Chapter 153 - Appreciation and Care (7)

"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. Nevertheless, she still agreed and did what she was asked to.

"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 confusion was written all over her face.

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.

How? It just couldn't be some wild guess, there were multiple questions and thoughts inside Alexandra's head as soon as the man left. She was confused and curious about how did he know that. And if ever he did try to read it, he will be able to see all of my memories. Including my past ones which would end up into a disaster or something. He would be the first one to know that and I am not even close with him yet, I still find him suspicious because of what he said earlier, she thought to herself and couldn't help clench the skirt of her dress while staring at the place where Sir Friyedor stood at.

"That man, I already told him not to call me with my second name whenever someone else is here," Alexander mumbled to himself and let out a sigh right after. He massaged the bridge of his nose and leaned back on his seat but he was still holding Alexandra in his arms. Although Alexandra gained weight, she wasn't heavy at all. She was just at the right weight. He was getting worried that Alexandra looked thin and fragile before even when he carried her, he was light as a feather. Sir Garlan told him before that girls who were at her age are starting to grow and gain weight.

Sir Garlan is one of the Elders, unlike Sir Friyedor who is energetic, noisy, hard-headed even at his age, carefree, and easy-going, Sir Garlan is more like calmer and silent than him. He was a gentle person and he is always composed, he was easy to approach to and he is knowledgeable about many things. He would always have a gentle smile on his lips and his voice was sweet and soothing, it was like his voice was healing you. However, he was the scariest of them all. His abilities and magic were on par with Sir Friyedor, it was said that he and Sir Friyedor were rivals when it comes to magical abilities. Aside from that, he is really scary when he gets mad.

He isn't like those other people that when they get mad, they would shout or go berserk. He was calm and gentle, his smile would always remain, and it was hard to tell if he was angry or not which scares them. When he is angry, he would have this dark aura and even with that gentle smile of his would send you a chill down his spine.

As Alexandra was in a daze, thinking about many things, her train of thoughts was cut off when she heard a voice coming from the person behind her which startled her. "Alexandra," He called out to her name trying to grab her attention and he succeeded when Alexandra turned her head toward his direction, her eyes wide with wonder. "Y-Yes?" She responded, meeting his cold and sharp gaze. Yet he just remained silent right after as he continued to stare at her face, is there some dirt on my face? Alexandra asked herself, as far as I can remember before I entered the office, I wiped my face in case if there was some dirt.

Then why is he just staring? Alexandra cleared her throat before she spoke, grabbing his attention and snapping him out of his daze, "Isn't there something you need to tell me that's why I came here, papa?" Alexandra asked him and her eyes darted at the pile of papers that were neatly stacked on top of the desk in front of her. There were less than paperwork to do than the last time that she came to visit, that is quite a relief because whenever she came here to the office, there would be like a tower or mountain of paper works piled up on his desk. It also looked like he got good sleep too since his eyes don't look dead however, there were still small dark circles underneath but he looked better than before. He always looked like he didn't sleep for days whenever she saw him.

"Right, thank you for reminding me. Take a seat on the chair in front of the desk, I can't talk with you properly," He said and he loosened his grip around Alexandra. Alexandra nodded and she got down before she went around the table and took a seat on the chair in front of the desk. She was now facing him properly, this was better since her neck would hurt if she was still on her previous position which was in her father's arms. It was painful (for her neck) to just look at him the whole time. At least on this chair, she was comfortable.

Her father cleared his throat before he spoke in his usual monotonous, "Your brothers are going to return tomorrow," He said, staring at her. He said those words without blinking and he had a serious look on his face. Eh? My brothers are going to return tomorrow? She asked herself, repeating what her father just said inside her head. But what she was curious the most was: why does he have to call me in his office? He could just tell Carlos and ask him to deliver the message to me. He could just do that.

"If you want, you can wait for them to arrive and greet them tomorrow along with Christian and the other servants just like what we did when the King and the prince arrived. Since your existence wasn't still announced or known inside the palace when the time that they have to go back to the academy, you weren't able to see them off," Her father continued and he closed his eyes as he spoke. When Alexandra heard what he said, her eyes sparkled in joy. That's true since I still wasn't known, I wasn't able to see them off. I would be happy that I will be able to greet them immediately as they return and I could give them the gifts.

"They would arrive tomorrow morning, if you want to greet them, you need to arrive early. If you have something to give them, better prepare them already," Her father said and Alexandra smiled at him widely before she nodded as a response. The excitement was written all over her face. Well, I thought he was going to tell me something bad so I was nervous the whole time as I walked. I'm glad it's nothing serious, she thought to herself as relief washed over her.

Right, I still have something to ask him, "But father, why do you need to call me in your office? You could just tell Carlos about it and ask him to deliver the message to me. It's not like Carlos will not tell me that or he will change the contents of the message, what would he gain from doing that?" Was what she asked him as she stared at her father who let out a sigh after hearing what she said.

"I wish you aren't that smart or sharp," He mumbled and Alexandra didn't hear what he said. "I'm sorry, papa. I didn't hear that, could you please repeat that?" Alexandra asked him, her eyebrows knitted as curiosity was written all over her face. Her father let out a sigh, "Why are you still asking me that? You already know the answer," The emperor responded and looked at his daughter who was looking at him, her eyes wide with wonder and she blinked multiple times. She was about to open her mouth to speak when Carlos interrupted her.

"Pardon me, young miss, but we have to go back to the palace now. Sir Ferdinand will arrive in a few minutes," Carlos said and her eyes widened when she heard what he said. Right, I don't want to be late or make him wait again, she immediately stood up from her seat and bowed at her father bidding him her goodbyes, "I have to leave now, papa. Thank you for telling me that and I am going to come tomorrow. I'll see you tomorrow, papa," Alexandra said and grinned at him widely, the expression of her face filled with joy and beaming with happiness.

She turned her heel around and she walked towards Carlos who was waiting by the door. He opened it for her and she took a step outside. Before Carlos followed the young miss, he bowed at the emperor before he stepped outside and closed the door behind him.

--

As Alexandra and Carlos were walking back to the palace, she remembered what she has asked her father before at the office before she left. He didn't answer her question and she doesn't know the answer despite what he said. She was curious about it and she badly wants to know.

Maybe Carlos knows it, she thought to herself and she called out to his name while they were walking. "Hey, Carlos," Carlos hummed as a response. "I got something to ask you," Alexandra replied and she slightly tilted her head backward to look at him, their gazes met and Carlos smiled at her before he spoke, "What is it, young miss?" Was what he said and Alexandra looked straight ahead of her.

"Do you know the reason why father called me to his office when he could just tell you about it and ask you to pass the message to me? It's just that because of that, instead of doing his work, he has to tell me that. I am not bothering him, aren't I?" Alexandra asked him, her confused tone of voice was laced with curiosity. She heard Carlos let out a chuckle and her eyebrows knitted, she looked at him behind at the corner of her eyes, "What's funny about it?" She asked him.

"Pardon me if I have offended you with the next words that I will say but the young miss is just so dense. Despite your intelligence, you still don't know the reason," Carlos said and Alexandra couldn't help but pout. She was about to speak when Carlos interrupted her again.

"His highness, the emperor, wants to see the young miss, his daughter after doing all of that work. Probably to gain motivation or energy to continue doing his work," Carlos said.