"Pardon me for being rude but...did I do something for you to be helping me so much?"

Rosina shook her head, "No it's just that..." she fumbled around with her fingers for awhile before continuing,

"I saw how you took care of those men when they tried to grab you.."

"Men that tried to grab me..?"

Alec leaned closer to Elenor and whispered into her ear, "I think she's talking about that time you went to the bookstore with your brother,"

"What? But that was so long ago!" Elenor exclaimed.

Rosina nodded, "I was walking around when I stumbled upon that scene. You were really cool and how you flipped him over and started punching him was amazing!!" she eagerly said, her eyes sparkling brightly.

"..." Elenor wished she had looked properly before going on to punch him until his face was almost unrecognizable.

"Elenor did that?" Lloyd asked, not understanding anything up until now.

Rosina nodded aggressively, her eyes still sparkling with passion, "Yes!! Lady Elenor was truly amazing that afterwards I kept wishing to be able to meet her and become friends!"

Lloyd had a small smirk on his face as he turned to Elenor who had her face buried in her palms in embarrassment.

"Hear that Elenor? Lady Rosina wants to be friends with you."

"Shut your mouth before I make Alec do it."

"You can't do it yourself?"

"Alec."

"Understood. How would you like me to shut him up? By punching him or by hanging him upside down?"

"Your choice."

"Hey don't casually talk about punching and hanging me upside down like that!"

Rosina's laugh echoed in the room causing all three of them to stop talking, turning their attention to her.

Elenor was truly in cloud nine. To be able to hear her protagonist she loved dearly, laugh without a care. She was now thanking whoever transmigrated her into her book.

"You two make a fun pair." she commented.

It didn't take them a long time to realise what she meant by that. Elenor and Lloyd pointed at each other and spoke at the same time,

"Us?! No way!"

"See?" she giggled.

Elenor had to clear it up. There was no way she was going to let Rosina think the two are a couple or having a slight interest in each other when they clearly do not. They were in a platonic relationship. Platonic!

"Lady Rosina, I think you have been mistaken. Milady and his highness are not seeing each other that kind of way." Alec spoke.

"Oh..!" Rosina's hand flew up to her mouth and quickly bowed at the two of them.

"Please forgive me for assuming things!"

"It's alright." Elenor replied back, not liking that she was bowing at them over such a small trivial thing.

"Anyway," Lloyd cleared his throat.

"Elenor do you not want to be friends with Lady Rosina?"

"Um...." Elenor glanced over at Rosina who was patiently waiting for her answer.

She turned to Alec, using her eyes as a signal for help. He noticed this and silently gave her a thumbs up. Her lips twitched in annoyance before ultimately deciding her answer.

"Being friends with you would be nice," she started off.

Rosina's eyes grew wider but deflated once Elenor continued her sentence.

"But I don't think we can be friends."

"Oh..I see..." she muttered sadly.

Elenor had a normal expression on her face but inside she was sobbing. As much as she wanted to be friends with her, she knew her existence could put her in danger and she could also get blamed for everything that happened to Rosina. The chance of her dying in someone else's hands were there.

"I apologise Lady-"

"It's alright!! I'll just have to try harder!" she determinedly spoke, her eyes seem to have a burning passion in them.

At that moment, Elenor wished she didn't make Rosina have such a stubborn personality.

'No please don't..let's just be acquaintances..'

Finally, Elenor went back home.

Before she did though, Rosina kept holding her back.

"Please do visit again next time Lady Elenor!! I'll prepare us some tea and we can chat!"

"We can also visit the capital and go to cafes!"

"I'll write to you soon as well!"

Elenor didn't know how to respond to her being so enthusiastic about wanting to be friends with her. She was so keen on being friends with her. Does she not see her resting bitch face or how scary she looked?

"You're so lucky Elenor~" Lloyd muttered, sighing as he stared outside the window.

He decided to follow her in the same carriage since he wanted to hang around her manor before needing to head back to the palace.

"How am I lucky?" Elenor asked, wanting to know his answer.

He puffed up his cheeks, pouting, "Lady Rosina wanted to do all those fun things with you and even write to you yet I got nothing!"

Lloyd was childishly stomping his feet before pointing at Elenor, "I can't believe you're stealing her from me." he accused, making her burst into laughter.

"Lloyd did your intelligence deteriorate?"

Lloyd pouted even more and didn't speak to her anymore throughout the ride back to her manor. When they reached the marquess' estate, the first thing Elenor did was turn to Alec and ordered him to kick Lloyd back to the palace.

"Why!?"

"I'm sure you didn't finish your workplace have you?" she side eyed him who just nervously smiled before looking away.

In the end, Lloyd went back to the palace with a sulky face. Elenor and Alec saw him off before heading inside the manor, finally back home at last after an exhausting event.

"Do you think it was right?" Elenor asked Alec after her bath.

They were doing their usual routine where Alec would dry her hair. He lightly hummed before questioning,

"To have gone to the tea party?"

"Yes."

"Who knows. If you think it was the right decision then so be it. You should choose what you think is best for you."

Elenor chuckled, "You always say such deep things at the most random times Alec."

"But it made you feel better didn't it?"

"Mhm,"

"Then that's all that matters."

That's all that matters.

The phrase itself made Elenor feel butterflies in her stomach. Her face paled in horror. She thought she had strengthened her soul and mind.

"Shit..." she cursed under her breath.

It seems like she really needed to go under a waterfall and recite buddhist scripts.

Alec didn't seem to notice her dilemma and continued drying her hair with a happy feeling welling up inside of him.

---

as promised here's another chapter!!