Chapter 3

Aina's hands clenched tightly over her blanket.

"Lady Olivia?!" Vara finally spoke up. She mustered her courage to reprimand the blonde noblewoman.

Olivia frowned, exhaling harshly upon hearing her name spoken so disrespectfully by someone she deemed unworthy.

"Who are you? Do you have the right to call my name so impolitely?!" she snapped at Vara.

Aina wanted to intervene to stop Olivia from scolding Vara. She hadn't expected Vara to dare to address Olivia that way, but, of course, Aina couldn't remain indifferent. Vara was her loyal servant and had only acted in her defense.

Instead of showing fear, Vara stared at Olivia with firm determination, her gaze almost intimidating. Vara responded before Aina could speak.

"I hope you have not forgotten, Lady Olivia. You were sent here as a temporary attendant by His Majesty the King."

"What?" Aina wondered if her hearing had been impaired since last night.

Olivia appeared offended, taking a deep breath as though she no longer cared to maintain her noble decorum, even as a noblewoman.

"I have not forgotten. That's why I'm here now. Why else would I come?"

"What do you mean?" Aina asked for clarification.

Olivia rolled her eyes. "Lady Aina, let us talk privately."

Aina wanted to know Olivia's true intentions and needed an explanation. Finally, she nodded after giving Vara a look to signal her consent.

"I'll excuse myself to fetch some food, My Lady," Vara said. She hesitated to leave her lady alone but decided to obey. After all, Olivia wouldn't physically harm Aina under the strict watch of the kingdom's knights.

Once Vara left the room, Olivia didn't immediately speak. Instead, she took her time surveying Aina's spacious room.

The room was unlike most noblewomen's quarters, which were vast but sparsely filled with luxurious items. Olivia's room was much larger and filled with high-value furnishings.

"It seems the rumors about Lady Aina not being valued by her own family are true," Olivia remarked after taking in every corner of Aina's room.

Hearing this, Aina frowned. "Is that what you wanted to talk about?"

Although she had been treated differently from Rose in their residence, many people were less fortunate than she was. If Aina were honest, she sometimes wished she could trade places with a village girl.

She longed to live freely as she pleased. Then again, Aina knew a village girl's life wasn't as idyllic as she imagined.

But as a noblewoman rarely seen smiling, Aina envied the village girls who could laugh freely without worrying about aristocratic etiquette or appearances.

If only one family member had loved her sincerely, perhaps she could refuse to leave for the Kingdom of Willise and stay here instead.

Then again, Aina even wanted to leave this home, which felt like a prison.

Olivia walked and stopped in the center of Aina's room. She finally answered, "Of course not. But before we proceed," she said, raising a hand into the air.

A gust of wind surrounded Olivia's body, then spread across the entire room.

"What are you doing?" Aina asked, though she already had an inkling.

"No one must overhear our conversation, not even the kingdom's knights guarding you," Olivia confirmed Aina's suspicion.

Aina watched as Olivia walked back toward her. Her guess was right: Olivia had created an air barrier to ensure their discussion stayed private.

"Alright, now let me ask you. Do you want to escape, Lady Aina?"

Aina's eyes widened. "What? What do you mean?"

Olivia had expected this reaction, so she chuckled.

"As a future partner of a king, both you and Rose are required to have attendants from noble families. Especially for a queen. The reason I'm serving as your temporary attendant is that you will have your loyal attendants when you arrive in the Kingdom of Willise. After that, I will be Rose's attendant. Now, I'm offering you a deal. I can't be Rose's attendant because everyone knows I competed against her for the Crown Prince's favor."

At this point, Aina understood Olivia's explanation.

Olivia raised her index finger to her lips, signaling secrecy. "I can help you escape."

Aina stared at Olivia in disbelief. "Is that even possible?"

Aina did want to escape, and anyone could guess her deepest desire. They could imagine how it felt to be in her position.

Even King Hayden had deployed royal knights instead of relying on the White family's knights because he didn't want Aina to do something reckless, like run away.

But Aina hadn't expected someone among them to offer assistance in helping her flee.

"It's possible. But, of course, we must devise the perfect plan to succeed," Olivia replied, her expression serious.

"But why? What is your real goal?" Aina needed to know Olivia's motives for helping her.

Olivia had been her rival in the previous competition. They weren't close enough to help each other.

"Of course, I'll explain. You know, don't you? Rose is to become Crown Prince Ian's partner. If I let you escape, your vacant position will likely be given to Rose. Rose will then become the partner of the King of Willise." Olivia's face remained serious.

Aina's eyes widened. She understood Olivia's meaning. "You mean, what about Rose's current position?"

Olivia nodded, her lips curving into a sly smile. "I'll take her place as the Crown Prince's partner."

Aina felt a shiver at Olivia's expression and words. In that case, Olivia would become the future queen and the ultimate victor among the three of them.

"You're confident I'll support you instead of Rose, my cousin?"

Olivia chuckled softly. "Of course. You will agree with me."

Aina sighed. "You're right. No matter who becomes the future queen, I'll never have that opportunity. If I don't escape, Rose will become the queen. If I escape, you will become the queen. The difference is, I'll have a chance to live freely if I successfully escape."

Olivia nodded. "And you can take revenge on Rose for everything she's done to you."

Aina fell silent. 'Indeed, Rose will face the consequences of all the pain she's caused me.'

She could repay her cousin's years of mistreatment.

This was truly a rare opportunity, wasn't it?

*****