CHAPTER 19: HER FEELINGS

Several days passed,

Victoria invited all friends from The Fidelitas Academy to have a reunion at the rose palace.

Ignacia walked into the private garden. She saw Victoria, Maximus, Olivia, and Julius talking joyfully.

"You came, Igna" Victoria said.

"Your Highness," Ignacia said and bowed to her.

"We just talked about you, Igna" said Victoria nicely.

"How have you been, Ignacia?" Maximus asked.

"I've been busy with many things. What about you?" Ignacia said.

"I just quit being a mage at the magic tower. My uncle wanted me to be a royal knight," Maximus said.

"Ah, your uncle," Ignacia said, boringly.

Commander Constantine has a grudge against her after the incident of Estella.

"Haha…I know, right?" said Victoria amusingly, "It will be better after Max became a Vice Commander."

"I hope so too," Ignacia said.

"I miss you, Ignacia" Julius said, out of the blue.

"Ah, Julius" Ignacia said, then ignored him.

"You're so cold as the same. Don't you want to know about me?" Julius asked.

"Just say it if you wanted to tell us," Ignacia said.

"She's right. Why you always make a fuss?" Olivia said.

"It's all right if you don't want to," said Julius sadly.

"Well, I heard that Lady Margaret fled to the other country. Is it true, Your Highness?" Oliver changed the subjects.

"How could she stay here? Her father did many illegal things and all the properties were confiscated. All the news about Vulcan and Count Fortuna spread all over Mirarus Empire," Victoria said.

"Serve her right. Just think what she did at the academy," Julius said.

"Hmmm…it's my first time to hear you say something like normal people," Olivia said.

"You!" said Julius irritably.

"I agree with her," Ignacia said.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

We were chit-chatting with our lives after we graduated from The Fidelitas Academy.

After a while, there was a maid coming toward Victoria and said, "all the guests are in the rose garden, Your Highness"

"Oh, is that the time? I will be there," Victoria said. She held the tea party at the same day.

"I invited many ladies from prestige houses. I would like you to help me keep a good relationship with them, Igna" Victoria told Ignacia.

"All right," Ignacia said.

"If so, I will take my leave. Thank you for inviting me, Your Highness" Maximus said.

"I will take my leave too, Your Highness. See you all next time," said Julius nicely.

Maximus and Julius left first because there were only ladies attending the tea party.

Victoria, Ignacia, and Oliver were walking to the rose garden.

"I invited her and made sure she would come," said Victoria, smilingly. She teased Ignacia.

Ignacia said nothing. She was happy that she has more chance to meet Estella.

"You are more popular after you proposed to her, Igna" said Victoria amusingly

"Is that so?" Ignacia asked.

"Yes, it is. I'm the one of people who admire you, Lady Ignacia" said Olivia nicely.

"Ah, you can become her mistress, Olivia" said Victoria amusingly. She knew Olivia like Ignacia.

"Your Highness," Olivia brushed with embarrassment.

Ignacia just realized that Olivia has feelings for her but she thinks of her as a friend. She tried to change subject, "Olivia have a lot of choices, Your Highness. She's very popular among the black mages."

"Anyway, what about Your Highness? Do you have someone in your mind?" Olivia asked.

"Ah, I have never thought about it," Victoria said.

"You can make a harem to balance your power, Your Highness" said Ignacia amusingly, she teased her back.

"Haha…Are you serious?" Victoria asked, amusingly.

"I'm serious," said Ignacia, smilingly.

"I think it's a good idea, Your Highness" said Olivia, smilingly.

Estella saw Ignacia talking closely with Victoria and Olivia in the distance. She felt unhappy somehow.

Victoria, Ignacia, and Oliver reached to the table. We sat on our seats which were arranged by the status.

Ignacia was sitting on left side of Victoria, who was sitting on the seat at the head of table, and the opposite side of Estella. She looked at Estella but she ignored her, turning her face to look at Victoria. She was confused about her reaction.

"Thank you everyone for accepting my invitation," Victoria welcomed all the ladies. "I hope you all enjoy the teatime here."

Victoria started to talk with Estella and Veronica, who was sitting next to Estella.

Meanwhile, a noblewoman who sat next to Ignacia started a conversation with her.

"You are very famous. I heard about you many things, Lady Ignacia" said Clara, a beautiful woman, who has long black hair, red lips, and healthy skins. She was elegant and friendly.

Ignacia looked at her. She has never seen her before.

"Oh, I'm Clara Antiquarium, an eldest daughter of Marquess Antiquarium, Aristocrat in Aquilo." Clara hurriedly introduced herself.

"It's nice to meet you, Lady Clara" said Ignacia nicely.

"You might be busy killing monster like The Duke of Magnarus, Lady Ignacia" said Clara nicely.

"I heard The Duke of Magnarus controlled the situation at the northern border well," Ignacia said.

"Yes, we can live peacefully because of him," said Clara nicely, and asked, "Have you ever met him, by any chance?"

"No, I have never met him before. I often go to the border of Occidens because the situation always worsens there," Ignacia said.

"Oh, I see" Clara said.

"It's hard to see a lady showing interest in this kind of things," Ignacia said.

"Well, I actually want to be a knight but my father did not allow it," Clara said.

"I can see why he did not allow. Most of the knights are men," said Ignacia nicely.

"Ahaha…you say the same thing like my father," said Clara, smilingly.

Estella glanced at Ignacia talking with Clara. She started to upset but she forced herself to stay calm.

Veronica heard the conversation between Ignacia and Clara, then said, "Isn't it too violent for a lady to kill the monsters?"

Ignacia ignored her.

Clara looked at her awkwardly.

Veronica was angry and said, "You are so rude. I'm talking to you, Lady Ignacia"

"Is that so?" Ignacia said.

"You!" said Veronica angrily.

Ignacia ignored her, sipping tea.

Victoria heard everything. She hurriedly changed the atmosphere, then loudly said, "Oh, I prepared the special cakes for everyone."

The maids started to serve the pieces of cakes to everyone.

Victoria leaned over and whispered in Ignacia's ear while everyone turned the interest to their cakes, "Are you on bad terms with her, Igna?"

"I hardly talked to her," Ignacia whispered.

"Why did she behave that way then?" Victoria whispered, curiously.

Ignacia shook her head and said nothing. She knew the reason why she behaved that way but she could not say it out loud.

After finished the tea party, Ignacia was surround by many ladies.

Ignacia talked to them with the courtesy.

Estella looked at Ignacia talking with many ladies and felt jealous. She came to realize her feelings for her. She upset every time when she saw other women talking with her. She walked back to her carriage without a word with her.

Ignacia wanted to leave but she must help Victoria to keep a good relation with the prestige families. She glanced around to see Estella but she did not see her. She felt disappointed that she missed a chance to talk to her.

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2 weeks passed,

Estella went to Virtusarium Manor without prior notice.

"Lady Ignacia has not come back yet, Your Highness" said Pervis politely.

"It's all right. I will wait for her," Estella said.

"Please come this way, Your Highness" Pervis said and led her to the drawing room.

After a while, Ignacia came back to the manor.

"The Princess of Dignita came to visit you. She is in the drawing room, Lady Ignacia" Pervis said.

"All right," Ignacia said. She wondered why Estella came here without a notice.

'Knock' 'Knock'

Ignacia walked into the room and said, "What bring you here, Estel? I'm sorry for making you wait. I didn't know you will come today," Ignacia said, gently.

"No, it's me who came here without telling you first. I just made a decision and came here," Estella said. She tried to make everything look so normal.

"Is there any problem?" Ignacia asked, worriedly.

"No, there is no problem. Do I have to come to meet you because I have a problem, Igna? What do you think about me?" Estella said, sulkily.

"I didn't mean in that way. I was worried something might happen to you," said Ignacia gently.

"I remember tomorrow is your day off. I would like to spend time with you today and tomorrow if it's all right with you, Igna" said Estella calmly. She tried to conceal her embarrassment.

"Oh, I really appreciate it if you would like to, Estel" said Ignacia surprisingly. She was happy that she can spend time with her. "Shall we have dinner together?"

"Yes," said Estella delightedly.

We went to the dining room to have our dinner.

"What would you like to do tomorrow, Estel?" Ignacia asked her gently.

"I would like to go shopping and having lunch at the restaurant. What do you think?" Estella said, delightedly.

"All right. I will pick you up tomorrow morning," Ignacia said.

"Well, all the shops are in the capital. Would you mind if I stayed over? I think it would be better if we could go together from here," Estella asked her nicely. She tried to make everything look so natural.

"Oh, I don't mind but would it be all right with you? Your parents must be worried about you," Ignacia said, surprisingly.

"It's all right if I told them I will stay over at your manor," said Estella calmly.

"If you say so, I have no problem. I will tell the servants to prepare a room and send a letter for you," Ignacia said.

After we finished the dinner, Ignacia told Pervis to take care everything for Estella and went back her bedroom.

"The bath is ready. Would you like a massage, My Lady?" Lara, her personal maid, asked. She was in her twenties. She has long brown hair, and brown eyes.

"Ah, that's good," Ignacia said. She was tired from work.

She went inside the bathroom, lying in the warm bath.

Lara massaged her head and shoulder, then helped her bath.

★*:.｡. ✧☆✧ .｡.:*★

In guest room,

Estella wrote a letter to her family after she took a bath.

She gave letter to a maid then asked, "Where is Ignacia?"

"Lady Ignacia is in her bedroom, Your Highness" a maid said.

"Lead me the way to her bedroom after you sent a letter," Estella said.

"Yes, Your Highness" a maid said and left.

★*:.｡. ✧☆✧ .｡.:*★

In Ignacia's bathroom,

"You can leave now," Ignacia said.

"Yes, My Lady" Lara said and left.

Ignacia was lying in the bath for a while until she heard the knocks at the door.

She got out of the bath, wore bathing gown, then walked out of the bathroom.

She wondered who knocked the door at this hour.

'Knock' 'Knock' There was someone knocking at the door continually.

"Who?" Ignacia asked.

"It's me, Igna" Estella said.

Ignacia hurriedly opened the door. She forgot that she was wearing bathing gown, revealing some parts of her chest, breasts, and abdominal muscles.

"What's happening, Estel?" Ignacia asked.

Estella saw her partly naked body clearly. Her heart was pounding fast, her face went red. "I'm sorry," she said and averted her eyes.

Ignacia just realized that she was wearing bathing gown. She covered her naked parts and said, "Please come inside first." She hurriedly went to change her clothes.

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