I close my eyes and smile. After almost five minutes, I heard Rufus suddenly gasped. I look at him with my poker face.


    He points at me. "Csille. Your- your face!"


    I sit on the bed and take the hand mirror I specifically prepared for this morning. I smile in the mirror when I saw what I am expecting.


    Finally! My excuse. I happily hop to the floor and look at Rufus. "Surprise. Did I surprise you? How about this? How do I look?"


    Rufus looks at me with shock and panic in his voice. Like what he is seeing right now is too unbelievable in his eyes. I just shrugged at his reaction and walked towards the full length mirror. I smile at my reflection.


    "Perfection," I put my fingers together like it''s forming for a kiss, and I kiss it.


    And now I have my reason to avoid Prince Fraser. You are so wise, Ysavel.


    "What perfection are you saying?" Rufus suddenly asks. He probably just got out of his trance. He walks towards me and checks my arms and my face. "Look at your face. It''s all red and swollen. Is this what you are saying? Do you have an allergy to lemon?" Rufus'' eyes widen at the realization.


    I smile at him and point my pointing finger at him. "Bingo!"


    Rufus was so shocked that he took a step back and stared at the floor. I raise my eyebrow at him. Isn''t he overreacting too much? Why does he look like someone died?


    I ignored him and took the lemon peel on the table and rub it on my arms, my neck, and the exposed part on my chest. Rub rub rub. After a minute of rubbing, I put the lemon peel on a paper bag and walk towards the dumbfounded Rufus and takes his hand and put the paper bag with lemon in it.


    Rufus looks at his hand and looks at me before he shakes his head. "I''m done. You know! You definitely know! Why do you do that?"


    I look at his panic stricken face. "Can you calm down? What do you mean you''re done? I''ll tell you, you didn''t bring that lemon in here, and you''re not the one who made me drink the lemon juice, okay?"


    Rufus looks at me and sighs. "You''re really going to extreme just to avoid him? Do you hate him that much?"


    I sigh and sit on the bed. "I don''t hate him. I just hate his title. I feel pressured, Rufus, and I don''t like this feeling. I don''t want to be restricted. I want to enjoy my life as it is, but how can I do that if everyone reminds me that I am just the fiancée of the Crown Prince of the Vrawyth Kingdom."


    "But didn''t you agree to it?"


    I scoff at Rufus. "The young Csille does, but I''m older now. I now understand the responsibilityes from that title, and I don''t think I could do that. I''m just fourteen years old. Can I just enjoy my youth?"


    Rufus sits beside me. "Csille, that''s the price of being born as nobility. We don''t have time to y and enjoy our life because we have responsibilities not just for our family but for our Kingdom."


    "But this is not what I want. I want to be me. I don''t want to live in the shadow of anyone. I just want to be Csille Lauretré. Not the daughter of the Count. Not the bride to be of Prince Fraser. Or not the future Queen of the Vrawyth Kingdom."


    Rufus smirks. "You really grow up." He stands. "So, what do I need to do after?"


    I smile at Rufus, "You just need to call a doctor and tell them that I have an allergy. And tell people that I don''t want anyone to see me like this. Especially Prince Fraser."


    Rufus shakes his head at me. "When did you know you''re allergic to lemon? Why didn''t I know about it?"


    How can I not know? I am the one who writes about Csille having allergies to lemon. Even Csille doesn''t know she has one since she doesn''t like lemon. "I just knew about it recently. Just go. My skin is starting to get itchy. Call a doctor. Also, don''t tell anyone about my allergies, okay?"


    Rufus shakes his head. "Okay, okay." He then left my room in a rush.


    I immediatelyy my body on the bed and close my eyes. I didn''t realize this is how people feel when they experience contact dermatitis. I feel hot and itchy all over. I want to scratch it, but I know I can''t.


    I sigh, all I do just to avoid Prince Fraser. However, I know that this is just a temporary solution, and we''ll definitely meet one of these days. But I''ll deal with it when we cross the bridge.


    After a couple of minutes, I heard footsteps outside my room. Then I heard someone knocks on my door. "Lady Lauretré, we''re the doctors ask by your highness, Crown Prince Fraser, to check on your condition. Can we get inside?"


    I am about to answer the doctor when someone talks outside.


    "Csille, are you okay? I heard from Rufus that you got an allergy. I''m worried about you. Can Ie in?"


    I immediately sit up and look at the door, panicky. "No!" I hurriedly said. "Don''te inside. No one cane inside. I don''t want any doctor. Can you call Leander? I want him to check on me. Only him. All of you get out. I don''t need anyone." I shouted.


    I tightly grasp the nket I am holding. Afraid that Prince Fraser would barge in my room. Please, don''te inside Prince Fraser. Please, don''te.


    I heard silence outside. "Csille, let me inside, okay?" Prince Fraser gently said.


    I shake my head repeatedly. "You cannote! I don''t want anyone to see me like this. Just call Leander."


    However, Prince Fraser looks like he has a different n than mine. With a pleadings voice, he asks, "Csille, I don''t mind seeing you like that. I just want to be beside you. Please, Csille?"


    Come on. Prince Fraser, don''t be too hard on me. Can you just stick to the script? You''re supposed to be irritated by me. You should avoid me. So, go. Just go and let me do what I want.


    "No! If youe inside, I''ll hate you. Forever. So, don''te. Just call Leander. All I need is him and nothing more. All of you, get out. I don''t need you."


    Sorry Prince but I need to do this. It''s for your own sake too. If you still want this world to exist, and if you still want to be together with Princess Paislee in the end, just follow my lead. Just go. Please, I beg of you.


    I heard silence outside. "Okay. If that''s what you want." I heard Prince Fraser said weakly. Afterward, I heard footsteps again.


    They are leaving finally! I sigh and slump my body on the bed. It''s not that I only want Leander to check on me. Any doctor would do, but if I do that, it won''t justify my words that I don''t want people to see me like this. So, I want someone who knows me to check on my condition. And it''s not true that I care about how I look right now. I don''t. But if I said that, then my excuse to avoid Prince Fraser would be useless.


    After another ten minutes, I heard someone knocks on my door. "Lady Lauretré? It''s Leander. I heard from Prince Fraser that you call me to check on you? Is everything okay in there? Can Ie inside?"


    I sigh and look at the door. "You...can." I barely said those words. My mouth is already dry from waiting for help, and I feel my energy got drained. I also feel like I take a bath with my own sweat. I don''t feel good. Is this how bad Csille''s allergy? I feel sick. So sick.


    The door opens, and Leander walks inside. He immediately walks to my bed. I heard him gasp when he saw me. He then takes my wrist to check it. After a few seconds, he puts it down and sighs. "You have an allergy. What did you eat to make you like this? You look like a mess."


    Thank you, Leander. I appreciate your words. I want to roll my eyes at him. Of course, I will look like a mess. My arms, my face, and my neck are all red and swollen. Do you still expect me to look as fine as before?


    He sigh. "This is an allergic reaction. You must have in contact with something that triggers your allergies. What did you eat today? We must know your allergen so we could avoid it in the near future."


    I shake my head. I cannot tell them my allergen, or else the event in the future wouldn''t happen. "I don''t know. I just woke up having rashes. I didn''t get out yesterday and just stay in my room. The food I eaten is the same type of food I''ve been eating since the first day we came in here. So, I don''t understand where did I get this."


    "We will need to retract your every move then. We need to know your allergen so we could avoid that in the future." Leander said he then write something on the paper he is holding.


    I tried to sit up, and he helps me. "How long my rashes couldst?"


    Leander examines how bad my rashes are and sigh. "Based on the degree of your rashes, I''m afraid it couldst for a week. But don''t worry, Csille. Before we arrive at the Saiven Kingdom, these rashes will definitely fade away. All you need to do right now is to take a bath with cold water so it will lessen the itchiness, and I will ask a doctor to prescribe you a medicine that you could apply for the rashes so it will help with the itchiness."


    I sigh. One week? I could use that one week to avoid Prince Fraser. I smile secretly. My n seeded, and now I could leave in peace. I can ask them to sit in a different carriage, so I wouldn''t see Prince Fraser if we continue our journey.


    "When will we continue our journey?"


    Leander paused for a while to think. "If I''m not mistaken, we will continue our journey tomorrow. But it will still depend on Prince Fraser. Since we still have one month before thepetition and the journey from here to Saiven wouldst for almost two weeks only. So we might stay here for another day or two."


    I nod my head at him. Leander then gives me instructions on how will I take a bath and what soap I should use that wouldn''t make my skin more irritated. I listen to him very carefully. Although I don''t mind looking like this, the itchiness is really irritating. If not, because I''m afraid that I''ll ruin Csille''s delicate skin, I probably scratch it now.


    "I''ll be leaving now. I''lle backter after I talk to the doctor to prescribe you medicine. Also, try not to touch anything from your room. I''ll ask the innkeeper to change the bedsheets and your pillows."


    I just not my head at him. He then left my room. I sigh and slump on the bed. I''m happy that my n seeded, and I could avoid Prince Fraser, but I don''t like how itchy these rashes are.


    "This is the price I need to pay to avoid Prince Fraser. Just bear with it. At least you don''t need to worry about straying away from your character."


    I stand up and look around, trying to see if there''s still a trace of lemon juice. I took a mop and mop the floor, and wipe the table.


    I need to erase the traces of lemon juice so no one will know my allergen. After a minute of mopping and wiping, I sessfully get rid of the lemon smell. I''ll just have to take a bath and deal with these rashes.


    "Oh, well. It better than dealing Prince Fraser." I smile to myself and walk to the bathroom happily.