I Will Avoid The Death Flag [It's Published]
11. I am the Princess

"Serethy."

When I returned to the party floor, Viten was already looking at me sharply behind his red irises.

Viten then glared at Sir Derick who was walking beside me lightly. Sir Derick bowed briefly at Viten.

"I'm looking for you everywhere" Viten said in annoyance.

"I think the Princess was kidnapped!" Then someone took his stage after appearing behind Viten. "And it's true that the Princess has been kidnapped by Sir Derick" Axel said.

"I don't understand what you're saying, Young Master Axel." Sir Derick smiled innocently as if he had never taken me to the balcony for half an hour.

Viten sighed. "I thought you were being bullied by noble ladies and would be poisoned."

Hey, heyh. Isn't that thought too wild? Was it because of the battle with Matria, that Asher King lost one of the bolts on his head?

"Where might such a thing happen, Your Majesty," I said with a smile that made Viten frown. "No one would dare to do that to the Princess, right?"

"Huh." Viten grunts amusedly. "Do what you want today."

"Well, of course I will."

Viten only sighed and left after saying that there was business in the private room. So that leaves only Sir Derick and Axel by my side.

For Viten, maybe this party was a shitty business meeting. I sympathized a little with him but ended up ignoring him.

I then walked towards the table full of snacks, followed by the obedient Sir Derick and Axel who were somehow following.

"Daughter, how about a walk to the park? Isn't it really that stifling inside?" axel asked and took the wine glass from the tray the waiter offered.

I cringe.

Parkland.

Hearing it from Axel's mouth gave me goosebumps because I immediately imagined the scene of Axel's torture on Serethy for the first time to have the same place, which is in the park.

"I've been away with Sir Derick before, so leaving the party again would be impolite" I said making Sir Derick's smile widen.

Axel sighed, then took a slow sip of wine. "But it will be with Sir Derick, I want the Princess to go with me."

"Listen to me, Young Master Axel. I don't like forced men."

Axel looked pouted. "You initially dislike troublemakers and alcoholics, then forcers? I've reduced my intention to alcohol, you know, Princess."

I cringed at Axel's statement. "What does this have to do with me?"

"Didn't the Princess hate a private barbarian like me? That's why I want to change."

For real. I have absolutely no idea why this troublemaker would be willing to do that. Though clearly in the novel, he could not live without alcohol. However, now he reduced the intention to drink alcohol for me? It feels unbelievable.

I forced a smile on Axel. "I appreciate your intentions, Young Master Axel. But make that change for yourself, don't do it for someone else."

"Mr Daughter is kind" murmured Sir Derick who made me frown even more.

I decided to ignore the two men behind me, while I was busy with snacks. Although I was a little annoyed by Axel's blank look and Sir Derick's constant muttering.

"Look at that, the Princess is surrounded by great people."

I instantly sharpened my sense of hearing when a young lady started a gossip session with her social friend.

"Really! Doesn't the Princess look cheap?"

"Yes, Miss Julia is right. It was the same as the rumor when the Princess offered her own body to draw people to her side."

"Geez, that deed was, wasn't it, so despicable."

Just ignore. Ignore.

I'm busy eating these fancy sweet snacks instead of having to be busy listening to their crap.

"Mr Princess, how about going to the balcony again?" ask Sir Derick.

I smiled internally. Sir Derick always noticed how I felt when the gossip about me spread.

"They're very disrespectful. Don't they know what happened to Miss Clare?" axel said indifferently.

"If the Princess is disturbed"

"It's okay, Sir Derick, Young Master Axel." I raised my hand to prevent the two men from talking. "I'll face them."

"But Princess, I can't let Princess be hurt anymore."

I raised my eyebrows when I saw Sir Derick's guilty look in both of his eyes. Was the man thinking about the incident that Miss Clare and I had at the time where Sir Derick couldn't do anything?

How soft.

"I'm fine, Sir Derick," I said softly. "I was just confused then, so I couldn't respond to Miss Clare clearly. But this time it's different. Don't worry and look at me from here, Sir Derick. You want to, right?"

"I would like to, Princess."

I nearly rolled my eyeballs at Axel's sudden reply, but held back.

Sir Derick also looked annoyed at Axel, but faced me firmly. "I'll be here, Princess."

"That's great." I lift a smile. "Include me with your sister later, yes, Sir Derick."

Sir Derick's expression was getting brighter. "Sure, Princess!"

I then approached a group of young ladies who were whispering to each other as I approached them. And for the sake of the Sun God in this novel, their whispers sounded clear to the point that it was useless to whisper to each other.

When I was right in front of them, they greeted me politely.

"It's nice to meet you, Princess," said one of the people in the group, followed by her three friends.

"It's nice to meet you too" I said with a smile, but my eyes were cold.

"I'm sorry I haven't introduced myself, Princess." The young lady with golden hair seemed to shine behind her three minions who looked like crumbs of cake. "My name is Lucette Mirele, the second daughter of Count Mirele."

Then three others introduced themselves.

I almost snorted when I heard the name Lucette Mirele. How could I not know that name?

It was the same name as the person who always poured wine into Clare's glass whenever he saw Serethy being whipped. The two of them then enjoyed the wine while listening to Serethy scream.

You could say, Lucette was the one who always followed Clare in the back. Although Clare herself only looked at Lucette as her personal tool who was willing to do anything for Clare.

"It's nice to meet you guys" I said politely. "I'm sure I don't need to introduce myself because the rumors about me are spreading fast, right?"

Lucette chuckled as she covered her mouth with a folding fan. "Mr Princess is right. How could no one not know the Princess? If anything, how could they possibly call themselves Asher's people?"

Ho, the condescending eyes that I so desperately wanted to break.

"That's right, Miss Lucette."

"Ah, I also heard rumors about how good the Princess is to release Miss Clare from all punishment?"

"The rumors are true. I revoked all punishment for Miss Clare because Her Majesty punished Miss Clare excessively."

"No, no. Miss Clare was only consumed by emotions to the point of hurting me."

Lucette shut her mouth. "That the Princess is Miss Clare hurting the Princess? How come! That sassy thing!"

"It's okay, Miss Lucette. I'm fine."

"Mr Princess must have been devastated." Lucette sighed sadly. Then the three minions immediately said bad things about Clare.

I grunt. They have two thick faces.

"I have an idea, Princess. What if the Princess and I become friends?" hatch Lucette.

I raised my eyebrows and smiled. "Good idea."

"Well, thank you very much, Princess!To celebrate, how about a toast?" Lucette called the waiter with her fingers, and the waiter came and served a wine glass.

Lucette took two glasses of wine and gave one of them to me. I accept it with pleasure.

Clangs.

Two glasses of wine toast, making a loud noise before being slightly gulped.

"Miss Lucette, I'm thrilled to be your friend. You are my first friend."

Lucette smirked vilely, she then approached me with a wine glass. Slowly, her hand tilted the wine glass and spilled its contents on top of my dress. We were so close that no one would know which side spilled the wine glasses. "That's right, Princess. I am very honored to be the Princess' first friend. However, unfortunately, your dress is broken, Princess."

I could then hear Lucette's naughtiness and her three minions.

Well, I've guessed this.

Prangs.

The glass of wine in my hand fell to the floor when at the same time, I slapped Lucette's cheek.

Lucette fell down with her left cheek flushed. His face was empty and confused.

"How is that possible?" My voice echoed on the floor of the hall which became silent in just a few moments. "Young Miss from the Count family is so insolent to the Princess?"

I then lowered my head to grab Lucette's chin and gripped her tightly.

Lucette grimaced over my grip, then glared at me.

"Young Miss Lucette," called me coldly. "I am the Princess Asher. What you have done before is an insult to the Royal Family. Normally, people who insult the royal family will be beheaded immediately."

Whispers then filled the hall space intensely. While Lucette and her minions seem to be widening.

"That's a lie!" yell at one of Lucette's henchmen. "Mr Princess is just overrated. Young Miss Lucette just wants to be the Princess's friend, but the Princess-Lord"

"Am I being disrespectful?" I stared at the woman named Julia sharply. "That's what you want to say, isn't it, Miss Julia? Ah, how could an honorable young noble lady say such nonsense in public?"

"But it's not clear that the Princess has been disrespectful to Young Miss Lucette!"

"Are you saying that I'm the guilty one here? Then how are you going to explain about my dress?"

"Didn't the Princess spill the wine into the Princess's own dress?"

"Well, how could I possibly do that against a dress that is a pair outfit with His Majesty?" my many. "Ah, if you want a direct answer, why don't you ask the culprit directly?"

My hand went up, then pulled Lucette's golden hair. "Young Miss Lucette, are you the one who spilled wine on my dress?"

Lucette grinned little. "No, Princess. I didn't spill wine into the Princess's dress."

The whispers of the nobles are airborne again.

I'm clucking. "Lying to the royal family will incur a very severe punishment, Young Miss Lucette."

"But isn't it the Princess who insulted my pride here? Why did the Princess say as if you were the victim?"

I sighed sadly, then let go of Lucette. "How could Miss Lucette say such a thing? That hurt me, Miss Lucette. I just want Miss Lucette to be my friend. However, Miss Lucette does not want to be close to a former prisoner of war.

"I also realized that I was just a former prisoner of war, but I was also originally a royal family from the Matria Kingdom. How could I dare to tarnish the pride of a noble young lady in Asher Kingdom when I had not known Miss Lucette at first? Ah, I'm so sad about Miss Lucette's lies."

I pretended to wipe the corner of my reddened eye. Meanwhile, the whispers of nobles began to air.

"That's right, the Princess didn't know anyone at this party, so for what purpose did the Princess hurt Miss Lucette's pride?"

"Isn't Miss Lucette the only person who hurt the Princess's pride?"

"I heard that Miss Lucette was angry because of her good friend, Miss Clare was given severe punishment by Her Majesty."

"Although the Princess is a former prisoner of war, the Princess is the Princess in the Kingdom of Matria. So the possibility of the Princess being disrespectful was almost zero."

"It's Miss Lucette's fault that's bothering the Princess, isn't it?"

"Miss Lucette is so disrespectful."

"It can be said that Miss Lucette is just an attention-seeker."

"Isn't the rumor spreading in the county also Miss Lucette who never got the attention of her family?"

"Ah, so that's why Miss Lucette is seeking attention now."

I silently grinned. Every evil that should have been directed at me, is now turning to Lucette.

Lucette who was still sitting with a messy appearance started glaring at me ferociously.

"Sir Derick," call me.

Sir Derick who was in the corner of my eye immediately approached me. "What if the Princess returns to the palace first? The Princess looks fucked."

"That's right." I then approached the Marchioness Elysa who was watching our exciting drama. "Marchioness."

"Y-Yes, Princess?"

For some reason, the Marchioness looked nervous.

"It's an amazing party, thanks for inviting me here. I got a lot of fun to get from your party."

"I'm honored to hear your praise of my feast, Princess."

"But unfortunately, I had to leave the party early. I know I'm not polite, but ...."

"It's okay, Princess! Please return to the palace because your appearance is so messed up." The Marchioness then bowed. "Thank you for attending my party, Princess."

"Together, Marchioness." I smiled at the Marchioness before passing by the woman.

As I walked, the noble in front of me automatically pulled over and slightly bowed to me.

I was happy to be able to teach Lucette a little lesson, as well as being able to make the nobles' opinions of me rise.

"You've done your best, Princess," praised Sir Derick behind my back.

"Of course, Sir Derick. I'm the Princess."