Chapter 152 - Appreciation and Care (6)

"It would be hard for me to truly understand you when I don't know what you feel. There is nothing bad about telling others what you feel. I want you to fully trust me and I want to fully trust you, so please, starting from now, tell me what you truly feel. I want to help you as much as possible. I will listen to your problems just like how you listened to me before. If you continue to bottle up your feelings, it would just get bigger and it would probably consume you. We're siblings, right? I want us to help each other," Alexandra's voice was filled with determination and there was a smile on her face as she spoke but she was serious. Her gentle yet serious tone of a voice rang inside his ears.

After hearing what Alexandra said, his eyes widened. He could feel his chest tightens and he doesn't know why. There was this feeling in his chest which conquered his whole system, this was the first time that he felt this. In his eyes, Alexandra was an angel even before when he was jealous of her, she was an angel and a person who is hard to reach. He looked up to her and he thinks she was better than her.

He could feel his eyes getting hot, it wasn't burning or something, rather it felt like tears were about to come out of his eyes. It felt like there was a lump on his throat and he doesn't know what to say. Alexandra noticed the tears that were about to escape his eyes and she panicked, "E-Eh? Brother? Did I say something bad? Tell me, did I said something that hurt you or made you cry?" Alexandra started to attack him with questions as she panicked and don't know what to do. A tear escaped from Christian's eye and he immediately wipes it while he let out a soft and short laugh. This is the first time that she saw him cry yet he just let out a short laugh right after.

Alexandra was confused and doesn't know what to do. She was in a daze as she watched the tears escape from his eyes. She doesn't know what to say or how to comfort, heck, she doesn't even know why he started crying all of a sudden after she spoke.

"No, it's nothing. I never thought that hearing those words would make me feel like this. I was the one who said that to you before so I never knew what it felt. That is also the first time that somebody told me that, it feels so warm. I just couldn't help but cry," Christian said and continued to wipe the tears that escaped his eyes. Alexandra's eyes widened and she started to look for her handkerchief inside her pockets but as she was looking for it, she felt two arms wrap around her figure.

"Thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for existing," Christian said as he hugged her. Alexandra was shocked, she was caught off-guarded by the sudden hug he gave her. She was stunned as if a bolt of lightning just struck down on her. Aside from that, she was also shocked by what he said. It felt like an arrow was sent straight to her heart after hearing those words which repeated inside her mind multiple times like an echo of your voice inside an empty room or a song on repeat. It didn't stop and every single time she heard it repeat inside her head, she felt herself become more warm and happy. She felt tears prick her eyes.

"Thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for existing," It once again repeated inside her mind.

That was the first time someone thanked her. Not in a way that she usually hears or experiences like her being kind to the maids and giving them gifts when she can, they would always thank her and of course, she was happy to hear it but it's not the same as this one. Someone was happy for her to exist in this world, someone was thankful that she existed and she was here. Not even once did she even hear someone say that to her in her previous life. And now after 25 years, if you add up the years she spent living in her previous life and now, someone finally thanked her.

She was thought of as a curse. A source of bad luck. Nobody didn't get close to her before because they thought that something bad would happen to them if they did but now, she was freely moving around and getting close to the people working in the palace. I guess the rumors and things about her weren't true after all.

"…Thank you for existing."

A sob escaped from her mouth and she let her arms wrap around her brother's figure, hugging him back. The knights standing behind them at a distance saw what was happening and Carlos panicked and was about to approach them when Gabriel stopped him. "Don't. You are ruining their moment," Was what Gabriel said, that was enough for the vice-captain of the Royal Knights to stop and remain in his position. Well, he is right. I just couldn't help but get worried, I wonder what they were talking about. I want to ask the young miss but I know that she will not tell me. Besides, it seems like I'm invading her and his majesty, the young prince's privacy.

--

After what happened in the garden, Alexandra was called to the office by her father before she returns to her palace for her tutor. Carlos said that there is something the emperor wishes to tell her something. That made Alexandra nervous, what does he want to talk about? She asked herself. She didn't do anything for the past few days except for learning which he already knows since I told him that and miraculously he agreed to it and just let me do whatever I want. Perhaps, has he learned about Christian? That he was jealous of me and he wants to be close with the father too? What about it anyways? There isn't something bad about that, she thought to herself as she walked up the stairs leading to the floor where her father's office can be found.

Well, either way, I am still curious and nervous about what he is going to talk about with me. I hope it's nothing serious or something, she wished and she finally arrived on the floor where her father's office is. Silently, she walked towards the office while Carlos followed behind her as usual. The sound of their light footsteps was the only thing heard. It was quiet as nobody was around and they weren't talking with each other. After not more than ten minutes of walking, they finally arrived in front of the door of her father's office. Alexandra smoothened out the wrinkles of the dress she was wearing and made herself look presentable which is what she usually does before she enters her father's office. Someone might be inside and it could be a noble person.

It would be embarrassing if someone saw her looking like a piece of crap like her clothes were all wrinkled and her hair was messy and stuff which is impossible to happen because first of all, she is always careful and she doesn't do anything that would ruin her dress or else Diana would scold her. Aside from that, her hair is one thing that she is proud of so she always makes sure that it is not messy or her hairstyle is ruined. Her hair had a unique color and it was silky and smooth since Diana would always take care of it every day even though conditioners don't exist in this world, her hair was still beautiful and smooth.

Enough of those thoughts. Carlos knocked on the door three times and he spoke, telling the people inside that the young miss is already here. After that, they heard a deep voice coming from the inside which told them to come in. Carlos opened the door for her and she took a step inside. Just like what she always think of before she enters the office, somebody was standing in front of the desk of her father. Long blonde hair that was tied in a low ponytail, this person was wearing a robe. Because of his body and height, Alexandra could tell that this was a man.

"Alexandra," She heard her father called out to her name and she turned her head towards him. When their gazes met, she smiled widely at him before she ran to his side while she called out to him, "Papa!" Was what she said as she approached her father who was sitting behind the desk. Carlos just let out a sigh as the young miss ran even if she told her not to run because she might trip, she still wouldn't listen. She completely forgot that there was another person inside the room, standing before them. She threw her body towards her father and he caught her, holding her inside his arms. "You have gotten heavy, I wonder why," Was what her father said and Alexandra broke from the hug.

"That's because you always make me eat tons of sweets and desserts every day," Alexandra responded to him, her lips forming a pout as she looked at him. "Is that bad? Should I stop?" Her father said in a monotonous tone of voice. That tone of his never changes, eh. "No, no. It's okay, I have a high metabolism so I don't get fat easily. I am probably starting to grow that's why I have become heavy," Alexandra said. That was true. Even Diana noticed that the young miss was starting to grow as each day passed by.

"My, my, a pleasant afternoon, young miss," She heard a familiar voice coming from behind her and she turned her head towards the direction of the voice. She saw Sir Friyedor standing with a smile on his face as he waved at her, his eyes were closed as he smiled. No wonder his hair and robe looked familiar when I was behind him. "A pleasant afternoon to you too, Sir Friyedor. I apologize if I haven't greeted you any time sooner," She said as she smiled back at him. She was still in her father's arms as she spoke.

"Are you getting along with my disciple? I apologize if he is stingy or means, he is just like that," Sir Friyedor said. No, he is only like that to you, I think. Since he was always kind to me and he was never mean, she thought to herself. "No, he was very kind to me. I am glad that you introduced me to him, he was easy to get along with," Alexandra said and she tucked her hair behind her ear.

When Sir Friyedor saw her hand, his eyes suddenly widened and he immediately approached her. "May I see the palm of your hands, young miss?" He said with the smile on his lips. Alexandra looked confused and Alexander raised his guard yet Friyedor paid no attention to that. "Why?" Alexandra asked him, she was confused and wondering why he suddenly asked her to show her palm.

"As a gift, I am going to read your palm. My mother was once a fortune teller and I inherited some of her skills although I am not as good as her when it comes to these things but I can try," Friyedor said. Alexandra hesitated but still decided to show him her palms. It was true that Friyedor's mother was a fortune teller, in fact, her mother was one of the greatest fortune-tellers of all times yet she died of an early age. However, it was weird why he suddenly wanted to read her palm.

"I see. Something good is bound to happen for you, young miss. I don't know when but I'm sure it is going to happen any time soon. There might be obstacles on the way but I am sure you can overcome it, you just don't have to give up and have faith in yourself," He said as he nodded repeatedly while he stared and held both of her hands. He gently let go of it after he spoke. "By the way, do you know any man with the name 'Harrison'?" When she heard his question and the name that he mentioned, her eyes widened in surprise.

The man saw his reaction and couldn't help but grin. "Y-Yes," Alexandra still responded, nevertheless. "So my guess is correct, I shall take my leave now. I still have things to do. It was nice talking to you, Claude and young miss," He said and with just a blink of an eye, he disappeared. How does he know that? Alexandra was nervous. It couldn't just be a guess and if ever he tried to invade and read my memories, I would know it. Arthur told me that if somebody did that, your head would hurt and you would do your best to resist. That's because you are invading the mind of that person with some powerful magic and trying to read it.

As Friyedor disappeared from the office, there were some thoughts inside his head as soon as he saw Alexandra's reaction when she heard his question. He was sure of it.

-- That brat is still alive after all.