Rex stood in the ballroom of the Belial castle watching the grace of Miss Belial giving a speech to formally welcome the guests, he finds it odd for someone who has not received any tutor to behave like her, not to mention as someone in charge of hosting an Imperial guest, she did it with a flying score.
Roze reported to Rex that the Archduke and his wife purposely make it hard for the Miss and left her alone in the castle to be the one who is responsible for the guests and wish the Prince to cancel the engagement out of disappointment.
'The Archduke seems to be more ignorant than I imagined towards this empire's political affairs, I didn't choose her randomly as my fiancee, regardless of my personal feeling, she is the best candidate to silence those greedy nobles without causing any harm to the power balance within the aristocracy'
Rex sneered inwardly at his fiancee's father, he is a good Lord to manage his territory yet couldn't grasp this simple reason.
Despite being an unfavored daughter, he could see that the workers in this mansion loved their Miss and help her wholeheartedly to give the guests their best hospitality.
Rex approached the busy Miss who is talking politely to his escort Knights, she is asking if there any discomfort from their rest earlier, the smiling knights shake their heads and thanked her in respect.
"Please eat and drink to your heart content, I prepared this all for the brave Knights of the great Azure Empire present"
The Knights surrounded her wanted to say their gratitude for the warm welcome but...
"Ahem!"
Rex coughed purposely to silence the Knights who are acting like annoying bees around a beautiful flower, he doesn't know why he could feel so irritated over this trivial matter but he didn't want to see his fiance surrounded by men, even though they are his Knights.
"May I have time to talk with my fiancee in private?"
He said smiling still using his princely image, but the Knights who felt embarrassed step back as the Prince takes Grizel's hand gently and walks to avoid the crowds.
"Is she always this kind?"
One of the Knights asked the servant of the mansion.
"Of course, she is our beautiful kind-hearted Miss"
The other servants who listen to Knight answered him abruptly.
"She is graceful and didn't hold any prejudice against commoners"
"She even cried for a servant and didn't hesitate to help us"
"Yes, she is our angel"
The discussion about the Miss started with more servants and the knights tagging along.
"Hhmm, it's quite the opposite of the rumors spread at the capital and the other territories"
One of the Knight said while the other guests are nodding in agreement.
"We know the bad rumors encircled our gentle Miss"
The servants look down in sadness, they have done everything they could to spread the truth about their angelic Miss, and considering the good name of the Belial family within the territory, at least people in this land don't believe baseless rumors about their Miss, but they couldn't do anything about the rumors outside the territory.
"Yeah, a lot of people who were swayed by the bad rumors opposed this engagement, especially nobles who have daughters around the Prince's age"
These Knights are aware of those greedy nobles who keep pestering the prince and the Emperor about the candidate for the crown Princess.
"Seemingly it was spread by them because your Miss has the most privileged bloodline as the candidate for the Crown Princess"
"The rumors are quite exaggerated along with the time, the last time I heard she is an arrogant and bratty ugly child who likes to abuse her servants"
Gasped!
"I can't believe it would be this severe"
"Sir Knights, please help us to spread the truth at the capital, the Archduke and Archduchess never brought her to a single party, making our Miss didn't have a chance to correct those false rumors"
The servants pleaded to the Knights.
"Of course, leave it to us, it's a perfect chance to spread the rumors against those greedy nobles"
"The Prince and the Miss are meant to be together, we won't let those swine to ruin it"
The Knights said with burning determination in their eyes.
"Cheers for the Prince and the future Princess, cheers for their happiness"
The leader of the escorting Knights raised his glass and shouted.
"Cheers"
Little did they know that the one who allowed the rumors to be spread was their Miss herself.
-â¢-
Prince Rex and Grizel enjoyed their warm tea elegantly at the gazebo in the middle of the Belial's flower garden with Dion and Levi stood behind each of their own masters.
'Master, look at his fake princely acts, I can tell he is a professional'
Athena chatted as if observing the prince, her intelligence increase rapidly in these 2 years, now she has no different from humans despite being a blessing.
'Do you want to make a bet how long his princely image will last for?'
Grizel said inwardly responding to Athena.
'10 minutes?'
'Despite saying he's a professional, you didn't trust him at all huh?'
'Because his opponent is you, how about your guess Master?'
'5 minutes'
Silence filled the air when Grizel and Athena chatting in her mind, both of them just sipping their tea gracefully for a moment.
"Hhmm, your Highness. Please forgive my impertinence by asking you this thing..."
Grizel started to open the conversation but stopped her sentence in the middle and acting hesitant to continue, but Rex cuts her words.
"Miss Belial, you are my fiancee, please drop the formality whenever you are talking to me"
Rex said gently with a dazzling smile befitting the role of respected crown Prince like his usual acts.
"Thank you, your Highness"
Grizel smiled beautifully doesn't show any inferiority in terms of acting skills.
"By the way, what do you want to ask me before?"
His calm yet sweet voice could melt the hearts of the maiden, this 12 years old youth is destined to be the cause of the broken-hearted woman in the future.
"Ah, that... Hhmm, I found you are staring intensely at my Butler here and somehow... flushed, are you perhaps into a ma-"
"No"
Grizel didn't even finish her line, but she was cut by a firm answer.
"Pfft..."
Dion is trying so hard to suppress his laughter, he knows that the prince was only trying to recognize the boy from 2 years ago and he flushed because of the Miss who is always beside that Butler, but still couldn't help but laugh inwardly.
Rex looks towards Grizel, she has a meaningful smile as if saying, it's okay I understand. Then his gaze caught the one who stood behind her, the Butler looks at Rex in horrified and disgusted, looking at this he started to get panic over the misunderstandings.
"N-no please don't misunderstand me, I was just... Indeed I was staring at him, but that was... It wasn't like that, I... I..."
He said nonsense while stuttering, the damage on his mentality and pride was more severe than Grizel imagined.
The poor Rex cracked his princely image in less than 5 minutes.
"Pfft, Hahaha"
Grizel laughed, but her sweet free-spirited laugh captive the Prince, even more, Rex's red face couldn't be hidden when he realized that Grizel is teasing him.
Rex looks towards the Butler but Levi shamelessly avoids his gaze as if he didn't do anything.
'So you flawlessly cooperate with your master to tease me huh?'
He glared at Levi didn't bother to maintain his gentle prince image anymore.
"I am sorry, Your Highness. I couldn't help but tease you to see your true self"
Rex sighed in defeat.
Levi who got a signal from a shadow beneath a tree nodded, he bent down and whisper to Grizel enough to be heard also by Rex and Dion.
"My Lord, the area is clear"
Grizel nodded calmly, but Rex and Dion frowned in confusion because the Butler changes the way he calls his lady by using My Lord.
Levi steps back a little bit from Grizel and...
Snap!
He snapped his fingers and a thin transparent barrier started to envelop the whole gazebo, it's a little visible from inside the barrier but totally invisible from the outside.
"It's a soundproof barrier, I don't wish to have the extra ears in our private chat"
Grizel smirked as her attitude changes and didn't act like a pure maiden anymore.
"Your Highness, should we start?"
Dion is shocked for a moment, but Rex who looks helpless a moment ago has gained back his wicked prince's face. The tip of his lips curled up in devilish charm.
"Let's get down to business"
To be continued...