Chapter 14

Avyanna can finally control her mana after a week of hellish training. Rezia trained her to control it.

Rezia was the mage who examined her body when she was unconscious in the Royal Duchy.

"You're doing great, Miss Brooke. Tomorrow, I can teach you magic." Rezia instructed as she wrote down on her note.

"Ahh! Thank goodness! "

The sweating Avyanna lies down on the grass.

"Yanna."

"Lady Avyanna."

"Ughh! I got here first! I can do this, Lady Royal. You don't need to concern yourself with MY BEST FRIEND." France said, while walking towards Avyanna and holding a towel.

"Haha. I'm already friends with Lady Avyanna. Isn't it just right to be concerned about her?" Yelena said with a forced smile, but her face was dark.

The tension between the two is heavy. Their eyes and fake smiles look as if there was an imaginary lightning in between them.

That's right. Avyanna still has a problem. She didn't know how it came to it, but Yelena came to visit her today without notice.

♡♡Flashback♡♡

Yelena was swarming through the bunch of letters, looking for the letter from Avyanna. But again, for the tenth time, she never saw one. It's already been 4 days since she last received one.

'How dare she ignore my letter!'

Yelena was bursting with anger and burned every letter. Then she went out of her office.

"Maylene!" she called.

"M-my Lady?" The maid, named Maylene, immediately came.

"Get me a dress. I'm going out! " She ordered firmly.

"Ah.. understood, My Lady." Maylene bowed and did what she was ordered to.

Avyanna was having a hard time controlling her friend, who was now putting food all over her plate.

"You have to eat more to be healthy. Father let me eat at least this much." France said while putting meat on Avyanna's plate.

Avyanna signals the Baron, her father, to stop France. Although they don't have a great relationship.

It should be reasonable to stop the lady. But the Baron stayed quiet, and that made Avyanna grit her teeth.

"Ah, France. This much is okay now. I don't think I can eat more of this." Avyanna's appetite is lost, but she finds her friend cute because she's worried and reliable.

"Oh. Is it too much?" France innocently asked, staring at the plate with meat.

"Well... Just a little. You sit down and eat, too, France." Avyanna politely said.

"Oh. Okay! " France's face lights up and that brightens the sight of Avyanna and her father.

They started eating quietly like any other day. Just like that, Avyanna's plate is full of meat.

"Yanna, are you going to train this afternoon too?" France asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh. I'm going to train with Miss Rezia and then I'm going to train my swordsmanship afterward." Avyanna answered.

"You can just be a magician. Why bother yourself with being a knight?" Her father coldly asked.

Avyanna secretly rolled her eyes and then answered.

"I don't want to rely on magic itself. I must have the power to protect myself physically. What if an anti-magic barrier were cast? I would die if I was going to be attacked." She answered coldly.

France found the situation awkward because of what she said and their cold voices sent shivers down her spine.

She hadn't seen Avyanna go against her own father like this. What changed her friend's mind to talk back now?

"Master! Miss!" A maid suddenly came rushing in.

"What?" All of them asked in unison.

"T-The lady from the Royal Duchy is at the gate." The maid stuttered.

"WHAT?!"

Avyanna, held her dress up slightly then immediately ran to the gate of their mansion and saw Yelena' frustrated expression.

"W-what are you doing here, L-lady?" Avyanna asked.

"I'm visiting to see if you're still alive!" Yelena boldly said.

"Lady Royal?" The Baron smiled widely in front of Yelena. But Yelena gave a disgusted look at the old man.

"Uhh.. good day, Baron Brooke." Yelena simply said and then turned her deadly gaze onto the latter with one brow raised.

"Uh." Avyanna nervously grins. "C-come in?"

The knights opened the gate, and Yelena walked inside.

"I would like to have a private conversation with Lady Brooke. Lady Gabrielle, is that alright?" Yelena asked as she tilted her head to meet France's gaze.

"Ah, I'm currently staying here to monitor my friend's health." France said, emphasizing the word "my friend."

"Oh, I see." Yelena's expression immediately became serious. "I would like to have a 'private' conversation with the lady. If you would?"

However, France didn't leave the two, and they didn't have a proper conversation with just themselves. That led to the current situation.

♡♡Present♡♡

Avyanna sighed and stood up.

"Okay, that's enough, you two. France, you should go and bathe first. I'll have a conversation with the lady." Avyanna said.

"But.." France is very worried. Whatever might Yelena do to her lovely friend?

"Don't worry. Do you trust me?" Avyanna smiled.

"Okay. Just shout if you need help." France glared at Yelena and walked away.

"I'm not going to do anything." Yelena rolled her eyes.

"Diane, prepare tea and snacks." She ordered

"Yes, Miss." Diane nodded and went away.

Both of them are left behind. They both sat on chairs with a serious atmosphere between them.

"Lady, what is your business with me?" Avyanna asked, smiling sweetly.

"Were you still sick?" Yelena asked.

"Why? Are you worried, My Lady?" She teasingly asked.

"N-no! Why would I?" Yelena played with her hair as she avoided Avyanna's gaze.

"So, why are you here, My Lady?" Avyanna asked again, staring intensely at the latter.

She finally has that glimpse of cuteness of her after days of training and passing out.

"I'm not worried. It's just that you haven't replied to my letter for four days. How dare you ignore it?" She exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table.

"Letter?" Avyanna thought about it carefully and suddenly remembered it.

'RIGHT! Before France came, I was supposed to write back a letter! And it totally slipped my mind because of exhaustion!' Avyanna couldn't help but smile wider as her heart beat faster and faster.

'She came here because of that? What a cutie.'

"Uhm..." She nervously scratched the back of her head. "Sorry. It... It slipped my mind. I have no excuse."

"And because of that. I am going to borrow you tomorrow! the WHOLE day!" Yelena announced, pointing her finger at her.

"Eh?" Avyanna tilted her head in confusion.

"Let's meet at my boutique. You know where it is, right? Don't bring anyone. Just you!" She said.

Obviously, it's decided.

"Don't refuse! Let's meet at 9 sharp! I'll be waiting." Yelena stood up and walked away.

"Miss?" Diane got there and was staring at Yelena, who walked out. "Did you two fight?"

"Diane, get me a simple dress for tomorrow." Avyanna said, while smiling and staring at the back of the lady walking away.

"Where are you going, Miss?" Diane curiously asked.

"On a date."