Capítulo 16: Chapter 16: The Love Interest(4)

Marinette (Sun-hee)'s POV

Inside his memories felt like torture, for me who was in there felt like many years had passed but when I snapped back to reality, it was only a few seconds, just a blink of an eye.

There were locked memories, I wasn't sure about that. It might be amnesia or trauma he tried to forget.

I found some answer inside his memories, Diana really came back in time. She asked him to train her about sword-fighting many years ago.

He might be suffering at the moment because of his comrade's death if it wasn't for Diana's warning.

"Thank you for returning it to me." a polite smile on his face was for me when he took back his handkerchief.

"Don't mind it." I bowed to him politely and walked away from there.

It was really interesting. I couldn't help grinning when I was walking away from there.

The female lead came back in time and choose the second male lead instead?

Hahaha...

It was thrilling.

But it was unfortunate for her that Victor was so dense this time. He didn't even get the clue of Diana loving him.

By a glance of the handkerchief, I could see clearly as it resembled the handkerchief which was described in the novel, although the handkerchief was supposed to be given to the male lead instead.

Diana was smart, she secured the route of her love life to the second male lead even before the engagement.

You were the one who pushed me to be evil, Diana.

I'll add the fire into your life because I was having the most important card in my hand right now.

The second female lead, Irene.

A commoner came to the capital and ended up changing her life because of the oracle.

The oracle will arrive soon if I could make her end up with the male lead. If I was lucky, it might be easy to annul the engagement.

Richard could annul the engagement if he wanted, but he kept being quiet the whole time.

Should I use the power of love pushing him to make a move--

That was my plan but when I came to the hospital, there were only Aurora and Flynn in the room.

"Where is that girl??" I could see the answer on their face.

"She ran off."

I was going to use her--

*sigh* I guessed I had to stay with my original plan.

I didn't have to worry about her going anywhere since she came to the capital to earn some money for her sick mother in her hometown.

I'll lure a trap for her baiting the money after Tristan's birthday.

Irene's POV

Ack...

It hurt...it hurt so much...

I shouldn't choose to steal someone else's belonging to begin with...

There was no deep wound on the place where the blonde hair woman beat me but the pain was killing me...

Irene, you idiot...

Ack!!

"My lady, are you alright?" my head bumped into something hard and my head bounced back making me lose my balance, I was falling toward the ground but a big hand caught my waist on time.

My eyes met with that man's blue sapphire eyes, he had the same blonde hair as the woman's from before.

"Sorry..." my dirty hand accidentally touched his clothes, I was scared seeing his shirt was all dirty.

"I'm so sorry sir...sorry...please forgive me." I intended to kneel in front of him knowing how expensive his clothes were, the texture was refined and he looked like some noble.

"Don't worry...but you don't look alright...let me take you to the hospital..." he was so kind and his reassuring smile was the best thing happening that day so far.

But I couldn't go to the hospital, I might run into the group of people again...

I decided to run from them because I was afraid, especially that woman with pink hair...her soul wasn't supposed to be in that body, she was possessed.

And that other two people, their soul was so dark, they were the darkest. I got goosebumps all over my arm remembering the soul of those people.

I was born with eyes that could see the soul, but my mother kept telling me to keep it a secret.

And standing right in front of me, the man who was staring at me...his soul was so pure, it was warm...

"Then come with me..." he grabbed my hand and dragged me to a remote place, I trusted him because people with such souls will never do anything bad to other people.

He gave me a hand gesture putting his finger on his lip.

"Don't tell anyone, okay?"

I didn't know what he was going to do, I nodded.

Light Magic: Blessing of Goddess

Huh?

My body felt light, the pain disappeared after the light emitting from his hand.

"There, you aren't hurt anymore, right?"

"Yes...but how--"

"It's a secret...let's keep this between us." he said that when we might never cross part with each other again. The gap between us was wide.

But...

When he was about to leave, I raised my voice and asked him...

If we won't meet again, at least I could know his name, "What's your name, sir?"

"You can call me Philip." he left when I was about to say my name as well...

Philip, huh?

What a beautiful name...

Richard's POV

Pfft...hahaha

Haa...finally, she came to the capital. It was unfortunate Diana met her before me.

But it turned out well now, I could see through her feeling from her eyes...

She fell in love with me!

It will be interesting from now on.

Brother Philip, you have to thank me now...

If I told her my real name, then it will be quite boring after all.

I'm looking forward to the day she will run into Philip...

If only I could change my face like Philip too, it will be even better...well it is what it is.

Anyway, I should send some dresses to my beloved fiance. She must miss me after sending her a group of assassins a few days ago.

Ah...'I really look forward to the birthday party.'

+++

The day of the awaited party among the nobles finally arrived!

Every maid got up at dawn and rushed to the two daughters of the Mortel. There were many rows of dressed from inside the room to the stairway, all for Marinette to choose from.

It was sent by her fiance yesterday. Not just the dresses, the ring she used to buy dressed many days ago also arrived with the letter in it.

Marinette who was in her bathrobe read the letter in her hand and the corner of her lip lifted up, she then burned it with the lighting candle on the table.

'I wear a dark purple suit today since it matched your eyes. I hope your dress will match my suit too.'

"All the purple dresses we have here, take it all away." Marinette turned her head at the dresses, it was mostly purple.

After the purple dresses were removed, she walked from one row to one row and decided to go with the blue since it was her favorite color.

The duke won't be angry at her since that was the dress sent by the royal after all. She won't be able to wear the dress the tailor cut for her.

Unlike Marinette, Diana didn't receive anything but she didn't look slightly sad at all. She chose the dress that match her family instead, the white dress.

The sparkling jewelry in the jewelry box, the Mortel daughters wore only a few of it but they were already like a jewel so the jewelry didn't do much.

Marinette put on the red lipstick, braid a little of her hair, and put it down to her waist, after enhancing her hair with magic, it was straight and silky.

She decided to go with the simple style and tied it in a high ponytail.

"You look beautiful today, my lady."

"Thank Anna." Marinette replied to the compliment, her preparation for the birthday party was complete, there was only one more finishing touch.

"I thought you don't wear the mask anymore." Flynn looked surprised seeing Marinette putting on a mask, although she was looking beautiful without it.

"There was a suprise underneath it, I want to hide it." she replied to Flynn and put her hand on Flynn's palm.

"You look so pretty today."

"My knight doesn't look bad either." Flynn escorted Marinette down the stair, that was when everyone looked at them.

The duke, Tristan, and Diana were all wearing white but Marinette wore the light blue dress, the color of the sky.

They looked like clouds and sky there.

"You're late." again with the tone of Tristan, the birthday boy. He was the same as ever, his tone was never soft for Marinette.

He turned away and escorted Diana to the carriage.

Diana kept her composure well although she knew who sent the dress for Marinette.

"...don't cause trouble."

"I'll keep that in mind, your grace." she walked past the duke to the carriage not caring one bit what he thought of her that day.

The family rode in the carriage decorated with gold with the rose emblem together to the royal palace. Tristan sat with Diana and Marinette sat with the duke. While the rest of the family was talking and celebrating the birthday of Tristan, Marinette looked outside the window to the royal palace which was so beautiful that night with fireworks, people in dress and suit,s and the long lines of carriage.

They set their foot on the royal palace's ground with the imperial's knight escorting them to the imperial ball.

"What're you doing?" Tristan behaved differently when he turned back to bring Marinette down from the carriage helping her since she was wearing such a long dress while Diana walked ahead with the duke.

"Hurry." Marinette put her hand on Tristan's. Everyone on the outside of the palace turned their attention to the sibling.

That time, instead of his back. She finally had a position where she could walk with her hand locked with his beside her brother.

But she knew too well that it was all for public image, so she did the same.

"Happy birthday, young lord. I wish you living a long life." she grinned at the end of her wish for him.

"What a weird wish." he didn't even thank her but chuckled a little.

"I hope I could attend your next birthday too." her heart throbbed saying that like there was a piece of glass stabbed in her heart.

They finally arrived at the imperial ball where the birthday party was held.

"The Mortel family, duke Jellal, young master Tristan, lady Marinette and lastly lady Diana have arrived." the big door to the imperial ball was opened for the most influenced family in the empire.

They walked on the red carpet, two lines of people gathering on both sides of the red carpet trying to look at the family member.

Marinette stood out the most in the group of people walking in, following them was the group of knights of the household including Flynn.

And finally, the most important guests of the party really came in time.

"His royal highness, the crown prince has arrived."

Marinette looked at the announcer at the door in anger, while every noble was whispering mocking at the man walking behind the man the announcer announced.

They had the same blonde hair and blue eyes but the treatment was like heaven and hell.

"His highness, the first prince has arrived..." even the announcer tried to hold his laugh.

"That's the illiterate prince!!"

"Hahaha, he is like the crown prince's guard."

While the rest of Marinette's family members walked up to the upstairs, to their seats up there, Marinette stood at the end of the red carpet waiting to greet her most hated person.

"It looks like we match today." Marinette gritted her teeth replying to his words with a smile and reached her hand out for Richard.

He kissed her hand and glanced at her with such loving eyes, most of the ladies there envied Marinette wishing they were in her place but they didn't know who the beast behind the innocent prince wearing the blue suit was.

"I didn't know you wear the blue suit, your royal highness."

"I changed my mind at the last second because I have a hunch you might wear the dress which will match my eyes instead." he reached out his hand asking her to be her escort to take her upstairs without letting Marinette greet the first prince first.

Marinette clicked her tongue glancing at the first prince who didn't have the seat upstairs with the saddened eyes full of worries for a while and accepted Richard walking upstairs together.

Richard was the crown prince, he sat at the biggest seat embedded in gold and diamond, the middle of the five seats.

The person who deserved a seat next to such a powerful figure was the less powerful than him, the duke on the right and Tristan on the left while Marinette and Diana were sitting at both ends.

"May I have your attention please?" the duke got up from the seats to the railing raising his voice to all of the nobles downstairs from the low baron, the ladies using the party as their social debut, marquess, and everyone.

With just a few words from him, everyone was really preparing their eyes and ears anticipating what he had to say next.

"Today is my son's birthday, he finally became someone capable enough, he proved himself enough to handle the responsibility of my work...nobles, you're all here as my witnesses as of today, Tristan Mortel will be the 52nd duke of our household."

'What???!!!!'

Marinette was taken aback by the sudden twist, it was supposed to be Tristan becoming the junior duke.

Even Diana opened her eyes wide, she couldn't stay in her seat properly too.

Marinette (Sun-hee)'s POV

No...it can't be...

It can't be like this...Tristan could not be the duke.

He will die later on in the upcoming day, if the new duke dies...then the Mortel dukedom will have a massacred just like what happened during duke Jellal's era.

The relatives won't stay still, they had their eyes on the title for years.

In the original story, after Tristan's death, Jellal was still a duke so he managed to secure the title with the help of Marinette.

Marinette helped him during the crisis, they almost died a few times in the story because of Tristan's sudden death. That was only Tristan becoming the junior duke, and now he became the duke, if he died, even Jellal couldn't claim back the title.

Jellal and I, or Diana will have to face all of the relatives.

There will be bloodshed in the household again.

At that time, when I was busy watching duke Jellal putting the duke's brooch on Tristan's collar, I completely forgot the man near me.

I didn't see his expression but I could hear him chuckling clapping his hands.

To be continued...!