The next day at dinner girls in their fanciest attires nervously tapped their hair and the accessories lined up on it. They ranged from all colors, and Tristesse stood out as the only one wearing black.

I gestured for Aideen to go ahead and soon she did, breaking through the sea of girls. She was meeting up with Oda today. Last time Oda told her about the Queen helping someone behind the scenes and she was just as disappointed.

I set about trailing behind Tristesse and noticed her hair is in a tight bun, which sat concealed beneath a dark veil. Even for a day like this.

She stopped, and turned to me. I froze.

"Good evening," I say, smiling a little.

"Good evening," she replied. It's the first time I'd heard her voice, and I realize how soft, how gentle it is.

"My name is Karina Dearcage."

"I'm Tristesse Roncevalles. Is something the matter?"

"I saw you crying at the forest a few days ago." My face flamed. "I'm not prying into it or anything, but if you ever feel lonely, please join me and my friends. Annabelle is from Berennis too so maybe you'll get along, and I'm sure my other friend, Oriana, would like to meet you too."

I look up at her expression, hoping she wasn't upset at my nosiness, but she smiled. It was a small, amused smile.

"You're very kind, Lady Karina. I'll be sure to join you and your friends someday." I nod.

"I'll be looking towards it."

"Good evening, Lady Karina." A voice interrupted our conversation, and I turned to see a vaguely familiar face. A tall nose and watchful eyes. Blithe. I wondered for a moment why she was speaking to me, and then if she was going to ask me something about Aideen.

"Have you forgotten me? I'm Blithe Curtus, Lady Annabelle's lady in waiting," she broke the silence. I didn't realize I had been staring for so long.

"I remember." Especially her strange reaction when she heard Aideen's name.

"I'm meeting with friends of mine and wanted to ask if you might know where your lady in waiting is?" I hastily looked away.

"I apologize, but I do not know."

"I see. Thank you, regardless, and have a good day."

"You're welcome, and you too." She smiled and then walked away.

When I turned back Tristesse was no longer around. Girls had filed into the dining room. With a sigh, I entered too.

There a magnificent number of people gathered around the table and through glimpses, an albino prince could be seen, huddling by Queen Sonota with scared eyes. Trying to not catch attention, I sat at the further end of the long table again.

I strained my neck to search for Tristesse, Oriana, or Annabelle, but couldn't find any of them. Instead, I meet the Queen's eyes by accident. I didn't know if it was by chance or not, but I looked away quickly and focused on staring at my lap.

It felt like an eternity before everyone settled down and food was brought out. Like before, only two bites were eaten and the rest of the time was spent praising the Queen. Today though, it was the Prince.

"Your white hair and pale complexion is entrancing!"

"Your face is so feminine—you're prettier than me!"

"You look different from Princess Oda, but both you and your sister are beautiful!"

Otto's lips were pressed together and he hadn't spoken at all. The crowd must've frightened him, especially after being locked up and not socializing with people his age. He didn't even know one of us will be wed to him.

"Don't you want to eat, Otto?" Queen Sonota asked kindly, as if cooing a child. "Maybe something sweet?"

I took a small sliver of cake into my plate, but the amount of frosting on it disgusted me. Instead of eating, I concentrated on their conversation.

"No, thank you," Otto finally said. "I feel sick."

"These lovely ladies won't harm you." Her voice trailed off as I stared at the two girls in front of me.

"A prince like that? He's like a child," said one girl. She was a Middle Class contestant that I remembered seeing at the ball, however, she had gone through a great deal of change. Her face was painted in vivid colors that matched the numerous jeweled hairpins in her hair.

Another girl replied with a smirk as another nodded. "I wouldn't marry him even if I could become Queen."

"True, he looks incompetent."

"Taraxac will surely fall into ruins at his hand."

I glanced at Otto, and he looked at his lap, back hunched as if he would rather be in the lonely tower.

"Ladies." The voice was cold and I didn't have to look to know it was Queen Sonota. "Please excuse yourselves."

The girls in front of me had horrified expressions as they hastily stood up to scatter away. The room was heavy and no one spoke.

"Is that true?" Otto's pale eyes seemed glassy. "That I'm not capable?"

Queen Sonota doesn't say a thing. She had lost her confidence, and her dark red lips were parted and frozen. The other girls didn't dare speak up.

Otto clutched the left side of his face with his hand before leaning his face into it. "I knew it. That's why you've locked me up, isn't it?"

Something about his voice and the way no one answered made my blood boil. Who were they—who were us to call Otto incapable? We didn't know what he had gone through. We didn't know how much he cared for us and the kingdom, cried over the lives lost in war and the cruelties of the Royal Family.

I opened my mouth.

"No."

Everyone stared at me with shock. Annabelle held her gloved fingers to her lips and Oriana, sitting next to her, gave me an encouraging smile. Even Nicolette and Viola, who I had only greeted occasionally, were smiling. Tritesse looked at me through her veil. Since I was at it, I might as well put on a show.

"No one has the right so call someone else incapable. Only you know whether you are or not." I put on a shaky smile. "Only you can decide."

My heart was racing nonetheless, and my hands shook like Oriana's the day the Queen spoke to her. If Otto said my name here, it would be over. Over.

"You're right." The Queen looked grateful. "I'm glad someone here knows that. I apologize for not knowing your name, may you tell me?"

"I'm Karina," I speak up, meeting Queen Sonota's eyes. "Karina Dearcage."​​​​​​​

Otto smiled back at me, but doesn't speak. I thanked the skies in my mind.

"I thank you for your words." Queen Sonota continued. "I'm sure Otto is glad to hear it, aren't you?" He nodded, to my relief, with closed lips.

"It is nothing," I said quietly. People picked up their silverware and poked at what was on their plates. Others were chatting amongst themselves, or to the Queen.

"Must be nice," I heard someone suddenly say out loud, voice saccharine and familiar, "to have the Queen notice you."

I see Garnett staring at me. She is smiling, but her hazel eyes are envious. Envious and unforgiving. Everyone looked at us.

"Two nobles...not satisfied with marrying anyone but the prince," I recalled Oriana saying.

It was the infamous Garnett, and the first time she's spoken to me.

I smiled back. "It is nice."

Laughter rippled through the contestants, and some held their handkerchiefs to their lips to hide their smirks. Annabelle and Oriana too, were beaming broadly.

"You are much too full of yourself," Garnett said, now voice deeper, "Middle Class contestant."

I felt my hands shake once again, but not of fear. Of anger.

"Classes do not matter in The Dandelion System," I hissed through gritted teeth.

"It does," she smirked. "Do you really think everyone plays fair?"

I glared at her. "You're right. I don't know about playing fair, but I'm not desperate enough to stoop to the level of using my status."

We stared at each other, her smirking, me scowling.

"Otto!" The sudden shrill scream and crash of plates and silverware brought our attention towards the head of the table.

"What's happening?"

"The Prince—"

I looked to seed Otto standing from his seat, back straight and shoulders broad, and the Queen cowering in her seat.

"I'm not Otto," Otto, no—Oscar, growled. He had surfaced again, without a warning.

He tilted his head down, brow furrowed and his pale eyes glaring with raw hatred at Queen Sonota, whose face bore a fresh cut, starting from the lip to the ear.

"Please stop the nonsense, we are in front of—"

"Do you really think I care?" Oscar roared, and he swept his arm over the table, causing an array of plates and glasses to fly and crash to the ground. "Do you really think I care?!"

Girls screamed and huddled together, as some guards ran into the rooms. Annabelle and Oriana held each other tightly, while Tristesse seemed unaffected. A few bolder girls had ran into the hallway. Other girls distanced themselves from the scene. Garnett stayed though, a look of excitement in her eyes. It made me sick.

"I'll deal with him; don't you dare touch him!" The Queen glared at the guards, threatening them to hurt her son. She turned to Oscar. "Otto, stop this!"

"Stop calling me that!"

The Queen reached out to grab him, but he slapped her hands away, making her cry out. Standing back from her, he looked at us, meeting my eyes by accident, before running out of the room. The guards ran after him, causing the girls halfway in their escape to scream again.

"It's no use running, there's guards!" Queen Sonota screamed out in a last resort. Garnett stood up from her seat and hurried to her side to comfort her.

Maybe it was because I met him once already. Or maybe it was because I knew he wasn't Otto, or a demonic possession. Or maybe it was because I knew he was a real person—but I stood up.

I ran after him.

Wearing a plain dress, as a recommendation from Oda, surely paid off. It didn't drag me down and I ran faster than usual. I stepped away from the broken glass on the floor, out the crowd of scared contestants at the door, and into the hallway. The guards were shouting in confusion and then ran out of the castle. I looked around and caught a glimpse of a shadow turning a corner. It was him.

I ran, unsure why exactly I was running after him. I was so scared of him back then, so why was I going back to the same situation?

I saw him at the staircase and he turned back briefly to see before running even faster.

"Wait!" I screamed.

Was it because my anger was overruling my fear? I wanted to tell him how much he was making Otto suffer, and that he had no right to make him when he was already carrying the heavy burden of being a future king.

"Otto!" I cried out. No. "Oscar!"

"Who are you?" he shouted.

"I don't know if you remember," I breathed heavily, "but I'm the girl from the tower!" I grabbed my aching abdomen and took a deep breath. He was getting further from me. He wouldn't response or even acknowledge me. I was going to lose him.

"The girl who you kissed!"

He stopped. He stared at me, standing on the top of the stairs motionlessly. His white hair falls into his eyes—a mess now—and his lips are set in a scowl. I can tell he's not Otto. His eyes are vaguely familiar, sharper, piercing, veiled with pain and hate.

I gulped. "Do you remember?"

"I do."