~7~ Buying Time

"Good morning again!"

A bright, cheerful beautiful lady had said in front of the door that was currently opened. Now she was facing not only the owner of the bakery but as well as the young man that she was looking for. However, what the young man expressed her was the same exact opposite that she's expecting.

Ger, only snort at her and immediately ignored her as he goes inside the bakery. Meanwhile, Willy noticed how the young man acted and can only sighed as he looked concerned with the lady that greeted the bakery first

"Oh! I apologize for that kid Milady"

"Oh! It's actually not a bother, however, may I ask about him again?"

"Oh! The young man, Milady? Well he's like that to people but mostly ladies that come inside this bakery. It's because the ladies kept coming in this place because of him. However, in the current day you'e the first among the ladies"

"Oh! That explained why there were lots of ladies that I saw entering here the other day"

"Well, that's the main reason why I can't let him go. Besides, he told me that his siblings love the bread that I'm baking so as an extra bonus as his pay I always gives him the left breads not bought by the ladies or men coming here"

"Oh, so that's why"

"Anyways, Milady do you want to try something like this bread? It's a newly crafted baked one based on my expertise"

"Oh sure! And would you please have the bread that we ordered the other day?"

"Sure, Milady"

The two were talking nicely that the two people behind the lady had been weirdly looking at the lady herself. They didn't understand it yet, however, when they saw the lady smiled and talked happily with the owner of the bakery they were relieved and glad. It's the first time that they saw how happy she was when talking to someone besides the two of them for the day. However, what they didn't wanted to see is how the young man named Ger --- treated his greetings with the smiling lady.

'At first I was happy that the lady was happy however, that young man couldn't keep up the mood. It made me worried and concerned for the lady yet I can't forget how that young man glared at the lady. If only the lady and Melly wasn't here, I would've have taught the young man a lesson'

Howald had thought while looking seriously at the lady and Willy. However, when he looked at Melly, he saw again the same expressions he had seen earlier. She was smiling genuinely at the lady. That made Howald sighed for a moment

'I guess for now, I'll be happy to see the lady talked and smile happily than the scene that I've seen earlier'

With that they only looked smilingly at the lady as they positioned themselves besides the door

A few seconds later, the three had now been eating their bread now and Victoria had been happily discussing them about things that she wanted and things that she'll be having to accomplish in the future

"…..and Melly, do you know that I wanted to be like those people who could live comfortably?"

"Well, who wouldn't right Milady?"

"Yes, that's why I want to remove all my ties about the imperial family"

That made the two paused for the food that they're eating. Unexpectedly Melly's food was about to fall from her hands when Howald immediately caught a hold for her food. However, the shocked and surprised face of the two of them remained. Those only made Melly unconsciously shout

"WHAT?!"

She had shouted with her figure standing from her seat. Now, both of her hands had been holding the table as her expressions was worried and serious towards the surprised Victoria. However, Howald was the one that made her calm as he made her sit on her previous seat

"Calm down, Melly!"

However, Victoria's concerned face wasn't enough to calm the raging emotions that Melly was feeling

"Milady, how could I ever calm down when you only mentioned your engagement with the crown prince!"

However, the voice that Melly had earlier was much louder than the voice that she had been expressing right now. Yet, her being so much worried for the lady and concerned doesn't left her face and voice.

"For the love of goodness, Melly as I was saying earlier again. Please calm down"

"I would only calm down if you --- Milady --- tell me what's going in right now in your mind"

Then as if her breathing had been slower, she's now calming herself from the sudden shock that the lady had told the two of them earlier. It's because when Melly looked towards Victoria's face, she unconsciously calmed down because of her smile

Howald, on the other hand, was silently looking at the two. He's silently observing the right words to say --- yet, Melly had already burst in front of the lady. But he can't blame her for being shock. Even he would do it --- considering that what he heard made him shock and confused at the same time

"Alright, listen you two. All I said was, removing my ties with the imperial family but not with breaking my engagement with the crown prince"

"Wait, Milady. I don't get what you're talking about. If you're planning to remove all your ties with the imperial family then how would you explain about not breaking your engagement with the crown prince"

"Now you're asking me Melly. earlier you don't want me to break my engagement to the crown prince now it's the other way around?"

"Ugh! Sometimes Milady you're always making me confuse like this"

"Alright, just kidding"

"Wait you're only kidding, Milady?"

Now Howald was the one asking Victoria however, she only laughed it off

"I'm only kidding you guys. However, what I'm truly telling you guys about is that in my mind I wanted to cut all my ties with the imperial family. However, in reality as I am now, do I even have the power to do that?"

'It was unless I asked the crown prince to annul our engagement when he already made Hersha --- his true love a noble that he could marry'

Victoria wanted to add those words, however, she only controlled herself as she only giggled afterward. However, that made much more impact on Melly, she felt like the lady had been joking about her all the day

'I truly can't understand the lady sometimes. However, I'm now glad that she's only been joking'

Melly thought as she leaned her back towards her seat and heave a satisfying and relieving sigh. Yet, Victoria on the other hand couldn't avert her gaze towards Howald and Melly as they hands were still holding each other. It was only after Melly felt some warmth and something pinching her hands that's she opened her closed eyes and looked at who was holding her hand.

There she looked at someone's hand that was bigger than hers. Yet, before shoving her hand, she focused on the hand that made her cheeks reddened again like earlier

Only when Victoria faked a cough that Melly immediately shoved her hand from Howald's hold. Yet, Howald, on the other hand, was surprised as well that he's been holding Melly's hands for a while now. That's why he couldn't think about the lady's joke earlier but only about Melly's soft pale hands that's making her heart beats faster again with the same intensity of warmth circling his cheeks making it more redder than usual

"Alright I guess you two had already been clarified to what I'm saying"

"Yes Milady. However you should say it more clearly than I reacting like that"

"Don't worry Melly, besides I understand you and we're only the customers for now. The other customers will most probably come inside for ----"

Befre completing whatVictoria was saying, she immediately looked at the pendulum clock besides the bakery table for breads and count

"About three, two one"

*Bell ringing*

The bell on the door was heard ringing as it was opened by many ladies ahead of them

"See?"

The two of them couldn't get any more surprised right now than the ones that she had joked about cutting all her ties on the imperial family

'I give up. Milady had truly had an awesome instincts'

Then Melly --- for the first time --- chuckled in front of the two. It made Victoria smiled genuinely to the both of them

'As I was reading the novel, the ladies from the bakeshop always came around 10:00 o'clock in the morning. That's why as I said those words, I counted the seconds to see if the ladies will come or not inside the bakery and it truly was true. The ladies came inside while smiling towards the owner. However, it's too bad because me --- right here now will run away from the plot. I don't want to be badly involved with the main characters. If I was to be involved with them because it's inevitable with my current standing then all I have to do is to be on their good side'

"Sure, Milady truly had strong instincts"

"Well, let's say that I've gained that ever since I've woken up from not remembering anything, Sir Howald"

Then the three of them laughed like it was a natural chemistry they had

Meanwhile, the young man who snorted towards the lady earlier and ignored her was now looking at their place. He was looking --- however his look was more like glaring at them.

'How come other people enjoy life when it's hard for me to live inside this cruel society? I don't know why but the first time I saw that young lady, she already made a bad impression with me. Her laughter, her bright smile her gorgeous face --- I hate them all. It's the true depiction of division from among the wealthy and poor. Is she here to even show her wealthy status, huh?'

He was on the other table wiping them off before the ladies had entered the bakery. That's the only time that he goes inside the bakery to clean again trying to avoid such disturbance

***

'So she's truly passionate about breaking things off with me, this time. It's like she's truly change however, I can't even find out what made her changed since that night. I've searched the library for some quite symptoms but it doesn't even show any'

Charles deeply heaved a sigh after thinking such thoughts that made his head hurt a little. It was early in the morning again, however, he doesn't much have appetite to have breakfast or even go towards his private lessons later on. He had woken up early and went to his designed office at the imperial household just to draft some of his conclusions about the lady however all he found was a letter

The letter was sent by the Chutlier messenger yesterday however, he can't seem to bring himself about the possibilities of the lady's deal. Ever since he had read such deal and condition that the lady had written, he can't understand why he kept thinking about her.

'No, it should be Hersha. I need her not that annoying obsess---- no she's not annoying anymore and obsessive with me, she's more like a person now to me. However, I can't seem to understand why I kept thinking of her!'

Charles wanted to blurt those words out but he only kept them by himself. He wanted to act like what a crown prince should be so he's like that

"Alright, I admit it, she did changed. However, it doesn't change the truth she's still my fiancée. But I'm giving a chance at our deal"

With that his seal as the crown prince now stamped the letter that he had been repeatedly reading. Now, it was notarized and gladly accepted by him without hesitation

"I only need to buy time for Hersha"