Chapter 207 - Something spectacular and unexpected (2)

"Right, let me introduce to you. Sir Friyedor's new disciple and palace wizard under training, Harrison," Arthur said it in a nonchalant tone of voice as he laid out both of his hands, pointing at Harrison who had the same bored look on its face as his gaze was on her.

Eh?

The corner of his lips lifted into a smirk as if he was telling her, 'Surprise, you didn't expect me, right?' or something like that and it irked her. Standing in front of her with his hand resting against his waist as he slightly tilted his head to the side, his hair messy as if he didn't brush or comb it at all. He isn't that type of person who would care for their hair, after all.

He was wearing a dark-colored shirt that has a few red linings with the collar or neck part quite open reaching mid-way his neck, its sleeves reached past his elbow but didn't reach his wrists. Slightly light-colored markings were tied around his collar and waist. There were also some red linings seen on his sleeve cuffs. The hole of the sleeves where his arm passed through was quite wide and open as it draped over his arm. You can see that he was also wearing a shirt underneath it.

He also wears black pants with a belt tied around his thigh accompanied by a light-colored overcoat with dark-colored linings and a chain to hold it as he only lets it drape over his shoulders. His look and outfit were entirely different from his usual ones where he would only wear a shirt with pants and a cloak over his shoulder. Sometimes he would just wear his school uniform.

What's with this sudden turn of events? This is sort of impossible for Harrison to appear inside the palace and he is also a palace wizard under training. Aside from that, he is also a disciple. This is somehow unbelievable, she thought to herself. She has already processed everything after a few seconds but it seems like she was refusing to accept it as it was too sudden and unexpected for her. This must be a product of my hallucination or am I dreaming?

"Princess?" Maribelle's voice called out to her, making her snap out of her thoughts and pulled her back to the reality she refused to accept, not because she hates it or something.

"Ah, right. Nice to meet you and welcome to the palace," Was the only thing she could say amidst the confusion she was having. Harrison just lightly smiled at her and nodded, Alexandra's bright expression as replaced with a serious one, and they couldn't help but notice that though they didn't say anything about it. Arthur doesn't know that they were actually close to each other and are even friends, she doesn't remember telling him about a friend that she has in the academy.

Silence surrounded them as nobody spoke.

[What's the matter?]

She suddenly heard Harrison's voice inside her head which startled her. His tone was a mocking or teasing one, he had an amused expression on his face when he saw her reaction. Alexandra stared at Harrison before she responded, imaging his face while he was standing in front of her.

[What do you mean what's the matter? I am trying to resist the urge to grab you by the collar and shake you multiple times while asking you many questions like are you crazy and such.]

[You're being way too specific there.]

[It's your fault.]

[What do you mean it's my fault?]

Her lips pursed into a thin line and her eyebrows were slightly furrowed when she responded to him.

Alexandra and Harrison were staring at each other for like a few moments now as they were having a conversation in their head. Alexandra's expression kept on changing while Harrison's remained the same, an amused one with a smirk on his lips. Their gazes at each other didn't break off as they didn't avert their eyes from each other. It was way too silent, like really silent but the voices and the conversation in their head were loud.

However, it's obvious that the people around them don't know that they are talking with each other through the mind so Arthur decided to break that silence before Harrison could respond to Alexandra.

"By the way, where did you even went to, Harrison? I was looking for you everywhere, you escaped from all of your duties and now all of the work was passed on to me. Do you know how troublesome that is for me?"

Arthur turned to face him, a cold and irritated look on his face. His lips were forming into a frown and his eyebrows were furrowed.

"Sorry, I was only looking for something and besides, I don't want to do any work at all."

Harrison responded simply as if it was something normal or okay for Arthur to hear. He looked at Alexandra in the corner of his eyes and their gazes met for a moment before he looked at Arthur who looked tired and annoyed of him. What's his problem? Alexandra thought to herself as she watched and listened to their conversation.

"Then why did you even want to become a palace wizard in the first place? You are also that old ma—I mean, Sir Friyedor's disciple."

"I was bored and I thought that it would be interesting. Ask that old man why I became his disciple, I don't even know why in the first place."

"Whatever, I'm dragging you back. Try to resist and I will not hesitate to burn you to ashes."

"Scary."

And just like that, Arthur grabbed him by the collar, but not in the way that he is picking a fight or something, before he bowed his head and spoke, "Then we'll be taking our leave now. Blessings and Glory for the Queenilia Empire, princess," Arthur said in a polite tone of voice before he turned around and dragged Harrison away from them, their backs facing them. This was the first time that they had a conversation after a long time but it was cut short since Arthur was busy as usual and he was looking for Harrison who escaped his duties. It only lasted for like not more than 10 minutes.

This was also the first time that she heard him call her princess instead of her name and she wasn't used to it. Alexandra stared at them, specifically Harrison. And there's this guy who suddenly appeared too.

Harrison slightly turned his head back to look at Alexandra in the corner of his eyes and their gazes met as Alexandra was also looking at him.

[Let's talk later after this.]

Was what she said to him and she saw him lightly nod his head as a response before looking back in front of him, letting himself get dragged by an annoyed Arthur without complaining that he can't breathe because of Arthur who was grabbing his collar tightly, afraid that he will escape from his grasps again.

"Somehow, this unexpected meeting was sort of weird and unusual."

"That's true," Alexandra responded to Maribelle before she let out a sigh. "Let's just go to the library," She said before she started walking and let Maribelle follow behind her quietly.

--

After spending a few hours with Maribelle in the library, she was finally making her way back to her room to get some rest. Carlos followed behind her as usual, the sound of their footsteps echoing was the only thing heard in the hallway as they walked.

Although she knows that she might not get the rest that she wanted because of Harrison, she told him before that they will talk later and when she means later, that means now after she spent time with Maribelle. What is he even thinking? I'm sure that he has a real reason and not just because he was bored and it seems interesting, she thought to herself as she walked. Her eyebrows knitted as she thought of the possible reasons.

When he told me that he was going to the academy, his reason was, he was looking for something and he just wants to check out how much the system of the school has changed and such. If he didn't find that thing that he was looking for in the academy, is it possible that the reason why he became a palace wizard who is still under training was that he might find the thing that he was looking for here? But, he could go on an adventure to look for it, it's not like there is something here in this palace. However, knowing him, he isn't that type of person who goes on an adventure just to look for something unless he really needs to.

Besides, isn't he low on mana? What is he doing, being a palace wizard and a disciple of Sir Friyedor? Wait, speaking of Sir Friyedor, he once asked me before—

"Princess," She was startled by Carlos who called out to her as she was deep in thought. Quite startled, she responded to Carlos. "W-What is it?"

"That boy earlier, wasn't he the one at the ball? The one who hid you behind his back."

Right, Carlos also saw him at that ball and to think that he would still be able to remember him after a few months. Denying it wouldn't do anything so she just nodded as a response before she spoke in a gentle tone of voice, "Yes, I actually know him. My brothers and father also know him but I don't think that my brothers already know that he works in this palace now. I wonder how they would react especially Brother Chad since they are rivals."

She bet Chandler would be shocked then would be annoyed and would ask him why he is here or something like that.

"Really? Somehow, he has this mysterious and intimidating aura. Seeing people who have red-colored eyes are quite rare and unusual, I wonder which bloodline he comes from."

"That is also what I would like to know about him."

The first noticeable feature about Harrison was his eyes, it was quite a rare and beautiful color. That's what she first notice and thought of too when she first met him in the lake, how he has this mysterious and scary aura that would tell her to go away or something. Even the expression on his face was telling her that. But that is when they aren't that close to each other yet. Right now, he would always have either a nonchalant or bored look on his face that would tell her to entertain him or do something funny.

He might look scary and intimidating at first but he is really just an idiot who doesn't give a damn about everything, aside from that, he is also lazy but punctual and would always escape from his tasks or duties just like what happened earlier.

Despite that, he was still a mysterious existence to her but she never asked him about anything because she knows that he wouldn't answer. I'm sure that he would open up, maybe he is just having a hard time trusting people or something. Poor Harrison, she thought to herself before she let out a sigh. She didn't notice that they were already standing in front of the door of her room which was opened by Carlos and she took a step inside.

She felt another presence in her room and she was sure that it was Harrison. Probably reading or eating something as he waits for her. Alexandra walked and she heard the door close behind her, she made her way towards the couches where she saw a head peeking out of the arm of the couch. Based on the hair color, it was really Harrison laying down while reading a book.

"That would damage your eyes, reading while laying down."

"I'm not reading it, I'm just staring at it."

Then why did you even open it? Alexandra wanted to ask him and just let out a sigh before she walked towards the opposite couch in front of him before she sat down, crossing her legs and leaning back with her arms crossed. Harrison was still rea—no, staring at the book.

"Let's talk."