Archie and Arielle walked along a path that was surrounded by a small forest and then entered the main road into the capital city of Nieverdell.
"What are you going to do?"
Arielle shrugged her shoulders, not wanting to answer. Archie glanced at his sister for a mont, then nodded in understanding. Maybe Arielle just wanted to spend her ti outside the palace to get away from their siblings or... Duke Pellington.
"What do you think of Duke Pellington?" Archie suddenly asked, making Arielle clench her fists.
The girl took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
"He’s okay," she answered simply.
"Honest answer?"
Arielle turned to Archie and smiled wryly. "Sorry, brother. I... am a little unwell and don’t want to talk about it."
"Oh ... you now dare to reply to my words, huh?"
Arielle looked down in sha. She turned toward a modest shop for a discounted snack. It was her regular shop because the price was quite cheap. She looked at Archie, who just stood beside her, looking around the shop. Arielle didn’t have much money to buy sothing for Archie.
GROWL
Arielle and Archie looked at each other for a mont. Both Arielle and Archie blushed at Archie’s rumbling sound.
"Well, this is normal for people who haven’t had breakfast yet, right?"
"You haven’t had breakfast yet?"
"I told you I was in a hurry to wait for soone before, but the person I was waiting for didn’t co."
"Then what are you doing here? You should go back to the palace to get breakfast."
Archie looked at Arielle closely.
"I didn’t know you were this fussy, Arielle," said the man, making Arielle look away in sha.
It just felt weird. She had never spoken to her brother for a casual chat like this. Back when they were little, every ti she t Archie, he would only insult her, and Arielle was just silent.
The girl cut her sandwich and handed it to Archie. "This is for you. Sorry I didn’t buy more because... I didn’t have enough money."
Archie looked at Arielle’s sandwich for so long that it made the girl feel embarrassed. Perhaps she had mistakenly thought that Archie would eat food from a roadside stall. Moreover, she used her hands to split the sandwich.
"Ah, sorry if I was presumptuous. I’ll eat it myself."
Archie quickly grabbed the sandwich, which surprised Arielle. "You already gave it to , right? Taking back sothing that you gave to soone will get you cursed one day."
Arielle just smiled, and the two walked to a bench at the front of the clothing store to enjoy their sandwiches. The capital city seed busier than usual. Arielle just realized that so people were installing lanterns and cleaning their shop. They were also installing new decorations like people who would hold a festival.
As Arielle rembered the sumr festival would be held at the beginning of the month, but why were they already busy preparing everything? Was there a new festival to be held?
Archie could see the curiosity in Arielle’s eyes, who was looking at a tavern owner who was putting up festival decorations in front of his shop.
"The sumr festival will be held earlier this year. The king has said that there will be a festival to coincide with the arrival of the northern party who will co to propose to you."
For so reason, Arielle’s heart felt heavy. Like she had a bad feeling that made her uncomfortable. Suddenly she wanted to et soone and said that he didn’t have to co to the palace to pick her up. Arielle turned to the Nieverdell palace, which was still visible from where she was sitting.
"I... have a bad feeling," Arielle muttered.
Archie had finished his al and nodded in approval. Arielle’s hunch would co true and Archie would have a hand in it.
"Archie... whose side are you on?" asked Arielle without looking at her brother.
"On whose side? Hm... on the side that will benefit , of course."
It was only after Archie answered that the girl turned to the man. "Who benefits brother? Why are you suddenly being so nice to ? At that ti, you said that you were being nice to because you had a transaction with soone, right? Who is it? Is it Duke Pellington, or is there soone else?"
To be honest, Arielle couldn’t understand Archie’s attitude. The man seed to be secretly nice to her, but he still stood by Andrea’s side. If he was truly supporting Andrea, then that ant he was supporting Arielle’s marriage to Duke Pellington, right?
Then if that wasn’t true, with whom did the man make a deal to betray his own family?
"Arielle, this is a ga of crown where even the most loyal of allies can beco the deadliest of foes. And the enemy that exists will be the strongest ally."
"Ga of crowns?" Arielle turned to Archie, who smiled faintly. "Don’t tell , Brother Archie, you..."
"Is it a sin for a prince to wish to sit on a king’s throne?" Archie asked in a low voice that made Arielle’s body tremble in fear.
"You all are the sa."
"Hmm? What’s the sa?"
Arielle stood up and threw away the rest of her food. She lost her appetite after hearing what Archie had to say. It turned out that no one was genuinely nice to her here.
Archie followed shortly after.
"Then who will be helping brother?" asked Arielle about the question that Archie had not answered.
"You’ll see him in a mont."
Arielle looked around and didn’t find anyone suspicious there. If Archie said that she was going to et the man, it ant that the person in question had not t Arielle before. That ant it was not Duke Pellington.
"Does Alexis know?"
"HAHA? Alexis?" Archie asked, mocking Arielle’s naivety.
The two of them had now arrived in the middle of the town square and saw several people who were cleaning the square to be used as a festival venue within three days.
Arielle walked aimlessly, as well as Archie, who was still following her faithfully.
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