"I am not, your highness. How can I do that? I don't have any rights. What I am trying to say is, please don't apologize to me if you don't mean it. It's really offending. Don't I really deserve a genuine apology?"
Prince Fraser looks at me for a couple of seconds before he shakes his head. "If you want a genuine apology, you should learn how to be genuine first." He then walked past me after he said those words.
I look at his back and smile bitterly at myself. I couldn't believe him. In the end, he still put the blame on me.
Prince Fraser, do you hate me this much?
________________________________
I look at the documents around my office, and I sigh. After the successful transfer of villagers to their temporary shelter yesterday, I immediately went back to the capital. And now I am burying myself with all these documents I need to finish this morning.
I need to talk to his majesty this afternoon to ask update on the joint project. I need to know who are those people he wants to hire for the project so I can start to talk to them.
I slump my head on the table because of the frustration I am feeling right now. I have a lot of things to do on my plate, and I still need to think about the storyline.
Prince Fraser's birthday is coming soon. That means those problems will soon happen. So, I should start to prepare myself.
I was busy thinking about what I had written when someone knocked on my door. I look up and find Lilla peeking behind the door. "Dame Csille, are you busy?"
I frown. I already told Lilla not to bother me if it's something not urgent. So, I'm sure she is here because something urgent has come up.
"Why? Is there something wrong?"
Lilla looks behind her before she answers me. "Dame Csille, there is someone who wants to have a conversation with you, and I don't know if I should let him or not. So, I want to ask you if you want to see him?"
Him? Aside from Rufus and Brother Pascal, there are no other men who visited me in the Foundation. And it's impossible that it's Rufus or Brother Pascal because Lilla knows that they can come to my office without asking for my permission.
"May I know who is this person who wants to talk to me?"
Lilla looks at her back again. "It's Sir Farren, Dame Csille. The personal knight of his highness, Prince Fraser. He said he had something important to talk to you. I don't know if I should drive him away or to let him, that's why I ask for your permission. He's the personal knight of Prince Fraser, after all. Maybe his highness wants to say something to you through Sir Farren."
Prince Fraser wants to say something to me? I don't think that is possible. After the conversation, I had with him yesterday? I don't think he wants to talk to me. Also, if he wants to talk to me about something important, he would rather send a messenger bird than to use Princess Paislee to send his message.
So, I'm sure the reason why Princess Paislee is here is not because of Prince Fraser. But if it that is the case, what made Princess Paislee come here and initiate a conversation? What does she want to talk about this time?
"Dame Csille?"
I look at Lilla and nod my head. "You can let him in. Also, I made sure that no one would disturb us while we were talking. Understood?"
Lilla nods her head and immediately excuses herself to invite Princess Pailee inside my office.
A moment after, Lilla opened the door and let Princess Paislee in. Then she immediately gets out of the office to give us privacy.
I just look at Princess Paislee and wait for her to talk, but she just remains standing in front of me. I heave a sigh and gesture my hand towards the vacant chair in front of my table. "Sit. May I know the reason for your sudden visit Sir Farren? Is it something urgent? Because as you can see," I gesture my hand around my office. "I have a lot of things to do today, and I really don't have time for chitchat."
I heard Princess Paislee heaves a sigh. I squinted my eyes at her when I saw how anxious she was right now. What does she want to talk about that made her this anxious?
"Dame Csille, I'm sorry."
I put the document I am holding and rest my chin on both of my hands. "May I know what you are sorry for? Did you do something, Sir Farren?"
I don't understand why she would feel sorry for? As far as I know, she didn't do anything wrong to me. So, why?
"I apologize for convincing his highness, Prince Fraser, to apologize to you even if he thinks it's unnecessary."
I raise my eyebrow at her. I know Princess Paislee is a righteous lady, but I didn't expect she would come here just to say sorry for what happened between Prince Fraser and me.
"Sir Farren, may I know why you are doing all of this? It's not part of your job as Prince Fraser's knight to do this. Also, do you really think a halfhearted sorry will make me feel better? Do you think that's the only thing I deserve?"
Princess Paislee immediately shakes her head. "That is not how it is, Dame Csille. I know I am in no position to interfere with your relationship with Prince Fraser, but I just want to help. I have seen how the two of you become distant as time goes, and I feel like I need to do something to hel—"
I scoff at her. "What are you? Our Godparent who likes to check how our relationship with each other? Let me remind you, Sir Farren, that you are only his highness' personal knight. You don't have the right to interfere with my relationship with him. So, please stop doing all these things because it's not helping. Do you know that Prince Fraser and I argue again because of what you did?"
Princess Paislee looks at me guiltily. I don't really want to be mean to her, and I understand that she is only concerned about Prince Fraser, but I cannot let this continue. If she will keep forcing my relationship with Prince Fraser, how will her relationship with Prince Fraser will progress?
That's why I decided to be the bad person again. If that will make Princess Paislee stop interfering with the storyline.
"Dame Csille... I... I'm sorry. I didn't know that it would end up that way. I only want to the two of you reconcil—"
I laugh bitterly. "Well, I'm sorry to blurt it out to you, but you're just making the matter worst. You know what you should do best? You should stop meddling with OUR relationship. You should know your place, Sir Farren. I will let you off this time, but if you repeat it again, I'm sorry, but I wouldn't be nice then." I gesture my hand towards the closed door. "You can now leave. I still have work to do, and I don't have time for this kind of non-sense conversation."
Princess Paislee looks like she still wants to say something, but she just keeps it to herself. She probably sees how much furious I am.
Princess Paislee stands up and bows her head at me politely. "I apologize if you don't like the way I am interfering with your relationship with Prince Fraser. I understand now. I'll try not to interfere again. I hope you can forgive me. I'll be taking my leave now, Dame Csille. Thank you for giving me some of your time despite you being busy with work."
I didn't say anything to her and pretended to read the document on my table. I heard Princess Paislee sigh, and then she got out of my room.
I look up at the closed door and sigh. I still don't understand why she is trying to help fix my relationship with Prince Fraser. She is the female lead. Why would she matchmake her Prince Charming to the villainess?
I slump my body on my chair and close my eyes. I suddenly feel exhausted after talking to Princess Paislee. I feel tired already. Tired of all of this. When will this end?
________________________________
"My dear Csille, how are you doing? You look," his majesty stopped talking and looked at me. "You look thinner than the last time I saw you. You're probably not taking care of yourself too." He then looks at Queen Amalone, who is sitting beside him. "My Queen, our future daughter-in-law is also a workaholic like our son. Wouldn't that bring trouble to our Kingdom?"
Queen Amalone laughs gently with the King's words. She then raises her hand at me as if saying to walk towards her, which I immediately follow. Queen Amalone smile lovingly at me, just like how my Mother does.
"Lady Csille..." she then shakes her head. "I should be calling you Dame Csille now. It's been a long time since we saw each other. I hope you have been taking care of yourself in my absence."
Her Majesty, Queen Amalone, was sick this year, and she was recuperating through the months that have passed. It's also the reason why I didn't get the chance to talk to her this year.
I bow my head at her. "Your majesty, it's been a long time since we saw each other. I hope you are getting better."
The Queen gently caress my head. "I am getting better now. I heard from the King that you are here for the joint project you had with the King. The monarchy is really grateful for what you are doing, Csille, and I'm sure that once you become the Queen of the Kingdom, you'll definitely be one of the greatest Queen the Vrawyth Kingdom ever had."
I felt flattered by what she said, but at the same time, I felt bitter. The greatest Queen the Vrawyth Kingdom ever had? That is if I'll ever get the chance to be the Queen, which I know is totally impossible.
"Your majesty, you are flattering me too much. How can I even be compared to you or to the previous Queens of the Vrawyth Kingdom? I don't think I could be half as great as you. Please don't say it like that."
The Queen laughs and gently caresses my head. "And you are even humble. I'm sure you're going to be a great Queen in the future."
I just smile politely at her. I couldn't tell her that I wouldn't have a chance to be the Queen in the future. So, I just smile at her.
After a few exchanges of compliments with the Queen, his majesty, the King hands me the list of people he would like to hire for the joint project.
I look at the list and nod my head in satisfaction. All the people on the list are my top picks. It's a good thing his majesty and I have the same decision. That means I wouldn't have problems working with those people. After all, I will be handling personally the joint project because I want to ensure that everything is following the plan for the joint project.
"Then I will be talking to them tomorrow so we can start to talk about the design and the building plan. I will just send the outline of my conversation with them tomorrow too."
His majesty nods his head. He then takes my hand and holds it tightly. "Csille, you don't know how much you are helping the monarch. We are grateful for what you are doing, and I feel guilty knowing what my son did to you. Are you sure you want to continue your engagement with Prince Fraser? I would understand it if you want me to cancel it. You don't have to worry about anything.. Just tell me if you don't want to continue it anymore."