SMITTEN

Aisha felt her stomach churning. Her senses felt like she was trapped at that moment.

She gazed outside the window of the carriage that they were in. Lysa and she were getting farther away from Market Town.

Her heart thumped faster, thinking that she might be making a wrong decision. Perhaps, she should have stayed behind.

Her body tilted to Lysa and asked her, "It's just blocks away from here, right?".

Her hand reached for the couch of the carriage and pressed on it, wishing it could give her assurance that the answer to her question was what she was hoping for.

"Do not worry, my lady. We are only a minute away," Lysa smiled at her sweetly.

Aisha tried to sense the pace of the horse that was carrying the carriage. It continued to gallop steadily at the same road at a faster than normal pace.

Then she peeked outside the window. Indeed, they passed by some storehouses which were around the Market Town.

It must be where the store owners get the products that they were selling in the market.

Aisha heaved out a sigh of relief. It seemed like Lysa was telling the truth.

Lysa tried to deviate Aisha's anxiety at that moment by asking, "What do you need the crops for, my lady? If you don't mind."

At the mention of her purpose, Aisha's cheeks began to glow.

She recalled the King's bothered face as he mentioned the Spelta issue to her. And of how she wanted to ease that burden.

But she didn't want to tell her about the affairs of the kingdom, which the King had shared with her. Lysa may not be an ally of the King.

She decided to answer her with a half-truth.

"Oh, I'm just helping out a friend," Aisha grinned at her. The King really was a good friend to her, somehow.

Lysa chuckled at her response. "You're a kind friend, my lady. I hope he will not betray you in the end."

Aisha's hand flew to her chest as she heard Lysa's comment on her answer to her question.

She could not imagine the King betraying her. So far, he was always nice to her. Can he really do that?

She decided to believe in him and replied, "I believe he will not do that to me."

Aisha tilted her chin and squared her shoulders.

Seeing her determination, Lysa quickly bowed down to her, "Forgive me if I have offended you in some way, my lady. I just had some unfortunate encounters with 'friends'. And I don't want you to be hurt."

Lysa sighed as she darted her eyes outside the carriage's window.

Aisha's tensed face softened at Lysa's statement.

Lysa seemed to be feeling sad at that moment, making Aisha come back to her old bubbly self.

1

"It's alright, Lysa. I'm sorry for bringing back your sad memories. Don't worry, it will not happen again. You will find your loyal friend, too. You're a nice and thoughtful lady," Aisha grinned at her as she reached out and pressed Lysa's hands.

Aisha expected Lysa to accept her offer of friendship. But she removed her hands away and muttered, "I don't deserve your kindness, my lady."

It seemed like they were already nearing the storehouse, as the horse was finally slowing down and turning to the left.

Lysa quickly opened the door of the carriage and stepped out.

Aisha scratched her head in confusion at her reaction.

"Did I just say something wrong?" Aisha muttered to herself.

But she also stepped out of the carriage.

Aisha's jaw dropped as she gazed up at the structure.

It was probably 50,000 square feet in size. It looked like a normal warehouse in her own world. Just bigger.

Her heart skipped as she thought that it might have some grains that were local to her previous country.

With its size, it could even contain grains from the countries that she has visited before!

"After you, my lady," Lysa spoke to her.

Then she extended her arm, pointing to the door of the storehouse.

She seemed to be back to her sweet self.

"Thanks. Let's go," Aisha nodded her head cheerfully and dashed towards the storehouse.

However, there were guards that were securing the front door, making Aisha's eyebrows knit in response.

Aisha bowed down to them and asked for their permission, "Excuse me, sirs. I am searching for a certain type of grain. I hope that I might find it in this place."

She smiled at them sweetly. But the guards didn't move an inch, making Aisha's lips pout in response.

However, when Lysa drew near to them, she just nodded her head to the guards, and they opened the front door.

"Well, it seems that you are a regular customer in this place," Aisha mumbled to Lisa as they entered the room.

The place was gigantic. It was indeed a storehouse for grains and crops. There were mountains of grains across the ground.

There seem to be different kinds and colors, making Asia walk further ahead.

But she froze on her feet when she saw a familiar man who was also at that building at that time.

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The saddest thing about betrayal is it doesn't come from your enemies