“No, Your Grace.”

After continuously declining her, Beth seemed outraged and made an angry look on her face. “Why do you keep saying no!? You’re still so stubborn, aren’t you?”

I didn’t answer her and just watched her. She was still straightforward, just the same way when I knew her as a daughter of a viscount. Then she became frustrated by my silence and grabbed my collar.

“I still consider you as a friend. But I don’t understand why you are so cold to me. If you’re angry, be angry. But please.. take me to him.”

I shook my head at her words again. She was about to become enraged, so I roughly freed myself from her grasp and spoke coldly to her. “Beatrice! Do you even understand how much you’re getting in the way right now?!”

She seemed surprised by my sudden change of tone from being polite to my regular self, and her eyes turned large.

“I’m answering my enemy’s invitation so that I can negotiate with him. I’m busy taking care of myself, and you want me to protect you too?”

“I didn’t ask you to protect-”

She was about to protest, so I went to her beforehand. “And what I’m doing to you now isn’t because you’ve been lying to me all this time.”

At that, Beth scowled as she looked at me. “Can you be sure of that? Do you know how sad I was when you ignored me like that-”

“And you thought I should greet you as a friend in front of all those people? Wake up! You two are na?ve kids who didn’t even experience the beau monde with everyone else. Wouldn’t it be suspicious if you two are suddenly friends of mine?” I saw Beth biting down on her lip. I felt my mouth turn bitter.

I admired her confidence toward nobles who were higher in rank than her. But that confidence actually came mostly from her noble rank. I didn’t feel jealous but I felt empty. The proud young lady that I admired was actually a na?ve princess living alone in a noble tower. Still, I couldn’t hate her. She was still the same lovely person that my friend used to be, and she still saw me with an adoring look even after hearing my harsh words, so I had to look back at her with the same eyes.

“You should go on with your romance after Rey comes back. I’ll make sure to save him and bring him back.”

At that, tears dropped from her eyes, then she wiped them off with her clothes and nodded, “You didn’t change a bit. You were always so kind to your people and didn’t bend your will to anyone. Okay. I trust you, Marin.”

I smiled slightly at my friend’s voice but was surprised by what came next.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

What was in her golden eyes was determination. A will to do anything that I ask her to do. I was a fool. Trust is only earned when it goes both ways. I didn’t trust others, so others wouldn’t have trusted me too. Now, I’ll trust her. Even if a person looks weak, a determined person can have unimaginable potential. So I spoke to her about what she could do as the Princess of the Grand Duke.

“I have a favor. Make sure no one knows I left. And can you get me two horses?”

“Of course. Wait a second.”

Not long after, she returned with two horses. I was about to hop onto the horse when she spoke to me with determined eyes. “Remember, Marin. I’ll do whatever I can to keep it a secret that you left today. But if it goes over a day, I can’t promise you. And if you don’t return, I’ll have to send Mion and everyone I can gather to scour the mountain to find you, Rey, and protect my people on the estate from unwelcome trespassers. You have to understand me.”