Chapter 35 The Fruit and The Ring
Today's the day.
I just hope that Jade managed to deliver my letter.
For now, I have to be patient and have breakfast with Zhier, who is obviously trying to be romantic as always. It does not sound too bad, but when you are the one sitting at the opposite side of the table and eating with him, I don't think that anyone would find the statement agreeable.
"What did you and Faragon do while I wasn't here last night?
" He does not even bother to mask the jealousy in his tone.
His eyes are studying me, captivating every small movement that would give him a hint if I am being dishonest. I am pretty sure by now that he knows that nothing happened aside from the fact that we talked.
I know that he sent someone outside of my room to listen to my conversation with Faragon.
For him to be asking me a question, it is obvious that this is a test to see my loyalty.
"I called Faragon because I wanted him to check my writing skills." I answer confidently since it is the truth—or at least the surface of the truth. Zhier seems satisfied with my answer and settles into his seat before me.
"You know, today is supposed to be a special day, but I did not manage to buy a cake. Humans like cake when they celebrate after all."
"A special day? Is it your birthday?" I decide to entertain him with small idle talks while we wait for our food to be served.
Zhier manages to recover from his earlier jealousy and starts to laugh. "No. It's nothing like that. We don't celebrate birthdays." I feel like it might just be my imagination but why does he sound so calculating with his words?
"Then what is the celebration for?" I try to pretend to be interested in the topic and push back the growing worry about thinking about the plan. I may be able to lie, but that does not mean anything if my face gives something away.
Before Zhier can answer, the door opens, and a veiled fairy enters the premises, carrying our meal on a tray. I did not pay her much attention before, but I can't help but focus on Zhier, who seems excited all of a sudden.
I used to feel happy for him when I saw him happy and excited, but now I just want to get away from him. Nothing always comes from that sort of feeling from a guy, or fairie, who develops a weird obsession over you.
The fairy serving us this morning sets a plate at the center of our table. It was an array of fruits. It would have looked normal if I had not noticed the golden ring embedded in one of the red fruits. My whole body suddenly freezes.
That...that's a ring, right? Surely it's not there by mistake.
Come to think of it, Zhier has been weirdly cautious and quiet. Not to mention the look of excitement on his face that I caught on earlier.
Oh no.
I pretended not to see it and instead started to look somewhere else.
Shi—!
"Livia." I see Zhier picking up the fruit with the ring placed on top of it. The look in his eyes and the smile on his lips are far more terrifying compared to the ring that he starts to take from the fruit.
"Yes?" It took everything in me not to make my voice shake. I keep my expression blank and oblivious. "Zhier, what's with the ring?" I might as well be digging up my own grave at this point.
Zhier gets up from his seat and goes to kneel at the side of my chair. "I'm not sure how humans do it, but I have researched enough to know that you symbolize love through a ring."
"Uh...huh..."
"Livia, would you like to permanently stay in this realm and serve as my queen?"
No.
Fuck you.
I want to go home.
Would it be too much if I shoved a fruit or two up his nose? That might buy me enough time to run and escape.
In my desperate attempt to search for something—anything—as an excuse to decline him.
As if the heavens have heard my prayers, I start to hear a yip before Jade lands on my lap.
Jade jumping on my lap is a normal occurrence already, so Zhier did not pay much attention to him.
But for me, Jade's presence at that exact moment is a signal for something.
I start to notice the veiled servant who served our food.
I am met with a familiar face and yellow gaze—Efeiza.
She did not say anything. She just briefly meets my gaze before they fall onto the fruit where the ring was embedded before.
She is trying to tell me something. Seeing as her gaze continuously falls on the fruit and then to Zhier, I can only guess what she wants me to do.
The only problem here is the proposal, but maybe I can use it to my advantage.
I grab the fruit from the plate before fixing my gaze back on Zhier and offering it to him. Zhier looks a bit perplexed, which is an expression that I would make if someone were to offer me fruit when I ask them a very important question.
"T-This is my way of answering your proposal. You see, my father has this weird tradition that..." Oh, come on, Livia. Think! "...that the person receiving the proposal is supposed to offer a fruit as a symbol that we are going to take care of you in the future. Come on, Zhier. Have a bite."
This is embarrassing. I don't know what kind of bullshit I just said. It sounds so silly that it doesn't make any sense!
"Is that so?" Zhier, to my surprise, doesn't seem to find my reasoning odd. In fact, he looks really pleased and did not even think twice when he bit into the fruit. "Then, that means that you accept my proposal." He says, slipping the ring onto my finger.
I stare at Zhier long enough to make him uncomfortable. For the record, I wasn't doing it because I was captivated by his handsome and sincere smile. The reason I am staring at him is because I am waiting for something to happen.
Why is nothing happening to Zhier? Shouldn't he be asleep or something? Why? Why am I now wearing a ring!?
AM I REALLY GOING TO GET MARRIED!?
As my mind is still swallowing the fact that I might be in deep shit, I hear a thud, and Zhier is suddenly lying on the ground, unconscious. I look up to see that Efeiza has the plate cover in her hands that she used to hit the unseelie prince at the back of his head.
"W–Why did you hit him?"
"Why?" Efeiza raises a brow. "We need to knock him out so we can leave. How else would we be able to leave this room?"
Okay.
Now, I am confused.
"Didn't you put something in the fruit that would knock him out?"
Efeiza gives me a look because of my question.
"What made you assume that I would have made an overly complicated shit like that?
" She places her hands on her hips. "We are already in a hurry to get here after receiving your letter.
I would not have enough time to put a sleeping powder in the fruits. "
"Then why were you looking at the fruits?"
"Because I was hungry." Efeiza says it and looks like she's on the verge of tearing up. "I was silently asking you to give me food, but you gave it to him instead." She sounds so offended and hurt that I am starting to feel bad.
"Oh my God..." This is the kind of misunderstanding that makes me want to scream. "You mean to tell me that you could have knocked him out before I accepted the proposal?!"
"Ah..." Efeiza looks speechless and stunned, like she has now realized that.
Soon, she starts to give me a remorseful smile.
"W-Well, on the bright side, you got a pretty ring?
"
"The looks and value of the item are nothing compared to the symbol that it represents.
" I sigh and stand on my feet while carrying Jade. "When are the others going to arrive?"
"About two hours from now. I have also notified Grignel about your letter."
"That's reassuring."
Efeiza nods, grabbing what's left of the fruit on the table, and starts to eat it. "Lady, if you want, we can leave now. I have already forwarded the location of the prince to them."
Honestly, there's nothing more that I would like than to leave this place. After being locked up in this room, I have this urge to bury this place at the back of my mind. I hate it here.
But as much as I hate it, there's still something that I have to do.
"We still have two hours, right?" I set Jade on the floor while I head for the closet to get myself a coat.
Efeiza is watching me while she eats, not even bothering to look down on the prince that she left lying unconscious on the floor.
I meet her gaze. "Since we still have time, I would like to use the remainder of it to look for Klovis. "
"Sure, I have no problem with that. Though I have a question for you, Lady Livia." Efeiza starts to close the distance and walks beside me while we head for the door. She looks and sounds so serious.
"Ask away."
"If you're engaged to Prince Zhier and you're still looking for Prince Klovis, wouldn't that be considered cheating?"
"Shut it, Efeiza."