Chapter 220 - When Good Things Happen, Bad Things Followed.
Chapter 220 – When Good Things Happen, Bad Things Followed.
"Rinnie!"
I jumped out from the stool in front of the vanity mirror when Sally suddenly barged inside the seventh prince's chambers. I turned around ever so slowly, seeing the little Sally huffed with her hands on her hips.
"I challenge you!" she pointed at me. "Let's have a duel!"
"…"
I had already lost count of how many invitations I received the past two weeks after my spar with my father-in-law. After that day, Hugo challenged me the same night, which I accepted. So we sparred the next day. But unlike the deadly spar with the emperor, Hugo and I held back. He simply studied how I fight.
But because of that, his siblings had also invited me. First Cora, who was the first one to drop her gloves for a duel. We did spar, and I obviously won because she would hate me if I held back. When I won against Cora, that was when things escalated.
Silas, Alice, Tomas, and the list goes on. They wouldn't even let me be during family dinners, bantering, whom I should fight first.
"Rinnie, are you refusing my challenge because I'm small?" Sally grumbled as she stormed inside, standing to my side like a child. Well, even with her age, Sally still looked like someone who hadn't come of age.
"Of course not. It's just… after sparring with Alice and Silas the other day, I'm tired." I sighed. "I'm certain those two will ask for a rematch. So I need to rest first."
Sally frowned as she huffed once again. "Ugh…! I hate them! They are so so greedy! I'm your sister too! I mean, I am strong! You can ask Tito, and he can vouch for that!"
As she let out a series of rants, Sally dragged her feet towards the divan, where she collapsed and fit perfectly with her small frame. While she was complaining about how her other siblings take up too much of my time, I gazed at the open door when someone knocked on it.
"Teresa," I called and smiled, watching her smile back before Priscilla peeked her head behind her.
"May we come in?" Teresa inquired, and I nodded in response.
"I already asked someone to serve some tea. Rinnie needs some time to breathe too!" Priscilla raised her hand as they all headed towards the set of seats inside the room. I also joined them, perching on the settee where Sally was lazing around.
"Rinnie, you're so busy nowadays." Teresa broke the ice while Sally crawled to me like a caterpillar until her head was resting on my lap. "If we didn't plan to visit you early, I bet you will be gone from here."
"Blame your older crazy siblings," Sally spat out in irritation. "They see Rinnie now as someone as barbaric as them."
"But didn't you come in here to challenge her as well?" Priscilla tilted her head to the side. "Are you saying you're also barbaric?"
"Shut up, kid."
I chuckled as Sally couldn't really argue with the smart Priscilla with words. The latter was good at twisting someone's words and using them to her advantage. It had been a while since I spent time with them. So, I appreciate their sudden visit.
"It's been a while since we had shared some tea. Even when I returned with Hugo, I didn't get the chance to visit you," I expressed sincerely, but Teresa simply waved and said, "it was fine."
"We left during the mating season three years ago. Haven't you found your mates yet?" I asked as I didn't really inquire about that since two weeks ago. I didn't have the chance.
"Oh! You didn't know? Teresa already has someone?" Priscilla cast me a baffled look.
"Really?" I smiled and gazed at Teresa. I chuckled when she looked away to hide the blush on her face.
"Yes! Reese, why don't you share how you met the handsome young Lord two years ago?" Sally urged excitedly.
"Gosh… it's a bit embarrassing," Teresa murmured, tucking her hair behind her ear.
Even so, Teresa still shared her story with us. It was quite a love story that anyone would love to hear. I was happy for Teresa and she seemed very content with her mate.
For the past two weeks, my schedule was hectic. On top of the time I spent sparring with the rest of the Tempest siblings, the emperor had also granted me a small position to join the council meeting because of the brewing tension between Ronmin and Hendrik.
And then, I had to spend some time with Toby, who was also busy accompanying his father, to lose some weight. Nighttime… Hugo still had some energy for some loving. So, it wasn't truly an exaggeration that chatting with the three of them was akin to a breath of fresh air.
Not that I was complaining since we're on the brink of waging a war. It was only a matter of time. Still, breaks were good too.
So I indulged with the three of them all morning before we went to our separate ways. During this time, I should oversee the warriors on the training grounds since an opportunity to assist Silas, their commander, landed on my lap.
However, on my way to the training grounds, I met Azazel. Or rather, he came to me.
"May I take a moment of your time, Your Grace?" he asked, standing in the middle of the hallway leading to the training grounds.
I pressed my lips before I nodded. "Sure. Let's head to the inner palace garden. It's better to talk there."
"Thank you." He tilted his head down slightly before motioning his hand. "Please."
I didn't know what Azazel wanted to talk to me about, but I still followed him. Whatever he had to say… it might not please me, but I was certain it was informative. And I was correct because as soon as we reached the inner palace garden, Azazel turned around to face me.
"There's a mole in this place," he said in a quiet voice and without beating around the bush.