sunglen County! What a surprise to see you two together! We certainly didn''t expect that! That was certainly a showstopping entrance and the show hasn''t even started yet! Isn''t that right, Cluster?"

    Cluster, who was still trying to wrap his head around the situation stammered.

    "A-Absolutely! We were all taken aback by this pair! May I just say that you two look stunning tonight! People might confuse you for actors!"

    "Indeed!" Altair jumped in, eager to keep the conversation going, "What a stunning ensemble! Your outfits complement each other so well!"

    Regaining his usual teasing demeanor, Cluster leaned forward slightly and asked, "Which begs the question, what prompted you to match outfits? Are we safe in assuming that there is a deeper meaning behind this stylish coordination?"

    Titling the sonivox* towards us, Cluster, and the crowd, awaited what our answer was going to be.

    (Sonivox - a sleek device made from a durable, lightweight alloy that has a subtle, matte sheen, closely resembles a microphone in our world)

    Lev caught me by surprise when he pulled me closer to him.

    With his arm wrapped around my waist and a smirk on his face he looked directly at Cluster.

    "Aren''t you a perceptive one?"

    Confused, Cluster blinked, "I beg your pardon?"

    "Tonight is our first outing as a couple," Lev said as though it was the most obvious thing to say in that situation, "Though it was abrupt, I wanted it to be memorable."

    "Oh, I see. Wearing matching clothes to make your first outing as a couple memorable, how romantic!"

    Then as realization of what Lev just said sunk in, Altair, who was trying to be professional, sputtered and his eyes widened, "Wait a minute..."

    Altair, Cluster, Chef Baker, and his son looked at each other and then turned their attention back to me and Lev.

    They scanned us from head to toe. I could see the gears turning in their heads as they tried to piece together what was happening. Lev''s grin only widened, clearly enjoying the reaction.

    "COUPLE?!"

    As the four of them exclaimed in unison out of surprise and shock, I couldn''t help but find the situation amusing.

    This is fun!

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    Their reactions want to make me laugh out loud, it''s too amusing not to play with them a little more.

    I pretended to fix my hair but subtly slipped off the necklace I was wearing, letting it fall deliberately.

    Knowing that I was with a gentleman, I had a hunch that Lev would probably pick it up and put it back on me. I expected him to pick it up when it fell but I was somewhat surprised with his fast reflexes, catching the necklace before it even hit the ground.

    "Oh dear, sorry about that!" I said, acting all coy, "Thank you for catching it, Lev."

    "L-Lev?" I heard Huckleberry say.

    "They''re on a first name basis?!" Said one of the reporters.

    I was then confused when instead of putting the necklace back on me he tucked it away in his inner coat and from the other side pulled out a small box.

    Lev opened it and revealed a small and beautiful kryx* necklace. It was simple yet elegant, which was more my style than the extravagant one I had been wearing so I liked it more than the other one. And that wasn''t the only thing that drew me to it, there was also its color.

    It was a pinkish-purple, fuschia I think the shade''s name was.

    The same color as my hair.

    Handing the box to a nearby staff member, Lev reached up to fasten the necklace on me.

    His fingers brushed against my skin and I could feel my face get hot. The light touch was enough to make me feel flustered and ticklish.

    "It''s a good thing you took off the other necklace," he whispered in my ear.

    His words took me off guard. I was certain I did that inconspicuously yet he noticed it.

    When he was finished, he turned me around to face him. He touched the gemstone on the necklace and tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

    "It made it easy to put my present on you. I knew it would suit you."

    I knew his compliment wasn''t intended to be romantic but the people around us seemed to have perceived it that way.

    "Is this seriously happening right now?" I heard another guest, probably an aristocrat or a noble say.

    "Look at how his gaze towards her!" Said another.

    His gaze... His eyes...

    At first I couldn''t help but be drawn to them, I could even see myself drowning in those eyes but now I realize that those purple eyes can see right through me.

    And that might be a problem.

    Because if he can see through me there is a pretty big chance that he can open the box of secrets that I hide.

    While I have no intention of keeping my secrets from my future husband, the secrets I keep aren''t mine alone. If I want to give Lev the key to this box, I first have to tell those that already share the box with me.

    Lev turned his attention towards the masters of ceremonies, "If you would excuse us, we''ll go ahead and find our seats."

    As he escorted me to the entrance of the theater I caught sight of Huckleberry, who discreetly signaled to me using the hand signals only Yugen members would recognize.

    "Chief, what the heck is going on?" he asked.

    I responded, using hand signals as well to hide our conversation , "Ask my brother."

    This wasn''t the time nor the place for me to answer any of his questions. The last thing I need right now is a scandal or a rumor to develop between me and Huck when my relationship with Lev has just been revealed.

    I''m not a social butterflybutterfly like my twin and I Don''t want unnecessary and unwanted attention.

    If we aren''t careful and we get careless we risk exposing our connections to Yugen.

    For now, we had other things to focus on.

    ?

    The musical dragged on for roughly three hours. I had stopped paying attention to it even before the first act was even over.

    The songs itself were catchy, but they strayed so far from the piece it was inspired from, you could hardly even say it was the same story at all.

    I breathed a sigh of relief when the curtain finally closed, I clapped along with the rest of the audience but I wasn''t amused or impressed. Sigh. Why did they ruin a timeless tale?

    Lev and I remained seated, avoiding the rush of people flooding the exits. I stared at the stage mentally listing all the major things that they changed about the story.

    "I apologize for the disappointing start our date has kicked off on," Lev''s voice broke my thoughts, "I suppose I''ll have to take things up a notch to make up for the anticlimactic musical we just watched."

    I chuckled and leaned back on my chair, "Considering the fact that we literally met in the middle of a crime scene after an attempted murder, I''d say that our date was already off to a rocky start even before it began."

    Lev snickered, "Touch¨¦."

    He stood and extended his hand towards me, "Shall we move onto dinner then? Perhaps that will be the highlight of our night."

    Taking his hand I replied, "It most likely will be. Dinner has almost always been the highlight of my evenings, Annoying my twin comes a close second."

    As we made our way out of the theater we quickly became the center of attention. I wasn''t imagining things when I tought that the crowd here grew bigger because it was clear that the number of reporters, journalists, and artists had doubled.

    Our appearance together caused more of a commotion than we had anticipated.

    They all shouted from the sides, desperate to grab our attention.

    "Young master Lev, young miss Yvette, please look this way!"

    "Young miss Yvette, would you care to comment on what young master Lev meant when he said this was your first couple''s outing?"

    "Young master Lev, have you truly moved on from her radiance, the crown princess?"

    The questions kept on coming fast. We had little to no time to answer them before new questions arose, not that I had any plans to answer them, Lev could handle that alone.

    Altair and Cluster, along with the event''s security team, struggled to hold the press back. But much to their struggle, the crowd was relentless.

    The stanchions gave way, and before I knew it, people surged towards us like a tsunami!

    "Woah!" I exclaimed as I was being pulled by the crowd.

    Then, I felt someone grab my arm. It was Lev.

    Unfortunately, people pushed each other and consequently making him loose his grip of me but he quickly grabbed my hand, not allowing me to get  away from him.

    "I''ve got you," he said as he pulled me closer to him.

    I tigthned my grip, I didn''t want to get separated from him in this chaos. I had my fill of social interaction for the night, I really wasn''t looking forward to any conversations unless otherwise necessary from people I hardly even know.

    "Don''t let go of me."

    I said, staring into his eyes.

    He smiled and replied, "Don''t worry, I won''t."

 XVI - Not the date I had in mind

    We held tightly onto each other as the crowd relentlessly came at us.

    Then, in the midst of the chaos, a voice pierced through the ruckus.

    ¡°Oh my goodness! Look at how tightly they''re holding onto each other! It''s as though I''ve witnessed a romance novel scene being acted out in front of me, how romantic!¡±

    Excuse me?

    Lev and I glanced at each other, puzzled by the woman¡¯s comment.

    Romantic?

    This?

    Us?

    Where?

    How does one look at this chaotic mess and go ¡®Oh, how romantic!¡¯ exactly? Apparently two people trying not to get mobbed is a romantic scene now, I wonder what new romance novel this came out from.

    But of course, as soon as the woman made that comment the artists took a step back and sketched away, while the journalists scribbled down notes, afraid they''d forget details.

    Without letting go of me, Lev addressed the crowd.

    ¡°Would you all kindly take a few steps back? At this rate, you¡¯re going to smush us flat.¡±

    The crowd took a few steps back finally giving us room to breathe.

    ¡°Much better,¡± said Lev, ¡°Now if you all would give us room, we really need to go. My fianc¨¦e and I have already made plans for tonight. So, please excuse us and enjoy your evening.¡±

    ¡°FIANC¨¦E?!¡±

    The crowd shouted in unison. Isn¡¯t it funny how a one word alone is enough to send high society and the entertainment industry into a frenzy.

    Per usual, I acted casually like nothing fazes me, and gave the crowd my business smile as they continued to bombard us with questions as we walked away.

    Some questions they were asking also had such obvious answers, why¡¯d they even bother asking it in the first place? Others were alright I guess, but though I knew the answers I wasn¡¯t exactly sure how to say it or if I even should answer them in the firstplace.

    ¡°Young Master Lev, does this mean you''re engaged to the sister of the woman you were in love with?¡±

    Obviously, yes.

    ¡°When did your relationship begin, Young Miss Yvette?¡±

    Yesterday.

    "Was politics involved in this engagement? When¡¯s the wedding?"

    Absolutely.

    Lev didn¡¯t so much as bat an eye towards the crowd after he addressed them and swiftly led me towards the carriage.

    We climbed in but the crowd was still chasing after us. The noise outside was bothersome but inside the carriage Lev barely even glanced up, already absorbed in the work files I had no idea he brought along.

    Bringing work to your first date with your fianc¨¦e, how romantic.

    ¡°Persistent, aren¡¯t they?¡± I said, breaking the silence, ¡°The reporters, I mean.¡±

    I waited for a reply, a nod or a simple sound of agreement or disagreement would have sufficed but Lev didn¡¯t respond. His focus and attention were locked onto whatever those files were.

    I just turned my head towards the window and watched the busy streets and the city lights blur past us.

    Lev and I agreed to this arrangement, this relationship, of our own volition. We made this decision for the sake of our families, our territories, and our people who were dependent on our families¡¯ coming together. We both knew that this was far from anything romantic, especially with his feelings for my older sister.

    I understood all of that rationally.

    But I guess I still am a naive and childish little girl at heart.

    Part of me, the hopeless romantic and romance novel fan part, had wanted something more for tonight.

    This is my first relationship, and my first date.

    I guess it was too much to ask for a romantic evening that would make my heart race just like those scenes in the romance novels I grew up reading.

    Who am I kidding? Of course it was. That was just the naive, teenaged part of me talking. It would appear I still had some growing up to do.

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    I didn¡¯t press on making small talk. If he didn¡¯t want to start a conversation with me, why should I bother wasting my breath to start one?

    I sat quietly and gazed at the scenery outside and after twenty minutes of peace and quiet the carriage pulled up in a familiar place.

    The restaurant that is known for its modern twists on classic Vreqiseon cuisine, Highlands.

    You have got to be kidding me¡­

    ¡°I had my attendant reserve a table for us while we were at the theater,¡± he said, helping me down from the carriage and looking up at the grand entrance of the restaurant.

    ¡°I had my attendant reserve a table for us while we were at the theater. I¡¯ve been told you¡¯ve frequented this place with your family. I haven¡¯t actually been here before, but I¡¯ve heard good things about this place. The food here is probably good if the Oryxes like to dine here despite having a restaurant of their own. So, I¡¯m looking forward to dinner.¡±

    Unfortunately, I¡¯m not looking forward to dinner at all now that I found out where we¡¯re eating!

    I¡¯m usually not a picky eater, and as someone that has tasted Nacht¡¯s horrendous cooking that is saying something, but I really don¡¯t like this restaurant¡¯s food at all.

    Highlands wasn¡¯t exactly my idea of a great dining experience. It¡¯s a famous place, gaining more popularity after Yvonne made it known that this was her favorite restaurant, but I just can¡¯t understand the fanfare on it and that¡¯s not because of Yvonne¡¯s love for the place, I¡¯m not that petty, but it¡¯s the food itself that bothered me and my tastebuds.

    Their ¡°modern¡± takes on Vreqiseon classics weren¡¯t just twists; they were unrecognizable. That, and the taste¡­ Well, I wasn¡¯t a fan.

    Despite my disappointment, I just bit my tongue and smiled. What can I do at this point? We were already here and I wouldn¡¯t want to waste his attendant¡¯s hard work. I¡¯ll just ask Yvon to cook me something once we¡¯re at the headquarters later.

    ?

    Lev and I were guided towards our seats by a waiter who looked visibly confused seeing the two of us together and in clothes which complimented each other.

    Props to the guy for remaining professional despite his confusion.

    He reserved the private balcony with the riverside view, my favorite place in this restaurant.

    As I sat down, I took a glance at the view. The shimmering water reflected the soft glow of the lanterns that hung on the gondolas. Children who were riding them with their parents waved at me with a cheery smile on their faces.

    The scene was so serene and peaceful. Honestly, it was likely that this would be the only thing about this dinner I would enjoy given that my date was still busy sticking his nose into work which was admirable in its own way.

    The quiet elegance of the scene helped take my mind off the subpar meal that I knew was coming.

    I focused my attention towards the gentle flow of the gondolas. Some were rode by families but most of them were couples having a romantic date on the water. The night¡¯s breeze was cool as it touched my skin, a welcome distraction.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were the quiet type.¡±

    Lev¡¯s voice broke through the peaceful silence. I didn¡¯t even notice he was looking up, away from his files.

    Though I heard him, I didn¡¯t bother to turn to him. The serene scene in front of me was relaxing.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± I replied, ¡°But I¡¯m not one to initiate conversation either.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± He said, ¡°I''m curious, is it fun to watch people ride gondolas?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± I answered, ¡°But the serenity of the scene is beautiful. It passes the time.¡±

    From my peripheral vision, I saw him raise an eyebrow as though he was confused about something I said.

    ¡°Why would you want something to pass the time when you''re on a date?¡±

    I finally turned to face him, meeting his gaze.

    ¡°Well, it just so happens that my date is currently preoccupied and I didn¡¯t want to bother him.¡±

    Realizing what I had just said he looked at me with the same expression Yvon had when he realized he missed my first *claviros recital.

    (Claviros - a large, stately instrument with a sleek, metallic body, constructed from a polished alloy and rare wood.)

    ¡°I¡­ apologize. I did you a discourtesy,¡± Lev said sincerely.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± I shrugged. ¡°I get it. I get engrossed in my work, too, so I know what it''s like to zone out.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s rare for me to have company during dinner. And when I do, it¡¯s usually with family or colleagues, and we¡¯re all so busy that we end up bringing work with us. It should''ve been common sense for me that not everyone would be alright with my habits, I''m sorry.¡±

    I glanced away and caught sight of a family happily laughing. Their laughter and smiles stirred something inside of me, how nice would it be to have such a happy family outing like that? One that isn¡¯t masked with deception and fear, only bliss.

    ¡°I suggest cutting the habit of bringing work with you when you are outside for non-work related purposes. Some people might not mind it but others might.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡± He asked. ¡°Do you mind?¡±

    ¡°I do, actually,¡± I answered. ¡°You¡¯re the one who disrupted my schedule by asking me out for dinner so I would mind it if you ignore me and act like I¡¯m not even here. But I don¡¯t mind it enough to ask you to stop.¡±

    Confused, Lev furrowed his brows.

    ¡°And why is that?¡±

    ¡°Because I think it¡¯d be better for us to have a quiet dinner rather than forcing a conversation. Besides,¡± I said as I leaned back and grabbed a glass of water, ¡°We aren¡¯t close. We¡¯re not well-acquainted enough for me to complain about your habits. Wouldn¡¯t it be best if we keep our relationship amicable? I am spending the rest of my life with you after all. And I¡¯d rather not be labelled a whinny woman. I already have one to many bad labels I¡¯m afraid.¡±

    Lev chuckled, sounding amused.

    ¡°How considerate of you. I didn¡¯t expect that from one of Oryx¡¯s famed troublemakers.¡±

    I snickered, ¡°What? Did you expect me to kick up a fuss too?¡±

    He raised his eyebrows, intrigued.

    ¡°Too?¡±

    Instead of answering, I simply smiled and took a slow sip from the glass of water in my hands.

    Lev watched me for a moment longer before he tucked away his files.

    ¡°It takes two people to make a relationship work,¡± he said, his tone softened. ¡°So I should put effort into making this, us, work like you are.¡±

    Curious to see where he was going with this, I didn¡¯t interrupt what he was saying.

    ¡°How about we use this dinner to get to know each other better and discuss the important matters between us?¡±

    I let a smile form on my lips.

    ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±