Same World, Same Princess, Different Path [WMMAP]

Chapter 24 - Jealousy

"She better not disappoint me this time." In her carriage on the way to the Judith residence, Rosalia bit her thumb with stress. She thought back to the altercation she'd had with Jeanette a few minutes earlier and an immense anger envied her. "It's all because of that damn kid!" The glove she had removed from one of her hands was thrown violently on the opposite bench seat.

Athanasia de Alger Obelia.

This girl, Rosalia did not understand her. She had lived silently in the shadows for 14 years, 14 enormous years. So how and why all of this? Why did she decide to come out of the closet after 14 years of doing nothing, asking nothing? Couldn't she stay in her place as a forgotten child?

And now, not only had she taken Jeanette's place, but she had done it all in only 4 months. All the hopes of Rosalia and her cousin, Roger, went up in smoke. All because of a simple 14 year old who seemed to know a lot more than she should.

'And Jeanette refusing to listen to me... She needs to come to her senses, I haven't waited this long for this!' She frowned. She had to do something, she had to find an effective way to oust her completely without her being suspected. She couldn't even ask Roger for help, he seemed to have abandoned all his original plans to focus on his only son. So she had to do it on her own. An idea had crossed her mind once.

What if she poisoned Jeanette and blamed it on Athanasia?

Her plan might well have worked, since Claude seemed to be as close to Jeanette as ever. But the problem was that the two princesses hardly ever saw each other, except for important events. So the possibility that Athanasia could be responsible for that kind of crime was too much low. So Rosalia gave up on this preposterous idea not without an ounce of hatred.

"Madam, we have arrived." The valet opened the door and held out his hand. She came out of her reveries, adjusted her clothes, not forgetting to take the glove that had been thrown away, and went out, with the head high of the carriage.
While her steps caused all her servants to bow to her, her thoughts were elsewhere. She had to find something useful against Athanasia.

And quickly would be the best.

. . .

At the Alpheus residence, Ijekiel's absence was quickly felt by the servants who worked for them. They now had Anastacius - Viscount Patterson - on their paths. At the beginning, this one always approached a rather cordial expression with them. He had presented himself as a guest of the Lord, so they made him feel comfortable during his stay.

Stay which lasted for three long years, during which everything had changed radically. Their master was completely different, more sterner and stricter. He always had a neutral face and seemed to lose his colors.

He was not like before, when he smiled more, when Jeanette and Ijekiel were by his side more often. But now that his plans had fallen through one by one, he didn't have the urge to smile anymore.

"I was right all along, you should have listened to me. My plan is much better than the one you carefully concocted." Anastacius crossed his legs over each other and glared at Roger. "Obviously, time is of the essence. Within a year, maybe two, I will take control of the Empire. Just be patient."

"Oh, really? You told me that your powers and mana had not completely returned. You think you can defeat the current Emperor in your current condition?" Roger raised a questioning eyebrow, his glasses carefully placed on his nose. "The only reason I decided to follow you is because Jeanette seems to have failed. But if all you know how to do is make crazy plans like that..."

"Stop with your bullshit." Anastacius braced his hand against the arm of the sofa he was on and frowned. "I already told you I know what I'm doing, Roger. I don't need your bullshit advice. You're the one who came up with a completely stupid plan." The white-haired man clicked his tongue against his palate, annoyed but touched by his interlocutor's reflection. "You can trust me on this one, soon I can beat my brother without a problem."