This Princess is an Extra-Chapter 37: Lady of Benevolence

"I am not a mouse!"

"Indeed, you are! You snuck into places where you shouldn’t and do unthinkable just like rummaging through private matters!"

"Then, you should have hid it better!"

"I DID hide it!"

"Well, you cannot expect secrets to remain safe when hidden under your bed, Brother."

"Always having something to say. Don’t you?"

Suddenly, the King slammed his palm down. "Children," stopping the commotion, "must I remind you this is a council chamber, not a marketplace brawl?"

Finally the king exhaled and said. "Callisto, burn every diary you possess. Every last one of them, I refuse to let state secrets hide beneath your bed."

"And you, Elinessa," he finally released Callisto from the force of his gaze before shifting his eyes towards Eli. "you may return to your chambers. However, your mother will be informed of this, so steel yourself, young lady.

"I understand, Father."

After the meet, turning sharp on her heel, she left the hallway to go back to her room.

As the night pulled closer into the sky and people went to sleep in the palace, the princess, too, withdrew to her chambers. She had changed into night garments and now sat before her dressing mirror, as the candles casted a gentle glow across her chamber. Behind her, a maid moved her hand drawing a comb through the princess’s hair preparing her for rest.

"Your Highness, have you already taken your milk?" Talia inquired, her eyes resting on the half-empty glass, beside the bed.

"No." Eli replied without looking over.

"Strange... if she didn’t drink it, then who did?" Talia murmured. "All right, Renna, bring a warm glass of milk from the kitchen."

After completing her nightly routine, the chambers gradually emptied, and Eli finally took her place in bed. But she found it hard to sleep because she went twisting and turning in her bed as she had been wrapped in her own mind, Arlo was missing again. She had hopped that all will eventually return back to normal since she has completed the hidden scenario. However, as time went by, there was not a single ’ding’ to indicate any progress of the simulation.

Giving up wasn’t an option for her, it dreaded her to think that the world she belonged to felt further away with every passing moment. But what else could she do aside from waiting? she sighed in frustration. She knew she was overthinking this whole damn thing, but even knowing that didn’t helped her at all.

"A**hole," she muttered under her breath, thinking about the particular man who was, currently the headache of royals in the palace, including hers.

Strangely, she couldn’t completely take him off her mind no matter how busy she was, evidently so, as she had most interactions with him.

"Ahh!" she turned and hid her face in the pillow with humiliation and anger both. A muffled scream of pure frustration escaped her lips as she bounced her feet up and down.

And come to think of it, she couldn’t remember a single truth that came out of his mouth. He even wrapped innocent Lord Vareen into his lies.

She doesn’t want to think about him, but at the same time, Eli didn’t know why it felt like she had heard that name somewhere.

"Why are irrelevant NPC’s suddenly showing up?" she whispered, brows knitting. "What’s wrong with this sh*t?"

She thought about this and that for a long while, until her eyes finally drifted close.

Just like that morning arrived in Elarion, a street near the palace had been intricately arranged with ribbons and modest decoration for what appeared to be immensely significant yearly charity fair. Throughout the street, numerous stalls were strategically placed, adorned with elegant blend of green and gold—colors which represent prosperity, good fortune and Elarion itself.

Inside the stalls, clusters of married noble ladies or if speaking truthfully, palace attendants were gathered since dawn to prepare their products for sale. The stalls carried-lace doilies, herbal soaps, hand-painted fans, sugared pastries, and delicate trinkets—or things like these prepared by noble ladies individually or in group to raise money for donation. All the raw materials used to create the products for sale had been provided by the palace.

Naturally, the ladies were in competition mode even here—whether it was in regards of their extravagant adornments, or in terms of who would raise the most charity and earn a title of ’Lady of Benevolence’ for the year with an exclusive column in the Royal Daily; the palace’s annual magazine and thereby enhance their social standing. A charity fair might have been created for goodwill, but it was obvious, among the high society goodwill and rivalry tended to walk hand-in-hand.

Walking in, her arm intertwined with Mira this was, the scene Eli beheld, occasionally interrupted by polite greetings from passing crowd.

Her hair was braided loosely and it fell over her shoulder on one side. Her hairstyle was simple but it suited her, more so as she stood out amid the elaborate nobles.

Behind them, two palace maids trailed dutifully while their arms now carried neatly wrapped parcels and a suspiciously large box Eli had insisted on buying without explaining why. It was an apology gift for Callisto.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Eli asked noticing Mira’s sighs.

"Princess, do you think Baroness Kelly noticed us buying from Lady Rowan’s stall?"

"Does it matter?" Eli answered her with another question.

"Well..." Mira glanced over her shoulder as she said, "Baroness Kelly has been glaring at us rather persistently. Perhaps we ought to purchase something from her stall as well."

"Oh? She’s glaring again? That explains the pressure I’ve been feeling in the back of my head. I don’t even need to look—I can already picture her left eyebrow raised, silently judging us." which, in this case, was entirely true. "Let her be, she’s like that every time."

Eli had never liked that middle-aged lady, the woman was a minor character whose sole ambition was to push her daughter toward the crown princess position. And in doing so, she constantly belittled Mira, simply because her family wasn’t as wealthy or influential.

"I understand she must be angry because you not only bought things but also donated a generous amount at Lady Rowan’s stall. But I’m worried that the harm would also be on you, Princess."

"It’s alright. I anticipated it. And, I was only fostering my image as a kind princess. Besides, I am the only princess of Elarion and I have the future crown princess to protect me." Eli squeezed Mira’s hand gently as she looked at her and sweet smiles curved up in both their faces.

"It’s nicer this year, isn’t it? More people seem... cheerful." Mira said, for which Eli nodded in agreement. "It would have been better if His Highness had been with us...," Mira whispered to herself.

Callisto was supposed to attend the event with Mira as this would be her last charity fair as a lady, before she officially enters womanhood, but he had been occupied because of a certain intruder. Eli shook her head as an attempt to push the thought of him out of her mind.

She let her gaze drift across the small clusters of nobles, and then, something at a nearby stall caught her attention. Her face lit up instantly the moment she recognized what was being sold. Reading about it in the story had made her drool, and she had desperately wanted to try it ever since she came here; Citrusalt skewers: it is grilled bites seasoned with citrus zest and fine sea salt and it was only sold in this fair.

Eli was still looking at her target and holding Mira’s hand, when she said "I know the perfect way to cheer you up! Let’s go!" and she tugged her forward with sudden enthusiasm.

A few minutes later, the two of them stood each holding a helping of Citrusalt Skewer. They were both enjoying themselves, especially Eli looked positively enchanted. "This is... gods, this is better than I imagined," she mumbled through her mouthful.

"But, Princess... you have it every year?" Mira asked, blinking.

"Oh—" Eli paused. "I-I mean to say, it tastes better than the flavor I imagined after seeing it right now." Mira watched and let out a light laugh as Eli continued to devour her skewer.

Eli then saw Mira look behind her back and she turned around to find few young ladies following Florence, who was a brunette, and walking towards them.

"It seems the palace has taken to collecting humble beings who are trying to act like elites." Baroness Kelly remarked, who had abandoned her stall and was now standing behind Florence. This remark was not only for Mira but also for the current queen, who also had modest origins. Seeing both the young girls continue to ignore her, she added "Do tell us, if you desire anything, we shall be more than pleased to gift it to you. At least until you finally ascend to the position." The proud baroness clearly did not appreciate being overlooked.