Flower of Steel

I couldn’t help but nod at those words. Perfect. Yes, he sure is too perfect, and there’s no way such a man would like me. I lacked so much in comparison. Besides, his friend already friend-zoned me, so how could I even dream about it?

“Sister! Just try it, okay? You have to promise me!”

On the inside, I felt bitter because of Lumi’s words.

***

I came back to the party with Lumi, but it was strangely quiet. Huh? Why is the Crown Prince standing there? And is that Elise? She seems oddly pale. Everyone’s eyes were on the noblest man at this party and his fiancée. What the heck is going on here? While I was looking at them curiously, a magnificent yet cold voice came out of him.

“For that reason, I announce the end of my engagement with Elise von Schuteiner,” said the Crown Prince.

You… What? I looked at him in shock and disbelief then slowly blanked out. I can’t believe this. Did those words just come from the Crown Prince himself? While I was in shock, I heard some whispers around me.

“Did he just say she’s promiscuous and loose?”

“Poor thing, to have to listen to such words! That lovely lady must feel hurt by this!”

“She’s just friendly, not promiscuous! But perhaps His Highness thought differently. Tsk tsk.”

I was in a daze because of the whispers from the noble ladies. Then I remembered a few words that I heard before as I heard the words promiscuous and loose. It was the words that one of Elise’s dogs Hillain had told me.

Wait… No, no way. Why would the Crown Prince react to words someone told me? He would actually be glad and throw such words at me!

While thinking that, I felt like my eyes met with the Crown Prince’s purple eyes. But there’s no way he could find me among all these people! It must have been my mistake. This delusion was almost like an illness now.

***

And that ended the party. I felt numb by the time I returned home. Then I wondered, ‘What happened today?’

So, I danced with the Crown Prince, and he announced the end of his engagement. I also became friends with Rian, the only son of the Chancellor, and he attacked Hillain, one of Elise’s close followers.

“So many things happened today,” commented Lumi. I agree with her. It was difficult to believe that all of this happened in just one day. Then, Lumi added, “But I feel great because of what happened to that girl from Schuteiner’s.”

Yes, it did feel good at that moment when the Crown Prince announced that he was ending his engagement with Elise. But I honestly didn’t want that much to happen. I did hope she would become as unfortunate as I was, but this didn’t feel that great either. Maybe she might direct her misfortune towards me now.

This is why being paranoid is a scary thing. I’m now free from being bullied, and I have trusty allies at my side. Still, I’m being wary of her bullying.

“Sister?”

I was surprised by my name being suddenly called and turned to Lumi. She looked at me with concern in her green eyes and asked, “Are you alright?”

“Y-yeah, I just had a lot to reflect on,” I replied as I nodded to her.

“Yeah, I suppose so. There were a lot of things that happened that revolved around you today. But you really did look good with Prince Droinel,” said Lumi.

“It’s not like that. Rian and I are just-”

“LOOK! He allowed you to not just call him by name but by his second name. It’s proof that he’s in love with you!”

Then it came to me. He revealed his second name, which was only given to the master of the duke’s family, his wife, and his successor. Why did he do that? Hmph…