Chapter 117 - Bothered II

Vanessa gulped once more, looking back at the door, and whispered loud enough for Emelia to hear. 

"That man is quite weird," Vanessa looks back at the door again and walks closer to Emelia. "He's been following me since I've left my room. I don't even know him, and yet he's acting close towards me. If I knew he was going to this to me, I shouldn't have helped him the other night."

"What happened the other night?" asked Emelia, only to be curious about this situation all more. Neither smiling nor frowning, Emelia pestered Vanessa by patting her shoulder once more. 

"I was assigned on a night shift and saw a shadow near the bird fountain. Didn't I expect to meet Sir Albert? I saw his finger bleeding, and it's natural to treat someone's wound after getting hurt, right?" Vanessa frustratedly said while Emelia offered her a seat, trying to calm her friend whose mind was going crazy. 

"Just because of that, he started to follow you?" Emelia asked, and Vanessa nodded her head while frowning. Followed by a short laugh from the platinum blonde girl as she confronts Vanessa.

"Don't laugh at me, Miss Emelia. I'm tried my best to push him away, but it's not working," sighed Vanessa as she hunched her back and rested her chin on her hand. But when the door opened, she immediately stood up and fixed her uniform. 

Elliot walks into the room with a towel around his neck. He froze, seeing Vanessa stand in a rush, then looked at Emelia, who gave her a smile. He turned his back, seeing Albert, leaning and closes the door.

"What's he doing out of this room?" Asked Elliot. 

"Stalking, Vanessa," answered Emelia, and Elliot raised his brow, questioning himself why. "He's trying to court her."

Emelia eyes at Vanessa, who shook her head, denying it. The more people knew about it, she didn't like it. It's all because of one simple act of kindness that attracted Albert. But he didn't need to go this far. 

"What do I do?" Vanessa mutters to herself. 

"Just answer him straightforwardly," Elliot said, placing the towel on the chair. 

"He won't listen…." Vanessa sighed for the nth time and bowed her head at Elliot before leaving the room. 

When Vanessa shuts the door behind her, she sees Albert standing by the side, waving his hand at her. He walked in her direction and asked, "Where are you going next? To the kitchen? Or the gardens? Or outside?"

"I can't just enter the gardens or leave the palace easily. I work here, Sir Albert. Now, if you would excuse me. I still have some unfinished business to finish."

Albert grabs her wrist while Vanessa struggles. He said, "Come on, at least tour me around this place." Vanessa rolled her eyes and finally escaped from his grip. 

"I'm going to apologize as I cannot bring you around this place. I am Princess Emelia's personal maid. I do not serve whoever."

Vanessa took another step but then was stopped by Albert when he grabbed her wrist once more. She took a deep breath and shut her eyes for a few seconds. She then looks at Albert, giving him an unwelcoming expression on her face. 

"For the last time. I do not wish to involve myself with you. I am busy. Please excuse me," Vanessa shoves his hand away from her wrist and walks away. 

Albert shook his head not in dissatisfaction but shook his head, impressed with her aggressiveness. This reminds him of the village he lived in. Women, there were strong and didn't care about what others thought of them. Maybe this girl is from that village. 

"What do you think are you doing in front of His Imperial Majesty's room?" 

"Oh? I didn't mean to express my love to her in front of His Imperial Majesty's room," answered back Albert as he turned his head, smirking to see Air glaring at him. 

"Express your love somewhere else I can't see," said Air.

"How come I can't while the Princess and His Highness can?" Albert asked, making Air twitch. He didn't know he would go this far. Not to mention saying it right in front of Elliot's chamber. 

Two of them looked at each other like an imaginary spark ran across the hallway. When Air saw the two of them earlier, he didn't like the way Albert treated her. Any guy would do, but this guy isn't the one for her. Air found it stupid that he's having these kinds of thoughts.

"If I were you refrain from doing these kinds of things or else…" paused Air. 

"Or else what?" Albert repeated as he walked towards Air and placed a hand on Air's shoulder, whispering to his ears, asking, "Are you warning me not to go near her? Or else you'll beat me up? Or something else?"

Air looked at Albert, wearing a blank expression, and answered, "Or else you'll lose face in this empire or maybe worst for being rude and bold enough to say those words."

"I'll say this, but I'm not scared of you or him. I do not care about rankings or titles. I do what I want to do that makes me satisfied."

"You can make yourself satisfied all you want but don't use her as part to fill your satisfaction. If I were, you don't even get close to her."

"Again with the if I were you. If I were you, stop getting into my, no our way."

Albert removed his hand off Air's shoulder and took a step back with a mocking smile. He stared at him for a while and said, "Let me give you a piece of advice. If you want something, grab it as early before it's too late. Who knows that your special item will be taken by someone else one day."

Air clenches his fist while watching the back of Albert walking the hallway. His words weren't wrong, but then how can a man like him deserve her? An innocent, bright and adorable girl running on a grass field, wearing a smile. That's the image he sees looking at her.