Chapter 234 - Worthy (2/2)

Present

'A feint?' Pupillam kept back and got into a defensive stance. Rhys movements with a blade were very good. For somebody who uses spells all the time, this guys movements sure are sharp. However, it didn't take long before Pupillam overwhelmed him.

”You're actually good.”

”Of course,” Pupillam answered. If she weren't good, then she wouldn't have passed as the top of the academy. If she didn't have these skills, then she wouldn't be here right now. That thought always made her feel very bitter. What a harsh society, only the strong, will make it.

”That's enough!” a voice bellowed.

Pupillam's eyes widened when she saw who stopped her, ”Prince Allen.”

”...”

”Allen? Hold on; you can't just..”

Pupillam waved her hand out to stop the Princess. The Prince has the right to punish her, what is she doing acting based on her emotions for? As the Princess aide, she should know better. Her thoughts broke off when she spotted Rhys coming over until he stood in front of her.

Huh?

”I'm the one who started this; you shouldn't punish her but me.”

”You?”

”Yeah.”

Allen sighed, ”Very well, Carlo take him to his quarters and tell the guards to watch over him. Make sure he does not sneak out.”

....

”That really surprised me,” Lyn said, ”I didn't think you'd do that.”

”Forgive me, Princess; I acted out of place.

”No, you're just protecting my happiness, right? There is nothing wrong with that.”

The Princess is as understanding as ever.

”That man was holding back his strength.”

”The same went for you, no?”

”Yes, but,” Pupillam frowned. Why did she get the same type of feeling as when she used to train with Prince Andrew?

”Your hands are covered in bruises. I know you don't want to be a lady Pupillam, but you should at least take care of your hands.”

”Your hands are just as bad,” Pupillam mumbled. Unlike Princess Lethia's hands, Princess Lyn's hands are in worse state. The number of times she's practiced with a bow, the amount of times she's practiced with a sword. The evidence is all over her body.

The Princess responds with laughter.

”Princess Lyn, why do you care about those two so much?”

”I feel like we're the same type, me, Kazuya and Rhys.”

”That's..”

”We all share the same mindset, the same pain, and burden - while the pain differs per person, we're all carrying something heavy on our shoulders. Kazuya and Rhys may act that way, but once in a while you'll notice, that they both have such hazard eyes,” the Princess finished applying the ointment and started to bandage her wrist. ”I know you think ill of them because they are interfering with my marriage. But please remember Pupillam, the reason why they act that way is because of Allen. Because they can see while Allen treats me well, he does not love me.”

'The Prince loves you just as much,' Pupillam wanted to tell her. But she can't get more involved in this. ”As your guard, it is only natural for me to side with your betrothed rather than the men who just appeared.”

It's not like she had a personal grudge against them or anything. Those people are genuinely kind to the Princess, and since they came, the Princess has been pleased. Pupillam is very grateful to them; however, she understood that things weren't that simple. The rumors surrounding Rhys and Kazuya are awful. They aren't baseless rumors either; she conducted her own investigation and learned of how brutal the two could be. The Princess isn't innocent, but even then, Pupillam did not want to expose her to such things.