"Thanks buddy!" Valen pat the guard's shoulder and walk inside with Alicel as the two of them silently high five.

"Can't believe that child's trick will fooled him. The security around this mansion is really weak." Aliciel complained as Valen chuckled.

"We just have to meet the Baron. Every aristocrats and nobles knows who I am and you by looking at our eyes." he said as Aliciel nodded because only nobles can understand status by the eye colour.

Imperial Family is unique because it consist two colours, golden-reddish.

And the Blacker Dukedom is ruby red.

Valen knock on the door to be greeted by a butler. "...Can I help you?" he asked with a raised eyebrow while looking at their appearance.

"Yeah. Send the Baron here." Valen exclaimed casually as the butler's eyes widen.

"Who are you to call the Baron, Master of this household, like that?" he asked with great resentment.

"Pfft- this Baron is not even the part of the high society." Valen snorted while looking at him.

'Ah... his cocky side is showing...' Aliciel thought calmly while looking at his familiar behaviour then, she stifle a little laugh.

The butler look unpleasant though. "The Baron is a short-tempered one and you do not want to mess with him."

In an instant, Valen's cocky side is replaced by an intimidating one as he glare the butler coldly.

"I ask you to bring him to me, didn't I?" he asked once again using the royal tone as shiver run down the butler's spine and trembled nerveously by Valen's sudden change of attitude.

"I don't want to wait here and ask the same thing over and over again while keeping this Lady waiting." he exclaimed indicating Aliciel.

"...Y-yes, I'll bring him to you." somehow, the butler just nodded by his command and headed to who-knows-where.

Valen turned his head towards Aliciel and smiled smugly as Aliciel snort.

"Who the hell want to meet me at this time!?" a loud voice echoed through the room as Alicel and Valen didn't bother by it at all becauee somehow, they're used to it.

Then, a fat man with many luxurious accessories walk towards them as he look at them with a raised eyebrow and clench his fist.

"They're just peasant!" he shouted towards the butler angrily as Valen and Aliciel stepped forward and look at him in the eyes.

"Good day, Baron Schaer. I am the First Prince of this Empire, Valen d'Fyrst."

"Good day, Baron Schaer. I am the daughter of the Ducal Blacker."

Both of them introduced themselves like they used to as the butler and Baron's eyes widen.

"What kind of bullsh-" before the butler could finish his lines, the Baron notice the colour of their eyes as he got weak on his knees and bowed at their breathtaking presence much to the butler's surprise.

"I-I'm terribly sorry for my foolish ignorance!" he quickly apologised as Valen and Aliciel look down on him.

"I-I thought Lady Blakcer and His Highness went missing for a whole two weeks!"

Valen sigh as he scratch the back of his head. "I want you to prepare us a carriage and 2 guards to the Imperial Palace. Now." he commanded as the Baron nodded quickly as he turn his head towards the butler.

"What the hell are you doing!? Prepare their carriage now!" he shouted as the butler nodded. "S-so... want to stay a bit for dinner? Or, I could lend the two of you a suite and dresses." he said to please the two of them but Valen snort and Aliciel cross her arms with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't wear a suite from a lowly designer and already used suite."

"I don't wear lowly dresses from your random designer."

They said to him as his gaze directed downwards. "A-ah... I'm terribly sorry but... want about the clothes the two of you wear?"

"This is from our saviour." both of them said at the same time making the Baron look at them questioningly.

"U-understood."

-

After a week, the Crown Prince and Lady Blacker arrived at the Imperial Palace with a small carriage and commoners clothes.

Nonetheless, Kian and the others cheered for their return and the Ducal Blacker worries all gone.

Aliciel got lost into the forest by accident. They fell off to the cliff because of carelessness and the soil that is too old and break making the two of them fell while talking.

Fortunately, there's a lot of branches and tress that catch them so they're saved. They waited to recover and start to search for a noble that happen to be the Baron then arrived at the Palace.

That's what they said to the whole Empire.

Well, they didn't lie. They just didn't tell the whole truth.

First of all, they wouldn't actually said that they were attacked by an assassin that was sent by Vilanc because they don't have any prove.

Second, they don't want to reveal their saviour because Vilanc or other aristocrats might targeted the saviour.

The only ones who was displeased by Valen's safe return is Vilanc and the aristocrats on Vilanc's side.

And from that day onwards, Valen and Aliciel become awfully close together.

-

Lula hug Aliciel again as Aliciel sigh. "Lula, I don't mind you keep hugging me, but I'm not going anywhere." she reassured her while patting Lula's back reassuringly.

"Milady... I'm very worried for you. All of us. The Duke tried to find you without sleep and keep working, Young Master always went in and out of the mansion, and the Duchess won't eat unless you're here. We're very worried about Milady."

The moment Lula said that, warmness filled inside Aliciel, knowing that few people actually cared about her and was searching for her.

"But it's been days already. I'm not going anywhere and get foolishly lost." Aliciel said with a small smile as Lula nodded with a warm smile.

"Always be safe, Milady."

"I understand."

-

By the end of the day, unexpected guest comes to visit Aliciel's dorm.

The Second Prince, Vilanc d'Fyrst.

Of course she welcomed him as a guest since he asked her to have a little talk.

At the current time, they are sitting at the guest room, accompanied by tea and snacks as Aliciel sip on her tea calmly while looking at Vilanc.

'Vilanc... he look skinnier than the last time we met...' she thought worriedly while looking at him.

"...Prince Vilanc, are you eating well?" she asked out of concern much to Vilanc's surprise.

Vilanc let out a low chuckle as his gaze directed towards his reflection on the tea. He's guilty about the accident because he unconsciously dragged Aliciel into his own mess.

Somehow, he can't say anything special or being polite like he always did.

"......I'm not." he replied briefly as he lift his head to be greeted by the familiar ruby eyes that he longed for.

"What purpose you have by coming here?" she asked while looking at him. It's true that the current atmosphere is a bit uncomfortable, but Aliciel still try her best to make him feel welcomed as a guest.

He try to say something but he quickly shut his mouth and sip on his tea. His pride to apologise to someone hurts him. Instead, "......I'm.. checking on Lady Aliciel." he trailed off as he avoid eyes contact. "...I've been searching everywhere for you."

Aliciel's eyes widen at his statement, she was quite halfhearted whether to trust him or not. Besides, he's her enemy politically. She already decided to support Valen to be the Emperor.

But somehow, in her eyes, Vilanc look pitiful.

"...you already knew... behind that accident, right?"

She was taken aback by his question but she nod slightly as her answer.

"...that's the political world. I want to offer Lady Aliciel something."

"What is it?"

"...Do you want to become my fiancee?"

Aliciel's eyes widen and was quite taken aback, completely not expecting that offer from him.

"Reason?" she asked, maintaining her calm while looking at Vilanc.

Vilanc run his hand through his hair, frustrated. "...I want you... to be safe. Becoming my fiancee, is the only way I can protect you."

Aliciel's gaze directed towards the cup of tea. '...so Vilanc has feelings for me as well.... since it's quite obvious.' she thought calmly.

"What would happen if I refuse?"

"...many... many aristocrats will hunt you down. Not only because you're from the Blacker Dukedom who support Vilanc, but also because how you become close friends with him." he explained truthfully and let out a sigh.

"...I just..." he trailed off and clench his fist. "I just want to protect you."

Somehow, Vilanc already knew what is her answer and yet, there's a slight of hope on his eyes.

In the end, whether Aliciel were to die in the hands of aristocrats, becoming his fiancee is not her way of being protected.

"I refuse."

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