Chapter 55 - Where There Is Smoke

In case anyone missed it in my Author's Notes yesterday, I'm changing my update schedule to "12 midnight GMT+08" instead of 12 noon GMT+08 to make it earlier and to cater the time of most of the readers.

Enjoy!

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Selena bit her lips to stop herself from smiling.

"Why am I so happy that he's flustered?" Selena was lost in thought. "Well, he should be flustered since I'm a very beautiful woman. Any man in the world should be happy if I said that I'm happy to be with them. Right, nothing special. It's simply my pride as a woman since he kept treating me like a pet or a little girl! Hmf! Serves you right! Now, fall for me! Hahahaha!"

"So, this is Selena," the king greeted them as soon as they entered the door. He took a quick glance on Selena from head to foot. "Hmm … not bad. So you like big chested women, Clavis?"

Clavis got annoyed and quickly stepped in front of Selena to cover her. "Please refrain from being disrespectful to my fiancée, your highness. Disrespect towards her is disrespect towards me".

Clavis was not the only one annoyed, even Selena got pissed off with the king's greeting to them. In her mind she thought, "This stupid, lewd king! Arghh! Go husband! Teach him some lessons!"

"Ohh, don't tell me you're already in love in a span of … what? one week and a couple of days?" the king mocked. Then, he stood up from his seat and continued, "No, impossible. Besides, you don't believe in love. Knowing you, your first decision would be to give her to some other Judge, or General. And if they won't agree, then to a noble family, right?"

At these words, Selena who was hiding behind Clavis, trembled and embraced herself.

"I see … so he really DID intend to give me to some other men," Selena thought as she lowered her eyes and head. "Weird … why do I feel something stinging in my chest?"

"Tell me, Clavis. What's the real reason you decided to take her?" The king gave off an intimidating smile. He had been pestering Clavis about it but the Wise Judge kept himself silent. So now, he's using Selena's presence to try and agitate him.

Clavis turned to Selena, "Selena, go and rest outside for a bit. This conversation might take a while".

"Uhm," Selena silently nodded and walked outside without taking a glance back at Clavis, which the man took notice.

Clavis felt annoyed. In his mind he thought, "She's sad and it's all because of this blabbermouth of a king. Urgh".

"Oh no, she seemed sad. Poor woman," the king teased even further.

"Heh," Clavis smirked back at him. "Don't think that deliberately pissing me off will make me talk. I don't amuse myself with idle talk".

"Scary~ It seems that I really DID piss you off. Somehow … I'm very happy".

On and on they continued hounding each other.

Meanwhile, Selena went out of the office and down towards the garden that could be found below. It was a smaller garden than usual, with a marble pavilion in the middle that served as a resting area. There were mainly flower bushes and statues at each corner. Despite the size, it was still a very relaxing place thanks to the water fountains scattered about and the magnificent view of the skies at eye level - they were still within the Floating Kingdom afterall.

Selena sighed as her fingers played with the flowers.

"Stupid girl, why are you sad?" Selena talked to herself in her mind. "What the king said is true though, that's very much like him. And besides, don't tell me you like him already? Seriously, you just met him last week, for goodness' sake!

Hmm … Nope, it's not that I like him, that's impossible. Besides, he's the only man I interacted with - maybe that's why I'm feeling a bit lonely since I feel rejected, right? Yes, that's the most possible reason … right .... And since he's the first man I'm basically being close with, that's why … I want him to like me or something like that, right?

Tsk! Who are you kidding? Honestly, are you falling for him?

What? No! Why would I fall in love with someone I just met? You think I'm Anna from Frozen? Of course not!

Then why are you sad?

Because I feel rejected, that's it! And … I … I'm confused. I'm supposed to be his wife … But then again, this is all just a big misunderstanding and the situation can't be helped. It's not like I'm his wife or fiancée because he actually liked me. But then again, where does that put me? What if … what if someday he finds someone he loves? Of course he's gonna marry her and I'll just be a side consort or something since Magi allows polygamy".

On and on, Selena kept on arguing with herself. Then with a deep sigh, she told herself, "I … at least want to marry because I'm in love with someone … not like this".

"Well, well … If it isn't Clavis' little fiancée," a tall woman suddenly spoke up. She was with another friend and they went to the garden to rest. They were both beautiful for a normal human standard.

Selena remembered them as the apprentices from one of those offices she visited with Clavis.

"Ah … Hello, nice to see you again," Selena greeted them back. She was careful with her words since she didn't know their purpose.

"Why are you alone? Where's your husband?" the other woman asked mischievously.

The tall woman snorted as she shook her head and crossed her arms, "Husband … How lucky of you, being the fiancée of the most eligible bachelor next to the king. And you're JUST a human". Her animosity escaped from her tone.

Selena immediately felt that these two were up to no good.

"Tell me," the tall woman continued, "What did you do to seduce Clavis?"

Selena clenched her fists.

"Did you know? She came from Pemptos, under Malum," the other answered her.

"Oh? Malum? Then, that explains a lot," and they both snickered.

The tall woman walked nearer Selena.

"Let me guess, you seduced him in bed using your large chest, didn't you? Nice trick, gotta make use of your assets, huh?"

"Hahahaha!" the other laughed so loud. "So tell us, was he big?"

"Big? What big?" Selena thought in her mind. Then, after a few moments, she realized what they were referring to and she got totally pissed off. "These bitc*es … you're a hundred years too early to go insulting my husband! You want war? I'll give you war!!!"

Selena tried her best to be forgiving and kind and forbearing like Rania, but it seemed that just didn't suit her personality. So, she decided to fight back! And fight back hard!

"So you're bullying me, huh? Heh, I was INDEED in Pemptos, and that is for a whole lot of reasons!" Fire lit up Selena's eyes as she thought of all her counterattacks to these two bitc*es.

"Bring it ON!!!"