Casimir explained to their parents what transpired last night and what happened to Adira.

Silfor was burning with fury and clutched his sword, on the ready to stomp out of the room when he discovers who the bastard was and torture them to death.

And, Andrea didn't care to stop her husband. She was even willing to assist him if need be.

Casimir obviously noticed the animosity enveloping the two elders and he does not plan to stop them from dealing with the person but he tried to convince them to leave it to him.

Partly because he wanted the first blood but mostly because that's what his bride wanted.

It took a while before the elders decided to trust his words but they did. If anything, they'll just have to renegotiate after he brings in the culprit.

The king, Anastasius, trusted Casimir and left it in his hands. Also, it's his bride who was harmed and as a fellow man he knew no one can stop him from exacting his payback.

"You have my utmost gratitude, Your Majesty, Father, Fa—Duke and Duchess Sylveris."

Casimir bowed respectfully before they were excused and took Adira with him, much to the chagrin of the Duke Sylveris.

He wanted to spend time with Adira for a while before she has to leave for her home back at the Sylveris fief again—before they are separated for miles again.

They were walking around the garden silently. Adira wasn't talking and was just hanging her head. He thought that maybe she was still depressed about the incident so he tried to cheer her up.

"Adira." He called and she muzzily turned to him before he slipped a flower on her ear that took her off guard.

"You look better with a smile."

His gaze was full of worry, warmth and love that Adira, who was thinking about what to do to improve herself, froze for a few seconds before blushing at Casimir's flirting skills suddenly kicking in.

"Goodness, Casey. What am I gonna do?" She mumbled under her breath and, of course, Casimir didn't let it slip his hearing.

His senses were always dialed to the eleven when it's Adira.

"Smile." He answered, completely misinterpreting her affliction.

"Of course, your highness." She teased him and smirked before a wild idea popped in her head and she smiled oh so brilliantly—whilst mischievously.

"Casey! Let's run away!"

"Okay."

How can you answer that quickly without giving it much thought?

...

With Adira's crazy idea, she made Casimir change into more casual clothes and even made him try different disguises but his regality couldn't be hidden so they just did without disguises.

If anything, the townspeople will just have to see their prince going out on a date with his fiancee. No big deal.

They went to town and had fun—supposed to be like normal couples but they were attracting too much attention.

"Wow, no matter where you put Casey, he rises above everyone else, huh?" She spoke her thoughts aloud and stared at the gorgeous man standing beside her, in front of a fruit stand, and admired his beauty.

"I wonder if this beauty is taken?" She mused and Casimir craned his head towards her, still being indifferent and without a care but, then suddenly smiled brassily.

"Sorry, I have a bride."

"No!!! You're mine so you can't take that bride! You can only choose me! Dump her right now! Right now!" She whined coquettishly and silly and it should be shameful for a noble to do that but Casimir was going along with her.

Please don't come here just to feed me unnecessary dog food! Ah! I want a bride as well!

The storekeeper cried in his heart while watching these two amazingly eye-catching couple feeding him too much dog food it'll last him a week.

While the both of them were being silly despite the large amount of eyes on them, a particular gaze bore holes into them and were already ripping them apart hundreds of times.

She walked close to them and breathed deep before quickly wearing a worried gaze.

"Lady Sylveris! You're alright! Oh! And your highness is here!" Iris quickly curtseyed before turning back to Adira once again worriedly asked her condition.

"I heard someone tried to hurt you last night! I'm so glad you're looking better now, Lady Sylveris. I was very worried. We all were when his highness and I finished dancing and we couldn't find you!"

You just had to remind me of that, did you?

"Why thank you, Lady Latifolia. That is so sweet of you. I'm very sorry that you had to be my replacement for the dance though.

His majesty and I, we were very taken with our conversation that we forgot the time and the people around. I suppose my fiancee treated you with care?"

Adira politely spoke as she artfully emphasized some of the important points in her speech that'll give this lady a clue to which side she stands—coyly clinging onto Casimir's arms.

"Of course, Lady Sylveris. His highness was so kind and sweet that I had the best night of my life." Iris retorted as calmly as she could and flagrantly glance towards Casimir.

"Is that so? My man is just too charming, isn't he? Sadly, this beauty's taken though. He even refused me." Adira said with a gloating expression and turned to wink at Casimir who felt an arrow strike through his chest.

"Who did you say it was again?"

"My bride." Casimir readily replied and grabbed the lady's hand before planting a yearning kiss on them and smiled oh so captivatingly.

"You jest, your highness. Weren't you gonna dump her for this *handsome me?" Adira playfully struck his chest and batted her eyelashes at him, stabbing more arrows into his enraptured heart.

Acting as if she forgot they had an audience, Adira jolted and turned to Iris again with an apologetic yet subtly mocking look—elegantly covering her mouth as if she was shocked from her behavior.

"Oh dear, excuse me for my rudeness, Lady Latifolia. We're just naturally playful when it's just the two of us."

Open your eyes wide, Iris. There's no place for you here. I will never allow you to take Casey from me. I won't let what happened from the past life happen again. I'm fighting for my rightful spot now.

"Not at all, Lady Sylveris. I should be the one who begs your pardon, I didn't mean to intrude in your alone time.

Well, if you'll excuse me. Father must be looking for me now. Good day, Your Highness, Lady Sylveris." She said and curtseyed before sauntering off.

Adira could clearly see the annoyance she desperately hid to the point that she had to withdraw before she fails to keep it up. Failing to hide her victorious and haughty smile, Casimir asked her,

"You don't like her?"

"Which woman would like another girl who's seducing her man?" Adira, looking very upset and irritated, glowered at Casimir and crossed her arms across her chest like a very, very angry wife.

And that oddly aroused something in Casimir.

"Are you jealous?" Casimir, strangely joyous and pleased with Adira's fiery temper, asked with a wide smile.

However, this smile only caused Adira's temper to flare up before a dangerous look glinted sharply in her ashen eyes as if it could burn Casimir to cinders and answered,

"So what if I am?"

Notes:
*No, they're not cross dressing. Adira's being playful and purposely mixing things up.

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