"....!?" Rulias looked at her, completely stunned. He took another mouthful of water and coughed.

He tried to get up multiple times, but Angelina would keep stepping on his head, making him fall back into the lake.

"You! Don't you know what will happen if other people f-found..cough cough!" Rulias once again was stomped on.

"You really irritate me. I can't help but feel disgusted looking at your lovestruck eyes towards my 'sister' " Angelina scorned.

"You! So you do have something against Eve!"

"Eve? Seems too intimate. Expesially towards a young lady who I engaged. Who do you think you are." Angelina stomped on his head once more. Then, to Rulias's relief, Angelina decided it was about time she stopped.

She should focus her attention to how to cover this up. It only took her a few seconds to come up with an idea.

Angelina ruffled her hair lightly. Making it look slightly messy.

While she was doing that, Rulias attempted to get out of the lake. But it was proved to be difficult since he kept slipping.

'now what can i do to make myself look hurt..?' Angelina pondered. Messy hair wasn't convincing enough. It needed to look more believable.

Just as she was thinking this, she felt something cold touch her face, and neck.

'what the...' Angelina assumed It was due to the cold night breeze. But...

The very next second, her eyes followed the drop of blood that trickled down, from her nose to her chin.

Her body stiffened and froze in place. Why was her nose bleeding...?

She raised her right arm to rub away the blood, but it kept running down her nose endlessly.

"W-what..." Rulias, who was finally able to get on land, widened his eyes in shock, and felt his spine shiver with fright.

Angelina, a second ago was completely fine. But now her nose was bleeding, and she had a hand mark around her neck.

But he wasn't the only one shocked. Angelina was as confused and stunned as he was.

Before this strange occurrence, her idea was merely using 'The Traveling Soul' to control Rulias. To make him hit her. But now...it seemed that was no longer needed...

However Angelina felt anything but calm and relief. How did she suddenly end up like this? It couldn't be that the wind was helping her! Right...?

*****************

"Lady Rienne, wasn't lady Angelina with you...? Where is she now?" One of the ladies sitting at their table asked.

Rienne doesn't really visit the palace that often. So it took her a while to find her way back to the banquet hall.

"Um...she decided to stay there for a while. She said she needed some alone time to relax..." Rienne panted as she told them the lie she came up with.

She truly didn't know why Angelina chose to stay back. But knowing her, she probably had a reason.

"But where is brother Rulias? Didn't he follow you two...? My sister has only just debuted recently, it wouldn't be good for her to be seen all with..." Evelina cautiously said.

Rienne immediately frowned. Was Evelina trying to twist the story!?

"Lady Evelina says that, but don't you hang around with multiple men?" Arianna covered the part of her face with a fan and revealed a smirk underneath it.

"Hahah! Yeah. Stop trying to make lady Angelina seem bad! When your the true shameless woman!" One of the ladies scoffed.

"Lady Evelina truly is a good sister. She cares so much of lady Angelina. Unfortunately I don't think lady Angelina feels the same." Another lady couldn't stop herself from chuckling.

"My...lady Evelina is such a sweet lady. No wonder those men constantly fly around you. Spewing praise and words of worship."

"Lady Evelina. There's no need to be too concerned. I don't believe lady Angelina is your type of person.."

The ladies continued to mock and insult Evelina. It seemed she had chosen the wrong table to sit with.

The lady who brought Evelina here, could only lower her head and stay silent.

She is merely the daughter of a viscount. She can't bear to offend the other ladies, who were of much better status.

"You know what...I need to go..." Rienne muttered before heading back towards the garden. She didn't like the feeling of leaving Angelina with Rulias. She was afraid something might happen.

"Huh? Lady Rienne....!? Where are you going...?" Alice called for her. But could only helplessly watch as Rienne's back view went farther and farther.

******************

Rienne rushed to the garden. Something didn't feel right for her. It was unusually quiet.

She slowed down her pace and stopped to pay attention. No sound at all. Did they go somewhere...?

She thought the two would be arguing with each other. But why does it seem so peaceful. It was so peaceful that it was strange.

At that moment, it felt like the whole world became a ghost town. Only the sounds of her foot crushing the grass could be heard.Not even the loud chatters and music from the hall could be heard.

As Rienne got closer and closer to the lake, the music from the banquet seemed to fade away.

"Lina...?" Rienne called out to Angelina, only to see weak figure.

"Oh my gosh...." When Angelina turned around to look at her, Rienne screamed.

"Rienne...?" Rulias turned to look at her before shifting his gaze towards Angelina. He knew this looked bad.

Compared to him, Angelina's condition looked worse. What happened could easily be understood.

He had been trying to apologies to Rienne. But she kept avoiding him. Now, their rotting friendship could become even worse.

"Lina! What happened" of course Rienne ran to Angelina first.

"....." Angelina was still slightly startled by Rienne's sudden appearence, but she had to start her act.

Angelina quickly changed her expression and forced tears to stream down her face.

"R-Rienne, i-im not too s-sure either...he suddenly came up and attacked me!" Angelina cried with her hand pointed to Rulias's direction.

"What!?" Rienne widened her eyes as anger and disbelief filled her heart. She didn't suspect Angelina was lying at all. Angelina's bleeding nose and neck, that had a hand mark around it, made her instantly believe her.

"What!? She.. she's lying!" Rulias stuttered. Why did heir roles switch suddenly? Wasn't he the one who was just almost drowned!?

"Rulias you brute! How could you!" Rienne screamed while holding Angelina.

"Heh..." Covered by Rienne's shouts, no one could hear Angelina small chuckle.

She began to understand why Evelina liked playing the role of a damsel in distress.

"What is the meaning of this...!?" A loud shout came from behind them. The one who spoke was the Emperor himself!

The loud commotion in the garden naturally attracted attention. Crowd's from the banquet rushed to see what's going on. Even familiar faces were among them.

Such as the Skyler family, the ladies from their table, the Casspan family, and many other nobles.

'hoho...it looks like we're going to have quite the big show...' Angelina felt a rush of excitement fill her heart.

She never knew how exciting it felt to play the role of the victim. All throughout her past life, she was always the villain, the bad guy, the perpetrator.

"Oh my Lord! Lina!" The duchess felt her heart drop seeing her daughter in such a state. She rushed to Angelina's sight and fiercely glared at Rulias.

"Did you do this to my daughter!?" The duchess screamed with distress.

"Wait! Your grace...i-it wasn't me!" Rulias pleaded.

"Do you think anyone will believe you!?" Rienne shouted again.

"Lina! Your nose is bleeding!" The duchess pulled out her handkerchief and gently wiped away the blood.

"Oh my....how could young lord Rulias do such a thing...!?" One of the noble ladies that sat at their table gasped in horror.

"I never knew he was such a violent person!"

"Oh dear... he's doomed now. The Emperor and Empress witnessed this themselves..."

"Viscountess Aurabella might have to do some explaining..." A noblewomen mocked.

"Pfft! The Aurabella family is in a lot of trouble. But oh well. Who told them to offend the Skyler family. Their utterly doomed!"

"Wait...i-it....it's not what it looks like...!" Rulias stumbled and fell backwards.

"You are the Viscountess's son, correct?"

"Ye-yes...your highness the Empero-" Rulias rushed to reply to the Emperor.

"Can you explain what happened..?"