The Butterfly Trap

The Part 30

" Castella Helwise!"

" Why are you asking about the mesh... ehm him?" he asked in an unhappy tone.

I could see a bad connection between them from the response Penelope gave me, though Penelope tried to cover it up but her facial features could not lie.

' Wouldn't he say Si ******? it turns out Penelope can also say disrespectful'

I'm laughing a little.

" So I met him, we even had breakfast together!"

" Same The jal.ehm Miss Helwise? why is he here? shouldn't he be busy with his faction?"

" Said he'd help the Grand Duke".

" Him? the Grand Duke didn't need his help, did he think he was as strong as what? you know Miss, she came here to tempt the commander, everyone in the country knows that she's crazy about the commander"

" It looks like your relationship is not good" I muttered half a whisper.

" Of course, who would want to be on good terms with the venomous snake, I'm sure he greets you with a very friendly smile but his eyes are intimidating".

" Greetings know me Castella HELWISE" said Penelope practicing Castella and I can see the perfect resemblance, from the way she smiled, to the way she looked, even he also emphasized on his last name which made me laugh even louder.

" He did introduce himself like that to me, how could you imitate him that much?"

" You can even mimic her smile"

" Chew, that viper-like smile that always marks its prey, so you're careful, because he won't let anyone get close to the commander"

I nodded my head, though, Penelope was cold when she just knew him but he was a very caring person as we relate further with him and Castella seemed more friendly but if more attention again we can see his eyes who seemed to prey behind her beautiful face and sweet smile.

" You should inform me immediately if he invites you to his tea party, believe me he invited you not because he likes you but wants to warn you to stay away from the commander!"

" What is that extreme?"

" Sure! even if you still insist he can get rid of you cruelly, killing ordinary people is easy for nobles, especially he is the commander of the Virgo faction"

I shudder in horror, I wonder why my fate has been so unlucky ever since I met Zurich, attempted murder by a hit man, kidnapping even now Castella is after me, staying away from Zurich is a good choice.

" By the way I also heard rumors that your relationship is deteriorating because you also like the Grand Duke"

" who? me? of course I like the commander as the superior, oh are you jealous Miss?" ask her with seductive eyes.

" Yes, yes!" answer me quickly.

A faint smile came from the end of his mouth.

" Say if you're jealous, it's just the two of us in this room"

" No, really!"

" So you don't like the commander hmm?"

" It.... If you don't like the Grand Duke do you like young Duke Abelard?" ask me to divert the question.

Penelope did not reply, instead her face was a bright red and she widened her eyes at me, not out of anger but in shock at the words I said.

'' Is it that clear?" tanyanya while holding her reddened cheeks.

" Well, I'm the kind of guy who pays attention to things around me and then I'll do the analysis, when we go for a walk in the park when we're in the North, I can see your eyes that keep following Sir William's movements, and when he turns to smile at you you will blush in shame, even if you hide it desperately".

" Why did the conversation get to me anyway? Miss Butterfly is right, hmm anyway you should listen to my advice about the Jal.. That Miss Castella, if you see her from afar, avoid immediately, if you can if you've finished purifying the commander you'd better get back to Capital!"

I nodded, Penelope has a point the longer I am here, the more people will know of its existence and the more likely it is that my secret will be revealed, I should try to keep myself hidden from the spies who might stab me.

After a long conversation with Penelope, I went back to my room, before leaving Penelope gave me some books I could read to relieve my boredom during my time in the castle.

Sure enough, while on the way I saw Castella looking at me sharply from a distance, I gulped.

' Penelope just warned me and now the guy's waiting for me, gini my life'

I twisted my brain, pretending not to see it was not the right reason for me if I wanted to avoid it because our eyes had already met each other.

' Can't anyone help me? should I pretend to be in Zurich's study? but his study passed by the place where Castella was standing, anyone help me!'

From the south I saw a familiar man walking with a small note in his hand, I smiled and ran towards the man.

" Sir Claude, long time no see!" I told him.

" Miss Sicily? long time no see either, you look very excited", he replied with a friendly smile that adorned his face.

I glanced at Castella who was casually walking towards us.

" Sir, can you say that you need my help? or are you having business with me or whatever, hmm?"

He looked at me in surprise, I glanced at Castella many times.

" Are you able to follow what I say? this will not hurt you, even I will owe you hmm?"

" I don't understand, what really happened Miss?"

Not long before I could answer Claude's question, Castella appeared with a distinctive smile on her face, Claude greeted him politely as well as me.

" Sir Claude, are you going to the Grand Duke's den ?" ask him kindly.

" Any right Miss!"

" Continue, certainly not with Miss Sicily, right?"

Claude glanced at me.

" I. We do have some business to talk about Miss!' I blinked my eyes twice at Claude.

" Right, we were about to discuss a business that was delayed" Claude replied reassuring Castella.

" Business?"

" Yes Miss, since I am an Herbalist so Sir Claude needs me to check the medicines to treat the knights who were injured after the attack".

He looked at me with a look of disbelief.

' What is this? what's my reason for not making sense? why is he staring at me like that?'

" really? hmm how is this? though I was about to invite you to tea" he said in a tone that sounded disappointed.

I gulped, it was obvious he was not disappointed at all, he was just pretending that Claude would let me go with him, I glanced at Claude and hoped that he could convince Castella, he seemed to notice my discomfort then with a friendly smile he turned towards me and Castella.

" I'm sorry Miss Helwise, I really wanted to have a long chat with you but because the commander was waiting for us, so we're saying goodbye" she said, bowing her head.

I nodded and bowed to Claude's movements and followed the man to the building where Zurich worked, I held my breath until we got away from Castella and I also did not dare to look back to see how far we had come from her.