chapter 49

" Oh my. Alister-no, should I call you 'prince Calipsto' now, your highness? " said her with melodious voices she had even though it was mixed with the tone of mocking the guy who unexpectedly came to her place in this beautiful noon without any prior notice of his sudden visit.

" Greeting to the Queen, Calipsto Romanoff at your service. " bows his head politely while ignoring the gracious woman who mocks him earlier so blatantly. She, who was enjoying her teatime at her palace alone in this great weather, the woman who seems to be in her 40th, smirk at Calipsto first with an annoyed expression while her hand slowly points at the empty chair before her.

" Tsk... what a boring guy. please have a seat here. "

Slowly smile back at her, Calipsto softly sits on the chair then the maid of the queen immediately serves him a cup of tea as usual. Queen Leticia has already been used to his faking ignorance every time she tried to tease him each time he came here. so, it doesn't matter if I didn't properly play along with her words.

" Hm-mn. it seems like my queen has already known the whole story before I get here."

" Oh my. it may not seem like that but my connection is quite wide, Calipsto. "

" my, I shouldn't underestimate it then, aren't I? " smile a little before elegantly sipping his tea, Calipsto leans back against his chair to look straight on the queen with a serious face.

" haha. that's right! So? what exactly makes you come here though, prince? " her hand that just now was holding a cup, has already under her chin to support her head while her face has been brightened in excitement when she directly looks at Calipsto.

" you're exaggerating thing, your majesty. " quietly sipping his tea a little again, Calipsto then once again takes a glance at the queen. "I'm not yet appointed as a 'prince' so you can't call me out by that title yet, my queen. "

" Oh my. That's true! I made a slip of tongue. please forgive my insolence. " while her hand busily covers her mouth in a manner, the Queen smile before sip her tea again.

" ... "

" Hmm. Do you already make a move, Alister? "

" ...I'm afraid to disappoint you but, yes. as you said, she didn't want to cooperate. she is as stubborn as ever. "

" Hmm. as I thought. then. What do you want to do now? "

" My queen, you said when I get the throne you will hold so many powers for yourself. "

" yes. that indeed true. since I help the second prince to ascend the throne, I'll get much influence to be the queen dowager with wealth and honor all because of you. Why? "

" Nevertheless, you also said that there will be a risk too, your majesty. May I know what is it? "

" That's for me to takes so you shouldn't bother to know. " hide her expression with a faked smile, Queen Leticia leans on her chair then stares at the scenery beside her through the window of her room blankly in silence.

" My queen... " silent in a deep guilty and anxiety for someone who gladly enduring suffers for his sake, Calipsto suddenly approaching the Queen and without any word, he kneels beside her while reaching his hand to touch and kiss the hand of the woman who he respects so much.

" My queen, I apologize due to my lacking. Please trust me. I'll bring the honor you have been dreams of for your name soon, your majesty. I swear on the honor of Romanoff. That's my oath. "

Silently stares at Calipsto who was bowing his head before of her with such an expression, her beautiful deep golden eyes glance at him in wariness, and with a deep thought in her head, she seems to be calculating the reason in her head. " ... "

" Ha. How weird. "

" ....stop it. what is it actually? " immediately pull her hand from being held by Calipsto even longer, she looks at him in doubt. " you've never kneel before me like this, Calipsto. Although you use to sit on your knees before me if you were to gets your punishment when you were little but that was completely a different story. So, what's the exact reason though? what do you want from me? "

'gotcha!' mysteriously smirking his lips, Calipsto finally raises his head when the queen has been caught in his perfect trap. Queen Leticia was known to always have a temper when things don't go on her way but just a few people know about this, that she has a soft part especially for those who came to her with a troubled face. So, when she unconsciously shows an opening just like Calipsto has predicted, he wisely seizes the opportunity and uses it as an advantage to gain the attention of the Queen to gain him a favor.

" I actually wanted to ask you a favor, my queen. "

" Oh my, my. A 'favor', huh? I see. you're indeed a smart boy. to trick me into gaining you a chance to give you favor so easily. well, you've got my attention though, Calipsto. " her hand gently leans under her chin once again while her face directly looking at Calipsto with interest expressions.

" so, tell me. what makes this cold and firm leader of the west tower suddenly makes an oath, which is rare for him to do so, just so he could have my favor? hm? "

" Oh. I'm humbly grateful for your concern, your highness. then, please hear this foolish wish of mine."

****

" Has he arrived by now? " a question came out of her mouth at last due to her anxiety which she has been perfectly hiding this whole time, has finally lost the composure. Claire has been wandering alone in her room for quite some time now since she begins to sense an overwhelming feeling passes her veins without a single explanation for why does she has been feeling this pressure.

Her maid, Daisy, who slowly glances through the window in silence, begins to gently shake her head as a signal. " there seems to be no signal of the young master's carriage, my lady. "

" it's that so? uh. why do I keep feeling anxious, Daisy? "

" Well, it's almost midnight, my lady. you may feel fatigued from waiting for his grace to come back. you should get some rest now." slightly touch Claire's shoulder to lead her to her bed, Daisy smile a little before put her lady on her bed in a gentle way.

" Hm. when I think about it... actually, my lady..., uhm. "

Frown when Daisy seems hesitant to tell her something, Claire sits on her bed while patiently waiting for Daisy to continue her sentence. " what is it, Daisy? "

" Madam Lenny send a message saying all the servants in the main palace were prohibited from stepping out of their rooms ever since sunset. so, I don't really know any news about his grace. "

"? why is that so? " frowns in a wondering thought, Claire gets up from her bed while looking straight at Daisy.

" hmm. they didn't say the exact reason though, Madam just said to never leave the room except for an emergency. I'm sorry I couldn't be any help for you, my lady. Then, I'll take my leave now. "

" yes, thank you. "

When Daisy has left the room, Claire slowly steps her feet to head to her window in silence, slowly her hand slightly push the curtain just to find out the dark sky outside as her view. no matter how long she waits, that person still didn't arrive just yet. what happens to him?

it has been a while since he leaves this mansion this morning to meet the grand duke at his mansion but until now, there no sign that he will come home. it's not that far away though.

' what if the grand duke said something about me to him? what if Adam gradually grows hatred to me because he knows my dark intuition to approaches him in the first place? what if the grand duke uses that as a reason for asking Adam to break up with me since Maria has shown up? Felixis might turn his interest from me to the crown princess's side instead since she was much more suitable to be used in his plan.'

' Argh!! as I thought I shouldn't let him meet the grand duke without me! what should I do now? should I threaten Adam to not leave me?? but, with what?! '

" It can't be like this. I shouldn't stand still here like anything happens. I need to do something. "

grasp for a lamp on her hand to lead her way, Claire stepping out from her room sneakily while slowly heading toward the stairs in silence. when the way is completely clear, she rapidly headed to the main door with a serious face.

As she getting near the door, a familiar person came into her sight.

" My lady? what are you doing here? " asked the leader of the Allardis knight who seems to be in his patrol tonight, sir Edward. he spoke as soon as he spots Claire on his radar when she getting near him.

without wasting much more time anymore, Claire immediately approaches Edward with a little smile on her beautiful face. " Is he here already, sir Edward? "

" Oh. did the princess been waiting for his grace until this late? his grace hasn't arrived yet, princess. " immediately respond to the princess's question towards him out of the blue, Edward smile in guilt.

" Ah... it's that so? please inform me when he gets back later, sir Edward. "

Claire then turns her body away after telling Edward her command and slowly she headed to the living room with a sullen face.

" ..... "

" ... "

Waiting for a long time until her body has gone numb due to tiredness, Claire slowly begins to walks through the room while still waiting for her fiance to come back tonight.

" hm. I think I should walk around outside a bit and wait... "

" Young master! "

her hand that was holding the doorknob suddenly stopped when her ears heard someone voice calling a person that happens to walk near her current place. " 'young master'? does that mean Adam has finally back? I should hurr-"

" There is a problem. "

Stop in the middle of opening the door, Claire can sense a serious tone was mix in that guy who was calling for Adam earlier.

" What is it? " now she heard Adam's cold voices respond to that anxious tone too.

" Currently a war had erupted near the southern border, young master. "

As soon as she heard that, Claire turn silent in shock when her heart thumping uneasiness. ' southern border? that was where papa was assigning to go by the emperor's order, right? '

" A war? of what? "

" A group of several fallen nobility that was known as rebellious who didn't want to obey the Castella for generations has finally declared war with our empire. They held resentment against the imperial family the most and lead the war within the empire with the utmost possibility that they will eventually win. "

" Hmm. They got some nerves there. " smirk while turn his eyes to look at a person behind him, Adam slowly turns his head towards Jade while Jade shrug his shoulder in ignorance.

" Young master, you shouldn't be so certain. Their number of people have already clashed our people on the southern border, this will really lead to their victory if this situation continues to get worsen."

" Then, what does the emperor say about this matter though? " asked Jade from the back when Adam seems to shut himself with his cold atmosphere.

" The emperor has called for the young master presence tomorrow morning since there will be a sudden meeting with the council members as to discuss-"

" It means they eventually want me to go to the battlefield, huh. " continues his walk from before with his stunning face gradually turn fierce, Adam stomps his feet on the ground coldly while Jade and Edward have already turned silent behind Adam when he finally snapped like that.

" ..... "

As his eyes stare at his master quietly from behind, Jade slowly walks beside Adam with a face that slowly turns annoyed just like the one Adam had earlier. " Up until the very end, those elders truly are shameless, weren't they? they use to despise you when you were once curse but now they hope for your help in their filthy war after you begin to be useful for them again. What a group of bastards. "

Glance a little towards Jade who casually said those things with a face that showed no fear, Adam smirk while looking at his fist which he tightly clenches in contempt." Ha. if I was any other noble, I would have spat on each of their filthy faces. it a shame both my hands are tied by the grand duke. Once this rope that tied me is gone, I'll lead them all to hell. "

" Ah. talking about the grand duke, what does he say to you, master? You came out of the meeting room with an angry face and have been snapped all of our way to Allardis."

" ..... " Halt his feet from taking a step forward, Adam silent for a while with his head begins to recall the scene from before. with a face which more fierce than before and his hands which were clenching both his fists with a murderous aura begin to gets within the air that can make someone died of suffocating, Adam finally talks in a cold and contempt tone. " Tsk! That old man and that guy too! They dared to command me to break my engagement with Claire. what bullshit they spitting out of nowhere, they both talking about it at the same time as if it had been planned from the beginning. "

" I might tie to the grand duke forever but I'll never let Claire go from my sight. No way in the hell that will happen. no matter what she is min- "

" Princess. "

" ...? " frown in annoyance, Adam turn his face to look at Jade who suddenly turned speechless and suddenly stunned while looking in a direction before of them. " I was talking, Jade. Do you want me to slice your throat because you dare to interfere with my words? "

" No-no! of course not, master. I mean tha-that. The prin-princess. " point his index finger to the direction behind Adam with a face which has turned pale, Jade shut himself and immediately bent his head in a manner.

As soon as his head finally apprehends what Jade was trying to talk about, Adam turns his body slowly just to meet eye to eye with his lovely fiance who was hiding behind the wall near them. She must have heard all of our talks earlier.

" My dear fiance.. wh-what are you doing here..? "

Claire who seems to be stunned behind the wall slowly takes a step to gets near her fiance in silence. Adam speechless in his stead when Claire has stood before him with a big frown on her pretty face.

" ....a command to breaking off this engagement? "