Saving The Villainous Monster From The Male Lead-Chapter 48 - 47: The Lost Friend

A group of knights were singing some war songs in one corner, their voices echoed in the restaurant. Some of them were already wasted, lying in weird positions on uncomfortable wooden chairs, tables and grounds. While some just couldn’t stop laughing.

"What’s the celebration for?" Eleanore asked, a smile breaking on her face unknowingly on seeing the fun atmosphere that had surrounded her.

"They are celebrating for me. I have officially earned the title of captain of the Royal Knights." He answered by shouting at the top of his lungs, to make himself audible amongst the loud comrades of his.

One of the knights noticed his new captain standing there with a girl. His hands were in hers and they were both looking at each other, smiling and talking. What he saw was a romantic wind following between them. Under the influence of innumerable liquor bottles he had drunk, he of course couldn’t judge the image in front of him, very well.

"Captain!" He shouted, bringing everyone’s attention to the two people standing at the door. He quickly made his way to him and asked, "Is she your girlfriend, captain?" He asked jokingly.

Alastor blushed on hearing that question. ’Oh! I wish!’ He thought.

"No, sir. I am Eleanore Sinclair. A friend of the crown prince." She introduced herself elegantly and greeted them with a bow. "Good evening respected sirs."

Another servant came forward, his eyes fixed on the hands that had clenched on each other tightly. "Then why are you two holding hands?" He asked, pointing over those hands unwilling to let go of each other.

All the other soldiers started to whisper amongst themselves. Eleanore’s eyes travelled down to the hand that was still in the crown prince’s hand. When he was guiding her through the crowded streets, she had completely forgotten that they were holding hands. After that the atmosphere here had mesmerized so much that she didn’t pay attention to her hand at all.

Alastor blushed on hearing that. He had held her all the way here and was also aware that they were still holding hands. But Eleanore didn’t let his hand go and he wanted to feel her warmth for a little longer. So, he continued holding it. If only one his useless, drunk Knights hadn’t noticed him holding her hand, he could have held it longer.

"That—" Alastor spoke up, looking for an excuse, but Eleanore interrupted him.

"It was too crowded. His highness was helping me not get lost." She lied.

"Ah!" The knights whispered together.

"Boys. She is here to enjoy this party for a few hours. Let’s make her feel welcome." Alastor announced.

The knight that had already been lost under the influence of liquor. Pushed Eleanore into the restaurant by her shoulder, saying "Let’s take good care of the captain’s special friend." He winked to his comrade.

He then helped her sit on an uncomfortable wooden chair and passed a jug of liquor to her.

Eleanore hesitated. "I have never tried liquor." She looked up at the Knight.

"Then you must try it out now, my lady." The knight said. "It’s tasty."

Eleanore stared at the jug, debating whether to drink it or not.

"Lady Eleanore, if you don’t want to drink it, then that’s fine." Alastor sat next to her. "Don’t push yourself."

"Maybe, I should try a little." Eleanore had never tried alcohol before and was therefore unsure of the effect this would have on her. Even so, she wanted to try it out.

She poured a little from the jug to a small glass and then slowly gulped it all up in one go.

Alastor was shocked when he saw that. Following her, he also gulped up his jug of liquor.

Elsewhere, Cealestis and Stella were still sitting on the bench waiting for a doctor to arrive. But Eleanore had still not arrived with a doctor. Stella started to get worried for her and got out of the bench, but Caelestis caught her arm and made her sit back down.

"What are you doing?" He asked, stunned by her sudden action.

"Lady Eleanore is not here yet. We should look for her." She replied.

"No. You are hurt Stella." He argued.

"Grand Duke. Do you really not care for Lady Eleanore? What if she got in some trouble?" Stella pulled her arm out of his hand and turned to him. "Lady Eleanore is your responsibility, Grand Duke? How will you answer her brother if something were to happen to her?"

Caelestis rolled his eyes in frustration. "Stella, you are thinking too much."

"But Grand Duke—" Stella continued to argue with him and he had come to realise that it would be difficult to hold her here any longer.

Caelestis waves his hand to the doctor standing at a safe distance from them. This was Eleanore’s plan to plant a doctor there, so that he could arrive as if he were a passerby, after about half an hour. But on Caelestis’ order he arrived early and acted as he was asked to.

Once he had applied ointment and banded on Stella wound, he left.

Stella quickly got up and pulled Caelestis out of her seat too. "Come on, quickly. Let’s go find Lady Eleanore. I am so worried."

Caelestis held her hand tightly. He could feel the warmth of her body passing into him. The size of her palm is so much smaller and softer than his own. He looked at his other idle palm and found ripping skin, blood clouts, it was a mess.

"Grand duke!" Stella called him out. "Let’s go!"

They started walking ahead, he deliberately took her in the direction of the city square. When they were hardly any far from the waterfall. Caelestis finally brought out all his courage to speak up.

"Stella." He called her.

"Hmm." Stella was still worried about Eleanore.

The sun had long disappeared from the sky. She could see the moon on her left rising by all its might and her new friend was still nowhere to be found. ’I should have sent Caelestis here?’ She blamed herself, as her mind kept giving her strange thoughts and possibilities of troubles Eleanore might have fallen into.

"Stella. I am sorry."

Stella’s forward steps stopped on hearing that. "Grand duke, this is not the right time to talk about this." She declared.

"No, this is. It’s now or never."

"Grand Duke—"

Caelestis hushed her by placing his finger on her lips. "Please, I must say it now." He took a deep breath before continuing. "Stella, I’m very sorry for that evil act I pulled off. I’m not sure what was going on in my mind at that time. I accept it. It was my fault. But Stella—"

He rubbed his thumb on the back of her palm as he recited the words Eleanore had prepared for him. Yet he couldn’t put weight in those words, and they sounded empty. " — But I still—"

"Love me?" Stella interrupted in disbelief.

For as long as she could remember, she was aware that Lady Eleanore and Grand Duke were plotting something together. The coincidences that kept happening were not plausible at all. That night at the garden, the forced teatime they had a few days ago, then today. All was Lady Eleanore’s plan.

"Did Lady Eleanore give you this speech as well, like she created these opportunities for you to have some alone time with me?" She pulled her hand out of his and crossed her hand around her chest. Her eyes filled with anger.

She knew it but remained quiet. She just wanted to see how far it could go. But this was too much. Now Cealestis is using her to apologize. On top of that it is so half-hearted and empty that even a blind person could recognize it, just by hearing that bland voice of his.

"No, Stella. I truly feel sorry from all my heart. I just couldn’t get it in words."

"Then Why is your apology so bland? Even the lie that you uttered moments ago was more convincing than your heartfelt apology, just now! Grand Duke!"

"I —"

Stella raised her hand to make him stop talking. "That’s enough. I have forgotten what you did to me, along with the friendship we ever had. But if anything were to happen to Lady Eleanore because of your stupidity. I will never forgive you for that. Is that clear?"

"Don’t worry. We decided to meet near the square." He hesitated.

"Then we must hurry up." Stella started limping ahead to the square and Caelestis, sadly, followed her.

He was failing in winning over Stella over and over again. Instead of sorting things out between them, they were only getting worse.

When they arrived near the square, Eleanore was not there. They looked around everywhere, even asked around but still, couldn’t find her at all.

Stella, filled with anger and worries, questioned Caelestis about Eleanore. "Where is she?" she shouted.

"She should be here. Maybe she went on a stroll. We are early." Caelestis gave excuses.

"When did you two decide to meet?" Stella asked, scared for her friend who is now lost.

"After an hour."

"Then where is she, grand duke? We are only a few minutes early." Stella scanned the crowd looking for anyone wearing a light green colored dress. But she couldn’t find a single person in that exact shade or the same design of dress.

"Let’s wait here, Stella. I believe she will be here in no time." Caelestis caught her arm and helped her sit under the fountain where Eleanore was sitting, minutes ago.