Escape from the evil lady (GL)
Chapter 68 - 18. A walk in the garden

Chapter 68: Chapter 18. A walk in the garden

In the end, everything didn’t turn out the way I had planned.

— Your Highness, you have so much to do...! — realizing that I had fallen into a trap that I had set for myself, I immediately tried to get out of it: — I dare not distract you from your work! Please don’t take my words seriously...

The villainess’s eyebrows rose at my words.

— Oh, you don’t have to worry about that, — she retorted. — I will always find time to spend it with my fiancee.

I was stunned. Damn it, this isn’t a joke, is it?

Besides, it bothered me that Kaena de Ronan kept calling me her "fiancee"... However, there’s nothing I can do about the fact that I got myself into trouble.

Since I couldn’t object to her, I had no choice but to meekly follow her. Our pastime accidentally turned into a walk together. Since it was still only noon, it was the most favorable time for a walk.

However, for a place like this, such things didn’t really matter.

The lands of Haylos were a barren wasteland where even the most persistent flower could hardly grow. Based on this, the locals were almost not engaged in agriculture, preferring cattle breeding and similar types of agriculture. But that’s just the way it is, for the record.

For this reason, our walk was not very picturesque.

Unlike the traditional estates of aristocrats, where the owners tried in every possible way to embellish their houses and territories in order to throw dust in the eyes of others, no one bothered with this. In addition, the weather conditions did not allow it yet. The area in the backyard, which was originally meant to be a garden, looked more like an abandoned prison area.

Looking at the mangy bare trees and gloomy dark statues, I could hardly squeeze out even a drop of enthusiasm.

«...»

The Crown Princess walked beside me along the gravel path and kept absently noting:

— Maybe things are not so beautiful here now... — She said sheepishly, watching my reaction, — But things will get a lot better in the future. I will invite the best florists and architects to work on this place and make it look more appropriate!

In fact, Kaena de Ronan had never thought about this kind of thing before. It didn’t matter to her which flowers grew in her garden or if they grew at all. Practicality and convenience were much more important to her, which made the Heilos residence really look more like a military fortress than an aristocrat’s estate. However, things couldn’t stay the same now.

After all, recently this castle has also become a home for a man whom Kaena wanted to surround with beauty as much as possible.

— good... Then I’ll wait for it, — the duke’s daughter smiled at her tightly.

They walked around the residence for a while longer, but they couldn’t even make half a circle around the castle, as it really was just huge. Eventually, a cold wind blew, and the weather began to deteriorate even more.

Camille’s body was shaking slightly, and Kaena frowned at the sight.

— I think it’s time for you to get back, — she said worriedly.

The next moment, a light cape with sable fur on the collar fell on the girl’s shoulders, leaving the crown princess in just a shirt. Camille was embarrassed herself.

— Your Highness, aren’t you going...?

Kaena smiled and shook her head.

— I was going to attend the training of new recruits who joined our army not so long ago. It will take some time. You better not wait for me and come back.

— Ah... good.

In fact, that’s exactly what the duke’s daughter was hoping to hear.

— Jacob will escort you back.

In an instant, the tall knight with the dark hair materialized next to them, literally out of thin air. Camille was surprised and just stared at him, as she was sure that he hadn’t been here just a second ago.

"Escort the lady back," the princess ordered her servant, "you need to make sure she gets to her place safely."

The voice of the main villain sounded so serious that one might have thought that the knight was going to accompany her to the other side of the continent. Whereas in reality it’s just to lead her back to the room...

"Yes, Your Highness!" — the knight also approached this task with full responsibility.

The Crown Princess kissed her on the temple, agreeing that they would meet later to have dinner together. After that, they broke up. Kaena’s subordinate led the duke’s daughter back to the castle, while the princess herself went to the training ground.

There was a formal silence between Camilla and the knight during the journey. The girl only obediently followed the huge man in dark armor.

Until suddenly...

Before they reached the castle, they suddenly stopped halfway. The duke’s daughter, who was not expecting this, almost ran into the knight’s back. She raised her head in surprise.

Camille was confused, as she wanted to know the reason why they were staying here.

Jacob Osman slowly turned to her. Under his gaze, the duke’s daughter shuddered, feeling like a mouse in front of a brown bear. The knight was silent for a while, not taking his stern gaze off her.

— My Lady, please forgive me if this question seems rude to you, — he said slowly.

"What...?"

— Even if it’s none of my business, I still want to know. Do you really treat Her Highness sincerely? — The man suddenly asked.

Camille almost choked on the air from surprise and the surroundings they were in. She didn’t even know what to say to that.

— I’ve been wanting to ask you this question since you started living here, — he said, — so even if it’s tactless, I’m asking you to answer it.

— .....

The girl’s throat was dry.

— Ah... me, me... Yes, — the duke’s daughter finally said.

The knight’s gaze remained fixed on her. Camille was more than afraid that he was going to do something to her right here and now. After all, it was so easy. For someone with that build and height, getting rid of someone like Camille was like breaking a rag doll.

But to her relief, nothing terrible happened.

After the silence that followed the girl’s words, Jacob sighed. He turned around again, intending to continue on his way. But before that...

— Keep in mind that no one is more important to me than Her Highness, — he said, — and even if you haven’t been completely honest with me right now, I advise you to keep this to yourself as long as possible. It’s different...

— ...

— Even if it costs me my life, I will not spare anyone who dares to betray Her Highness.