❦☾𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗.13.𝕽𝖊𝖈𝖆𝖕☽❦

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"I've decided!" The Empress announced overriding the Emperor.

"I'm actually quite curious on what the Princess Ophelia of Alira is on about, instead of taking a vote..."

The Emporer raised his eyebrow in concern and attempted at placing his hand on his wife's arm to signal her to stop talking "Celestia..." he whispered, but she shrugged him off and continued.

"How about we allow you to work on different infected regions,"

"I-I don't agree," the Emporer interfered.

The Empress gave him a scowl and turned back to the aristocrats and said "Our next meeting will be in one and half weeks, whoever controls the outbreak better will have the case,"

And after that discussions on this case were dismissed by the leading Monarch and moved on to the next problem.

After The Meeting

As every noble was headed out the doors of the large room, Casper had spotted Rosetta amongst the last group to exit.

'Yes! She's still here...' 

"Miss Blanchard!" he yelled and Rosetta quickly turned her head at the mention of her family name.

However, she was met with the view of the Crown Prince and in shock responded "Your Highness? You are still here?" Since the Royal family would be the first to leave as a form of respect.

"Ah, I stayed behind to talk to Ophelia," he lied.

"Oh, well Princess Ophelia has already left," she smiled at him.

'Cute...' was his only thought as he stared into her big shiny purple eyes. His hand reaching into his pocket where he kept her identification card.

"Your Highness?" She said again, forcing Casper out of his trance. 

"Sorry, ha! I wanted to return your Identification card-"

"You found it!" She yelled in excitement as her expression turned into a large smile "Thank you so much!"

'This feeling...is so refreshing,' he thought 'I really want to see her again, but if I give her the card now...what reason will I have to see her,' 

"Oh no!" He commenced in pretending to search for her card that he had in his pocket.

Rosetta's who was excited to have found her missing belonging turned to disappointment, "What is it? Have you dropped it..."

"It seems so," he teased.

"Well it's fine I don't blame you at all your Highness it's my fault for losing it in the first place," she said in an understanding tone.

Casper then placed his hand on her cheek unconsciously and told her "Don't be upset," 

She looked back at him confused "Pardon," 

"I'll help you find it, and if you need a new one we can go and get you one for free," he said without thinking. 

"We?" Zelda inquired as she silently watched from the corner. 'This innocent looking Rosethorn...and that idiot Prince isn't he engaged to that gorgeous Princess,' she pondered as she scowled at them from afar.

"Oh um, you don't have to. I can do that on my own!" She said as her cheeks slightly heated to his touch.

'What did I just say?' Casper surprised himself, and quickly retracted his hand "Actually I think I left it in my old jacket...how about we arrange a meeting and I'll give it to you then..."

Zelda who was watching murmured to herself "A whole damn meeting for a card?! She'd better reject, plus she knows Ophelia is engaged to him they literally just announced it!"

Rosetta's excitement rushed back and she nodded in reply "Yea sure!"

"UH- this b*tch..." Zelda cursed.

Then before they could continue she yelled out "Hey Roseroot! Stop wasting time we have a group up!"

"Oh yes! Goodbye, your Highness!" Rosetta ran off.

On their way out the two of them met Ophelia in the hallway and Rosetta called out.

"Ophelia you were so awesome! So intelligent yet elegant at the same time I aspire to be as confident as you-"

"Tch. yea, yea," Zelda rolled her eyes at Rosetta's exaggerated praise "Your Highness, how do you know all of that...I mean about the disease and stuff? You don't seem like it,"

With an awkward smile and laugh, Ophelia answered "Um, don't judge a book on its cover?"

Then with a discombobulated expression, Zelda placed her finger on her chin and crossed the other and stated "But seriously...I heard you didn't receive an academic education-" 

"Aha! Look at that girls were late to our group meet up!" Ophelia topped her in the hope she'd let go of what she was saying.

The three of them entered the room in which was dead silent. The Duke his butler and Zodan were present.

They slowly approached the table as Leon watched them. 

'So scary...I wanna evaporate!' Zelda thought as she sat down. 'He's probably mad at the outcome! Damn it, we're gonna die today,'

Then with his eyes, Zodan signalled to his sister 'I'm sorry big sis! I loved you, you're not a blue-haired bogie,'

"You have blue hair too idiot!" She harshly whispered to him but everyone around the table could hear.

The Duke gave them the same spine tickling glare, and Zelda burst out "I'm so sorry, Your Grace! Please spare me and my baby brother!"

"Oh my..." Leon's butler gasped in fear, and Rosetta anxiously made it seem as though her mind was elsewhere. Yet Ophelia was trying to suppress her laughter.

"What?" He was confused at her uncanny reaction, to be honest, Leon was just waiting for everyone to settle down.

"Anyway, thank you Ophelia on your contribution to our team. And helping us at least get some leadership over this case," Leon continued.

"The next few days are crucial so working hard and on the clock are a must," he informed them whilst locking eyes with Rosetta who awkwardly smiled and nodded back in reply.

'He must've overheard me and Ophelia in the library...' she guessed.

"Also this might come as a shock to all of you but the Emperor already has the cure to this disease and so he will aid the Duke of Malbay win over the case,"

Zelda and Zodan both exchanged a baffled glance but proceeded in listening,

"I believe that this pandemic has a connection with the drought, inflation of money and upraise in the population of the capital. The Monarch is using this 'natural disaster' to kill off the commoners and re-stabilize the control over the population and money," 

"HUH?" Zodan gasped, then Zelda said, "I mean I could see that the Emperor was acting extremely odd during that meeting when it came to this case and that Duke of Malbey and Marquis too were being coherently stupid in their answers and actions...and a lot of the Nobles agreed with them even when Ophelia's argument was stronger than their own..."

"Exactly that Zelda, it's because it isn't just one or two but a group so no matter how stupid or large the mistakes they make they'll always have an upper hand, especially with the help of the Emporer," Ophelia reassured her.

Zodan then stood up in disbelief "That's unbelievable, the Emporer has no reason to be so cruel that would make him unimaginably evil and idiotic!"

And Rosetta who became heartbroken at the news cried "I don't wish to believe that the Emporer is that wicked-"

"Believe it," Zelda instructed her annoyed by her innocent play "Gosh you're annoying," she muttered.

Then again Ophelia explained to them all the connections between each problem and its effect on the Monarch backing Leon up.

"Thank you, and that's why I mentioned protecting the elderly and Ophrans since they're most vulnerable so my idea with that shall go ahead and people shall be housebound. You are all now free to go," And after that Leon and his butler left the room.

Then so did Zodan and Zelda who gave a dirty look to Rosetta who was clinging to Ophelia said "Do you like Roses?"

"Me? Well of course they're really pretty,"

Then Rosetta tried to also answer "Oh me to-"

"I wasn't talking to you Rosenettle. Anyway, Princess I don't, they might look pretty but once you pick them they'll sting you with their poisonous thorns," Zelda told her then taking her books and leaving.

"Okay..."

Then Rosetta sadly said, "Do you think she likes me?"

Ophelia shrugged as she stood up and gathered her stuff.

"Hmm, Oh and Ophelia..."

"Yes?"

"I take back what I said about Leon, I guess he is a good guy like you said,"

"What?!" Ophelia gasped in surprise.

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