Capítulo 23: WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?

Ariana, who had just woken up and still coughing, looked at the Duke in confusion. She can't understand why he was in a state of enrage. She still hasn't grasped the situation happening around her.

"Answer me!"

"Ugh, can't you shut up? You are hurting my head!"

'Did the princess just shout at our Duke.' Hearing Ariana raise her voice toward the Duke makes people who watch there, stunned. She had never done something like this in the past and always so clinging to him even made those who saw it also feel suffocated. But this change is clearly shocking.

"If you wanted to die that much, don't do it in my palace. Do you hear me?!" Zayn still hasn't finished with his anger, but his face looks more like he's scared.

'Why does he look like that? ' Even with this condition Ariana realize this.

Only when she stopped coughing did she see the situation around her. So many knights and maids that she has never seen or known surrounded the area. Between them, she could see Sir Robert, who was also looking at her, still with his blank face, but his eyes looked...

'What was that? Disappointment?'

Only then did she realize what actually happened at that time. She then looked at the high heels that she left at the edge of the lake, the condition of the Duke, and also hers.

'Don't tell me they thought I tried to do something dangerous.' Ariana began to widen her eyes.

This is a really major misunderstanding!

She then looked back at Zayn, who was still looking at her with a face that seemed to be trying to contain his anger, even if he had already let go of some of it just now.

"This... No. What I mean... This is not like what you think." Ariana stammered to explain. She doesn't know why, but the sentence that echoes in her mind to explain things seems to be difficult to come out of her mouth.

But before she can rearrange her sentence, she again, begins to feel dizzy in her head, and the Duke's face slowly becomes blurred.

She finally fainted.

As she fell forward, Zayn continued to catch her limp body into his lap. His anger at the time continued to disappear after seeing her weak state like this.

Usually, every time something happens to the girl, he never is there, or witness it by himself so he never feels sympathy or some sort, but this time as he experiences it, and it happens in front of his very own eyes, he can't help but have a mixed feeling.

Without wasting any more time, Zayn continued to lift the weak body, bridal style, and walk away.

Lily, who just arrived, continued to scream with tears seeing Ariana, who was wet all over her body and unconscious. She knows the same incident had happened again.

"Oh, my God! No, my lady!"

"Call the doctor to my bedroom." Zayn, without saying much, continued to give an order.

"Y-Yes, your Grace." Barely getting a grip of herself, Lily still obediently answered.

Zayn took Ariana into his bedroom, which she had never entered before. He put her in his bed, didn't care if his bed would get wet, and called for maids to help her change into dry clothes.

He then left after giving his orders and entered another room to take care of himself. After a good warm bath and changing into comfortable clothes, he then went back into his bedroom.

He stared at her, who had now also been taken care of by the maids. They even changed the bed sheet into a dry one. She looks like someone who is sleeping so peacefully here when just a moment ago, she created chaos.

"Your Grace..." Head Butler Smith said slowly, afraid he interrupted whatever the Duke was thinking.

"What about the doctor?" Zayn asked without looking at each other. He is still standing next to the bed and watching Ariana.

"He is on the way."

Zayn held Ariana's arm to find her pulse, and it was still there before he let go with a very deep sigh. His eyes now looked towards the window outside. The scene had already turned dark.

"Ask the maid to prepare the room next to me for the princess. She will live on the west side from now on. " Zayn suddenly decided that. He thinks he needs to monitor the princess more closely now.

After all, he had already decided to get married to her. He can't let anything happen to his bride, right? It will be troublesome if the king asks him to get married to someone else if this one dies. It's more annoying to get to know other girls anyway. Although he doesn't want to admit it, he is already used to this one.

Smith was a little surprised by the order, but a smile began to creep into his face a little. He felt relieved that the Duke seemed to open up a little for the princess, whatever the reason is. Looks like this incident is not all that bad.

"I will do it quickly," Smith said and started to leave, but Zayn called him back before he went further.

"Wait."

"Yes, your Grace."

"Ask Robert to take 2 or three more knights to follow the princess wherever she is. It doesn't matter if the knights are a girl. As long as they did their duty, then it's fine. As for Robert, suspend his work for two weeks, and let him work in the mines without a wage as his punishment. Also, call a craftsman and blacksmith to build a wall around the lake so these things never happen again."

Smith was surprised again. The Duke never punishes anyone, regardless of what happened to the princess before, but this time, instead of turning blind eyes, he becomes firm. Why with the changes?

"Is there anything else?" He wanted to know before going out.

"That's all."

"Then, I get going first, your Grace."

This time, Zayn didn't stop him.

~~~~~~~~~~

The next day,

Last night, despite being examined by the doctor, Ariana was completely unconscious. Luckily, the doctor didn't diagnose anything wrong with her and just said she just fainted because she was tired.

As per Duke's request, the room next to him is now ready for the princess to occupy. He himself lifted her to the new room when she still hadn't regained consciousness. It is next door but not too close. They still need to walk a long way before arriving at the room.

The entire night, Lily faithfully took care of Ariana. Even though the doctor said there was nothing wrong, she couldn't rest assured as long as the princess still hasn't opened her eyes.

And here, Ariana finally opened her eyes. First, she realized that her room had changed. She almost thought that she had already returned to her world, but seeing Lily beside her still, in the maid uniform, Ariana knows she is still at Silver Castle.

"You are awake, princess. I already prepared your bath. You can have your breakfast afterwards."

Lily didn't look friendly at all this time, making Ariana realize that she was in a mistake.

"Are you mad at me?"

Lily now stars sharply at Ariana.

"Do you really want to die, princess?"

Ariana started scratching her head, which didn't itch.

"I know this sounds like an excuse, but it is not like what you think. I really didn't want to die this time."

"This time? Does that mean you really want to commit suicide before? " Lily sounded shocked.

"N-No! All this is just a misunderstanding. I'm just trying to confirm something, that's why I'm at the lake. Please believe me, Lily."

Lily doesn't look convinced, but she doesn't have the energy to press these things more, so she just sighs.

"Please stop doing something dangerous. You are lucky the Duke is nearby to save you. But this time, he looks really mad. He even moved you to this west side next to his room."

Ariana blinked a little to process what she had just heard.

"Also, Sir Robert is now on probation because he didn't monitor you during the incident. The Duke even gave him harsh punishment and cut his wage. He even has many siblings to look after."

"W-Wait. What did you just say? Is this room on the west side? " Ariana finally let out the question.

Lily nodded.

"This room is just next to Duke Zayn's room."

"What?!" Ariana can't help but scream.

So, after cleaning herself up and, of course, having her breakfast, Ariana now walks in fast to meet Zayn in his office. But not before, three knights stood in front of her.

"W-What's going on?" Ariana flinched a little looking at their fierce face, including one which was clearly a woman. Looks like there is a knight who looks much scarier than Sir Robert.

Lily, who already knew all of them, continued to approach the scene and introduce them.

"The Duke asked Sir Robert to find more knights to protect you closely, so this is Sir Lucas, Sir Josh, and Dame Kay. In total, you've got yourself four knights who will walk side by side with you. ALL THE TIME. " Lily sounded scary here while Ariana could only look at her. She knows very well that Lily still hasn't fully forgiven her, and that's why she's like this.

"We are at your service, Princess Ariana." As if the three of them had a habit, they are saying this together.

Ariana could only nod weakly at that time.

'This can't happen. How am I going to sneak out of this palace later with this kind of guard? ' Ariana knows she is in a tight situation now. What's left is to convince the Duke.

Head Butler Smith, who had just come out of the office door, had seen Ariana, who was walking fast towards it. He knew instantly she was trying to meet the Duke.

"The princess is..." Before he could announce the arrival to the Duke, who was currently discussing something with one of his aides, Ariana had already entered the office.

"What are you trying to do?"