What in the hell was that?

My eyes were wide as I tried to comprehend what I just saw.

Caiden asked Adailia for a dance.

Adilia de Perinius, the person who made my life hell was asked for a dance by my best friend - more like a brother who also knew how much I hated her.

Caiden was my best friend since we were five. I thought we were supposed to stand up for each other, fight against our enemies together. His enemies are my enemies and it goes vice-versa, but apparently, he doesn't get that.

"Care to explain what was that?" I asked him as soon as I saw him making his way towards me. Why would he ask Adailia out when he knows how many horrible things she has done to me and other people? Was he enchanted by her beauty?

"...No offence but you sound like a jealous girlfriend." Caiden said and chuckled but stopped when I glared at him. He knows that I'm just looking out for him (being the older one) and that this is serious, but still he needs to make his not-so-funny puns.

"What was what?" He asked.

"Why did you ask Adailia for a dance?"

"She just looked lonely and I knew nobody was going to ask her." He said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and it was.

"But that doesn't mean you go ask her!" I tried to explain him. He is too kind for his own good.

"You're right but... She looked like she really wanted to dance, so...."

"If she did want to dance that badly, she would have kept her pride aside and danced with you, not reject you." I said. It was obvious that she wanted to dance with me but was not asking because she was still on her 'playing hard to get' act, besides there is no way I was going to ask her.

"You're right.... But how did you know she rejected me?" Caiden asked and I had to roll my eyes.

"Because if she didn't, you two would have been on the dance floor." He is so dumb sometimes, I swear.

"Oh!" Caiden said as he just realised, "But she actually had a reason for not dancing with me."

I again rolled my eyes, "And what was that?"

"She said she had injured her foot on her way here."

I snorted.

Her foot will get all fine if I was the one to ask her for a dance.

"Come on Raashid, she isn't that evil."

She is that evil.

"I don't get why you and Mari have a soft spot for her."

Even though Mari doesn't show it, he obviously is trying to get her back to her senses for quite a while. But at least he isn't that dumb like Caiden and can see through her lies.

I was brought back from my thoughts when I heard someone clearing their throat.

"Sir Caiden." It was a pretty girl, blushing. I soon noticed that there was a swarm of girls surrounding Caiden, pushing each other out of their way.

Lucky bastard.

I thought as I secretly wished one of them would ask me too.

"Would you-" she was cut off when someone pushed her aside however Caiden caught her and said, "Now ladies, that was very rude."

All of the girls stopped moving and bit their tongues as the girl in Caiden's arms quickly asked her question, "Would you mind dancing with me?"

Caiden smiled and agreed as all the other girls started shooting death glares at the lucky girl.

I watched both of them made their way to the dance floor as jealousy crept within me.

I wanted to dance too, I wanted to date too and I wanted to attend the Royal Academy since the beginning just like any other normal person.

But a normal life was too much to ask with Adailia in it.

We were good friends when we were young but after some time, she just changed, getting all possessive, threatening and dangerous.

If she was not all that, then maybe, just maybe....... I wouldn't mind dating her.

I quickly snapped out of my thoughts.

Date her??

Looks like I'm slowly losing my mind.

She has done everything in order to ruin my life in the name of 'love'.

And I need my revenge. And so I am getting it.

Once I become the Emperor, I am going to demote her status to that of a commoner. She has done many illegal things and caused a tons of trouble. Besides she is the second child of the Archduke which makes her an illegitimate child (I'm definitely using that against her) She was fine as long as she had the Emperor's support but once I am the Emperor, no one, not even the Archduke can save her. She will suffer the hardships of common people. That was best I could come up with for now at least. And all that is needed is some amendments in the 'Book of Justice' and she is done for.

I looked for the pink-headed girl who was silently watching people dance.

Sigh. Only if she could've been a little normal.

Soon the music ended and both Caiden and Mari returned back where I was standing sipping a drink.

"Let's go give your greetings to everyone." Mari said.

"Okay. Mari and you go greet all the Mages first till I have a bite of that cake before those hungry girls finish it." Caiden said and made his way to the table while Mari whisper yelled behind him to not call him 'Mari'.

Mari started introducing me to a lot of mages and I exchanged greetings with almost all of them.

I avoided talking to lady mages after five of them fainted and thirteen of them got a nosebleed. I have no idea as to why that keeps happening. Mari said it was something related to me being handsome while Caiden explained that it must be some girly hormones. And I had to agree with Caiden, I'm not that handsome.

When Caiden returned after having a full meal we started our greetings to the knights and noblewomen.

Actually, most of the noblewomen were in knight faction cause the subjects taught to the knights and nobles were the same except all the males had the mandatory sparring lessons.

I avoided talking to Adailia but after I gave my greetings to all of them I had no choice but to exchange greetings with Adailia.

As I approached Adailia, I saw her having a conversation with a beautiful lady in a yellow dress. I quickly whispered to Caiden, "Who is that lady?"

He looked at the lady beside Adailia and frowned for a second before his eyes widened in realisation, "Seanna? Woah! She looks different."

Seanna? I think I've heard her name somewhere.

Isn't she Adailia's companion?

My lips twitched and formed a smirk.

"Greetings Lady Seanna, are you having a pleasant evening?" I asked with a smile.

Everyone looked shocked and Caiden elbowed me in the ribs which I ignored.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Caiden whisper yelled.

I exactly knew what I'm doing.

It's rude to wish the companion before the noble. And I don't mind being rude when it comes to Adailia.

I wanted to see Adailia's reaction when I wished Seanna first. She must be enraged but she can't do much since it's her companion, basically her family. They are best friends like me Caiden and Mari after all.

But when I saw Seanna's face I knew I was wrong.

She looked like someone just murdered a person in front of her and I caught her trembling.

Ha! I knew Adailia was a lunatic but I didn't know she was like that with her companion as well. They should be like sisters. But looking at Seanna's complexion it was obvious that Seanna was no excuse for her torments.

Adailia is truly despicable.

I stole a quick glance at Adailia to see her surprised expression, then she looked like she finally got what's going on.

She took long strides towards me and I was shocked to see what she did next.

She stuck to Caiden by his arm and with a bright smile she said, "Sir Caiden, don't you think the weather is just perfect tonight?"

"Oh! Ah- yes." Caiden replied with a smile (and I light blush, might I add) after recovering from the initial shock.

"How about we take a walk outside?" Adailia said smiling and damn, I didn't like to admit it but she looked beautiful.

"Ah- that would've been nice but I don't want lady Adailia to put stress on her already injured feet." He said with an apologetic smile, becoming redder each passing second.

I don't blame him. Adailia was pretty after all.

"Oh! Don't worry a little walk won't hurt my feet." She waved him off and started to nudge him towards the exit door but he didn't budge and shot me a panicked look.

He probably didn't get why she was suddenly acting like this, neither did I not her companion who just stood frozen on the spot.

"Oh come on!" She pressed and Caiden finally gave way and the two of them left Seanna and I alone by ourselves.

Why was she suddenly acting like this?

She also greeted Caiden the last time and has been smiling at him very often.

Then realization struck me.

She was interested in Caiden.

She probably realised that I am not going to budge and planned on getting with Caiden and harassing him later on.

Now, I don't know if I should be happy that I finally got that lunatic off my back or be sad that she is now stuck to my best friend.

No! Caiden is too good of a guy for her. He deserves someone way better.

I need to know what she is planning.

My eyes met Seanna's who quickly looked away. I took in her appearance. She had a really beautiful face and picturesque features and she wore a pretty yellow dress. A revealing pretty yellow dress.

Eww. I don't get why all the ladies need to wear so many revealing clothes. But what did I expect from her? She is Adailia's best friend after all.

Honestly, because of Adailia, revealing clothes have become a total turn off for me.

Then a question struck me.

"Do you not have a nice relationship with Adailia?" I asked her and she quickly replied, "uh- N-No it's not like that."

Uh-huh. I didn't expect her to tell me anyway. But I don't think they must have that bad of a relationship seeing that they were conversing and eating together pretty normally earlier. Besides all the conversations I've had with the Archduke, he seemed to add Seanna in it (not as frequently as he adds Adailia) a few times, praising her, that must mean she was treated nicely in the Perinus Mansion. She must have panicked after seeing me wish her first.

"Then why did you look so terrified earlier when I greeted you?" I pressed on.

"Umm... You're highness I apologize if come off as rude but..... I was plainly surprised since it was out of the norms. And Lady Adailia is quite sensitive when it comes to his highness." She said.

Hmm....That's true.

"..... Don't you think she is acting weird, lately?" I asked her. She lives at the mansion with Adailia and her family, I'm pretty sure she'll know.

"Uhhh... That's not my place to say."

"That's an order." I demanded.

She gulped and reluctantly opened her mouth, "I can't say anything since Lady Adailia has been spending very less time at home for the past few weeks. She left for the library immediately after breakfast and came home directly for dinner."

What??! So she's been spending all her time in the library?! No wonder I always ran into her no matter what time of the day.

"What's Archduke doing? Doesn't he know his daughter's case?" I muttered irritatingly. She blew up a house last year and before that, she has been threatening people to stay away from me.

"The archduke sent ten knights and five fire soldiers for her safety."

Oh. So the Archduke does know that his daughter is a nutcase.

"Good." I said, "But do you think she is planning something?"

Seanna thought for a minute before answering, " I don't really know. Lady Adailia genuinely seemed to enjoy reading."

I nodded and we departed ways.

Everyone seemed to say Adailia was planning nothing and that may be true.

But I just don't get why she is acting this weird.

And that makes me even more curious to figure it out.