Chapter 3: Friendship over Cake

"Ah, you've kept me waiting, Lina!"

Libitina could hear Sydney's spoilt voice even before she entered the reception room. Even after two years, the second prince has not changed much.

The Second Prince of Clomodor, the foolish prince who threw away his right to the throne and rose to fame as a entrepreneur, Sydney Jair.

In the public, he is the dashing and rich bachelor of the nation, but once the doors are closed, Sydney reverts to a playful brat who throws away all decorum.

Libitina remembered the first time she saw Sydney. At the time, she had just started her training to become the heir of the Merveille House. Every day was filled to the brim with various activities and lessons after she had requested to start her training as a noble daughter. Alisa had hired numerous distinguished tutors to guide her as she grew in her knowledge.

However, routine is monotonous. For a change in atmosphere, she had requested to have tea with her foster parents.

Making mochi for Marianne had been the last time she baked. She had not touched the kitchen for a long time and was thus very excited to bake a chocolate cake.

When the cake was finally ready, she took it out to the garden. Back then, the Merveilles had continued to stay at their holiday estate to allow Libitina time to heal. The holiday estate had a small garden where Libitina loved to play in, and it was a very private place.

However, this time, aside from Alisa and Gregory, another stranger was also present.

"Who's this?" the silver-haired young man has asked Gregory rudely. "Is she the girl you adopted? What a cold-looking girl!"

Gregory smiled and gestured towards Libitina. Confused, Libitina held her cake and walked up to her adopted father.

Unexpectedly, before she could even put the cake down on the table, the silver-haired young man twitched his nose and stood up abruptly. Libitina had stared with shock as, with lightning speed, the young man's fork stabbed into the cake's perfect cream, as he tore off a portion of the crumbly cake and put it into his mouth. The beautiful cake she had spent hours to make was at once destroyed.

"Wow, it's better than I imagined! The smell was really good, but the taste is even better!"

"Lina, don't be angry, the Second Prince has never seen a cake before…"

Luckily, Gregory and Alisa had quickly introduced the two to each other, and she realised that she was dealing with a prince of a kingdom. Under Tudor's patient reminders, she had curtsey and introduced herself as protocol demanded. She barely controlled her hand to stay from the instinctive launch of the cake into that rude brat's face.

Unexpectedly, this was the start of a close friendship.

Ever since that day, lured by good candies and sweet cakes, the Second Prince Sydney Jair would welcome himself into the halls of the Merveille mansion and make himself home. As a close business and political collaborator with the Merveille House, the Second Prince had also moved all his meeting to the Merveille's mansion, where he would order his favourite refreshments by the week. Over time, Libitina slowly registered that she had unknowingly gained an older brother. Gregory and Alisa were delighted at their interactions.

As she entered the reception room, she threw the customary greeting from her mouth, smiling genuinely for the first time that day.

"Hello Sydney. It seems like you were getting fatter by the minute while you waited for me," she began coolly.

"I can't help it," Sydney said, his cheeks puffed up with cakes, "I can't stand the temptation of your refreshments. Especially this one." He waved his cookie crumbled cheesecake around. "This one is to die for! Are you sure you don't want to sell this in my dessert shops? I can pay you a hefty commission for providing the recipe."

'This brat. I wish I could take a photo of his face right now to show those ladies at the Palace.'

"Not now," Libitina rolled her eyes. "If I wanted to sell, I would open my own shop. Why would I need to give you my sales?"

"Lina, you are so cruel. You won't even share your money with me."

"A prince should not haggle over pennies with your servants. Besides, I am pretty sure you have more gold than me. Now, the question is: won't you give me some?"

"Lina, you're my money-making machine, not my servant."

"I'm confiscating my cake."

"NO! I'm sorry, give it back to me!"

Finally, Sydney cleaned his mouth with one of the napkins on the table before straightening his clothes on the sofa, so that he would look more presentable. The temporary scuffle had messed up his hair, but Libitina didn't tell him that his gelled hair was split into two ends. She would tell him when it hardened properly.

Again, she wished she had her camera. This gave her ideas.

Meanwhile, Libitina had her usual embroidered silver mask on, and her wavy brown hair was tied fashionably to the side. She settled down opposite him, placing her plate down and lifting her teacup to sip elegantly from it. Sydney snorted at her pretentious posturing.

Libitnia smirked slightly in response.

"I see you're finally ready. Shall we start discussing?"