THE DESTINY OF THE SUN AND THE MOON
CHAPTER 19 - A RE-PARTY OF THE VIVI PART III
I looked straight at Bella whose face looked so uncomfortable. His face looked slightly pale, his body stiff and his eyes seemed unfocused.
Bella Aelesha Curt, the only daughter of Duke Curt who was an aide to Emperor Horus. Bella is now the fiancee of Prince Helios, they have been engaged since they were eight years old.
Bella was born a few months after Prince Helios, which is what makes them both friends since childhood. But I do know that Duke Curt is after the Crown Princess and wants to match Bella to Crown Prince Castor. But his ambition was already in the way of Mother who did not want Bella who is the Princess of Duke Curt to become a Crown Princess because it will make Duke Curt have an additional power even greater.
Duke Curt himself is a man of ambition, very cunning and also very manipulative. Therefore, since long ago Mother always forbade me to be close to her because Mother herself once said that Duke Curt was like a Parasite. Even in the future it was he who submitted a proposal for a tax increase for the common people on the grounds of the Empire's prosperity and the Emperor accepted the proposal, causing the lower classes to suffer.
In addition, he is also famous for hating Mother who always hinders his goals. Mother and Duke Curt are enemies who will never make peace. At first I felt strange about Mother's prohibition against me being close to her because she was the Adjutant of the Emperor and I used to visit the Emperor often while he worked, she said, it obviously made me meet with Duke Curt who my gaze was a kind uncle who was a friendly smile. But as I grew up and also experienced the hard things in my life, I began to understand why Mother had always been so wary of Duke Curt because she was indeed a person full of falsehoods.
A fake smile, his friendly demeanor was fake and also extremely cunning. The thing that made me so angry with him was of course due to the fact that Duke Curt who had known about the dark relationship between the Emperor and his mistress but he instead acted as if the Emperor's immoral actions were the natural thing.
Even when Kayla aka the Emperor's mistress reveals her relationship in front of everyone, Duke Curt instead said that the Emperor's actions did not matter because there was a law that said that an Emperor may have a concubine and instead made a request for Kayla to be appointed Empress as soon as possible and also Emira who is recognized as the Princess of the Eilidh Empire.
As if to take Mom down, she also spread rumors that Mother was a woman who was not good at looking after her husband and did not even know the Emperor's secret relationship. This made Mother's image as Empress worse day by day
while the image of Kayla and Emira increasingly shone among the nobility.
Though the Emperor did hide his disgrace very neatly and even assisted by Duke Curt.... But he was badmouthing Mom like that....
Also the fact that Mother rarely came out of the palace, it made the nobles more convinced that the Empress was indeed as the rumors spread by Duke Curt.
A woman who is not very good at looking after her husband who does not even know that his husband has another woman who fills his heart.....
"What's up, Vivi? Why dream like that? You don't like the party?" Asked the Emperor who made me realize from my daydream.
I immediately shook my head and began to exclaim in a made-up tone, "No Dad... I love the party! The party was huge and there were lots of people!"
The Emperor laughed and then kissed my cheek again with anxiety. Ughhhh... I used to be kissed on the cheek by him but now I feel disgusted....
"Thank God you're happy, Vivi!" Said Mom with a gentle smile.
This time I smiled sincerely from the bottom of my heart at Mother and the Emperor embraced Mom's shoulder and kissed her forehead.
"You are also the great woman Ivona, you have given birth to this little angel into the world and become my Daughter" said the Emperor who stared with such a deep gaze at Mother.
Mother lowered her head and smiled lightly, "Thank you for your praise... Your Honour..."
Um? Why would... If you look more carefully, I look so sad...?
"Alright, now Vivi should enjoy this party!" Said the Emperor who sent me down from his sling.
"Let me accompany Vivi!!!" Exclaimed Prince Blaze who just appeared excitedly.
The Emperor nodded and Prince Blaze immediately grabbed my hand and shocked me. But without seeing my reaction, though, Prince Blaze immediately asked me to run away from the altar of the throne in the party hall and to one of the places where appetizing dishes were served on the enormous-looking table.
"Well! Vivi likes chocolate cakes, right? It's eating its cake!" Exclaimed Prince Blaze with a bright wide smile while thrusting a beautifully decorated chocolate cake at me.
I nodded and accepted and started eating.
Umm~ Chocolate cake is indeed the best! While I was enjoying this chocolate cake, Prince Blaze was also busy eating Macarons of various colors and flavors.
"Blaze, take care of your eating habits, you're eating too fast" Reproved someone who made me and Prince Blaze turned to the origin of the voice.
Prince Helios and his fiancee, Bella.
Huh.... Even when they were kids, they were always both....
"Lmmy?! Brother?!" Strangled Prince Blaze with his mouth still full of food.
"Slow was just talking" Prince Helios said, warning Prince Blaze.
Hearing that, Prince Blaze swallowed his food and looked puzzledly at Prince Helios, "Sister why is it here? Shouldn't Brother have to respond to those adults with Brother Castor?"
"Yes...... But Bella wanted to say hello to Vivi first" Prince Helios replied.
After Prince Helios said that, Bella came forward and introduced herself with good ethics but was clearly nervous in her, "U-umm... Greetings to the Empire's second little Sun, Prince When Blaze and the Empire's Little Moon... Princess Viviane... I'm Bella Aelesha Curt, daughter of Duke Curt...."
"He is also my best friend and my fiance" Prince Helios said.
"Oohs... So her fiance is Brother huh...? Greetings to know too!" Said Prince Blaze.
"Yes... Greetings to know too... Miss Curt...." I said.
Bella then smiled nervously at me, "Umm... You can call me Bella..."
"All right, Miss Bell Aelesha Curt" I cried"
Prince Helios looked at me with a puzzled look and rebuked me, "Vivi, didn't Bella just say her name. And he's older than you"
"Un! Sister Miss Bell Aelesha Curt!" Excited again.
I'm sorry, after what I've experienced in my previous life, I don't want to be friends with Bella anymore.
I used to be on good terms with Bella and called her 'Sister Bella', I was even willing to cover up the secret where Bella was a holy maiden who would be the bride for the Sun God.
Yes, she was the one who was supposed to be the girl who was going to be presented to the Sun God.
Bella who once told me that she always dreamed about being trapped in a palace that burned down since she was seven years old. Bella who had previously read about the offering clearly realized that she was the girl who was chosen as the Holy Girl who would become the bride of the Sun God.
But fearing the fact that he would be burned alive when he was eighteen, he hid this. It was only to Prince Helios that he told me about this and Prince Helios who also liked Bella also hid this secret until I finally caught those who talked about it when I was two twelve years, a few months after Emira came.
At that time Bella immediately prostrated to me and asked me to hide all that while crying bitterly. He felt so afraid that he would be burned alive. Prince Helios also asked me to keep all this a secret because I did not want to lose his best friend and fiancee.
I felt I could not bear to approve it and kept it a secret. But ironically it was I who ended up being the girl who was burned alive for an offering to the Sun God. And at that time.... They didn't help me at all.... Bella who used to beg me to look away at me while secretly smiling with satisfaction and Prince Helios who used to ask me to keep it a secret just stared coldly at me.
I smiled cynically in light of the incident. His father is manipulative and cunning, full of ambition and his son is also two-faced while taking advantage of his cultural tears.
Once again, I must thank the Sun God who has opened my eyes to realize Bella's true attitude.
Tch... I have been careless to the point of not being aware of its existence. Duke Curt was smiling kindly but I knew it was just a mask to cover up his rot.
"Ehhhh? She's gonna be my sister?" I asked who pretended to be surprised by the deliberate tone raised so that the people around us also heard it.
"Yes Your Highness the Princess, Bella is the Fiancee of Prince Helios who is the Brother of the Princess" Reply Duke Curt.
Heh, Bella became the fiancee of Prince Helios as well because you failed to match her to Crown Prince Castor because of the fast acting Mother right? Therefore you slammed the steering wheel by making use of the friendship of Bella and Prince Helios to tie them to the engagement bond.
"But... I just got to know Big Brother Bella Aelesha Curt and I can't think of her as my big sister that easily. I don't know his nature yet so I don't want to call him with such a familiar call!" Excited with a cheerful tone.
Obviously it made everyone who heard it feel astonished when they heard me say such a thing.
"Wait-Vivi, didn't you just say such a disrespectful thing to Duke Curt and Bella?!" Beware of Prince Helios to me.
Before I answered him, Prince Blaze suddenly said, "Vivi is right, Brother Helios. We can't just trust new people. Not because we are arrogant but this is a cautious attitude because for the Imperial family, we should not easily trust someone"
Everyone looked even more astonished when they heard Prince Blaze suddenly say such a thing, as well as me who also felt very surprised by his words just now. The reason, Prince Blaze is known as the Prince who is so friendly and cheerful to everyone, clearly makes everyone surprised by what Prince Blaze said about the trust that exists among the Empire.
But the words of Prince Blaze was also not wrong because for the Imperial Family itself was taught not to trust someone easily because many people wanted to take advantage of the members of the Empire for their own ambitions.
"Blaze! Keep talking to Duke Curt and Bella! Remember, Duke Curt is Dad's aide to trust!" Reproach Prince Helios again, now his tone is getting higher indicating he is currently angry.
"And your confidant, not me" replied Prince Blaze with a simple and also look indifferent.
Prince Helios looked so angry but I immediately broke the situation.
"What Brother Blaze said is true, Brother Helios. We do not know Sister Miss Bella Aelesha Curt well because we and my sister are certainly taught the same. Brother Helios and Sister Miss Bella Aelesha Curt are indeed close friends, but to me and Brother Blaze he is still a stranger we do not know yet. It is also the same with Duke Curt, he is indeed a confidant of Father but not necessarily we also believe it because we do not know Duke Curt intimately" I said that made Prince Helios speechless.
"What Vivi and Blaze said is true" Crown Prince Castor said as he walked up to us.
Seeing the arrival of the Crown Prince, it instantly made everyone except me, Prince Blaze and Prince Helios bow their heads and give him a respectful greeting.
"""Greet us all on the Empire's main little Sun"""
Crown Prince Castor nodded briefly then looked towards Helios and patted her shoulders softly, "Helios, your sisters are right. We were given that education early on and because our brothers were little, they were both still too wary of it. Give them both time to get to know Miss Curt well, as time goes on if Miss Curt can be trusted and acknowledged by Blaze and Vivi, the two of them will also definitely receive Miss Curt well"
Prince Helios lowered his head and nodded.
Crown Prince Castor smiled and turned to look at Duke Curt.
"And for Duke, please forgive my two youngest sisters who have been disrespectful to you and your daughter, they are still too small and cannot filter their words and say what they think for granted" said Crown Prince Castor who bowed his head to Duke Curt.
"Good God, Your Highness the Crown Prince, don't bow your head to me! I understand and do not dispute this because Prince Blaze and Princess Vivi are indeed young" Duke Curt said in an uneasy tone.
The Crown Prince smiled faintly, "Thank you for your understanding and enjoy the party back"
After Crown Prince Castor said that, the people who surrounded us began to disperse.
"Bahhhh!!! Brother cool!!" Exclaimed Prince Blaze with eyes that sparkled in amazement.
And....
PLUTAKKK!!
Hard enough the Crown Prince hit Prince Blaze on the head.
"ARGH! SAKIIIT!!! Why am I being hit?!" Shouted Prince Blaze while holding his head which was struck by Crown Prince Castor.
"Heh, this is your punishment for being disrespectful to an older person!" Said the Crown Prince who replied to Prince Blaze's shout.
"Hiks... Bad brother! Then if this is my punishment why isn't Vivi in the law?!" Asked Prince Blaze who made my body stiffen.
The Crown Prince looked at me and put on a thinking pose, "Hmm.... True too... Vivi was also being disrespectful so it should be legal as well"
Uh oh's... I'll be hit too?
I felt the Crown Prince's hand begin to draw closer towards my body and I closed my eyes tightly, preparing to receive the pain from Crown Prince Castor that Prince Blaze had received earlier.
But suddenly I felt my little body lift up and make me open my eyes again.
I saw the Crown Prince raising my body with both hands and holding me and kissing my cheek gently.
"It's Vivi's punishment, Vivi must accompany your Castor sister during Vivi's birthday party" Crown Prince Castor said with a gentle smile.
I looked at her gentle smile....
Crown Prince Castor's long-cherished soft smile. A smile that always makes me feel warm and comfortable....
"DANISH?! CASTOR'S SISTER CHEATED! I'M THE ONE WHO MADE VIN FIRST! AND ALSO, WHY AM I PUNISHED EVEN AT HIT?!!" Shouted Prince Blaze in a tone of disbelief.
The Crown Prince held out his tongue while mocking Blaze, "Bwee... It would be your own fault that Vivi was being disrespectful like this"
Wait for... Wasn't I the first to be disrespectful huh?
"Eh?! I'm not the one who taught Vivi that!" Prince Blaze's still-visible protest was unacceptable.
"No, no, but you've set a bad example for Vivi. All right, Vivi, let's just leave your Blaze brother" Crown Prince Castor said, then started walking away from Prince Blaze, who was still holding me.
"Hey! Hey!!! Don't leave me~ Ish! Brother Castor always takes a chance in narrowness! Don't take Vivi away!!!" Exclaimed Prince Blaze who then ran small to chase after the two of us.
I smiled at the behavior of both of them.
Without me realizing it was a smile that emerged from the bottom of my heart, not a fake smile that I had been showing them after I returned to the past.
I knew this feeling would not last long, but somehow my little heart started to hope again, hopefully they would never change like in my previous life....
Although I knew it was an empty hope because one day their attitude towards me would change after the arrival of Emira who entered into the lives of all of us.