Ever Ever After - Chapter 22

Chapter 22: To Be With You

It was Clint who’d seen all kinds of beautiful women in the world.

What would his reaction be if a woman who was as hideous as a beast and disease-ridden with black spots was to marry him under the emperor’s decree?

He was sure to commit treason and rebel.

“Good idea, father,” Lawrence smiled satisfyingly.

***

Lawrence stepped out of the emperor’s office and quickly searched for Rita’s whereabouts.

Rita lived at the eastern block of the Imperial City. It took only five minutes long to get there.

When the Crown Prince made his entrance, Alex Brea came out to greet him.

“Your Highness Lawrence, what brings you to our humble place?”

The wizard, Alex Brea, was the country’s third-ranking official with the first-ranking and second-ranking official guarding the emperor closely.

“I’m here to see Rita Brea,” Lawrence said.

“Your Highness.”

Alex has a stern look on his face.

“It’s not enough to see my daughter meet a man engaged to another woman, but you would willingly ask me to see her?”

“Well, that…”

“Your Highness, free love in this country is encouraged, but even so, it’s not right for you to come and go as you please.”

“What if I break and annul my marriage?” Lawrence asked.

Alex, who was looking down at the floor so as not to remake eye contact with the royal family, briefly raised his head.

Lawrence’s handsome face was filled with a confident smile.

Alex noticed that Lawrence wasn’t joking.

“Come in, Your Highness,” he said with his head down.

After entering the mansion, Lawrence knocked on Rita’s door and she slowly walked out.

Lawrence smiled. He could see her chilly expression covered by the fan.

“His Majesty has granted me permission to terminate the marriage,” he said.

“Wh-what?”

“There’s nothing that can come between us now. What do you think?”

Rita dropped her fan from the glaring shock. Tears welled up in her seductively innocent eyes.

“What are you crying for now? Did you really think I’d allow you to become my mistress?” Lawrence said mischievously.

“I’m so… happy…”

“I’m glad you like it. Why did you act like that earlier?”

“I was afraid of getting hurt… afraid that my love wouldn’t be able to reach you…”

Rita’s shoulders shivered up and down.

Lawrence reached out and hugged her tight. This woman… it felt like she had lost weight. He couldn’t believe how much suffering he caused her.

Now, finally, there was nothing locking him down. But strangely, his heart was chaotic.

***

The castle’s outer walls climbed to the highest point of the Outer Castle with spiral stairs.

Ailea dressed herself in the uniforms of a maid. It was comfortable and designed to be easy to work with. The unofficial was simple but it had its formality.

Dressed up, she made sandwiches and climbed up the stairs.

Blue meowed and jumped on the stairs to follow her.

“I’m sorry. You wanted to come, didn’t you?”

Ailea smiled softly, opening the picnic basket with a sandwich and placed Blue next to the sandwich.

“Don’t eat our lunch first, okay? Just stay still, Blue,” Ailea spoke affection and slowly climbed the stairs.

Ten days from now was May 15. It was the day of her birthday.

“I’ll turn twenty this time,” Ailea muttered with a happy expression.

Ailea, halfway up the spiral staircase collapsed on the stairway. She was exhausted. She had done insane labor gardening potatoes and tomatoes, but dear lord… climbing the stairs was the most difficult task she had ever done.

“I should’ve worked out more with you, right, Blue?”

When she spoke to Blue, the clever kitten replied, “Meow.”

The blue-eyes white car quickly helped and rejuvenated with much energy under Ailea’s intense care.

When she finally managed to get to the top of the castle, she saw a small broken bell. Ailea stood in the bell tower and looked at the outside surroundings in awe.

The exterior was old and shabby, but the scenery was beautiful.

“Wow…”

Ailea opened the basket and took out Blue, placing the kitten in her arms.

“Look, Blue, it’s beautiful out today.”

As the sunset shone, hues of purple and orange reflected against the kitten’s sky-blue eyes. The color of the sunset was beautiful and peacefully serene.

After putting down Blue, Ailea sat comfortably and took out the sandwich. It was a simple sandwich she made herself using fresh and delicious ingredients like tomatoes. She even made focaccias.

Ailea bit on the sandwich and blinked in surprise.

She saw a group of knights from afar slowly making its way to the castle. They quickly arrived around the corner and arrived before the transparent barrier surrounding Ailea’s castle.

The captain at the front stopped and spoke about the invisible barrier.

Ailea’s eyes grew bigger when she saw the man with his helmet off.

It was Clint.