Both Calista and Lilian shifted their gazes towards the person that shouted and immediately caught sight of dark black hair and deep, stormy gray eyes that were looking concernedly at Lilian, but as his gaze shifted to Calista, it went 180 degrees, showing a rather nasty, accusatory gaze.
Calista's eyes went wide at the person standing not a few steps away from them. She knew who the individual was. How could she not recognize it when the insignia of the royal family was embedded on his suit?
The first prince, or rather the hero of the novel, Prince Thalion, immediately went closer to Lilian, and with quick movements, he instinctively knelt down, and with careful yet firm hands, he gently supported Lilian as she got up from the ground.
His eyes are frantically inspecting her whole condition, afraid that there might be some injuries or bruises on her body. After making sure that there weren't any wounds inflicted on her, his eyes stayed locked on Lilian's soft violet eyes, scanning for any signs of pain or distress.
Seeing Lilian's wide-open, dilated pupils with the obvious redness from her previous crying session brewed an intense sense of responsibility inside Thalion.
His shoulders, jaw, and fists clenched tightly, and his face turned red as he snapped his gaze at Calista, who was watching the whole thing with wide eyes.
"You!" Thalion pointed his finger at Calista.
Calista's heartbeat quickened at Thalion's unexpected, disrespectful gesture.
"How dare you hurt the legitimate daughter of the duke, you piece of half-blood scum!" Thalion shouted in a loud, sharp tone.
Calista's body froze at Thalion's words, her breath catching in her throat. The words that are not real because she was not the duke's daughter still hurt her because those words are meant to insult her.
She could feel her chest tighten, and for a few moments, all she could do was to stare at him in a mix of disbelief, shock, and anger.
Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, trembling slightly.
Half-blood scum?
She was at a loss for words to say, but she needed to make things clear because she knew if any of this progressed even further in a bad way, her destiny would have the same fate as the original villainess.
However, how can she protect herself when she indeed hurt her, but she hurt her first?
"I—I didn't mean to. I was just...I was just protecting myself. Lilian was acting strange and somehow deranged! I didn't mean to hurt her!"
Calista didn't know what to do in her situation. It was the first time in her previous and this life that she ever got into this kind of situation.
Before Thalion could respond, Lilian, who had been quietly watching from behind, stepped forward.
"How could you lie to get away from this? You even called me strange. I started to accept you as my new sister, but I—I didn't think you thought of me that way. I—I was just trying to talk to you," Lilian said, her voice quivering, her eyes intently gazing at Calista.
"What the heck are you saying? I was telling the truth," Calista's voice rose in frustration.
"Stop it, half-blood! Just because you got the Vermilion name doesn't mean you're a real Vermilion. Don't be delusional!" Thalion stepped in and shouted at Calista while standing between Calista and Lilian.
He was standing in front of Lilian as if trying to protect Lilian from Calista.
For a moment, a fleeting smirk appeared on Lilian's lips that vanished as quickly as it appeared as she cowered behind Thalion and gazed intently at Calista.
"I'm not lying!" Calista! shouted.
A sniffle was heard among them as Lilian wiped away the tears that fell down her cheeks as she gazed at Calista, her eyes full of pain, but yet a hint of cunningness was evident in them.
Thalion snapped his attention at Lilian and brought Lilian closer to him and hugged her gently while stroking her hair.
"Lily, calm down. It's going to be fine," Thalion mutters in a low voice as if the words are only meant for Lilian.
Lilian went closer to him and laid her head on his chest and cried even more.
"Thaly, I don't know what to do anymore," Lilian muttered back.
"Don't worry. I'll do anything for you."
Thalion turned his attention to Calista, who was now starting to feel like the whole thing was deliberately set up.
Calista somehow felt disgusted at the way two young children that didn't even know the ways of the world embraced together and whispered to each other as if they were a married couple.
Both of you are still kids! Stop these cringey actions this instant!
Calista can feel the cringe seeping into her whole system. A different kind of frustration was raging on her body compared to a few minutes ago.
"You, half-blood! I'll request the king to demote you out of that name that doesn't belong to you!" He shouted in confidence.
Calista's system momentarily froze.
W-what did he just say? Can he do that sh*t? He can't, right?
The corner of Lilian's mouth quivers and is on the verge of going upward at Calista's dumbfounded expression when suddenly—
"Stop this theatrical and gratingly unrefined action," a high-pitched voice with a hint of raspiness intervened.
Everyone snapped their heads at the dark auburn-haired individual that appeared out of nowhere.
Lilian flinched at the bright amber, almost golden eyes that glanced at her.
A hint of hesitation appeared on Lilian's face before it quickly recovered as she spoke in an accusatory tone, "Older brother Elias! Calista just hurt me!"
Elias, who was quietly observing the whole scene from the shadows, heaves a sigh at her younger sister's childish actions.
"Lilian," he said in a blunt, no-nonsense tone, "shut your mouth before you embarrass yourself further."
Lilian's eyes widened in shock, her accusatory expression faltering. "B-but, older brother—"
Elias raised a hand, cutting her off. "Enough. I've been standing here long enough to see through your little act." His voice was calm but carried a cutting edge that made Lilian flinch.
Lilian was about to try another act, but Elias's intense gaze made her stop executing her plans.
Lilian bit her lip in bitterness, knowing her actions were seen through.
Without a word, she runs away without ever looking back.
Thalion, who was left alone, gaped at the sudden events. His gaze shifted back and forth to the path Lilian ran to and Elias's face.
"Elias, what's wrong with you?" he asked in a disappointed tone before following Lilian.
Now that Thalion and Lilian were gone, Calista and Elias were left alone. A deafening silence enveloped the whole place before Calista decided to break it.
"T-thanks," she mutters in a shy and hesitant tone.
Elias turned his gaze to Calista, his expression neutral, as he folded his arms over his chest. The silence lingered between them, heavy and charged, before he spoke in his usual blunt tone.
"Don't misunderstand," he said, his voice cutting through the air with no warmth. "I wasn't trying to 'save' you or anything."
Calista's heart skipped a beat, her unease creeping back as she looked up at him.
He continued, his words direct and unyielding, "I was simply preventing a childish act from escalating. If that drama went any further, it could've stirred up a much bigger controversy and put the entire family in a precarious position. Do you really think I'd intervene for any other reason?"
Calista nodded quickly, her gaze flicking to the ground as she processed his words. Her nerves tensed again under the weight of his blunt assessment. She had been foolish to think there was any kindness behind his actions.
"Right," she murmured, her voice small. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble."
Elias didn't respond immediately, his expression unreadable as he turned away, his boots crunching against the gravel as he walked past her.
Calista watched silently as she gazed at Elias's retreating back.
She can't believe she has to try getting along with people that have those kinds of personalities to survive and change her fate.
A spoiled and best actress ducal princess. And a blunt and feisty ducal prince.
She wonders what the eldest child was like.