Capítulo 8: Reason #7: Its difficult to have friends

******

While the men went out for the hunter's battle during the hunting games, the women stayed behind for the psychological warfare.

I was ten years old when I first participated in the ladies tea ceremony in the hunting game.

The hours felt like days. As a noble, you need to be careful that every word you say feels like stepping through a field of landmines.

On top of that, being the most wanted bachelor's (the crown prince) fiancée definitely didn't make my life any easier.

Whenever I'm alone with a large crowd of women, they look at me as if I was on the most wanted list.

Still, they won't do anything to me because I was, after all, the famous war hero Duke Augustine's daughter.

So most of the time, they would ignore me and give me the cold shoulder.

Ms Augustine's life was tough. So far, I notice that She didn't have any friends her age that she could really talk to other than Prince Leon. That's probably another reason why it made her into a villainess. She may have felt that if she loses the prince, she would also lose the only friend she has.

~sigh, I just wanted to make some friends.

In my past life, although I wasn't the most social person around, I truly enjoyed drinking and chatting all night long with my two best friends. Even after they've married and have children, we would talk on the phone and chat about silly things like teenage girls.

Thinking about those days really make me miss them very much.

But I cannot just idly sit by and wait. Thanks to my past life experience in business, I learn that 'when you wanna make connections, you need to be assertive.

So if nobody is going to come to me, then I will go to them instead.

However,, to my amazement, I honestly didn't expect the number of women that fonds over his royal highness. After trying my best to approach the ladies for almost 3 hours, all that I could say was, "Hi, may I join...."

Before I could even finish my sentence, they quickly turn away.

All this happened because this stupid novel's author decided to make me the crown prince's future consort!

"....Sigh.."

As I let out a loud sigh, another sound of a sigh came out

"Sigh...."

Huh? where did that sound come from? As I look around, I notice two feet hiding behind the large curtain.

I was too curious, so I slowly open the curtain and saw a pretty silvered hair girl. She was pretty as a doll with the cutest ribbons tied on her hair and almost the same height.

"I'm sorry, were you playing hide and seek? If you are, I apologize for disturbing your game."

"Oh no, I'm just trying to hide from somebody..."

She looks scared like she's running away from something, then I thought maybe she was being chased by bad people. Perhaps someone was trying to kidnap her. It's absolutely possible since she's so pretty!

< I should help her out. There is no way I'm going to let anyone kidnap a child on my watch! >

(Author: Ivy's sense of justice is powerful when it comes to children.)

"Come with me. I know an even better hiding place. I guarantee that they won't be able to find you there. I'll protect you."

The girl then gazes at me, looking puzzled but decided to come along.

After that, we hid under the buffet table and chatted for hours.

Her name was Ms Gracie Lewis, Gregory's sister and the daughter of the Prime Minister.

While I was desperately trying to chase after the girls, Gracie, on the other hand, was trying to run away from them.

Being the sister of one of the most handsome and popular bachelors (which in this case was Gregory), the girls have been approaching Gracie to help them gain her brother's favour.

"They were never interested in me. All they want to talk about was Brother. I didn't think it was that bad at first since they treated me kindly, but they kept asking me to invite Brother along. If not, they won't play with me. Sometimes they will ask me to pass their gifts to Brother, but Brother told me not to accept them anymore. When I told them I could no longer help them pass any more gifts to brother, they were mad at me and said that I wasn't a true friend."

She started to tear up, looking sad.

"Hey, it's ok. I'm sure things will get better in time, and you'll be able to find other new friends to play with."

She then shook her head, and her face suddenly turns pale.

"Every time I made a new friend, it became even worse than the one before. One time, there was a rumour that if you tie a lock of your hair in a red bow and give it to the person you love, they will be yours forever."

"Urgh! Don't tell me that they..."

she then nodded and scrunched her body into a ball

"Most girls don't dare to approach brother directly because brother told them that he could not accept everyone's gifts and only be devoted to one lady. It won't be fair to them."

< ~ah, so all of this, in the end, is Gregory's fault. He is just as bad as Prince Leon. I bet the readers never would've guessed that their Prince Charming would also cause so much misery to the ladies, particularly us!>

Then suddenly it made me curious, why did she decide to come with me then?

"Uhm, so why did you decide to come with me? Are you not afraid that I may be like the other girls?"

"but Ms Ivy is the fiancee of the most popular and most handsome crown prince, so why would Ms Ivy still be interested in brother?"

<so what she meant was why would anyone break up with the crown prince when he is already the best there is.

she didn't know, but there is someone who doesn't want to marry the prince, and that is me>

Since she doesn't know that me marrying the crown prince equals my death, I should smile and agree and take this opportunity to be her friend.

so I clasped her hand tightly together with mine and proposed to her

"Ms Gracie Lewis, I, Ms Ivy Augustine, solemnly swear in the name of God that I will never force you, hurt you, use you or make you do anything that will cause you to be unhappy, so would you humbly accept to be my friend?"

Then I blasted at her with the best puppy eyes I have, begging for her to say yes.

She chuckled and said

"It is my honour!"

Ever since then, we became the best of friends.

Sometimes I wonder if this was part of the novel's plot and that the villainess was fated to meet Gracie that day. She may be part of the villainess groupie that usually bullies the female lead. This, however, is an answer that I would never know since I never really read the novel.

But if it is, I'm at least grateful that the author brought the villainess a friend.

******

Today Gracie and I became comrades. We help each other fulfil our needs.

I need a lady to be my friend while she needs someone to drive the ladies away.

We really are a match made in heaven.

Ever since I propose to her (to be my friend), I felt a little bit more at ease.

At least I know that I won't feel too lonely when Prince Leon leaves.

******

After the men left for hunting, the crowd of women slowly walk back to the estate to rest.

Then a voice called out my name.

"Ivy! Over here!"

Gracie hurriedly walks towards me. We then walked arm in arm like sisters and chatted.

"Hi Gracie, so have you given your handkerchief to sir Jacob ?"

Gracie blush and nodded.

Gracie is currently fond of Sir Jacob Brown.

Sir Jacob is the son of an Earl, and he is also one of the knights under Prince Leon's command. They happen to meet when her brother was training with his highness knights. She said it was love at first sight.

Even though I'm not fond of the idea of love at first sight, as a friend, I'm all in to support her.

"Then, I'm sure he will hunt as much as a mountain lot and present it to you!"

"What! that's.. that's ... just too much...."

She blushes red hard.

{from chapter 7: During the hunting games, the more prey the man brings, the more it represents the amount of affection he has for his lady}

".....ah, I guess you will be first to marry, and you will spend more time with your lover, and we will hardly have time for each other's company then. I'm feeling lonely already."

"Ivy, please stop teasing me. Besides, wouldn't that statement apply a lot more to you? You are already betrothed to his royal highness after all."

Then I stop my footsteps, and my heart felt heavy.

I feel that I must confess and get this weight off, so I whisper in Gracie's ear that I plan to ask Prince Leon to cancel the engagement.

"WHAT!!!!!"

Gracie shouted, and everyone looks at us.

"Hahaha, she was just surprised because s-she .... saw a bug!"

While the gaze from the crowd slowly turns away.

Gracie continues to look at me, dumbfounded.

"Ms Gracie, I would humbly request if you could use your inside voice."

"But-but why ivy? Don't you like his highness?"

I then showed a faint smile and calmly explained.

"My engagement with his highness is purely an arrangement by our parents. We do not have any affection for each other. The prince is already 18 this year, and he soon will need to marry, and I'm sure he will wish to marry someone he loves."

"But what about you, ivy? I care about you. I always thought that you loved the prince."

"Huh? No, I...."

My heart felt heavy, but I know that it couldn't be love because I've told myself repeatedly not to fall in love with him.

"We are just very close childhood friends."

".....Hmmm, ok. If that is what you want. I will be here for you if you ever need a friend to talk to."

"Yes, thank you. I will be counting you on that. I'm fortunate to have you as my friend."

Gracie then hugged me.

Even though her hug was comforting, but I don't know why my heart continues to feel uneasy.

"I have an Idea, Ivy!"

Suddenly Gracie let go and held my shoulder firmly.

"What do you think about my brother?!"

"Huh? What about your brother?"

"Don't you find my brother attractive?"

"Your brother is attractive."

<image wise of course he is attractive>inner voice

"Why not choosing my brother as your husband instead?! That way, we can truly be sisters."

"Uhm... I would like to humbly decline that idea."

"But Why?!!"

"....."

<because your brother doesn't love me, he loves princess Sophia because he is the 2nd male lead> inner voice

"Your brother and I are just good friends. Please do not worry about me, Gracie, and I won't need a man to care for me. I already have a plan to take care of myself."

Gracie pouted in disbelief as she could not believe that she would ever meet a lady who did not fall for her brother.

(Author: Things just got even more complicated. I hope you like this turn of events. hohoho)

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