Chapter 33 - Slowly (3)

"Do you remember the girl that I've talked with you about?" Harrison started as he sat casually on the chair in front of her, munching on the cookie he held with his hand. Since Alexandra was inside her room and the knight is just on standby outside, Harrison was free to enter and talk to her. His stare bored as usual as he had a blank expression. Alexandra being used to him just nodded as an answer, "Yes," She answered gently showing a faint smile. Harrison swallowed first before he spoke, "Something's really off about her, my instincts told me," He said and Alexandra tilted her head in confusion. She hasn't met that girl, so she really can't judge her from just by his words.

"Why do you say that?" She asked, curiosity visible from her voice. But even so, what he told her last 2 weeks ago or more also bothered her. Nobody with low status or mana could easily gain the attention of the headmaster and easily enter the academy with his permission. Even if that someone is the princess, she can't enter the academy.

"She's like a chimera hiding inside a puppy's body," He said in a deadpan voice, Alexandra wasn't sure if he was joking or not. Maybe that's the way he just describes her, Alexandra thought to herself trying to decode what he said. "What do you mean by that? Is she acting weak when she's strong? Is she acting like a good person when she is a devil inside?" Alexandra said confusion traced her voice as she spoke. Harrison hummed as he was deep in thought, "Well, she's somehow like that. She's very mysterious even though she acts innocent to everyone and is like an open book when she's not. It was hard to look through her background or so," This was the first time Alexandra saw Harrison troubled or stressed at some things. She must be that mysterious or interesting that Harrison started to investigate her or look at her background.

"Well, she must be hiding something or the headmaster might be hiding something," Alexandra said and brought the glass of juice to her lips and drank it. Harrison shrugged, "Who knows," He said and heaved a sigh after. He muttered something under his breath which Alexandra didn't hear, "Eh? What was that? I didn't hear you," Alexandra said and looked at him curiously but he just shook her head and hummed. He's also mysterious, what Alexandra knows from him that he's actually an adult who shrunk himself and need to recover his mana while going at an academy for some reason he doesn't want to say or tell her.

"By the way, who was that knight on standby outside?" Harrison asked while he turned his head and looked at the door which Alexandra did so too. "That was my personal knight, Carlos Ivanlyer. Appointed by my father, the emperor," Alexandra answered and heaved a sigh. Harrison fell into silence while he was deep in thought.

"Oh, him? Carlos Ivanlyer?" Harrison said like he already met him or know who he is. "Yes, do you know him?" Alexandra asked now looking at Harrison instead of the door. He showed a faint smile, no, a smirk that looked like a male antagonist smile in the comics that she has read or movies that she has watched. "Nothing much. He's just one of the strongest knights of the empire and the vice-captain of the royal knights," He answered casually and Alexandra nodded multiple times while she was drinking her juice.

Upon realizing this, she spits out the juice she was drinking at the table while coughing uncontrollably. Harrison somehow snickered seeing her, "What? You don't know?" He asked and Alexandra calmed down first. "Nobody told me!" She said and groaned in frustration. Her father appointed a strong knight and a vice-captain of the royal knights as her personal knight like it was nothing and that he still has multiple strong knights around. You've got to be kidding me, Alexandra said.

"Poor you, realizing everything up until now," Harrison teased her while he laughed for a short while. Aside from the info he gave her, he was also teasing her. Harrison casted a spell that no one could hear the noise they are making outside, meaning Alexandra could go shout or scream any time she wants at any volume of her voice, whether it was loud or very loud. "Shut up," Alexandra said and tucked her hair behind her ear. So that's why he seemed like he was very strong when he has a gentle or soft expression on.

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation, "Miss Alexandra, your tutor has arrived and is now heading towards the study room. I suggest that you come out now, so you can arrive early in the room," Alexandra heard the voice of Carlos outside. She turned her head around and looked at the door and to Harrison who was now gone from his seat and disappeared. Since he is gone, she can shout with the people outside hearing her. "Yes! Please wait a moment!" She shouted.

--

The next day.

Alexandra decided to go to the palace early in the morning after she ate breakfast in the dining room. She informed her personal knight—Carlos— that she wants to go to the palace and he agreed with a gentle smile plastered on her face. "Then, I shall guide you, Miss Alexandra," He said and Alexandra replied with a smile on her face. Carlos was a very cheerful and playful knight, he looked very gentle and calm. He treats Alexandra with utmost respect and is always with her except at night or when she's inside her room, he would be at standby at the door and that's just fine with Alexandra since she doesn't like it when someone follows her around even at her room, she just don't know with Harrison. She recalled the conversation she had with Harrison earlier, from the strange female at their academy to the identity of Carlos. Somehow, it all started to sink in inside her mind while she was sulking or thinking at night.

The walk to the palace was somehow noisy since Carlos was very talkative yet Alexandra didn't mind. She was tired of all the silence that would surround her and with the others. Being with Carlos gave her a new and refreshing feeling. "By the way, Miss Alexandra," He called out to her as they walked. Alexandra wasn't being carried by him, she told him that she wanted to walk for today. "Yes?" Alexandra responded and slightly tilted her head to look at him. The cold breeze gently blew, making her hair flutter along with it.

Marks of the sole of their shoes were left on the ground covered with snow behind them as they took a step forward. Somehow, it was colder than before. "Before you met with his highness, what were you doing? I mean, what kind of days did you lived before you met him?" He asked and that made Alexandra think of her past. It was nothing special, she just read books, plays the garden, arranging flowers, walking around, sleeping, talking with Harrison, eating, studying, and such. Somehow, she noticed that everything is starting to change slowly after she met her father. She didn't expect that the day would come where she'll meet her father and she somehow survived, look at her now, casually having tea parties with him. It was 3 weeks ago that they first met.

"Nothing special, I only read books and play at the garden," She responded and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I see…" Carlos mumbled and they continued to walk until they reached the palace. Alexandra wanted to go to the library since there are many books that Christian recommended. As they entered the palace, she first went towards the throne room to visit her father and tell him that she came here for a visit to the library.

She arrived in front of the throne room's door. Carlos was about to open the door when it was opened by somebody. After a boy came out, 2 followed and looked at her. They have the same silver hair and eyes with different shades of blue yet the aura they held was like the emperor when Alexandra and he first met. Judging from their appearances and clothes, they aren't knights.

Silver hair, gem-like blue eyes, blank expressions, and a cold and domineering aura. Alexandra was used to this because of her father. This was no doubt, her other older brothers.

Alexandra slightly tilted her head down showing a hostile reaction which showed that she wasn't afraid of them but she was panicking inside her mind.

"I thought the maids got disposed of the rats in the palace, why did they leave one?" The taller and older looking guy said, looking down on her with a cold expression and piercing gaze, the color of his eyes was blue but it was a dark or deep shape of blue. His voice sent a chill down her spine yet Alexandra remained still. She clenched her small fists and looked at the three with a gentle yet brave expression.