Chapter 8: Your sister is nice. She's mine now.

When I finished the first plate, Claire saw me and reached over to push another plate toward me. What was she doing? Was she trying to bully me by starving me?

I looked at the food on the plate and couldn't bring myself to eat. She didn't seem to have any intention of eating herself, and it looked like I wouldn't be able to leave the table without finishing everything.

"Don't you like it? Don't kids like this sweet and sticky food?"

She frowned, as if slowly becoming irritated. Was I going to get a beating? That was scary.

"No, Miss Claire! It's delicious! It's just that I just had lunch and I'm not hungry yet..."

But she seemed even more annoyed. Why? I was so careful and respectful!

She's so unpredictable. She called me out and didn't say a word, and prepared a whole table of desserts but didn't eat any herself.

Just as we were awkwardly immersed in silence-she was irritated and I was embarrassed-she suddenly gave me that threatening look that chases away intruders and looked over to the shade of a tree.

"Get out."

Could it be that Sharon had snuck in too?

Please don't let it be, I'm still considered half a princess, so if I'm spared, at least my maid will be spared.

But the person who came out from behind the tree was Ario.

"Don't be angry, 'Miss Claire', Father just asked me to come and see how you two are getting along."

After he said that, his scarlet eyes swept over me, almost taking my body temperature away.

The figure outside the window that day was indeed the Duke! Had he sent Elio because he was afraid that Cléa would torment me? The original intention was good, but the person he entrusted it to was not the right one.

I was a little grateful, but not much.

Compared to Cléa, I was much more afraid of Elio...

"Cléa, this is the first time you've brought someone to admire the flowers with you."

Although his words were addressed to Cléa, his gaze kept falling on me.

Clara ignored him, obviously not welcoming her younger brother. I had previously thought she hated me, but now, seeing the way she treated Ario, I realized that I seemed to be doing quite well?

In the first half of the novel, Ario had played the role of a suave gentleman. Because of his good looks and impressive physique, he had acted with exceptional credibility, and the princess had been convinced that he was not an evil person until the truth was revealed in the first two lines.

Now he is approaching me step by step. To me, who already knows the truth, he radiates the aura of death. I really want to run away!

But then I thought, why am I so afraid of him? I am considered an adult on a psychological level, and he is still a child, so what am I afraid of?

I should stand up, gather my courage and face him!

He just happened to stop next to my chair. I jumped out of my chair, and just as I looked up and locked eyes with him, I chickened out as if I had been stared at by a python!

"Master Elio, please sit down!"

Standing up and finding the courage to do so had already been a lot for me today, so I'll leave the topic of confronting Elio for later.

I laughed nervously and backed up around the table. Luckily, there were only two chairs, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to explain why I was standing up.

Ario's eyes never left me. The guy doesn't even blink. I'll have nightmares tonight.

I can't just retreat to the garden, that's what the law of jungle survival taught me - you can't hide from the beast's gaze, it will make him aware of your fear!

But you can divert its attention elsewhere.

I resolutely hid behind Claire's chair.

In front of the pure lunatic Elio, Claire could be considered harmless.

"Don't mind him, just sit down. No guest should give up his seat to an uninvited guest."

Claire's impatient voice came from above and she looked down at me. Her burgundy hair fell across my cheeks. For a second, I was mesmerized by her beauty from this angle!

"I'm full, so I'm going to get up and take a walk..."

It seems that their relationship as siblings is very tense. Great, dear daughter, please get rid of this uninvited guest!

Ario smiled. His face was delicate, and when he smiled, it was actually very beautiful and charming. But as soon as I saw him smile, goosebumps rose all over my body, and I felt physically uncomfortable.

"It's okay, we can sit together."

Huh? What did he mean?

He said this and walked over to me, holding out his hands as if to pick me up. The moment he touched me, I couldn't stop trembling. Scenes from novels flashed through my eyes like a revolving lantern.

In a trance, I seemed to see the face of Elio, no longer young, looking down at me with a small smile. He was holding a sword in his hand, and the blood on the tip of the sword was dripping and falling on the floor in front of me.

Drip, drip, such a light but deafening sound.

Don't come over!

Don't!

"Don't!"

By the time I reacted, I had already shouted, and both of us were surprised and looked at me unexpectedly.

I was in a state of confusion. What had happened? Why did I have the memory of being killed by an adult Elio? There were too many questions, but the only thing I was sure of was that I didn't want to be touched by him anymore.

I broke free of his grip and grabbed the hem of Claire's skirt, looking up at her with a pleading expression as I took a desperate risk.

"I want to sit with Claire! I want to be held by you!"

I didn't care about the embarrassment anymore. I tried my best to look pitiful, hoping to win the other person's affection.

Clara blinked, seemingly surprised by my bold move. She looked at me for a long time, and my face grew redder and redder. An eerie silence hung over the pavilion.

It didn't matter if I was rejected! At least I could pretend to be sad and leave. What a perfect improvisation! Impeccable!

I admired myself for having escaped from Elio with only a little sacrifice of self-respect!

Just as I was about to shed a few fake tears and make a quick exit, Cléa slowly leaned down, her long, thick burgundy hair falling slowly as she moved. She took me in her arms and placed me on her lap.

My face is burning hot. Is my skin getting thicker?

I can't believe I'm actually sitting on her lap. Her body temperature is much lower than mine, and she's ice-cold, which feels so good. She smells nice too, not like some cheap perfume, but like real flowers. I guess that's because she's been in that rose garden all day and inevitably picked up the rose scent.

Is this really the red-haired witch from the novel? Is she a flower fairy of the same name?

"Thank... thank you, sister!"

She ignored me, but reached out and poured two cups of herbal tea. One cup was placed in front of me, the other she drank.

Ariel had a look of genuine surprise on her face. It was the first time I'd seen a different expression on his face, which was always half-smiling and half-serious. It made me feel so much better to know that he had a human side, too.

Your sister is really something. She's mine now!