Chapter 203 - Flower of the Night (8)

"Do you think Alexa and that guy are friends?"

"Who knows."

"He could be the friend who is attending the academy that she was talking about."

"I won't allow that!"

Right now, Alexandra's brothers are talking to each other, more like whispering to each other, as if they were talking about something private. They were back at their usual spot now, at the table at the corner of the room. After what happened with their younger sister and the noble girl who somehow, picked a fight with her, their father arrived along with Calixander and he was the one who took over the situation and brought them to somewhere private. That's what they get for messing with a royalty especially Alexandra.

What happened earlier served as a warning or as a demonstration of what might happen to you if you tried to mess with Alexandra. Basically, nobody can touch her. They were glad that the incident ended well and nothing extremely bad happened like they end up hurting each other. But since someone interrupted and protected her before the noble girl was able to slap her, it seems like Chandler knows him because of how he reacted. Alexandra looked angry when they arrived at the scene and she also dragged that boy out to somewhere like they also know each other.

They still haven't returned even when everything went back to normal after the incident, they still haven't arrived nor have they seen them in the ball. They were becoming more and more worried as each second passed by.

"It looks like you know him, Brother Chan."

"It's Brother 'Chad', you nerd."

Obviously, those were Christian and Chandler as usual. This was them being normal around each other. "Just the answer the question, won't you?" Christian said and he let out a sigh. Chandler just let out a huff before he spoke, "Since you're just new at the academy, I bet you don't know that many things about it especially what kind of students are in it? That guy, his name is Harrison. He's that annoying classmate and rival of mine, he is also one of the best and powerful students when it comes to magic and somehow, he doesn't use a weapon, not even his magical weapon. He doesn't look like he is bad with weapons and that is quite a mystery."

"Rival? As in you compete or duel with each other always?"

"Well, he always declines my challenges, so I guess he was afraid that I would beat him and he says that he knows how the fight would end."

"Which house or bloodline does he come from?"

"That's the most mysterious thing about him. He said that he comes from a noble family but I have never heard the last name 'Costella'. His background or history was blank like it was erased or it doesn't exist. He just popped out of nowhere and that is where his story starts. He was probably lying but he was still powerful and I want to duel with him."

Chandler look bothered as he spoke. That is certainly a mystery, it feels like he was hiding something, Calixander thought to himself. He has heard about that Harrison before, either from his brother or from the mouths of the other students. He was quite popular in the academy, his looks especially the color of his eyes and his abilities. Though it looked like he wasn't taking everything seriously, he sometimes skips classes and he would be seen spending time with only 3 people. Those two male friends of his and the mysterious and weak 'Elise'.

Aside from that, it looks like Alexandra was close to him too.

Silence surrounded them and a sigh escaped from his lips while he closed his eyes in the process, his features which were crumpled earlier softened and became a blank one. Calixander just continued drinking the glass of wine he took from the waiter who was walking around the place. The more he thinks about it, the more he gets confused, so he decided to just clear his thoughts out until Alexandra arrives and he would ask her about it.

And she did.

As if on cue, Alexandra was spotted walking back to them. The expression on her face beaming with joy as if something good happened to her. The boy who she dragged wasn't seen as if she left him behind. Christian heaved out a sigh of relief when he saw Alexandra walking back to them, looking fine and normal as if nothing happened earlier and while she was with Harrison.

Well, they just danced after all since they can't do it inside with many people staring at them. There would be suspicions and doubts.

"Alexa! You're finally here, where did you go to?" Christian asked her as soon as she arrived in front of them but Alexandra just smiled at him and didn't say anything as she hummed. "Where did that bastard go? The one that you were with earlier? I will beat him up, did he do anything to you?" Chandler said and he couldn't hide the anger fuming in his eyes when he didn't saw him. Alexandra just giggled before she opened her mouth to speak, her tone of voice gentle and sweet as her smile remained in her face.

"Calm down, brother. You probably already know him, right? Since you are classmates and you two are rivals."

"Are you close to him?"

"Remember the one that I am talking about? It was him."

And silence dawned upon them. Calixander choked from the wine that he was drinking and Christian blinked his eyes multiple times. Gilbert just sighed as if he was expecting this and Chandler looked like a confused child. They have suspicions and doubts about them being close because of what happened earlier but they never expected that it was true.

"Say what?"

"Can you please repeat it, Alexandra?"

Alexandra let out a sigh before she spoke once again, this time saying each word slowly and loudly.

"Harrison is the friend that I am telling you about before."

Alexandra said it so casually as if it was something normal for her. Being a friend with someone who is from the outside when she was only kept inside her whole life up until now, this is sort of unbelievable. This time, Chandler spoke in a loud and angry tone of voice.

"Where is that bastard? How could he get close to you? Out of all the boys who you can be friends with, you pick that guy. Is it because he is handsome or did he threaten you?"

Chandler rolled up both of his sleeves and was about to go and walk off to look for Harrison but Gilbert held him back. It looked like he was going to pick a fight. Alexandra sighed as she was expecting this kind of reaction, especially from Chandler though Gilbert and Calixander looked pretty calm about it even though Calixander choked from his wine earlier and was now wiping his lips with his handkerchief.

"I-Is that true, Alexandra?" This time, it was Christian who was shocked and was trying to keep calm about it but he can't. Alexandra smiled at him and nodded. He knew, they knew that Alexandra has a male friend outside the palace but to think that it was that guy. They were expecting someone normal or something but they knew that they wouldn't because how did they become close with each other when Alexandra was kept hidden from everyone outside.

"Tell me, how did you two become close?" Calixander spoke and asked her that after he recovered from the shock as he wiped his lips. This was the hardest part of it all, explaining how the two of them met. She just couldn't easily tell them that he was at the lake and she met him there when she escaped from her room during the night. It would look suspicious because why would he be there? It's trespassing as the lake was inside the palace's wall and is inside its territory. Aside from that, he told her to keep it a secret.

"I-It just happened."

"What do you mean it just happened? That sounds suspicious."

"H-He just showed up and we talked, then we became close. Even Diana and my other maids know him, they were also close to him. When I would be alone at that palace with no one to play with, he would show up and bring me gifts. Believe me, it just happened. You can even ask Diana about it."

Calixander just sighed and Gilbert was still holding and stopping Chandler from running off to go look for Harrison. Christian looked pretty calm as if he already processed everything and was okay with it.

"As long as he's safe and you have fun with him."

"He's not dangerous, I'm telling you."

"How could he not be? He got a mysterious and unknown background, he is one of the powerful students of the academy, and he is also my rival. He is not safe. Stay away from him."

"He plays with me every single day at that palace and would comfort me when I am having a hard time. He is a friend, he was the one who cured my loneliness and boredom when I was all alone even when I have like 10 maids. He was always there for me even before I met and became close with all of you."

He didn't hate me or thought of me as something bad when we first met, she wanted to add but she knows what would happen though they knew that she was upset. Chandler felt a pang of guilt hit him and he immediately apologized and lowered his head.

"I-I apologize, I'm sorry for upsetting you. It's just that, it was shocking and I never thought that you were close with him. I don't even want you to get close with him but it looks like it already happened," Alexandra just smiled at him. "It's fine, I understand, Brother Chad," And it was silent right afterward as nobody dared to speak or say a single word. The atmosphere was tense and suffocating. It felt like something or somebody died. Even Christian who would always have a bright and gentle expression on his face had a worried look as he thought of how to break off this atmosphere.

It would look awkward if he tried to speak and bicker with Chandler especially that he was the main reason why Alexandra became upset.

"This atmosphere is depressing," Gilbert spoke and let out a sigh before he walked towards Alexandra and stood in front of her. Alexandra stared at him with pure wonder in her eyes as she blinked multiple times, her lips forming a straight line. Gilbert offered her his hand.

"Since I didn't get to dance with you earlier, why don't we now?" Gilbert has a faint smile on his lips and Alexandra stared at him before she let out a puff of breath as her lips broke out into a smile. Immediately, the atmosphere returned to normal as Alexandra placed her hand on top of his and he guided her to the dance floor where there are couples and people dancing with each other to the gentle yet catchy rhythm of the music that was playing.

"You know, I badly want to sew your mouth shut sometimes, Brother Chan."

--

"Harrison, thank god, you're finally back!" Jerich exclaimed as he approached Harrison who was walking at them with his hands tucked in inside his pockets. Unusually, there was a hint of joy in his expression as if something good happened to him after he disappeared from their table and walked towards the ruckus that was happening.

"Where did you go?" Luke said with a nonchalant look on his face as if he was already used to Harrison disappearing. He would sometimes disappear while in the middle of the class and the teacher's back was turned to face them. He walked past them, his hands still inside his pockets.

"Somewhere. I want to go home now," Harrison simply responded and sat on one of the chairs encircling the table, the one in front of the girl who had peach-colored hair that was tied in a bun and golden eyes that shimmered like jewels. The usual bright look was etched on her face. It was Elise.

"You met and talked with her, didn't you?" Elise asked him in a low voice that sounded like a whisper. Of course, she knows, how could she not? She was shocked by why Harrison agreed to go with them when in fact, he doesn't like this kind of events but after seeing the mysterious girl who appeared with the emperor, she understood why. It was the same girl that she met and whose identity Harrison hid from her. To think that he was close to the emperor's daughter.

Harrison just looked at her in the corner of his eyes before he let out a sigh.

"I'm leaving now, I want to sleep," He said before he stood up and walked away. "Eh, wait! The ball still hasn't ended!"

"Don't stop him, you would just waste your effort in doing so."

Harrison just bid them goodbye as he waved his hand and walked away with their back facing them. After all, he was just here to do only two things.

To see and dance with Alexandra.