Elenor stood up and politely bowed, lifting the hems of her skirt up slightly, "May the gods and spirits bless you forever, your highness."

He looked at her with displeasure in his eyes but it disappeared in a split second before a smile came onto his face, "Please raise your head, Lady Elenor."

Elenor returned back to her original position, keeping a fake smile on her face. Lloyd James Cladius, the crown prince of this country and kingdom. The male lead she created.

'Although his face was out of this world sorry, I can't see you as a lover so please get together with the heroine.'

Lloyd looked down and noticed her high heels lying on the grass. Elenor cursed in her head. She forgot she wasn't wearing shoes. He looked back up at her and smiled.

"Why aren't you wearing your shoes Lady Elenor?"

"It's because my feet were hurting.." she awkwardly answered him, not looking at his eyes.

Elenor side eyed Alec and signalled him to help her by darting her eyes back and forth between her and the heels. He seemed to get her message and picked up her heels, putting them back on for her.

"Milady, it's getting late. We should go see the Marquess."

She nodded, "Yes we should. Well then," she bowed once more, "I must take my leave now your highness. Farewell."

He nodded without a word, only watching her walk away with Alec. When they were far enough Elenor released the breath she had been holding in since back there.

"Looking at a prince seriously is scary,"

"Thanks for helping me back there Alec." she sincerely thanked him, glancing at him before smiling widely.

"Let's go find my father now."

Looking ahead, Elenor didn't notice Alec's complicated expression on his face as he tailed behind her without a word.

Lloyd, who was still standing under the tree, had a smile on his face before turning his heels and walked away. This was the first time he didn't need to excuse himself from Elenor, herself. Unknowingly, she had finally caught his interest.

-

When Elenor returned back to the estate, she immediately fell onto her bed, kicking her shoes off. Alec watched as she crawled under her blankets, wrapping them around her until it looked like a cocoon. She stared at him, snuggling into the blankets.

Alec crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow, "What is it?"

Elenor lazily grinned, "Can I have some cakes?"

Alec came back to her room with a tray of cakes. Her eyes grew wide and she could feel her stomach growling.

"Thank you~!" Elenor hummed as she bit into the cake and let out a small squeal.

"It's so good.."

"The kitchen crew would be delighted to hear that milady." Alec deliberately replied back.

Suddenly a fork came up to his lips without a warning. He stared at it, blinking before gazing back at her. He kept staring at the fork with a piece of cake on it without moving. Elenor sighed, shaking her head. When did he become so dumb? She remembered making him a smart butler.

Elenor nudged the fork at him and with hesitation he ate it. She nodded at him before continuing to eat the cakes.

"You know I still don't trust you." Alec spoke with a cold tone.

Elenor blankly gazed up only to be greeted by his cold black eyes. She casually took another bite before nodding, "Yeah I know. Me too."

"Huh?"

"Me too. I don't trust you either. So what if I'm the author of this world, I still haven't trust you as well. We're both even." she explained pointing her fork at him before stabbing the cake again.

Alec couldn't reply back to her so she assumed it's because he was too surprised to speak. The next day, a maid burst into her room while Alec was serving her tea. The maid's face showed panic and confusion.

"What's wrong?" Elenor asked, getting up from the chair.

She shakily lifted up an envelope that had golden lining around it and a gold seal. She barely could stammered out, "A-a letter from his highness!"

Alec and Elenor briefly looked at each other before taking the envelope from the maid who later ran off, possibly to tell the other maids about this information. She sat back down with Alec behind her to see the letter. Elenor stared at the envelope's back and front then the sides.

"Milady what are you doing?"

"Is there a way to open this envelope without destroying the seal?" she sheepishly asked.

He sighed, taking the envelope from her hands before tearing it without destroying the seal. He handed it back to her after that.

"Wow Alec you're amazing." she complimented him but he paid no mind to it.

"Yes thank you milady. That is why I am your butler."

She took out the letter inside the envelope and unfolded it. Her eyes swept through the contents in the letter before her face paled.

Looking at Alec with a confused expression Elenor blurted out, "Why does he want to meet me out of sudden!?"

She held her head in her hands as she rambled on, "This isn't supposed to happen. I never wrote this part in the book, I don't even recall writing anything about the two even meeting up for personal reasons! It was always Elenor who kept requesting an audience from him not the other way around. What is happening to my book? Oh my god is this the end of the world already?"

Elenor heard Alec sighing, "Stop freaking out over this. Maybe he has something to say. The world isn't ending please calm down and don't say crazy things."

"Yeah but it's weird! I'm getting goosebumps on my skin now just from this." she shuddered, rubbing her hands against her arms.

"When did he say he will come?"

"Uh..three days from now."

"Oh god Alec do you think I'm going to die by the hands of the crown prince?" she look at him with teary eyes.

"Stop overreacting. Nothing bad is going to happen."

"If only I could trust your words..." Elenor clicked her tongue before chugging down the now cold tea.

Not long later, her whole family burst into her room, bombarding questions at her asking if it was true Lloyd was coming over. Mentally exhausted, she answered all their questions and it seems like her parents were slightly worried while her brother didn't look pleased at all.

Soon before Elenor knew it, three days went by and the dreaded day had arrived.

---

I feel like posting twice this time hehe 🥰