The next day the rumors started.

The Dandelion System isn't a competition for the prince at all—it's a competition to see who survives till the end!

Karina Dearcage would do anything to win and that's why she killed Tristesse Roncesvalles!

They should just lock her up already!

Who's next—who's next?

If it weren't for the Princess's support behind the scenes, I would have perished by now.

All the eyes were staring—or glaring, at me during breakfast. Walking through the hallways and dorms made everyone recoil in horror like I had a disease. Aideen tried to comfort me, but she was equally shunned. Also, I didn't know how to act towards her after witnessing her breakdown.

Oriana and Annabelle both assured me they knew I am innocent, but it didn't make me feel any better. I only felt dirty, like by standing near them and talking to them, the blood everyone painted on me would also spread to them. I didn't want them to be tainted like me.

"I know it's not you, Karina!" Oriana told me after breakfast. She took a step towards me, but I took one back almost immediately.

"No, you have to stay away," I said before I turned away.

"Karina, you've been set up—it's not fair! They all knew something happened to Lady Tristesse when she went missing!" Annabelle declared. I wanted to thank them, tell them how grateful I was to hear their words—but I knew that wasn't how I should repay them.

I didn't look back as I muttered, "I suggest you two stay away."

Today it was Sunday again, and Oda had told me yesterday night that this time the Queen was visiting us during dinner. I had almost forgot about the meetings.

"Don't be worried," Oda had tried to soothe me like everyone else, but also failing piteously. "My Mother isn't so quick to believe in rumors."

I thought of Garnett and Lorna, already twisting facts to make me seem like the perpetrator, and their widespread influence and ability to communicate with the Queen so well.

"You've been coming to my room a lot as of now," I said instead. "It'll be any day now that both of us—three if you include Aideen—get arrested for suspicious behavior." I wondered if anyone knew about Aideen going to her room last time.

"Don't fret, I'll never get caught and we will win the Dandelion System. Together." Her overconfident words didn't bring me any relief. Especially since I was still thinking of betraying her if it meant Oscar would have a better life. I spent the rest of the night unable to sleep because of the sight of Tristesse's body and in fear of the murderer.

I heard a knock at the door, surprising me.

"Who is is?" I ask, hoping it want the Royal Guards or Oriana and Annabelle.

"It's me," came Aideen's soft voice. I sighed, relieved.

"Come in."

She opened the door and stepped in timidly. "It's time for dinner. Should I help you change?"

"No, it's fine. I will go down alone. You should go too." Aideen winced at my cold words.

"Yes, I will." Aideen doesn't move for a moment. "Please don't pay mind to the rumors—"

"I know, it's fine. Please go."

With her head down, she finally leaves.

I opened my wardrobe and choose a dress even duller than the one I wore when I had breakfast with the Queen. It is black, like what Tristesse always wore, but without her trademark black veil. The reflection I see in my mirror scares me for a moment because it felt as though Tristesse was the one staring back at me.

In the dining hall, I noticed that most of the girls are dressed in a similar palette and the room is heavy with mourning. Mourning not at the death of Tristesse, but at the thought, 'it could have been me'.

Everyone's voice and conversation dies away when I walked in. Still I walk with my head high and sit down at my usual seat. The girls become rigid and compile to the other end of the table. Oriana and Annabelle, however, still sit by my side. I hated their kindness. I hated that they are still on my side.

Moments after I enter, the Queen appeared too, dressed in a black gown too. She sat, like before, at the head of the table, on the other side. Girls greeted her and she returned their greetings one by one, going around the table. When she saw me, however, her face changed expression. I mentally scoffed at Oda telling me she wasn't quick to believe in rumors. Why is it that the Queen is so terribly sure I am the one?

Is it to mask up the fact that she might've had something to do with it?

Dinner is a lot quieter than before. No one speaks, or eats, and I also do neither, only watch the Queen carefully, still trying to accomplish my previous mission of figuring out who her favorable contestant is. Maybe it isn't Priscilla. I wish that not only for Aideen, but also myself.

"The deceased girl—Lady Tristesse," one girl from the Lower Class broke the silence, causing everyone to look at her, "why did she always wear black?"

No one answered. Queen Sonota, though, does grimace. Annabelle cleared her throat.

"I heard that she was mourning," she said. "She is from Berennis, but was adopted by a Taraxacan family before moving here. Some people said they moved because—" she stopped midway, conscious of everyone staring at her like vultures at a dying animal, "her sweetheart died."

It suddenly made sense; her constant use of black, the veils to cover up her beautiful crying face, the pendant she clutched in her hands even at death, and Annabelle's prior refusal to tell me about her. If you were known to have a sweetheart, dead or not, you would be looked down by everyone for making the Prince your second.

The heavy silence was broken by the Queen's cold but steady voice.

"Garnett, how do you feel about The Dandelion System?" Although I feel like she was only asking her so she could say something she wanted, Garnett flushed with pleasure at being singled out.

"It's horrid! I can't believe why anyone would murder poor Lady Tristesse!" Garnett cried out, shooting me a glare that no one dared to follow.

"Would you, or anyone, plan on dropping out of the Dandelion System?" The Queen's true motive was shown; she wanted to see who would give up.

"Of course not!" Garnett declared.

"Are you sure none of your friends or fellow acquaintances are considering it?"

"That's impossible—"

"Actually—" a tiny voice piped up. I turned to who everyone else was looking at to find out the source of the voice. It was Aubree.

She looked like she was sick; her once cheery face now has dark circles under eyes and her lips are colorless and shriveled. Everyone waits for her to part her lips to finish what she is saying.

"I want to leave."

A chorus of voices follow.

"Me too."

"Me three."

Girls suddenly broke out of the trance, finally saying what they thought of, not in whispers, but in cries.

"The Dandelion System is insane—there's no real rules at all!"

"I don't know if it's Karina Dearcage or not, but being framed is just as terrible!"

"I don't want to be locked up for a crime I didn't commit!"

"I don't want to be next!"

I watched in surprise as girls sobbed, afraid and not at all like contestants for a prince's bride. Even more surprising was whether or not they believed I was the murderer, they feared being set up and ostracized like me. Oriana held a handkerchief to her tearing eyes, Annabelle tugged at her gloves, and Aubree was in hysterics. I looked around the long table to catch the Queen's eyes.

I wondered if I am imagining it, but I knew I wasn't. The two round orbs of dark brown bored into mine with no mistake.

​​​​​​​Eighteen ladies were crying and the Queen is glaring at me.

When dinner was dismissed, I didn't meet up with anyone, not even Aideen or Oda, but went to the tower. There I used a hairpin like Aideen did last time to open to door. For the second door, I knocked.

"Otto?" There was no reply, and I knew what that meant. "Oscar, can you open the door?"

The door opened.

His face greeted mine.

"Why are you here?"

I stood there in silence. Then he sighed.

"You can come in."

He stepped to the side so I could come in. The lantern was lit, and he seemed to be reading a book, as it laid face down on the bed.

"Were you reading?" I asked. I didn't know what to talk about, and the silence was stifling.

"Yes." He didn't continue. I turned to him.

"I thought about what you said last time." He looked away. Was it in guilt?

"You're right, Oscar. I'm a pretentious person. I never live up to my promises." I took a step closer to him. "But I will do what I can to help you no matter what you say of me. I'll do what I can to make you happy."

"What do you mean?" He looked wary.

"If the Queen has a favorable candidate, I will betray Oda," I decided. I couldn't believe what I was saying. I was casting away the very reason why I joined the Dandelion System—to help Catalina. "I support your marriage. It's possible if you marry her, the Queen might not force you out of Otto's body. She might not even lock Otto up anymore. She made this system: she has a plan."

"So you're going to give me to a stranger I don't even know?" I stopped. What did he mean by that? He smiled, amused. "That's what you've decided?"

"It's for your happiness," I argued. But who was I trying to convince, him? Or was it me?

"You probably won't have to rule," I said. "She'll rule, and if anything, you can experience a married life. Maybe you'll like it. Maybe you'll grow to love her—and maybe she'll grow to love you."

"Who'd love a person like me?" he scoffed. "You're naive. The Queen could marry me, or Otto, whoever it is, to the girl she likes, and kill us once she's queen."

"Then I'll stop that!" I shouted. I was making false promises again. Saying things that I couldn't do. But I couldn't stop it. I didn't want to imagine a world where Otto or Oscar died. Not Oscar dying a second time. I thought of Tristesse's eyes from yesterday, and my skin grew cold.

"I won't let you die! I swear! I will expose the secrets, even if they accuse me of murder or say I'm a madwoman! I'll force Oda to admit it to the public, or Aideen, even if I have to threaten them by harming myself!" Oscar shook his head.

"Like I said, you're too—"

"I will!" I screamed. Hot tears poured out of my eyes. "I will do what I can! I know I'm helpless, but I'll trade my life if you could be happy. I know I have friends who would believe in me, and Oda and Aideen aren't truly cruel enough to the point they would let me die. If I hold a knife to my neck, they will help me."

No, that was a lie. I didn't know if they would. Even yesterday, all Aideen could say what how much she believed in the Royal Family, and Oda was also risking everything for Otto. Who was I to say I mattered to them?

"Why would you do that?" Oscar whispered. He looked at me. He was finally looking at me. No longer in his sarcastic way, not taking me seriously. He was asking me why.

And I didn't know.