"She hid her dowry from you and flirted with two cheap knights!!!"

"WHAT!!!" I stood up from my seat at once. This is worse than I could had ever imagined!

"Mind your language," furiously shouted Lilly.

"Why? Am I wrong? Didn't she gave a gift to Sir Ryan and that knight of yours?" the head maid asked with a wicked smile.

"I did! But my intention wasn't evil," I said furiously.

"Yes, Princess gifted me and Miss Emma also. Are you implying that she was flirting with us too?" again shouted Lilly.

"Let's ask them then!" composedly said Elios.

Is Elios doubting me? I did wanted to win Sir Ryan's trust with the brooch but I could never even thought someone would made it look like I was trying to seduce him!

Both Arthur and Ryan came to the dining hall. Everyone was present there, it felt humiliating.

Elios was speaking to both of them.

"Sir Arthur,"

"Yes, Grand Duke."

"Did the Duchess gave you any gift, while I wasn't present?"

"Yes, Princess gave me a brooch."

"Is getting gifts from her usual?"

"Not very usual, but occasionally she rewards me."

"Reward you for what?"

"For helping her and protect her."

"In other words for just doing your duties." Then Elios turned to Ryan, "Sir Ryan, did you receive any gift from The Duchess?"

"Yes, the exact same brooch as Sir Arthur."

"Why did she gave you the brooch?"

"Her Grace said, it was for helping her to go out and meet Baroness Florida."

"Have you ever received any other gift from her?"

"No, that was the first and last time."

This time Elios turned to Lilly and Emma. "You both also received gifts from Her Grace?"

"Yes, she gave us flowers," said Lilly.

"Yes, Her Grace gave us flowers," added Emma.

"Did any of you thought her giving you any gift had any mal intention?" asked Elios.

Emma hesitated at first but then spoke, "At first I thought it was unusual for Her Grace to give us anything or even think about us, but I didn't thought she had an ulterior motive."

"Yes Your Grace, I also thought it was unusual for Her Grace to gift me something so expensive but her intention seemed genuine," said Ryan.

"Rather than what the head maid said, it felt as if Her Grace wished to be in a a better term with us," added Emma.

"THEN WHY DID SHE SPAR WITH THE OTHER KNIGHTS? DO YOU HAVE ANY ANSWER FOR THAT?"screamed the head maid.

"It wasn't Her Grace but the other knights who wanted to spar with her," calmly replied Emma.

"Does that answer your curiosity, head maid?" asked Elios.

"Your Grace, this woman is playing with us. They all are fool. Why else would she hid her dowry from you?"

"Did mother ever shared her inheritance with father?"

"Your Grace! You are comparing the late Duchess with her???" shockingly asked the head maid.

"What's the difference between my wife and my mother. However I see, their background, status, behaviour everything is very similar."

Every single person in the room except I, Arthur and Lilly stared at Elios in disbelief as if he had said the sun rises from the west.

"You've been working here for very long, so I'll let it go this time, just by confining you for a week but I won't show mercy to anyone next time. Am I clear?"

"But Your Grace..."

"Am I not clear?" Elios stood up, "I'm done with my breakfast. I'll leave now."

I hadn't touched my food yet but I lost my appetite after all this.

"Princess you should eat something," said Lilly as she was following me to the study.

"Yes Her Grace, you shouldn't skip your meal," Emma joined her.

As I reached the study, "Make sure not a single person enters the room and leave me alone right now." I said and closed the door.

I took a seat. Every time I think I can survive here, things get even more complicated. At first they said I was a witch, next I was dead in my world and now I'm seducing people. Just what should I do?

I thought Elios liked the Princess! But if he liked her would he really humiliate her in front of all these people??? Just what does he wants from me!

Where's my pen??? I need to talk to Claire. Last time I was in the study when I spoke to her. I looked around. In the drawer, the cabinets. But I couldn't find it anywhere.

Suddenly I heard a knock. "WHAT?" I frustratedly screamed.

"Her Grace, The Grand Duke would like to meet you."

I went to Elios's office half frustrated half worried.

"You called Your Grace?"

"Yes, The Royal family would like you to meet someone."

"And who's that someone?"

"You'll know once you meet."

What's with his tone? He sounds very different than usual. "Your Grace have I done anything wrong?" I asked confusedly, "I really had no intention behind giving them the brooch. I simply gave it because they helped me."

"Sure, if you say so," he said as if he didn't cared what I said.

"Then,........... when will I meet that someone?"

"Today. In an hour or two maybe," he replied. I looked at him confusedly, "Oh another thing, I was curious about," he opened a drawer of his desk and picked something up. "Would you please tell me what's this?"

That was the pen Claire had given me, lying just there, "That's my pen." I replied hesitantly.

"I thought so but when do you use it?"

"It's just a regular pen I use to write."

"Oh."

"Can I take it back?"

"It's just a regular pen, I'm sure you can work with any other pen just the same way. So just leave it here."

"You know something, right?"

"Is there anything I shouldn't had known?"