Chapter 17: Operation
"Is that so"-Scarlett
I spoke as grab the document and tap the bottom of the document on the table, creating a [bang] sound.
"We're leaving now kid, we'll be back tomorrow"-Scarlett
I said to Kyle with reassuring smile on my face, I stare at the top of her head and couldn't resist to pat her head.
"Ugh! What are you doing!"-Kyle
Kyle jerk when I touch her head, she removes my hand from her head while glaring at me.
"Princess, stop, you're disturbing her"-Diana
Diana stops me and defending the kid, she took my hand and put back on my side.
"Muuu"-Scarlett
I pouted, I look at Diana before taking the document and put it inside my coat before leaving.
"Wait Princess!"-Diana
Diana was about to chase me when the kid stops her, Diana looks at the kid who are full of smile.
"Here, you'll need this Lady Diana"-Kyle
The kid plucks out something from the rose shrub.
That was the last thing I heard from them before I enter the orphanage.
"Princess! The kids are here, they were happy to know that you're looking for them"-Staff
The staff expression brightens when she saw me, she took the kids to the front to let me see them.
"Do you want some biscuits? I have some of here"-Scarlett
I gave them an affectionate smile; I took a biscuit at the pocket of my coat to show them the biscuits.
The children's eyes brighten when they saw my biscuits on my hand, they immediately run towards me with a wide smile on their face.
"Princess, can we, have it?"-Children
The children shyly ask.
"Hmm~ then how about you tell me your secrets~"-Scarlett
I hummed while placing my finger in my mouth, mischievously grinning at them.
"Princess! I finally found you!"-Diana
Diana abruptly opens the door causing the children to flinch.
"Ah Lady Diana~ you're here"-Scarlett
I look back to look Diana's face with a smile, I saw her slightly panting.
Diana glance at the kids then at the staff before looking at me.
"Here, I'm sorry for earlier Princess"-Diana
Diana suddenly gave me a rose; she shyly apologizes to me with a shy face.
I was stunned to see Diana giving me a rose, I took the rose out of her hand and come close to my nose, sniffing the fragrance of the rose.
"Thank you, Lady Diana"-Scarlett
I thank Diana, giving her a sweet smile while taking another sniff from the roses.
"OOoohhhHH~"-Children
The children started 'Oohing' on us with a wide mischievous and teasing grin as they look at us.
Kyle is also one of the children that started oohing with her hand covering her mouth.
"How did you arrive here without us noticing? I didn't see you enter the door"-Diana
Diana who also notice the kid, ask her with slightly wide eyes but quickly narrowed when she looks into the kid's eyes.
"There's a door there that is closer from the maze garden Lady Diana"-Kyle
The kid answer Diana's question, she pointed the door not far away from here.
'There's a door there? How come I didn't know that'
I thought to myself, placing my hand on to my chin.
"Well, the door there are mostly covered by that plant over there so you might not notice it earlier"-Kyle
Kyle added as if she read my thoughts.
I look into her eyes, she notices my gaze and give me an innocent smile, I also gave her a smile in return.
"Oh, anyway, Princess, I heard that you want the kids secret? Isn't that out of the line? My apology if that offend you"-Diana
Diana spoke, when she realizes her word might offend me, she quickly switches into polite words and apologize.
"That's okay you didn't offend me except for one thing"-Scarlett
I spoke, turn my body to the side with my hands cross to my chest while narrowing my eyes to look at her.
Diana panic.
"W-What is it Princess?"-Scarlett
She nervously asks, I saw her thumb pushing to her index finger as she asks.
Cute
I turn my body towards her, I took a step closer while she took a small step backwards. Just as she's about to hit the wall, I stop my steps and stand just about a few inches away from her face.
"Didn't I told you to talk to me casually? Lady Diana"-Scarlett
I said to her with my cheeks puff up, narrowing my eyes as I stare into her eyes.
"Y-yes"-Diana
Diana politely answered, she moves her head downwards, refusing to gave me an eye contact.
Hearing her reply, I held her chin to face me.
"Hmm~?"-Scarlett
I hummed, staring at her green eyes.
"…Yeah"-Diana
Diana finally answers me in a casual way, her face started to redden as she tries to move her head to the side.
Yep, cute
"Get a room please"-Kyle
Kyle interrupted us; she spoke to us as she rolled her eyes before leaving with the children.
"Thank you"-Scarlett
I leaned into Diana's ear and whisper my thanks to her with my sweetest voice.
Diana's face turned redder than an apple, steam coming out from her ears as she cover her face with her hands.
"Anyway~ let's have a private talk, shall we? And nobody is allowed to enter here except for the children, okay?"-Scarlett
I spoke to the children first before looking to the staff as I send the last sentence with a smile on my face and placing my index finger to my lips, making a 'shh' face.
"…Yes Princess"-Staff
The staff could only agree while clenching their teeth in silence since they couldn't do anything as it will be defying the Royal Family's order.
"Come on now kids~"-Scarlett
I started pushing the children and Diana to the other room.
---
"Then, what secrets do you have? It's okay! You can tell me anything!"-Scarlett
I ask them with a cheerful smile then I reassured them while giving a gentle smile on my face.
"Well…I once ate the petals of the rose"-girl
6 years old girl was the first to speak, she shyly voices out her secret with her cute bubbly head.
"Ohh~ don't eat it okay, it might be poisonous"-Scarlett
I said to her as I took a biscuit from my coat, gently giving it to her.
The girl smile brightens when she receives my biscuit, she stood up and went to the side.
'Such a simple girl'
I thought to myself.
"I…my—I mean our secret is that the head of the orphanage would often lead us to the basement once in a while"-boy
The boy who's at the age of 13 hesitated for a while, he looks at the kids who's the same age as him, they nod before the boy continue his sentence.
"Oh? Are you guys doing something there?"-Diana
Diana asks, she look at me before looking back to the boy.
The boy immediately looks to the other kids. They thought that we wouldn't see their glares that they sent to the boy.
"N-nothing special…!"-Boy
The boy nervously replied, shaking his head.
"Oh! Look at the time, we have to go now"-Scarlett
I said to the them with a smile on my face, I walk to toward the window with my back facing window.
"What are you doing princess…?"-Diana
Diana asks, feeling that she knew what was about to happen.
"See ya at the gate Lady Diana"-Scarlett
I said to Diana with a wide smile before falling on my back, I landed perfectly with my one hand on the ground just a quick second before my back to the ground.
"Princess…!!"-Diana
Diana immediately ran towards the window, she let out a sigh before leaving the room and went after me.
---
"We're back"-Scarlett
I open the door with Diana on my back, holding her hand.
"Princess, welcome back, we're almost done"-Anne
Anne greeted us with a serious face, holding a stack of documents.
"I'll be back later, I'm going to palace"-Scarlett
I said to Anne with a smile on my face, loosening up my tie as I walk towards her.
"Is this all the document?"-Scarlett
I ask, I grab the top document on the pile and read.
"Hmmm, so they only took out kids above 10 years old"-Scarlett
I added, I let out a hum as I place my hand to my chin with a smile on my face.
"Should we operate tomorrow, Princess?"-Diana
Diana asks, she also took another document from Julie's hand and frown after reading it.
"Yeah, I'll prepare the knights later~"-Scarlett
I smile at her before leaving the mansion, while waving my hand to them. I walk towards the carriage station where we put our carriages.
"To the palace"-Scarlett
I said to coach man, I enter the carriage and sat down comfortably.
"Yes, Your Highness"-Coachman
The coachman spoke, he sat down on the chair.
'Haaa'
I let out a sigh, I place my elbow on the window as I stare at the unchanging scenery.
"Is everything okay? Why aren't we moving yet?"-Scarlett
I open the small window at the front where I can speak to the coachman, I ask him with concern while showing him a smile.
"No, nothing's wrong Your Highness, it just that the horses won't move Your Highness"-Coachman
The coachmen nervously answered my question.
I pop out my head from the window, I look at the horses from the front with my eyes narrowed.
Releasing my aura to them.
They notice my aura and quickly turn their heads towards my direction, the horses saw my red bloody jewelry eyes and immediately started walking.
As the carriage move, I close the small window and look at the scenery outside.
'It's been a while since I've come here, it's nice to see changes around here'
I thought to myself as I mindlessly stare at the scenery.
After a while, I could already see the gate and wall of the palace. I saw some knights bowing their heads when they saw me and the crest of my carriage.
"We're here, Your Highness"-Coachman
The coachman spoke.
"Hmm"-Scarlett
I hummed in response, I stand up and open the carriage door.
"Welcome back, Your Highness!"-Knights
The knights greeted me as they surround the carriage, they kneeled down with their one knee on ground and their right-hand clenching on their chest where their heart is.
"Where's father?"-Scarlett
I ask, I jump down on the carriage, ignoring the knights hand. I look around and notice my tie is loosened but I didn't fix it as I wait for their answer.
"I believe he's on his office, Your Highness"-Knight
The knight stands up and answered my question.
"Okay! Thanks!"-Scarlett
I thank the knight before entering the palace.
The maids who saw pass by me would bow their head as they identified me.
I wave my hand towards them as I continue to walk, I stop walking and look behind me.
"Siisstteerr!! Your back!"-Alex
Alex, my younger brother greeted me in delight as he walks toward me.
"Ah! Alex! I'm back"-Scarlett
I widely smile at him when I saw him.
"Are you going to dad's office?" -Alex
Alex asks with his hand on his pockets, he turns his head to look into me with a gentle smile on his face.
"Yeah, what about you?"-Scarlett
I answer him, I look at him and ask with a bright smile.
"I'm heading to mom's office since she called me"-Alex
Alex responded as he took out his hand from his pocket and walk properly.
"What does mother need for you?"-Scarlett
I couldn't help but ask Alex.
"Probably because of the document that I need to bring"-Alex
He smiles at me as he looks at me.
Just as Alex finish speaking, we arrive at Father's office.
"Well, I have to go, see ya sis!"-Alex
Alex said his goodbye to me with his bright and cheerful attitude.
'Unlike me'
I couldn't help but thought to myself.
I wave my hand while giving him a broad smile, after seeing Alex back's departing, I turn my face to the side, facing Father's office door.
My face change for a moment before going back to normal, I knock on the door and wait for my father's reply.
"Enter"-Father
I heard my father word; I enter myself after receiving his affirmation.
"I'm entering"-Scarlett
I spoke as I open the door, and gently closing it after as I entered.
I saw my father sitting on his chair, busy doing his work. He looks up after I close the door, he put his elbows on the armchair with his hands interlock together while his back rested on the chair.
Wearing his king uniform, his sharp red jewelry eyes looking at the document and his golden hair comb to the back.
Father's face didn't have any wrinkles despite his age, he's more like he's in his 30's although he's on his 40's.
'Though many people from the kingdom said that he's good looking despite his age'
I thought to myself.
"You're looking for me, Father?"-Scarlett
I ask father with a cheerful smile on my face, hands on my back while I slightly tilted my head to the side.
"You're late, I called you over an hour ago"-Father
Father complained with a frown on his face.
"Sorry~"-Scarlett
I lamely apologize to father in another language that he can understand, giving him an innocent smile.
"Haaa, you've never change"-Father
Father let out a sigh, he held his forehead with his hand.
'Like a mischievous daughter I am'
I couldn't help but add my thought to my father's word.
"Anyway, sit down"-Father
Father wave his hand as he spoke, he seems exhausted, I wonder why?
"Yes~,Yes~"-Scarlett
I responded to my father with a smile, I walk toward the couch and sat down lazily with my arm on the top of the backrest.
"Fix your tie Scarlett"-Father
Father ordered me to fix my tie when he notices the loosened tie on my uniform.
I look down, I thought for a moment but didn't do what father wanted.
'Play time is over'
I thought to myself with a big smile on my face, while lazily sit on the couch.