Princess Altrelia
17: Alstrelia

On the same day, in the evening, the three of them gathered in a workspace owned by Alrescha.

“Tell me what you really know.” Alrescha's orders to a servant are none other than Lena. She demands an answer to Lena who is the personal servant of her sister, which is Alstrelia.

What was the reason, because after getting the latest report from Elbert, then Alrescha really told Lena to come to his workspace. 

And there, Alrescha, Elbert, and Lena were sitting together in the same room.

“As long as you are honest with me, I will not punish you. Although it depends on the situation and what actually happened.” Alrescha said to Lena, so that Lena would answer the question without any lies.

“ Lena swallowed her own saliva as she looked into the eyes of her master who was really so looking forward to her honest answer. It was a gaze that felt cold as ice, and coincidentally the same Lena had also felt the same from Altrelia. 

“I've heard some information from Elbert, so I also want you to help prove the truth of what I've been expecting. If Altrelia who is here is not actually my real sister, right?” Elrescha really made Lena cornered, and inevitably had to answer her question as well as her orders earlier.

“M-sorry young master.” 

“I don't want to hear your apology now Lena.” sidelines Alrescha in that second as well. Makes Lena even more nervous to say it.

“I-iya! I will tell you the truth.” said Lena. “Actually the Miss Altrelia I serve is not the real Miss Altrelia.”

“What? Lena, then why do you keep serving him that fake?” Elbert did not understand.

“Elbert.” Call Alrescha, warning Elbert not to rush emotions. “Let Lena explain it first.”

“But lord-” Elbert instantly lost his words after getting a pretty cold stare from his young master. 

“.............”

“M-forgive me Lena.” Said Elbert to Lena who had expressed fear of it.

“S-I was wrong really, you deserve to scold me.” But Lena kept trying to be patient, and knowing her own position as Miss Altrelia's personal servant, Lena was completely unable to take care of her.

“Disregard that, tell me frankly from the beginning of the incident to where you found the woman and to the point of bringing her here.” Alrescha orders again to Lena.

“Good, I will tell you from the beginning.” 

On a night where the moon was much brighter than usual, it would be the day that the two of them got one big secret as well as a great tragedy as well.

_________________

Flashback.

That morning, the Alstrelia Lena served was already fully wearing the dress her sister had chosen.

“Nona, you look prettier today. Even miss Arsela lost beautiful with you.” Praise Lena to the long black haired woman, who she just danced so beautiful and matched with a pink dress that had wrapped the slender body of her miss, namely Altrelia.

Alstrelia continued to stare at herself from the reflection of the huge mirror that was in front of her. From head to toe, he really has a different appearance than he usually does.

Her black hair remained on the sidelines, but Lena gave her accessories such as hairpins and other headdresses. On both ears are decorated long earrings white like water drops that are a set with necklaces, bracelets and rings.

Although his appearance did change, but not with the look of his face that still showed an expressionless face.

“Why is the dress pink?” after a moment of silence, Altrelia finally opened her voice.

“It was because of the young master who chose it for you. Your choice of brother is indeed very classy.”

Alstrelia stared at the ring that was already coiling on her middle finger. “Is it included with a set of this jewelry?”

“Your guess is right once.” Lena answered so clearly.

“Lena.” Call Altrelia in a soft tone. Altrelia twisted her body backwards, so she came face to face with her personal servant. His face was flat, but not with his eyes narrowing to hold back the tears.

“Nona, what's wrong? Why are you sad?” Lena asked with a worried face when she saw the corner of Altrelia's eyes had started to show water droplets.

“Do you know, I actually hate white, pink, yellow, all bright colors, I hate all that. But he, deliberately gave me the color that I hated the most from the other colors.” replied Altrelia.

“...................!” Lena immediately gasped with her mistress who for the first time expressed her hatred not with an angry expression, but rather a deep sadness.

Lena who heard the words from her lady immediately became heartbroken as well. Lena feels a crush with Miss Altrelia who finally expresses her feelings for the first time to her.

It has been 3 years Lena worked as his personal servant Miss Altrelia, but from that short period of time, not once did she hear Miss Altrelia express her feelings like that.

“Then I....., actually did not like sister getting engaged that fast.” added Altrelia with a wry smile.

DEG!

Lena was surprised. She did not know that her missus would utter her dislike towards others until such a thing. 

“Then why didn't miss just say it to your sister?” Lena clasped the trembling hand of Altrelia.

“I don't dare Lena.” Alstrelia replied with her head already starting to bow.

Lena who saw the state of Miss Altrelia who looked slumped it made her heart even more sick. 

If you leave it like that, Lena's more guilty. Lena also tried to persuade her employer.

“If it is like that, let me accompany you to say it right now.” Persuade Lena. “There is still another hour and a half before the show starts, we go find the young master and talk about your feelings to him.”

But what did Lena get?

It made Lena shed her tears.

“Lena! I told you I didn't dare!” Alstrelia exclaimed with tears already broken and flowing down her cheeks. “This cowardly me did not dare to speak to my brother who always looked cold like he hated me. Let him have his own happiness! I don't want him to hate me more if I mess up the engagement they've both been waiting for.” Alstrelia's rag.

“Nona~” Lena ended up both crying and immediately hugged Altrelia quite tightly. “If it is like that, come on, now miss change her other clothes.”

“Is there a blue one?” Alstrelia asked in a whispering tone.

“It just so happens that I have actually ordered a blue dress for you. Because I think the color is beautiful with the color of your eyes, so I still keep it in the closet.” said Lena.

Lena, who was also saddened by the concern of Miss Altrelia who harbored more of her feelings, decided to change the theme of makeup and clothes that had been worn by Altrelia with other clothes.

The clothes that Lena ordered all day.

“Nona wait here.” Pinta Lena to Astltrelia who is wiping her tears with a handkerchief that Lena has given to her.

“.................”

Lena then went out of the room to the next room where all the clothes from the most luxurious class to simple, hanging neatly according to the class. 

Even jewelry, shoes, hair accessories, everything is there too.

While Lena keeps the dress she ordered, in one of the glass cabinets. Lena hurriedly picked it up, and looked for jewelry that matched the dress, as well as not forgetting her shoes.

“Ah..! Where is the blue diamond necklace and ring?” Lena was completely confused by her own work. 

She did find a lot of jewelry, and moreover blue in color there were actually a few found. But what Lena saw did not suit her mind. 

After five minutes passed, Lena finally knew where the blue jewelry set was located, which was on top of the closet.

“Ish! How can it be on top?” Lena complained because it was quite high, and made her have to ride with a chair.

“Lena, what are you doing up the chair?”

The voice immediately made Lena turn her head back. “Anders?”

The man in the knight uniform immediately went to Lena who had climbed onto the chair.

“It so happens, help grab the box that is on top of it.” Lena pointed to a small box that was on top of the closet.

“You told me?”

“Well, you came here because you were wondering what I was doing, right? Well that's what I want to take.” Lena answered carelessly. He did not call this knight sir, or master because the two of them had indeed known each other, and could be said to be close enough to make him call his name directly.

With a faint smile, Anders replaced Lena to climb onto the chair and pick up a small box, which when Anders opened, was a set of jewels.

“Why is this expensive jewelry on top of the closet?” anders asked as he handed the box to Lena who was already carrying the blue dress behind her back.

“I myself don't know either. Come down, help me bring those shoes.” Lena pointed at the shoe box that was on the table.

“To tell me this and that, what do I get after all this is done?” In his opinion, Anders went down and walked to the table where the shoebox was already there.

“That's thinking lately, I need to quickly change miss's clothes right now.” Ketus Lena's. He was not being asked a question that made him have to think twice, because half of his brain was being used to work how to make Miss Altrelia no longer sad.

“...................”

After getting everything Lena needed to make over her miss again, Lena along with the knight Anders instantly came out in a hurry.

But just as the two of them were about to enter, Lena accidentally saw someone who to Lena was similar to Miss Altrelia walking out.

“Why do we stop?” Anders asked confusedly.

“Nona!” Shouted Lena.

Lena hurriedly walked into Altrelia's room without knocking on the door, and was followed by Anders.

As Lena thought earlier, Lena immediately threw away the dress she had brought onto the mattress carelessly, and placed the jewelry box on the floor.

“Lena!” Call Anders who saw Lena just left without any explanation.

“Let it, we have to catch up miss!” Lena's orders to Anders.

Anders immediately put the shoebox on the floor and ran away from the room to overtake Lena who had run first.

“What were you yelling at earlier is miss?” Ask Anders.

“Iya! I'm sure it is!” Lena replied firmly.

Anders who saw the glare of Lena's eyes so serious it immediately thought that this time there was nothing with Miss Altrelia who he knew it.

‘What is really going on? Lena, she also looks like she just cried.’ Thought Anders, when his feet were still trying to match Lena who was running fast.

The anxiety in Lena's heart really peaked when she could really figure out the contents of Miss Altrelia's heart being served that really wanted a family affection.

But the only family left, namely Alsrescha who is none other than the older brother of Altrelia instead chose to occupy himself in his work as the head of the Fisher duke family.

Until where, the time passed that really brought Alrescha to make Arsela became Alrescha's fiance, when Alrescha himself was still young, which is 19 years.

That's why, Lena knew the pain of her heart that Altrelia had.

Because the only sister that Altrelia had, she would soon leave him.

Alrescha's affection is fully reflected in his future fiancee who will certainly become his wife, become a family and then have children with his wife.

And then in the end?

Alstrelia thought it was the end of a family relationship between brother and sister. Because of course, Alrescha will be more attentive and more loving to his wife, especially if the brother really already has children with his wife.

Then it was the end of everything that Altrelia had right now.

'Miss definitely thinks she'll be alone.' Think Lena. 

Lena wasn't sure what was going on with her current miss, but surely Lena had to look for her until she could. He did not want everyone to know that Miss Altrelia, who usually prefers to be in the mansion, could disappear.

'Even if I didn't know very well what kind of past she had as a child to make her not have a glimmer of happiness in her eyes, I would still be by the lady's side no matter what.'