The next two days I went about my days as usual, neither seeing Oda nor Otto. However, one morning I woke up to see an extremely mad Oda. She had snuck into my room without waking me up, simply waiting for me to wake up. Aideen was there too, much she didn't say anything.

Oda's hair was a mess; thin white strands were loose from the ribbon that tied them, the black satin ribbon in awkward knots. Her dress was like mine yesterday, ripped and muddy. What a privilege it was, seeing the princess like this.

"I found Otto this morning, curled up under a tree. Crying! He was lost, cold, and afraid! It must be a plan of that monster's. Why, Karina, why didn't you convince him to come back?" she screeched, forgetting the she was suppose in the dorms. It was nearly noon though, and I doubted anyone was still in their dorms.

As Aideen helped me get dressed, Oda told me what happened. Apparently after Oda found Otto she and stayed with him until he was asleep, in the dark and damp tower, she came to my dorm to berate me after hearing from Aideen that I didn't leave my dorm at all.

I had skipped breakfast along with yesterday's dinner. I wasn't the only one though, Oda spent the whole night looking for Otto, thus her crazed appearance.

"And your eyes are red—were you crying?" she noticed and asked.

"I'm not feeling well," I said plainly, and stood up from my bed, making her take a step back. I walked towards the window, looking out into the garden and the forest where I was with Oscar yesterday.

"Oda."

"Yes?"

"Which contestants are most likely the Queen's pawn?"

"I'm glad you asked," she said in a voice that doesn't sound glad at all. "I've done a lot of research with my henchmen. The most likely contestants are—" she pause, "they are just our suspicions, I have no proof, remember. After eliminating the two highest classes, and some of the girls who made a show at the dinner with Otto, we have three likely choices. First is a Middle Class contestant, Priscilla Winter. According to people she is aloof but has managed to join the social circle of the most popular ladies, like Garnett Valliere and Lorna Heathcote-Stone."

I remembered a Priscilla, but I couldn't remember how she looked like and I knew I never interacted with her.

"Second is a Lower Class contestant, Aubree Rolfe. She is incredibly unnoticeable, I don't even recall her, but rumors have it that she's polite and nice. Then there's a Viola Raphael, a Lower Contestant, who used to be wealthy until her father got into debts."

I knew Viola Raphael.

"I know her," I said. "Do you have any other information on her?"

"Yes. The most suspicious thing is that before they got into debt, she was studying to work as a Royal advisor." Royal advisor. If that was true, then it was likely, as the Queen might want someone to rule over Taraxac for her.

"Our last suspect is Tristesse Roncesvalles."

I stiffened. The solemn and weeping girl who was alone? Her, as the Queen's favorable contestant? Oda felt my suspicion.

"Yes, she may be from the Upper Class, but she was born in Berennis, which may be hard for people to accept. In the Dandelion System though, it doesn't matter, which might be why it was created by Mother in the first place."

I turned to face her, looking straight into her eyes. Such an action was unusually bold of me, but I couldn't help it. Something about her manner—Tristesse's—told me she wasn't cruel. She was sad. Almost indifferent to everything.

"I'm going to look for Tristesse, if you don't mind."

"That would be helpful," Oda answered. "Do investigate, that way you can finally be of some help. I'll go and gather seeds again." I glared at her. Aideen looked befuddled at the tension between us.

Gritting my teeth, I turned and opened the door, slamming it behind me. Then it opened again with Aideen coming after me.

"Lady Karina, why did you suddenly want to do this?" she inquired, trotting to catch up with me.

"I didn't want to stay in the same room with Oda," I muttered. I cleared my throat when Aideen cocked her head in confusion.

I walked down the hallway into the dinning hall. The door is slightly ajar and I hear series of female laughter. I peered through the gap and see a group of girls sitting there. I recognize one girl laughing in the middle: Garnett.

I quickly signaled for Aideen to come, and she peeked inside, huddling under me.

"That girl had no shame!" Garnett's giggled fills the room. The other girls around her, seven in total, imitate her joyous mocking.

"She was licking the prince's feet for attention!"

"Yes!"

"Just like the girl who ran out during the dinner with the queen," the girl always around Garnett recalled. They were talking about.

"Yes, Lorna," Garnett said this time. "Karina Dearcage." I was surprised that she remembered my name. Aideen looks shocked too, and was fervently mouthing silent words to me. I ignored it and pressed my ears closer to the door.

"So that's her name!"

"She's from the Middle Class," Garnett added, casing goosebumps to erupt throughout my body.

"Just like you, Priscilla!" Lorna said, her words laced with malice. Priscilla. Someone who might be the Queen's contestant. I followed their eyes and look towards who they were staring at.

Priscilla sat alone on the other couch, dressed simply, face free of powder, and her dark brown curly hair billowed behind her, free of accessories. She looked plain—like anyone other Middle Class girl. I was surprised she was part of their group.

"Please don't compare me to Karina Dearcage," she said. "She's an idiot."

Idiot?

Despite her harmless look, her words were harsh, and I couldn't help but want to know why. She turned slowly to face both Garnett and Lorna, sitting side-by-side in the other couch, smiling identically, as if waiting for her to continue.

"Classes do matter in the Dandelion System."

Something about her was scary. Her bare and flawless skin, her untied curls, and her dark eyes staring at you—challenging you.

The other girls laughed, almost nervously, before changing the subject hastily about some other girl. It was obvious Priscilla had quite an influence here. Despite being of lower ranks she had joined the upper ranks. And unlike Garnett and Lorna, she didn't sugarcoat anything.

"Let's go," I told Aideen without emotion, but her face was red and she was visibly flabbergasted.

"Those crude girls!" she exclaimed. "I can't believe the ladies in the Dandelion System would speak that way!"

At least now we know what type of person Priscilla Winter is.

"Tristesse Roncesvalles is the one dressed in black all the time, right?" Aideen asked me, and I nodded. "I have heard from other lady-in-waitings that she often goes to the forest."

I suddenly remembered meeting her in the forest along with Annabelle. How could I forget that? It was the first time we met.

"Let's go to the forest." Aideen nodded.

"It's cold outside so please wait here, I'll go back to your room to get your cloak." She hurried up the staircase.

I wondered who Tristesse is mourning for? It certainly couldn't be a lover, as it would be shameful to make the Prince your second. Maybe a family member? She was adopted, Annabelle told me. Moreso, how is she special? What did the Queen see in her?

I heard a rustle, then a scream. My head snapped up to look at the staircase, and I see a girl lying facedown on the bottom of the staircase.

"Are you fine?" I asked, hurrying to her side. "Are you hurt anywhere?" The girl, now laying facedown on the floor, raised her face. I tucked in my skirt as I bent down to see if she was hurt.

The girl looked as young as Aideen. Her cheeks were rosy, eyes round and big, and face free of make-up too. She gave me a small smile, looking embarrassed.

"I'm so sorry about that!" she stuttered. I held out my hand.

"You don't need to apologize. Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Oh, no. Thank you for your concern." Her smile grew and she accepted my hand. I pulled her up.

"Where are you headed to?"

"The kitchen," she said and dusted off her dress, an ivory-colored dress free of any design. She looked like a maid, but she also seemed too young to be one.

"Do you like to cook?" I asked. She nods.

"Yes! I like to bake. The oven here is big, and they let me use as much ingredients I need. If you'd like, you can come and eat my pastries sometime." I smiled.

"Thank you, I will."

I see something moving in the corner of my eye and notice Aideen, peeking at us from the top of the staircase. I try my best to hold in my laugh. Was she wary of her?

"My lady-in-waiting is here," I said, and she followed my gaze to see Aideen, now nervously making her way down the stairs. "You two would make good friends." I smiled at Aideen, who is stone-faced.

"You are her lady-in-waiting?" the girl asked, and then takes Aideen's hand into hers. "You must, must, come to try my pastries! I'll be looking forward to it!"

"Uh," Aideen responds, staring at her hands, cupped into the other girl's even smaller ones. "Me and my lady should get going now."

The girl nodded in understanding, and stepped out of the way between me and Aideen. Aideen, quickly wrapped the cloak around my shoulders and nearly pushes me towards the doors.

"Wait!" I turned to the girl. "I can't believe I forgot to ask, what is your name?".

"You are the first to ask me my name since I arrived here," she told me, looking pleased. "My name is Aubree Rolfe!" The very moment the words reach me, I felt my chest tighten. Aideen doesn't seem affected at all by the fact. Instead, she walked in front of me and pulled me along.

Once we were outside the castle, we both started talking.

"We just met another possible candidate, imagine that—"

"Please do not act like that!" Aideen interrupted me. For the first time, she looked mad. "I don't need friends, I live solely for the purpose of serving the Royal Family!" Her words shocked me; I had never heard her speak so bitterly.

"Don't say that," I said, frowning. "I despise it when you act like the Royal Family is your master, and you are their dog."

"I am," she said, voice deep. I raised my eyebrow and stared at her, who stared right back at me. "They gave me something to live for."