Reincarnating into a Beautiful Woman

Chapter 36

The Crown Prince privately strolled through the palace and found himself crossing a familiar bridge to the foreign pavilion. His steps became less confident and hesitant, yet he was curious to see how much the pavilion had changed. To his surprise, the secluded area was brimming with the most exotic flowers. The bright petals were in full bloom, and the spring air gently tickled his nose. The garden seemed to have flourished greatly during his absence. 

He caught sight of a shimmering figure leaning against a slender pillar, basking underneath the sun. Because it was still early in the afternoon, the sun seemed to shine down on Celine's skin and glisten. Prince Laith momentarily froze, blinded by the beautiful woman in her sleep. She resembled a sparkling, otherworldly being. 

Celine had frequently paid visits to the Crown Prince the past few weeks, which sparked countless rumors amongst the nobles. Only a select few knew the truth of those rumors. She only came by to oversee his work, advising him with helpful suggestions. If one observed the dynamic between the two, they would immediately notice the slight discomfort in Celine's eyes. Every conversation between them was strictly centered around the Zionittes, and Celine never bothered to initiate a meaningful conversation with him. Her expression never softened around Prince Laith, as if she had drawn a clear, invisible line between them. 

As Celine heard the sound of footsteps growing louder, she opened her eyes and stiffened when she saw Prince Laith's golden eyes.

"I guess you were expecting someone else?" He towered over her, his shadow giving Celine some shade from the sun. He gave her an awkward smile, for the dismay was clearly written all over her face.

"....I was."

Celine had been eagerly waiting for Prince Zayden to finish his lessons, for they had planned to visit the remote desert soon after. She had been expecting to see Zayden's familiar face when she was met with Prince Laith's towering figure instead. 

Celine looked away, not wanting to see the Crown Prince's beautiful appearance. Recently, she had been meeting with Prince Laith quite often, forcing herself to feign indifference when facing his seemingly perfect features. He was truly the most handsome man Celine had ever laid eyes on in her two lifetimes, and even she couldn't stop herself from blushing subconsciously. Celine was ashamed of herself for not being able to control her cheeks from reddening. This fact annoyed her greatly, and she was growing tired of his presence.

"Your highness, may I say something?" She suddenly asked.

Prince Laith became excited by her sudden interest in him and nodded quickly.

"Now that we have formed a plan and set it in motion, I don't think I need to visit you anymore. You seem to be progressing well anyways. I don't want Lady Zavia to feel jealous or hurt because of me, and I also don't want to cause anymore misunderstandings. Therefore, let's not run into each other like this." She closely observed his reaction, wondering if her words had offended the prince. 

Seriously, why are you even here? Her eyes flickered with slight annoyance, as if his mere presence was troublesome.

The smile on Laith's lips faltered. He frowned as if he had been wronged.

"How come you are rude to me, Celine?" His tone darkened slightly, yet there was a hint of despair in his tone.

"...." Celine couldn't believe her ears. Was this man serious?

"If anything, I think your highness was rude first.... Although we hadn't seen each other for 7 years, you returned with a concubine, and even treated me harshly. Weren't we good friends in the past?" She gave him an unfaltering stare, and his attractiveness seemed to be less intimidating now. 

"That's because-" Prince Laith faltered again, unable to voice his reasonings out loud. He frowned deeply, furrowing his eyebrows as he became conflicted. "I treated you harshly because.." He stuttered,  and Celine raised an eyebrow, urging him to continue. 

Before Prince Laith could properly reply, Prince Zayden interrupted their conversation.

"Sorry I'm late, Celine." He sharply glared at his own brother and nodded briefly, paying no more attention to him.

Meanwhile, Celine immediately brightened and the tense atmosphere slightly dispelled.

"You're not too late! How was your lesson?" She took Zayden's outstretched hand and stood up, wiping the dirt off her gown.

The two became immersed in their own conversation, completely leaving Laith out of the loop.

He coughed deliberately in attempt to gather their attention again, and Celine only glanced sideways.

"I deeply apologize, your highness, but I will be taking my leave now." She lowered her head and curtsied.

"I'll see you later, brother." Zayden nodded politely, and they both strode past Laith, continuing their conversation.

The Crown Prince blushed in embarrassment, clenching his fist as the two blatantly disregarded him. He was deeply flustered, ridiculed by their rudeness. When he had finally recovered from the shock, his fiancee and brother had already left. 

***

Celine giggled on their way to the town.

"Did you see your brother's face? He didn't know how to act!" She threw her head back and laughed, recalling his frustration.

Zayden did not reply, although his lips were curved upwards as he led her to the outskirts of the capital.

They headed towards an isolated field filled with sand dunes. Zayden and Celine frequently trained with their familiars in this abandoned desert. If there were any travelers or merchants passing by, they wouldn't be able to see their figures due to the force of Draco and Red's wings creating the illusion of a sandstorm. This was why Celine and Zayden also traveled with a cloth covering everything but their eyes. 

Even after living in the middle east for sixteen years, Celine still couldn't get used to the endless hills smoothly sculpted by the winds. The sands gleamed under the sun, and each of her steps left a deep imprint. Once her calves began to ache, Draco shape shifted into a camel. Celine jumped onto his back and struggled to balance herself. Once she felt more comfortable, she began to sway with Draco, moving with the camel. 

Red also began to crawl out of Zayden's shadow and remained in his smaller form. He stretched his wings and perched itself onto his master's shoulder. The four of them continued to climb through each hill and chat leisurely.