Chapter 22: Chapter 22

After riding in the carriage for three days, they have finally reached their destination. Layla looked out the window and blinked.

Bioust, who got out of the carriage first, offered his hand to Layla but she just continued to gaze upon the outside world with a hardened expression.

“Are you not going to get off the carriage?”

“Where… is this place?” Layla asked without attempting to move from her seat.

Layla simply nodded when Bioust finally said that they were almost at their destination and would just ride the carriage for the remaining stretch of their journey.

As Layla began to get a clear view of the enormous castle and enter its structure, her expression hardened further and her body became stiff.

When the carriage entered the large gates, she took note of the many people and soldiers entering and exiting. With every unfamiliar and tall building they passed, Layla could not help but feel more and more anxious.

The carriage finally pulled to a stop when they were right at the entrance of the enormous castle.

“This is my home and from now on, this will be your home as well,” Bioust said in a nonchalant manner.

Layla just stared at Bioust with a narrowed gaze.

“Who exactly are you?”

“Oh, have I not told you?”

“No, you haven’t.”

Seeing Bioust’s attitude about the whole thing only made Layla’s blood boil.

I’d just assumed that he was no more than a nobleman seeing that it would then be natural of him to be the baron’s guest.

I’d even assumed that he could have been a husband prospect for Ariadne. To think that I actually felt bad for such a kind man getting wed to the foul-tempered Ariadne.

However, no matter how I look at it, there is absolutely no way that this man is just a nobleman since he considers a castle of this size as a home.

“Where are we?!” Layla asked and looked like she was on the verge of biting the nail of her thumb again.

“This is the Imperial Palace.”

“What?!” Layla’s eyes widened and her jaw slackened in surprise.

As Layla has never seen a nobleman’s house other than that of the baron’s mansion, she had just assumed that Bioust was an aristocrat of very high status. Never had it crossed her mind that they were standing at the entrance of the Imperial Palace.

“I-Imperial Palace?!” Layla repeated in bewilderment. Bioust nodded and it was only then did he feel embarrassed.

Finally raising from her seat, Layla reached out and instead of attempting to exit, she shut the door of the carriage.

“Layla?”

“Don’t touch me!” Layla growled when Bioust had placed his hand over hers to open the carriage door.

“I need to get out of here!”

“Why? Didn’t you say that you’d stay by my side?”

“Just temporarily because I have no place to go now!”

“It’s fine if it is just temporary as well. Now, how about we get off一”

“I only agreed because I didn’t think that it would turn out to be the Imperial Palace!”

“I admit that it is my fault for not being so forthcoming, why is it different if it is the Imperial Palace?”

“Don’t be absurd! This is the Imperial Palace and I am a witch! What do you think would happen if a witch were to enter the palace? Moreover, my stench is an obvious indication that I am a witch. I’ll be caught right away and burned at the stake! On a night of a full moon, I will be tied to a stake surrounded by piles of wood before finally being set on fire from the tips of my feet to the very top of my head!”

“That won’t be happening.”

“It will definitely happen. That is how a witch is killed.”

“First, you are not a witch. Second, such savagery practice does not exist on the  Imperial Palace’s grounds. Third, I will never let that happen to you.”

“Who are you to dictate that?!”

Layla tried to yank the door closed again and almost shut it on Bioust’s hand. Despite the adrenaline rush of desperation momentarily boosting Layla, she was still unmatched to Bioust’s strength.

“Are you the Emperor?” Layla shot back.

“Of course not.”

“Then move your hand!”

“But that will be in due time.”

“What?”

Noticing the loss of strength in Layla’s hands, Bioust pushed the door open. As Layla was leaning against the door, she inevitably lost her balance and began to stumble out of the carriage.

Layla would have fallen if it was not for Bioust’s strong arm that readily grabbed her small waist.

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“I am the Crown Prince and am the first in line for the succession of the throne. My name is Prince Bioust Black de Orlion.

“… What?”

Bioust had introduced himself formally while still holding onto Layla. Looking down and seeing her surprised expression, he smiled.

“Welcome to the Imperial Palace, Lady Layla Violet de Valencia.”

Unable to process the sudden information thrown at her, Layla just stared at Bioust with her mouth agape as he continued to embrace her.

“C-Crown Prince?”

“Yes.”

“You’re the Crown Prince?”

“Indeed.”

Bioust lifted Layla gently and slowly lowered her on the ground to stand on. Layla, who initially was desperately trying to avoid stepping on the grounds of the Imperial Palace, was still too surprised to even notice that fact.

“This is my home一 my territory. Thus, no one can do anything to you, my lady.”

It was not long before Layla discovered Bioust’s words to be true.

***

“Pleasure to meet you, Lady Layla. I look forward to serving you.”

Layla watched warily at the woman who had just greeted her.

The woman was as tall as most men and Layla had to tilt her head up to look at her.

Not a single strand of the woman’s brown hair was out of place; which gave the impression that she was a neat and tidy person. Although her face looked like she was in her 20s, her hairstyle and clothes were no different than that of a middle-aged woman in her 40s. Thus making it difficult to guess her age.

The woman continued to smile warmly at Layla who was watching her with wary eyes.

“This is Cecil and she will be attending to all your needs in the future. If there is any problem, you can inform Cecil,” Bioust gestured towards the woman as he touched Layla’s shoulder. Layla crouched slightly at his touch.

“It would have been nice if I could show you to your room, but unfortunately, I’ve to attend to a lot of work since I’ve been away from the Imperial Palace for an extended period of time. Would you like to have Cecil escort you to your room first?” Bioust asked.

“What? Are you telling me to follow her?”

“Cecil will like it more if you were to address her by her name. Isn’t that right, Cecil?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Cecil replied.

“No, that’s not what I meant. I mean… Are you really going?” Layla asked.

Layla’s fingers that were busy picking at her cuticles and nails grabbed onto the hem of Bioust’s robes. Bioust could not help but chuckle at Layla’s child-like gesture that silently implored him to not leave her.

“I’m sorry, Layla. I have to go now. However, if I do manage to get my work done quickly, we could have dinner together.”

“But…” Layla stopped herself midway as if realizing that she was begging. She then anxiously glanced towards Cecil who stood next to her, before looking around towards the unfamiliar garden, walls of the castle and empty halls that stretched long.

Layla’s world was nothing more than an old barn up until she was ten years old before later having to stay in a forest cabin for another ten years. It is only understandable for her to be unnerved in an unfamiliar place. Though magnificent, it is such a large castle. The only person she knows and can lean on is me, Bioust thought to himself.

“Just wait for a little bit, okay?” Bioust whispered kindly and Layla was forced to release her hold on his robes. She frowned as Bioust gently stroked her hair.

“Then, shall we go, my lady?” Cecil urged as Bioust turned to leave.

Layla hesitated as she stood in the garden and watched Bioust’s back as he walked further and further away. It was not until his figure could no longer be seen that Layla turned to look at Cecil who had been silently waiting for her reply.

“Shall we go?” Cecil urged again and smiled.

Layla nodded quietly and the two walked towards the entrance of the large castle before beginning to climb up the staircase.

“Here is your room.”

Still smiling warmly, Cecil stood by the door of the room. It was a huge wooden auburn door that was twice Layla’s height.

Layla hesitated a little before carefully grabbing the doorknob to slowly open the door. A bright light shone from within the room through the gap of the door she had opened slightly. Bracing herself, Layla pushed open the door the rest of the way to have a full view of the room.

“Is this… my room?”

“Yes, it is one of the smallest rooms in the Imperial Palace but it is the only one that is sunny…”

“This is small?”

Is this really small? There is enough space to fit three of my old forest cabins here… Not just the room but even the bed itself is two times bigger than the one I had back at the cabin. Not to mention that it looks three times softer as well.

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The room’s door is not even half the size of the closet… Also, this is the first time I’ve ever seen such splendid craftsmanship on the mirror… let alone the fact that such a large mirror sits on top of the dressing table like that…

“This is really… my room?”

Everything was so surreal that Layla could not help but be doubtful of the whole situation.