"Are you sure you want this? I think Duke Maxwell's eldest son Damon was against the idea of tying him up with my daughter knowing how he reacts when my daughter gets overly obsessive towards him" Arthur, the emperor, said worrying about his daughter's behavior
"Oh please let her be, Damon was just playing hard to get. What I want you to understand is about the proposal of the Morgan family, about their mining business" Duchess Analize cleared what she was saying earlier making the emperor's worried face wash instantly replacing a large grin
"Yes and consequently, because of the said evidence, they've been stripped out of their titles. We're currently claiming their properties through the process. I planned to put those to a charity foundation that does not exist in the first place. Just Call Julius to forge the evidence so the business will be on our family" Arthur said making the Duchess smirk in return
"Just remember my shares on it," she said as she fanned herself elegantly to have some fresh air
Just the thought of acquiring properties made my whole body thrill again another family in the nobles that came into ruins by my own hands
"Let's now talk about what you're talking about earlier, on Damon being engaged with Princess Monique," Analize said while teasing the emperor curious to what he'll be reacting
The emperor just sighed and his smirked had turned to worry again.
"Yeah, probably," Arthur said while putting his hands to his chin thinking about her spoiled daughter's obsession with duke Maxwell's son.
***
"Okay sister! Please be careful and don't try to mess things up there again for the 100th time" Grey, who's Iris' little brother, said seriously to her while waving his hands on the girl who was walking into the town to do her part-time job at the bakery
"Yes! You also have to behave and help mom in doing the house chores! I'll teach you something later!" Iris said smiling brightly while waving her hands after going out of their small house towards the market
The two siblings are close as their mother only stood silently smiling while watching the two talk far away from each other
"Mom I'm off! Take care of my little brother, okay!" Iris said stopping for a while to wave and smile at their mother as their mother did the same and nodded
"Yes, come home on time!" Olivia said to her child while waving at her left hand and holding his little son on the other
"Mmm," Iris replied with a smile as she turned to face the path and started walking again.
As Iris went to the market with her bag, she immediately entered the bakery and greet the owner
Starting her job at cleaning and helping the people assist the orders of their customers again
***
Meanwhile, on the Maxwell household
"Damon, aren't you going to the imperial palace now that the princess had requested you to come? She even invited you to the tea party!" Thesia, Damon's sister as well as Lucius half-sister said to Damon making him shrug with the thought
"I have a sword training today sister, besides I'm always on her afternoon tea lists every day making me go to the palace every single day! It's exhausting enough. Won't she just give me a break?!" Damon exclaimed enough making her sister sigh with that thought
"Alright, just send her a letter then saying you're not feeling better this day and next time. Just made excuses if you feel so, no need to shout at me, you're so short-tempered you know that Damon?" Thesia said while glaring at her brother that's been rude to her earlier this morning because of a certain someone
Thesia immediately went out of his room and go to hers as she held the letters that were meant for her for a later reading
After the scenario, Damon just sighed because of the princess that was crazily in love with her.
Just because he's gorgeous as his red hair was very evident, his ocean blue eyes, pointed nose, pale skin, and thin red lips, slim but muscular body that every girl's dream of, besides the crown prince that was also gorgeous
Who wouldn't even fantasize about him, right? The princess of the empire was adoring and proclaiming her love for the guy just because of his looks
He just can't believe how he's that gorgeous but in reality, when Lucius only had red hair like him, they can be considered identical twins which looked alike unlike that of Lucius dark hair
He immediately made a letter and rang the bell on his table from his bed as their family butler entered
"Send this to the imperial palace right now addressed to Princess Monique. It's urgent and it should be sent now" Damon said seriously making the butler surprised but nodded respectfully later on
"Understood young master," the butler said, immediately walking out of the room and doing what he was told to do, handing the letter to the courier of their family to send it to the imperial palace
Damon as soon as he sent his letter to the butler thought of something while sitting on his seat in his room
What if for today only, I'll sneak out of the household and go to the market to see the swords they're selling
With that thought he immediately prepared himself to sneak out of the house observing the outside for the knights rounding inside the Maxwell's household
After looking that no one was in the spot he's looking outside, he immediately sneaked out of his room through the window
Pretending to be a lost cat imitating a cat's sound to avoid being suspicious
There Damon immediately made his way out of the household and went to the back of it walking towards the market easily
This time, I'll do whatever I want not being restricted to something I want to do. Tsk, just because of that stupid princess that I was not able to enjoy my freedom
With that, he decided to head towards the swords shop and buy some swords for his training
***
"So you send another invitation on the Maxwell Duchy for their eldest son to attend to your tea parties again, Monique?" Gretha, Monique's second sister, said worrying about Damon and not with Monique at all as she sat on Monique's bed in her room
"Why not? We're engaged anyway so it's only right. What's the problem with that?" Monique said defensively to her sister making Gretha sighed thinking that her sister is obsessed with the guy
This sister of mine was dangerously in love with Duke Maxwell's eldest son. This can't be good but what can I do? She's always the favorite daughter unless Wilhelm talked to father but that won't be the case at all
"Alright but let me just remind you that too much will never be good to other people, remember that Monique," Gretha said while standing up from her sister's bed and walking out of the room
Tsk, that's what you're saying because you haven't yet known how to love and experience it Gretha
Monique thought proceeding with her usual routine of being a princess in the empire that her father only stole to someone more worthy
***
"Iris, I have something for you to do, you see we're out of flour and other ingredients," the son of the bakery owner said to Iris making her nod and smiling even though she's just there to clean
She also makes sure to help the bakery with its errand more likely now that there are only two workers a cleaner and a cashier on the bakery
Iris had a pretty good relationship with the son of the owner, as best friends, so the boy was always friendly with her
"Anything for my besty, ey!" Iris said teasing Selby as he just slightly patted the shoulder of Iris chuckling as his response
"Okay, okay. Here's the list and better be back early for today, I don't have anyone to tease here if you're that slow" Iris' best friend Selby said smiling while teasing her.
Instead of answering back, Iris just smirked at him as she proceeded to buy the things she was ordered to buy walking out of the bakery immediately like a soldier who's on the run
Making Selby laugh at her actions more
You've never failed to make me laugh every single time of your actions, Iris. I hope that attitude of yours never changes
Selby thought looking at Iris' back as she disappeared from his sight
Iris was about to cross the street to buy some groceries she was handed to when some carriages were about to bump into her until some guy who was wearing a black coat all over his body pulled her into a narrow street and cover her mouth
Nobody saw the scenario because they're busy with the things they're doing
Iris was nervous and confused at the same time but that did not overrule her when she was about to bite the guy's hand, he immediately removed it from her lips to avoid her sudden bite though even he didn't see this his sharp instinct told him
"What are you doing and who are you?!" Iris exclaimed shocked about what had happened earlier but instead of answering, he just looked at her for a moment then left her immediately just like that
Only for Iris to see the same pendant that the guy he bumped yesterday
Could they be the same person or could they just have the same pendant? Either way, how could that guy be rude! Goodness! I was about to say thank you if he only answered my questions but he just left like that? Alright Mr. Mystery guy
I couldn't even say thank you to him even though he all covered
Iris instead of staying shocked at what had just happened decided to shrug that thought off and was about to get out of the narrow place that the mysterious guy had pulled her into until she heard a crack of paper that she stepped on only to find a piece of crumpled paper lying in the ground
She hesitated to pick it but because of her cleanliness motto she had no choice but decided to pick it only to notice some familiar drawings or rather some familiar symbol that she had seen when she was still a child
But she can't remember where it was as she looked closely for the paper, she saw one thing that she's sure of
The symbol belongs to noble families she knew of it and she's sure of it
But where did this paper come from? Don't tell me it's from him?!
The knights in our duchy were so easy to manipulate. Not minding some cat's noiseDamon thought while walking ahead to town with his long brown coat he put on earlierNever did he know that he was being observed by the shadow knights of the dukeSome of the shadow knights were assigned to spy on him reporting back what he's been doingUnless Damon knew he was being watched and decided to escape from their grasps but for the moment, he's still in the dark about itDuring his walk, he was mesmerized at how beautiful the surrounding is with the leaves of the cherry blossoms falling to places having sun's rays all overHe felt nostalgia after watching such gentle scenery for the second time after getting out of Maxwell's householdThis was the second time I've watched cherry blossoms' leaves falling like they are pieces into place
Not again?!Iris thought frustratingly while she's trying to arrange her hair upward again even without her cloth covering it that must have slipped away after running"You must be thinking, I'm a noble in disguise because of my appearance but trust me, I'm just a commoner Mister so there's no used stealing away something from me' Iris said truthfully while looking for a way to escape her situation to buy the ingredients Selby asked him earlierBut to no avail, she couldn't find any spot to escape as he well blocked them considering he's way faster than those bad guys earlierCalming herself, she just sighed while looking at the mysterious guy in front of himDamon was surprised to know but he didn't make it obvious enough to let her knowInstead, he removed his brown coat and handed it to her body covering her whole beingIris was surprised by th
"I'm El, nice to meet you," Damon said introducing himself smiling confidently at Selby who was astounded and surprised by him"Hmmm, fair enough, I'm Selby Loughes the son's owner of Loughes bakeshop" Selby introduced himself being arrogant for once because of the unexpected person having excellent baking skills than himInstead of being offended, Damon chuckled while looking at Selby who was now seriously looking back at him"Consider yourself lucky that Iris had introduced you to me. You may start tomorrow but if you have time today then do assist Iris on the ingredients to be used here. The list and money were already on her" Selby said still eyeing Damon who was smiling at him only to look at Iris after mentioning her nameSelby looked at how astounded and surprised Iris was just like him earlier but regained her posture immediately after being eyed by the twoAfter Selby fake a
"What the?!" was what Damon exclaimed after seeing Iris ran towards the running thief. She was chasing after him when Damon was picking up the ingredients that had fallen to the ground. With that in mind, he decided to go after her reflexively knowing that she could be in danger if he ignored their situation. He’s also considering that she’s not just someone to him. She’s the first commoner he made friends with his fake identity that’s why he needed to keep her safeHe immediately stood up and was about to go ahead where Iris was, if he didn't remember about the ingredients. So he immediately put all the ingredients that were on the ground earlier into the bag. He rearranges them and as he talks to a commoner guy watching the scene innocently"Do take these ingredients to the Loughes bakeshop. If I found out that you didn't deliver these to the shop, I might hunt you for the rest of your life," the innocent commoner heard Damon’s venomous
"Iris?!" Damon said surprised at the sudden figure in front of him. She was wearing the brown coat that he gave earlier"What are you doing here?! You should've gone to Selby's shop by now!" Damon exclaimed making a point in their current situation. Yet, he only see how Iris was fuming with an angry expressions towards him'Uh oh, this means trouble. Have to get her out of here before she discovered something about me' Damon thought walking near the angry young woman in front of him - sighing"You don't know how worried I was for you that I had no choice to follow you here. What's gotten with you that time? Did you know who the guy was?" curiosity was what Iris had portrayed in her expressions and in her voice"I thought he's someone familiar, he’s figure was quite too familiar to me. Now let's probably go before some beasts appear out of nowhere," Damon said with concern look to her. He started pulling her towards him. that gesture made Iris blushe
"Just for once, make yourself appear like this when it's only the two of us," Damon said tightly gripping her hand that was soft enough to let him caress his face"If I knew better, you already thought I'm a noble. Let me make it clear to you again, El. I'm a commoner. If you want I could introduce you to my family later on," Iris suggested the idea for him to stop confusing her as a noble. Even if she's the only one misunderstanding the situation. He didn’t even said anything about her being a noble but she’s assuming. She’s assuming because that was what Mary had thought of her before'I did imagine her as a noble earlier but as time passed by after observing her, I already knew she's born a commoner. From the way, she acted as if she’s like a boy and the way she chased the thief earlier –she’s actually fearless. Those actions of hers surprises me even more'Damon thought who was now chuckling in front of her"I
'It would've been great if you two are just friends, alright?''It would've been great if you two are just friends, alright?''It would've been great if you two are just friends, alright?'Words that Selby said earlier kept playing in Iris' mind like a broken record. Those words made her blush and started daydreaming for a second – even after Selby had already left the shop.Damon, on the other hand, shrugged the thought while laughing inwardly. He’s trying to avoid angering Iris again by controlling his laugh. He had known that she’s somewhat short tempered after all just by knowing him by the day.He realized with that thought how Iris can make different expressions on Damon’s feelings. Everything she does was unexpected to him. Then to go back on what must be done, Damon hardly patted her back to bring her to reality. After doing so, Iris glared at Damon. She expresses how shocked and mad she was for what he’s done.
As soon as Princess Monique had already gotten what she wanted on the jewelry shop, they immediately headed to the imperial palace. Her court lady was carrying the box inside and it only contained an opal blue phoenix bracelet'I can't wait for my birthday to come, I'm sure he already has a gift for me, Ha! The rewards of being a princess, I can buy whatever I want, I can claim what I wanted the most. I have already claimed Damon so that's already enough'With that thought, she inwardly laughed heading to her room with her court lady but she was stopped in her tracks. She stopped in her tracks when suddenly Wilhelm was walking towards the opposite side as they meet each other"Brother Wilhelm, what brought you here at this hour? Have your private lessons already finished?" Princess Monique asked her brother who just smiled afterward at her"Not yet, Monique. I was called by our father in his office. Be careful and take a rest," Wilhelm said as he gently p