In Time And Memories

Chapter Fourty-Five

The guests are two times more than Prince Urus' coming of age ceremony three years ago. It is expected since Queen Frizella was the one who invited these guests and they all want to get on her good side.

It's the same people who hates Prince Urus and doesn't support his possible ascension to the throne. They are all in favor of Prince Pierre.

Their murmurs sounds like bees flying around its hive. It's annoying and bothersome.

"Poor Lady Azelaine, she didn't had the chance to marry a good man."

"Lady Azelaine is the biggest regret of the high society."

"She could have just marry Prince Pierre instead."

Gossip all you want. Say anything you want and I will make sure that you can't even utter a word later. Not even a single laugh.

I walked through the crowd with my head held high, I have to show them who has the power and has a higher status here. They can gossip bad things about me; that's all they can do, right? And what about me? I can do anything I want about them.

That thought made me chuckle. Prince Urus looked at me curiously. "What is it?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I just have something in mind," I said wickedly with a smirk on my lips.

"What is it?"

My smirk widened. I secretly took a glance at those nobles before I pulled Prince Urus closer to whisper on his ear. My left hand is on his shoulder while my right arm is wrapped around him.

You have no idea how satisfied I was when I heard them gasps and they all became silent; watching our every move. 

"There are so many bees around, don't you think?" I whispered to him.

The door opened. "The emperor of Meliean Empire has arrived!" The butler announced. I stood up properly and clings on Prince Urus while bowing our heads before the emperor.

"Greetings to the magisterial emperor of Meliean Empire," the guests said in unison.

My two strongest weapons are now here.

The queen and Prince Pierre also arrived after Emperor Ytrius. Celestia is behind them, receiving some murmurs as well. I haven't seen their daughter so I assumed that she's locked in her room along with her servants.

A poor child that can't even be seen around her own parents.

The whole crowd has finally settled down after a long exchange of greetings. I deliberately went to the group of old ladies who gossiped about me earlier.

Their eyes widened. "O-Oh my! Greetings, Lady Azelaine," one of them said. There's a bronze-plated insignia on her clothes, meaning she's from a marquis family.

"G-Greetings, Princess!" another one said, she also nudge on the lady who called me lady.

They stuttered when I'm in front of them when they speak clearly while gossiping behind my back. I smiled sweetly at them, trying to show a facade.

"Greetings..." I trailed off, making sure to emphasize that I don't even know which noble house they belong. Their faces became flushed which makes it even more satisfying.

"It's house of Gariendal, Your highness."

I made an apologetic expression. "Oh my! How rude of me to not know your noble house." I fell on my knees which made them panic. Well, who wouldn't when the crown princess knelt in front of you just because she doesn't know your noble house?

"Goodness gracious! Y-Your highness, p-please stand u-up!" I smirked secretly.

Panic all you want because I'm not going to oblige.

"No! I must have stained your reputation. As the crown princess, it is my duty to know each and every noble house our empire has!" Of course, it's not true. I bet Prince Urus doesn't even know half of these people.

"T-There is no s-such thing, Princess! P-P-Please stand up! The crown prince is coming!" They all tried to stand me up buy I won't budge.

"What's happening here?"

"Y-Your highness..."

It's my cue to shed tears. I remembered what I said to Prince Urus earlier.

"I'm going to make a scene and I'll use you as my weapon. Can you do that?"

It's a good thing that he did what I asked him to do. Especially that the emperor is here, I know that he will back me up.

I felt Prince Urus' hands around me and he gently guided me to stand up. His arms are wrapped around mine and I buried my face on his chest.

"How dare you make the crown princess of this empire kneel?!" His voice is thundering. My shoulders shake to show them that I'm crying.

"No, Your highness! It's my fault! I forgot their noble house so I deserve to kneel," I reasoned out while crying my eyes out. People has started to murmur again, probably shocked to see me cry.

"You made the princess kneel because of a pathetic reason?!"

"Y-Your highness! We did no such thing! Please spare our lives!" They all knelt in front of our feet, begging and crying to spare their lives.

"What an embarrassment. They shouldn't have done that to Princess Azelaine."

"The princess is so kind, she even knelt in front of them."

"They deserve punishment."

Ah. This is making me thrilled.

"Princess Azelaine," the emperor called. My trump weapon has arrived.

"Your imperial highness," I cried out. His face darkened and his sharp eyes averted to the noble ladies kneeling in front of us.

"P-Princess, p-please..."

I sniffed. "You're also the one who gossiped about me right?" She froze. "You I'm the biggest regret of the high society... was it? Or did you also said that I didn't had the chance to marry a good man?" I feigned ignorance.

"I'm sorry, if you think of me that way... Did I do something wrong to you?" My tears won't stop; I'm not stopping it. I'll cry as much as I want.

She frantically shake her head. "No, Your highness! I-It's not like that!"

"You dare to look down on the princess?!" This time, it's Emperor Ytrius. All of the guests have stopped talking. Their body is shaking with fear, feeling so helpless, couldn't even defend theirselves.

The emperor called on the knights and captured the noble ladies. They are stripped off of their noble titles and even their family businesses will be confiscated. I hid my wicked smile while I watch those women got dragged by the knights.

How easy it is to manipulate things when you have the power.

My eyes went to Prince Urus, my greatest weapon, the one I will wield against these prejudices. I will hone him until him became the strongest one, much stronger than my trump weapon, the emperor.

Those noble ladies are just an example of how I will drag Queen Frizella and Celestia out of my life. Without mercy and brutally.

I will manipulate every thing in order to make it in my favor.

If I will be the villain here, then so be it.

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